"GoT SPOILERS talk - season 4 finale SPOILERS" Topic

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"Episode to end all Episodes," eh?

So… What are we thinking? They'd have to do Tywin's death in the next 1-3 episodes, so that's not it. The attack at The Wall is also too soon to be the finale, Bran meeting up with the Greenseer seems to be happening earlier than I would have expected as well. Littlefinger and his Sansa/Eyrie group of events & murder seem not quite epic enough, and they'd have to skip through or over a lot to get to the Arya/Blind Girl thread of events.

The only thing I can think of epic enough, and they'd have to cover or ignore *A LOT* of ground to get there (too much in my mind); is the end sequence of Dances w/Dragons – you'd have:

1 – Siege of Meereen/marriage of Daenerys/escape of the dragons.
2 – Jon Snow's death at the hand of the Nightwatch.
3 – Cersi's, "Walk of Shame."
and 4 – The epilogue… The death of both Kevan Tyrell & Pycell at the hands of Varys, hinting at more skullduggery to come.

It would also catch the series up to all the books, and provide Martin the hook of not having to spell out so much from "the past" while freeing him to come up with all original material for future seasons.

I can't imagine that Martin is too eager to have the series catch up to the books. He needs time (a lot of time, judging by past books) to write the material that the show is based on. The series is progressing a lot faster in real time than he's able to write, so why would he want to catch it up even sooner?

Also, I'm not convinced that Jon Snow is dead – we've had characters drop out of the story under very similar circumstances before, only to show up again later.

I'm not so sure I'm with you first – it was seven years between book 4 & 5, and even then book 5 running parallel in time (in some cases pre-dating events) of book 4 – just different geographically – that means disinterested, REALLY busy (no time), or grasping at continuing ideas to thread lines.

With ANY of those, I'm thinking he would be OK letting some story threads die off. He has a wider audience now who LOVES the story so far and I could actually see him wanting to pursue only the more commercially appealing threads.

BUT – what do I know? I'm just a fanboy.

Great point on Jon, after all, the "Red Priestess" is *RIGHT THERE* and there is a track record of bringing someone back even if they themselves do not have that faith.

So what is you take on the subject matter of the "Episode to end all Episodes?" What has happened in the books that is not yet portrayed in the series that could be defined as epic enough to warrant that tease?

Mardaddy, you seem to be thinking of the possible ending(s) for season 5, not season 4.

Lookie here, I am TRYING to start a discussion.

I posted my opinion based on what I have read and considering "epic" things from Books 4 & 5. Why both books?

Book 4 & 5 timelines INTERTWINE – Martin made note of it in the forward to Book 5 as a warning to the readers it is NOT chronological. If fact, some events in book 5 PREDATE things that occur in Book 4 in some cases…

Knowing that – I don't think I am THAT far off base to consider some events that may happen in the HBO series 4 may be from Book 5.

So if you think I am out of line in events or off – Back to my Original intent… Post what YOU think I might have missed was epic enough that it would warrant the, "EPISODE TO END ALL EPISODES," tease.

Jon is dead all right, so "Now his watch is over".
Now, he can go on to rule the North, ride dragons with Aunt Danaerys, etc.

I would think Tyrion's escape and the battle of Castle Black. There is plenty of stuff going on to get to stretch out this season to get to that point.

Karnophage – I do not have HBO, so have not seen this season yet, and am only aware of what happened at The Wall at the end of Season 3 when Jon returned after escaping the Wildlings.

I think you may have convinced me.

HUGELY epic battle (especially if they included mammoths and the thrust at the tunnel!) Even though not much occurs at Castle Black after the return of Jon Snow (selection of the new Watch Commander and war prep), I can see where you are going there – HBO concentrating more on other story threads and just giving The Wall an occasional "episodic nod" until the season finale going at it with a bang.

I think that something to be considered, re the series going faster than the books, is that the series can always take a break. After all HBO did it with The Sopranos all the time. Plus Martin has said that he has a plan to see to it that the books finish first.

"Episode to end all Episodes"

Hollywood has never been known to engage in hyperbole, have they?
There is plenty of epic crap to bring in without dragging in the events in Book 5. Martin has enough trouble finishing book 6 without having that train run him down.
We have 8 episodes left to have Tyrion's "trial", Oberyn vs the Mountain, Sansa escaping and meeting Aunt Fruit-bat, Lady Stoneheart, Arya Valar Morghulising all over the place, Littlefinger being creepy, Cersei getting kinky with all and sundry, Lord Tywin in the privy, and oh yes. The Battle of Castle Black.
Not to mention some non-book stuff.

HBO just brought in the Night's King, way ahead of schedule.
That wasn't on anybody's prediction list.