I actually don't think the story is about hopelessness either, but I do think that one of the messages of the story is that you actually don't always need good to fight evil. Sometimes, what you need is more evil.

Agreed. I think the showrunners, now that they're finally free from having to keep their options open to conform to the books, are hastening to lop off the Dorne plotline as quickly as they possibly can, like the gangrenous narrative limb that it is. They may well do the same with the Greyjoys.

Right. Normal dragon eggs don't have to be hatched in weird rituals involving blood magic and human sacrifice. Dany's did, though, because they were about a century old and petrified. If Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegon should ever lay clutches of eggs, they'll hatch in the normal course of events.

(3) From the books, dragons have genders but they fluctuate between them ("as variable as fire itself", or some words to that effect). We're told that other dragon eggs exist in the world, but they're extremely rare and valuable (and also petrified, as Dany's were when she got them). We've never actually been shown…

But the Iron Bank seems to be made up of geniuses since they are bringing in steady wealth (with interest) and nobody is actively trying to kill or destroy them. Given the state of affairs at King's Landing…

My guess is that they see no profit in ruling Westeros. If so, events would seem to have proven them right.

Braavos has no political connection to Westeros. It's part of a completely different political unit, a loose confederation called the Free Cities. The Targaryens never ruled there, and as far as I know the books never mention so much as one military conflict between any of the Free Cities and Westeros.

Yes, but when the Lady of Thorns confronted Cersei and demanded Margery's release, Cersei snorted and said something like, "Spare me your veiled threats," to which Oleanna responded, tartly,

Well, I hope not. That's not really a story that I'm interested in. If the theme of ASOIAF is that nothing ever changes, and everything is futile, what was the point of the story in the first place?

I think the Tyrells have just about had it with the Lannisters. If Tommen dies (or worse; if Margery dies), it's not impossible that they could send an emissary to the Greyjoys or even to the Martells.

Honestly, Martin himself is more a science fiction writer than a fantasy writer, and this is dark fare even for him.

Not remotely enough Oberyn. . . Oberyn would have actually savored the prospect of fighting both of them. In fact, his answer would have been the perfect Martell response, and not just the correct one.

One quibble. The vile, imaginatively obscene merchant who sold Dany her Unsullied could have had a recurring role in every single scene of every episode (Or even a permanent narrator role, MST 3000 style), and I'd have still wanted to see more of him.

The Boltons have their hands full, and no way to intervene in Kings Landing directly. The really smart alliance for Dorne would be House Greyjoy. The Greyjoys love nothing more than to sack and reave, and the Lannister lands are probably among the richest and (at this point) least defended in all of Westeros.

Well, the purpose of Dany's time in Mereen was always to prepare her for the conquest of Westeros. She's given enlightenment and mercy a try. . .and has learned (like so many other characters in the series before her) that enlightenment and mercy are almost always a horrible idea.

I'd have thought she might have learned the opposite lesson. Her problems all stemmed from letting the aristocrats of Mereen live, and trying to adapt herself to their customs. Since showing that much flexibility and mercy already cuts against the Targaryen grain, she'll probably be more inclined next time to give her…

-Areo's death was particularly egregious when you consider how careful and intense he gets around the Sand Snakes in the books.

One possibility that keeps occurring to me is that Dany and Jon could wind up as the villains of the story. Dany has very little patience for evil and venality. . . which makes her uniquely unsuited to use her dragons to do anything with Westeros besides level it; and Jon will come back -if he comes back- as someone…

I think Melisandre looks like an old woman whenever she's not exercising her power. The necklace is one manifestation of her power; her physical appearance is another. Black magic comes at a price. . . but Melisandre never used the power that she presumably got from sacrificing Shireen. Also, it's not clear that the…

GRRM's not above a bit of cruelty now and then, especially when it comes to killing off characters and denying what we thought was the narrative arc. I think we could both cite some pretty compelling examples of instances in which he's done exactly that. Personally, I kind of admire him for being willing to mess with…