Brian and I got to talking yesterday about what's left to happen this season, so- as we did this time last year - how about some predictions as to what surprises are left for the final two episodes?

Obviously if you're not a GoT reader and care about spoilers - you're in the wrong thread.  Turn back now.

Last year my guesses were pretty far off - almost nothing I expected actually happened, a few of my predicted twists were scattered throughout the current season, and several still haven't happened.

So let's see...

Next week's episode is called The Watchers on the Wall, most everyone expects it'll be the Wildling/Night's Watch battle royale, and so do I.  This season's equivalent of the Battle of the Blackwater.  Which means we're saying bye-bye to Ygritte.   How much of the aftermath we'll get... beats me.  Doubt they'll take us all the way to Jon being voted the new commander of the Watch, tho.

Tywin and Tyrion - the very first image of the season was Tywin savoring his victory, and the entire season has shown Tywin being unstoppable at getting what he wants.  Even Joffrey's death wasn't much more than a minor setback for him.  At the same time we've seen repeatedly how Tywin abuses and/or orders his three children around, and especially his contempt for Tyrion.   We even had that random Littlefinger quote about chamberpots last week... if this isn't all heading directly toward that final Tywin/Tyrion double-surprise showdown, then hell, I don't know nothin'.

Ditto for Arya ditching the Hound and setting off for Braavos - all the pieces are in place for that now.  We even had that little encounter with the dying guy a few episodes back as our foreshadowing.

Coldhands missed his cue to appear last season when Sam and Gilly fled Craster's... however, the series has just set up the same scenario all over again - Gilly's in trouble in Moletown and Sam wants to go find her.  Could be the writers shuffled events a bit to postpone Coldhands until now.   If Sam goes to find Gilly  and misses the Battle of the Wall, then is brought back by Coldhands who then hooks up with Bran and co, the show will fall back into sync with the books again.     Unless Coldhands isn't actually that important and will never show up at all?

They've done an admirable job at not telegraphing the existence of Lady Stoneheart at all this season.   That would be a hell of a gobsmack to throw in at the very end of the season, but I dunno... the Tyrion/Tywin/Shae throwdown could be enough of a mindfuck to end the season on, and maybe Lady S. will stay in hiding until next year. 

On the other hand, the Brienne/Pod Comedy Roadshow doesn't really have anything else to do until they meet her, so... heck with it, I say Stoneheart makes her appearance by the end of the season.  Possibly the very last moment OF the season.

Danaerys - meh, who cares?  Maybe we'll get the revelation that her dragons have escalated from just killing sheep, since they gave us the setup for that one a while back.    Otherwise, it's just a lot of intrigue and governing coming up for her - the show could pause that just about anywhere and trump up a cliffhanger-y season ender.

Bran and company - again, whatevs.  The final episode is called The Children after all - that works as both a setup for Tywin/Tyrion and whatever they feel like doing with Bran and Children of the Forest.   So they'll get to the tree or Bran will have a vision of the tree or who knows.   Something about the tree and the Children.   All that stuff in the books made my eyes glaze over more than anything else.   Hopefully the show will find a way to make me care about that.