Game of Thrones begins....

[Berkut]

Chalk it up to GoT's consistent inability to really clarify how much time is passing.  To have him depart from Meereen, appear in Dorne, then be back in Meereen in time to be on the boats denies us the opportunity to see how Varys' first meeting with Daenarys went as well.   

Well, the Tyrell matriarch had the time to get the news of her son and grandchild's death, knew it was Cersei, been asked to meet the Dorne's representative where Varys was (it was most likely his plan, even if shaped differently than in the books).
Some time had to pass before that happens.  And Dany is not ready to leave yet when she names Tyrion Queen's hand.

and if Arya is really that capable, what hope does anyone have against her?

If it's more than a one thing event, they will figure that there is a very skilled assassin operating and they will hire other very skilled assassin to prevent her attacks, plus bodyguards under all circumstances where the important people are not totally alone.  She may be skilled, but if faced with a couple of alert bodyguards plus the victim, she may not fare so well.  An assassin like her relies on stealth.  Get in, get out without ever being seen.  Even if she manages to kill the two bodyguards before killing her target, it is most likely they will have time to sound the alarm, other guards will come rushing in and it will compromise her escape, plus make other infiltration very difficult as everyone will be screened for weapons, if she manages to escape unharmed.

And this goes in line with the reputation of the Faceless Men anyway. They are, in fact, supposed to be just that good. Wasn't the joke in the books something like if you find out they are after you, you might as well just go lie down and die and avoid the trouble?

[LaCroix]

Tyrells.

ah, thanks

[The Minsky Moment]

aren't the tarlys still loyal to the throne? maybe we'll see sam's dad as a general in cersei's army

They were Renly supporters who came over with the Tyrells, and the father received his appointment from Kevan Lannister, another Cersei victim.  So perhaps not the most reliable ally at this point.

[The Larch]

aren't the tarlys still loyal to the throne? maybe we'll see sam's dad as a general in cersei's army

They were Renly supporters who came over with the Tyrells, and the father received his appointment from Kevan Lannister, another Cersei victim.  So perhaps not the most reliable ally at this point.

Following allegiances, he'd fight for Daenerys, since the Tyrell(s) are with her.

[Berkut]

I once perversely thought about Littlefinger ascending the Iron Throne, but then the show made him into a weasely loser coming onto Sansa like that at the tree.  I enjoyed her rejection of him after he revealed his true fantasy to her.

I am inclined to believe Sansa is happy for her bastard brother bring crowned.  The question is not truly settled whether she had/has ambitions for power, but if she does not, then the look she gave Littlefinger at the end is one of seeing a threat to her family.

Maybe she learned from little finger that the the true power isn't in being the king but in being the guy behind the king?

I think everyone is making something of a mistake about Sansa.

Her arc is about her going from a pawn of the game to a player of the game. But just because she has become a competent player (maybe even a great player) under the tutelage of Littlefinger, that doesn't mean her *goals* are the same as Littlefingers.

I don't think her end game is to become Queen in the North, or even lady of Winterfell. Becoming the master of Winterfell might be a way to achieve her goal, but it is not necessarily her end game.

I think she wants to find a place where she belongs, where she feels safe, and in control of her own fate. If that is under her brother as King on the North, I don't think that *necessarily* is a problem for her. It might be, if she doesn't feel she can actually trust him.

But I don't think she is playing the game for power for it's own sake, the way Littlefinger does...

[LaCroix]

forgot tarly is just a count (and the other details mentioned by minsky). bad guy general in bad girl's army fits the show, but yeah, it's more of a stretch

[The Minsky Moment]

I agree with Berkut's assessment re Sansa

Otherwise - the way the season ended it is hard to see how they are going to make the Targ Reconquista interesting.  She has the dragons, dothraki hordes, unsullied, two of the strongest and richest Houses, the "yara" fleet, Varys and his bag of tricks.  Cersei has her own house (minus poor Kevan), an alliance with the now leaderless and unmartial Freys, and . . . that's about all folks, unless a few stormlander lords stay loyal.  How is this not going to be a cakewalk?

[The Larch]

I agree with Berkut's assessment re Sansa

Otherwise - the way the season ended it is hard to see how they are going to make the Targ Reconquista interesting.  She has the dragons, dothraki hordes, unsullied, two of the strongest and richest Houses, the "yara" fleet, Varys and his bag of tricks.  Cersei has her own house (minus poor Kevan), an alliance with the now leaderless and unmartial Freys, and . . . that's about all folks, unless a few stormlander lords stay loyal.  How is this not going to be a cakewalk?

I don't really think that Cersei will take it to the field, she'll bunker down in King's Landing, and I guess that Dany won't want to blow it all up. Cersei will have Jaime in her midst to worry about as well.

[Berkut]

So we have the long anticipated reveal that Jon is the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna. So that is good....but...

How is it going to be revealed to anyone other than Bran? Assuming Bran even gets to Winterfell, why would anyone believe him?

The only person who was there who is still alive is Howland Reed, and even he doesn't seem like a very convincing eyewitness to anyone not inclined to backing Jon anyway...

Curious to see how this comes out...

From a claim standpoint, he is still a bastard though, right? If a bastard has a claim, one would think Gendry would be a viable heir at this point....what in the hell every happened to him anyway?

[Habbaku]

Otherwise - the way the season ended it is hard to see how they are going to make the Targ Reconquista interesting.  She has the dragons, dothraki hordes, unsullied, two of the strongest and richest Houses, the "yara" fleet, Varys and his bag of tricks.  Cersei has her own house (minus poor Kevan), an alliance with the now leaderless and unmartial Freys, and . . . that's about all folks, unless a few stormlander lords stay loyal.  How is this not going to be a cakewalk?

  Hence my crack earlier about how long Cersei would actually be Queen.  I suspect she'll be dethroned by the end of next season, but I don't see how it isn't even faster than that.  Presumably, Euron will gum up the works.

[The Minsky Moment]

From a claim standpoint, he is still a bastard though, right?

Correct Dany has the better claim, OTOH Targs have a history of sibling marriage . . .

[Berkut]

Euron + Cersei?

[Habbaku]

From a claim standpoint, he is still a bastard though, right?

Correct Dany has the better claim, OTOH Targs have a history of sibling marriage . . .

Jon likes redheads, though. 

[Habbaku]

Euron + Cersei?

Perhaps not deliberately, but more like co-belligerents.  Euron in the books is up to so gnarly shit that they have only barely hinted at in the show.  If they do something similar, he will have a huge effect on coming events.

[The Larch]

From a claim standpoint, he is still a bastard though, right?

Correct Dany has the better claim, OTOH Targs have a history of sibling marriage . . .

Jon likes redheads, though. 

Well, he just exiled Mel anyway...