#his boss is Bloodraven.

[mechanicalchickens]

Unhelpful wight Cesare wanders on his giant elk in the Haunted Forest, feeding lost children horrible burgers. What’s he making burgers with in the goddamn arctic circle? Pork, definitely pork, don’t ask questions. The elk is named Truck. Ravens nest in Truck’s antlers, speaking in the voices of Cesare’s annoying theater majors.

[allyriadayne]

the mystery knight is an undercover boss nightmare where bloodraven keeps hearing the peasants wish for his enemy slash brother to come back and not even imprisoning the blackfyre traitor can make him cooler at the end of it

[lemonhemlock]

Bestie expand your thoughts more on this!

https://at.tumblr.com/lemonhemlock/do-you-think-greyjoy-will-succeed-in-taking/nrryawkbqc7q

I'll start by saying that I haven't read The Forsaken. Not because of spoilers, because I already heard some things that happen in the chapter, but I wanted my first experience reading it to be within TWOW (look how that's going so far).

So what I'm about to say is mostly vibes and guesswork. But Euron is a genuinely terrifying character and one of the properly, old-school evil ones in ASOIAF. Like, there is no moral ambiguity here. The man wants to turn himself into a god and will stop at nothing for it. Euron says a lot of crazy ass things like how he visited both Asshai and Valyria and, though it's tempting to label it as bullshit, he does seem to have collected very rare artifacts like his Valyrian steel armour (??) So I would be inclined to believe him.

In any case, Euron has figured out something, some recipe to a transformative ritual. He has imprisoned priests from different religions onboard his ship and he intentionally impregnated Falia Flowers so as to use their unborn child in this upcoming blood ceremony (king's blood is known to be powerful, as Melisandre tells us, and Euron has been elected king by the kingsmoot).

Euron has had weird dreams/visions since he was a child and there are theories saying those images were sent to him by Bloodraven, who might have wanted him to be a Bran-like figure, but dropped his arse because he was way too deranged. There are also parallels between him and the Bloodstone Emperor, who is known to have caused the Long Night. One worrisome thing is that the Horn of Winter is also in Oldtown, having been brought by Sam, so it's very important that Euron NOT get his hands on it. But then again - why did George bring the Horn all the way down to Oldtown if not for this very purpose?

It's interesting that both the Hightowers and the Greyjoys are associated with Lovecraftian imagery. For the Greyjoys it is more obvious with the krakens, the tentacles and the Drowned God, but Oldtown is in a part of Westeros surrounded by places with selkie and merling legends, like the Shield Islands (north-wise), the Mermaid's Palace (Island of the Arbor). Both the base of the Hight Tower and the Seastone Chair AND the buildings in Asshai seem to be made from similar material (??) - fused black stone.

I have no idea what's about to happen - a believable theory would have been that Euron would raise the Deep Ones out of the sea, but I think George shot that one down (dunno whether he was lying or not). Another would be that Euron is going to blow the Horn of Winter and bring down the Wall. I've seen people link him to becoming the next Night's King, but I'm not really sure he is connected to the Others in a meaningful way like that. His symbolism seems to be more kraken/sea related.

The problem with Euron is that, while he is not the Final Boss in any way, he is a very dangerous distraction and could pose a fuckton of problems. Oldtown falling would be catastrophic for the fate of Westeros. This is why this fandom needs to cut it with the bullshit and start stanning Lord Leyton and Malora ASAP, since they're the last defense against the coming of the storm. Sam is also in Oldtown and I doubt George is going to kill him, so that gives me a little bit of hope that maybe Euron will be defeated.

There is also the fact that Leyton & Malora have been preparing for this for 10 years now. They must have something up their sleeve. Oldtown should be, by rights, a source of great magical power, with the High Tower, the Citadel and the Starry Sept there - so magic + science + religion combined for one last face-off against the dark. It's pretty romantic. It's pretty valiant.

Perhaps there was a reason why George placed the dragons Tessarion and Morning in Oldtown, after all. Maybe their remains or eggs will come in handy in the fight against Euron.

[aegor-bamfsteel]

Who would you fancast for Daemon Blackfyre and Daeron II? I looked through your tags & only saw your fancasts for Aegor, Shiera, and sort of Bloodraven (but we can all say Max von Sydow was perfectly cast). Very good picks. I would like to know about the others. :)

Hello, anon! The post to which you’re referring also has some fancasts for Rohanne, Daena, and Calla (although I’m not completely pleased with Rohanne’s; and I’ve changed my mind with Calla; please substitute her with Marlo Thomas as the cheerful aspiring actress Ann Marie in That Girl, gif below).

I actually have some issues with Max von Sydow as Brynden Rivers, but I’ll explain why under the cut since this post is just a fun exercise (these actors are either deceased or too old for these roles now). As for the characters you’ve asked about, I’ve long had trouble with fancasting Daemon because of his nuances and very distinctive look. I don’t want to just cast Orlando Bloom/Henry Cavill for all these warrior Targaryens, but rather pick someone I think could convey his personality. So if I had to choose:

Robert Redford at his peak in the 60s/70s I think would be the real life equivalent of Daemon Blackfyre, in that his name was used by people in his generation to mean “a man so handsome even The Guys Want Him” (Eustace Osgrey and Dunk both notice how attractive he is, and Dunk only sees his face on a coin). He was a blond, blue-eyed all-American hero equally prominent in romance as in action/adventure, but without the rough edges of a Marlon Brando. Redford was from the New Hollywood era that sprung up following the repeal of the Hays Code, and consequently characters tended to have more explicit nuance. With Redford, his most prominent roles weren’t cookie cutter good guys in the vein of the Hays Code films, even though he was still the character the audience would root for (this is how I see Daemon, as having character flaws but ultimately a better man than the rest of the story’s main male characters): as a spendthrift con artist swindling a violent mob boss (The Sting), or a perpetual outlaw on the run from US marshals (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), or even a skilled writer whose lack of political and moral convictions causes him to lose the woman he loved (The Way We Were). I chose this .gif of The Way We Were because Redford plays the effortlessly talented, socially-adept WASP writer opposite Barbra Streisand’s determined, headstrong Jewish antiwar activist who pushes him to take writing seriously and puts principles over romance; I think that story could fit Daemon and Rohanne (except Daemon and Rohanne do work things out by the end, whereas Hubbell and Katie drift apart). I still have some doubts about this casting, but at this point I’m just relieved I could name one actor who has some Daemon Blackfyre essence.

Daeron II’s fancast and a few surprise casts under the cut:

Donald Pleasence is one of the greatest characters actors of all time (I chose this .gif because he doesn’t have a beard here, and Daeron II was clean shaven). Being shorter than average and prematurely balding meant he didn’t fit Hollywood’s image of a leading man (just like Daeron didn’t fit Westerosi ideals of a martial king), but he used his icy blue eyes and sonorous voice in his portrayal of some of the most iconic characters in popular culture (original Blofeld in You Only Live Twice and original Dr. Loomis in the Halloween franchise). Since he allegedly never turned down a role he was offered, he was in some of the greatest movies ever made and some of the worst, but each time he gave a solid performance. He could make some of the stupidest dialogue ever recorded (1980’s Pumaman) sound sensible and even menacing, which would be an assert for portraying a character with as many contradictions as Daeron II seemed to have. Despite playing many villains, Pleasence also portrayed some heroes or mentors, but always with an intensity of a character that would cross boundaries (no surprise, he was a huge fan of Sir Laurence Olivier). All told, Pleasence is an actor who I think could’ve brought some interesting gravitas and unique charisma to a character I believe on paper lacks both.

Now for some bonuses:

Late 70s/early 80s Orson Welles as Aegon IV fits so well I wouldn’t be surprised if GRRM had him in mind when inventing his appearance (obvious Henry VIII parallels notwithstanding). Most people know Welles as the director and star of 1941 Citizen Kane or the narrator of the 1938 “The War of the Worlds” radio drama that caused a mass panic in the audience, but he had a long career after that (he died 5 days after he completed voice work for Unicron in 1986’s The Transformers: The Movie, incidentally part of one of my favorite franchises). Older Welles was so fond of eating and drinking wine, but so difficult to work with, that director Alexander Jodorowsky essentially bribed him with a Parisian chef to play Baron Harkonnen in a scrapped Dune adaptation. He has Aegon IV’s pointed silvery beard and hair as well as the girth, but is also tall, with a resonant deep voice that scared young children back in the 80s (I imagine that Aegon’s kids and grandkids were afraid of him in his later years). I also like to think Aegon had a charismatic, even learned side that he used to impress women, and I think Welles could pull that off. Aegon IV is a one-dimensional character, more of a device to get the Rebellion plot moving (and attract audience hatred), but if any actor could bring some depth, menace, or even a bit of twisted humor to the role, it could’ve been older Welles.

Bette Davis in All About Eve as Elaena Targaryen is a fancast I’m fond of, maybe because I see Elaena as the jaded older showwoman type who doesn‘t care too much about her romantic life due to her work and has little maternal instinct (and also smokes clove-scented pipes). Davis might not be one of the most physically attractive actresses (although considering I think Kate Hepburn is gorgeous but Wikipedia says she’s “coltishly pretty” what do I know), but she conveys such emotion in her eyes and mouth, or the disdainful way she holds her cigarette; just like Elaena wasn’t the most beautiful Maidenvault princess (although like Davis, she did grow into her looks) and had those same angry eyes. Bette Davis wasn’t afraid to take unsympathetic or even villainous roles at the time of the Hays Code (she even shaved off her eyebrows to play Elizabeth I); she was tough and outspoken, as her epitaph states: She did it the hard way. Margot Channing’s anti heroic character softens a bit toward the end of the film, agreeing to get engaged to a long term boyfriend, and maybe that parallels Elaena’s seeming retirement with Michael Manwoody.

Now for some wank about Brynden Rivers’ casting as Max von Sydow:

I wouldn’t have much problem taken out of context. Max von Sydow is a ruggedly handsome man, with a dignified face and intense stare. It’s understandable why the most beautiful female character in the world was sexually attracted to a character who resembles him. However, there’s nothing in the text that indicates Bloodraven is attractive and a few clues that he isn’t (Dunk calls his birthmark “ugly”, GRRM said he has a “grim and forbidding aspect”). At this point I’d roll my eyes that even the “unattractive Targaryen” is handsome, but then you add Daemon’s (Marvel comic’s Thor) and Aegor‘s (Barry Windsor Smith’s Conan the Barbarian) casting into to the mix and it gets annoying. GRRM stated that Aegor was “handsome in a dark brooding way”, and Daemon is repeatedly said to be so attractive that it’s actually a minor plot point. Neither comic book character model is anywhere near as attractive as Max von Sydow, and this was carried over into Amok’s official artwork for the 3 characters, which GRRM actually approved without comment (except that he considered Daemon “too soft”, rather than anything to do with Brynden or Aegor’s caricature of an angry face). I’m not saying this to be shallow, but it’s another example of how Brynden Rivers isn‘t allowed to be flawed or suffer setbacks, even in the shallow physical sense; just like he’s able to twice duel an exceptional warrior-commander to a standstill despite allegedly preferring the arrow; or being scrawny despite being above average height and capable of drawing 60-80 pounds of draw weight; or continuing to be Hand for decades despite exacerbating major crises; or being allowed to take Dark Sister to the Wall and become Lord Commander despite years of showing he shouldn’t be trusted to lead; he can’t even be physically less handsome than his brothers even when it’s important to the plot. As it is, I’m scratching my head why Daemon is remembered as so attractive and why people are frightened of Brynden’s appearance (Aegor’s appearance isn’t plot relevant, which is a relief because the less I say about angry!emoji!Hagrid the better). GRRM could’ve recommended another comic book character to serve as Brynden‘s face model, or he could’ve kept von Sydow but made Daemon and Aegor’s face models two famous actors—like Robert Redford (famously handsome all American Vice Guy protagonist) and Laurence Olivier (essentially the Byronic Hero/Shakespearean villain king of Hollywood’s Golden Age). As it is, it feels like Brynden is Suetiful All Along—where the text tells us he’s not attractive but he’s shown to be such, and that unattractiveness never stops him from achieving anything—whereas Daemon’s (and Aegor’s to a lesser extent) by contrast is an informed attribute.

Fan wank aside, thank you for being interested enough in my reminiscing about older movie characters to request a sequel post. My ask box is always open, even if I can take some time to respond.

[attonitos-gloria]

Oh, I love the lannisters' dynamics too, especially cersei and jaime's, though my favorite dynamics (and ships) are theon and/x robb, and stannis and/x davos. I also like team dragonstone's dynamic, and the one between jon, sansa and arya, a lot. And I think there are a lot of pre-agot dynamics that sound interesting on paper and I wish could be fleshed out on screen so I could like them properly (ngl, I have a thing for aegon the conqueror and/x orys baratheon lol). And these are just a few.

Ohhh!! The first time I read asoiaf I didn't pay attention to Robb because I was too invested in Catelyn, I think? But I am reading it again this year, and I want to pay more mind to them this time! Particularly to Theon, because the Greyjoy gender thing is fascinating, and I adored his chapters.

BUT DRAGONSTONE TEAM. I forgot to mention them but I ADORE davos chapters!! I know people make fun of him bc he is psychosexually obsessed with his boss and the fingers and etc but I love davos. He is such a traditional hero, risking his life to save innocent lives in the face of dark forces? And while I think George makes a poor job in depicting any kind of religiosity, Melisandre is..... a very interesting character, really, and perhaps the exception. More thoughts about it when I get to the second book again.

And Jon/Arya also fascinates me a lot!! Jon/Sansa in the show, too, and the overall theme of Stark Kids And Death Through Journeys to the Underworld: Arya and the House of the Undying, Sansa and Littlefinger, Bran and Bloodraven and Jon and... Well, literally dying, lol I like to think that this ties them all to both winter and spring as these Persephone figures.

About Aegon and Orys, I’ve never thought about them before and now you got me. I confess, I don’t invest a lot of my fandom time in Pré-AGoT dynamics because they tend to focus on House Targaryen and until HotD I lacked interest in them. But now that changed, I think, so I’m going to collect more blorbos from different eras <3

[chillyravenart]

Assuming he's watching from the afterlife, what do you think is Daemon Targaryen's opinion of his s great-grandson and namesake? Or like his opinions about his descendants in general? I imagine him being low-key disappointed about Aemon wielding Dark Sister because he isn't extra enough and also facepalming a lot during Baelor's reign.

Love this question anon!!! ❤❤❤

I've actually discussed this so many times with @naomimakesart and we both laugh over how disappointed he would have been with some of his descendants.

He would have leapt out of his skin at the Maiden's Day Cattle Show lmao, his son being presented with so many fine beauties only for Aegon III to not be interested in any of them. "Rhaenyra!!! Are you sure this one's actually the fruit of my loins?"

But he would have been super chuffed with Viserys II marrying an older beautiful woman like Larra Rogare and begetting children such a young age. Such a proud papa :')

He would have also been very proud of his daughters, particularly Baela who was cut from the same cloth as him. Escaping execution twice (with her head literally on the block) and running off to marry Alyn Oakenfist and being a boss ass bitch- these are virtues Daemon always hoped to instil in his children 😆

But it wouldn't last because Daemon definitely suffered a coronary or two because of Baelor: MY GRANDSON DID WHAT???? NOT EVEN ONCE??? *throws chair across afterlife* 🤬🤬🤬 *rebukes Baelor and never mentions his name again*

He would have been impressed with Aemon's military prowess but highly displeased with the choice to be a celibate Kingsguard lmao. Too goody goody for Daemon, the old devil. "Couldn't be me!"🤷🏼‍♂️

I think he would have been highly supportive of Aegon IV sowing his wild oats, and secretly of Daemon Blackfyre too ("that's what you call a namesake") but the royalist in him would have been impressed with Bloodraven's ruthlessness, and considered him worthy of wielding Dark Sister - not to mention his love of the beautiful Shiera Seastar.

He would have facepalmed at Duncan Targaryen giving up the crown for Jenny though. "Women are fine delights, but who gives up a kingdom for one? Again, couldn't be me!"🤦🏼‍♂️

He would have rolled his eyes at Rhaegar lmao "another bookish nerd, great🙄" but when he ran off with Lyanna his interest would have been piqued again, and the ensuing civil war would have brought back fond memories of the Dance... but not the outcome though 😓 (he would have jumped off a dragon to stab Robert through the head too tbf). Daemon probably had to lie down for a while after the reign of House Targaryen came to an end in 283 AC...

Naomi and I once discussed how Daemon would be so mad at Ned for allowing Jon to join the Night's Watch, his great x8 grandson doomed to celibacy without a woman in sight, but when he'd see Jon with Ygritte or Val he'd nudge Ned in the ribs and say that he was a red-blooded Targaryen and a proper lad™, for you couldn't keep a Targ away from women for too long. FYI Daemon's head is going to explode when/if Jon x Dany hook up. He's rooting for Dany so hard, her biggest fan.

Daemon is currently sitting on a deckchair sipping an old fashioned, wearing a Targaryen Restoration t-shirt and a hat with "Make Westeros Targaryen Again" waiting for their paths to cross like the rest of us 😌

[warsofasoiaf]

Do you think it might be that Bloodraven is the kind of guy who can be loyal and obedient, and a very good operative with the right boss, but runs amok unsupervised? It's pretty well established that Maekar isn't necessarily the best guy at the outset of his appearance in the storyline. Maybe part of the growth from resentful younger son to decent king involves being the bigger man in the feud, and take the moral responsibility a king should for his appointees, rather than scapegoat BR?

No. Bloodraven is the type of guy to do what he believes is necessary, regardless of supervision. The only time I could see him being not terrible is during an era of prosperity with no problems for him to "greater good" his way into tyrannical dictatorship. Anyone who has studied history for any length of time can tell you how rare it is for nothing to be wrong.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[molicioushat]

🐲THE TARGARYEN TAG🐲

I thought it would be good fun to come up with a tag for all the Targaryen lovers out there so here it is!

This tag is open to all, so feel free to participate regardless of allegiance!

I was tagged by: @naomimakesart

🐲🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🐲

1. Your favourite/least favourite Targaryen:

This was super hard to narrow down to even a top ten.

Top Ten Favorite: Visenya, Alyssa, Baelon the Brave, Baela, Elaena, Rhaenys the Queen Who Never Was, Baelor Breakspear, Maekar, Daeron the Drunkard, and Good Queen Alysanne.

Least Favorite: Aegon II

2. Underrated Targaryen:

Probably Septa Maegelle. She's smart and she tends to the sick and that's on top of being able to get her parents to reconcile. She's also brave since I don't think many people would willingly tend to people with greyscale. It's such a shame we only see so much of her.

3. Snog/Marry/Avoid Targaryens:

Snog Daemon the Rogue Prince

Marry Queen Rhaella

Avoid Aegon IV

4. A Targaryen who deserved better:

Hard choice, there are so many. But I would choose Princess Alyssa Targaryen because of the way she was written to get her off the stage so to speak. GRRM could have killed her off in multiple different ways (riding accident, a fall, a hunting accident, a sparring accident, an illness, appendicitis, exit pursued by bear, etc) but no she dies by childbirth. Yet another among the disproportionately many other women who died that way.

5. OTP Targaryens:

OTP - Alyssa x Baelon, Daeron x Jeremy, Daeron II x Mariah, Alysanne x Valyrian Scrolls, Aegon III x therapy, Aerea x Life

OT3 - Visenya x Aegon x Rhaenys, and Rhaena x Elinor x Jeyne (that was my secret favorite before Sons of the Dragon came out but then GRRM kinda fulfilled it by a 3rd in Fire and Blood. I'm still disappointed that it doesn't seem like Elinor or Rhaena had any communication after they survived Maegor. *sighing forever*)

6. A Targaryen you’d like to go on holiday with:

I bet Rhaenys and Corlys went on a bunch of fun trips to all sorts of places. Would be fun to go with them to Braavos or one of the other Free Cities.

7. A Targaryen you’d want to be best friends with:

Alyssa. She's described as being all her mother is and more and since Alysanne is a pretty amazing and smart person then it stands to reason Alyssa is as well. She's probably a blast to hang out with if you have similar interests.

 8. A Targaryen who just needs a hug: 

I would hug Aegon III if he would let me. Alternatively Maekar or Daeron the Dreamer.

9. Problematic Fave:

Saera Targaryen. She's a terrible person but I'm fascinated by her. I'm currently writing a meta piece on her rn.

10. A Targaryen you’d go on a dragon ride with:

Queen Rhaena. She's traveled all over and she's flown with people before. I think if we found something in common she would be a good travel buddy.

11. Favourite Targaryen bastard?

Bloodraven, I mean have you seen him in the Mystery Knight? He's a ... riot.

Non Great Bastards would probably be Gaemon Palehair because he's totally Aegon II's but he had poor Essie tortured till she would say what they wanted her to say. Because honestly he already had 2 bastards born around the same time the twins were and they were called his first bastards, he very likely had more.

12. A Targaryen you’d want as a lover:

Shiera Seastar duh. Less trouble than being one of Prince Daemon's. Mysaria would probably have me killed. Oh sure people fight over Shiera but if she's fine with it then I'm down. Plus, who would fight a person with boobs for her? How embarrassing would it be for them to lose to me?

13. Which Targaryen dragon is your favourite? 

Vhagar followed by Moondancer.

14. Bloodraven: fan or ban?

Part of the fan club.

...wait there are people who don't like Bloodraven? Is that a thing? ???

15. Viserys (son of Aerys II): evil twit or mentally scarred victim?

Uh... neither? He's not evil. Abusive yes, evil no. He might have been evil if he was in a position of power but only because of paranoia. I'm not sure he gets enjoyment out of hurting others like his father, Joffrey, Ramsay, Euron, or Aerion do. He hurts Dany because he gets angry and he has power over her.

And he's not a victim. He's a pawn in Varys and Illyrio's game. And while he does have mental issues, but I don't know if that's because he was mentally scarred. I think he's predisposed to paranoia. The situation he's lived in since the war is not helpful and it definitely was a contributing factor when Dany and him were on the streets. But I think it would have happened eventually regardless.

16. Favourite non-Targaryen spouse/consort? 

Favorite Consort: Queen Alyssa Velaryon

Favorite Spouse: Ser Michael Manwoody

17. Team Lilac Eyes or Team Indigo Eyes? 

Indigo. Everytime I think of Lilac I think of Viserys. I can't help picturing him everytime I read it.

18. Favourite quote by a Targaryen: 

It's a tie.

"Your guards are slow and lazy." - Visenya the most badass. No fucking around, straight to the point.

And

"His Grace my brother can command me. You cannot." - Baela also a certified bad ass.

Just realized these both have face slashing before these quotes. I guess it's a theme. lol

19. Most badass Targaryen moment:

When Daemon jumps from his dragon to stab Aemond with Dark Sister. Metal af.

20. Blackfyres: Yay or Nay?

NAY!

Daemon might have been an upstanding guy, but to steal a quote from Ser Eustace Osgrey, "You can know a man by his friend," and Daemon's friends were terrible people.

21. Most touching Targaryen moment:

Bolded for emphasis:

[“We are glad to have you safe home, my brother.”

Mushroom says that Oakenfist was laughing as he climbed back to his feet. “Sire,” he replied, “you have honored me with your sister’s hand, and I am proud to be your brother by marriage. Yet I can never be your brother by blood. But there is one who is.” Then with a flamboyant gesture, Lord Alyn summoned forth the treasure he had brought from Lys. ... The boy threw back his cowl. As the sunlight glittered on the silver-gold hair beneath, King Aegon III began to weep, throwing himself upon this boy in a fierce embrace. Oakenfist’s “treasure” was Viserys Targaryen, the king’s lost brother.]

This scene was so touching it made me cry. First, Aegon calls Alyn his brother which is very sweet. He could have called him his goodbrother, but he didn't. And then Alyn's whole bit how he's proud to be a part of Aegon's family but acknowledging that he can't replace Viserys. And then Aegon finally being reunited with Viserys after so long and how he doesn't have to feel guilty anymore because Viserys can forgive him. Just feels all around.

22. Which Targaryen would give the best life advice?

Probably Baelor Breakspear. He's down to earth and smart.

23. Your favourite Aegon?

Aegon V for now. May change depending on what leads up to the tragedy at Summerhall. Aegon III is a close second.

24. Which Targaryen was the most badass?

Visenya, I mean fuck but she's so boss. She fought to till she was like 74. She was probably one of the best warriors of her time during her prime. Especially since she was key to protecting Aegon during that attempt on his life.

25. Most heartbreaking Targaryen moment:

I'm just going to quote the whole section:

[... of Lady Jocelyn’s empty bed and bitter tears, and the way Princess Rhaenys wept to know that her father would never hold the child she was carrying? Far easier to speak of Prince Baelon’s wroth, and how he came down upon Tarth on Vhagar, howling for vengeance.

...

But it is said that when he saw his mother again, he fell into her arms and wept. “I slew a thousand of them,” he said, “but it will not bring him back.” And the queen stroked his hair and said, “I know, I know.”]

It's just so heartbreaking. Yes it's sad for Alysanne and Jaehaerys to lose their son, because it's always terrible when a parent has to bury a child before them.

But for Baelon, Jocelyn, and Rhaenys, they should have had so many more years with him. Baelon and Jocelyn should have grown old with Aemon! Rhaenys had her father taken from her too soon. Her children will never get to know their grandfather. Jocelyn should have had Aemon by her side to spoil their grandchildren!

And Baelon! No one knows a person as long as a sibling does. Not every siblings are friends but Baelon and Aemon were close to each other, probably each other's best friends. Baelon's grief is one that strikes me right in heart. His pain is so raw. And as an older sibling who is very close to her brother it's also one of my biggest fears. This wasn't the only time Fire and Blood made me cry, but it was the one that really stuck with me. That image of Baelon crying into Alysanne's arms as she says "I know, I know."

Oh, oh, oh...

Please excuse me while I go cry forever after that downer.

🐲🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🐲

Anyone of my followers who sees this and wants to do it, please feel free to do so!! I'm not going to tag anyone directly in case you don't want to do it.

[poorquentyn]

Do you think that Bran and a Euron will have some sort of metaphysical showdown? Where the Crow's Eye represent himself as the God he wants to be?

I certainly hope so. If Euron is indeed Bloodraven’s bad seed (and if I was merely quite certain of that before “The Forsaken,” it’s nigh-canonical to me now), then it would be surprising if he didn’t have some sort of standoff with his successor Bran. (And maybe Bloodraven too: “Your powers are weak, old man…when I left you, I was but the learner, now I am the master.”) 

A Bran-Euron wizards’ duel in the space between spaces would provide the perfect “your choices make you who you are, not your abilities” moment for Bran, and give him a fitting foil upon whom to test his magical mettle. This would also, as you say, provide GRRM with a ideal vessel to pay off all the Lovecraftian imagery surrounding Euron, directly presenting his self-conception as God-King of the Graveyard. On the astral plane, with no eyepatch to hide behind, is where you see what Euron looks like inside:

“Have you seen these others in your fires?” he asked, warily.

“Only their shadows,” Moqorro said. “One most of all. A tall and twisted thing with one black eye and ten long arms, sailing on a sea of blood.”

I do think that Bran’s warg-duel with Varamyr in his first ADWD chapter may have been foreshadowing this showdown, given the parallels between Sixskins and the Crow’s Eye–a minor boss before the Big Boss, as it were. I admit to being biased because, again, I really really want this to happen, more than almost anything else. But yeah, I won’t be surprised if at some point in Bran’s vision-questing, suddenly everything goes dark and cold and (ahem) silent, and then Bran sees a figure all in black with one red eye, another “knight of the mind” who’s been flying for decades…

(posted by spacestripes)

[bitchfromtheseventhhell]

happy belated birthday @madaboutasoiaf!!  

i don’t want a wife.  i want to be a knight of the kingsguard.

how many times had he said it growing up?  day in, day out, over and over again--a reaction to whenever daella asked who he would marry, her or rhae; a reaction to his cousins who all asked him what he could possibly want for himself since he was so far down in the line of succession that he couldn’t hope for even his father’s seat, much less the throne; a justification as good as any to make people understand why he had to travel the seven kingdoms at dunk’s side.  

he’d never been bookish like aemon, and he had no particular desire to join the faith, but he was quick and clever and not a bad hand with a sword and from what he’d been told that should be enough to earn him a white cloak.  i won’t be prince aemon the dragonknight, but it’s foolish to hope i would.  no one can be as good as prince aemon the dragonknight.  i just need to be better than most everyone else.

i want to be a knight of the kingsguard.

“you’re young,” his father had told him when he’d declared he never wanted to marry.  “let yourself be young, but don’t pretend you shall always be young.  that is folly.”

but aegon had been convinced that he’d never wish to marry.  his travels with dunk only solidified that he wanted to be a knight, for ser duncan was a true knight, and a good one.  he did his best to serve, and that’s what aegon wanted too--to serve, to do his best, to protect those in need.  he didn’t need a wife for that--he needed spurs and a targaryen name, and he already had one of those.

i don’t want a wife. 

he met her first when he was nine and she was very annoying.  she always had her hands on her hips and was bossing him around and telling him he was stupid because that’s not how things were done at raventree hall.  they’d argued, and dunk had laughed and said if she’d been a boy they’d have been wrestling in the dirt, but that you couldn’t wrestle in the dirt with little girls--much less noble little girls, especially if you were a targaryen pretending you weren’t a targaryen.

it’s lord bloodraven’s blood.  he was born of a blackwood, after all, he’d convinced himself heatedly when they were riding away from raventree hall.  betha hadn’t apologized for how she’d treated him--not really.  “forgive me, prince aegon, but you were being stupid,” she’d said, arms crossed over her chest.  but if it was lord bloodraven’s blood, that much aegon had not seen when betha blackwood had arrived at court, for lord bloodraven barely acknowledged her presence.  

“lady betha.” aegon bowed slightly.  “welcome to court.”

“my prince,” she said, and her voice was rich and musical and when she swept her skirts in a curtsey and smiled at him something was different.  it was a cheeky smile, now.  the smile of a woman who had known him for a stupid boy but had seen that he’d grown.  “you have hair now.”

aegon felt his lips part in surprise.  he had half a mind to parrot her words back to her, that’s not how things are done in king’s landing, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to.  he doesn’t like how things are done in king’s landing, the way no one seems to care about anything but themselves.  he found himself blinking, for betha had cared--she’d cared for the smallfolk, and cared that ser arlan who’d knighted dunk was properly commemorated in pennytree even when no one else had.  instead he said, “i do.  i’ve had hair these past five years.”

“it suits you,” she said smiling.  “though i was fond of your egghead.”

“fond?”

“in memory.  easier to remember stupid egg than that i’d called prince aegon stupid.  for you were stupid.  very stupid.”  she was smiling still, and her lips were quite pink and her head was cocked ever so slightly to the side, like a dog’s and aegon only noticed that he was doing it too when his hand rose unconsciously to his hair to pull at one of his curls.

“aren’t we all stupid when we’re young?” let yourself be young, but don’t pretend you shall always be young.  that is folly.  

“oh i never was,” betha replied airily.  “you were stupid enough for both of us.  but that was what i liked about you--that you were so very stupid.”

“you liked something about me?” he asked.  he’d meant it to sound dry, uncaring but it hadn’t quite worked and her eyes flickered and the easy air that she’d been speaking with seemed to slip.  she seemed younger, suddenly, nervous.

“oh yes.  yes, i think i did.  you cared.”  she looked about the hall.  no one was paying attention to the two of them.  no one ever paid attention to aegon except dunk.  why should they? he’d never sit the throne, and would like as not never even marry.  i want to be a knight of the kingsguard.  why did it feel more like he was trying to convince himself now?  

“i’m glad to see you,” betha said after a moment and she still looked young, and nervous.  “i know you may not believe me but...but i don’t know anyone at court except you and i fear not having a friend here.  melantha always described this place as more lonely than winterfell.”

aegon swallowed.  he could name every person at court, and the members of their house, and who they were feuding with, but he was quite sure the only friend he had here was dunk.  he’d never thought about it that way before.

“well so long as you promise to stop calling me stupid, i might be convinced to show you how things are done in king’s landing.”

betha rolled her eyes.  “i knew i’d be a lost cause.  you found the one thing i shall never be able to stop doing.  it’s habit by now.  i suppose it was too much to hope for a friend.”

and aegon laughed, and his laughter made betha laugh, and when she laughed her eyes sparkled.

[poorquentyn]

Could u possibly link to an explanation of your eldritch apocalypse ? also ik you'd just be speculating but who/what do u think will defeat Euron ? ...Dany ? Sam ... ? Bran... ?

The theory’s evolved over time, which you can see in the link above; it started here, though. As for Euron’s fate: as both Margaery and the Reader tell us, he’s already made committed enemies of Willas and Garlan Tyrell, and given that we have to meet the former and (see Highgarden) at some point and that GRRM has said he has big plans for both brothers, I think they’ll lead the resistance to him on the ground.  After Euron’s “black and bloody tide” hits Oldtown, Highgarden has to respond in force, and we’ve got our Reach native Sam to serve as a POV, one who can tell the Tyrells the stakes of what’s happening given what he’s seen beyond the Wall. 

Meanwhile, it seems likely that there’s going to be an anti-Euron uprising of some kind on the Iron Islands while he’s busy in the Reach. Damphair’s not around to lead his promised revolt, which will probably delay it, as will the lack of POVs there for the moment…but when Theon and/or Asha return, they’ll undoubtedly rally the Reader, Dagmer Cleftjaw, the drowned men, etc. against Erik Ironmaker. 

As for taking down the Crow’s Eye himself and reckoning with the metaphysical consequences of his actions, however, yeah, I think that’s on Dany and Bran. As I’ve said a couple times before, Euron is a nightmarish mirror of both of them, an enemy designed to operate on their level and bring their arcs to a head. 

RE Dany, Euron is closer to the true spirit of the Valyrian dragonlords than she is. His apocalypse is rooted in Valyria pre- and post-Doom: the armor, the chattel slavery, and the desire to bend metaphysics to his will. After all, according to Dany herself, the Valyrians used “sorcerous horns” to bind dragons to their will. He’s linked to her through the shade of the evening, through his plans for her and her dragons, through his presence in her dreams:

Beneath her coverlets she tossed and turned, dreaming that Hizdahr was kissing her…but his lips were blue and bruised, and when he thrust himself inside her, his manhood was cold as ice.

And no matter what Dragonbinder does, Dany will be moved in some way to respond to the attempt, and Euron will make his pitch. Given the turn regarding “fire and blood” Dany took upon her return to the Dothraki Sea, I think she’ll be tempted, but ultimately reject and burn Euron, marking her turn against the Others he unleashed with the Horn of Winter and marking her break with the worst aspects of her heritage.  

RE Bran, Euron is Bloodraven’s bad seed, the Boy Who Lived Flew…but then chose the Others over humanity. By learning how to save the world and then doing it, Bran will make the opposite choice, because it’s not your abilities but your choices, Harry, etc. Bran loves his family and wants desperately to reunite with them; Euron preys on his family, and they hate and fear him. But as with Dany, Euron is a cautionary tale for Bran, a warning of where he might go if he indulges the worst aspects of his power. Personally, from how Robin is described, I think he was Euron’s Hodor. Worth noting that there are many parallels between Euron and Varamyr, and that while Varamyr escapes his human body’s death, he then gets his ass kicked in a warg-duel with Bran; might be foreshadowing, a minor boss testing your skills before the endgame one. 

[poorquentyn]

Do you think Euron's valyrian armor is legit? I've seen people claim it to be a glamour, but is such a fine so had to imagine a man as mad and fearless like Euron stumbling upon while in the ruins of valyria? Also do you think that the big part George had for willas in later books was he might be the one to defeat Euron and the ironborn? It kinda seems like he and his brother are being set up for a showdown with Euron and his ironborn.

1) I think it’s legit, especially when put in context with Dragonbinder (and that egg he mentions, with which he might’ve paid for Balon’s death). The theory that it’s a glamor IMO misunderstands the performative/genuine dichotomy in Euron’s characterization. Euron’s glamor (metaphorically speaking) is his performed Ironborn identity: the “smiling eye,” the pirate suit, the self-aware parodic eyepatch beneath which he keeps hidden his true self. And that true self (the Crow’s Eye) has tapped into the real sublime sorcerous soul-searing shit, over and over again, ever since Bloodraven showed him how to fly. 

2) Yes, I thoroughly agree with this (though I think Dany strikes the final blow), and indeed Eldritch Final Boss Form Euron v. Willas the Wise and Garlan the Gallant is one of the developments I’m most eagerly anticipating in the final books. 

“The roses?” Nute laughed. “What rose can harm the krakens of the deep? We have taken their shields from them, and smashed them all to pieces. Who will protect them now?”

“Highgarden,” replied the Reader. “Soon enough all the power of the Reach will be marshaled against us, Barber, and then you may learn that some roses have steel thorns.”