HBO greenlights A Game of Thrones pilot!

[keg in kc]

EDIT: Changed the original header to mark this as the thread where spoilers are allowed (but not necessarily recommended...). Created a new, spoiler-free thread for Ice and Fire virgins...


This is awesome...

Huge, Huge News

Nov. 11th, 2008 at 10:29 PM

HBO has given the production order.

They will be filming the pilot episode of A GAME OF THRONES.

It's just the pilot so far. They'll need to see that before they decide whether to proceed with a full season's episodes. So let's all hope the pilot will kick serious ass.

It should. David Benioff and Dan Weiss did a terrific job with the script. And yes, all of you can relax, it's very faithful. Dan and David will be the executive producers for the pilot and (we hope) the eventual series.

More details when I have 'em. The news is very fresh. HBO just issued their own press release, which should be up on their website soon, if it's not there already.

Winter is coming to HBO. Hot damn.

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by Pants

Damn dude, you might want to put that Jon Snow bit in the spoiler tag.

Spoiler!

I had no idea Ned Stark wasn't Jon's father

No spoilers, nothing but pure speculation at this point.

[keg in kc]

Yeah, Martin's running a hell of a troll on all of us concerning Snow's parentage. The tease in Dance with Dragons was great.

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by Pants

I'm only 2.3 books into the series. I don't remember it being hinted in the first book, but then again, I was freaking devouring that story and probably not catching the details.

The hints are subtle, but they are there. Theory in spoiler below.

Spoiler!

Even through ADWD, we have no clarity on who Jon's parents are, and in fact in later books there are some conflicting hints that cloud the picture a little.

But the predominant theory is that his parents are Rhaegar Targeryan and Lyanna Starks. This is based mostly on the descriptions of the Tower of Joy scenes in book one when Ned tried to "rescue" Lyanna from Rhaegar (seems more likely she was there with him voluntarily and they were in love based on various passages throughout the books) and the fact that whatever promise Ned made to Lyanna as she died (i) seem to repeatedly haunt him throughout the book, and (ii) also caused Lyanna to feel tremendous relief when he made the promise. Neither make a lot of sense if the only promise was to take her body back to Winterfell to be buried. Both make perfect sense if he promised to care for her infant as his own and protect him from Robert's hatred of all things Rhaegar. Plus why were three of the best of the kingsguard guarding the tower where Lyanna was, and if it was only Lyanna up there, why would they try to stop Ned from getting to her knowing he was her brother? More likely they tried to stop him to protect Rhaegar's son given how Rhaegar's other two kids were slaughtered.

[Jawshco]

Originally Posted by Hawk

The hints are subtle, but they are there. Theory in spoiler below.

Spoiler!

Even through ADWD, we have no clarity on who Jon's parents are, and in fact in later books there are some conflicting hints that cloud the picture a little.

But the predominant theory is that his parents are Rhaegar Targeryan and Lyanna Starks. This is based mostly on the descriptions of the Tower of Joy scenes in book one when Ned tried to "rescue" Lyanna from Rhaegar (seems more likely she was there with him voluntarily and they were in love based on various passages throughout the books) and the fact that whatever promise Ned made to Lyanna as she died (i) seem to repeatedly haunt him throughout the book, and (ii) also caused Lyanna to feel tremendous relief when he made the promise. Neither make a lot of sense if the only promise was to take her body back to Winterfell to be buried. Both make perfect sense if he promised to care for her infant as his own and protect him from Robert's hatred of all things Rhaegar. Plus why were three of the best of the kingsguard guarding the tower where Lyanna was, and if it was only Lyanna up there, why would they try to stop Ned from getting to her knowing he was her brother? More likely they tried to stop him to protect Rhaegar's son given how Rhaegar's other two kids were slaughtered.

Spoiler!

I think this theory really hit me most in Book 3. In book 1, we're given Ashara Dayne as a very strong red herring (if she isn't actually Jon's Mother). Then in book 3 we hear about the Harrenhal tourney- which again also mentions Ned and Ashara, but in almost a slight of hand way it builds evidence for a Lyanna & Rhaegar romance. So those two things are both connected somehow. Book 3 clearly tells that Jon was born in the South when his Mother is identified as the wet nurse Wylla- which could be another red herring. Ned seems obviously too honorable to father a bastard with a random wet nurse. So there are only two certainties that I know of concerning Jon's lineage (as of book 3). 1. Jon was born in the South where Wylla, Ashara & Lyanna all could have been his mother; & 2. He's definitely part Stark since he looks a lot like Ned. Other than that, it's all just a theory.

[Jawshco]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

Yeah, Martin's running a hell of a troll on all of us concerning Snow's parentage. The tease in Dance with Dragons was great.

Okay, now I'm dying to know what Dance will add to Jon's story. Since Feast and Dance are both on be same timeline, would it be safe for me to read Dance of Dragons first?

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

It's better than walking into a Wal-mart.

*shudder*

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Third Eye

It has never been stated explicitly in the books. Only hinted at.

Have you read Dance?

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by Jawshco

Okay, now I'm dying to know what Dance will add to Jon's story. Since Feast and Dance are both on be same timeline, would it be safe for me to read Dance of Dragons first?

Jon's story is almost completely ignored in Feast, and is one of the 3 main PoVs in Dance.

That said, I would actually wait and read them in order.

[Third Eye]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Have you read Dance?

Unfortunately, no. I own it, but I started my re-read too late and haven't had the time to dedicate to it. Just now starting Storm.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Third Eye

Unfortunately, no. I own it, but I started my re-read too late and haven't had the time to dedicate to it. Just now starting Storm.

Enjoy it.

[Jawshco]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

Jon's story is almost completely ignored in Feast, and is one of the 3 main PoVs in Dance.

That said, I would actually wait and read them in order.

Hmm... I only have Feast at the moment, so I'll do that to begin with, but I might read them both at once. Of course that depends on me getting the last book before I finish Feast. Sept and Oct are big B-Day months for my kids, so I'll be broke for awhile! Toys, clothes and DS games are going to have me tapped out for a few weeks. :P

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

Yeah, Martin's running a hell of a troll on all of us concerning Snow's parentage. The tease in Dance with Dragons was great.

It's his own private jape. This is known.

[Hawk]

I wouldn't read Dance just for the tease on Jon's parents, it's only a few lines in a huge book. Parts of Dance occur after Feast and pick up where Feast left off, so it will throw you off to read them out of order unless you start skipping around to different POVs which would be a pain.

[Jawshco]

Originally Posted by Hawk

I wouldn't read Dance just for the tease on Jon's parents, it's only a few lines in a huge book. Parts of Dance occur after Feast and pick up where Feast left off, so it will throw you off to read them out of order unless you start skipping around to different POVs which would be a pain.

Ah... good to know. Thanks!

[Red Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by Pants

Care to create your list?

Sure!

1. Storm Of Swords
2. Feast Of Crows (a VERY close second)
3. Game Of Thrones
4. Clash Of Kings
5. Dance With Dragons (a distant last place)