Game of Thrones season 3 is fast approaching, and the Hypable staff has put together a list of the events from A Storm of Swords we’re most looking forward to seeing adapted in the HBO series.
This list contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the third book in the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ saga. Proceed at your own risk!
There are a lot of great moments in A Storm of Swords (aside from the big one which everyone is of course dreading/anticipating), and it was tough picking just 10. In the end we got them narrowed down though – now do note that we can’t be sure they won’t save some of these for season 4, or maybe change the events around somewhat from the books (although we like to think that these are big enough developments that the writers can’t completely disregard them!).
Read our top 10, and share your own list in the comments!
10. Meeting the Reeds
Meera and Jojen Reed occupy a soft spot in the hearts of many fans, and there was no shortage of dismay when the siblings did not make the cut for season 2. But now that we know that Game of Thrones will not be Reed-less for long, it’s almost more exciting for us book readers to see how these mysterious friends will be introduced into the story.
Will it be harder for Bran to trust the Reeds out in the wild, rather than from the safety of Winterfell? What role will Jojen’s green dreams play? How will the intensity of their circumstances affect Bran’s fragile crush on Meera? And what might we learn of Howland Reed, the ultimate man of mystery, who seems to hold the keys to so many of the questions in A Song of Ice and Fire?
And seriously, Ellie Kendrick and Thomas Brodie-Sangster look like they’ve walked straight out of George R.R. Martin’s brain and onto our television screens, so we can’t wait to see how the show’s divergences introduce us to a slightly different, but still authentic version of such fascinating characters.
9. Catelyn and Robb Learn About Winterfell
Though we’ve already seen the two respond to tragedy after Eddard’s death at the end of season 1, a compounded horror like this would call for exercising an even more profound set of emotional strings. Beyond the awful grief, Bran, Rickon, and Winterfell represent elements of Catelyn and Robb’s responsibilities, as well as integral aspects of their identities.
We hope we get to see the scene where these dark words arrive for the pure power of the acting, but either way, the emotional fallout will certainly be devastating, gripping, and a driving motivation for all of Catelyn and Robb’s subsequent decisions.
8. The Big Love Story
We love Ygritte as a character, and the relationship that slowly develops between her and Jon is just a high point in the book in general – the one ray of sunshine in an otherwise very depressing snowstorm of storylines. The two share some intense moments, have some sex (hey, this is Game of Thrones, it happens), and this allows Jon to really develop as a character – it’s just great material which we can’t wait to see to see Kit Harington work with on screen.
7. Tyrion and Sansa: An Unexpected Wedding
The hero gets the pretty girl! Well, sort of. This being Game of Thrones, well-worn tropes are somersaulting all over the place and this one is no exception. In this case, though the hero (Tyrion) does in fact wind up with the pretty girl (Sansa), it’s in about as twisted a scenario as possible.
Not only is Sansa much younger than Tyrion, but their families are locked in a brutal war reeking havoc over the Seven Kingdoms. Then there’s the small issue of the marriage being forced upon them by Tywin and Cersei, and the cherry-on-the-top problem of where Shae, Tyrion’s beloved whore – who is simultaneously loyal to Sansa – fits into the madness.
Though it certainly won’t be happily ever after for Sansa and Tyrion, it will be fascinating to watch how Game of Thrones handles such complicated and emotionally fraught material. It will also be amazing to watch Peter Dinklage and Sophie Turner maneuver such meaty (and simultaneously delicate) territory – and watch the consequences of this uncomfortable union spread through both of their families.
6. Dany Owns the Slavers
It’s a tricky road, but Dany’s choices (and her cleverness, which is surprisingly easy to underestimate) ultimately lead her to a showdown that will have even the most skeptical of fans – and characters – screaming her name.
5. The Death of the Old Bear
The men of the Night’s Watch sink to their absolute lowest here, destroying not only the hierarchy of command, but the bond of brothers for which they are known. It will be undeniably painful to watch Mormont die not in defense of the Wall, but in defense of Craster and his unsavory ways.
The dramatic tension is sure to be spectacular, however, and the scene does help to advance both Samwell’s story and his strength of character. And the Old Bear will not be easily forgotten; though his death is abrupt and cruel, Mormont’s absence creates ripples that will be palpable for several seasons, affecting the Night’s Watch and the realm itself far beyond the tenure of the 998th Lord Commander.
4. The Behanding of Jaime Lannister
In a series brimming with characters who are lovely of face and ugly of soul, Jaime Lannister ranks near the top of the “Despicable” list. Brutal and cruel when free, Jaime manages to preserve his calculated arrogance even in captivity. But season 3 will challenge the Kingslayer with the ultimate physical (and emotional) catastrophe: Jaime will lose his right hand – his sword hand – and with it, his perception of himself.
Forced to cope with pain and indignity, given no choice but to depend on Brienne of Tarth (his ugly-faced and kind-hearted polar opposite) and made to see his world through the eyes of a victim, the reviled Jaime Lannister will begin a gradual transformation into both one of the most genuinely moral, as well as morally complicated characters in Game of Thrones.
Plus, don’t forget the epic fight between the bear and Brienne (and later Jaime) which we glimpsed in the trailer – the bonding effect this fight has on Jaime and Brienne is transformative for both characters, pushing their grudging acceptance into genuine respect. No one involved is ever quite the same after the battle of the bear pit, and we don’t think that Game of Thrones will be, either.
3. The Unbecoming of Theon Greyjoy
Speculation is heavy that Iwan Rheon (whose character has been named only as “Boy”) will take the role of Roose Bolton’s psychotic bastard (neither of those is an insult, they’re true!) Ramsay, a key player in Theon’s downfall. If so, Game of Thrones will use Theon to up the ante of the psychological drama it already portrays; it may be watch-through-your-fingers material, but however bleak, we can’t wait for our first sneak peek. (It rhymes with…)
2. The Seven Deaths of Beric Dondarrion
In the third book, Beric is resurrected by Thoros of Myr, and each time he is slain he returns even more altered than before. Even though his role in A Storm of Swords is fairly minor, we are very much looking forward to seeing him on screen because while Martin keeps him a vague presence in the books, the series will have to actually show him walking and talking – and this will give us a better understanding of his state of mind and motivations. And of course, they’ll need to build him up for the ultimate sacrifice, which leads us to…
1. The Red Wedding
The one event all book fans are dying (tasteless pun intended, sorry about that) to talk about, and the one we’re most afraid of spoiling for the show fans, the Red Wedding is commonly perceived to be the biggest, most shocking event of the entire ASOIAF saga.
Sure, Martin isn’t shy of killing off beloved characters, but at the Red Wedding we lose two of the series’ major players at once – an event which throws off the entire game. No one saw it coming; as if Robb’s death wasn’t shocking enough, Catelyn’s followed straight after! And if we thought seeing Ned Stark’s rotting head on a spike was bad, just wait until the gruesome, haunting image of Grey Wind’s head sewn onto Robb’s body… for not to mention what happens to Catelyn.
Perhaps the worst part about all of this is that once again, poor Arya is present for the death of her family members, and we’re sure Maisie Williams will knock this one out of the park. But hey, there’s a silver lining: we can’t wait for all the hate tweets and the petitions to bring back Richard Madden and Michelle Fairley – and especially to see how many fans will declare that they’re NEVER watching the show again, only to return eager and ready for more bloodshed in season 4.
Now it’s your turn! Share the moments you’re most anticipating in the third season of Game of Thrones in the comments – or tell us if you think some these moments might be saved for season 4, or won’t happen at all!