I agree, though I'm not so sure they'll even keep the election as lord commander for ep. 10 (even though it would be good "season finale" material, they're not short of that in the other story lines). I think they might rather end ep. 9 with that, and not return to Jon and Stannis this year. They might do it by switching briefly to another "Northern" story line for a couple of scenes (Bran, Roose), then return to Castle Black after an ellipse for Jon being elected.

Apparently episode 10 is their first real "season finale" and their biggest episode so far. I'm guessing it means "crammed with story, drama and twists", as there's not much "large scope" material in sight to justify "biggest" in that sense. The director who did it is the same who did episode 2 with the wedding at all its interweaving of characters and scenes.

That definitely, and perhaps it won't "end" the episode but close the "second act" instead, so they can give closure to Cirsei as well by showing a bit of reaction. Scenes that could very well fit there include the discovery of the disappearance of (Tyrion's cell guard in the show, no doubt) "Rugen" alongside Varys. Varys' disguise is already established from s.1. So late in the episode we could get an acrimonious Cirsei-Jamie scene where she reacts to Tyrion's escape, interrupted by Qyburn who reports to Cirsei about his investigation and showing her the Tyrell coin he found in the vanished cell guard's room, confirming that Varys is also nowhere to be found. This would mark (foreshadow) Qyburn's rise into a more central character. The rest, like Cirsei's appointment of Qyburn as Master of Whisperers would wait for episodes 1-2 of next year, to remind the viewers of those scenes from the last episode (a bit like they split this year Vary's attempt to send Shae away and the scene in which Shae believes Tyrion who sent her Varys with a bribe).

I would be really surprised they don't give some closure to the Tyrells as well, like some hints to their next arc... My guess: one of Cirsei's first acts after Tywin's death will be to force Tommen to appoint Loras to the Kingsguard (a development they kept out for now for a reason.. it's much more a victory for Cirsei since he's also the Heir.. until she realizes she's put another Tyrell near Tommen). In my "acrimonious" Cirsei-Jamie scene, she could tell Jamie she annuls her wedding and arranged to get rid of Ser Loras (which would sound dire), and then we could have a Margaery/Loras (with or without Mace) scene (to remind the audience one last time Margaery intends to control Tommen once Cirsei is out of the way at Highgarden) where he gets his appointment to the Kingsguard. That would also be the cliffhanger for Cirsei: she's not going anywhere.

I do think we will need an Ellaria Sand scene as well, setting up that she's returning to Dorne massively pissed off, and the political ramifications of Ser Gregor's confession. That will be in one of Tywin's last scenes, I think, early in the episode. Ellaria will probably mention the Sand Snakes and Doran (who will be introduced early in s.5), and no doubt Myrcella again. Ellaria's "farewell" to Tywin could be followed by a scene in which Tywin orders Pycelle to heal Gregor, as it's very important politically that he is seen as being executed on Tywin's order, not dying from his wounds by Oberyn.. The reveal that the Red Viper has poisoned the blade becomes the "pay off" that puts Tywin/Cirsei in trouble.. and IMO it's the reason they didn't reveal nor hinted at it beforehand, because they want to cash on the death by Oberyn vs. royal execution bit.

So we could have:

-Ellaria taking up Oberyn's revenge by facing Tywin and issuing veiled threats about Snakes and venom, and then leave for Dorne in fury. We could then have a last council scene, where the politics will be outlined, and Tywin will decide to try to outpace Ellaria by sending a raven to Doran promising him that Tommen will have Gregor executed for his crimes - in which he was never involved and that Gregor had lied to him about - and in reparation to send him his head. Orders are given to Pycelle to heal him enough so he can stand to be executed. Then we see Pycelle with Gregor, and he reveeals that Gregor was poisoned and can't be healed and Tywin will be very mad at him.

-Another possibility is that they rather have Ellaria demand Gregor be condemned officially and executed and announce that she won't leave King's Landing until her demands have been met and she can bring Gregor's head to the Sand Snakes... and of course should Gregor die from his wounds from Oberyn, that wouldn't appease the Snakes nearly as much... and angry Sand vipers are dangerous even to lions in Dorne. We would need to know/figure out that she knows about the poisoning of the Mountain (if they want to be blatant, the "squire" of Oberyn could tell her/confirm it to her), so it's basically a revenge for Oberyn she's executing, and a trap.. as Tywin can't fulfill his promise, and she would next year hold Cirsei to it as well.

I think I prefer the second option of keeping Indira Varma as a player in King's Landing at least for a few episodes, until she gets "Gregor's" head. It would be better to have a vengeful, bidding-her-time Ellaria put pressure on occasions on Cirsei directly next year then have this strictly be letters to and from Prince Doran (which gets boring for TV). We would understand she's in league with Oberyn's daughters at home, who try to secure Arianne's support against the deceptively more peace wanting Doran. This could also let them play on Ellaria reassuring Cirsei about Myrcella's fate, while showing in fact the Sand Snakes plotting. I have no doubt they'll massively streamline the plot in Dorne, though.

It's at least very obvious to me that you don't cast an actress like Indira Varma just for the few scenes Ellaria got this year, and now she's established in KL, they might as well keep her there.

I'm not even sure we'll see her take the ship. It could end as she leaves the Hound to die and the only clue we get to her next action is that she brings out her coin (and says "Valar Morghulis". We'll see her on a ship about to reach Braavos only in her season 5 opening scene. Not much point in spoiling now that she's "safe"... unless they think it's too many cliffhangers at once.

I tend to think Brienne won't reach the Gate (or else LF and Sansa would be told of her quest, and beside, this would be repetitive after the Hound and Arya did the same in episode 8...). I think she will be captured by the BWB, maybe as she's about to enter the "dangerous zone" where brigands and mountain clans are located.. which she might forewarn Pod about that, preserving the surprise of who exactly captures them. I think this is the reason why they had her meet Hot Pie. Hot Pie will have told the BWB about Brienne's quest, and Stoneheart will have given orders to capture her and Pod. After the capture scene (the sole Brienne-Pod scene), we won't see them again until the final scene, where it's revealed it's Thoros who holds them, and he introduces the new leader of the BWB: curtain on Uncat's reveal).

I do tend to think we'll see more of Sansa. I think ep. 8 just set things up for their "last scene(s)" this season. I think they have decided to do away with the arrival at the Fingers to use this differently as the "drop point" for the LF and Sansa story arc. I think Petyr, to "start" his new relationship with Sansa, before he visits the Lords of the Vale in their castles, will wish to bring her to his humble birthplace, which will also serve him to fuel further her own ambitions as well as her nostalgia of Winterfell.

I'll think they'll cover these aspects, very early in the episode, maybe even as the opening scene:

• Petyr receives a "disposable" henchman or woman (whore) from the Eyrie. Two news:

1) A raven came from an agent in KL. Tyrion has been found guilty. His execution is set in X days. Petyr is very smug, of course.

2) People claiming to be Sandor Clegane and Arya Stark have shown up at the Gate. They were offered to wait for his return, but have refused and gone toward X (to go North or to the blackfish, we'll see). Petyr looks circumspect or even a bit alarmed, and makes an allusion to the Boltons (Arya Stark alive...ah... what wouldn't Roose Bolton give to have that girl), which pretty much hints that he's plotting something with them (actually: he's plotting against them.. he's sold them a fake Arya while he has the true "heir".. which Jon Snow in time could corroborate. But none of that is revealed this season).

Petyr gives orders to capture the girl and kill the Hound. If they want it more dire, he will say to get Arya "alive or dead".

• Sansa is "mothering" Sweetrobyn, Petyr arrives, speaks of the Fingers they are at and his youth and how he's risen since, announces to Sansa she is wearing a most suitable outfit as she too is soon to be a widow. This gives them an opportunity to have LF tell a bit more about his plans to give the north back Sansa (it could even introduce the threat to Robyn, if they decide to keep that). This also let them bring closure to Sansa's opinions/feelings about Tyrion.. and the fact he's now lost "the game". And this also ends on a cliffhanger about Petyr's real intents, as Petyr tells Sansa nothing about the news he's got of Arya...

• Later in the show: Arya and the Hound, getting nearer to a town with ships. The Hound is now in a very bad state from his biting, might fall from his horse. He doesn't think he will make it, and tells Arya that she must take a ship for Eastwatch and go to Jon Snow, and ask her to give him the gift of mercy. But Arya coldly leaves him to die. I think is what they'll go for as it would be very chilling and a shocker... a reveal that Arya has played the Hound, and has hardly forgiven him for losing Nymeria (that she might mention) and for killing her friend the butcher boy. This is a good closure for her transformation into a cold assassin and would really shock the audience who loved the Hound-Arya "friendship"... Then Arya takes a last look at the Hound, says "Valar Morghulis" and we see her with her coin heading for the harbor town, but not knowing she has no intent to go to Jon.

If Arya mentions Nymeria, we might see her in the Lady Stoneheart scene.

I mostly agree on this. I don't think we will see the deed by the dragon this time (I think they showed the kid in the first one to avoid that "replay". It's fairly costly stuff, and they'll spend on the chaining itself instead), but only the scene where Dany learns of it and then the chaining of the dragons scene.

I think in the same scene (or an earlier one) we will get Daario's return from his mission to Lazhar with hints of troubles brewing (such as a refusal to reopen the trade routes, and maybe hints of trouble in Yunkai, or maybe a hint of opposition in Meeren itself. I think the general idea will be to show Dany's starting to lose control and no longer having Jorah to temper her, This will be concluded with the chaining of the Dragons (which has good symbolic value... Dany too has "slaves", if not human ones).

Bran.

No idea what they'll do for him, but I guess they might want to include him for a short scene or two. I wouldn't be too surprised he's rather in episode 9 with the rest of the North stuff. however. It might be the same with the Roose Bolton at Winterfell scene I theorize we might get, where he tells Ramsay his bride is on her way, if they don't reveal her name this season. Ep.10 could reveal it's a plan in which LF has a role and that there's a connection to Arya. Season 5 will reveal LF sent them a fake Arya. I guess Roose will be aware of the deception just like in the books. They'd need to reveal later that LF has "rescued" somehow a Winterfell girl capable of pulling off the part, a captured camp follower of Robb's army who was sent to his brothels, for instance. F!Arya could reveal this herself to Reek next season.

Mind you, I might be quite wrong this will be turned into a LF-Roose plot, and rather they'll stick to an obscure mention at the start of another scene, such as Tywin being told by one of those Lannister extras, or Pycelle etc., that Roose has been sent a raven about his gift being on its way, and Tywin answering "good, that's the last of that debt paid", then whoever this scene is really about (Ellaria, Cirsei, Jamie.. whatever) enters the Hand's office.

Then another thing they may have to give a short sequence to: Yara and Balon.

I think we'll get a scene where Yara is back to Pike on a stormy evening. She tells Balon about Reek and Moat Caolin, then Balon, leaves her in a rage and falls to his death.

"Cheaper" alternative: Yara at a camp of Ironborn survivors. She gets the news that her father fell to his death. She needs to get back home for the Kingsmoot. They probably don't need to be cheap, though, as they could very well have filmed that other scene with Balon when they filmed last season's finale. They probably knew back then that wouldn't have Balon back otherwise. But they may not have time for that, and there's little point in Yara giving news to Balon that we already know all about, so I think a short Yara scene, where she arrives where her fleet is, learning a ship from Pike as brought the news of Balon's death, and she needs to get back home, is the most likely.

Again this could be wrapped up in episode 9 instead of 10, especially since this would finally wrap up Melisandre's "three leeches" arc.