The long wait until next April has begun.
HBO's Game of Thrones ended its fourth season this past Sunday, with 70 minutes of plot twists, character developments and more major characters being killed off. And now, fans have another interminable ten months before the series returns for Season 5 in 2015.
The Hollywood Reporter has listed a number of things of what we might expect to see next year, as the show focuses on events adapted from George R.R. Martin's novels A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons.
For anyone who has read Martin's novels, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that the television series will continue to add original story elements. "We have to make a show that succeeds on its own terms," said showrunner David Benioff, "and sometimes that means veering away from the books. Some people will be upset by that. Some people will like it. Obviously we hope for more of the latter, but if we ever write a scene (or avoid writing a scene) because we're afraid of pissing someone off, we're sunk."
After the death of partriarch Tywin Lannister from a deadly case of crossbow arrow poisoning while on the privy, you can pretty much predict that his daughter Cersei won't be happy about her brother Tyrion's escape. "Lena [Headey] is such a brilliant actor that I'm really into seeing what she’s going to do next," said director Alex Graves. "What do you think is going to happen when Cersei wakes up? Jaime set Tyrion free and he killed her father on the way out. She is going to be really pissed off. I don’t think I'm giving up anything if you think about what Cersei wakes up to in the morning."
Back in May, the site WinterisComing posted a casting list of new Season 5 characters, many of whom are centered in the late Prince Oberyn's homeland of Dorne...
Prince Doran Martell – Doran is described as the major new player this year, appearing in multiple episodes. The fiftysomething prince uses a wheelchair, is reclusive and rules wisely. It appears the show is looking to continue the trend it started with Pedro Pascal, and cast Latino actors for the Martell clan.
Prince Trystane Martell – Trystane, the handsome fiance of Princess Myrcella, is being aged up to 18.
Areo Hotah - Doran’s personal bodyguard will appear throughout the season, assisting the prince with his duties. The show is particularly looking for a black actor to fill the role
The Sand Snakes, Oberyn Martell’s bastard daughters (with ages ranging 18-25):
Obara Sand – The eldest and most athletic Sand Snake will be having a major fight scene with a series regular character- not one who crosses her path in the books. This is an interesting change.
Nymeria Sand – Nymeria is described as “mixed race,” with her father being the fairer Oberyn and her mother being darker skinned. The second oldest of these Sand Snakes, she’s beautiful, emotional and very strong.
Tyene Sand - The youngest of the Sand Snakes that we meet uses her wits and seductive powers, and is less of a physical fighter than the other Sand Snakes. She is just as deadly as her sisters, however, but her weapon is poison.
In addition, WinterisComing also listed some other characters we'll be seeing in Season 5...
High Sparrow - The books’ pious head of a religious movement will be appearing in several episodes in season 5.
Septa Unella – The show is looking for a character actress to play the imposing and unrelenting septa who spends a lot of time with a major series character next year.
Maggy the Frog - A fortune teller in A Feast for Crows, she’ll be in one episode next year.
Lollys Stokeworth – Just last week in “Mockingbird,” Bronn announced his intention to marry Lollys, whom Tyrion considers “dimwitted.” It looks like the sellsword will still be around next year.
Yezzan - A sleazy Meereenese slave owner.
The Waif – The strange child from the books that Arya encounters will likely be played by an older actress, one in her later teens, and we understand the show is specifically looking for a woman of East Asian descent for the part.
And while on the subject of Arya Stark, the Season 4 ending showed her sailing off to Braavos, where she will presumably find the House of Black and White, a temple associated with the Faceless Men. "It's really important to show her moving on," said Graves. "The story isn't that the Hound is presumably dead. The story is that she is now moving on to adulthood on her own in a seemingly dark way. That is an important story to tell. She is about to take off on a bigger journey than she's ever been on."
Lastly, Daenerys Targaryen ended Season 4 having to chain up two of her increasingly uncontrollable dragons while the third continues to roam Meereen, setting fire to sheep and small children. Jorah Mormont has been banished and Daario Naharis is elsewhere, making things considerably difficult for the Stormborn. "You are very much setting up next year, laying out that she is now alone. Everyone she had on the way up has been banished or sent away," said Graves. "She is in a very, very dark place that's going to lead into next year."
Oh, and there's one last thing from the third book, A Storm of Swords, that still needs to happen -- the appearance of Lady Stoneheart. Many fans had hoped this was going to be the Season 4 finale cliffhanger, but maybe it will be a shocking way to end the Season 5 premiere?