Okay but why was Varys on the boat. Photo: HBO

George R.R. Martin’s obsession with getting characters’s journeys to sync up infamously caused a years-long delay in the completion of A Dance With Dragons, and so it’s been interesting to watch Game of Thrones slowly do away with the whole concept of realism in travel time altogether. Various characters have always moved at the speed the plot requires — Littlefinger once appeared in so many faraway places that producers joked about his having a jet pack — but by the end of season six, people may as well have been teleporting. Now, producer Bryan Cogman has taken to Twitter to explain why. As Cogman explains, despite appearances, the various storylines in each episode aren’t necessarily taking place at the same time. It’s like we always say: Game of Thrones would make a lot more sense if every character had a prominently placed wall calendar.

Oh, one thing since a few people have asked me. The timelines of the various story threads don't necessarily match up all the time. — Bryan Cogman (@b_cogman) June 27, 2016

This is to avoid things like, say, Arya spending four episodes on a boat. — Bryan Cogman (@b_cogman) June 27, 2016

Oh, and in case people think I'm annoyed at the question, I'm not. I tied myself in knots season 1 trying to make it all line up. 1/2 — Bryan Cogman (@b_cogman) June 27, 2016