Apple Martini, on 23 February 2012 - 05:03 PM, said:
It is a fantasy series, but that doesn't mean that "it's magic!" is the cause or excuse for everything. If anything, I think it's the opposite: A lot of what's put down to magic is the result of human agency. If you notice, a lot of things can be seen in prophecy, but that alone isn't enough to cause them. The leeches being a prime example. The leeches did absolutely nothing; Melisandre saw future events in her fire but that does not mean that she could influence them, only see them. She needed a way to "prove" her power to Stannis so she made up the theatrics with the leeches.
Magic should theoretically be able to alter causality on a deeper level. Given what she's been able to do so far, I would say her cursing people to die in seemingly uncorrelated ways would mean that fundamentally, far less matter is being manipulated than when she creates freaking shadow demons, as she is using existing compositions of atoms as chess pieces rather than creating something from scratch. And Melisandre very rarely sees accurately. Her failure rate is absurd. Mathematically, manipulation of causality is more likely. Plus, Mel believes so strongly in the powers of her god I cannot imagine her wanting to entrance him into a state of deeper belief, she has and would prefer to simply show him. That's why she wants people to believe in him. And Stannis can't really be further indoctrinated than he is, man. He knows what the red god can do. Holy shit, the theory doesn't make any psychological sense, though I suppose more unbelievable decisions have been made in IAF.
I am sorry but though your theory is great and arguably the most likely, it isn't the only physically plausible explanation in my humble opinion. Until she explicitly states in a POV that it was a ploy to manipulate him then it's up in the air, which for a lot of plot set pieces in IAF is the closest we get to a opaque affirmation, I do admit.
I personally find the idea that everything is the design of R'hllor's plans interesting as GRRM said he got some inspiration from The Iliad and gods in that often led men into the thrall of their caprice, their wars would manifest in the dispute of mortal swords. So while the great other and R'hllor play their game, the characters are the dominoes in their gambling suite being tipped into each other or like weapons they use to fight a duel.
I think it would make her seem far less disturbing and mysterious if your theory was correct, and that's what GRRM is going for with magic in the series.
edit: I didn't read the date correctly... My mistake.
Edited by Jarlix, 04 June 2013 - 03:20 AM.