Westeros

Due to severe technical difficulties, posting has been and will be intermittent until we figure out what’s going on and/or move the website to the new server that now hosts the A Song of Ice and Fire forum and the Wiki of Ice and Fire. We’ve posted our lengthy Valar Morghulis coverage, but wanted to catch up with a number of things that have gone on since:

• The finale jumped 38% in viewership for the finale, breaking past viewersip figures: 4.2 million watched it in first-run (the first time the show has done that), and 5.1 million watched it in second airing. According to James Hibberd at EW, the show has climbed to a 10.4 million viewer per episode average to date, and that number will doubtless be higher when the next season comes around.
• Also from James, executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have signed on for two more years for the show. This is not a guarantee of a season 4… but, well, it doesn’t hurt.
• The HBO Store has gone into high-end memorabilia in a big way. How big? Well, about 7’2” high and 350 lbs… no, not your own full-sized Mountain that Rides, but rather a hand-made, exact replica of the Iron Throne. And it can be yours for just $30,000 (plus $1800 shipping and handling)!
• Speaking of the store, I received a very interesting mail from our friends over there who noted that they saw some interesting trends in which house gear sold best this season compared to last. The Starks and Targaryens remain the most popular, just as they were by the end of the last season… but the big movers this season? House Greyjoy, which jumped from #5 to #3, forcing down the Lannisters from that position to #4. Presumably, the Baratheons are #5 on the list this time around. Right now, if you visit the shop and spend $50 or more, use the GOTFINALE code and you’ll get a free Hand of the King pin.
• Various post-finale interviews came out, but the most interesting is one that may well need a spoiler warning: Alfie Allen talks to The Vulture about his role, and he discusses something that George told him in very interesting terms. We’ve our own interview with Alfie to post, but it’ll have to wait because all the server triage has left us behind on a number of things.