#ice ado speculation

[muttthecowcatridesagain]

I feel like everyone is talking about YOI today so I will too :D

First off, I don’t know if the movie has been listed under the coming soon section on the website for the last few years? Pretty sure it was there during 2018/2019 then disappeared, so I don’t necessarily think this is new information. Also the twitter account that posted the “news” is brand new and only has 5 posts on it. It seems like a legitimate effort to consolidate yoi news but this seems like a reach post to me

Anyway

I see people speculating why the movie has been indefinitely postponed. I saw one post positing that it was a lack of creative direction/creative team and I dont think so. When I was following this closely in 2019, it seemed like many of the skating routines for the movie had already been developed by real figure skating choreographers. The music was already in production if I remember right? They hadn’t started working on the animation yet but they did release the teaser trailer.

That’s why this whole thing about the movie basically disappearing is SO odd! Like it seemed that most of the groundwork/planning for the movie was finished and other parts minus animation already in production. On top of it being highly anticipated by an international audience. It was originally scheduled to be released in 2019 and then postponed - so whatever happened, it was specifically THAT YEAR that it happened in

I’ll go back through some thoughts from following this for years:

- initially everyone was speculating that this had something to do with the oly////mpic rings being included in the teaser and a committee crackdown on their use        I personally never really jumped on this because the team was dedicated to avoiding this issue during season 1 and would likely have requested permission before the teaser was released or production even started. Also there have been other movies in the past *cough* cutting edge *cough* and the like that requested official permission and were widely produced without issue

- Censorship:   I also don’t think this is really it, maybe, but MAPPA has since produced other lgbtqa+ and adjacent media since yoi was released without issues as well as other studios.

- focus on other series: I think this is most likely it, at least from the studio’s standpoint. Producing a gigantic series like AoT and other shonen series could definitely put a movie like this on the backburner (again this would still be more believable if yoi didn’t have the audience that it does)

And this leads me to the fact that something happened in 2019. Maybe it was AoT, maybe not - but this does make sense from a timeline perspective and AoT’s audience is indeed larger than yoi audience so it wins from that standpoint as well. But why would they go on to table something that was already being worked on?? Idk I feel like there has to be something else that happened that we aren’t able to guess at from the limited information. Maybe once that “final part” of the last season of AoT airs we’ll get more information.

Anyway at this point I’d be happy to just know officially whether it has completely cancelled or not.

[angrycommiedyke]

Speculations on Jon and Arya : "The woman is important too"

It’s no secret that Jon Snow has always wanted to be a Stark, and has a strong connection to this house and to the North, with his looks, his direwolf and warging ability, among other things.

“Lord Eddard Stark is my father,” Jon admitted stiffly. Lannister studied his face. “Yes,“ he said. “I can see it. You have more of the north in you than your brothers.“ “Half brothers,“ Jon corrected. He was pleased by the dwarf's comment, but he tried not to let it show. [Jon - AGOT]

Now when Jon is going to learn the truth about his parentage, it’s going to be a mess in his head and he will obviously need time to process. It will cause multiple problems but I just want to focus on one in particular : his identity as a Stark. 

The male lineage tends to be more important, so wherever R+L marriage was valid or not, even if Jon remains a bastard, he won’t be Ned Stark’s bastard but Rhaegar’s. He may then not feel entitled - or less -  to be King in the North (if he is as in the show), or just feel like he doesn't really belong in the North/Winterfell due to his Targaryen father.

And that’s when Arya comes into play. To remind him that “the woman is important too”. 

"The Lannisters are proud," Jon observed. "You'd think the royal sigil would be sufficient, but no. He makes his mother's House equal in honor to the king's." "The woman is important too!" Arya protested. Jon chuckled. "Perhaps you should do the same thing, little sister. Wed Tully to Stark in your arms." [Arya - AGOT]

So I like to imagine that Arya will be there to remind him that his northern face, which he was proud of when Tyrion mentioned it, isn’t due to his father but his mother. That the sigil he wanted to wear but was never allowed to, is in fact his mother’s. 

"Girls get the arms but not the swords. Bastards get the swords but not the arms. I did not make the rules, little sister." [Arya - AGOT]

And because the woman is important, he’s no less of a Stark or a northerner. Perphaps Arya will be there to tell him directly or he'll just remember her words.

PS : I also hc that when Jon will reveal to Arya the truth about his real parents, she’s gonna tell him these exact words : “You’re still my brother”. 🥹 And i'm still mad we didn't see the reactions on the show, but let's not start on that

[ser-zoras]

asoiaf predictions that will probably make people mad

sansa politically marries that guy whatshisface. kills littlefinger in self defense either via moon door or very fancy knife, possibly also poison. declares her husband regent of the vale in littlefinger's absence, and quickly allies herself with daenerys as dany pushes west. they fall in love, the embodiment of ice and fire.

brienne doesn't kill jaime bc honestly where would that leave the rest of us. anyway. they probs talk their way out of fighting lady stoneheart and either jaime dies fighting the others, leaving brienne to hedge knight her way around in his honor, or they disappear into the riverlands, never to be heard from again.

if any of the key five die (again), it's gonna be dany, but not in a mad queen way, but in self-sacrifice against the others after her conquest of westeros, which started with dragonstone. thematically implies that the reason daenys had that vision in the first place was so that the targaryens would continue on and produce dany in order to save the world. somehow the destruction of the iron throne will factor in, having served its distorted purpose in keeping the targaryen line alive long enough to create daenerys. this either kills drogon or sends him off toward the sunset sea.

dragonrider bran. either he or jon will rule westeros, don't know which.

speaking of jon, he's going to Come Back Wrong somehow. I think it'll be a targaryen-related way, but he's gonna eventually come around with his stark heritage. if he doesn't end up king of the seven kingdoms, he'll be king beyond the wall.

i don't know what's going to happen to arya. i think she'll surprise me, but i'm certain she's not gonna be lady of winterfell. i think that contradicts too much of her personal convictions about her purpose in life.

contrary to popular belief, i think there's only a 50/50 chance tyrion's gonna be a dragonrider. he's going to come over with dany but he will either choose to return to essos, searching for tysha or possibly accepting the reality of her death, or he'll stay on in westeros as jon's hand of the king. either way, penny will be a significant deciding factor.

stannis kills davos. not as a murder plot, but it's gonna be like. a whole thing.

missandei is protected and cared for and she writes a history of dany's brief reign as an adult(manifesting) and rickon is undeniably Odd now but he's going to be okay and somehow ends up the most normal brother. absolute tourney knight of a fellow (manifesting).

and last but not least, cersei is not killed by either of her brothers, although i think there's a slim chance she kills jaime, which triggers her death. she will be killed by one of her own plots, probably one related to wildfire, but being cersei, she will internalize it as a death by tyrion's hand.

[vriska-martell]

Some ADOS ideas, I have others for them I’ll probably make more

[atopvisenyashill]

do you have any idea of how jon’s ending is going to be? 😄

me answering this two months later should tell you that i have no fucking clue alsjfdlk. i mean...i have some guesses but i'm not completely sure on any of them and i reserve the right to change my mind as soon as 3 seconds after i post this answer and i actually had to psyche myself up to post this bc i crave validation and i feel like i'm talking out of my ass here lol.

jon's story is honestly the one that trips me up more than everyone else's. for one thing, the show is basically no help at all here - i think a lot of the stuff they did with jon in the show they mostly did because it looked cool and fit the action hero trope they were trying to fill even though "action hero" isn't really what jon's story is about or even follows. for another thing, the fandom just differs soooo much on what's going to happen to him that it's hard to sort of sift through how everyone feels and come to a specific idea on how EYE personally feel. there's a few things i feel strongly are or aren't happening so i guess i'll just ramble on a bit here:

there is one thing i am absolutely sure is going to happen and it's this:

His lord father had once talked about raising new lords and settling them in the abandoned holdfasts as a shield against wildlings. The plan would have required the Watch to yield back a large part of the Gift, but his uncle Benjen believed the Lord Commander could be won around, so long as the new lordlings paid taxes to Castle Black rather than Winterfell. "It is a dream for spring, though," Lord Eddard had said. "Even the promise of land will not lure men north with a winter coming on." If winter had come and gone more quickly and spring had followed in its turn, I might have been chosen to hold one of these towers in my father's name. Lord Eddard was dead, however, his brother Benjen lost; the shield they dreamt together would never be forged.

I really think this is foreshadowing Jon and Bran's ending wrt each other - building up holdfasts and raising up new lords and ladies not as a shield against the Wildlings but to help the Wildlings as well as the large amount of Northerners in need of somewhere safe after the destruction of the Long Night. Land and resources to help this group of people desperately in need of a new homeland - it's Brandon's Gift to his brother!

the other thing i'm mainly convinced of is i think a bit spicy of a take not just amongst the greater fandom but even amongst the jonsa side more specifically - jon isn't going to be king nor is he legitimate. it's not to say that I don't think the crown will be offered to him because I definitely believe that jon is going to have several other moments similar to stannis offering him winterfell where someone is offering him a crown and a way to jump ahead of the other starklings in the line of succession. i do not believe he will say yes. not only that, but i think his story is going to end with him leaving Winterfell and KL specifically because he doesn't want anyone building a faction around him and his name to topple his family members' claims. like maester aemon, his beloved mentor, he is going to purposefully take himself out of the succession AND get himself out of sight and out of mind so Sansa and Bran face no real backlash.

the thing is - i just don't know when that is going to happen. i generally fall under the idea that this ending will come about halfway through a dream of spring - after sticking by his siblings, supporting their claims, dealing with his identity crisis, doubling down on making Sansa QitN and Bran King on the Iron Throne, he's going to realize there's a political faction building around him and just peace out to the Gift to deal with resettling the Wildlings. Completely out of politics, completely cut off from most of Westeros.

THAT. It's the only thing I'm sure of in his story. All my other theories are a lot more vague and I'm a lot less certain of them but Jon helping resettle refugees from the Long Night (whether it's displaced people from the Riverlands and the North, perhaps the remnants of the Unsullied even, as well as Wildlings and former Night's Watch members) and purposefully going there to make sure no political faction builds around him to usurp his brother and sister's claims after rejecting a crown, that is the one thing I would bet money on happening at some point in the series.

But the other stuff...I'm gonna bullet point because I'm less sure:

Jon as Hand/Regent - there's a lot of foreshadowing about Bran having a Regent for awhile and while I'm not sure Bran is going to have a lot of say over his regents, he will have more say over his Hand and I think if Jon does access any sort of power, it's going to be as Bran's hand. But once he realizes people are still kinda itchy about the new political structure (a parliament style rule with a disabled king), that's what prompts him to leave entirely.

Jon as the Mummer's Dragon - Dany is going to show up thinking he's a "proper dragon" because she's already killed the mummer in Aegon VI (or so she thinks) and rumors have started about Jon's parentage (part of why Jon is going to refuse the Winter crown will be because any claim he has comes through Lyanna which puts him at the bottom of the rankings anyway! No way Howland is just going to let Jon get crowned without pointing all of this out!). But Jon isn't a dragon, he is a wolf in dragon's clothing. I don't fully believe he's going to stab her a la the show - I think it's more likely Arya kills her and Jon takes the fall for it to protect Arya.

Jon as a Romantic Hero - we all know I go back and forth on whether Jonsa will be canon or not. IF it does go canon, I think what happens is they fall in love through TWOW, find out about his parentage so it's surprise not incest, and then broach the topic of marrying (maybe they even do get married secretly) only for it to get put on pause because of like, ice and fire magic plot reasons, then Jon's reputation is ruined by "killing" Dany, and he leaves. I THINK that's how the story is going to end - with them separated due to the politics but with some hope of one day reconciling. if they DO end up together though, it will be after he builds a reputation for himself in the Gift (maybe even colloquially referred to as King of the Gift by the people there, the way he's called King Crow by the wildlings in the show), Sansa broaches the topic of them being together once again and this time they can because of how his reputation has built, and because it combines their claims without usurping Sansa's (and I think it's likely Jon insists on being called Prince-Consort and not King-Consort). That's the only way I see it ending happily for them but tbh I vastly prefer the idea that he lives in the Gift forever and secretly marries Sansa maybe but they are never able to live together due to the politics. But that's because I love a bittersweet romantic ending, I want those two full of longing for the love that could have been!!!

Jon as a Dragon Rider - also something i waffle on. part of me feels like you don't have a dragon named after a main character's secret father and not have that character interact with that dragon. another part of me feels like the set up of all three dragons have defined, loving relationships with their riders might be set up for dany's feelings on losing her dragons to enemies (euron/victarion and aegon) than for those dragons actually getting relationships with main character riders. i like the idea of jon, like nettles, having a close relationship with his dragon because he's serious about keeping this dragon away from other people, and treating the dragon like a pet (the way he treats ghost) instead of a war machine but i'm not sure george finds that compelling, ya know. Don't ask me which dragon he could possibly ride, i have no strong opinions one way or the other.

[omgkatsudonplease]

Do we know if the cancellation of Ice Ado means nothing will ever continue for YoI, or is there a possibility we'll still get a s2? I don't think I've seen anything about that, just the movie cancellation.

There's been Twitter speculation about why Ice Ado was cancelled (budget weirdness, development hell, censorship). I have hope that Kubo and Yamamoto might shop the IP around elsewhere but it's not a terribly strong hope. I just know MAPPA squandered a real gem and I wouldn't trust them to do s2 if they can't even do a film.

[jewishvitya]

Has there been any recent updates on ice adolescents or anything Yuri as a whole?

(anon 'cause im shy)

I don't mind! I have the anon option on purpose. Please feel free to send any ask, I love getting asks.

No real updates other than we might not get it after all. I don't know the real reason, I've seen speculation but I didn't dive into it. They said something about the profits - which, YOI was very profitable, but Mappa didn't get as big a cut as they could have from that. This might be the reason, or there might be others. Personally, I try not to think about that too much. I have ice ado tags muted because I just find it discouraging. Pining for it just takes away from my ability to enjoy this. So for me, I'm assuming Ice Ado isn't going to exist. If I end up being wrong, I'll be delighted. I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear.

I created for years from 12 episodes, and I can create for years still. I still have wonderful conversations with friends exploring those characters, and I fully enjoy the fandom with or without official content. I had conversations with a friend about what we want Viktor's past and Viktuuri's future to look like, the themes we'd explore in a sequel/prequel story, and it builds that up for me. I do plan to share those thoughts at some point, either as fic or as meta/headcanons.

I'm here to celebrate what I have, and if I'm given more, I'll celebrate that too. But if not, I'll keep enjoying this.

I'm slow with all the things I'm making, but I have so much to create and I'm enjoying all of my WIPs. I'll enjoy sharing them with whoever is still interested.

[buttertheflame]

A List of Things To Come

*a long post*

I was on hiatus for about 5 years, but I think it's worth the risk of coming back. These are some thoughts and hot takes I've had since then up to now. My professional life is busy, but when I have the time, I'll share. Anyone interested?

Here's a preview, categorized by fandom:

A Song of Ice and Fire:

For asoiaf canon, I’ll speculate on what Jon and Val could have been, and what they could have had together, if he had not kicked the bucket. I’ll also contrast it with Jon's dreams of a life with her, and why he put the torch to it. :( Because of the root of her dislike of Mel and Shireen, I figure she will not be pleased with un-Jon.

Game of Thrones:

In GoT canon, Jon did not love Dany as much as the script suggested he would. In fact, they both failed to take responsibility for the other person. I haven't seen anyone make a statement like this before. (The PTSD is real.) But fic writers did pick up on this and tried to fix it in canon compliant stories, with a lot of success.

Supernatural:

In Supernatural s12-s14, Mary should have found her sons to be way more weird, specifically with each other. But given what we see of her in s6, her characterization is consistent. She would have, and did, ignore the red flags for an idea of family.

I’ll share approving thoughts on Sam and Dean's relationship in the final seasons, disapproving thoughts on the final season of Supernatural, and how I speculated it would either go Gencest or Destiel. We know what happened. No one walked away happy and I think the fandom was all the better for it.

Destiel is not canon. It only became a one-sided love confession. (I know there's a lot of speculation on what happened b/w the studio, the writer's room and the post-production team. Idc. Not gonna touch it.) Thoughts on how I think SPN could have made Destiel go 100% canon involve tweaking the execution and balancing out the themes of Sam and Eileen's love story, the big bad plot, and Dean and Cas's 'love' story.

Outlander:

Outlander (show-only) thoughts, foremost on Roger Mackenzie. He has vexed me from the first time he appeared on screen. I love him dearly, but he vexes me, for how he consistently affects the plot and how that defines his role among the main cast. Later on, I'll run through my favorite moments, episodes and narrative arcs.

Miscellaneous:

I'll share a list of favorite ship-centric fics I've collected over many, many, many years. (Gotta be over 10 years' worth). Along with blurbs that explain my recommendation in a non-spoilery way. Fandoms include: Harry Potter, LOTR, Supernatural, The Walking Dead, ASOIAF, Game of Thrones, Star Wars (Sequel Trilogy), The Flash, Shadowhunters [look away book fans <3], Hannibal (show-only).

I'll also post drafts of fics I never got right and never finished. Mostly GoT-canon divergent Jon/Dany fics.

Most importantly, some very dear friends have encouraged me to vent and hype up my Jonerys fic series "We Could Live Together" as I write it. It's GoT-canon divergent, but I alter some of what occurred before 6x09. Then the story re-enters book territory and moves toward ADOS conclusions. I'd also love to break down and discuss songs from the playlists when it strikes me.

This is the summary of Part 1, "A Long Way Home" (published):

After the Battle for Winterfell, Jon was captured by Bolton men then later found by Daenerys not far from Dragonstone. Their meeting blossoms into the most honest love--until Jon suddenly leaves for Winterfell, only to return to Dragonstone months later with more terrifying tales of dead men and Winter storms. When Daenerys chooses to send her armies north to fight the dead, all is certain but the matter of their bond. After the pain they'd endured, can they come together again? Or will separation be too powerful to overcome? *or* A romantic tale of choice and second chances.

This is the summary of Part 2, "Awake For Ever In Sweet Unrest" (in-progress and unpublished):

Winter has come and further fractured the realm. Yet Jon and Daenerys's betrothal and alliance is well known throughout the Seven Kingdoms. The secret that threatened to break them has made their love stronger, casting a fragrance of hope that draws to the last Targaryens all who seek refuge from political turmoil. Cersei Lannister has fled King's Landing in favor of establishing a bank in Lannisport, to guard against her deposition by the Iron Bank. Euron Greyjoy has set up a naval blockade at Oldtown, yet manages to beguile the Hightowers. And Walder Frey's sundown years threaten to pull his House into a civil war. From the Wall, Jon and Daenerys begin to wage war on the Others. Yet the age of wonder and terror, of gods and heroes, leads them and their enemies in the least expected ways. It begs the question: does all happen the way it must? *or* A romantic telling of the new War for the Dawn.

This is what I've been doing the past few years: working, (dating lol), re-reading the books and joining theory discussions on other sites. What touched my heart was readers asking for me to continue the fic series. Even as I considered it, I was conflicted. Since the show and book canon are so enmeshed, I think we were really vulnerable to being whipped and scored by D&D. But we all found ways to lick our wounds. I'm grateful we were able to become closer and stronger. I'm glad to be a part of it.

So that's my preview. If you've read this far, thank you. <3

There's more to come.

[music-of-moonless-skies]

Okay this is my last weird addition to my Yuri on Ice tangents cause I'm not like *back* in the fandom, just kinda doing my research to keep up to date, but today’s topic is: History Maker 2021

So I’ve seen a handful of posts discussing the sadder tone of the beginning of the new version, and maybe others won't agree, but I feel like I’ve made a connection. (Also, I haven’t read too many posts so if someone has already said this, I apologize) I feel like the emotional progression of it very nearly resembles the emotional progression of the track “Yuri on Ice.” Just like how “Yuri on Ice” starts slow with Yuri feeling like he is going through life alone but then picks up when Yuri starts to learn what love is as well as gaining confidence, this new version starts up slow and picks up to become more hopeful. We also know that Victor, within the first season, states that he has had a similar learning experience about love and life because of Yuri. If this version has anything to do with Ice Ado, which we know will be about Victor’s life, perhaps it will show a similar progression within his adolescence. 

[rosykanaya]

apparently only one of the two mystery projects was talked about during the mappa stage event?? …. y’all know what i’m thinking……

[victuurikatsu]

A concept: Victor Nikiforov speaking fluent French.

[wargwhatisitgoodfor]

GRRM’S Much Ado About Mirrors - Political Marriages/Rivals and Famine in Season 8

Game of Thrones Season 8 Political/Love Quad is  Foreshadowed in The Winds of Winter  + Mirror of House Tyrell Aiding King’s Landing

Note: The picture in the upper-right corner is a recent shot of Lino Facioli, the actor who plays Robin Arryn in Game of Thrones. Lino is listed on HBO’s cast list for this season. This meta is purely speculation. 

PART ONE - Foreshadowing in The Winds of Winter

The released ‘Alayne’ chapter from The Winds of Winter focuses on an impending tourney that is bringing together the most important people in the region. Sweetrobin’s heir Ser Harrold Hardyng will be in attendance and has been recently betrothed to Sansa, who is disguised as Alayne to everyone other than Petyr Bealish.  While intuitively recognizing Harry’s true nature and possible agenda to seize power, Sweetrobin expresses his affection for and desire to marry Sansa/Alayne.  During this conversation, Sweetrobin abruptly shifts his focus from the rivalry and threat that he is facing (which is serious and imminent) to who he will have to marry (which is undetermined and won’t happen for many years). One cannot brush this off as a testament to Sweetrobin’s age and immaturity as he understands life’s impermanence after losing his father and mother and is discerning enough to correctly assess Hardyng.

Coincidentally, minor annotations easily shift the dynamics of who is betrothed/disguised and who is a political/romantic rival between Sansa and her male cousins from TWoW to GoT Season 8 as is described below:  

“He (she) wants my father’s castle (kingdom), that’s all, so he (she) pretends.” The boy (Jon) clutched the blanket (gloves?) to his pimply (scarred) chest. “I don’t want you to marry him, Alayne (I don’t want to marry her, Sansa). I am the Lord of the Eyrie (Warden of the North/last male heir to the Iron Throne/etc.), and I forbid it.” He sounded as if he were about to cry. “You should marry me instead. We could sleep in the same bed every night, and you could read me stories (Unlike Sweetrobin, Jon has already gone through puberty, so we can mentally insert another verb(s) besides ‘to read’).”

    ...“Sweetrobin (Jon), you must not say such things. You are the Lord of the Eyrie and Defender of the Vale (Warden of the North/heir to the Iron Throne/etc.), and you must wed a highborn lady (the Targaryen Queen) and father a son to sit in the High Hall of House Arryn (the Iron Throne) after you are gone.”

Robert wiped his nose (Jon flexed his sword hand/rubbed the back of his neck). “But I want — ” (“Is this what you want — ”)

    She put a finger to his lips. “I know what you want (I want/we want), but it cannot be. I am no fit wife (Targaryen Queen) for you. I am bastard born (Lady of Winterfell).”

    “I don’t care. I love you best of anyone. “

You are such a little fool.  “Your lords bannermen will care... and I should... be put to death (Sansa will be physically threatened AGAIN...).”

    “I wouldn’t let them hurt you!” Lord Robert (Jon) said. “If they try I will make them all fly (I will kill them myself!).” His hand began to tremble. (At this point in time, we don’t know how much book!Jon will have changed after his resurrection. His memories may be primarily affected, or there may be some physical manifestations from his death.)

    Alayne (Sansa) stroked his fingers (She has provided Jon with the support, validation, and motivation that he needs since their reunion, and Sansa quoting Ned at the end of season 7 indicates that she will continue to do so). “There, my Sweetrobin (Jon)... “You must have a proper wife, a trueborn maid of noble birth (a Targaryen Queen).”

    “No. I want to marry you, Alayne (Sansa).”

Once your lady mother (your lady mother and your lord father/my lord father’s contingencies plans were founded on it) intended that very thing...  “My lord is kind to say so.” Alayne (Sansa) smoothed his hair... He does have pretty hair (I love how cheeky GRRM can be at times!)… “...Before long, you will have forgotten me entirely.”

“I won’t!”

“You will. You must.” Her voice was firm, but gentle.

“The Lord of the Eyrie (Warden of the North/heir to the Iron Throne/etc.) can do as he likes. Can’t I still love you, even if I have to marry her? …” (The show is going to handle this differently from the books; the most logical route is for Jon to openly defer to Dæny in order to placate her whilst he offers to stay with Sansa and the rest of their family in Winterfell.  Regardless, outside forces will conspire against the Starks, especially the two secret lovers.)  

…“Is that what you would have from me? A bastard?” She pulled her fingers from his grasp. “Would you dishonor me that way?” (Sansa will not only have to make her feelings clear but will need to initiate a physical relationship with Jon. The show also is foreshadowing that Sansa will become pregnant before they are married or at least before they publicly announce their marriage.)

The boy (Jon) looked stricken. “No. I never meant — “ (“I’ve loved you my whole life.” I’m in the camp that Jon was in love with Sansa before they left Winterfell, and the show has actually set this up in a deliberate but discreet manner. My meta on Sansa’s dragonfly necklace being a gift from Jon explains this in greater detail.) Alayne (Sansa) stood. “If it please my lord, I must go…” Before her little lord (her cousin/his grace/etc.) could find the words to protest, she gave him a quick curtsy and fled the bedchamber… (Again, this hints at Sansa’s decision to stay with Jon and to be physically intimate with him.)

PART TWO: Robin Arryn will aid the North just as House Tyrell did for King’s Landing

With the focus on food storage both last season and this one, it seems likely that the North will face a food crisis. However it may be accelerated if the food stores are burned during the Battle for the Dawn. If this takes place, what then? WHAT HAVE WE SEEN PREVIOUSLY ON THE SHOW THAT MIGHT INDICATE WHERE THE NARRATIVE WILL PROCEED? 

After helping House Baratheon/Lannister win the Battle of Blackwater Bay, House Tyrell ends the famine that plagues King’s Landing. Offered anything that the royal house can bestow upon them, the Tyrells request a betrothal between their house and King Joffrey. 

In a parallel move, it seems entirely possible that Yohn Royce will offer the Vale’s food stores and may hint at a marriage alliance between his liege lord Robin Arryn and the Lady of Winterfell. With the show choosing to repeatedly focus on the positive working relationship between Yohn Royce and Sansa, it stands to reason that Yohn would prefer Robin Arryn marry a smart, capable woman whom he respects. Just as Margaery confesses that she has heard a great deal about Joffrey that caused her to fall in love with him, Robin has been kept abreast of Yohn’s time at Winterfell, most likely including his impression of Sansa. As Robin was also told by his mother that he and Sansa would marry, Robin would hold the idea of a betrothal with his cousin in high regard. FOR THE SHOW’S WRITERS, THIS ALSO SERVES THE PURPOSE OF REMINDING THE GENERAL AUDIENCE THAT MARRIAGES BETWEEN COUSINS WERE SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE AND COMMONPLACE. 

Regardless of Sansa’s personal feelings, a famine would force the Northern forces to leave Winterfell and to seek the resources they need in order to simply survive; in all likelihood, they would travel to the Riverlands if Robin Arryn does offer/agree to supply the North.  

Is meeting Robin or just the prospect of meeting him what pushes Jon and Sansa to declare their love for one another?

Faced with possible betrothals for both of them whilst learning that they could have a chance to be together, Jon and Sansa will demonstrate the depth of their feelings for each other, including jealousy, as the show increasingly displays  their chemistry in front of other characters. The climax for this plot point will be Bronn returning Sansa’s doll (Ned’s gift) AND her dragonfly necklace (Jon’s gift) as an “act of good faith”; it will force Jon and Sansa to not only admit their current feelings for one another but also of their past relationship at the start of the story, including:

Their secret meetings to ‘practice kissing’

Their goodbye scene at Winterfell in which Jon gave her the dragonfly necklace and vowed to Sansa to protect the North for her as his future queen

Although Jon taking the necklace and placing it back around Sansa’s neck would reaffirm their feelings for one another, it could parallel Rhaegar’s disastrous decision to publicly demonstrate his affection for Lyanna Stark at the Tournament of Harrenhel.  

(NOTE: My apologies for only referencing and not summarizing my theory on Sansa’s dragonfly necklace being a gift from Jon/the Evenstar necklace of GoT. Part One of that meta can be found here.)

Possible Additional Parallels (All in the Riverlands)

Robb Stark agreeing to a betrothal for the sake of his family only to marry another person all whilst fighting a war.

Rhaegar inappropriately demonstrating his love for Lyanna in public at Harrenhal by giving her the crown of roses.

Rhaegar and Lyanna marrying in secret. 

What Happens if Jon Does Create the Tournament of Harrenhal 2.0? 

Most likely it will be the event that starts the next ‘Dance of Dragons’. I might add to this after episode three airs.

[thewindsofwolves]

Alright kiddos, can you link me some good metas about how Bran will destroy the Night King and save the world ? :)

[boasamishipper]

icemav fic rec compilation

hello all!! per the requests of some of my mutuals, i’ve put together the following list of icemav fic recs, posted before and after the sequel dropped and the third fandom renaissance began. these are the icemav fics that i personally have enjoyed the most in all my time in this fandom, and my taste and your taste may not exactly be the same. my good friend @icemankazansky has compiled her own list of icemav fic recs earlier, which can be seen here and contains some excellent icemav fics that this list leaves off.

without further ado:

Not Rated

like a thursday by @academicgangster

TG2 speculation based on the first trailer, before we found out who Jennifer Connelly’s character was going to be. Warnings for MCD and the most gorgeously written angst ever. Bring tissues. You’ll need them.

Doing It Right by @academicgangster

In which Maverick kisses Ice and promptly winds up in the hospital. Kind of. There’s some important feelings being realized in the middle. Sweet, funny, and deserves the Pulitzer Prize just for “God, Mav, you’re so fucking stupid” alone. 

General Audiences

Just You and Me by @icemankazansky 

Maverick and Ice share a kiss after their wedding, in mixed company. So many feelings. Cannot overstate how many feelings there are in this one.

Not If It's You by @icemankazansky

Ice gets some bad news. Maverick provides reassurance and dotes on him. Tender like a bruise is tender, but you get a nice Band-Aid and a kiss on the forehead afterwards.

A Kiss on the Inside of the Wrist by Grays_Tedious

Navel-gazing occurs. Feelings ensue, for me and Maverick.

Meet Me at the Touch Pool by @guiltyfandomtrashwonderland 

Ice and Maverick go on an aquarium date. Short and sweet.

True North by @icemankazansky

It’s the night before his and Ice’s wedding, and Maverick thinks about how far he and Ice have come. Spoiler alert: pretty damn far. Carly’s fics always remind me that Ice and Mav love each other SO MUCH it makes me want to punch a wall, and this one is no exception.

Teen and Up Audiences

May by londaesneka

A perfectly in-character (and heartbreaking) sequel to the film, in which Ice returns to TOPGUN after a decade-long tour of duty and Maverick, unhappily married to Charlie, feels like he’s drowning. Every detail is well thought out and perfectly placed, and though the ending is more bittersweet than happy, I cannot recommend it enough.

Shakedown by @academicgangster

TG2 speculation based on the second trailer. Beautiful, bittersweet, and a hopeful ending that feels perfectly earned - AND plenty of the “mav: (says something stupid) / ice already taking off his clothes: god mav you’re so fucking stupid” dynamic that I adore with my whole heart.

who cannot go by @susiecarter

Maverick is sick, but he thinks he can handle it. Spoiler alert: he cannot. Features Mav thinking that Ice is Goose, which is just one of the many moments of this fic that made me tear up, gasp, and swear all at the same time. Absolute perfection. 

Switch by @icemankazansky

Maverick doesn’t understand how Ice works, but that doesn’t stop Maverick from falling in love with him. The italicized oh in fic form.

Soft Spot by @icemankazansky

Maverick realizes that Ice is softer than he’d originally thought - especially when it comes to him. Short and sweet.

Fire or Clear by weshes

Post-TG, Ice comes to visit after Mav is injured. Snark, sexy times, and feelings ensue.

up, up the long delirious burning blue by kangeiko

Maverick's life and career after TOPGUN. This fic kicked me in the throat and made me thank it for the privilege.

time = distance ÷ speed by omnidirectional

Five (plus one) potential timelines in which Maverick meets Iceman again post-TG. Some will make you laugh out loud. Others will make you waste an entire pack of tissues. Still others manage to make you do both at the same time. Absolutely fantastic.

The Window by @guiltyfandomtrashwonderland

Maverick drunkenly breaks into Ice’s house in the middle of the night and falls into bed with him. Feelings are realized. Laugh out loud funny and heartwrenchingly soft.

The Fulcrum by @icemankazansky

A medical scare leaves Ice’s chances for survival uncertain, and Maverick stays by his side. A brief yet heartwrenching (a Carly specialty) look into Ice and Mav’s love for one another, particularly Mav’s love for Ice, even after so many years together.

Driving Ice by @icemankazansky

Ice teaches Maverick to drive a car. Short and sweet and hilarious.

Small Victories by @m-madeleine

Ice and Maverick go on a trip together and end up at a gay bar in San Francisco, featuring hurt/comfort, stream of consciousness narration, a complicated navigation of homophobia, and perfectly in character voices for Ice and Mav. Tender and bittersweet all at once.

Nailed It! by omnidirectional

Maverick and Ice set up their new office after moving to Nevada. Things turn competitive, as they often do. Great banter; sweet and hilarious.

The Trick is to Keep Breathing by @icemankazansky

The anniversary of Goose’s death rolls around, and Ice helps Maverick through it. No matter how many times I read it, Ice’s clear love for Mav (and vice versa) as well as Mav’s feelings about Goose’s death makes me tear up.

I Cannot Count the Hours by @icemankazansky

Ice leaves for the Gulf, and Maverick doesn’t want to say goodbye yet. Another tearjerker, but in the best way.

Are You Happy Now by @guiltyfandomtrashwonderland

After Ice’s funeral, Maverick and Bradley have a heart-to-heart in the parking lot. The ultimate one-two punch.

Mature

and gamble for the sun by @susiecarter

Maverick and Iceman make bets. Words can’t do this one justice. (I should know. I’ve been sitting here trying to make words work about it since it was published.) Please read it.

come the same colors by @susiecarter

Maverick is injured. Ice comes to pick him up from the hospital, and Maverick realizes he (and Ice) is in this deeper than he’d originally thought. I love stories where Mav is shown tenderness and affection against his will, and this is one of the best ones out there. SUCH good Maverick voice, and SO many feelings (even if Mav would rather believe they are less strong than they really are). 

When and Where by twowritehands

An Icemav soulmate au. Solid writing, solid buildup, and an ending like a breath finally released. Great Iceman backstory too.

wingspan by @guiltyfandomtrashwonderland

Oblivious!Mav and Lovestruck!Ice is the greatest combination in the world, and I love it when Nat capitalizes on it. I ugly-laughed at this one so loud my roommates asked me what the matter was.

Shaping Up, Breaking Down by @m-madeleine

Maverick realizes he knows his limits in bed just well as he does in the air. Fantastic character voices, incredible hurt/comfort, and so many feelings. Is there anything better than friends with benefits with unspoken feelings?? Not that I know of.

Mustangs by @icemankazansky

An AU where Ice and Maverick are riders on the rodeo circuit competing against each other. Hot as HELL.

don’t leave me hanging by Hyacinthus

Smut and established relationship Icemav - both of which are excellently written. I love all the little details and their dynamic in this one.

trapped in a flat spin by dangerousinlove

Ice tells Maverick he’s dying. You’ll feel like you’re trapped in a flat spin after reading this one, but you’ll land as gently as possible.

our search for the blue sky by dangerousinlove

Ice’s last days. This one really hurt me.

No Less Than Two Miracles by @icemankazansky

Ice comes through for Maverick one last time. The perfect, magical realist-y send-off for Ice.

Explicit

Marrying the Hangman by @guiltyfandomtrashwonderland

The only - and I do mean the only - A/B/O AU that actually 1) thoughtfully reflects on the premise, 2) provides character development, angst, and laugh out loud moments in turn, and 3) that I have ever, ever liked. First of an equally excellent series. Mind the tags.

The Eye of the Storm by @icemankazansky

First of a post-TG series, in which Maverick reunites with Iceman at TOPGUN in the 90s. Sexy, angsty, and beautifully written - not just this fic but the entire series. One of the first Icemav fics I ever read, and a long-time fave (and reread) to this day.

Time Flies by thedevilchicken

After TOPGUN, Maverick and Ice meet again. And again. Eventually, they get it right. Do you like smiling, laughing, and crying at the same time? This one’s for you!

got me to blame by @susiecarter

Completely honest right now - if I had to save one (1) Top Gun fic from a server wipeout, I’d choose this one. All of Susie’s fics are incredible (see: how many times I’ve recommended them across this list), but this one is (to me) her best. I read it five times in a row the night it was posted, and have read it countless times since, and it STILL makes me emotional.

The Auction by @guiltyfandomtrashwonderland

Maverick auctions off his ass virginity, and Ice wants in. Yes, that’s the best summary for it. The only fic that’s made me laugh so hard I had to take a five minute break and get some water so I could hold the phone steady again. 

the further on the edge, the hotter the intensity by @victimofthemusic

Five times Ice and Maverick had sex somewhere they weren’t supposed to, and each time is hotter than the last. 

[missnight0wl]

How the Cursed Vaults work?

This is the idea I’m using in my series “Secrets and Riddles”, but it’s basically another theory. And since the series is not widely popular, I decided to post this in my more usual theory format to hopefully reach more people – because, not to brag or anything, I think I finally cracked it. Or at least I managed to answer a lot of questions.

Also, yeah, that means that this post is sort of a spoiler for the fanfic, especially the recent chapter 6. Just so you know.

A while ago, I also made an analysis on Rakepick’s role in the story and her connection with Jacob, which is kind of related to all of that, so I recommend checking it HERE. But that being said, I’ll focus mostly on the Cursed Vaults themselves this time. 

Oh, and I’m kind of gonna ignore the Sunken Vault as we’ve seen it in Y6Ch42. I mean, I still believe that either it was fake, or we just didn’t really complete it entirely, or the writers simply screwed up at that point. Like, you can’t tell me that the final Vault was always supposed to be protected by just freaking rocks…

But without further ado, let’s get on with it.

The requirements to reach the final Cursed Vault

First of all, I’m pretty sure that the Vaults have to be open in a certain order. It explains why we’re finding in each column the clues only to the next Vault. I mean, we could get everything in the Vault of Ice and just go to whichever we figure out first. Moreover, we know that Jacob was opening the Vaults in the very same order as we.

Jacob was expelled shortly after Duncan’s death, so he couldn’t enter the Vault of Ice and the Vault of Fear then, because we know he was still at school when dealing with them. Moreover, in one of his notebook’s, he wrote:

“(…) the next vault” implies that he had to have some vault already behind him, and by elimination, it must’ve been the Vault of Ice, so the one which starts it all.

My second assumption in this theory is that you have to go through all the Vaults to be able to enter/open the final one. It’d explain why R made Jacob deal with all the Vaults before the Portrait Vault. I mean, we’re supposed to believe that they cared only about his Legilimency skills to open the Legilimency door, right? But if that was the case, they actually should’ve tried to keep him away from the previous Vaults, so he wouldn’t get hurt or something.

The third requirement is the one I talked quite a bit about on my blog already, and it’s about experiencing the loss. I always compare it to seeing Thestrals. The difference here is that I believe that you don’t necessarily have to see the moment of death as it’s very possible that Jacob wasn’t with Duncan when the explosion occurred. Moreover, I don’t think it even has to be death – I assume it’s mainly R’s interpretation. And yeah, that would mean that they planned Duncan’s death from the beginning, and that’s why they were so willing to risk his life with an extra-explosive potion. For MC, the loss would be of course about Rowan. What’s important here is that it explains why R insisted on killing one of our friends, despite the fact that  they never gave us a reason for that (like, they didn’t say if it was punishment or what).

The mechanism behind the Cursed Vaults

Here, we’re stepping into the territory of speculations without as many proofs, but I think it really works overall.

All right, so imagine that the Cursed Vaults are like a chain around the treasure in the final Cursed Vault. At the very beginning, there’s a lock on the first link of the chain. Once you break the lock (in that case: defeat the Ice Knight), the lock moves to the second link: the Vault of Fear. Here, you break the lock either by defeating the Boss Boggart or by opening the column with a broken wand. Next, the lock moves to the Forest Vault where you break it by opening the column with the arrow. The lock moves to the Portrait Vault where you break it by defeating the dragon, and the lock moves to the Sunken Vault. I call this process the cycle.

Now, I assume that you have only one attempt at breaking the lock at each link. Otherwise, the cycle resets. This means that, for example, if you enter the Vault of Fear but fail to defeat the Boss Boggart, the cycle resets, and you have to go back to the Vault of Ice etc. Why it’s important? Mostly because of the note we found in the Weird Sisters TLSQ.

If R previously entered the Sunken Vault without the key, in my theory, it’d mean that the cycle reset – and so it’d explain why MC had to start from the Vault of Ice again at the beginning of the game. I doubt the key on its own would break the lock entirely, but the Sunken Vault, as the final one, might have a more sensitive security system.

On top of that, I concluded that once you successfully break the lock on one Vault, the Vault itself becomes kind of “inactive”. Remember when we were searching for Scabbers, and it led us to the Icy Corridor? It’d explain why the cursed ice was… different then:

Also, I know it’s a bit questionable how much of canon TLSQs are, but it’d potentially explain how Rakepick revived the Ice Knight in the “Call to Knighthood” TLSQ without any consequences (like reactivating the curse):

By the way, I’m still fascinated by the fact that Rakepick just… revived the Ice Knight. Like, how powerful is that woman? Also, of course she had to be extra like that in comparison to other professors...

Anyway, the point is that you can kind of “play” freely with the Vaults, as long as the lock moved to the next one. I also assumed here that the columns remain open – because technically, we’ve never seen whether or not they close after MC leaves the Vault. And it’s pretty important for the next part.

What the hell was the deal with all the clues?

I’ll start by saying that I absolutely don’t expect that Jam City will address it in the future. But guess what? I don’t care because I think I’m right either way. So, who and how placed the clues?

I believe that Jacob was responsible for the clues, probably along with Rakepick. However, I also assume that they only prepared them, and it was Dumbledore who placed them in the columns. It’d explain the scene we’ve seen during our Legilimency lesson with the Headmaster (Y5Ch19):

Also, in the Vault of Fear, we found the arrow and the Forest’s Map:

Now, this one is admittedly not my original idea - I remember reading it ages ago on Reddit (I believe). But I loved this theory ever since that this “R” was not a reference to R but to Rakepick. You know, as a hint that she’ll help us with the Forest Vault. And it actually makes a lot of sense, because where was the missing arrowhead? Buried.

The only way is to bury it because Rakepick has Sickleworth, and finding buried treasures is no problem for him. For anyone who doesn’t have a Niffler, or rather so well-trained Niffler, it’d be probably much harder. And look at that, we did use Sickleworth to find the arrowhead! That being said, I also always saw one big flaw in this theory…

See, I suspected for the longest time that Jacob had something to do with the clues, but it didn’t make much sense that he’d put that “R” on the map. He knew about R and that they’re called R – he had to know that it’d be confusing. HOWEVER, if it was Dumbledore placing the clues in the columns, perhaps it was him who put that “R” in the last moment to hint to Rakepick. I mean, if you ask me, it’s totally possible that Dumbledore at that point was aware that someone threatens Jacob, yet he didn’t know they’re called R. Jacob might’ve hidden that information in fear that if he tells Dumbledore too much, R will find out and they’ll punish him. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I actually find it pretty amusing to think that Dumbledore might’ve been a total scumbag who confused everyone with his one small addition, when for once, he genuinely thought he’s being helpful. Like, we know he’s a manipulative bastard, but in this case, he really could’ve screwed up by accident.

All right, but let’s move on. In the Forest Vault, we found a portrait with a dragon (which doesn’t need explanation) and a tiny sweater. And this damn sweater bothered me for so long. Like, not only it was totally abandoned by the writers, but no matter how I looked at it, it didn’t really make sense. All I had was a connection to House-Elves. I mean, it basically is a House-Elf size, and we had Patty hinting on something with House-Elves at the end of Y4:

Interestingly, we had some mentions of House-Elves even earlier in Y4. For example, it was one of the first things Rakepick did in Y4Ch1:

And then, in Y4Ch14:

But I couldn’t think of any connection between House-Elves and Hogsmeade. Like, was there a removed plot where the entrance to the Portrait Vault was through Hogsmeade, and not the Portkey? Was the Portkey supposed to work only in Hogsmeade?

And then, it hit me just recently: Pitts was supposed to lead us to Aberforth in the Hog’s Head Inn, who ultimately led us to the discovery about Legilimency. Because look, the way it actually happened in the game was simply… too random.

So, we had that whole plot with Rakepick figuring out the truth about Pettigrew. At one point (Y5Ch17), when we were interrogating Fletcher, he admitted that he left the Marauder’s Map for someone in front of the Hog’s Head Inn. Therefore, Rakepick sent us to check it out, and then we met Aberforth.

… and then we learnt about Legilimency. But like I said, the whole situation was just… very random, in my opinion. Moreover, I believe there was something more planned with that letter because when you think about it, it’s very strange, too. Like, what was in that letter? Was it only: “Come to my office. – A.D.”? Then why writing a letter at all? Aberforth could’ve simply told us this much. And if there was anything more, what was it? And why we never learnt it? I mean, MC always reads the notes/letters aloud. So, what’s the deal with that?

And so, I’m pretty sure that a tiny sweater was supposed to lead us to Pitts, who was supposed to somehow lead us to Aberforth. And you know what’s the best about this idea? There was once a side quest with Rita Skeeter, “Rita Returns”. It’s currently pulled out from the game, sadly, but we had there two opportunities to learn some information from Rita:

So yeah, I feel pretty confident about it.

Now, one last thing I want to discuss. In the Portrait Vault, we found a Trident and a Portkey back to Hogwarts.

A Trident doesn’t need much explanation, but there’s one interesting detail about a Portkey. I mean, other than the fact that it’s awfully convenient. But when we were asking House-Elves about the vault portrait in Y5Ch12, one of them said this:

And here, I’m thinking of two possibilities:

The House-Elf talked about Rakepick who already knew that the kids are gonna find the Portkey back to Hogwarts (because she knew about the clues).

The House-Elf was talking about the situation from years ago when the clues were placed. Obviously, Rakepick wasn’t a teacher back then. They wouldn’t call Dumbledore “a teacher” either. But you know who was a teacher at the time? Snape.

Here’s what I’m thinking. I assume that Jacob and Rakepick lost the vault portrait at some point, and that’s why MC had to actually search for it in Y5. Now, if that’s the case, Dumbledore probably couldn’t access the Portrait Vault, because I imagine that you need the Portkey for that. However, since Rakepick was there already to break the curse, she technically should be able to return there by Apparition, in order to place the clues. But there’s one more obstacle: the Legilimency door. And sure, it’s possible that they stay open after the curse is broken as well - just like the column. But if not, she’d also need a Legilimens. And look at that! It happens that Snape is a Legilimens! Why wouldn’t she Apparate with Dumbledore, though? Well, I imagine that they were short on time, and he was simply busy with other clues.

To sum up

So, to put it short. Jacob and Rakepick found out that R is planning to enter the Sunken Vault without the key. They knew it would reset the cycle of the Cursed Vaults. They decided to use it, and because the columns were still open, they had to act quickly to place the clues in there. Once R entered the Sunken Vault, the cycle reset and the columns closed, waiting for MC to find the clues inside.

And that’s it! As I said, I doubt Jam City will care to explain any of that, but I’m gonna be honest – I feel really good about this theory.