The Thing About Robert's Bastards

[Buried Treasure]

We are going to have to agree to disagree there. To me the swords are no more than trappings of power, and particularly good tools of warfare. And I don't think of Gendry's smithing as being overly important either, other than as a skillset that makes him more useful than the average poor chump trying to survive in the Riverlands. He had talent but I do not believe he ever reached the point in his training where he was let on on the secrets of Valyrian steel?

Even the whole Lightbringer thing is something I am not greatly interested in (although consequently something I'm not too strong on the facts about). In this universe prophecy becomes true but prophets are faulty. The prophecy of AAR has a provenance unknown us so who knows how corrupted it is, and how much truth there is in the idea of there being a sword of heroes.

[Bael Abel]

As for Edric Storm, Aegon the Conqueror raised his (rumored) bastard half brother Orys to be the first Lord Baratheon, who married the Storm King's daughter. I wouldn't be the least surprised if (f)Aegon finds the little bastard and befriends him, because everyone who meets Edric loves him except for Stannis. Robert was known for making friends of his enemies, and Edric is described as a little Robert. Stannis wouldn't support (f)Aegon in a million years, giving (f)Aegon a very solid pretext to declare Stannis a usurper and legitimize Edric to gain the support of the Stormlands.

[Hippocras]

We are going to have to agree to disagree there. To me the swords are no more than trappings of power, and particularly good tools of warfare. And I don't think of Gendry's smithing as being overly important either, other than as a skillset that makes him more useful than the average poor chump trying to survive in the Riverlands. He had talent but I do not believe he ever reached the point in his training where he was let on on the secrets of Valyrian steel?

Even the whole Lightbringer thing is something I am not greatly interested in (although consequently something I'm not too strong on the facts about). In this universe prophecy becomes true but prophets are faulty. The prophecy of AAR has a provenance unknown us so who knows how corrupted it is, and how much truth there is in the idea of there being a sword of heroes.

I have a different take.

I think the swords are like metaphors for the families that hold them in these books. What happens to them matters because it is symbolic of the paths of the families themselves.

Blackfyre, a bastard sword, went to a bastard and the decline of the Targaryen dynasty followed.

Dawn is in hiding while the Daynes have no one to wield it with Edric in the BwB.

Ice was split in two and forced into hiding by the Lannisters.

Longclaw became the temporary bastard sword of another bastard, and may go to another Stark as it is very possible Rickon and Lyanna Mormont will join up.

Oathkeeper will one day, finally, find its way to Sansa.

[Hippocras]

As for Edric Storm, Aegon the Conqueror raised his (rumored) bastard half brother Orys to be the first Lord Baratheon, who married the Storm King's daughter. I wouldn't be the least surprised if (f)Aegon finds the little bastard and befriends him, because everyone who meets Edric loves him except for Stannis. Robert was known for making friends of his enemies, and Edric is described as a little Robert. Stannis wouldn't support (f)Aegon in a million years, giving (f)Aegon a very solid pretext to declare Stannis a usurper and legitimize Edric to gain the support of the Stormlands.

Agree except, I don't think Stannis particularly dislikes him either. He basically didn't try to know him at all because he thought he had to burn him. So he put up an emotional wall and made no effect to know him or even say his name. But that moment in time is over and he has nothing against Edric now.

I do really think fAegon will use him though.