Game Of Thrones Season 6: 9 Book Storylines That Could Still Be Used
The show hasn't run out of source material just yet.
The Winds of Winter hasn't been released yet - in fact, George R.R. Martin is still some way off finishing it - which means that Season 6 of Game of Thrones sees the show finally moving ahead of the books, and into unchartered territory.
Although no doubt there will be certain elements the TV series will need to keep in line with the books, so they can end up at the same destination, even if the journeys differ, it means for the first time that us incredibly smug and knowing book readers are on a level playing field with those who have only seen the show.
Except...that's not quite true. While the events of the show have largely moved past the end of A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons, there's still plenty of material they've decided not to include. Some of this will likely never make it to screen, for better or worse: Arianne and Quentyn Martell, Coldhands, even Lady Stoneheart. The show is either too far past for those to make sense, or have made irrevocable changes making them impossible (e.g. Doran Martell only has one son).
But there are plenty of other storylines that can still be used, even if they need some slight tweaks, and a few that - based on what we've seen of Season 6 - are almost guaranteed to happen. Book spoilers are coming.
9. Kingsmoot
What Is It? Following the death of Balon Greyjoy, his brother Aeron declares a Kingsmoot to decide who should be the new King of the Iron Islands, whereby candidates are put forward and voted for by longship captains. Those in the running include Balon's two other brothers, Euron and Victarion, his daughter Asha (Yara in the show), Lord Dunstan Drum, Erik Ironmaker, and Lord Gylbert Farwynd.
Euron wins the vote in the end, by claiming that he can bind dragons to his will, and that he will use them to conquer Westeros.
Odds Of It Happening? Almost a certainty, in some shape or form. We already know that Balon and Yara are back this year, and that Euron will be a part of Season 6 as well. Given that Balon hasn't been seen since Season 3, and Yara since Season 4, there has to be a good reason for bringing them both back, and this would make the most sense.
It probably won't be quite as long a process as it is in the books, and they may streamline it so it's just a battle of the Greyjoys, but the Kingsmoot will happen in Season 6, and presumably with the same outcome.