"The plot, since the very beginning, has been based around necessity and conflicting interests. I have no doubt the salvation will be magical (It will probably involve dragons, for example), but the fact that it will almost certainly rely on flawed characters and people doing what they believe is best with what they…

The first sentence gibbers about all those movies . There are whole states where each week only one or two of these movies will be available. Many will not even be within a hundred mile drive. The phrase "art house theater" is a bookism, with no real life referents. No wonder so many AVClub reviews are bungled, when…

Plainly I think you keep misreading certain things. But suppose for the sake of argument that you are right, that the people of the North are so set on independence they are forcing Jon to be King of the North. They are exactly like the mutineers who put the war against the wildlings first. They are fools at best,…

Jaime shouldn't tell Cersei what Olenna said. It's not like either Jaime or Cersei are going to reconcile with the murderer of their father. Jaime conniving at the murder of his father is not redemption. All he can do is confess he was really stupid when pleading for her quick death.

Theon is an antihero. Most people intensely dislike antiheroes. What they often call an antihero is just an amoral winner. The heroic aspect is the winning. As near as I can make out, these heroes get called antiheroes because lip service to the idea that true heroism means doing the right thing. Hank Schrader on…

The big attack coming when the Long Night really starts makes sense, I think. The popular suggestion that sea ice making a path around the wall does too, except the prophecy about mountains (of ice) blowing in the wind suggest it's going to fall. (When King's Landing blows up will be the sun rising in the west.) But…

I think time travel=there's only one Three-Eyed Raven," which really is hard to explain.

You just claimed the Northerners are "nationalist," which means all the blather about the Mad King's atrocities are entirely beside the point. Which does make it all lame, exactly what I was bitching about.

What you're saying is, Jon Snow wants to be King in the North. And he'll fight Daenerys for his throne regardless of whether it interferes with the fight against the White Walkers. I can't say this is really supported by what's on screen.

He wasn't elected, so no, he's not.

When the Lord Commander dies, they elect a new Lord Commander. We've seen them do that. They haven't elected a new Lord Commander. On one hand, being King in the North is an ideal position to fulfill duties as Lord Commander, as you point out. Except that it is explicitly forbidden for the Night's Watch to intervene …

Yes. But you forgot your conclusion:

I'd given up on the show after two episodes when it first started. Years later I got the idea it was over, so I tried it again to see how it came out. Binge watching it dulls the pain of the bad aspects. (I've found that binge watching without commercials can make borderline quality shows watchable for me, like last…

"Once the chain is broken…" The Mad King forfeiting his position does not forfeit his heir's position. In other words, there is no chain to break. It was peculiar Rhaegar did not form a regency. Mental illness could have been treated like incapacity from a stroke. Except, plot.

And coming back to life validated him. It really, really says, "The rules don't apply to me." That's sovereignty. Or to put it another way, what are they going to do if he swears allegiance to Daenerys? Kill him? They know for a fact that doesn't work. He's beyond their reach.

Because double standards are lame.

I suppose it's all very well to insist Bran should in effect lie to her, pretend he didn't see what happened and that all was well. She doesn't need to know he saw. Of course when she begins to realize how extensive his powers are she won't wonder what he knew. Nor will she ever wonder why he didn't bother to say…

When Daenerys first became khaleesi of a horde, however bedraggled, it was because she walked out of the ashes of a fire with three baby dragons.
I think Jon is very similar. Being the son of Ned Stark is important, but the really important thing is the magic, the coming back to life. It's why Thoros of Myr is running…

The game of thrones is a game. Who cares who wins?

They elected a new Lord Commander? Til then, not moot, I think. Edd may be appointed commander of a single castle by the Lord Commander, just like Jon appointed Slint as commander of a rundown fort. But if he's not Lord Commander, then who appointed Edd? My guess is that either the maesters or the Crown (but, which?)…