I don't see it as being that strange… the previous reports focused primarily on GoT. As the most popular show on the planet, GoT leaks happen all the time. Episodes have leaked in the past and all of the details revealed by the hack were known to fans from Reddit posts dating to last fall.

Your argument is immaterial, in the books you are meant to understand that Rhaegar was basically the best dude ever and that the war was about his dad overreacting and Robert's fragile ego/wounded pride. Nearly every character in the books speaks glowingly of Rhaegar at all times, so I'm hesitant to call him at fault.

yeah, but he doesn't know that.

Yeah, I hated a lot of the leaks when I read them over the spring and I was bummed with what has been true so far.

Robot Chewie is what we are teasing here.

it would cement their alliance more firmly, and would be the push needed to get him onboard a dragon.

It was nice, but I feel like the show will eventually just spill the beans on it via this mechanism they created. It's now Chekov's High Septon Diary

In a hypothetical world wherein Rhaegar explains his actions (assuming book cannon) as needing a third child to form a three headed dragon with the intent of fighting the Night King, I'm sure nobody would have cared.

Lyanna was in love with Rhaegar and realllllly hated Robert. He didn't run off with her, she ran off with him.

So uh some maester wrote a book about R+L=J and nobody ready it?

I worked in retail when I was in college and it was always fun opening a box from a supplier and having it be their name brand stuff and our store brand stuff all mixed together.

Eh. Keep in mind that if you have a concept of a store as being fancy it probably means you aren't buying produce or staple foods there… so if you are going to Trader Joe's and skipping out on half the store you are left with a lot of interesting and eclectic ethnic food offerings and some legitimate luxury items…

TJs frozen meals basically make up 90% of my work lunches

Costco also does the opposite, selling cheaply manufactured clothing under designer labels via licensing.

People say this a lot because of the corporate structure and mutual history, but call me when Aldi starts selling Korean scallion pancakes and Harissa salsa instead of just cheap off-brand Cheerios

Nice try, Chevy.

Especially as Team Stark and Team Targ fully merge together, there is no excuse for cheering for the Lannisters.

Sure, but you'd need dozens of the things to effectively combat a dragon because otherwise it would just burn it before you got the throws off. It was a very show-y fluke that Drogon was hit before firing in this instance.

"we're going to build another wall, this one around Dorne. Believe me. It's going to be great. They are sending their lotharios, their bad plotting, and some, I assume, are decent people".

Is that any less believable than a medieval army not immediately breaking ranks as soon as a fucking F-16 arrived?