The Answer Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 I think the individual gods (the Other, the Storm God, the Stranger, the Faceless God, He Who Shall Not be Named) may all point towards the same overarching principle that the books seem to wrestle with: universal death and decay. I don't necessarily see the Great Other as a direct or literal 'god' of the Others, but rather as a more abstract force of death, just as the Others/White Walkers are death-in-the-flesh in some sense.I think Melisandre is 'onto something' through her faith in the Red God, just as the Faith is 'onto something' when relating to the Stranger: they are different responses to the same phenomenon. But I also think that Melisandre is misguided in important ways. She's right in identifying the key danger - the Others, winter and darkness - but her own fanaticism clouds her judgment.Picture perfect reply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wawa15 Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 This might be a crackpot theory, but i think the great other is bloodraven and eventually bran...it fits good with the religious aspect too. Plus bran is told to never fear the darkness and that it will make him stronger, while melisandre and her religion is always going around saying fear the darkness and all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Answer Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 No, it's definitely a crackpot theory. But I love these so keep em coming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat of the Canal Girl Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 We have to use some words to refer to whatever force R'hllor is opposed by. Whether it's one thing or a million things or a force that can't be measured by anything doesn't matter.We could call it "Entity XYZ" if we want. "The Great Other" is as good as any other phrase that can be conjured up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mother of The Others Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 I think Melisandre is 'onto something' ... But I also think that Melisandre is misguided in important ways. fanaticism clouds her judgment.It's rare that we get answers like this from the character in question herself! My user name makes me similarly qualified to put this question to rest:fanaticism is what makes Melisandre ASSIGN a god from her pantheon to the Others. In her fires she seems to have zeroed in on Bloodraven, sensed his power, and assigned him a role in her religion's scheme of things, when really we as readers of the entire series know better. We know that the northern gods (BR) aren't the problem that's facing the realms of men. We've seen the agents of the northern gods (Coldhands) fighting the agents of the Others. Resisting their onslaught. So the key to unraveling this Great Other B.S. is to realize Melisandre is seeing everything through the filter of her faith. She doesn't know what the hell's really waiting out there in the cold. And that's scary. So she thinks of it in the familiar terms she does know. We haven't heard a damn thing from the Others about what their actual command structure is. Oh, wait, I've just received word that they're about to start a press conference to clarify all of this----let's listen in to hear what they have to say:from The Spokesperson of The Others: ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Groat Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 Ok when there were the "Others" I immediately thought of Lost. Then the "Great Other" made me think of Lost again when the survivors found out there were "other Others". LOLzAm I alone in my insanity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Answer Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 Ok when there were the "Others" I immediately thought of Lost. Then the "Great Other" made me think of Lost again when the survivors found out there were "other Others". LOLzAm I alone in my insanity?who, Benjamin Linus? I used to live for that showBut let me tell you all something about The others/great other...They mean business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FittleLinger Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 I too think it's just a deity, for the threat should be personified. He doesn't exist, just like Rhlorr doesn't. White walkers being real and red priests having real power doesn't prove that there are beings "Rhlorr" and "Great other".One thing I need to point out is that I don't think the Stranger is the Great Other's equivalent in the seven's faith. The seven is not a dualistic religion - all seven gods are the face of one, the Stranger is not the one who should be defeated or something to that effect. A real world analogy - if the seven is christianity, then the Stranger is a part of the trinity (the Holy Spirit maybe), and not the devil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naik2902 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 its like alien vs predator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephew of Dragons Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 It's rare that we get answers like this from the character in question herself! My user name makes me similarly qualified to put this question to rest:fanaticism is what makes Melisandre ASSIGN a god from her pantheon to the Others. In her fires she seems to have zeroed in on Bloodraven, sensed his power, and assigned him a role in her religion's scheme of things, when really we as readers of the entire series know better. We know that the northern gods (BR) aren't the problem that's facing the realms of men. We've seen the agents of the northern gods (Coldhands) fighting the agents of the Others. Resisting their onslaught. So the key to unraveling this Great Other B.S. is to realize Melisandre is seeing everything through the filter of her faith. She doesn't know what the hell's really waiting out there in the cold. And that's scary. So she thinks of it in the familiar terms she does know. We haven't heard a damn thing from the Others about what their actual command structure is. Oh, wait, I've just received word that they're about to start a press conference to clarify all of this----let's listen in to hear what they have to say:from The Spokesperson of The Others:Why aren't all responses crafted with this much reason? Excellent thoughts, and constructed so neatly!I agree with everything above. I've read posts on this forum that that appear to anticipate a reveal of the "true God(s)," along with (and this was surprising) a great battle of deities for dominion over man and earth. I've found that most careful readers see each faith as the equal to the next, and that their differences have only to do with cultural lens through which you interpret magic and miracles. Melisandre's magic will show her many things, but it's our socially constructed human mentalities that will offer a value judgement about what things mean. She might see Bran and BR in the flames and she will "shudder," but it's good to remind ourselves that the shudder is a human response to visions provided by magic, and one might have very little to do with the other. No pun intended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redlirpa Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Could the Great Other be the Nights King, who was actually a Stark? I thought that when I read about him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Damian Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Well, the others/wights/ old white haired blue eyed men that create animated frozen zombies seem to be able to be "dealt" with. Craster, even the Night's King married a female other so there is a logical conclusion they the "others" possibly have some hierarchy in their ranks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pero the first of His name Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 One could argue that according to the latest GRRM interview The Great Other is most likely:http://postimg.org/image/wrymhzeuz/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordStoneheart Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Not only the word "other" but also, Mel sees Bloodraven and Bran and thinks "Is this my enemy?" But its almost universal on here that Mel is a crackpot who at best can glamour and see tiny glimpses of the future that she interprets wrong.I never for a second believed that the Great Other was the leader/king/god/sororitymother of the White Walkers. That's just Mel being... idk an uneducated fanatic. A slave.If the Others are just pure evil, that'll be fine with me, but most tend to agree they have some sort of endgame. I hope its to kill humans and take back the land that was stolen from them, with the CotF by their sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Alysanne™ Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Maybe the great other is an Ice dragon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pero the first of His name Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Maybe the great other is an Ice dragonGRRM clearly states his dragons are not too sapient creatures but mostly just killing machines.I do not think Ice dragons would be very different in that matter.The Great Other is http://postimg.org/image/wrymhzeuz/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Alysanne™ Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 GRRM clearly states his dragons are not too sapient creatures but mostly just killing machines.I do not think Ice dragons would be very different in that matter.The Great Other is http://postimg.org/image/wrymhzeuz/LOL is this for real? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pero the first of His name Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 LOL is this for real?Very real.Its something like only it goes "What killed the dragons?? The Winter!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Stargaryen Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 <snip>I have always had a tiny crackpot idea that the Unsullied Goddess, She Whose Name Shall Not Be Told to Non-Unsullied, is actually the antithesis to R'hllor...meaning the Unsullied are the enemy of those who worship fire. The Unsullied have the essence of the life - their manhoods- cut and tossed on fire, their training includes tortures like being made to walk on hot coals and stand in blistering heat. They honor the goddess by purifying themselves in water each day. Water is obviously in stark contrast to fire.This post, and another like it in a different thread, are both very intriguing wrt to the "Great (M)other" idea. Nice connections, DP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manting Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 As far as I am concerned, there is no evidence that R'hllor exists, much less the Great Other. The fact that the Red Priests have magic does not, of necessity, make their god real. Then why do all the red priests we see have magical powers? Thoros, Melissandre, and Morroqo - all have proven magical powers. R'hllor is real. The old gods also have power which has been proven - the three eyed crow, brans powers, Jojens powers, and the fact that Bloodraven is somehow kept alive by tree roots. Oh and that the entrance to the caves beyond the wall where Bran is possesses magical wards that keep out the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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