redriver Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Hugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheButcherCrow Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Always remember when talking about The Others that when asked about their culture GRRM said, "I'm not sure if they have a culture". If he's not sure, the rest of us are pwned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mithras Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 After 5 giant books, we still have no clue about their motives. This is one of GRRM's big mistakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadrich Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 After 5 giant books, we still have no clue about their motives. This is one of GRRM's big mistakes. Well, actually I quite like the mystery about them. Strongest kind of fear, is fear of the unknown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redriver Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 The Iron Throne,it's theirs by rights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric_20 Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 After 5 giant books, we still have no clue about their motives. This is one of GRRM's big mistakes. Disagree, its one of those mysteries that make the reader want to read or or want to know more, it builds suspence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Raven Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Exactly. They've cast a long shadow over the novels and we know virtually nothing about them. I'm keenly curious of what's going to happen in the uncharted Lands of Always Winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Stark Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Disagree, its one of those mysteries that make the reader want to read or or want to know more, it builds suspence. I completely agree with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo cool Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Symbolically I see them as the Great Threat to human kind, just as human kind is a threat to them. Westerosi people are too busy fighting each other and virtually nobody is paying any attention to the wall or what's north of it, in a dark mirror on our own world: we create enemies among our neighbors but fail to focus on the real threat: human activity is profoundly shifting our ecosystem and it might kill us all. Like someone mentioned, the Others are elemental beings, "stepping up" each time the great equilibrium is in jeopardy. They might inspire fear and be regarded as evil, but it is only a human/westerosi/essosi perception. This or they are evil indeed (and want to take over the world), but that would be sooo dull and it would hardly fit the asoiaf's anti-archetype standard IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJIM Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 All i know is that if they are one-dimensional i will be extremely disappointed. This series has been great in throwing curveballs at us. Nothing is as it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Random Farmer Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 They want a good tax policy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phonzadellika Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Candy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zbaxrl Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Methinks they are just of force of nature like what was unleashed at the Stepstones and the Neck. The have no agenda of their own.I also dont think the big baddie will be revealed in the last chapters, as in we already know somethings about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordToo-Fat-to-Sit-a-Horse Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 A steady supply of babies. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Not Appearing Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 BRRRAAAIIIIIINZZZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayura Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Symbolically I see them as the Great Threat to human kind, just as human kind is a threat to them. Westerosi people are too busy fighting each other and virtually nobody is paying any attention to the wall or what's north of it, in a dark mirror on our own world: we create enemies among our neighbors but fail to focus on the real threat: human activity is profoundly shifting our ecosystem and it might kill us all. Like someone mentioned, the Others are elemental beings, "stepping up" each time the great equilibrium is in jeopardy. They might inspire fear and be regarded as evil, but it is only a human/westerosi/essosi perception. This and also I think they had a pact with the First Men that is being disregarded and they're raising their army because the North didn't remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Jaime Lannister Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 I have two possible examples to draw upon that I think are interesting. First I thought about a historical context that GRRM might be drawing upon. The main one that came to mind is the Hunnic invasion of Europe. The Wildlings would be playing the role of the Visigoths, a people being driven out of their homelands by some other, much more powerful force. The Huns had no motivation to rule over the lands they conquered, they simply wanted to sack and raid to grow their own wealth and power. In a way the Others could be like this, an overwhelming force finally coming together by the beginning of a new winter, with a motivation to stretch their legs and destroy all thats around them. This doesn't really solve the motivation question however but brings some thoughts to the table. The second thing that came to mind were cicadas and locusts. Cicadas are known to have life-cycles that lead them to emerge from the ground after a prolonged period of time to mate. I almost imagine the Others to act in a similar fashion, emerging from the ice at the outbreak of winter. Now they probably aren't emerging to mate (though who knows, could be an interesting documentary...) but perhaps turning the living to wights fills some deep seeded need for a type of procreation. They also exhibit locust tendencies of swelling their population to their available food source, leaving widespread devastation behind. Other random musings: I think their motivations and state of mind must be linked to the ritualistic, maybe even spiritual, designs they make in the snow out of body parts (the designs always reminded me of ancient Celtic practices). None of what has been stated yet even goes into the huge discussion of if the Others are synonymous with "the Great Other" from the religion of R'hllor what might that say about their goals? Also their acceptance of Crastor's arrangement might lead one to conclude their ultimate goal may not simply be death. They continued to spare his life along with his daughters given he appease their true desire, his infant sons. This might mean there is something to the blood of the innocent, or who knows but if their goal was simply to bring death to everyone it wouldn't make sense that they'd be interested in this situation. One more thing I just thought about, if the Night's King could fall in love and actually have an ongoing relationship with one of the Other's... that actually says a lot to their character... 1st post? Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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