After Sunday's episode of Game of Thrones, fans of the A Song of Ice and Fire book series found that the show pulled a few surprises, things that haven't happened in the novels that serve as the inspiration for the HBO show.
Now, it's safe to say that even those who have read all the books aren't exactly sure of what's going to happen next on the series.
However, it's no secret that HBO and George R.R. Martin, author of the book series, have met and discussed the endgame for the story, as Martin's writing process is much slower than HBO's production. It's also no secret that HBO has actually stated that the series will spoil the books, particularly after this season.
But could these changes we're seeing in this season be hints about what will happen in the upcoming novel in the series, The Winds of Winter? Could these changes be part of Martin's plan for the final novels?
The answer is, obviously, "maybe." However, until The Winds of Winter gets published, we won't know for sure, but here's where we think Game of Thrones spoils future books.
Please note that the following contains spoilers for the A Song of Ice and Fire books.
Jaime Lannister goes to Dorne to save his daughter, Myrcella.
In the books, Jaime hasn't done this, at least not yet. This is something that's likely to happen, though, in The Winds of Winter because it makes sense on the character's part.
In A Feast For Crows, there's a botched escape attempt on Myrcella's part that ends up with her wounded. It's likely that Jaime will be a part of that escape attempt now, furthering the divide between himself and Cersei because of Myrcella's disfigurement during that scuffle. We think that at some point in the books, there will be a complete fallout between this brother/sister/lovers duo.
After that fallout, who's to say where Jaime's loyalty will lay? Will he stay in King's Landing or will he promise his services to another vying for the Iron Throne?
The North rises again.
We don't think we've seen the last of Winterfell, not by a long shot. Although the Boltons are now the rulers of the North, Sansa Stark has now arrived, promised as a bride to Ramsay Bolton, which could strengthen the North considerably.
In the books, Sansa still sits in the Vale, and even at the beginning of The Winds of Winter, she's is still there (we know this from the excerpt Martin recently released). Is this a journey she has yet to take in the novels? And if so, will she really marry another bad man? We think it's likely that she won't, but that her arrival at Moat Cailin harkens something else: the rebirth of the Starks and the North. The reverence with which people received her at Moat Cailin hints at that: Northerners hold her family in higher regard than the Boltons.
However, Sansa has yet to meet Theon, now Reek. Will Theon/Reek rediscover himself once the woman, who was much like a sister to him at one time, befriends him? Will he, too, play a part in Sansa and the North rising?
Brienne plays a part in the North's rebirth.
Daenerys allows power to corrupt her.
In the books, the Sons of the Harpy still torment Dany and Meereen with their rebellion against her. However, in the first episode of the new season of Game of Thrones, Dany captures one of their group and holds him until he can have a fair trial. However, a former slave kills him and Daenerys dispenses justice upon that man instead: by killing him in front of her subjects without a fair trial.
This move angers the people of Meereen: although they once adored their white-haired saviour, this probably changes that.
This seems out of character for Daenerys, but we're wondering if Martin told HBO something about her future as a ruler. We know that her father went mad from power, so is Daenerys heading down that path, too? Will we see Daenerys begin to unravel in The Winds of Winter?
Tyrion's journey in support of the Targaryens and his future meeting with Aegon.
In the books, Tyrion's journey away from King's Landing is by boat, not by carriage as on the TV series. However, that journey is an important one because he comes into contact with Aegon Targaryen, Daenerys' nephew. The books explain that Varys smuggled the child away from King's Landing when the Baratheons overthrew the Mad King. This also explains Varys' presence with Tyrion on his escape from King's Landing, especially since Varys doesn't do this in the books.
Aegon hasn't appeared on the TV show yet, but it looks like the series plans on speeding up Tyrion's journey so that we'll see Aegon soon.
This also goes back to the potential falling out of Jaime and Cersei. If that happens and Jaime does find loyalty elsewhere in The Winds of Winter, it's likely to happen with Aegon because in A Dance With Dragons, Aegon has a conversation about the Kingsguard and how they should be great warriors, as well as sons of great lords. Aegon calls the Kingslayer, aka Jaime, a perfect example of that: he seems to think highly of the man who killed his father.
So once Jaime and Cersei separate, could his new path take him to Aegon's side? Stranger things have happened.
[Photo Credit: HBO]
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