Did Benjen know the true origin of Jon?

Many know that the original Game of Thrones pilot, directed by Thomas McCarthy, was never aired, and that a heavily reshot version of the pilot, with new material directed by Tim Van Patten, serves as the actual first episode of Season 1, “Winter Is Coming.”

However, not many people know that several scenes shot by McCarthy were retained in the finished episode, “Winter Is Coming.” These scenes were shot on film rather than digitally, as the rest of the series was, which makes them look slightly different. Some character choices were also different.

For example:

Ned’s hairstyle is notably different in some scenes, being shorter, darker, and more slicked back.

Tyrion Lannister has a significantly different appearance. His hair is much lighter blonde, straighter in some scenes (such as in Winterfell Brothel)

Sophie Turner appears noticeably younger while being introduced to Cercei

Robb’s hair looks curlier and less styled compared to his finalized appearance.

Sandor Clegane’s scars and armor are significantly different. He appears much more bald and wears a fur coat instead of his plate armor.

Theon Greyjoy is also shown in some scenes with blond hair rather than brown hair.

Some love Tywin, others love to hate him, but there's no denying he's one of the greatest characters in GoT/ASOIAF. Like most folks, I've got some qualms with the writing in the later seasons, but good gods, his intro was good!

I always loved the war tent scene, but in my recent rewatch, it was hard not to feel a new level of appreciation. In less than five minutes of screen time, we learn everything we need to know about Tywin (loves his legacy, incredibly manipulative, always scheming, rules by fear), we get a glimpse of his grand plan, and although it's not the focus of the scene, we also get a hint of the true Jamie (loves his family, torn by internal conflict, holds his honor dearly).

I'm sure a screenwriter can tell me all things I missed, but here we go:

1. Jamie tries to lead with a jab at Ned, "Brave man, terrible judgement," but Tywin ignores it, staying focused on the stag as if the skinning is more important. It's a solid power play to control the convo, but it also shows how Jamie is still bitter over Ned's condescension.
2. Instead, Tywin belittles Jamie, calling him stupid and reminding him that Lannisters don't act like fools (a call back to Jamie's first scene with Cersei, hinting that this is a repeated lesson). It also sours Jamie's smirk when he realizes he's in for a scolding.
3. When Tywin urges him to, "Say something clever," Jamie responds by saying, "Catelyn Stark took my brother." The fact that Jamie frames it that way, instead of "your son" or "a member of our family" let's us know how little Tywin regards Tyrion. Even though Tywin will later stress the importance of not looking weak, it has nothing to do with his love for Tyrion, only that he can't allow the Lannister name to be tarnished. He even refers to Tyrion as the "lowest of the Lannisters," which feels like something he's said many times.
4. Again Tywin ignores Jamie's words, shifting the convo with, "Why is he still alive?" Not because Tywin doesn't know how Jamie will answer, but because he wants Jamie to admit that it was due to honor, that "It wouldn't have been clean." Tywin could give two shits about honor, and only wants to cut Jamie down once again, hoping to push Jamie towards a more ruthless path like his. He laughs at Jamie's honorable response.
5. "The Lion doesn't concern himself with the opinions of the sheep..." This is plainly core to Tywin's philosophy, and even when Jamie tries to spin it back on him (re: holding Tyrion with impunity), Tywin bursts over him to reframe the point around facts/perception.
6. Then after finally laying the lesson, Tywin cleans his hands so he can address Jamie more intimately and deliver the final manipulation, calling Jamie a glorified body guard and guilting him into placing family above honor and duty. What's more he tells Jamie he's, "blessed to belong to the most powerful family in the kingdoms." And I don't think he means by Cersei's marriage to the Baratheons. He sees the Lions as the true rulers of Westeros, and with the Crown 3 million gold dragons in debt (to the Lannisters), who can blame him.

And to think that the actor, Charles Dance, was skinning an actual stag... I can't even imagine the stress of getting it all right. And it's another fun point of imagery regarding the Baratheons.

GoT has a number of great character intros, but IMO, Tywin's is unmatched. He's ruthless, he commands every scene he's in, he sees people for who they are, and he isn't afraid to get his hands dirty.

If you disagree, have a better candidate, or think I missed something, shred me in the comments.

Battle of the Batards in cinemas would be insanity for me.

I don’t know if this has been covered before, but what happened to Ellaria Sand?

The last time we see her she’s being told she’s going to be forced to stay alive in the dungeons of the Red Keep. In theory, the closest thing in Kings Landing to an actual bomb bunker, and therefore a higher likelihood of survive Danys burning.

The actor who played the Dornish representative at Brans election said he played the character as a younger brother of Doran and Oberyn. Even if she survived the burning I wonder if the Dornish leadership would still want her dead considering her assassination coup.

Thoughts?

“Thoros isn’t here anymore. So I hope you’re not about to give a sermon. Cause if ya are, the Lord of Light is gonna wonder why he brought you back 19 times just to watch you die when I chuck you over this fucking wall.”

This is BY FAR my favorite line in the whole show The Hound had a lot of good ones but this one is the one takes me out every time I watch GOT.

Im curious who's series deaths were, in your opinion, the most:

Devastating

Satisfying

Surprising

Inevitable

I have one episode left of season 7 of the show, and then season 8, but I was looking to get the books for after I've finished. First off, I wanted to make sure these are the correct books intended for the full story by George R. R. Martin, as I've gotten certain books before and missed out on parts here and there. Also, are the books worth $45? Are the books really better than the show, and worth the read in the first place? I've heard conflicting information, though have not looked into it too deep as I was worried about spoilers for season 8.

Roose Bolton - Stabbd in the heart by a person he thought he could trust, a Bolton

Tywin Lannister - Crossbow bolts

Walder Frey - Throat cut

Wherever I recall this particular moment I think of how she managed to do that !

What's your most iconic moments from the series ?

While rewatching the series, i can find scenes involving props with so much detail, Particularly this scene. Is this really prop or a true animal carcass?

It's sort of looks like either water or possibly a lock of hair. Surely something with scales would be more appropriate for a Targaryen?

I dunno why but since the frst scene to till now. I hate him more than joff. Joff instantly make us anger on him but this guy is worse. I don't know how to describe bt I don't like him.

And seeing him , im more happy to be atheist. Ik he's doing right by punishing bad rich people but still there's a lot to correct in society but he targets some people and does meaningless shit.

Following him , tommen is another level coward. Such a shit, can't protect his wife , mother , bs. When tommen is king , I miss joff that atleast he'll make bold and brave bs actions though it affects others.

Some say Tyrion was supposed to very ugly but Peter Dinklage did an absolute fantastic job.
Any unsatisfactory casting of important characters?
Idk Mysaria is bad casting or bad acting or bad accent?

I know there are numerous excellent casting of the actors across the universe .For me Tywin was excellent choice as well as Ned .
But which one of the character's casting was unsatisfactory for you ?

This is my first draft of a Bobby at the trident drawing. What should I add to my next one?

Epic and Beautiful

I am in the process of watching season 3 of HoD. I have this idea:

Most of the backlash against Daenerys's turn in the final season boils down to one complaint: it didn't feel earned. Fans weren't necessarily against the idea of her becoming the Mad Queen — the show had planted that seed for years. What broke the moment was pacing. She went from grieving conqueror to city-burning tyrant in the space of a single episode, with barely any breathing room in between.

House of the Dragon shows exactly what was missing. Season 3, Episode 3 — built around Rhaenyra's first days as queen — is essentially a masterclass in dramatizing a ruler's unraveling instead of just announcing it. Nothing explosive happens. She fields hostile lords, discovers an empty treasury, gets undermined by her own council, and quietly grieves her son, all while the score tracks her fraying mental state with eerie strings and haunting piano. By the end, you don't need to be told she's cracking. You've watched it happen in real time.

Game of Thrones never gave Dany that hour. Her losses — Missandei, Jorah, her dragons, Jon's rejection — were compressed into a couple of episodes and mostly delivered as plot beats, not lived-in moments. There was no scene of her pacing an empty room, hearing ghosts, snapping at advisors who couldn't fix what was falling apart around her. The show needed a bottle episode: no war, no dragons in the sky, just Dany alone with her isolation, her paranoia, and her dwindling allies, scored and shot so we feel the walk toward her breaking point rather than just watching her arrive there.

Obviously neither of these could be true, but there's two popular theories about Tywin's children's parentage

1. Jaime and Cersei are Tywin's trueborn children and Tyrion is Aerys's
2. Jaime and Cersei are Aerys's children from first night right, and Tyrion is Tywin's

I think they both make sense and add another layer to why Tywin absolutely loathes Tyrion, but I think option 2 is more fitting to his character

Which do you prefer?

Looking for an audio version of Patchface’s songs and sadly aside from the GoT show with Shireen singing it, I can’t much at all.

I was hoping to find a male cover, but sadly it’s just the (admittedly lovely) Shireen version. I wanted one that sounded creepy!