Finished all the audiobooks, so decided it was finally safe to look at GoT stuff on the internets again. This season is going to be sooooo good, the end of book 3 is my favorite part of the series by far.
I think that a lot of the changes made in the show were for the best - like cutting characters, changing motives. I do agree that the changes in Robb's character were not handled very well though. The books really portray him as a kid that is in way over his head and doing his best to live up to his father's name. The show makes him look like an arrogant doucher.
I'm extremely pumped about book six. With all the setting up and everything from 4 and 5, there is no real choice but a shitload of action and major events in book 6.
Did it bother anyone else that they only talk about a lot of stuff second hand in the book? Like when Lorace took Dragonstone and was wounded - they just mention it. I remember some other shit like that happening as well. It would be cool to see that stuff in the series.
So about Jon Snow. There is big time talk that he might be Raegar's son with Lyana...I never really picked up on this in the books. Can someone give me some clarity on this? The dragon has three heads and all that, and we know about two already. I kinda hope that Brann plays a bigger role than it seems like he will. I always wanted him to get near enough to the dragons to take control of one. And also, fuck Ramsey Snow. I was hoping to see Jon march on Winterfell with an army of Freefolk and kill that motherfucker.
So about Jon Snow. There is big time talk that he might be Raegar's son with Lyana...I never really picked up on this in the books. Can someone give me some clarity on this? The dragon has three heads and all that, and we know about two already. I kinda hope that Brann plays a bigger role than it seems like he will. I always wanted him to get near enough to the dragons to take control of one. And also, fuck Ramsey Snow. I was hoping to see Jon march on Winterfell with an army of Freefolk and kill that motherfucker.
Rhaegar "kidnapped" Lyana and kept her in the tower of pleasure or whatever it was called. Then when Ned and Howland marched in on that place Lyana was already dying (I forget if they gave a reason for that) but all that is said is that there was a lot of blood (pregnancies are bloody, yeah? I honestly don't know....). And when she dies Ned keeps a secret promise for her that NO ONE else apparently knows. And when Ned comes back from all that he suddenly has a kid? Ned is too honorable to have a bastard. So, it'd make sense that Jon is the son of Lyana and Rhaegar and that'd be kept secret 'cuz Robert wanted EVERY Targarayen(whatever) dead. So, Ned kept it secret to allow his dead sisters son to live. Something like that. That's how I read it. Also, Brann controlling dragons is a dope idea. I want that to happen now.
So about Jon Snow. There is big time talk that he might be Raegar's son with Lyana...I never really picked up on this in the books. Can someone give me some clarity on this? The dragon has three heads and all that, and we know about two already. I kinda hope that Brann plays a bigger role than it seems like he will. I always wanted him to get near enough to the dragons to take control of one. And also, fuck Ramsey Snow. I was hoping to see Jon march on Winterfell with an army of Freefolk and kill that motherfucker.
Rhaegar "kidnapped" Lyana and kept her in the tower of pleasure or whatever it was called. Then when Ned and Howland marched in on that place Lyana was already dying (I forget if they gave a reason for that) but all that is said is that there was a lot of blood (pregnancies are bloody, yeah? I honestly don't know....). And when she dies Ned keeps a secret promise for her that NO ONE else apparently knows. And when Ned comes back from all that he suddenly has a kid? Ned is too honorable to have a bastard. So, it'd make sense that Jon is the son of Lyana and Rhaegar and that'd be kept secret 'cuz Robert wanted EVERY Targarayen(whatever) dead. So, Ned kept it secret to allow his dead sisters son to live. Something like that. That's how I read it. Also, Brann controlling dragons is a dope idea. I want that to happen now.
I understand all of that, but the thing that makes me skeptical about the whole theory is that they state several times in the books that Jon looks JUST like Ned, much more than any other of his children. I don't recall any of the book descriptions of Lyanna saying she looked just like Ned, so I'm skeptical that Jon would look so much like Ned if he wasn't his son.
So about Jon Snow. There is big time talk that he might be Raegar's son with Lyana...I never really picked up on this in the books. Can someone give me some clarity on this? The dragon has three heads and all that, and we know about two already. I kinda hope that Brann plays a bigger role than it seems like he will. I always wanted him to get near enough to the dragons to take control of one. And also, fuck Ramsey Snow. I was hoping to see Jon march on Winterfell with an army of Freefolk and kill that motherfucker.
Rhaegar "kidnapped" Lyana and kept her in the tower of pleasure or whatever it was called. Then when Ned and Howland marched in on that place Lyana was already dying (I forget if they gave a reason for that) but all that is said is that there was a lot of blood (pregnancies are bloody, yeah? I honestly don't know....). And when she dies Ned keeps a secret promise for her that NO ONE else apparently knows. And when Ned comes back from all that he suddenly has a kid? Ned is too honorable to have a bastard. So, it'd make sense that Jon is the son of Lyana and Rhaegar and that'd be kept secret 'cuz Robert wanted EVERY Targarayen(whatever) dead. So, Ned kept it secret to allow his dead sisters son to live. Something like that. That's how I read it. Also, Brann controlling dragons is a dope idea. I want that to happen now.
As an aside - everyone please excuse my inability to spell anything from the series. Having listened to the audio books, I'm just going to be doing it all phonetically until I catch on
I forgot about the secret and the lack of how/why she died. Up until now it didn't make sense that he would keep it a secret - of course Robert would have killed him. I kinda feel stupid about that now. Don't know if I'm entirely on board with that theory, but it makes much more sense to me now. If that is what ole' George is planning, here's hoping they don't fuck it up Lost style and change it because the fans were on the right track...
Ned was honorable, but I could see him having a bastard and living with the shame by bringing him home and raising him out in the open like that. Plus, that would add another strong parallel between he and Robb - just trying to be honorable and do the right thing until dishonorable people inevitably exploit that and kill them. Book Robb, anyhow. Show Robb was just thinking with his wiener.
And Brann inside the mind of one of those dragons would be supremely amazing. I've been hoping for that as soon as he started becoming more powerful as a warg - they crippled his ass but gave him this power, I assumed they were going to do something incredibly rad with it. Not that being a greenseer/one of the Old Gods/the 'evil' god to oppose the red god isn't very rad as well...
I understand all of that, but the thing that makes me skeptical about the whole theory is that they state several times in the books that Jon looks JUST like Ned, much more than any other of his children. I don't recall any of the book descriptions of Lyanna saying she looked just like Ned, so I'm skeptical that Jon would look so much like Ned if he wasn't his son.
I can see that - I mean, they make a huge deal out of all the Targarayens looking essentially alike. Of course, I guess that could be mostly explained by the incest and the recessive genetic traits they would pass along in a 'pure' bloodline. I recall them saying that Jon and Arya are the only ones who looked like Starks, so I guess that means that Jon looks alot like Ned, but if the Starks have such a distinct appearance, then Lyanna probably shared many of those features as well.
I forgot about the secret and the lack of how/why she died. Up until now it didn't make sense that he would keep it a secret - of course Robert would have killed him. I kinda feel stupid about that now. Don't know if I'm entirely on board with that theory, but it makes much more sense to me now. If that is what ole' George is planning, here's hoping they don't fuck it up Lost style and change it because the fans were on the right track...
Ned was honorable, but I could see him having a bastard and living with the shame by bringing him home and raising him out in the open like that. Plus, that would add another strong parallel between he and Robb - just trying to be honorable and do the right thing until dishonorable people inevitably exploit that and kill them. Book Robb, anyhow. Show Robb was just thinking with his wiener.
Varys' bargain with Ned: remember when Varys got honorable Ned Stark to falsely admit treason and except exile at the Wall to save his loved ones? Varys made the calculation that Ned might tell a lie out of love. You suppose Varys wouldn't have known if Rhaegar had knocked up Lyanna? He knew perfectly well or within reasonable precision what had happened, and had an informed guess on how Ned would behave given the option. Now if not for fucking Joffrey . . .
Why did Ned have to fight off Kingsguard? Remember the hazy tales of Ned going with Howland Reed to get Lyanna at the tower? Fought off at least one, and IIRC, two Kingsguard knights. What the fuck would they have been there if there was no one of Targaryan blood there? No strategic importance, no siege underway. Why did Ned go basically alone? Why didn't Robert go with him after his stolen fiancé? Speculatively I see Varys' hand in getting Ned down there to get Jon out of the spotlight. Even with Kingsguard, a known Targaryan heir is in big trouble at that point. Safety in anonymity. Makes a bit more sense with direct communication between the two, but that doesn't seem to work with their dealings in the first book.
Gone Fission wrote:Below is full book series speculative spoilers, as in conclusions not yet put in the books, much less TV. Don't open them if you're not down.
I forgot about the secret and the lack of how/why she died. Up until now it didn't make sense that he would keep it a secret - of course Robert would have killed him. I kinda feel stupid about that now. Don't know if I'm entirely on board with that theory, but it makes much more sense to me now. If that is what ole' George is planning, here's hoping they don't fuck it up Lost style and change it because the fans were on the right track...
Ned was honorable, but I could see him having a bastard and living with the shame by bringing him home and raising him out in the open like that. Plus, that would add another strong parallel between he and Robb - just trying to be honorable and do the right thing until dishonorable people inevitably exploit that and kill them. Book Robb, anyhow. Show Robb was just thinking with his wiener.
Varys' bargain with Ned: remember when Varys got honorable Ned Stark to falsely admit treason and except exile at the Wall to save his loved ones? Varys made the calculation that Ned might tell a lie out of love. You suppose Varys wouldn't have known if Rhaegar had knocked up Lyanna? He knew perfectly well or within reasonable precision what had happened, and had an informed guess on how Ned would behave given the option. Now if not for fucking Joffrey . . .
Why did Ned have to fight off Kingsguard? Remember the hazy tales of Ned going with Howland Reed to get Lyanna at the tower? Fought off at least one, and IIRC, two Kingsguard knights. What the fuck would they have been there if there was no one of Targaryan blood there? No strategic importance, no siege underway. Why did Ned go basically alone? Why didn't Robert go with him after his stolen fiancé? Speculatively I see Varys' hand in getting Ned down there to get Jon out of the spotlight. Even with Kingsguard, a known Targaryan heir is in big trouble at that point. Safety in anonymity. Makes a bit more sense with direct communication between the two, but that doesn't seem to work with their dealings in the first book.
Good points about Varys and the kingsguard. It does seem pretty odd that he went alone to rescue his sister when he could have gone with an army, or at least that drunken monster Robert. I really like the Varys character. Up until everything you find out in book five, I never really knew if he had the good of the realm in mind, or was just a sociopath like Baelish (who is sometimes one of my favorite characters). I will be very interested to see what happens with the whole Sansa and Harry (Henry?) the heir storyline...
So I bought the Fire and Blood red ale that Ommegang brewed for the show. Pretty tasty. It's definitely different than most red ales I've had - definitely has Belgian characteristics to it. And they added chilies, which you can't really taste, but is a nice touch given the inspiration for the brew.
To me, Robb was justice. He was fucking everyone up, and then things started going a lil' south for him, but then Frey was all like "pfft, don't worry about it," and in my mind I'm like sweet but den he di.
