I see the Jon version of that idea as being much more plausible than the Dany one. If Dany takes anything away from her time in Mereen, it's likely to be that her hardline approach to everything might not be the best option.

Yeah, it really does feel like he's making it up as goes sometimes. I want to believe there's a story bible somewhere, but I doubt it. We haven't quite hit X-Files mytharc episodes level of incoherence, but we might get there.

That outcome presupposes that the Greyjoys aren't just a colossal waste of time.

You could be totally right. I desperately want to believe that GRRM wouldn't spend 5 books making us think that Dany and Jon are the heroes of the story and then pulling the rug out from under us on both counts.

This could also provide a tidy little work around for the Jon Snow situation. Maybe Melly just makes it seem like Jon Snow has returned.

Hmm. I mean, that's much more pessimistic than I'm willing to go at this point. I don't think it has to be a binary choice—Jon doesn't have to be dead for the characters who deserve to be punished to get their comeuppance. Jon's just the main character who has the most insight into what's actually happening beyond the…

Well, that's really the main evidence that Jon Snow can't really be dead. He and the Night's Watch are literally the only people that have any firsthand experience with the White Walkers, and even have any clue what's happening. Yeah, Sam's been sent to the Citadel, but all he has are stories, and we know from the…

Yeah, any of the misleading feints that got thrown out and immediately discarded (Warren's not really a millionaire; Warren's trying to get Bob accused of fraud) would have been more interesting than what actually happened, which was kind of a status quo-resetting afterthought.

It's kind of unfortunate that the two-continent structure of the story kind of prevents Dany from being in on some of the more pressing issues in Westeros, i.e. the legion of the undead that are amassing in the North. She's been doing her own thing for so long that it's starting to feel deeply ancillary to the "main…

That would be AWESOME.

True; she doesn't have to actually rule to "break the wheel."

Maybe so, but then what's her plan for Westeros? Her whole endgame has always been the Iron Throne. If she's not ruling Westeros, does Tyrion end up on the throne?

Sure, but if the upshot of the whole Mereen storyline is that it's too far gone to save and it was just a waste of time, it's going to feel like we had our time wasted too. I can't think of a better way out of it right now though.

Maybe murder would be beyond him. Using Margaery as a tool of the Faith to influence Tommen might be another thing.

True, there hasn't been a woman ruler of Westeros. Margaery would have to get pregnant by Tommen, have a boy, then act as the queen regent until their son was of age. Who knows? I don't see the High Sparrow as being quite as transparent in his intentions as you do. That little chat he had with Margaery got my antennae…

I appreciated the hard reset of Dorne in this episode. Regardless of what GRRM had in mind, everything he's done with Dorne in the books so far as been incredibly dull and pointless. So much political maneuvering. So many Sand Snakes. Now, it's still incredibly unclear how the Dorne plot fits in with everything else,…

Hmm. Let me think this through. You may be right, the High Sparrow doesn't necessarily have a real reason to eliminate Tommen. At least one not based in straight up just eliminating the next generation of Lannisters. Which could, honestly, be enough. That family is a curse on Westeros. Also, if he converts Margaery…

So, what does everybody think about the High Sparrow using Margaery as an assassin to kill Tommen? The more I think about that scene, the more I think about his motives. Sending her back to her husband and having her murder him (in exchange for Loras' life) would be a decent plan.

Well, unless Tyrion is going down into the dragon nursery just for kicks, I'd suspect he's releasing Viserion and Rhaegal to find help find her.

Ok, I hadn't thought of that possibility. I just hope she can accomplish it without resorting to Sex as a Weapon, or one of those exciting GRRM tropes that will involve her seducing the grand Khal or somesuch.