Looking Forward Season 4, Part 8: The Wall

First of all…  Happy New Year!  Here’s to 2014 being a prosperous one for each of you and may we all experience an epic Season 4.

Join me for a walk in a winter wonderland.  The Wall looks to be an exciting place to be in S4, and the Unsullied, non-book reading army like sleigh rides.

Changes are abound (at The Wall and elsewhere), so let the climb commence…

Before we venture to the North, we must pass through the South…

So, I have a friend (note this is singular).  And I live in the deep south of the United States.  And sometimes that friend asks me things pertaining to GoT.  And sometimes it’s annoying.  But sometimes, it’s just plain amusing.  Before I dive off of the Wall, here are a few sample questions from this particular friend’s inquiries.  I hope you enjoy our beer-battered, fried pickle Q&A.

And before someone makes a snide remark about me making fun of southerners, just keep in mind that I am one… and dang proud of it, damn ya.

Q: “Hey…. When is that guy gonna light that big fire?  You know, the one the North ain’t never seen?”

Oz:  “Good question.  Mance seems like a wise, calculating character.  Considering he joined the forces of the cave men, the giants, the wildlings, and multiple others he is obviously not someone that can be taken lightly.  I’m not sure that lighting a fire is even what Mance meant in the literal sense.

Either way, I look for the attack to be soon during the next Season due to the fact that some Wildlings are on the other side of the Wall already and Mance knows that the Crows are in disarray.  Now is the time to strike.  The real question is, how does time translate when you’re dealing in one hour increments on HBO.”

Q: “Huh?  Um, okay.  So, when exactly is winter coming?  They been talking ‘bout it for three dang years and it don’t seem like it’s that snowy and cold just south of that Wall.”

Oz: “Fair enough.  I have asked myself this same question.  I am sure that book readers have a better answer for you than I do, but it does seem like winter has been coming for a long time and is not in any hurry to get there.

The short answer is that seasons don’t work the same way in Westeros as they do on planet Earth.  The seasons last for years.  So I can only assume that it takes a longer period of time for the seasons to actually change.  However, it is a valid question given how long the show has been talking about it and the fact that Ep. 101 is titled “Winter is Coming.”

So, enough of that.  I try to regularly talk to different people about the show to maintain a clear perspective of what casual viewers are curious about.  I study the show because I am obsessed.  But it is important to remember that most others do not.  Perspective.

Now, on with the Countdown (because ending a year and starting a new year without some sort of mindless, unscientific numerical based list is inexcusable)!

Five Questions about the Wall in Season 4

Number Five! (Imagine your own brief musical intro here)

How many Crows?

Let’s face it, the known is not good and the unknown could be worse.

Here is a shot in the dark at deductions based on past narrative.  In Season 1, the Old Bear and the Maester speak to Tyrion regarding the numbers of the Crows and essentially ask him to speak to Cersei about sending more help.  At that point, the Bear tells Tyrion that they are under 1,000 men.

Yoren was on his way with a few more recruits until they ran into trouble due to the search for Gendry.  So far as I can tell, no other recruits have made it up there (at least none have been shown although Ser Alliser states to Jon and Sam that more were coming before they took the Black).

An unknown number went with the Jeor beyond the wall and many of them were apparently killed in the unseen battle at the beginning of S3.  There were also an undisclosed amount of “dead crows” seen by Orell.  So, how many are left?

A random guess is maybe 800?  (This is where book-readers start laughing their assess off at myself and the Unsullied).  Jon tells Tormund that there are 1,000 men at the Wall, but that can’t entirely be accurate.

Regardless of number, the Crow leader has been slain and the whole flock (insert proper name for large gathering of Crows Here) seem to be in horrible disarray.

Number Four!

Was that Ser Alliser Thorne?

As most of you are aware, I avoid spoilers like the plague and am sworn to do so from this day until my last day.  However, occasionally a picture pops up on this fine site that grabs my attention.    A few months ago, it was a pic of Alliser Thorne.

Now for some categorical, unsolicited honesty:  I initially hated this guy in Season 1.  However, after reviewing the Season, I grew to respect him.  He plays no different role than that of a drill sergeant who is there to train recruits and give them skills that offer them a better chance of survival.  His tactics could be considered harsh, but I had football coaches that were considerably worse.

If Ser Alliser is coming back for S4, will he be the new Lord Commander?  What will his relationship with Jon be now that Jon has shown his allegiance to Night’s Watch?  Will they work together?  Will they still despise each other?

Alliser’s reemergence is captivating to say the least.  “You will die… (pause for dramatic effect) like flies.”

Number Three!

What role will Rast and the Keep Band play?

Speaking of pics that got my attention, a pic of Craster’s Keep popped up here recently which got me thinking about Rast and his merry band of outlaw Crows.

As you may remember, Rast is a rapist and the fact that he may still be at Crasters having his way with the daughters doesn’t sound very encouraging.

But Rast and the band must also be aware that winter is coming and that there are many dangers that lie beyond the Wall.  Rast also has it out for Sam, which is yet another reason that leads me to believe that his crew could be headed there sooner than later giving us just another fly in the ointment.

Number Two!

How will the upcoming battle play out?

Let’s review.  We’ve got a group or flock or gamut or something of Crows with low numbers made up of old men and misfits in complete disarray protecting the Wall.  There are Wildlings on each side preparing an imminent attack.  Then we’ve got Rast and his crew presumably still at the Keep who knows they need to get south of The Wall.

Obviously, there is a door open there for the Keep guys to join the Wildlings.  It is safe to assume that Rast and the boys will not be rejoining the Watch since he murdered the Old Bear.  However, if they offer to help protect the wall against Mance and the Raiders in return for passage through the Wall, maybe it is a possibility.

And then there are the Walkers, which could throw a wrench in the whole damn party.  Will Mance be in process of attack only to get flanked by the white walking dead?  Will he be forced to fight alongside his old brothers just to survive?

The possibilities are damn near endless, and that’s why speculating on this show is beautiful.

But what if there were yet another contingent to deal with?  Another fly?  Another factor?

The number one question in the sociopathic Unsullied mind of Oz is….

Number One!

Stannis?

Melisandre sees the battle in the snow.  She tells Stannis that the real battle is in the North.  The only place that has had a large amount of snow is of course at The Wall and beyond.  So the question is, will Stannis crash the party?

Stannis is due to make a move.  He pretty much stayed cooped up with the Red Leech Lover and Dungeon Davos at the Dragonstone Inn for the entirety of S3.  So what happens if the mannis heads North?

From a non-book reader perspective, the move makes sense on a number of levels.  Stannis believes he is the one true King as does Ol’ Red.  Stannis seemingly doesn’t have the numbers needed for a direct attack on King’s Landing or anywhere else.

If Stannis does indeed venture to The Wall, it seems plausible that he would join forces with either the Wildlings to help them get south and defeat the Crows (thus earning more men for his cause), or to join forces with the Night’s Watch in exchange for support in his bid for the Iron Throne.  Either scenario is intriguing although things are never that simple in the Game.

In either scenario, Stannis would have a chance at controlling the Wall and the men that protect it… and that could come in handy in his quest to rule the Seven.  Then again, maybe the Walkers just kill them all.

Perspective.

Now, let’s talk other futures…

FanSided:  I’m not going to say much about this as I simply am a man without a whole lot of information.  But I do know this:  The FanSided network started with a fan site not a whole lot different than WiC.net.  Yes, the content was about American Football, but the idea to appeal to a particular fan base was generally the same.

I haven’t met the owners, and I don’t personally know Patrick, but I would say that the last thing they want to do is run off the regular readers of this site.  Their goal like any other web based, ad-driven site network are page views and clicks, which means they will definitely want to attract new readers.  But I assume they also know that running off the locals just to bring in the tourists is never a good business model.  They want them both.

With that being said, I believe the owners and the content guys will listen to all of you in terms of page items that you like (or more likely dislike).  A page re-design was inevitable whether FanSided was involved or not.  We wanted to make it better, and we still do.

However, I want you all to know that this deal for me has never necessarily been about money.  I do what I do here primarily for the interaction with you guys and gals and because I am utterly obsessed with the show.  The truth is that my continued presence on WiC has come to fruition because the vast majority of you voiced your opinion to keep me here, and for that I owe you all a debt.  And the Oz always pays.

Change happens.  You all know that.  The question becomes is it for the better or for the worse?  Yes, there are going to be a few more ads.  Yes, there will be a few more links.  And no, not everyone will approve.  But if the foundation remains and the WiC fan base stays in place, they will have little choice but to listen.  You have my word that I will go to bat for all of you to pay this debt.  Granted, my persuasion may not be worth much, but there is power in numbers.  If you run, there will be no one for them to listen to.

So, let’s give it a shot.  Let’s give them a fair shake.  And let’s all remind Patrick that everyone that frequents WiC has been trained on how to flay a man.  You don’t want that Patrick.  It doesn’t have a happy ending.

That’s it for me today, WiCsters!  I hope you all enjoy the New Year and we get a trailer sometime soon.  Six seconds just ain’t enough.

PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF THE UNSULLIED ARMY…. NO SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS HERE!!!

Don’t forget to listen in Sunday night for the WiC.net Award Show on youtube.  It should be a lot of fun!  A man is scheduled to appear on the show with Phil and The Gang if the sedation is not slurring my already horrid speech (going under the knife tomorrow… getting older blows).

Hasta, and may there be peace in your realm for the New Ano!

-Oz

The Series

Looking Forward Season 4, Part 1: Lysafinger

Looking Forward Season 4, Part 2: Stannis

Looking Forward Season 4, Part 3: The North Remembers

Looking Forward Season 4, Part 4: Bolton

Looking Forward Season 4, Part 5: Daenerys

Looking Forward Season 4, Part 6: The Stark and The Hound

Looking Forward Season 4, Part 7: Lord Varys

• Published on 01/02/2014 at 12:44 PM CDT
• Last updated on 10/21/2016 at 12:43 PM CDT