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‘Game of Thrones’ is absolutely my number one favorite show currently on TV. So much so, that I went back and started reading the books to see if they really were as good as everyone said they were. Guess what? They were. The plan was that I would read book one and two, which covered the first two seasons of the show. I would then wait until season four aired, and read book three, which covered seasons 3 and 4. This way, I wouldn’t spoil the show and I would get to enjoy the story without any idea what was coming.
The fact that I didn’t expect a major death in season one made that moment so much more impactful. The same can be said for the Red Wedding. Those that read the book knew exactly what to expect, and I’m sure they didn’t share the jaw on the floor, ‘OH MY GOD, did that just happen??’ feeling that I did as I watched things unfold. There’s nothing I hate more than predictable storytelling, and that is not a symptom that the Game of Thrones TV series suffers from.
Keeping all of this in mind, the books absolutely hooked me and I couldn’t put them down. Not only did I breeze through ‘A Storm of Swords’, I immediately jumped into book 4, ‘A Feast for Crows,’ which is taking me well into the storyline for season 5. I don’t want to spoil the show, but the story is so compelling, the characters are so well developed, that I NEED to know what happens next. Will knowing where the story is going take away some of my viewing enjoyment? I’ll let you know next spring.
Enough background, let’s get to the point. Knowing what is coming in season 4 has me very excited to watch it unfold. I thought it would be great to make a list of specific items that I am looking forward to. I was beaten to the punch, as Jacob Hall at ScreenCrush has already put together a top ten list, which I pretty much agree with completely. What I decided to do was take his list, reword his points slightly so they are less spoiler-y, change the order to reflect my order of excitement, and give my own thoughts on each point. If you have read ‘A Storm of Swords,’ check out his article here (THERE ARE SPOILERS if you haven’t read the book, but it’s a very good read) So here we go. My top ten plot points to look forward to in season 4 of Game of Thrones.
10. The Greyjoy’s Story
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What is interesting about this is the differences between the Greyjoy family storyline in the book and the series so far. It is very possible that the story will get to the same point in both versions, but the path there will be fun to watch as it could be completely new. In the aftermath of the War of the Five Kings, two are dead, one was defeated, and Balon is the only threat left to Joffrey. He holds the north, but his son is in the hands of Roose Bolton’s bastard. Yara (Asha in the books) is planning to try and rescue Theon. Will she be able to? What will become of the Iron Islands? Will they be able to hold the North? Business is about to pick up, and probably very early in the season.
9. Littlefinger Plays his own ‘Game’
Petyr Baelish showed his true colors in season one, and has continued to lie, cheat, and deceive anyone he can in order to further his cause. He will continue to include himself in the story, and is guaranteed to piss you off with his cocky smirk several times. We left him on his way to the Eyre, hoping to marry John Arryn’s widow and Catelyn Stark’s sister, Lysa Arryn. He’s obviously up to something, and I can’t wait to see it revealed.
8. Arya Stark & The Hound BFF’s 4 LIFE!!!
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I made a joke that I would love to see these two characters have their own spinoff sitcom. I would enjoy watching them tour the countryside, running into trouble and arguing the whole way as they had no choice but to let their respect grow for each other and slowly become friends. No guarantees that this is the direction their story is headed, but where can they go from here? Their journey will continue to be fun to watch, as nothing beats the classic ‘odd couple’ pairing. For better or for worse, they are stuck with each other at this point. It will be a treat to watch their story progress as they stay (begrudgingly) together.
7. The Introduction of House Martell
They have been mentioned, but never seen in the series. Their geographic location makes them very different and somewhat detached from the rest of Westeros. Thanks to Tyrion they have Princess Myrcella, and they don’t get along with the Tyrell’s. That’s pretty much all the show has given us to this point, so we will get to see them revealed and have them tie into the plot as the show introduces their family, which has some very interesting and unique characters.
6. Lord Snow vs. the Free Folk
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Season 3 concluded with Jon Snow returning to his brothers at Castle Black. We know that Mance Rayder is leading an army of Wildings to attack the wall. We know a small group that includes Ygritte is approaching from the south. We know Jon Snow knows nothing. Everything is on a collision course with Jon right in the middle of it all. Will the King Beyond the Wall attack? Did Jon give the Night’s Watch enough warning to prepare? Will Jon figure out how to use his iPhone? How will his brothers respond to Jon ‘deserting’? All of these questions will be answered…. eventually.
5. Daenerys the Conquerer or Daenerys the Mother?
The Mother of Dragons. Daenerys Stormborn. Khaleesi. The Last of the Dragons. Daenerys Targeryan has many names. She also has an army, two experienced, trusted advisors, three dragons, and a legitimate claim to the Seven Kingdoms. Unfortunately for her, she is still on the wrong continent. She seemed to enjoy playing the ‘mother’ figure and liberating slaves across Essos. What will her next move be? Will she finally cross the Narrow Sea to stake her claim to the Iron Throne? Will she continue to conquer the Free Cities and build her army while freeing slaves? If they follow the book, the direction she and her people are heading will be a highlight of next season. Oh, and I WANT STRONG BELWAS!!!!
4. Tyrion being Tyrion
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Tyrion is quickly becoming my favorite character in this show.His story has so many layers, and he is easily the most well developed. His backstory continues to be told, making him a sympathetic character that is easy to root for. Despite being a Lannister, you can’t help but want to see him succeed.
He constantly gets the short end of the stick (see what I did there?), and this season will see a lot more of the same. He will continue to evolve and for the most part, continue to overcome the odds. There are many twists in his story and I cannot wait to see them come to life.
3. Introducing ‘Stoneheart’ & ‘The Red Viper’
I tweaked this a bit from Jacob’s list to include two reveals I am anxious to see. I can’t say much about these characters without spoiling anything. Just know that when these character debut, you will be very, very excited. Especially for one of them.
2. Joffrey and Margaery’s Wedding
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We all know that Edmure and Roslin’s wedding didn’t exactly go off smoothly, so this is one that we should all be looking forward to. Things may unfold differently than in the books, as Jaime hadn’t returned to King’s Landing until after the wedding took place in the novel. Regardless, you will have the Lannisters, the Tyrells, and the Martells all under one roof, with plenty of food, wine, tension, and more wine. You can guarantee that with the two richest families uniting, no expense will be spared in this overly extravagant affair. This should happen early in the season and set up a lot of story lines to play out the rest of the year.
1. THE DUEL
I could probably go a little bit deeper into this without spoiling, but depending on how they approach this in the show, I don’t want to give anything away as to what might be coming. Let’s just say that two characters will have a fight to the death, and if it’s anything remotely close to how it was described in the novels, it will be beyond intense. I know it’s lame to use something at number one that is so vague, but believe me, when it happens you will know exactly what I’m talking about. And you will thank me for the obscurity.
Get excited people. Season 4 is going to be more must-watch television. Let the countdown begin.
– LM