An interesting change for me going into this season is in how recently I've read the books on which the show is based. During the four prior seasons, it had been years since I'd read George R.R. Martin's original books. This time, it's been only months since my stitched-together reading of A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. I'm already finding that interesting, as the show begins to drift a bit farther from the source material.
It turns out that one key decision made last season by the showrunners has cast a shadow of doubt over everything this season. It spoils nothing for TV-only fans to say that I'm referring to the way Lady Stoneheart did not appear in the season finale as expected. Since then, the showrunners have gone on record saying this was no delay; they claim to be cutting that subplot entirely. And while, granted, it hasn't led very far in the books yet, it was such a jaw dropper there, and felt like surely it will lead to something important. So the question for book readers is, what will the show do to patch the hole Lady Stoneheart leaves behind?
More importantly, the fact that they changed that on the show means book readers are now more in suspense than they've ever been watching the show. And it's wonderful! In some storylines, we're completely in the dark. What are Brienne and Podrick going to be doing this season? Clearly something, since the premiere checked back in on them. Where are Littlefinger and Sansa headed? No idea, but I'm loving that TV Sansa seems to be a good deal more shrewd than her book counterpart.
Even when things unfolded closely to the book, there were questions. For example, the episode kicked off with a flashback, showing us the prophecy Cersei received as a teenager. This dominated her storyline in book four, doled out one tiny nugget each chapter until the whole finally took shape near the end of the book. Here, it was revealed all at once. (And quite effectively, in a very creepy sequence.) But very notably, the show left out the "valonqar" piece of the prophecy, predicting Cersei's own death. So, what to make of that? In the book, Cersei fears one particular person because of this. Clever readers have an alternative suspect in mind. But on the show, none of that seems to be in play.
Or take things up at the Wall. The execution of Mance Rayder does happen in the books. But given some book events that had happened to Jon before this moment, can we be sure that some of the aftermath of this execution will still happen? And how much more awful was it to watch someone being burned alive on screen?
The show actually added several very powerful touches like that, throughout the episode. The stones on the eyes of the dead had been shown before, but that made it no less creepy to see them on Tywin early in this episode. The craftiness of Margaery Tyrell was a welcome addition too. We don't really know that she isn't that crafty in the books, as she isn't a point-of-view character. Still, she certainly seems more naive than the far more compelling TV version.
With so many characters and plots to spin back up, some people made no appearance this week. The showrunners have said Bran will be taking the year off, so no surprise there. Theon was also missing this week -- though his captors the Boltons got a mention. But perhaps the most surprising omission this week was Arya. Since literally the last shot of the last season was of her, it's a bit surprising not to check back in with her now.
Still, the show did a pretty solid job of getting most of the balls juggled back into the air. I'd give this season premiere a B+.
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