Post by whitewolfstark on Dec 28, 2015 5:01:12 GMT
This thread is a speculation thread to pass the time until more Season 6 information becomes available. It implies nothing other than being a kind of "puzzle game" or "writing exercise" for people to have fun with speculating how they could have adapted a character that was left out of the show in a manner that doesn't stretch verisimilitude. Hopefully, if this proves successful, we might try a few other similar threads to pass the time together.
Rules & Limitations for the Challenge:
1) Try to make as few changes to the show as possible. I.E. If you can rework a scene that already exists by editing in the dropped character, do that before adding new material.
2) Assume that you have 60 minutes for 10 episodes per season. Figure out how long the screen time you'd need to rework in order to make such an alteration and be mindful that not every episode can be exactly 60 minutes long. Feel free to add a new scene if the episode as is ended say at the 55 minute mark or so. But if the episode you're adding to is already close to the 60 minute mark, be mindful of how your changes are going to affect the run time.
3) Be mindful of how much new costumes, sets, or CGI might cost. Recall that even if this is the most expensive television series currently airing, adding too much to that expense might earn you a visit from men in suits.
4) Try to be artistic or meaningful with your addition. Don't just say Character Y replaces Character G, and be done with it. Think for a moment how having a different character in the position of Character G would have the scene potentially play differently.
5) Have fun, seriously this is supposed to be a puzzle game. Don't stress over it too much.
6) Be respectful of other people's scenarios. Just because you may disagree with how they solved the puzzle, doesn't give you the excuse to be a jerk or to critique their answer and offer nothing in return.
7) Constructive criticism is encouraged, but keep in mind that these shouldn't be reviews or a writer's help corner as this isn't a fan fiction forum.
8) Imagine who you might cast as the new character, but keep in mind this isn't the casting sub-forum.
This thread's topic is based on a bit of speculation I've tossed around a few times before in different threads, but it's an idea I had had for a while now and would like to see how others would "solve such a puzzle" as well. I think based upon many people's reactions to last season that replacing Sansa for Jeyne Poole caused a lot of issues for viewers and the show in general. Thus the question of whether or not having an actual Jeyne Poole in the show might have changed things is only a natural reaction to such reactions. With that said...
How would you incorporate Jeyne Poole into the Show?
Here's how I would do it, though others may have done it differently.
Season 1
Pilot - Episode 1 - Winter is Coming
Original Running Time: 62:00 minutes; Added Maximum Run Time: 63:30, Added Minimum Run Time: 62:30
Cost: £10,000,000; Added Estimated Cost: Hiring an actual actress to play Jeyne Poole instead of having a Extra (cast an unknown or young actress who tests well as the part is small, with importance in later seasons)
Jeyne Poole as a non-speaking cameo of sorts in the pilot as it exists or at least that's what we're told. The first change I would make is to extend the cameo appearance by having Jeyne and Sansa talk. This dialogue can be spent on Sansa giving us a bit of exposition as they talk about their excitement to leave for the capital, or perhaps Jeyne a little sad at the thought of Sansa leaving, while wishing for Lord Stark to say yes and take her father as his steward in the capital--or perhaps Sansa offering to assurances that her father will of course say yes and that she'll tell her father to make sure Jeyne's father comes south and of course she'll come to the capital with Sansa, that there isn't anybody she'd want to be with more. And that one day when she's married to "my prince" how Jeyne could be her most trusted handmaiden, and how Sansa could then help her father find her a husband, etc. It can still be interrupted with Arya launching food at Sansa, Jeyne wiping Sansa's face clean, and helping along with Septa Mordane to comfort Sansa. It would last anywhere from thirty seconds to a minute and a half at most. The scene should establish how close Sansa is with Jeyne, Jeyne's subordinate relationship with the Starks, further expand upon Sansa's idealism and view of the world, and establish that Sansa is closer to Jeyne than she is to her own sister Arya. Any additional information on Joffrey, how Winterfell works, or King's Landing is a bonus.
Episode 2 - The Kingsroad
Original Running Time: 56:00 minutes; Added Maximum Run Time: 56:30 minutes, Added Minimum Run Time: 56:15
Cost: The cost of an unknown actress to play Jeyne and an extended scene
Jeyne likely needs to be seen tagging along with Sansa. She and Sansa share a scene as Sansa returns to the camp after taking Lady for a walk in the woods before she runs into Ser Ilyn Payne. Jeyne could be pressing Sansa for information about what it's like to travel inside the Wheelhouse with the Queen. They stop and take notice of the southern girls adopting the hair style of the Queen. Sansa feels inadequate, while Jeyne takes notice of this and attempts to assure Sansa that the other girls couldn't look half as pretty as Sansa with their hair down. Jeyne departs as someone calls her off screen by name. Jeyne is later there to comfort Sansa when called to testify before the King & Lady is set to be killed, while Arya fumes. Jeyne's presence reaffirms her relationship with Sansa and we become aware of just how Jeyne is there to make Sansa feel better about herself or to sooth her when something goes wrong. Should also further establish that there's a distinct Northern/Southern split in personalities and opinions. The added bit should most likely run at the longest 30 seconds.
Episode 3 - Lord Snow
Original Run Time: 58 minutes;
Cost: Minimal addition to cost as Jeyne is simply appearing in the background of a scene, and receives an extra scene with an already hired Vayon (see below)
Having had it mentioned that before the Lady incident that Sansa traveled in the Wheelhouse with the Queen, we now have a revealing moment that since the incident that Sansa has fallen from favor a bit as she rides on a cart with Septa Mordane and Jeyne. It allows for us to visually have a bit of foreshadowing that Sansa's future relationship with the Royal Family isn't going to go well, and has suffered a bit since then.
Episode 4 - Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things
Original Run Time: 56 minutes; Maximum added Run Time: 57 minutes
Cost: Beyond paying the actress to be Jeyne, nothing additional need be added beyond the extension of a scene that already exists by a minute at most.
Jeyne is present in the throne room scene and mentions herself that her mother gave birth to five daughters to show she supports Sansa loyally. As Septa Mordane attempts to regain control of the situation, after answering the first question, Sansa holds her tongue, prompting Jeyne to obediently answer the Septa's questions while Sansa stews before asking if this is where her grandfather & uncle died. Such a scene could serve as the first bit of contrast between Sansa & Jeyne in terms of personality, further establishing that Jeyne is loyal & will "do as she's told" which will be important for Jeyne's later development as a character while Sansa is beginning to question things in the aftermath of Lady's death. Jeyne Poole is seated with Sansa and Arya at the Tourney of the Hand. Jeyne might make a comment declaring that she rather likes Ser Hugh, while Sansa says that she doubts he'll win. Jeyne asks why she thinks that. Petyr rolls his eyes at Jeyne and begin to get up and make his excuses, while Sansa stares at the Mountain and says cryptically, I don't know, there's just something about him. This prompts Littlefinger to reconsider and sit back down while giving Sansa an second look. This gives a chance for Littlefinger to take notice of Sansa in a different manner, establish his interest isn't blind, and to compliment her on her sense of judgment before just randomly giving a monologue of exposition to her. Jeyne is equally shocked when Ser Hugh is killed, but Sansa recovers quicker while Septa Mordane comforts Jeyne, and Arya stares on half in horror and half excited at the violence as she does in the scene as it exists. From this, we get to see that Sansa's brush with Lady's death has changed her and wised her up a tiny bit (even if she hasn't fully grasped the hows or whys). It also establishes a reason for the audience that Petyr is interested in Sansa rather than just awkwardly hanging around her, while establishing Sansa's future potential as a character even if she hasn't yet fully developed her abilities. It also gives him a reason to tell Sansa about the Hound as she's proven herself discerning in this one instant (though not as discerning as he thinks she is--given her own issues with Jeyne & Septa Mordane) and is Petyr testing to see if Sansa made this discernment based upon intellect or instinct. He could even end on making a comparison between Sansa and her mother by saying that her mother had an eye for picking the winners of a combat rather bitterly (which is a nice contrast with Catelyn arresting Tyrion falsely and "getting it wrong" in the following scene), which causes him to excuse himself (this further establishes precedent for his later monologue about Catelyn choosing Brandon over him). While Jeyne's presence tampers slightly with Sansa's development it also adds to the sense that Sansa is growing & changing by comparison with Jeyne. It also makes it a smoother transition between her pestering the truth from Septa Mordane early in this episode to outright insulting her Septa in a later episode, as it shows Sansa is beginning to wish to separate herself from her Northern identity & is learning that doing so can reward her with attention (something she is lacking since Lady died), and that part of her ditching her Northern identity is based in her contradicting Jeyne (who now represents what Sansa used to be).
Episode 5 - The Wolf and the Lion
Original Run Time: 55 minutes; Maximum added Run Time: 57 minutes
Cost: Beyond paying the actress to be Jeyne, nothing additional need be added beyond the extension of a scene that already exists by two minutes at most.
Later in the episode we see that although she is learning this, that being given a rose can cause her to lose her head still. Sansa has a moment of self-awareness as Jeyne bitterly asks if she thinks Ser Loras will lose as well, while Sansa hesitates to smell the rose (while the Mountain's horse whinnies in reaction to Loras' mare) & say that "Ser Loras is a true knight, and not an upjumped squire". This shows that even though Sansa is trying to "lose" her Northerness, she still has a bit of innocence and naivety to her. After losing Renly's bet, Littlefinger comments on how discerning she is. It should be pointed out that the addition of Ned to this scene has Sansa contradicting herself from the last episode where she proclaimed she wanted very little to do with her father--let alone speak with him. And here she is hanging off of her father's arm, seemingly forgotten her anger. There's an acceptable reason for this in the show as is, as Littlefinger put the fear of the Mountain into her in the last episode, and it's imploring her father to keep Loras from being killed that causes her to react in this manner. Still rather contradictory, and this could be better developed as Ned tries to prompt interactions with Sansa, but she gives him the silent treatment while Jeyne and Ned may talk. Ned may take the opportunity by talking to Jeyne to be trying to actually talk to Sansa through his discussion with Jeyne. Ned might assure her that many an upjumped squire has also proven themselves in a tourney by perhaps providing some backstory of Ser Barristan & his first tourney at the age of ten (Barristan is later going to talk with Ned not long after this scene, so this can serve as some exposition but also doubly serve as Ned's attempt at subtle parenting to tell his daughter, through his conversation with Jeyne, to not to be so judgmental, and that sometimes the underdogs do win out. This provides the opportunity to see that Ned is a good father figure for children--even if they're not his own. Ned could then "apologize" for keeping her father so busy (to explain why we never see him onscreen). Jeyne then loyally responds to that by saying something along the lines that she enjoys being a companion to Sansa too much to miss her father (which again builds on Jeyne's deferential relationship with the Starks)--though clearly from what we've seen so far, Jeyne has been enjoying it less and less in the scenes where Sansa and Jeyne are on screen together. It more firmly establishes that Jeyne will say what she thinks will keep her close to Sansa and cause the viewers to begin to comprehend that Sansa and Jeyne's friendship isn't on an equal footing.
Jeyne's presence in this episode is more there to further establish Sansa's development as a character, and she gets a little more development from her interaction with Ned. I should also note that Sansa's character is kept somewhat more consistent with her established season arc.
Episode 6 - A Golden Crown
Original Run Time: 53 minutes; Maximum added Run Time: 54 minutes
Cost: Beyond paying the actress to be Jeyne, nothing additional need be added beyond the extension of a scene that already exists by a minute at most.
Jeyne could be helping to put Sansa's hair into the Southern fashion while Septa Mordane comments on it. When Septa Mordane comments about it, we're again shown that Jeyne will say anything to keep herself close to Sansa, by contradicting what she said in Episode 2 (about Sansa looking good with her Northern fashion) by going to bat for Sansa and saying that she wears the Southron fashion better than the Southron ladies. Septa Mordane corrects Jeyne by saying "Southern, not Southron. Honestly child, we're no longer north of the Neck" A double nod to book readers, but also a chance in the scene to later have Sansa stick it to her friend by emphasizing when talking about her mother "My mother is Southern." This should provide a non-verbal acting reaction from Jeyne, who subsequently doesn't speak in the scene as she feels embarrassed and further establishes Sansa's distancing herself from her Northerness which Jeyne represents. To this effect it also has the chance of making Sansa come off as rather catty, which she already does in this scene by openly insulting Septa Mordane to her face, . The scene is interrupted by Joffrey coming to give Sansa a present--he might throw in a comment of how lovely she looked at the tourney as well. Their reconciliation plays out like it did in what we got. We cut from Sansa feeling reconciled to Joffrey and the Royal Family, back to Septa Mordane and Jeyne. Jeyne turns away from Sansa and asks Septa Mordane to finish saying where she came from, and Septa Mordane can likely say that she's from a small village near White Harbor or something like that--and Jeyne can say that her uncle's keep is not far from White Harbor as well.
Clearly here the divide between Sansa and Jeyne has continued to grow, and we are now firmly clear of what Sansa & Jeyne's relationship are actually like. Jeyne taking pity and showing kindness on Septa Mordane further establishes both characters. This might be a threshold scene which might make some people really dislike Sansa by having Jeyne there, but I'd argue that the scene as it already plays out in the episode we got is just as bad considering how cruel Sansa is to Septa Mordane.
Episode 7 - You Win or You Die
Jeyne is not present in this episode.
Episode 8 - The Pointy End
Original Run Time: 59 minutes; Maximum Run Time: 64 minutes; Minimum Run Time: 62 minutes
Cost: This one is likely to be the most costly addition as Sansa's bedroom as a setting has to be built, and Jeyne Poole gets a few extra moments to herself as her own character
Vayon Poole is killed in this episode like normal. Jeyne and Sansa are sent to escape by Septa Mordane (instead of only Sansa doing so), however in an added scene Jeyne decides to break off from Sansa. Sansa stops and considers yelling after Jeyne, but then continues going while Jeyne searches for her father. Sansa will end up running right into the Hound just like she does in the show. Jeyne and Arya will meet and Jeyne will have witnessed Arya's first kill. They share a non-verbal screen moment together before Jeyne says, in an emotionally distraught voice to go, with Jeyne then discovering her dead father and breaking down crying over him. Jeyne is captured by some Lannister guards who mistake her for Arya and say to "put her with her sister". The moment should serve artistically as a crossroads and be something that viewers could recall later when Jeyne is forced to pretend to be Arya and add to Jeyne's conflict in her ability to pretend to be Arya in a later season, and also provide some foreshadowing for pretending to be Arya. In the immediate sense we should get a sense that had Arya not fled she might have shared Jeyne's fate, but also that Jeyne is sacrificing being caught in order to help Arya escape, proving to be a loyal Northern girl.
We also get an added scene of Jeyne being thrown into Sansa's room with blood on her dress, and upon Sansa's pressing her for information, really has it hit home that her father is "gone". To which Sansa feels frustrated at not knowing what's happening, but at the same time somewhat moved by the fact that Jeyne is now "broken".
Later when Sansa meets with Cersei, she drops the line about Jeyne Poole doing nothing but crying & talking about how her father is gone, and how she might see her father. Cersei, like in canon asks Littlefinger to take care of Jeyne per the book. Littlefinger leaves the room saying he'll do just that. When Sansa returns to her room Jeyne is simply gone--completely vanished.
This is the meat of Jeyne's part in this season. Her discovering her father's corpse, her urging Arya to go, and her complete disappearance have a tremendous impact of showing just how much Sansa's actions not only have unintended consequences but also how Jeyne isn't completely a talking set piece. It should also give us further reason to be wary of Littlefinger. Further, if Jeyne remains "gone" for the rest of the season, it ends Jeyne's part on a high note with the mystery of "just what happened to Jeyne?" being left open for the rest of this season. Viewers could question whether Jeyne died or not given how ambiguous her fate is left.
Episode 9 - Baelor
Jeyne is absent from the episode.
Episode 10 - Fire and Blood
Jeyne is absent from the episode.
Season End Summary: Jeyne mostly serves to give more contrast and development to Sansa. While Jeyne does have issues of her own, which become more apparent to the viewers in later episodes--largely that her future relies on satisfying Sansa--for the large part she serves as a personified symbol of Sansa's active rejection of her Northern identity. This keeps in line with GOT's adaption of Sansa in the material as it exists, if not smoothing out the times when this arc is less obvious, and allowing for Sansa's character arc to be clear and consistent. The meat of Jeyne's scenes come in her final episode (in episode 8), after which she disappears in accordance with AGOT's treatment of her. Moving forward into Season 2, more changes will be accounted for and larger ripples will occur because of Jeyne's presence on the show. Given that she is absent from the page--though referred to--until the end of ASOS, this provides as much an opportunity for Jeyne's story as Theon's absence from ASOS gave the show in Season 3. Get ready, for things are about to get dark as in Season 2, the show will attempt to critique and cast prostitution in a more complicated light.
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For now I'll take a break and I'll be back tomorrow to do Season 2 of What if Jeyne Poole was in the show. In the meanwhile, why don't you guys speculate.
Rules & Limitations for the Challenge:
1) Try to make as few changes to the show as possible. I.E. If you can rework a scene that already exists by editing in the dropped character, do that before adding new material.
2) Assume that you have 60 minutes for 10 episodes per season. Figure out how long the screen time you'd need to rework in order to make such an alteration and be mindful that not every episode can be exactly 60 minutes long. Feel free to add a new scene if the episode as is ended say at the 55 minute mark or so. But if the episode you're adding to is already close to the 60 minute mark, be mindful of how your changes are going to affect the run time.
3) Be mindful of how much new costumes, sets, or CGI might cost. Recall that even if this is the most expensive television series currently airing, adding too much to that expense might earn you a visit from men in suits.
4) Try to be artistic or meaningful with your addition. Don't just say Character Y replaces Character G, and be done with it. Think for a moment how having a different character in the position of Character G would have the scene potentially play differently.
5) Have fun, seriously this is supposed to be a puzzle game. Don't stress over it too much.
6) Be respectful of other people's scenarios. Just because you may disagree with how they solved the puzzle, doesn't give you the excuse to be a jerk or to critique their answer and offer nothing in return.
7) Constructive criticism is encouraged, but keep in mind that these shouldn't be reviews or a writer's help corner as this isn't a fan fiction forum.
8) Imagine who you might cast as the new character, but keep in mind this isn't the casting sub-forum.
This thread's topic is based on a bit of speculation I've tossed around a few times before in different threads, but it's an idea I had had for a while now and would like to see how others would "solve such a puzzle" as well. I think based upon many people's reactions to last season that replacing Sansa for Jeyne Poole caused a lot of issues for viewers and the show in general. Thus the question of whether or not having an actual Jeyne Poole in the show might have changed things is only a natural reaction to such reactions. With that said...
How would you incorporate Jeyne Poole into the Show?
Here's how I would do it, though others may have done it differently.
Season 1
Pilot - Episode 1 - Winter is Coming
Original Running Time: 62:00 minutes; Added Maximum Run Time: 63:30, Added Minimum Run Time: 62:30
Cost: £10,000,000; Added Estimated Cost: Hiring an actual actress to play Jeyne Poole instead of having a Extra (cast an unknown or young actress who tests well as the part is small, with importance in later seasons)
Jeyne Poole as a non-speaking cameo of sorts in the pilot as it exists or at least that's what we're told. The first change I would make is to extend the cameo appearance by having Jeyne and Sansa talk. This dialogue can be spent on Sansa giving us a bit of exposition as they talk about their excitement to leave for the capital, or perhaps Jeyne a little sad at the thought of Sansa leaving, while wishing for Lord Stark to say yes and take her father as his steward in the capital--or perhaps Sansa offering to assurances that her father will of course say yes and that she'll tell her father to make sure Jeyne's father comes south and of course she'll come to the capital with Sansa, that there isn't anybody she'd want to be with more. And that one day when she's married to "my prince" how Jeyne could be her most trusted handmaiden, and how Sansa could then help her father find her a husband, etc. It can still be interrupted with Arya launching food at Sansa, Jeyne wiping Sansa's face clean, and helping along with Septa Mordane to comfort Sansa. It would last anywhere from thirty seconds to a minute and a half at most. The scene should establish how close Sansa is with Jeyne, Jeyne's subordinate relationship with the Starks, further expand upon Sansa's idealism and view of the world, and establish that Sansa is closer to Jeyne than she is to her own sister Arya. Any additional information on Joffrey, how Winterfell works, or King's Landing is a bonus.
Episode 2 - The Kingsroad
Original Running Time: 56:00 minutes; Added Maximum Run Time: 56:30 minutes, Added Minimum Run Time: 56:15
Cost: The cost of an unknown actress to play Jeyne and an extended scene
Jeyne likely needs to be seen tagging along with Sansa. She and Sansa share a scene as Sansa returns to the camp after taking Lady for a walk in the woods before she runs into Ser Ilyn Payne. Jeyne could be pressing Sansa for information about what it's like to travel inside the Wheelhouse with the Queen. They stop and take notice of the southern girls adopting the hair style of the Queen. Sansa feels inadequate, while Jeyne takes notice of this and attempts to assure Sansa that the other girls couldn't look half as pretty as Sansa with their hair down. Jeyne departs as someone calls her off screen by name. Jeyne is later there to comfort Sansa when called to testify before the King & Lady is set to be killed, while Arya fumes. Jeyne's presence reaffirms her relationship with Sansa and we become aware of just how Jeyne is there to make Sansa feel better about herself or to sooth her when something goes wrong. Should also further establish that there's a distinct Northern/Southern split in personalities and opinions. The added bit should most likely run at the longest 30 seconds.
Episode 3 - Lord Snow
Original Run Time: 58 minutes;
Cost: Minimal addition to cost as Jeyne is simply appearing in the background of a scene, and receives an extra scene with an already hired Vayon (see below)
Having had it mentioned that before the Lady incident that Sansa traveled in the Wheelhouse with the Queen, we now have a revealing moment that since the incident that Sansa has fallen from favor a bit as she rides on a cart with Septa Mordane and Jeyne. It allows for us to visually have a bit of foreshadowing that Sansa's future relationship with the Royal Family isn't going to go well, and has suffered a bit since then.
Episode 4 - Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things
Original Run Time: 56 minutes; Maximum added Run Time: 57 minutes
Cost: Beyond paying the actress to be Jeyne, nothing additional need be added beyond the extension of a scene that already exists by a minute at most.
Jeyne is present in the throne room scene and mentions herself that her mother gave birth to five daughters to show she supports Sansa loyally. As Septa Mordane attempts to regain control of the situation, after answering the first question, Sansa holds her tongue, prompting Jeyne to obediently answer the Septa's questions while Sansa stews before asking if this is where her grandfather & uncle died. Such a scene could serve as the first bit of contrast between Sansa & Jeyne in terms of personality, further establishing that Jeyne is loyal & will "do as she's told" which will be important for Jeyne's later development as a character while Sansa is beginning to question things in the aftermath of Lady's death. Jeyne Poole is seated with Sansa and Arya at the Tourney of the Hand. Jeyne might make a comment declaring that she rather likes Ser Hugh, while Sansa says that she doubts he'll win. Jeyne asks why she thinks that. Petyr rolls his eyes at Jeyne and begin to get up and make his excuses, while Sansa stares at the Mountain and says cryptically, I don't know, there's just something about him. This prompts Littlefinger to reconsider and sit back down while giving Sansa an second look. This gives a chance for Littlefinger to take notice of Sansa in a different manner, establish his interest isn't blind, and to compliment her on her sense of judgment before just randomly giving a monologue of exposition to her. Jeyne is equally shocked when Ser Hugh is killed, but Sansa recovers quicker while Septa Mordane comforts Jeyne, and Arya stares on half in horror and half excited at the violence as she does in the scene as it exists. From this, we get to see that Sansa's brush with Lady's death has changed her and wised her up a tiny bit (even if she hasn't fully grasped the hows or whys). It also establishes a reason for the audience that Petyr is interested in Sansa rather than just awkwardly hanging around her, while establishing Sansa's future potential as a character even if she hasn't yet fully developed her abilities. It also gives him a reason to tell Sansa about the Hound as she's proven herself discerning in this one instant (though not as discerning as he thinks she is--given her own issues with Jeyne & Septa Mordane) and is Petyr testing to see if Sansa made this discernment based upon intellect or instinct. He could even end on making a comparison between Sansa and her mother by saying that her mother had an eye for picking the winners of a combat rather bitterly (which is a nice contrast with Catelyn arresting Tyrion falsely and "getting it wrong" in the following scene), which causes him to excuse himself (this further establishes precedent for his later monologue about Catelyn choosing Brandon over him). While Jeyne's presence tampers slightly with Sansa's development it also adds to the sense that Sansa is growing & changing by comparison with Jeyne. It also makes it a smoother transition between her pestering the truth from Septa Mordane early in this episode to outright insulting her Septa in a later episode, as it shows Sansa is beginning to wish to separate herself from her Northern identity & is learning that doing so can reward her with attention (something she is lacking since Lady died), and that part of her ditching her Northern identity is based in her contradicting Jeyne (who now represents what Sansa used to be).
Episode 5 - The Wolf and the Lion
Original Run Time: 55 minutes; Maximum added Run Time: 57 minutes
Cost: Beyond paying the actress to be Jeyne, nothing additional need be added beyond the extension of a scene that already exists by two minutes at most.
Later in the episode we see that although she is learning this, that being given a rose can cause her to lose her head still. Sansa has a moment of self-awareness as Jeyne bitterly asks if she thinks Ser Loras will lose as well, while Sansa hesitates to smell the rose (while the Mountain's horse whinnies in reaction to Loras' mare) & say that "Ser Loras is a true knight, and not an upjumped squire". This shows that even though Sansa is trying to "lose" her Northerness, she still has a bit of innocence and naivety to her. After losing Renly's bet, Littlefinger comments on how discerning she is. It should be pointed out that the addition of Ned to this scene has Sansa contradicting herself from the last episode where she proclaimed she wanted very little to do with her father--let alone speak with him. And here she is hanging off of her father's arm, seemingly forgotten her anger. There's an acceptable reason for this in the show as is, as Littlefinger put the fear of the Mountain into her in the last episode, and it's imploring her father to keep Loras from being killed that causes her to react in this manner. Still rather contradictory, and this could be better developed as Ned tries to prompt interactions with Sansa, but she gives him the silent treatment while Jeyne and Ned may talk. Ned may take the opportunity by talking to Jeyne to be trying to actually talk to Sansa through his discussion with Jeyne. Ned might assure her that many an upjumped squire has also proven themselves in a tourney by perhaps providing some backstory of Ser Barristan & his first tourney at the age of ten (Barristan is later going to talk with Ned not long after this scene, so this can serve as some exposition but also doubly serve as Ned's attempt at subtle parenting to tell his daughter, through his conversation with Jeyne, to not to be so judgmental, and that sometimes the underdogs do win out. This provides the opportunity to see that Ned is a good father figure for children--even if they're not his own. Ned could then "apologize" for keeping her father so busy (to explain why we never see him onscreen). Jeyne then loyally responds to that by saying something along the lines that she enjoys being a companion to Sansa too much to miss her father (which again builds on Jeyne's deferential relationship with the Starks)--though clearly from what we've seen so far, Jeyne has been enjoying it less and less in the scenes where Sansa and Jeyne are on screen together. It more firmly establishes that Jeyne will say what she thinks will keep her close to Sansa and cause the viewers to begin to comprehend that Sansa and Jeyne's friendship isn't on an equal footing.
Jeyne's presence in this episode is more there to further establish Sansa's development as a character, and she gets a little more development from her interaction with Ned. I should also note that Sansa's character is kept somewhat more consistent with her established season arc.
Episode 6 - A Golden Crown
Original Run Time: 53 minutes; Maximum added Run Time: 54 minutes
Cost: Beyond paying the actress to be Jeyne, nothing additional need be added beyond the extension of a scene that already exists by a minute at most.
Jeyne could be helping to put Sansa's hair into the Southern fashion while Septa Mordane comments on it. When Septa Mordane comments about it, we're again shown that Jeyne will say anything to keep herself close to Sansa, by contradicting what she said in Episode 2 (about Sansa looking good with her Northern fashion) by going to bat for Sansa and saying that she wears the Southron fashion better than the Southron ladies. Septa Mordane corrects Jeyne by saying "Southern, not Southron. Honestly child, we're no longer north of the Neck" A double nod to book readers, but also a chance in the scene to later have Sansa stick it to her friend by emphasizing when talking about her mother "My mother is Southern." This should provide a non-verbal acting reaction from Jeyne, who subsequently doesn't speak in the scene as she feels embarrassed and further establishes Sansa's distancing herself from her Northerness which Jeyne represents. To this effect it also has the chance of making Sansa come off as rather catty, which she already does in this scene by openly insulting Septa Mordane to her face, . The scene is interrupted by Joffrey coming to give Sansa a present--he might throw in a comment of how lovely she looked at the tourney as well. Their reconciliation plays out like it did in what we got. We cut from Sansa feeling reconciled to Joffrey and the Royal Family, back to Septa Mordane and Jeyne. Jeyne turns away from Sansa and asks Septa Mordane to finish saying where she came from, and Septa Mordane can likely say that she's from a small village near White Harbor or something like that--and Jeyne can say that her uncle's keep is not far from White Harbor as well.
Clearly here the divide between Sansa and Jeyne has continued to grow, and we are now firmly clear of what Sansa & Jeyne's relationship are actually like. Jeyne taking pity and showing kindness on Septa Mordane further establishes both characters. This might be a threshold scene which might make some people really dislike Sansa by having Jeyne there, but I'd argue that the scene as it already plays out in the episode we got is just as bad considering how cruel Sansa is to Septa Mordane.
Episode 7 - You Win or You Die
Jeyne is not present in this episode.
Episode 8 - The Pointy End
Original Run Time: 59 minutes; Maximum Run Time: 64 minutes; Minimum Run Time: 62 minutes
Cost: This one is likely to be the most costly addition as Sansa's bedroom as a setting has to be built, and Jeyne Poole gets a few extra moments to herself as her own character
Vayon Poole is killed in this episode like normal. Jeyne and Sansa are sent to escape by Septa Mordane (instead of only Sansa doing so), however in an added scene Jeyne decides to break off from Sansa. Sansa stops and considers yelling after Jeyne, but then continues going while Jeyne searches for her father. Sansa will end up running right into the Hound just like she does in the show. Jeyne and Arya will meet and Jeyne will have witnessed Arya's first kill. They share a non-verbal screen moment together before Jeyne says, in an emotionally distraught voice to go, with Jeyne then discovering her dead father and breaking down crying over him. Jeyne is captured by some Lannister guards who mistake her for Arya and say to "put her with her sister". The moment should serve artistically as a crossroads and be something that viewers could recall later when Jeyne is forced to pretend to be Arya and add to Jeyne's conflict in her ability to pretend to be Arya in a later season, and also provide some foreshadowing for pretending to be Arya. In the immediate sense we should get a sense that had Arya not fled she might have shared Jeyne's fate, but also that Jeyne is sacrificing being caught in order to help Arya escape, proving to be a loyal Northern girl.
We also get an added scene of Jeyne being thrown into Sansa's room with blood on her dress, and upon Sansa's pressing her for information, really has it hit home that her father is "gone". To which Sansa feels frustrated at not knowing what's happening, but at the same time somewhat moved by the fact that Jeyne is now "broken".
Later when Sansa meets with Cersei, she drops the line about Jeyne Poole doing nothing but crying & talking about how her father is gone, and how she might see her father. Cersei, like in canon asks Littlefinger to take care of Jeyne per the book. Littlefinger leaves the room saying he'll do just that. When Sansa returns to her room Jeyne is simply gone--completely vanished.
This is the meat of Jeyne's part in this season. Her discovering her father's corpse, her urging Arya to go, and her complete disappearance have a tremendous impact of showing just how much Sansa's actions not only have unintended consequences but also how Jeyne isn't completely a talking set piece. It should also give us further reason to be wary of Littlefinger. Further, if Jeyne remains "gone" for the rest of the season, it ends Jeyne's part on a high note with the mystery of "just what happened to Jeyne?" being left open for the rest of this season. Viewers could question whether Jeyne died or not given how ambiguous her fate is left.
Episode 9 - Baelor
Jeyne is absent from the episode.
Episode 10 - Fire and Blood
Jeyne is absent from the episode.
Season End Summary: Jeyne mostly serves to give more contrast and development to Sansa. While Jeyne does have issues of her own, which become more apparent to the viewers in later episodes--largely that her future relies on satisfying Sansa--for the large part she serves as a personified symbol of Sansa's active rejection of her Northern identity. This keeps in line with GOT's adaption of Sansa in the material as it exists, if not smoothing out the times when this arc is less obvious, and allowing for Sansa's character arc to be clear and consistent. The meat of Jeyne's scenes come in her final episode (in episode 8), after which she disappears in accordance with AGOT's treatment of her. Moving forward into Season 2, more changes will be accounted for and larger ripples will occur because of Jeyne's presence on the show. Given that she is absent from the page--though referred to--until the end of ASOS, this provides as much an opportunity for Jeyne's story as Theon's absence from ASOS gave the show in Season 3. Get ready, for things are about to get dark as in Season 2, the show will attempt to critique and cast prostitution in a more complicated light.
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For now I'll take a break and I'll be back tomorrow to do Season 2 of What if Jeyne Poole was in the show. In the meanwhile, why don't you guys speculate.
