Only just got around to seeing this movie the other night and long story short: The people in my theater seemed to enjoy the Lego Batman trailer more than this movie.

Which provides a good contrast to the books, where the off-page death of Balon leans ambiguous credibility to her powers (being that he was supposedly swept away in a storm).

Yeah but other houses have always been wary of the Boltons, I mean, with their symbol being a flayed man, you've got to be.

It's hard for the show to convey that dissatisfaction without showing us the other Northern Lords. It seems as though we'll be seeing more of them next episode, but I think that their lack of presence thus far as really hindered the impact of the Winterfell plot.

I'm willing to bet that Bran ends up warging into a dragon and helps fight the white walkers that way. I mean, all the stuff with Jojen about how "Bran has a place in saving the world" and even the simple fact that Bran has such a power suggests dragon Bran.

It wouldn't be Qyburn, though, because it is the Alchemist's guild that was commissioned by Cersei to make it prior to the Battle of Blackwater. Well, I wouldn't be surprised if (whether by Cersei or his own will) he had usurped that power.

The more I think about it, the more I'd have liked the story to take that path. It would be completely in-character for Roose rather than the alternative we were given.

That's fair—I have to constantly remind myself that not everyone has spent as much time on A Wiki of Ice and Fire as me, hehe.

In Olly's defense, Jon (both in the show and books) could've done a better job of explaining exactly why the Wildling/Night's Watch alliance is so crucial. His speeches basically boil down to, "We know what we're up against and we need every man to help defeat them." which isn't at all incorrect, but as a leader he…

It's the little details like that, ones that couldn't be hard to implement, that spice up the world GRRM created and make it so rich.

Yup, Shireen's agonizing death screams left me a little shaken so I was relieved that Walda and the baby's deaths were relatively quiet.

Did Jon and Davos ever have a scene together of them conversing alone (in the show)? Because I would think that they'd get along quite nicely.

From what I can tell I believe Ned will be portrayed by Robert Aramayo, and Arthur Dayne by Eddie Eyre.

Good point, I hadn't noticed that, but the delivery is very important and I hope that the show doesn't ruin the good name of Arthur Dayne (and the other Kingsguard). The Tower of Joy scene is so momentous and I can hardly wait to see it unfold in live action.

Yep, I think Roose says something along the lines of "The tears of (fake) Arya Stark do them more harm than anything Stannis can do."

Tyrion, the best kind of spoiled rich kid.

Well it did show case in the first season when she grabbed the heated dragon egg that she didn't get burned.

Pretty much my same thoughts. And of the Lannister+Targaryen theories, the one that would be most satisfying would be if Jaime and Cersei were the Targs and Tyrion was the only pureborn Lannister. It makes for more interesting characters on both Tywin and Tyrions' part, that Tywin's only pureblood son was this…

I assumed it was Brandon as well, and he could very well be teaching his younger siblings such skills. Remember that way back in episode 1, our first view of Winterfell is Jon and Robb helping Bran with his archery.

Seriously, this episode really upped the momentum of the show and I remarked to my girlfriend after the episode, "Woo! We're entering the end-game."