I was under the impression that the "What is dead may never die" "baptism" was an actual drowning? Is that reserved for the holiest followers? I fully expected to see Theon inhale the saltwater.

Theon has an uncle that was drowned at sea and recovered to be a zealot of their god. He thinks the custom of pouring water over the head is not their god's way, or the Iron way. He actually drowns all of his followers in his baptisms.

kill Renly

Mance/Gilly path

Does GRRM have something against women? He seems to have them suffer a lot in his books and when they die it is in a very brutal manner. Granted, the same happens with the men, but he seems to like going into more detail when it's a female character. Catelyn's death was brutal to read, as she is reflecting on the fact that her husband is dead,has just seen Robb murdered, and is under the impression all her children save for Sansa are dead as well. All of this after pleading for her and her son's life. The description of her lying on the ground succumbing to her wounds while she mentally begs them not to cut her hair before slitting her throat was wrenching. Q: were there actually ravens tearing at her face, or was that just the pain she was feeling? In this universe it's hard to tell metaphors from real things sometimes.

She was tearing at her own face with her finger nails but didn't realize she was doing it or what was happening. You have to admit it makes for a particularly vivid image.

I think they would stop with with a few scratches. But with this being HBO, they could very well go all Hellraiser.

Maybe closing with the re-risen Lady Stark? Or do you think they'll let her stay dead till season 4?

zombie Catelyn. While this is fantasy, that just sounds dumb. Like GRRM ran out of ideas.

she's not the first zombie in the series, someone else is a multi-death zombie.

Yeah, it fits in the world created. Lord Beric gives his own essence to Lady Cat to walk the realm.