The Woods Witch prophecy. A gigantic red herring?

[Sansa_Stark]

So apparently its said Aerys and Rhaella marriage was arranged because the Prince That was Promised would be born from their line.

According to a Woods Witch(who is very likely the GHH am I correct?)

But the problem with this is that we've never actually heard said prophecy(unless Barristan WOW chapter has it). I mean, people have been debating for years who Sansa's giant is. So why assume Barristan(if he even knows it) and the Targaryens got it correct?

For all we know the prophecy could be referring to Lyanna's "promise me"

Therefore Jon is a promised prince, but not the prince that was promised.

My point is, could this indicate that this whole AAR/PTTP thing is a red herring?

Opinions?

[Queen‍‍‍‍‍‍ Alysanne‍‍™]

I think AAR is a red herring as in Mel's interpretation of his destiny is wrong however I am unsure of APTWP

[WeirwoodTreeHugger]

You never know. It could be that GRRM doesn't want us to hear the prophecy verbatim yet because there's something overly revealing in it.

[Queen‍‍‍‍‍‍ Alysanne‍‍™]

You never know. It could be that GRRM doesn't want us to hear the prophecy verbatim yet because there's something overly revealing in it.

Good point and also nice avatar :p

[Sansa_Stark]

You never know. It could be that GRRM doesn't want us to hear the prophecy verbatim yet because there's something overly revealing in it.

It could be overly revealing, yes.

Or it could be painfully unremarkable as well.

I'm just curious as to why we've never heard this prophecy.

[J. Stargaryen]

If it was meant to be a red herring I think we'd have some idea about that by now. All indications are that the tPtwP will be either Jon or Dany who, coincidentally, both come from the line of A&R.

Also, and Promise me, Ned and the Prince that was Promised are likely clues that work together, for the benefit of the reader.

[Sansa_Stark]

If it was meant to be a red herring I think we'd have some idea about that by now. All indications are that the tPtwP will be either Jon or Dany who, coincidentally, both come from the line of A&R.

Also, and Promise me, Ned and the Prince that was Promised are likely clues that work together, for the benefit of the reader.

I think this is going to make it even more of a TWIST if we find out these prophecies aren't true at all.

Marwyn doesn't trust the AAR prophecy. Its mostly p vague anyways.

[Queen‍‍‍‍‍‍ Alysanne‍‍™]

TGOHH mostly talks in symbols, thats why they got the dragon being born at summerhall wrong.

So there is always the possibility of the targs also getting this one wrong.

[J. Stargaryen]

I think this is going to make it even more of a TWIST if we find out these prophecies aren't true at all.

Marwyn doesn't trust the AAR prophecy. Its mostly p vague anyways.

Ever since M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense, a mystery hasn't been good enough for audiences. Now a mystery with a twist is required – a twystery.

[Alistair's Pantaloons]

I hope so. Prophecy is a pathetic excuse for character motivation. Martin has a lot of prophecies floating around, which if they come true, will be highly disappointing.

[Sansa_Stark]

I hope so. Prophecy is a pathetic excuse for character motivation. Martin has a lot of prophecies floating around, which if they come true, will be highly disappointing.

lolf

If Rhaegar helped start a war and died by Robert's hammer for no positive results, then I don't see how anyone can praise him

[shiola]

I think many of the prophecies are either "self-fulfilled" once heard by characters, OR they're just red herrings to begin with.

[Alistair's Pantaloons]

lolf

If Rhaegar helped start a war and died by Robert's hammer for no positive results, then I don't see how anyone can praise him

I have no praise for that harp-playing clown. He's like Viserys with a better upbringing.

[Queen‍‍‍‍‍‍ Alysanne‍‍™]

I have no praise for that harp-playing clown. He's like Viserys with a better upbringing.

hahahahah :lmao: :thumbsup:

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

You never know. It could be that GRRM doesn't want us to hear the prophecy verbatim yet because there's something overly revealing in it.

I honestly think this is it. We only get different pieces of the prophecies, from different angles, but never any of the "big" (AA/PTWP) prophecies in their entirety. I really do think that this is because getting the "whole" story would give too much away. I also think that people within the story also only know bits and pieces and come to their conclusions based on that.

As for the prophecies themselves, I don't think we're dealing with a giant "psych," a dead end or anything like that. I think the prophecies themselves are broadly accurate, in that they will be fulfilled somehow. Rather than write off the prophecies as fakes or big nothings, I think it's more productive to look for three things: 1. red herring solutions within the story ("It's Aegon! No it's Stannis! No it's Dany!"), 2. subversions on the ultimate role of AA/PTWP (what if AA ends up being a villain?) and 3. different, less-obvious ways for the prophecies to be fulfilled; more mundane fulfillments.

I don't think the lesson of the books is that prophecy is a crock of shit. I think the lesson is that prophecy is ultimately self-fulfilling, that it can destroy you if you allow it to consume your life, that it can be fulfilled in out-of-nowhere-yet-logical ways and that people will see what they want to see but get what they get.

[Sansa_Stark]

I don't think the lesson of the books is that prophecy is a crock of shit. I think the lesson is that prophecy is ultimately self-fulfilling, that it can destroy you if you allow it to consume your life, that it can be fulfilled in out-of-nowhere-yet-logical ways and that people will see what they want to see but get what they get.

I agree with this.

Its why I think Melisandre is so wrong.

[Lyse Stark]

“Not that I would trust it. Gorghan of Old Ghis once wrote that a prophecy is like a treacherous woman. She takes your member in her mouth, and you moan with the pleasure of it and think, how sweet, how fine, how good this is . . . and then her teeth snap shut and your moans turn to screams. That is the nature of prophecy, said Gorghan. Prophecy will bite your prick off every time.” – Archmaester Marwyn

This exactly. Anyone who tries to fulfill prophecies will get it wrong every time. So also these who try to keep the prophecies from being fulfilled.

[bemused]

Yep! Apple said a mouthful..I've always felt that if nothing happens to save the world from a life destroying threat, who's going to know? ... But if someone ,or a few someones should find a way to avert disaster ( even if they never find a flaming sword ) believers will say , Aha! the signs were there , all along.. ( is anyone keeping a count of all the examples of salt , smoke , bleeding stars ?)

This is not to say that I don't think people can have true visions. I think they can, but interpretation is everything.

[Daendrew]

For all we know the prophecy could be referring to Lyanna's "promise me"

Therefore Jon is a promised prince, but not the prince that was promised.

You just blew my mind.

[jet199]

Just looking at the way the GHH gives her prophesies to the brotherhood tells you she was always going to be misinterpreted. Readers can workout what she means quite easily but for people who don't know what is going on everywhere her visions are just confusing.