Hey guys feel free to chat about our The Bear and Maiden Fair review here.

Great episode. Always good to see Elio weigh in. I felt that all the thoughts you guys had were well-reasoned and interesting.

Our artbook got reviewed!

That is all. Very proud.

Still need to listen though haha.

Regarding what might happen to Locke, I hope he takes the place of Rorge, so that Brienne can get in her 'Sapphires' line in as she kills him.

Very interesting.

I'm only half way through, but regarding your talk I already have some comments:

1) I'm interested in the listeners thoughts on: Would you think Talysa (if pregnant) really would support the "Wolf in the Belly" - theory?

2) Ned's grandmother was a flint - see also: http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Ho ... _mountains

3) As alyways: I have not seen the series so far, but I'm kind of sad that they made the Blackfish 100% douchy. He was not a very simpathetic guy from the beginning - I know that (is that a "Victarion-crush" I have for him ??) - but make him right out an asshole does not do him justice.

4) Robb could send out the Blackfish instead of Maege Mormont and Galbart Glover to bring his commands to the North! I'm not sure how that would bring any change to the canon at all (self-promition on my part: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1375&hilit=blackfish), but it would at least bring him away from a certain wedding.

His grandmother was a Flint, but we don't know who her husband was. Could be a Skagosi. Might even add more credence to the theory because The Flints aren't much of a civilized clan themselves.

So glad to hear some of those answers from Elio. Love that he'll talk to you guys about maybe-possibly-sensitive-secret info.

Also glad to hear my tweets getting on air.

EDIT: Nearly forgot. You know how there's that part in the book where I think it's Brienne who goes into a tavern and overhears people talking about the events of the RW? One person says that Robb turned into a werewolf and attacked the Freys. Another says he also sprouted bat wings or something and all the other northerners also turned into wolves. To me that's what the TV show is when you compare it to the books. It's a retelling of the same story, the same events, just from a different drunken tavern goer's point of view. That's how I mostly reconcile the differences between book and TV. This one guy says that Robb married some Westerlands girl, but another says he married some Volantine nurse. Either way, the point is the same. New info that doesn't contradict the books can be considered canon, and what does is just a game of Westerosi Telephone gone sideways.

Amin had asked why people might think this particular episode would lend any more creedance to the theory that Talisa is a spy.

For me, personally, it wasn't just that she was writing another letter. It was that she was writing a letter this close to the RW, and that it became the focus of the scene.

The first time we see her writing, her back is turned and the focus of the camera isn't really on what she's doing. Yes, they talk about it, and it isn't being hidden. But clearly they've done all the tricks for us to take NO notice: they fake-out the entire 'spy' argument by addressing it and make it sound dumb (and maybe was dumb to a certain degree because maybe that particular letter was not one of the actual communications she gave. Surely she writes non-spy letters too), and then otherwise offer no indication other than subtle hints nobody notices -- audience or character -- because there's so much else going on.

In the tent scene this episode it comes up again, for no apparent reason, and Robb himself addresses it. Why come back to it? The only thing that's changed is the proximity in time to...

...uh-huh.

It even does away with the whole "well they should have seen it" sentiment because we the audience KNEW what was coming with barely anyone noticing. Because we were probably so distracted with her being a new character. And we're not fighting a war for the preservation of our family. If we're so easily distracted, imagine how much the Starks are.

The Skagos theory is looking good now ... Love Ashley's scoff

Pretty much what I came to write. Really glad you asked Elio the questions you did and was some what heartened by his responses.




I am a proponent of the "wolf in the belly" theory already. Can't see how this argues against it but not certain I see much reason to change anyone's previous opinion.

I'm glad u guys were able to rope in Elio, his insight was valuable.

"wolf in the belly" theory is possible. However we already have a spare Stark, Rickon. With Robb dead, and Bran becoming a tree, Rickon is the heir to winterfell. He has to play a role somehow somewhere.

Hello,
I come back to comment on the things Elio said (finally came around for them):

1) Do I interpret that correctly, that he (might) meet Mr. Martin soon and (may) end the Wolf-In-The-Belly theory once and for all (finally)?

2) Do you also think "George had a good idea to include more information", "if it would be a normal book - there is not much more to write" & "commissioning and layout art is time-consuming" means that it is (more or less finished) and we will (just) get more detailled pictures/maps?

3) I have the feeling that we will get extensive family-trees of the great houses and that will clarify lots of stuff (for example who Ned's mom was).

4) I find his openness very refreshing, when he says that they target christmas-sales and they can't make it for this year (because of point 2).

And overall: Thanks Elio, for taking the time and answering as much as you can/dare!

I think that once you start adding stuff it alters the layout of the whole book - something I realised making the art books lol.

I also love having Elio on and agree completely with brynden.

As I have said in other threads, I think that it is a mistake to base the validity of the wolf in the belly solely on the displacement of Jeyne's hips.

I don't understand the hips thing being the sole basis for this theory - maybe it was a mistake, or maybe Jaime and Catelyn have different hip size standards ... but I agree that the Talisa pregnancy in the show made me go WTF about this, especially since GRRM wrote it ... unless he's completely trolling the book readers with their crazy theories! I'm just getting really confused about how the show affects book canon, or gives clues about what is coming in Winds of Winter, or are they completely different things? I need to know this is confusing me!

oh i hope he's just trolling the hell out of us book readers, and giggling like a school girl while doing it.

Great episode as always, guys. Laughed out loud at the thought of the "Fred and George" guards getting the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern treatment. I would definitely watch that show!

Really enjoyed your speculation on how the show may or may not be hinting at future events in the books. Can't decide if I'm worried about spoilers or excited because it generates new theories (like *how* will Mel and Arya meet again? Will Arya try to kill her, or will they be on the same side? I love left-field alliances, like Stannis joining up with the Night's Watch).

And 5 lemon cakes to Elio for dropping in. Did I hear him right when he said George is working very hard on TWOW and it might be out sooner than we think?

Regarding Qyburn: Maybe the building him up to finally having a last external view on the Cersei-disaster when Varys and Middlefinger finally got the hell out of dodge city.

That makes sense! That way we have a non Tyrell viewpoint, i think you may be onto something brynden!
PS: also I added a review! We will drown ITunes in positivity!

I've always based an speculation on Jeyne having a baby more on the fact that:
-Jaime openly admits he can't rememeber what she looked like
-We know Jeyne's sister is with them at Riverrun
-When they leave Riverrun, Elenya (the sister) isn't mentioned as part of the party, when we know her marriage pact is another part of the Westerling deal.
-Surely Jeyne could wear mourning clothes, considering her older brother is dead, let alone her husband? Why would it be an issue?
-The ripping of the clothes could also indicate a need to alter clothes quickly without involving a seamstress (perhaps trying to hide a gaping bust or a loose waistline on a dress made for someone older and more developed? Or if Jeyne wasn't switched, to disguise a dress that fits too small in these areas because she's pregnant?)

I also thought it was odd that she had a cut on her head from having her crown ripped off it...it seems to me more like an injury gained from shoving a crown forcefully onto someone's head.

So I feel like there's more to go on than the hips, but it could all be a RED herring haha.

Some mutilation nitpicks from a season 3 latecomer... all on an iirc basis...

Vargo Hoat also lost part of his face after Brienne bit him while resisting rape. He didn't get it properly attended to, and it festered. The Bloody Mummers went straight to plan B (for bear pit). In the show, I kept thinking "Go on over and try to join in, Locke. I know what's going to happen to you!"

The clearest clue about Theon's genital mutilation was in the Reek spoiler chapter but was omitted from the eventual Dance, which makes it an inferior sort of canon. The quote was along the lines that 'he was left with the desire but no means of satisfying it', which I assume was an oblique way of saying that he kept his testicles but lost his glans. So, as far as heirs go, some sort of seepage and basting method could still work.