Educated Guesses on Game of Thrones Season 6 Episode Titles: Episodes 1 – 5
It’s that time of year again, folks. We’re a little over three months away from the premiere of Game of Thrones Season 6, and the rumor mill concerning fake episode titles and synopses is churning. It’s not hard to spot the fakes; just last week Ani uncovered and debunked a list of fake Season 6 titles floating around the net.
With that in mind, I thought I would try my hand at making educated guess as to what the titles for Game of Thrones Season 6 will be, and who knows…in the process, I may get lucky and get one or two right!
(Note from Dan: Incidentally, when David guessed the titles for Season 5 around this time last year, he got a few exactly right, despite them not leaking yet. Witchcraft? Maybe.)
When trying to make educated guesses about episode titles, one need only look at George R.R. Martin’s books for inspiration. Sadly, since we do not and will not have The Winds of Winter before Season 6 airs, our best resource is A Dance with Dragons.
We do have one small advantage: the plethora of SPOILERS from Season 6 filming, which we’ve covered quite extensively and which we will discuss here. Let’s get started.
I can’t imagine Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss would want to drag out the aftermath of Jon Snow’s death. We’ve seen Kit Harington on set wearing Stark-like clothing, filming what I like to call Bastard Bowl 2016, so we all know he’s coming back. I think it’s safe to say Jon will make his appearance early in Season 6, so his story-arc can be set in motion.
If Episode 1 is going to deal with Jon Snow’s resurrection, then I am going to say the title will be:
Game of Thrones Season 6, Episode 1: “It Shall Not End Until My Death”
This title is taken directly from the Night’s Watch vow, like “And Now His Watch is Ended” (Season 3, Episode 4) before it. It speaks directly to Jon Snow’s release from his Night’s Watch vows—he vowed to serve until his death, and now he’s died, so his service is over. This will allow him to gather an army of wildlings and Northern soldiers who are still loyal to House Stark. Together, they’ll prepare to face the Boltons.
Next, we have Episode 2. Now, this would be the perfect episode to reintroduce Bran (if that isn’t done in Episode 1). We know that Bran and the Three-Eyed Raven (Bloodraven) will be visiting the past, particularly the events at the Tower of Joy from Ned’s fever dreams. However, I don’t think we’ll get this particular flashback scene until around Episode 6.
I do, however, believe we will get to see some version of young Ned Stark and his siblings playing under the weirwood tree in Winterfell’s godswood before then. Episode 2 could show us Bran trying out his new powers by looking into his family’s past.
Game of Thrones Season 6, Episode 2: “The Past is Already Written”
Yes, it’s simple, because we heard Max von Sydow (as the Three-Eyed Raven) utter this line in the brief teaser for the season. Yes, it’s obvious…but why try and get complicated when the easy choice is staring you straight in the face? Alternatively, I could see the showrunners going with the dream theme, since that is how Bran will see past events, and something as cliché as “A Dream of Spring” could be used, but I think Benioff and Weiss would want to save that for a later season, since that will be the title of the final book in the Song of Ice and Fire series.
Looking to Episode 3, the questions of what happened to Daenerys and the Dothraki has to be answered. Now, I suspect that we will see her is some fashion in the previous two episodes. However, Dany usually gets at least one episode each season where she is predominately featured, so I expect to see the Mother of Dragons get the spotlight in Episode 3.
What do we know of Dany from the filming for Season 6? Well, we know that the Dothraki will take her back to Vaes Dothrak, where the Dothraki deposit the widows of dead khals. We also know that a large fire was seen during filming. Now, here’s where it gets tricky: Game of Thrones is known for using the title of an episode as an ongoing theme throughout said episode. Might that apply here?
Game of Thrones Season 6, Episode 3: “Mother of Mountains”
Vaes Dothrak lies beneath what the Dothraki call the Mother of Mountains, and is located in the Great Grass Sea. Who else do we know is a mother, and is currently dealing with a Mountain? Why, Cersei Lannister, of course. The title could bridge more than one story, as Daenerys “Mother of Dragons” Targaryen undergoes a trial beneath the Mother of Mountains, and Cersei makes use of her own Mountain back in King’s Landing.
Now to Episode 4 and our favorite little assassin, Arya “No One” Stark. Arya’s journey in Season 6 will see her traipse around Braavos, swimming in the canals and jumping from roof to roof. I could see Episode 4 as being an Arya-heavy episode, but I think we could also see what’s happening in the North as well. Continuing with the multiple meanings from episode titles, I could see Episode 4 being titled:
Game of Thrones Season 6, Episode 4: “A Mummer’s Farce”
Here’s my reasoning: We know that a troupe of actors (known as mummers) will be acting in a play about recent events in Westeros. And, according to an advance chapter from The Winds of Winter, we know that Arya will be a part of this group of actors (although it looks like she’ll just be an observer on the show). I also believe this is the episode we will see Balon Greyjoy take a dive from the swinging bridges of Pyke. In the books, it’s strongly hinted that Balon’s younger brother Euron hired a Faceless Man to kill him, and that would fit perfectly with the theme of mummers (people who pretend to be other people).
There is another famous use of the word “Mummer,” and it’s from Wyman Manderly’s famous “The North Remembers” speech from Dance. We’re still unsure of whether Manderly will appear in Season 6, this speech could bring the mummer theme home:
"Foes and false friends are all around me, Lord Davos. They infest my city like roaches, and at night I feel them crawling over me.” The fat man’s fingers coiled into a fist, and all his chins trembled. “My son Wendel came to the Twins a guest. He ate Lord Walder’s bread and salt, and hung his sword upon the wall to feast with his friends. And they murdered him. Murdered, I say, and may the Freys choke upon their fables. I drink with Jared, jape with Symond, promise Rhaegar the hand of my own beloved granddaughter…but never think that means I have forgotten. The north remembers, Lord Davos. The north remembers, and the mummer’s farce is almost done. My son is home."
Now I’m assuming that we will get to see glimpses of what Theon and Sansa are doing in Episodes 1 through 4. But in Episode 5, I believe we will be introduced to Euron Greyjoy for the first time, and see the infamous Iron Islands Kingsmoot, when the Ironborn choose their new king.
The Ironborn are a proud people, steeped in tradition, and one of those traditions involves anointing their king with a driftwood crown. The king sits on a unique throne fashioned from an obsidian/oily black stone called the Seastone Chair. There’s another important tidbit about Euron, besides the fact that he is vying to be the new king of the Iron Islands…he is also known as Euron Crow’s Eye. Here’s my guess for Episode 5:
Game of Thrones Season 6, Episode 5: “Crow’s Eye”
That’s the first half of Game of Thrones Season 6…in my best estimation. As always, I’d love to discuss what you think about this topic, and be sure to check back tomorrow, as I try my hand at Episodes 6 through 10.
Next: Educated guesses for Episodes 6-10 of Game of Thrones Season 6