Introduction of Dorne
To be fair, I'm leading off with one of the less glamorous events I'm anticipating. It's not a particularly impactful or heart-stopping moment, but the Dornish host descending upon King's Landing is only the beginning of one of the more intriguing aspects of the War of Five Kings, and Dorne is my personal favorite region of Westeros (for non-readers, Dorne is where Tyrion shipped Myrcella off to in the second season). We've yet to see anyone from Dorne, or even hear much about them on the show, but it plays a great importance on the story to come, particularly the Martells of Sunspear. I doubt we'll see anyone from Dorne pop up in the third season, but I'm hoping their entrance on the show is as grand as it is in the books, with all of the major houses represented as Tyrion tests Podrick Payne's knowledge of their sigils.
The Hound vs. The Lightning Lord
We haven't seen Beric Dondarrion since his brief appearance in the first season when Eddard Stark sent him to seek justice for Gregor Clegane's war crimes, but he's come a long way since those (seemingly) peaceful days. He now leads the Brotherhood Without Banners, a group of outlaws who serve no master, except that of the common man and he fights with a flaming sword. We've already seen glimpses of this fight in the season three previews and it looks as though the show creators are giving it the amount of focus it deserves.
Jaime Lannister + Brienne of Tarth = ?
Season two delved a bit into A Storm of Swords, but season three is where the Jaime/Brienne relationship is really going to blossom. They've omitted Cleos Frey, and rumors have indicated Vargo Hoat has been significantly changed, but I have faith that Jaime and Brienne's journey is going to retain it's road trip/buddy comedy appeal as well as give the t.v. audience a deeper appreciation for Jaime Lannister.
The Red Viper vs. The Mountain That Rides
This won't happen until the last episode or two of season four, but it's probably my most anticipated moment of the next two seasons. There's no way to set this duel up without giving away loads of spoileriffic plot details, but Prince Oberyn Martell has not only come to King's Landing to celebrate King Joffrey's wedding, but also to seek justice for the rape and murder of his sister Elia and her children during Robert's Rebellion. It's a furious fight that I'm hoping will retain all of the frenetic energy from the books, as it comes from one of the single best chapters in the entire series.
Joffrey's Wedding
Most people think A Storm of Swords and immediately think "Red Wedding," but I am far more eager to see Joffrey Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell wed. There will be dwarfs, dogs, pigs, pigeon pies, singers, jugglers, a joust of sorts, and no Lannister celebration is complete without 77 renditions of "The Rains of Castamere." This is arguably the single event that changes the scope of the war and those involved; this is where G.R.R. Martin crosses the Rubicon. Don't expect to see Joffrey's wedding until 2014.
The Wall
While the groundwork will be layed in season three, I'll be surprised if we see any sort of payoff before next year. The King Beyond the Wall is massing a wildling host to take Westeros, but first he must contend with the Night's Watch and the Wall. With moments both thrilling and touching, this is one of the biggest and best battles in the series and my personal favorite.
Daenerys storms Slavers Bay
More fighting. A Storm of Swords is usually considered everyone's favorite book, and the massive amounts of payoff in the form of fights and battles is a big part of that. Daenery Targaryen has been building her strength for two seasons, with little success, but season three is where she picks up her Unsullied army and begins her journey as a Warrior Queen the likes of which no one has seen since Nymeria conquered Dorne. For everyone who hated sitting through Dany hemming and hawing about her dragons being stolen, this is the moment of the show where she finally comes into her own and proves her worth. Expect her conquest to last two full seasons.
