Game of Thrones begins....

[grumbler]

Varys:  what's his game?  He has told Tyrion that he wants an honorable leader on the throne of "our kingdom" of Westeros, but his original plan was to bring Viseys to the throne.  Viserys was everything Varys later tells Tyrion he wants to avoid.  Clearly, he is lying to Tyrion.

Well the original plan was to bring Viserys to the throne by getting an army that would be answerable to his sister's husband (and hence potentially his sister).  So perhaps that outcome was not entirely unforeseen or unwelcome, although it is a very dangerous game to play with so few (?) legit heirs left, given prevailing life expectancies of the nobility in these stories.

That said, there is something dubious about the master plan of bringing an end to chaos and poor rule by systematically fomenting more chaos and worse rule.

But I think that it is clear that Drogo's army would return to the grasslands, leaving no real check on Vserys's insanity.  Varys is clearly up to something other than what he is telling Tyrion he is up to, but what is his real plan?  Any guesses?  That is what makes the speculation abut him being a Targaryen so interesting (though I can't see any evidence for the hypothesis).

[Berkut]

Jon wants to find Bran and Rickon and provide for their safety.  Why wouldn't Jon tell Stannis about the heirs of the house Stark to enlist Stannis' aid to help protect them.

Of the top of my head:
(a) he doesn't trust Stannis
(b) he doesn't know if Stannis will win

2 pretty damn good reasons as I see it.

I guess those are plausible...but it's not like there are better options out there. He may not trust Stannis...but who would he trust instead? Leaving Rickon to wander about with a wildling to keep him company hardly seems like a better option.

[The Minsky Moment]

but what is his real plan?  Any guesses?  That is what makes the speculation abut him being a Targaryen so interesting (though I can't see any evidence for the hypothesis).

1) He is and always has been an agent of commercial or political interests in the Free Cities, who have their own agenda and benefit from chaos in Westeros.

2) He is the "good government" type he says he is, but in keeping with the WotR/Rennaissance setting he is a Machiavelli, for whom good government is strong and firm government.  The Targaryens are the only ones who can provide that as they are outsiders whose authority transcends the feudal titles and land claims of the big houses. 

[grumbler]

but what is his real plan?  Any guesses?  That is what makes the speculation abut him being a Targaryen so interesting (though I can't see any evidence for the hypothesis).

1) He is and always has been an agent of commercial or political interests in the Free Cities, who have their own agenda and benefit from chaos in Westeros.

2) He is the "good government" type he says he is, but in keeping with the WotR/Rennaissance setting he is a Machiavelli, for whom good government is strong and firm government.  The Targaryens are the only ones who can provide that as they are outsiders whose authority transcends the feudal titles and land claims of the big houses.

Those both make sense.  Thanks.

[Admiral Yi]

1) He is and always has been an agent of commercial or political interests in the Free Cities, who have their own agenda and benefit from chaos in Westeros.

Devastating, never-ending war does not repay loans nor increase tax revenues.

[The Minsky Moment]

I guess those are plausible...but it's not like there are better options out there. He may not trust Stannis...but who would he trust instead? Leaving Rickon to wander about with a wildling to keep him company hardly seems like a better option.

Jon presumably does not see status as a wildling as a negative indicator of trustworthiness . . .

The fact that most people still think they are dead, and no one knows where there are would seem to confer a big survival advantage given the recent history of the Starks.

Smart move is to keep them under cover until the political situation becomes more clear.

[The Minsky Moment]

1) He is and always has been an agent of commercial or political interests in the Free Cities, who have their own agenda and benefit from chaos in Westeros.

Devastating, never-ending war does not repay loans nor increase tax revenues.

Ah but lots of opportunities for profiteering and smuggling.

[Admiral Yi]

Ah but lots of opportunities for profiteering and smuggling.

Smuggling still requires a customer with funds.

[crazy canuck]

Jon wants to find Bran and Rickon and provide for their safety.  Why wouldn't Jon tell Stannis about the heirs of the house Stark to enlist Stannis' aid to help protect them.

Of the top of my head:
(a) he doesn't trust Stannis
(b) he doesn't know if Stannis will win

2 pretty damn good reasons as I see it.

Stannis has the largest army.  Stannis is the only way Bran or Rickon could be put back in Winterfell.  If Stannis doesn't win and Bolton keeps Winterfell there is no hope for house Stark.

[The Brain]

Also: why didn't they just get the great eagles to airdrop Frodo on Mount Doom? Because they didn't, OK??!?

[crazy canuck]

Also: why didn't they just get the great eagles to airdrop Frodo on Mount Doom? Because they didn't, OK??!?

Or just get the great green blob to clear the way.

[grumbler]

Also: why didn't they just get the great eagles to airdrop Frodo on Mount Doom? Because they didn't, OK??!?

Why not? #curiousminds

[The Brain]

Also: why didn't they just get the great eagles to airdrop Frodo on Mount Doom? Because they didn't, OK??!?

Why not? #curiousminds

Elrond still hadn't taken Caen Dûm.

[Josquius]

Well....that episode certainly changed a lot from the books.

And Rila Fukushima
I guess we will be seeing more of her.

[The Larch]

And Rila Fukushima
I guess we will be seeing more of her.

Was that the weird looking priestess?