I don't think they push Tyrion's escape and Tywin to the finale given the standard formula of Ep 9 being the big one.

I think they can introduce the Kingsmoot stuff while Asha/Yara is looking for Theon. She really just left it to go back to Deepwood Motte so not much would change. She can still find Theon and meet Stannis while Euron is trying to marry her off. It just eliminates the queensmoot but that can be resolved if she just…

That table full of paper did make me think of what kind of filing system you would need for small scrolls, then Mel answered by feeding it to the flames and reading the message from her god.

Yeah, you have the raid/burning of the stairs, prep for the siege, Jon arrested, Jon going to treat with Mance, then Stannis. Plenty to get us to Ep 9 I think.

He even thought Ygritte would never hurt him. He really knows nothing.

Also Stannis saving the day, but again it is unclear if they would drag that out to Ep 9. I think they could if they spend time on the first raid and the siege though. That could push Jon's election to Season 5.

They did say they were looking at 7 seasons total to match the books, so it may be that most of books 4-5 happen in season 5.

At least they set her up as an amazing shot, so viewers know she was missing vital organs on purpose.

She probably won't get much to do next season but the important thing is that she is on a ship by the end of the season.

Could be fighting off the raiders and burning the hoist/stairs. The next few episodes could be prepping for the siege. Hopefully they will spend more than one episode on the siege/battle. I think it needs to feel more grinding than the quick skirmish feel of Blackwater.

I think  PW happens by Ep 4. Prep and wall siege can easily eat up several episodes so I think Stannis showing up to win the day can be moved to Ep 9 along with Tyrion. I expect Jon's election will be in Season 5 just because you need some buildup for that to be realistic after the battle.

I love how after every episode we all get on here and bitch about something that was left out: Oh she did not shoot him, they did not burn Robb's men, etc. Then BAM, next episode has it all.

It is also hard to debate this with them without giving away spoilers.

Given her recent winning streak it is hard for newbies to see that she is being set up for a big fall. They probably think she will be crossing the ocean with her brown-skinned army and adoring fans next season.

I always thought that was pretty obvious in the books. Bran is the one who will provide the hero the last and most important key to winning, pretty standard fantasy trope. Of course Martin knows those tropes and is famous for subverting them.

But if they don't show up until well into the season after the siege, it will still be a surprise, if only more along the lines of "oh yeah he said said something about the North last season didn't he?"

I think he meant discombobulated in the sense that the episode was just a bunch of jumbled together scenes that largely existed to set up next season. There were some great scenes, but it was very definitely a moving pieces around type of episode and those tend to work better when you can tie them together in some way…

It would have been better if he had told Davos that his execution was just delayed or that he would have fulfill it by dying in battle.

Yeah I really thought he would add a bit more unreality to the finale in the North, like season 2. But I suppose he can wait until after they are across the wall. There was no real reason Sam had to meet him. It may have made Sam's acceptance of Bran's reasoning a bit more understandable though.

I think it still works if we get a kickass reveal. Who is this mysterious hooded figure who has been hanging Freys all season? Is it the Blackfish? Brienne pulls back hood…Oh dear god fuck me!