What we know about Game of Thrones Season 5

Detailed story breakdown, for readers

Season 5 Trailer Rattleshirt

Beyond The Wall

With Bloodraven and Bran’s crew skipping the season, there’s no part of the books that should appear in the far North. However, the trailer clearly depicted a large fight involving Wildlings and Jon Snow, possibly involving Rattleshirt. The “Day in the Life” special mentions that this set is Hardhome, which makes sense–Jon Snow gets an action sequence, and viewers see a part of the world only depicted by rumor in the books. The director shown in the special is Miguel Sapochnik, who will be directing episodes 7 and 8, so we know roughly when this battle will take place.

There’s also this mysterious casting call for very skinny people in Northern Ireland–The Children, or starving Wildlings?

The Wall

This section of the story has the most to cover if the show wants to reach the end of Jon’s story in A Dance with Dragons. This means we’ll have to see Jon’s election as Lord Commander, his political intrigues with Stannis as well as the Wildlings, Mance’s execution, the apparent new scene we’re assuming is Hardhome, and the Watch’s mutiny. We do have a few clues, though.

• The casting of Bowen Marsh suggests that mutiny is actively being planned for.
• Tormund is prominently placed in one of the Season 5 promo photos, making it clear that he’s still an important character.
• There’s no indication whether Sam, Gilly, and Aemon are being sent to Oldtown. The funeral pyre in the trailer shows a man of the Night’s Watch being burnt, but the head is covered by flames. Maester Aemon seems the most plausible choice for this.
• Mark Gatiss, who plays the banker Tycho Nestoris, says he’s only in one episode, and photos place him in Braavos and not the North.
• Val and Dalla have not, as far as we know, been cast.
• We’re not at all sure how far events in the rest of The North progress (see below).

The North

We know less about the plan for The North than any other part of the story. There’s been virtually no casting news, particularly for characters like Wyman Manderly and Jeyne Poole, who play such critical roles in A Dance with Dragons. Filming takes place in areas not accessible by the public. We do know that they’re returning to Winterfell, and we know that the role of Myranda, Ramsay Bolton’s lover, is being expanded. Alfie Allen (Theon) has promised that he and the Boltons will be interacting with new characters from different parts of the world, but whether it’s Stannis, as expected, or a surprise like Littlefinger and Sansa, is unknown.

The Riverlands

Before the trailer, we had no indication that anything at all would take place in the Riverlands. But there’s a quick glimpse of people who look like Brienne and Podrick riding desperately past what looks like the inn where we last saw Hot Pie working.

David Bradley, who plays Walder Frey, has said that he isn’t in this season of Game of Thrones. Same with Richard Dormer (Beric). There’s no indication that other characters like Brynden and Edmure Tully,or any of the other Freys are returning—but Brienne has to do something. There is also no sign of casting for characters like Ser Hyle Hunt or Lord Randyll Tarly.

The Iron Islands

The Kingsmoot and the Greyjoy uncles aren’t appearing. Whether that means a total lack of non-Theon Greyjoys or just not much is unclear—especially as Balon has survived rather a long time since Melisandre’s leech trick.

The Vale

The lands of House Arryn are, as stated above, the biggest wildcard. Sansa and Littlefinger are doing something—something traumatic, apparently involving their troops. While some have speculated that Sansa will be taking the Lady Stoneheart role, we simply don’t know. Nor do we know whether Littlefinger is out with Sansa and the knights before or after he goes to King’s Landing.

We don’t know if the Lords Declarant will be returning, and Harrold Hardyng is not known to have been cast.

Dragonstone

There’s no indication whether Dragonstone will appear on-screen. No word of any battle there, and Loras’ role in King’s Landing appears to have been augmented, suggesting he may not even leave King’s Landing.

Season 5 Trailer young Cersei and friend maybe

The Westerlands

Cersei’s flashback was prominently depicted in the trailer, but not in such a way that it seemed like we might see significant parts of Casterly Rock.

King’s Landing

The Cersei-focused storyline of books four and five is being streamlined—no Kettleblacks, no Taena Merryweather, no Aurane Waters—but seems to be essentially intact. With a prominent actor like Jonathan Pryce cast as the High Sparrow, we suspect his role will be expanded and clarified in the way that Margaery Tyrell’s was–a non-POV character given more dimension.

Filming in Dubronik when it was set up as King’s Landing also included scenes like a confrontation between Loras and the Faith Militant and the presence of Littlefinger. The trailer also included the welcome return of Olenna Tyrell, possibly for the wedding between Margaery and Tommen, which the promo photos indicate will occur this season.

Cersei’s Walk of Atonement will occur, at the end of the season, as we know David Nutter directed it.

The Reach

As said above, there’s no indication whether Sam or anyone else will be reaching Oldtown this season.

Dorne

There are major changes afoot in the southernmost of the Seven Kingdoms. Arianne and Quentyn Martell are uncast, as are Darkstar and Arys Oakheart. We do have a notable recasting for Myrcella Lannister-Baratheon, while Doran Martell, Areo Hotah, and three of the Sand Snakes are present. It appears that they’re being presented as only three girls, and all Ellaria Sand’s daughters. The King’s Landing characters traveling to Dorne are fan favorites Jaime Lannister and Bronn of the Blackwater.

We don’t know whether their storyline will be a replacement for the Arianne plot of A Feast for Crows or if it will be something totally different. The biggest clue we have is the prominent placement of Ellaria Sand as a leader in both the trailer and in one of the promo photos–it seems plausible that she’ll fill much of the role Arianne had in the books.

The Free Cities

Arya’s story in Braavos seems to be entirely on track for what we know of it generally. The most notable point: pictures of Meryn Trant and Mace Tyrell in Braavos suggest that the “Mercy” chapter from The Winds of Winter that’s already been excerpted is being adapted with characters from the show.

Meanwhile, Tyrion and Varys have likely landed in Pentos. This all appears to line up with what we know from the books, but with Varys taking the lead in guiding Tyrion toward Dany instead of Illyrio–we don’t know whether he’s is coming back.

Tyrion’s journey between Pentos and Slaver’s Bay is a near-total mystery. Characters like Penny and the Griffs apparently have not been cast. A shot of dead hands reaching up out of the water in the trailer is the only clue we have of any traveling through Essos. But we do know Jorah and Tyrion will meet before Slaver’s Bay. Adewale Akkinuoya-Agbaje has been cast as a slaver named Malko, likely as part of this plotline.

Slaver’s Bay

Both the trailer and the photos from Dany’s story suggest that the Sons of the Harpy insurgency against the Mother of Dragons is going to be getting a great deal of attention. Several of the details seem to have been changed, but we’re definitely going to be seeing Dany and several of her allies attacked in the Osuna bullring, and a fire-breathing dragon will be appearing.

The chief change in detail: Tyrion Lannister is shown, in multiple photos, as being in the same place as Dany. Their meeting appears to have been shifted forward from Winds. Meanwhile Jorah, not Tyrion, will be fighting in Daznak’s Pit.

Season 5 Trailer Ser Jorah

Next: Five moments from the books we can't wait to see in Season 5