44 replies to this topic

[Turkey Jack]

Illyrio was a fighter maybe he saw himself in Bewlas and trusted him more than Barristan, who knows maybe Bewlas will be one of the betrayals

[Water Dancing]

Mumatil, on 20 February 2012 - 02:25 PM, said:

Whenever I think of Strong Belwas, he reminds me of one of those cartoonish stereotypes of an arab gaurd or something in Aladdin.

THIS

[jarl the climber]

Turkey Jack, on 20 February 2012 - 06:48 PM, said:

Illyrio was a fighter maybe he saw himself in Bewlas and trusted him more than Barristan, who knows maybe Bewlas will be one of the betrayals

He will betray her for a lifetime supply of Liver and Onions.

[Net-Viper X]

Belwas is a total badass pitfighter, but I don't have much faith in the guy once it comes time for battlefield wars. Hes a total badass in the arena, but in there its usually a balanced fight and its over fast. A big fat guy like that would probably tire quickly, and after hours of constant fighting on the battlefield he would be dragging his feet if he was still on them at all.

Also his habit of letting the enemy cut him before the fight begins is going to bite him first time he fights a man with poison or rust on his spear tip or his wound gets infected like Drogos did. Having a belly cut in the arena gets cleaned and tended fast in a semi-sanitary enviroment, out in the field, those same wounds will be left to fester without proper means to keep it clean.

And also like Barristan said, pit fighters don't make good bodyguards for all the reasons he mentioned. The best thing I could see Dany using Belwas for is precisely what he was used for at Meereen, to kick the ass of enemy fighters and champions one on one. He would also be great for trial by combat, use him as your champion and you are innocent every time.

Of course this is all a bit of a moot point at the moment, last time we saw the guy he was withered away to almost nothing from those poison locusts but no doubt he will recover in time, he was quite hardy.

As to his loyalty, I think it has something to do with him being a slave most his life and her being a person who frees slaves. She is like a hero to him in a way and so he follows her devoutly. She seems so passionate and driven by her desire to do the right thing, and thats probably something Belwas isn't used to seeing where he comes from as everyone is interested in power, money, etc and don't care about the little people, let alone the slaves. Dany treats everyone like a human being until they prove themselves otherwise. Its like what Varys said about Ned, that he forgets that Ned is a truely honorable man because he has never actually met someone like that before in Kings Landing. Belwas has never met anyone like Dany before and her outlook and personality is refreshing to him and inspires loyalty. I don't believe that Belwas will turn on her, more likely at this point he would turn on Illyrio if it came to that.

[The Red Crow]

Strong Belwas is quite something! Really enjoy his character.

Regarding his loyalty, never really thought to immediately question it myself. I suppose he follows her on account that he can be his real self as an individual and fighter, instead of an image that he is required to follow in order to please others.

[seeyouintee]

If nothing else he makes a hell of a bodyguard(food taster?)

[Joffrey Baratheon]

I think the point of Strong Belwas is he's just an extremely capable fighter with no western ties but not very intelligent. He seems like someone who just goes with the flow and doesn't have any ambitions of his own is why no one really questions him. It'd be highly unlikely for him to betray anyone in my opinion.

[Artos Stark]

IMO Khrazz would kill Belwas and eat his heart, so I don't see him as super badass.  I think hes a badass fighter though but any good knight would cut him down.

[Darth Pipes]

Strong Belwas is awesome!  I remember being disappointed because he was barely mentioned in Dany's chapters until the later ones.

Agreed about Strong Belwas letting people cut him is going to bite him in the ass.  He ever tried that with someone like The Red Viper...

Edited by Darth Pipes, 21 February 2012 - 11:22 PM.

[Grip]

Strong Belwas is someone you want in the frontlines of an attack. For example he is the kind of guy who would be amongst the first to storm a breach in a wall , like Thoros and Jorah at Pyke. Of course with him not really wearing armor this would get him killed but you get my meaning. Too use him as a bodyguard is wrong imo, he isnt suited for it. He should either be in the front ranks or just be a champion of Dany like he was when he killed that guy during the duel outside Mereen (?).

[Joffrey Baratheon]

Artos Stark, on 21 February 2012 - 11:09 PM, said:

IMO Khrazz would kill Belwas and eat his heart, so I don't see him as super badass.  I think hes a badass fighter though but any good knight would cut him down.

These arguments seem to be a little unfair. People think characters like Strong Belwas wouldn't be able to win against a knight because of armor. Give Strong Belwas a set of plate armor and a warhammer and see what happens.

[Artos Stark]

Grip, on 21 February 2012 - 11:28 PM, said:

Strong Belwas is someone you want in the frontlines of an attack. For example he is the kind of guy who would be amongst the first to storm a breach in a wall , like Thoros and Jorah at Pyke. Of course with him not really wearing armor this would get him killed but you get my meaning. Too use him as a bodyguard is wrong imo, he isnt suited for it. He should either be in the front ranks or just be a champion of Dany like he was when he killed that guy during the duel outside Mereen (?).

I disagree.  I think being a guard is what he is more suited for.  He is more likely to have a one on one fight this way, which is what he is used to.  He also isn't asked to work as a unit with others which is what he would be asked ot do in a van.  From what we know Belwas has very little war experience, I just don't know how well his fighting style would transfer to a Westeros style war.  I could see the knights riding him down within seconds.  He would be much more suited to be a Champion like he was used in the books and in a rear guard.

[Artos Stark]

Joffrey Baratheon, on 21 February 2012 - 11:41 PM, said:

These arguments seem to be a little unfair. People think characters like Strong Belwas wouldn't be able to win against a knight because of armor. Give Strong Belwas a set of plate armor and a warhammer and see what happens.

The armor is exactly why Belwas would lose, we saw the same thing with Khrazz.  Khrazz was faster and stronger than Barristan but his lack of skill fighting against a man with armor was his downfall.  This would happen to Belwas as well as he just isn't used to fighting men in armor.

You can't just give Belwas armor and a knights weapon and expect hiim to all the sudden fight like a knight, it takes tons of training to become a knight and i seriously doubt Belwas would change his ways enough to learn, just judging from his actions in the books.  You don't know what would happen, the armor would without a doubt slow him down and as we saw in the books he was dodging his opponent at the last possible second, with armor he's getting a lance to the chest because he's slowed down.  Also Belwas has likely never used a war hammer so we don't know how well he would wield it.  Do you really expect Belwas to put on armor anyway?

[atia-]

My opinion is....if he was sent along with Barristan to help Dany, then he must be valuable as hell.

[Jadiecat]

You guys made me rethink Strong Belwas. I never seriously considered that he might be the new plant!

He's probably slick and intelligent.

Never trust a man who speaks in the third person.

Barristan seems true and trustworthy, but I wondered if he might end up being the "love betrayal guy" if indeed Septa Lemore is Ashara Dayne--since never acting on his love seems his great regret. Might that induce him to support Young Griff, partly fror love of Ashara?

Maybe the whole kicking him out of the Kings Guard was a staged ruse, and he's still being mindlessly loyal whoever sits on the iron throne.

Maybe the treachery doesn't involve killing or undercutting Dany until she's served a certain purpose for someone's interests.

You guys are making me paranoid.

[Free Northman]

Why do people rate Areo Hotah as such a great fighter?

[dark sister]

Free Northman, on 22 February 2012 - 03:44 AM, said:

Why do people rate Areo Hotah as such a great fighter?

Because he is.  Arianne tells Ser Arys of the KG to beware Areo, b/c "he is terrible when he roused" -- this is the princess whose uncle is the Red Viper.  

Dornish fighters in general seem very fierce and quick, and they don't seem to use as much armor as other Westerosi knights, which not only gives them speed but also shows a certain lack of fear of getting wounded, or perhaps confidence in their martial skillz.  

Areo wears NO armor, sleeps with his six foot axe, and has a reputation in the Dornish court for being pretty much invincible.  

When we get his own POV, he is supremely confident of being able to take down anybody -- when he sees Arys, he regrets the day when they'll fight, b/c he thinks of how his head will go flying with one sweep of his axe (lo and behold, that very thing happens) and when Obara tries to bypass Hotah to get to Prince Doran when he is sitting in the Water Gardens, he thinks "she will not pass", and regrets the possibility of fighting her; his thoughts are that Obara believes she can take him, but it'll be her blood on the pink marble.  

He is also captain of the Prince's guards -- that says something in itself.  He is sort of like Doran's 7-in-1 KG, except absolutely loyal, devoted, and non-manipulative.

[dark sister]

Oh, and my favorite part re: Belwas is when he brings down the fancy pink-and-white "knight", then shits in the city's general direction.  I laugh every time I read that scene. Not only is that incredibly funny because it's so outrageous, but also, this guy can void his bowels on command.  Then he uses the guy's cloak to wipe his arse.

That's impressive.

[Independent George]

The Duke, on 20 February 2012 - 02:27 PM, said:

This series will not be complete if we don't get a Strong Belwas/Areo Hotah fight at some point.

Meh.

What I want is a talk show with Strong Belwas and Hodor.

[Talleyrand]

Darth Pipes, on 21 February 2012 - 11:21 PM, said:

Agreed about Strong Belwas letting people cut him is going to bite him in the ass.  He ever tried that with someone like The Red Viper...

An entire bowl of poison just stalled him for a while what can one wee cut do?