Yeah, I think the ending will be bittersweet, not least because GRRM has said so.

What did you make of Benjen's brief appearance?

There could be a banner of Mertesacker's guinea pigs!

All good points. I wouldn't be surprised if the army of the dead conquered all of Westeros, apart from one castle, or something like that. Most of the characters will die. Maybe the Night King will sit on the Iron Throne?

Also, I think Jon will finally learn the truth about his parentage in the next episode.

Good point. They will probably talk about what happened to him in the next episode, which will be the season finale. Do you think it's possible that Jon would be able to ride Viserion, or that Bran would be able to warg into Viserion?

Rick was always somewhat melancholic, but now he won't shut up about Istanbul!

That's interesting. I had no idea that novella existed. I didn't summarise the Bran theory very well. I've seen it on some mainstream news sites, so I had an idea that it was a popular/widespread theory. I was thinking the same thing about the seeming inevitability (in retrospect) of Viserion's death.

Optimus Prime?

Also, it didn't scan properly as a sentence ("Rick is too obnoxious prick now").

I thought it might be obnoxious prick, but that's not the point of his character.

"too OP"?

http://www.reactiongifs.com…

Soderbergh films I have watched:

What are they angry about?

—Elsa, Frozen

Mertesacker likes guinea pigs!

Propitious Porziņģis

Is he better than, say, Kafka or Erin Brockovich?

Yes.