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The "Winged Wolf" A Bran Stark Re-read Project - Part II ASOS & ADWD


MoIaF

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I apologize for posting so late and the fact that the analysis is a bit shorter than I intended it to be, but it should contain some interesting points nonetheless.

Part 2: Comparison as Mentors

Well done IbF! Another excellent essay

Another difference, which is rooted in the different kind of mentor relationships, is the tone in which many of their conversations are held. As Bran's guardian Luwin is generally softer with Bran. He is often times stern, but also very understanding, as outlined above. He takes Bran's age into account and tries to console him if necessary. Jojen on the other hand is very harsh when it comes to telling Bran something he needs to know in his opinion

That is a nice difference you pointed out and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that Jojen has a greater knowledge of "world ending" things than Luwin. If Luwin got visions that pointed to Bran being the Winged Wolf, would he be harsher and more forthright?

You must put these dreams aside, they will only break your heart.”

This is a wonderful little quote from Luwin that perfectly sums up how he feels for Bran. He cares for him as a father cares for a child. His first concern in Bran's emotional well being. I actually wonder if Luwin felt any guilt over not being able to "fix" Bran. There was nothing he could do to restore his legs and seeing Bran being carried around in a little basket/cage everyday is a reminder that he could not "save" his Lord's son, and someone Luwin considers to be like a son.

I think Jojen caring for Bran is the thing that convinced me of the 3EC's good intentions. But 3EC could be hiding something significant from Jojen, showing him only what he wants/needs him to see in order to deliver Bran north of the Wall. 3EC could be using this to his advantage. :dunno:

I don't think the 3EC is responsible for Jojen caring for Bran. You can't force emotions on to anyone, at least no naturally. So if the 3EC is responsible for Jojen's feelings of friendship toward Bran, then it's magical manipulation and I think speaks to the 3EC's devilish nature and not his angelic side.

But I don't think the 3EC is responsible at all. Jojen is just a good boy who cares for someone that he knows has a very hard path in front of him.

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I don't think the 3EC is responsible for Jojen caring for Bran. You can't force emotions on to anyone, at least no naturally. So if the 3EC is responsible for Jojen's feelings of friendship toward Bran, then it's magical manipulation and I think speaks to the 3EC's devilish nature and not his angelic side.

But I don't think the 3EC is responsible at all. Jojen is just a good boy who cares for someone that he knows has a very hard path in front of him.

I also don't think so. I do, however, think that he is taking advantage of those feelings. I realise I was not so clear in my initial post.

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I also don't think so. I do, however, think that he is taking advantage of those feelings. I realise I was not so clear in my initial post.

Ah, now that seems more likely. And shows, to me, that the 3EC is willing to do whatever it takes to get Bran to come to him, no matter the causalities.

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Hey guys. I know we're still discussing the Jojen-Luwin essays but I was wondering if it's okay for me to post my chapter analysis later this evening. I will not be able to do it over the weekend. Please let me know. Thanks in advance.


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I also don't think so. I do, however, think that he is taking advantage of those feelings. I realise I was not so clear in my initial post.










Ah, now that seems more likely. And shows, to me, that the 3EC is willing to do whatever it takes to get Bran to come to him, no matter the causalities.





For BR to be in any way manipulating Jojen's feelings, he would have to be the one sending Jojen the greendreams. Is that the consensus? It's an interesting idea, and one that hadn't occurred to me before.


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For BR to be in any way manipulating Jojen's feelings, he would have to be the one sending Jojen the greendreams. Is that the consensus? It's an interesting idea, and one that hadn't occurred to me before.

The best defense I have at the moment is this. I don't think it's consensus, though. On my part it's a bit of crackpottery and doubt. Until we know BR's full intentions, I am resevrving some doubt.

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The best defense I have at the moment is this. I don't think it's consensus, though. On my part it's a bit of crackpottery and doubt. Until we know BR's full intentions, I am resevrving some doubt.

Thank you for the link, that's a brilliant post, even if we don't necessarily see eye to eye on everything. It's a shame the thread is locked,

but that's what one gets for being late to the party.

There are so many things we simply cannot be certain of, it's really infuriating at times. Regarding BR, I don't think he is manipulating Jojen's feelings.I don't think Jojen's greendreams come from BR; rather, I've always saw it as all these powers - ie, greensight, greendreams, skinchanging/warging etc - as coming from one 'place', for lack of a better word.

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Hey guys. I know we're still discussing the Jojen-Luwin essays but I was wondering if it's okay for me to post my chapter analysis later this evening. I will not be able to do it over the weekend. Please let me know. Thanks in advance.

Im okay with it. I think people need time to catch up on reading some of the recent essays, so having a longer time in between your essay and next weeks might be good?

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Hello! So sorry everyone. I had never read the Hobbit or LOTR and after BQs analysis a few weeks ago I figured I should in preparation for my Varamyr chapter. I've been completely lost in Middle Earth since. I'm finally out and caught up on everything that's been posted.





A Storm of Swords



Bran I



No matter where he went, to Karhold or White Harbor or Greywater Watch, he’d be a cripple when he got there. He balled his hands into fists. “I want to fly,” he told them. “Please. Take me to the crow.”



Great analysis BQ and very good follow up by all. This was truly the first chapter that Bran seemed, for lack of a better term, bratty. The thought, "little shit" popped into my head several times. I think that may have been the point to the tone of this chapter. To gently guide readers to entertain different feelings about Bran and prep us for the possibility of him loosing his sweetness.




Jojen and Luwin


a comparison of two mentors



Excellent job IbF! On both parts, truly insightful.




I have a question...have we been told in the text specifically that Jojen is Howland's heir? I know it's customary for the first born son to be first in line but thus far the Reeds do things differently. ie, Meera being a trained hunter. I know they were introduced at the harvest feast as "'The Lady Meera of House Reed...with her brother Jojen of Greywater Watch". That suggested to me that Meera was the heir but I don't recall anything specific that said yay or nay. Not that it matters to what we're talking about now, just curious.


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Hello! So sorry everyone. I had never read the Hobbit or LOTR and after BQs analysis a few weeks ago I figured I should in preparation for my Varamyr chapter. I've been completely lost in Middle Earth since. I'm finally out and caught up on everything that's been posted.

Oh my goodness. I don't know if I should apologize or take it as a compliment. Welcome back to the real Earth.

Great analysis BQ and very good follow up by all. This was truly the first chapter that Bran seemed, for lack of a better term, bratty. The thought, "little shit" popped into my head several times. I think that may have been the point to the tone of this chapter. To gently guide readers to entertain different feelings about Bran and prep us for the possibility of him loosing his sweetness.

I do agree. He's growing up and slowly entering pre-teen ages (ugh) but he's growing up alone, bitter, resentful, scared, "abandoned," and kicked out of his house. I definitely get the mentality of needing to be strong, but like so many people who face "life on the streets" (as it were), Bran makes questionable decisions.

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Oh my goodness. I don't know if I should apologize or take it as a compliment. Welcome back to the real Earth.

lol, well you brought it my attention that Tolkien had wargs and skinchangers so I owed it to myself and all you lovely ppl to read up. I can't half-ass things. But I think I should thank you, time very well spent.

Yes ma'am. I think that's what I love about this re-read so much. Breaking down every on-page second of this little guy and watching him grow, change and become something else.

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A Storm of Swords: Brandon II


He offered them oatcakes and blood sausage and a swallow of ale from a skin he carried, but never his name; nor did he ask theirs.



Chapter Summary


Brandon, Summer, Hodor, Jojen and Meera are still travelling north. Aware that Ramsay Snow and other non-friendlies might be hunting them, they choose to trek away from the Kingsroad and hide themselves in the hills, which soon turn into mountains.



They experience frequent periods of starvation, nights of bitter coldness, and many a day when they find themselves lost. But thanks to the small mercies granted by either the old gods, or the universe or mere chance, they have the eye of the Ice Dragon to guide them on their journey, and they soon come across a mysterious yet kind stranger. The unnamed man, who is most likely a Liddle of the hills, shares his meagre provisions and serves them even better by confirming their fears (of being hunted prey). He also vaguely declares himself a staunch friend of the scattered Starks and then departs without further incident. After this, Bran and his companions continue north, or so they hope.



The day soon proves itself warm for one in autumn and Bran begs the Reeds for a lively tale, hopefully one that chronicles the exploits of a gallant knight and not a love story at all. Meera tells the tale of the year of the false spring, of the knight of the laughing tree, and of other political goings-on, the implications of which seem to presently elude Bran. Having heard the story and then suggesting a few corrections that could make it more traditional and perhaps even better, he concedes that it was still one he enjoyed. And having heard of the magical nature of the Green Men of the Isle of Faces, Bran once more dreams of being granted his wish to be a knight.



Observations, Connections and Other Stray Things


-- Bran informs the Reeds that his father’s mother’s mother was a Flint of the mountains.


-- Jojen solemnly yet confidently states that the wolves will come again.


-- Bran silently makes a vow to repay the stranger for his kindness of giving him and his companions shelter, bread and salt, so to speak.


-- Hodor’s name is revealed to be Walder. Hodor is only something he says.


-- Bear Queen previously pointed out Bran’s association with broken towers. It could be worth noting that the Freys have the twin tower as their sigil. Additionally, a Frey knight and squire make prominent appearances in the tale of the year of the false spring.


-- The travelling stranger describes Ramsay Snow as a walking dead on the hunt for other walking dead.



Scope, Limitations and Chapter Analysis


Steeped in rumour and legend, anonymity and often necessary deception, this chapter is both mysterious and revealing, a paradox if there was ever one in Bran’s life. As a possible result of this, few obvious themes regarding Bran’s character are explored. These include, but possibly go beyond:


-- His naivety and persistent hope.


-- His connection to nature and warging abilities. Also worth analysing are his powers of observation and his apparently excellent memory.


-- This chapter stresses the duality of existence—ice and fire are two sides of the same coin. While this is not a theme unique to Bran’s story arc, he remains the only main character who has it explicitly and repeatedly stated in his chapters.



Much of the rest of the chapter focuses on revealing previously unknown, merely speculated and sometimes daydreamt [by the late Eddard Stark] events of the ever mysterious Rhaegar and Lyanna saga. As a result of this, it will be the case that the analysis sometimes strays from Bran rather significantly.



Follow the Eye of the Ice Dragon, Beyond the Wall, Deep into the Far North


When they lost their way, as happened once or twice, they need only wait for a clear cold night when the clouds did not intrude, and look up in the sky for the Ice Dragon. The blue star in the dragon’s eye pointed the way north, as Osha told him once.



For fear of being recognised and captured, Jojen suggests to his travelling companions that taking the Kingsroad to go beyond the Wall would be quite foolish, given the conspicuous group they make. They follow his suggestion with reluctance and it is later revealed that in the case of Bran, there is just a dash of resentment involved. In Bran’s eyes, the Kingsroad ensures a much quicker journey to the three-eyed crow. And he thinks the three-eyed crow to have the same immediate goals as he—either restoring the full use of his legs or giving him wings with which to fly.



The added bonus of the little grandfather’s unsettling wisdom is that it leads them down a path of scenic splendour. Granted, it is the kind that can be enjoyed from the safety of reading of the majesty from ink letters on white pages and not from experience. Meera and Jojen’s words illustrate this perfectly:


“Up and down,” Meera would sigh sometimes as they walked, “then down and up. Then up and down again. I hate these stupid mountains of yours, Prince Bran.”


“Yesterday you said you loved them.”


“Oh, I do. My lord father told me about mountains, but I never saw one till now. I love them more than I can say.”


Bran made a face at her. “But you just said you hated them.”


“Why can’t it be both?” Meera reached up to pinch his nose.


“Because they’re different,” he insisted. “Like night and day, or ice and fire.”


“If ice can burn,” said Jojen in his solemn voice, “then love and hate can mate. Mountain or marsh, it makes no matter. The land is one.”


“One,” his sister agreed, “but over wrinkled.”



In addition, the beauty of the land is painted with almost every description. It appears to be an untouched land, natural in every way possible:


No roads ran through the twisted mountain valleys where they walked now. Between the grey stone peaks lay still blue lakes, long and deep and narrow, and the green gloom of endless piney woods. The russet and gold of autumn leaves grew less common when they left the wolfswood to climb amongst the old flint hills, and vanished by the time those hills had turned to mountains. Giant grey-green sentinels loomed above them now, and spruce and fir and soldier pines in endless profusion. The undergrowth was sparse beneath them, the forest floor carpeted in dark green needles…


…It goes on and on as the travellers follow the unmoving eye of the Ice Dragon.



It might be interesting to note that a real-life Ice Dragon parallel exists.


The northern-sky constellation of Ursa Minor, Latin for little bear, has a particularly notable star named Polaris. This star appears to stay motionless in the northern sky; all other stars seem to move around it and it serves as a useful reference point when travelling along the north-south direction line.



Only one eye of the Ice Dragon is mentioned. It is more than a stretch but it cannot be ignored that Bran is following the eye of a dragon in order to reach a one-eyed dragon…or a three-eyed crow, as he has taken to calling himself.



It is also possible that thematic and narrative parallels of the Ice Dragon constellation may be found in this children’s novel by Martin (1980).



They Turned the Little Crannogman into a Knight, Even If It Was Only for a Day


“If we took the kingsroad we could be at the Wall by now,” Bran would remind the Reeds. He wanted to find the three-eyed crow, so he could learn to fly.



Hope can be a dangerous thing. Given the unfortunate way Bran’s life has unfolded itself in the past months, it can also be foolish, beautiful, and very necessary. But still dangerous more than anything else. This in no way reduces the different layers of his personality. If anything, it magnifies his complexity because his holding on to his childhood can seem irresponsible and as is the apparent opinion of some readers, quite annoying.



Such is his endurance and resilience that he can lament his circumstances in one moment and dream of flying in the next. The complicated thing is that neither of these facets exists independently. It may be presumptuous, but it may also be prudent to suggest that his innocence and naivety are born from some of the most basic human emotions: entitlement, impatience and desire (not the sexual sort in his case), as is suggested by the quoted above. And although he is relatable and his troubles and wishes are understandable, his actions and choices continue to be rather questionable.



Even while sleeping through freezing nights on an empty stomach, often being lost without knowing what lies ahead, risking possible capture and other worse fates, Bran continues to be a sanguine-eyed boy, despite repeatedly reassuring himself that he is almost a man grown.



Perhaps the culprit of this naivety may be Bran’s significant encounter with the supernatural. Coupled with Jojen’s experiences, this makes for a pair of children who are possibly chasing red swans where none exist. More questionable in their actions is that neither boy expresses having at least considered that the three-eyed crow could be one of either of the following: a fraud (the classic wizard behind the curtain), malevolent, or non-existent.



Jojen, whose is seemingly trustworthy and whose intentions look to be unquestionable, obviously knows more than the readers and Bran. He has seen things in his dreams and in this chapter he states, There are dreams and dreams, my lord.” Yet he never states the contents of these dreams and when he does, it is with cryptic words that can only be confirmed with the advantage of hindsight. These dreams that compel him to deliver Bran to the three-eyed crow are as mysterious as they were on the day he was introduced. It seems necessary to ask the question: is it a case of the blind leading the blind, the blind leading the ignorant, or is the author simply keeping both Bran and the readers in the dark for the dramatic effect of grand revelation? Whatever the answer, Bran’s hope is once more visible by his trust in the three-eyed crow and this journey which at it this point closely resembles that undertaken by Victarion on his quest for dragons.



Beyond that and more in line with the attainable, Bran’s thoughts stray to his youngest brother with more than a touch of wishful thinking. It is very endearing that he imagines Rickon to be presently seated near a warm hearth and with food in his belly, among friends, in less danger than he (Bran) currently is. In a nutshell, even with everything that has happened in his life, he is still just a boy and he dreams as a child should.



He Tried and Tried, Until the Eagle Vanished


Bran closed his eyes and gave himself up to the wolf dream, to the smells and sounds of midnight.



The bond between Bran and Summer continues to grow with each warging. It makes sense that after spending his entire day in a basket on Hodor’s back, Bran should want to explore the land they are travelling when given the opportunity. So he frequently and freely discards what he thinks of as a broken body and submits himself to wolf dreams.



Apart from the Starks, the only other known wargs live among the Wildling tribes—people also rumoured to boast the blood of the First Men. Maybe because the Wildlings are a superstitious people, maybe because they practice their religion with greater fervour than those who reside south of the Wall, or maybe it makes no difference since the result is the same—there are more numerous and adept wargs among the Wildlings than there are south of the Wall. Given the quoted below, where Bran fails to achieve what we have seen at least two Wildlings do, it may be necessary to revisit this well-trodden path of examining Bran’s warg talent.



Bran lifted his head and saw it [an eagle], its grey wings spread and still as it floated on the wind. He followed it with his eyes as it circled higher, wondering what it would be like to soar about the world so effortless. Better than climbing, even. He tried to reach the eagle, to leave his stupid crippled body and rise into the sky to join it, the way he joined with Summer. The greenseers could do it. I should be able to do it too. He tried and tried, until the eagle vanished in the golden haze of the afternoon. “It’s gone,” he said, disappointed.



This analysis will attempt to prove that Bran’s physical disability is the main contributing factor to the growth of his warging talent. A look into three of his siblings’ relationships with their respective direwolves can serve well to examine this idea. Firstly, we have Robb and Grey Wind. Robb’s dying scene suggests that he shared a supernatural bond with his direwolf. However, Robb is never revealed to have been as adept at warging as Bran currently is; it is only through the author's words that one can confirm that the boy was, in fact, a warg. Readers know through the source material that Robb had reached a relationship stage at which he did not trust Grey Wind. This limited trust could have been the most significant limiting influence in inhibiting Robb’s warging ability. Also worth noting is that unlike Bran, Robb was an accomplished fighter. He was the stuff of legends and songs: noble-born, handsome, confident, and most importantly—whole. Robb does not need to discard his body. Bran does.



Secondly, there is Jon and Ghost. Jon’s struggles are mostly emotional as opposed to physical; he constantly examines his identity and his place among his peers. And like Robb, he is adept with a sword, and is now a Brother of the Watch, tested and approved. Furthermore, he projects his dreams beyond his own self i.e. conciliating the Wildlings tribes and the Northerners and fighting an impending supernatural war. His relationship with his direwolf is difficult to fully decipher since in every sense of the word, Ghost is the silent type. But given that Jon is not as dependent (especially in terms of mobility) on others as Bran is, it makes sense that the former rarely shows the desire to leave his body.



Arya is the most fascinating since she is the only one geographically separated from her direwolf (for longer than a few hours or weeks). It seems that in her case, the warging ability can transcend great distances. However, it hardly ever seems that she explores it intentionally. But like her aforementioned brothers, she is able-bodied and is in the process of acquiring several lethal skills.



Would Bran feel so compelled to leave his body if it were not “broken?” And assuming that his green-nature is something, if not the primary thing, that maintains the three-eyed crow’s interest in Bran, would he still be interested if Bran were not quite so special. In other words, would Bran be as useful to the three-eyed crow if he were an “un-broken” boy? And given the quoted excerpt, how far can and will Bran’s abilities extend? Will they be enough to keep him alive?



At Winterfell We Called Them Lords, but Their Own Folk Don’t


The Umbers are mostly east of the kingsroad, but they graze their sheep in the high meadows in summer. There are Wulls west of the mountains along the Bay of Ice, Harclays back behind us in the hills, and Knotts and Liddles and Norreys and even some Flints up here in the high places.”



It is possible that Bran’s knowledge of Westerosi House words and sigils is what inspired the mystery that cloaks much of this chapter. The author appears to use the intelligence of the concerned main character to trick the audience into waving away some of the most obvious deliberate deceptions in the entire series. From the moment the Liddle of the mountains invites the travellers into his cave, to the moment every character in Meera’s tale is introduced by a code name, the reader has to work for every clue. And Bran never stops Meera so that she can elaborate on the identities. This could be the result of one of three cases:



(1) Bran already knows who the characters are.


(2) He thinks they are fictional and it will make no difference whether or not he knows [1].


(3) He considers the overall story to be more important than the individual characters.



Whatever the thematic significance, it may be worth praising the author for possibly planting Bran’s knowledge of Westerosi culture in the reader’s mind just moments before the tale of the year of the false spring commences, thus justifying the anonymity achieved there without drawing too much attention to Bran’s complacency.



Remember Old Nan’s Stories, Bran, Part of Her Will Always Be Alive in You


“Old stories are like old friends, [Old Nan] used to say. You have to visit them from time to time.”



Disclaimer:


Where to begin? I think it will be better if I assume the first person voice since there will be more speculation than usual on my part. I sincerely apologise to those who prefer the third person format.



In this section of the analysis I will attempt to draw parallels between Bran and the Travelling Crannogman. The parallel will be extended to include Rhaegar Targaryen as his story bears a subtle resemblance to that of Bran and the Crannogman. This will be done with the ultimate goal of shedding some light on the purpose of Bran’s journey in mind. Please note that I do not, in any way, suggest that this is absolute truth. However, this venture seemed necessary since the adventures of the travelling Crannogman form part of the majority of this chapter, thus suggesting some relevance to Bran. You are more than welcome to suggest alternative narrative and thematic significances.



This is how Meera begins the tale of the travelling Crannogman:


“Once there was a curious lad who lived in the Neck. He was small like all crannogmen, but brave and smart and strong as well. He grew up hunting and fishing and climbing trees, and learned all the magics of my people.”


Bran was almost certain he had never heard this story. “Did he have green dreams like Jojen?”


“No,” said Meera, “but he could breathe mud and run on leaves, and change earth to water and water to earth with no more than a whispered word. He could talk to trees and weave words and make castles appear and disappear.” [… … …]


“The lad knew the magics of the crannogs,” she continued, “but he wanted more. Our people seldom travel far from home, you know. We’re a small folk, and our ways seem queer to some, so the big people do not always treat us kindly. But this lad was bolder than most, and one day when he had grown to manhood he decided he would leave the crannogs and visit the Isle of Faces.”



In A Storm of Swords, after Daenerys asks Ser Barristan to tell her something of Rhaegar, this is what he says (Martin, 2000):



As a young boy, the Prince of Dragonstone was bookish to a fault. He was reading so early that men said Queen Rhaella must have swallowed some books and a candle whilst he was in her womb. Rhaegar took no interest in the play of other children. The maesters were awed by his wits, but his father’s knights would jest sourly that Baelor the Blessed had been born again. Until one day Prince Rhaegar found something in his scrolls that changed him. No one knows what it might have been, only that the boy suddenly appeared early one morning in the yard as the knights were donning their steel. He walked up to Ser Willem Darry, the master-at-arms, and said, ‘I will require a sword and armour. It seems I must be a warrior.’


In each case we have a young man who finds comfort in his strangeness. But then comes a day when said young man, through his strangeness, discovers a truth about himself that prompts him to embark on a transformative journey. In certain respects, each journey resembles Campbell’s Monomyth. The unnamed Crannogman goes in search of the Green Men—the guardians of the Isle of Faces. (The isle is situated in the lake named the Gods Eye and it is where the Pact was ‘signed’). We know nothing of what the guardians taught and told the Crannogman. And most conspicuously, Meera says to Bran after he asks whether or not the traveller met the Green Men,Yes, but that’s another story, and not for me to tell. My prince asked for knights.” Meera also agrees with Bran’s idea that Green Men are good, but notably withholds an elaboration on the subject. In the end all we know is that the Crannogman spent the entire pre-false-spring winter on the isle, and that the start of the false spring heralded his departure. His travels then led him to the famed tourney of Harrenhal.



From what Maester Aemon tells Samwell Tarly, Rhaegar tried to bring forth a prophesied hero that would be instrumental in saving Westeros from a prophesied tragedy. Not much else is known and what is known is speculation, albeit, the majority of which has been formulated by some of the most astute readers. So in a way, the tourney of Harrenhal seems to be where Rhaegar’s own transformative travels led him. This conclusion is drawn with the assumption that Rhaegar’s actions at Harrenhal precipitated Robert’s Rebellion, the end of the Targaryen Dynasty, and the birth of Jon Snow. The current political landscape of Westeros and the development of some of the primary characters could very well be the domino results of these initial conditions. In the most simplistic terms, remove the tourney of Harrenhal (where all the smiles died), and we have a different series.



Some of the more significant things to happen at the tourney are as follows: the only confirmed meeting of Rahegar and Lyanna Stark (apart from the alleged kidnapping), Lord Tywin Lannister resigned as the Hand to King Aerys II Targaryen; Jaime Lannister was officially sworn into the order of the Kingsguard. And finally, assuming that the Travelling Crannogman is Howland Reed, this is possibly where he and Eddard Stark first struck their famous friendship. What draws Bran’s attention from all these other happenings, though, is the wish of the small, strange Crannogman to be a part of the merriment of the tourney, his desire to belong:


“…The crannogman had never seen such pageantry, and knew he might never see the like again. Part of him wanted nothing so much as to be part of it.


Bran knew that feeling well enough. When he’d been little, all he had ever dreamed of was being a knight. But that had been before he fell and lost his legs.



Beyond his wish to belong, Bran is invested in the more knightly adventures of the Crannogman. These include an assault on the traveller by three unnamed squires, and being saved by a two-legged she-wolf. The events eventually lead to the appearance of The Knight of the Laughing Tree. Bran nodded sagely at this. Mystery knights would oft appear at tourneys, with helms concealing their faces, and shields that were either blank or bore some strange device. In this case the device upon the knight’s shield was a heart tree of the old gods, a white weirwood with a laughing red face. After he bested the knights served by the squires, the mystery knight required discipline as fitting punishment for the squires and reward for him-or-herself. Thus the little crannogman’s prayer was answered…by the green men, or the old gods, or the children of the forest, who can say? Much like the stranger who shared his food with Bran and his travelling companions, the mystery knight disappeared from Harrenhal without further incident and the only thing left of him was a shield abandoned in a tree.



Bran then proceeds to perform a brief analysis of Meera’s now concluded story. The thing that stands out is that despite his insistence that he was not at all interested in a love story, he seems disappointed that the mystery knight did not win the tourney and marry a princess. Despite his insistence of the opposite, Bran enjoys romantic tales. The first and subtler kind of romanticism he practices is his belief in the existence of two kinds of knights i.e. the good and the bad. His assessment suggests that these polar opposites are destined to fight one another, with the good eventually triumphing. The second and more obvious kind is the presence of a fair princess or another form of subtle reward for all the knight’s gallant troubles. I can quote several lines in the chapter but I think the most noticeable is this:



“Was she a fair maid?” [bran asked with regard to the lady whose title of Queen of Love and Beauty was being defended by five of the competing knights].



It appears that in his acceptance of the romantic tropes that exist in the tales of his world, Bran is still willing to sacrifice some of them, even if subconsciously. An entire debate can ensue from this subject alone. My personal opinion is that Bran is a product of his environment. He is a male child living in a medieval-esque world and therefore expected to cherish such ‘traditionally masculine’ traits as combatant prowess and bravery. Things like love and beauty, when stated explicitly, are reserved for females. There is even a title to emphasise the importance of the latter set of traits. What I find more interesting is that a knight is the one to fight and triumph so that he can bestow a woman with this title.



Meera answers Bran’s question of the fairness of the maid in an elaborate manner, giving birth to a rather interesting debate between these two.


She was,” said Meera, hopping over a stone, “but there were others fairer still. One was the wife of the dragon prince, who’d brought a dozen lady companions to attend her. The knights all begged them for favours to tie about their lances.”


“This isn’t going to be one of those love stories, is it?” Bran asked suspiciously. “Hodor doesn’t like those so much.”


“Hodor,” said Hodor agreeably.


“He likes the stories where the knights fight monsters.”


“Sometimes the knights are the monsters, Bran. The little crannogman was walking across the field, enjoying the warm spring day and harming none, when he was set upon by three squires. They were none older than fifteen, yet even so they were bigger than him, all three. This was their world, as they saw it, and he had no right to be there. They snatched away his spear and knocked him to the ground, cursing him for a frogeater.”


“Were they Walders?” It sounded like something Little Walder Frey might have done.



As soon as the idea of the absolute purity of all squires (and by extension, knights) is challenged, Bran audibly rebuts by asking if the squires who harassed the Crannogman were Walders—people he does not hold in high regard to begin with. He then internally reassures himself of this, thus guaranteeing that the image he has built of squires (and knights) and their honour remains as minimally tarnished as possible. Which drives us back to the point of romanticism.



“That was a good story. But it should have been the three bad knights who hurt him, not their squires. Then the little crannogman could have killed them all. The part about the ransoms was stupid. And the mystery knight should win the tourney, defeating every challenger, and name the wolf maid the queen of love and beauty.”


“She was,” said Meera, “but that’s a sadder story.”



As far as we know of the sadder story, nearly a year after the events of the tourney Lyanna died begging her brother to keep a still unrevealed promise, that same brother’s life was saved by Howland Reed, and Rhaegar was slain on the banks of the Trident with a woman’s name on his lips.



In conclusion to this section, Bran, the Travelling Crannogman and Rhaegar embark on journeys that challenge their respective natures and convictions, be it reverence for knightly valour, acceptance of otherworldly uniqueness, or uncommon thirst for knowledge, each journey leads the concerned characters through paths they had not initially intended. Additionally, each journey, in one way or the other, takes them through the Tourney of Harrenhal. It could be the case that the revelation shown to Rhaegar in the scrolls is related to whatever was revealed to the travelling Crannogman on the Isle of Faces. It could also be the case that it was revealed to us in this chapter, embedded in the many codes and mysteries. Was it the crowning of the she-wolf? Or the events that followed? Hopefully, it will be explicitly revealed as Bran continues to travel north, or when he finally reaches his destination.



Other Seemingly Important Points of Discussion


The day was growing old by then [after Meera concluded her tale], and long shadows were creeping down the mountainsides to send black fingers through the pines.



(1) In 281 AC (before the famed tourney), the winter of Westeros took a break and spring dawned. After the events of the tourney, winter returned, thus giving the false spring its name. Judging from the sporadic comparisons Bran makes between the day Meera tells her story and the ones before it, the day of the story appears to be warmer. But as the chapter comes to an end, the chill of autumn (and the approach of winter) returns. It appears that this day mirrors the year of the false spring.



(2) The Reeds are insistent that Bran must have heard the tale at one point or another. He has not and this appears to trouble Jojen. What troubles me is that Bran never asks why he should know it. He never asks of its importance. And the Reeds never say.



(3) This is fodder on several threads. I have been trying to avoid it but it has finally caught up with me.


Bran liked to watch [Meera], admiring her quickness, the way she sent the spear lancing down and pulled it back with a silvery trout wriggling on the end of it.


Perhaps Bran is too young to have fallen in love. I still cannot help but wonder, though.



Conclusions


In this chapter of mystery and hidden names, rumour and legend, Brandon, Meera and the author give us samplings of historical events that judging by the efforts taken to convey the details as modestly as possible, will be very important in the happenings that come. As his broken body is carried north by his attendant, his mind is sharpened by the knowledge conveyed to him by his friends of the Neck. And as was the case with the adventures of the Travelling Crannogmen, perhaps his dreams and prayers, whatever they will be when he reaches the Revelation and Ascension points of his journey, will be answered. By the green men, or the old gods, or the children of the forest, we can only wait and see.



_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


[1]Harrenhal is prominently featured in the story. Bran shouts the name before Meera confirms it, bringing into question the idea that he thought the story to be fictional and the identities of the characters to be inconsequential. He also clearly recognises some of the sigils in the tale, such as the twin towers of the Freys of the Crossing.


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A Storm of Swords: Brandon II

He offered them oatcakes and blood sausage and a swallow of ale from a skin he carried, but never his name; nor did he ask theirs.

Chapter Summary

Brandon, Summer, Hodor, Jojen and Meera are still travelling north. Aware that Ramsay Snow and other non-friendlies might be hunting them, they choose to trek away from the Kingsroad and hide themselves in the hills, which soon turn into mountains.

Bravo! Loved every word of it.

The unnamed man, who is most likely a Liddle of the hills, shares his meagre provisions and serves them even better by confirming their fears (of being hunted prey). He also vaguely declares himself a staunch friend of the scattered Starks and then departs without further incident.

*Cough* GNC *Cough*

I really enjoyed how this guy treated them. We're reminded several times how easily they could be identified if they come across anyone else. The way he eyes them and the way he says things about the Starks suggests that he recognizes them. Bran even tells his party that the Mountain Clans have been watching them and know they are there. It's possible that this guy was conveniently in their path, though it may not matter. He's pretty well informed of the goings on given the lack of reliable communications. I like the idea of the savage, uncouth clans treating their liege so well; especially with how the "civilized" people have treated the Starks.

“If ice can burn,” said Jojen in his solemn voice, “then love and hate can mate. Mountain or marsh, it makes no matter. The land is one.”

That Little Grandfather seems to always know more than he lets on. I see what you did there, Jojen. Ice can burn...love and hate can mate. :)

It is also possible that thematic and narrative parallels of the Ice Dragon constellation may be found in this children’s novel by Martin (1980).

YES! Loved that book and hope to see more parallels and intersections between it and our current series as books progress.

Hope can be a dangerous thing. Given the unfortunate way Bran’s life has unfolded itself in the past months, it can also be foolish, beautiful, and very necessary. But still dangerous more than anything else. This in no way reduces the different layers of his personality. If anything, it magnifies his complexity because his holding on to his childhood can seem irresponsible and as is the apparent opinion of some readers, quite annoying.

Nicely stated. One MUST have hope. But when that hope becomes a delusion is when it becomes very dangerous.

These dreams that compel him to deliver Bran to the three-eyed crow are as mysterious as they were on the day he was introduced. It seems necessary to ask the question: is it a case of the blind leading the blind, the blind leading the ignorant, or is the author simply keeping both Bran and the readers in the dark for the dramatic effect of grand revelation? Whatever the answer, Bran’s hope is once more visible by his trust in the three-eyed crow and this journey which at it this point closely resembles that undertaken by Victarion on his quest for dragons.

Excellent point. We've all discussed how Bran may just be a means to an end for the 3EC and how Howland must have had unwavering trust in the Green Men to put his children in peril after learning of Jojen's greendream. But is Howland and Jojen's trust misplaced?

This analysis will attempt to prove that Bran’s physical disability is the main contributing factor to the growth of his warging talent.

Absolutely. Fantastic job tying that all together. Bran's becoming a much stronger warg than we've seen of his siblings and though he's not the only Stark that's been in peril he definitely seems to be strong out of necessity. I would LOVE to know what Rickon is capable of.

Bran interrupts Meera a few times. Old Nan's stories to Bran were interrupted in the most crucial points and I can't help but wonder what we're missing from Meera, aside from the obvious.

“Sometimes the knights are the monsters, Bran."

I think this will be a hard lesson for him to learn. He was pushed and almost killed by a knight though he's repressed the memory. Not just a knight but the Queens own brother, a renowned member of the elite Kingsguard. He's stubbornly clinging to the ideals of gallant knights.

In conclusion to this section, Bran, the Travelling Crannogman and Rhaegar embark on journeys that challenge their respective natures and convictions, be it reverence for knightly valour, acceptance of otherworldly uniqueness, or uncommon thirst for knowledge, each journey leads the concerned characters through paths they had not initially intended. Additionally, each journey, in one way or the other, takes them through the Tourney of Harrenhal. It could be the case that the revelation shown to Rhaegar in the scrolls is related to whatever was revealed to the travelling Crannogman on the Isle of Faces. It could also be the case that it was revealed to us in this chapter, embedded in the many codes and mysteries. Was it the crowning of the she-wolf? Or the events that followed? Hopefully, it will be explicitly revealed as Bran continues to travel north, or when he finally reaches his destination.

Wonderful parallels. I had never put those 3 side-by-side. Thank you!

(1) In 281 AC (before the famed tourney), the winter of Westeros took a break and spring dawned. After the events of the tourney, winter returned, thus giving the false spring its name. Judging from the sporadic comparisons Bran makes between the day Meera tells her story and the ones before it, they day of the story appears to be warmer. But as the chapter comes to an end, the chill of autumn (and the approach of winter) returns. It appears that this day mirrors the year of the false spring.

Hot damn, nice catch!

(2) The Reeds are insistent that Bran must have heard the tale at one point or another. He has not and this appears to trouble Jojen. What troubles me is that Bran never asks why he should know it. He never asks of its importance. And the Reeds never say.

For realz.

(3) This is fodder on several threads. I have been trying to avoid it but it has finally caught up with me.

Bran liked to watch [Meera], admiring her quickness, the way she sent the spear lancing down and pulled it back with a silvery trout wriggling on the end of it.

Perhaps Bran is too young to have fallen in love. I still cannot help but wonder, though.

Yeah, I think he's hot for Meera.

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A Storm of Swords: Brandon II

He offered them oatcakes and blood sausage and a swallow of ale from a skin he carried, but never his name; nor did he ask theirs.

Well done, Kyoshi! I think of all the Bran chapters across ASOIAF, I've read this one the most. I spend far too much time in RLJ....I think you did a really great job of taking a chapter that is actually far more important for another character and making it about Bran instead.

-- Jojen solemnly yet confidently states that the wolves will come again

Book 7 was originally titled "A Time of Wolves." Don't know if it means anything...but there it is.

-- The travelling stranger describes Ramsay Snow as a walking dead on the hunt for other walking dead.

Where is Rick Grimes when you need him?

When they lost their way, as happened once or twice, they need only wait for a clear cold night when the clouds did not intrude, and look up in the sky for the Ice Dragon. The blue star in the dragon’s eye pointed the way north, as Osha told him once.

I find the Ice Dragon to be a thoroughly interesting constellation. First it's two elements that shouldn't go together, as Bran point out and then has Jojen solemly correct: ice and fire (a dragon). The fact that it has the blue eye is interesting because blue eyes are often highly associated with death. The Others and the Undying of Qarth have blue eyes.

The Ice Dragon-as-human has two possible options as I see it.

1) Jon Snow: the son of ice and fire, both dragon and wolf. Something that shouldn't exist but does.

2) Bran himself as embodiment of cold and ice and winter. The ultimate Winter Weapon, if you will.

Does one match more than the other? Not really. Interestingly, the two main characters who tell us about the ice dragon are--wait for it--Bran and Jon.

“One,” his sister agreed, “but over wrinkled.”

Side note but there are a lot of cheeky funnies in this chapter--mostly coming from Meera, but Jojen gets a few good ones as well. This actually continues where we get a few Abbott and Costello like "who's on first" type humor.

The northern-sky constellation of Ursa Minor, Latin for little bear, has a particularly notable star named Polaris. This star appears to stay motionless in the northern sky; all other stars seem to move around it and it serves as a useful reference point when travelling along the north-south direction line.

Little She-Bear :)

*in which BQ tries to think if there is a good Jorah parallel but can't come up with one....*

Such is his endurance and resilience that he can lament his circumstances in one moment and dream of flying in the next. The complicated thing is that neither of these facets exists independently. It may be presumptuous, but it may also be prudent to suggest that his innocence and naivety are born from some of the most basic human emotions: entitlement, impatience and desire (not the sexual sort in his case)

Perhaps not explicitly, but it's there. I'm working on the final Bran chapter at present and just as a brief aside, because it does relate to your above quote, there is a sense that Bran and Meera are getting ever closer and becoming "bosom buddies" as it were. Jojen remains much the same--focused, and determined, and serious. But Bran and Meera relate to each other in a way that Jojen and Bran do not--there is no great imbalance between then, I think. With Bran and Jojen, Bran is the Prince (and thinks often about how Jojen should listen to him because he is a Prince and Jojen is supposed to be "his man") but yet Jojen is the Teacher and Bran needs him. With Bran and Meera there is no second layer. They are friends (more so than Jojen and Bran, I'd say) and prince/subject but there is no great power fluctuation between the two. Bran doesn't need to heed what Meera says with regards to his abilities and warging, because that's not what Meera knows about.

Maybe because the Wildlings are a superstitious people, maybe because they practice their religion with greater fervour than those who reside south of the Wall, or maybe it makes no difference since the result is the same—there are more numerous and adept wargs among the Wildlings than there are south of the Wall.

The real reason behind it we might never know but the religious aspect of it is interesting. There are no gods north of the wall, or so Osha tells us. Up there, the Old Gods are the only gods. There is less interference from other magical powers up there--no Andal Gods or Red Gods to compete with .

When I was in my masters program in religion, we once had a conversation about how organized religion is a lot like he capitalist market: everyone is trying to get you to try their product and believe in their product. It becomes a field of advertisements and pitches. How do you get people to join up? You sell it to them. But if you take away the competition, if you reduce the number of products, then you also take away the need to sell the product. The message becomes more pure and focused, less about getting more people to try X instead of Y and more about the importance of X in your life. That's a lot like the Wildling religions up beyond the Wall. There is nothing else up there so the influence of religion and magic from the Old Gods is less focused on selling a product against their competition and can focus more on pure belief and ability.

Arya is the most fascinating since she is the only one geographically separated from her direwolf (for longer than a few hours or weeks). It seems that in her case, the warging ability can transcend great distances. However, it hardly ever seems that she explores it intentionally. But like her aforementioned brothers, she is able-bodied and is in the process of acquiring several lethal skills.

Not only that but when we see Arya's powers manifest themselves the strongest, she's ACROSS AN OCEAN!! I mean...holy moly. She's on an entirely different continent. But like Bran, and unlike Robb, she is not the stuff of legend and song. She's never "fit in" either. Bran doesn't fit in, not by choice, but by circumstance. Arya doesn't fit in by choice. And Jon is a bit like both--he doesn't fit in by circumstance of birth but also by choice because he's focuses so much on those circumstances.

From the moment the Liddle of the mountains invites the travellers into his cave, to the moment every character in Meera’s tale is introduced by a code name, the reader has to work for every clue. And Bran never stops Meera so that she can elaborate on the identities. This could be the result of one of three cases:

Is he a Liddel? I don't think so. There is something very "fairy tale" about him. He's the helpful imp of the crossroads, sent to help the hero on his journey, to keep him alive by providing whatever he can to the weary traveler. He can disguise himself and offer food and shelter and warmth, and then he's gone by the time the dawn comes because he has served his purpose.

Honest to GRRM--I think it's entirely possible that MAGIC conjured up this little helpful guardian of the mountain just because things are starting to look desperate for Bran and co.

But then comes a day when said young man, through his strangeness, discovers a truth about himself that prompts him to embark on a transformative journey. In certain respects, each journey resembles Campbell’s Monomyth. The unnamed Crannogman goes in search of the Green Men—the guardians of the Isle of Faces. (The isle is situated in the lake named the Gods Eye and it is where the Pact was ‘signed’)

Yes, this is straight up "call the adventure" but without the Wizard. Normally there's a Wizard (ok, and by Wizard I don't mean Gandalf or Dumbledore, though gods know they serve that same purpose for Frodo and Harry. I mean some sort of wise old mentor who find the hero and says tempts him to leave the confines of home and go seeking the unknown. Obi Wan is Luke's Wizard. There is no reason for Howland to leave, no one is asking, he just up and does. Bran has to leave because of circumstance and his Wizard is a 3 eyed bird with a penchant for yelling at him).

In the most simplistic terms, remove the tourney of Harrenhal (where all the smiles died), and we have a different series.

SPOT ON

Some of the more significant things to happen at the tourney are as follows: the only confirmed meeting of Rahegar and Lyanna Stark (apart from the alleged kidnapping),

Be careful here. There is no confirmed meeting between them. It's that she was there and so was he, but we have no indication that R and L actually MET at HH before the Crown incident. And even during that infamous moment, there was no talking, but the placing of the crown in her lap (cough heavy sexual imagery is heavy cough)

Bran nodded sagely at this. Mystery knights would oft appear at tourneys, with helms concealing their faces, and shields that were either blank or bore some strange device.

OR in which GRRM openly acknowledges that all stories have tropes and patterns. But GRRM being the twister of all the tropes and NOT the breaker of them decides that his mystery knight is, in fact, a woman.

Despite his insistence of the opposite, Bran enjoys romantic tales

Anyone here ever seen the movie, "The Princess Bride?" Bran reminds me of that little boy who is sick in bed and his grandfather comes to see him. The grandfather starts to tell him a story of knights and ladies and monsters, ect, but the little boy interrupts and demands to know if this is a kissing story because he hates those. But in the end, he loves the story, he wants to hear it again, and he doesn't even mind the kissing.

“She was,” said Meera, “but that’s a sadder story.”

And GRRM being a romantic must make his epic romance also heart breaking because love is simulatenously wonderful and horrible.

I need a movie quote for that to make sense. Here, from "Love Actually"

Worse than the total agony of being in love?

Lesson #2356 of Westeros: falling in love leads to heartache and misery. Just ask...anyone.

In conclusion to this section, Bran, the Travelling Crannogman and Rhaegar embark on journeys that challenge their respective natures and convictions, be it reverence for knightly valour, acceptance of otherworldly uniqueness, or uncommon thirst for knowledge, each journey leads the concerned characters through paths they had not initially intended. Additionally, each journey, in one way or the other, takes them through the Tourney of Harrenhal. It could be the case that the revelation shown to Rhaegar in the scrolls is related to whatever was revealed to the travelling Crannogman on the Isle of Faces. It could also be the case that it was revealed to us in this chapter, embedded in the many codes and mysteries. Was it the crowning of the she-wolf? Or the events that followed? Hopefully, it will be explicitly revealed as Bran continues to travel north, or when he finally reaches his destination.

Loved this entire section Kyoshi!

(2) The Reeds are insistent that Bran must have heard the tale at one point or another. He has not and this appears to trouble Jojen. What troubles me is that Bran never asks why he should know it. He never asks of its importance. And the Reeds never say.

Yes, Ned. Why was THIS story never told?!

Conclusions

In this chapter of mystery and hidden names, rumour and legend, Brandon, Meera and the author give us samplings of historical events that judging by the efforts taken to convey the details as modestly as possible, will be very important in the happenings that come.

A lot of this chapter operates under the guise of a fairy tale--both one playing out for Bran and the one being played out in a story.

Consider this: Howland Reed meets someone in the story who saves his life just when everything has turned against him and it's a rather desperate situation.

Bran Stark meets someone who saves his life in the real world just when everything has turned against him and it's a rather desperate situation (the "Liddel")

Misc Notes

1. One wonders why someone would have a bucket for a sigil....

2. Howland Reed--the most interesting man in Westeros--apparently has quite a bit of magic pre-Green Men encounter. That's....interesting, no? The things he can do SCREAM "I am a COTF" especially the making and remaking of earth and water. Consider Moat Cailin and the Broken Arm of Dorne. Is there COTF blood in the Reed family as well as First Men?

3. A very popular RLJ theory goes like this: R did discover that the KotLT was Lyanna Stark and agreed to keep her secret if she hung up her shield and returned to her brothers and did not take the field again. She agreed for fear of her life. R was incredibly impressed by this lovely lady, though,and decided that if she could not be celebrated for her heroism on the field then he would find another way to honor her---a crown perhaps?

And, all credit to Alia of the Knife, who points out that when Jorah tells Dany about how he met Lyneese (a name eerily similar to Lyanna) it's GRRM's way to telling R and L's story under the cover of another. R met L and fell madly in love and that combined with how impressed he was at L's bravery in the tourney and he decided to crown her.

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Well done, Kyoshi





To add to what everyone said regarding Jojen's words, we see ice and fire mate in the form of Rhaegar and Lyanna.



Regarding the eagle, an eagle attacked Ghost when Jon first warged him. That same eagle later marked him as well. The eagle was considered to be the bird of Zeus an the highest messenger of the gods, and Bran wishing to be an eagle could point to his becoming a god-like figure.




The KoLT and Tolkien



HR's story has The Hobbit vibe to me. An aristocrat from a land of people of short stature with little contact with the outside world who goes on an adventure. HR is set upon by three squires as Bilbo is set upon by three trolls (heh), and he goes to retrieve a treasure in the mountains, Lyanna, from a red dragon, Rhaegar. According to one theory, HR comes back.home with a treasure that he first encountered where he was set upon by the trolls, Ashara Dayne, just as Bilbo took treasure from the site where he encountered the trolls. It would be a possible explanation at to why he told Meera and Jojen the story, it was basically "How I Met Your Mother/"



Bran's story is more Frodo's. Goes on a quest with three companions, not including Summer, and later a ranger (Ranger of the North/NW) to beyond the Black Gate into hostile enemy territory to a supernatural figure with a sinister reputation and all-seeing eye, BR. I think like Frodo, Bran will have a big role to play behind enemy lines.

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A Storm of Swords: Brandon II

He offered them oatcakes and blood sausage and a swallow of ale from a skin he carried, but never his name; nor did he ask theirs.

An excellent analysis, as per usual! :thumbsup:

There is an interesting underline theme that you touched upon which is the unity of opposites. Up and down, fire and ice, ice dragon, a crippled boy who wants to fly. The Reeds themselves are representation of the unity of opposites, while Jojen is quite and solemn, Meera is easy going and always with a smile. Yet they both love each others very much.

The added bonus of the little grandfather’s unsettling wisdom is that it leads them down a path of scenic splendour.

Jojen is like a parent in a way, he right and you know he's right yet sometimes you resent him for always being right. I think this is where Bran is coming from.

The bond between Bran and Summer continues to grow with each warging. It makes sense that after spending his entire day in a basket on Hodor’s back, Bran should want to explore the land they are travelling when given the opportunity. So he frequently and freely discards what he thinks of as a broken body and submits himself to wolf dreams.

When I first read this chapter I wondered why it started with such a lengthy description of Summer's hunt, fight and feeding. The wargining seems to call to a primal part of oneself and the time one spends in their dire wolf it's like a time machine to a simpler time where your worries where down to defending yourself, feeding yourself and sheeting yourself.

Now fast forward to present day Bran, that's exactly what he and his companions are doing. Their lives who were once much richer have been taken down to the primal need of survival. Yes, they are on a quest to find the 3EC but they are basically just trying to survive while they get there which mimics the activities Bran experiences inside Summer.

Remember Old Nan’s Stories, Bran, Part of Her Will Always Be Alive in You

“Old stories are like old friends, [Old Nan] used to say. You have to visit them from time to time.”

I love Old Nan, don't we all?

This is a really great example of what GRRM likes to do which is to hide history in a story. Not everything that happened in the story is real but there are real elements to it and themes that they try to portray are real.

Whatever O'd Nan's story where about there was some reality of history in them that we need to discern and separate form the more fantastical elements of the story.

Again, great job!

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Thanks for all the kind words. :) When I checked the chapter last week and saw it was this one, I screamed several times. I just didn't know how to do it. I'm glad no one thinks the analysis was completely horrible.

Bear Queen, I'm jumping forward here but I think it may be relevant. I think there is something to your idea of questioning whether or not the Liddle actually exists. And if he does, he was sent? I'm sorry but I tend to be more crackpot-inclined than the average person. Remember that Coldhands appeared after Sam prayed in front of a Weirwood tree, like the answer to the prayer. I don't think the idea of a magical Liddle is too farfetched.

I have to admit that I found the Ice Dragon to be the most fascinating thing in this chapter. I really like the point about its existence being a paradox. I can't remember if the Wildlings have their own version, another case of "we look at the same stars and see such different things." Does anyone here remember what it's called?

I also like the idea of Lyanna being the mystery knight, and then hanging up her shield. While writing the analysis I didn't notice just how close it sounded to the figure of speech: hanging up one's dancing shoes, or something like that.

Really great discussion points being raised here.

I really wish we had more scenes with Old Nan. She really IS awesome.

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Thanks for all the kind words. :) When I checked the chapter last week and saw it was this one, I screamed several times. I just didn't know how to do it. I'm glad no one thinks the analysis was completely horrible.

Bear Queen, I'm jumping forward here but I think it may be relevant. I think there is something to your idea of questioning whether or not the Liddle actually exists. And if he does, he was sent? I'm sorry but I tend to be more crackpot-inclined than the average person. Remember that Coldhands appeared after Sam prayed in front of a Weirwood tree, like the answer to the prayer. I don't think the idea of a magical Liddle is too farfetched.

I have to admit that I found the Ice Dragon to be the most fascinating thing in this chapter. I really like the point about its existence being a paradox. I can't remember if the Wildlings have their own version, another case of "we look at the same stars and see such different things." Does anyone here remember what it's called?

Re Liddel: magic often breaks the fourth wall in this series so that the readers and the characters are clued into something vital. Dany's vision in the HOTU in which Rhaegar turns and looks either at her or beyond (ie: at us) is such a case. Magic is trying to tell you something at that point (ie: there is another Targaryen out there beside Dany). I wouldn't be surprised if magic conjured up "Liddel" and placed him exactly where he was in order to help Bran and co. I mean think about it. The woods are vast. VAST. And yet these three kids and a giant just happen to stumble upon a nice guy who will share food and fire and information, and not someone who would take all their goods and kill them--which is what you'd expect from a loner in the woods during war time (or anytime). Think about Tyrion's encounter with the mountain clans in the Vale. They listen to him eventually, but they are really just dead set on killing him at first.

Re Ice Dragon: The Wildlings know it as the Ice Dragon because that's what Osha tells Bran it is called. I think it might be the one constellation they have in common, as far as names go.

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