Nominations and Ranking Thread 2016 (with results)

[LmL]

39 minutes ago, The Fattest Leech said:

I also want to nominate this thread by @Lost Melnibonean because it lets us break apart some of the tales in the story to see what could be foreshadowing, or not, of current characters and how it could work towards the end game. It links the past with the current and helps to predict the future.

And, the poster kept the main post nicely updated, which always helps new readers going in to catch up!

 

Hey @The Fattest Leech, I just wanted to thank you for sharing this thread. I've read it before - at least twice - but was having trouble remembering what it was called or who wrote it. Of course it is the indefatigable @Lost Melnibonean. I am writing about Last hero stuff right now and a link to this theory would be highly appropriate, so thanks for sharing it. 

It doesn't really qualify for the best thread of 2016, but it is def an all time classic. We should probably have a contest or whatever for that too - best threads from at least 2 years ago or some such. Bring back the classic contest, vintage ASOIAF, that sort of thing. 

[The Fattest Leech]

Just now, LmL said:

Hey @The Fattest Leech, I just wanted to thank you for sharing this thread. I've read it before - at least twice - but was having trouble remembering what it was called or who wrote it. Of course it is the indefatigable @Lost Melnibonean. I am writing about Last hero stuff right now and a link to this theory would be highly appropriate, so thanks for sharing it. 

It doesn't really qualify for the best thread of 2016, but it is def an all time classic. We should probably have a contest or whatever for that too - best threads from at least 2 years ago or some such. Bring back the classic contest, vintage ASOIAF, that sort of thing. 

Crud!!! How did I miss that??? I checked the dates and I guess I messed that one up. (doing 17 things at once???)

Good news... you found the link

[Maester of Valyria]

I have a few nominations. Feel free to sort them into categories if you feel the need.

This theory completely blew my mind when I read it. As far as I know it is original, to me it seemed plausible, and I really think it has potential. I was rather suprised that this didn't take off more.

 

This wasn't a long thread, but it took an idea that we're all pretty much familiar with and expanded on it in a way I hadn't seen before. Considering the possible implications of a seventh site of Black Stone, this topic should definitely be up on the shortlist. Also, it was the writer's first ever post, making it even more impressive.

 

The next two probably won't strike a chord with many people, but I like them because they appeal to my geeky love of geography, and also because they do postulate some interesting ideas which could have significant consequences down the line.

 

 

[sweetsunray]

Thanks @Maester of Valyria. Those certainly sound like interesting reads. And I agree with @LmL. The main purpose is to gather a list of memorable threads that people felt to have contributed in their reading and thinking on the books, background, plot or character. We might have missed some of those at the time they were active or started for reasons, but still might enjoy reading up on them afterwards.

[OtherFromAnotherMother]

@sweetsunray

If you go with the route of having multiple categories I'd like to second your nomination of 

for best conversation and also add

for the same category. I learned some interesting things which somehow included the correct usage of the words "warg" and "skinchanger" thanks to @Macgregor of the North.

From looking at these two nominations its clear to me I have a wierd fetish for charts.

[HoodedCrow]

I am not savvy enough on this board to nominate, however, I would enjoy reading posts suggested by those who write complex theories, and I request posters such as sunsweetray to also nominate their personal favorite of their own authorship! Many thanks to those who post for the rest of us.

[Seams]

If you do decide to structure this with multiple categories, maybe it makes sense to have a category for overlooked or underappreciated threads started in previous years. Sometimes a thread is ignored for awhile until someone new spots it and dusts it off with a new comment, bringing it to a new state of appreciation in the current calendar year.

It might help to increase the interest in making nominations if the process is expanded to a wider pool of old posts as well as those that were new in 2016.

[Isobel Harper]

I'm surprised no one has nominated this one yet:

This thread really opened my eyes to parallels between ASoIaF and mythology.  The OP is well-written and lengthy, but I enjoyed the subject matter so much, it was a good thing.   I've read it several times. 

On 12/11/2016 at 6:09 AM, Tijgy said:

@sweetsunray does the thread solely to be about one single theory? 

I really love the following thread: 

where people are discussing several puns and wordplays? So I am not really sure the thread fulfills the requirements for a nomination?

 

I second this.  This thread had changed the way I read the stories.  (I see puns everywhere now!  Ha!)

[Kingmonkey]

I'm outraged nobody nominated my amazing threa... oh wait, I don't seem to have made any in 2016  

@sweetsunray,

I'd like to nominate @Sly Wren's excellent thought-provoker, A Horn? No. A Wolf! Jon, Ghost, and the Horn that Wakes the Sleepers:

I'm not sure on the eligibility as it's actually multiple threads and several of them were posted right at the end of 2015, but I'd also like to nominate @wolfmaid7's epic X+Y=J project. Here's the first of four wrap-up threads, with individual theory threads linked within:

 

[Curled Finger]

Thank you for the vote of confidence.   We had a lot of fun in our Dead or Somewhat Dead conversation.  

2016 has been a slow year for really ground breaking stuff.   Back in '14 there was so much really meaty topic matter to chew on.   As we get farther away from ADWD it becomes more difficult to find new topics to discuss or really analyze.   That's not saying there haven't been some enlightening and engaging conversations this year.   It's not that at all.   There was a thread, back in March that I have recommended and supported and simply thought was fantastic.   Opened me up to all sorts of new thinking about a character I previously found sort of dull.    Anyone who reads this little post and hasn't had a chance to really enjoy @DarkSister1001's excellent Euron the Abomination thread is really missing out.    This was posted well before we got the bootleg samples of The Forsaken.    This OP was way before her time on this one.   I would like to nominate this topic for best of 2016. 

[The Fattest Leech]

 

25 minutes ago, Curled Finger said:

Thank you for the vote of confidence.   We had a lot of fun in our Dead or Somewhat Dead conversation.  

2016 has been a slow year for really ground breaking stuff.   Back in '14 there was so much really meaty topic matter to chew on.   As we get farther away from ADWD it becomes more difficult to find new topics to discuss or really analyze.   That's not saying there haven't been some enlightening and engaging conversations this year.   It's not that at all.   There was a thread, back in March that I have recommended and supported and simply thought was fantastic.   Opened me up to all sorts of new thinking about a character I previously found sort of dull.    Anyone who reads this little post and hasn't had a chance to really enjoy @DarkSister1001's excellent Euron the Abomination thread is really missing out.    This was posted well before we got the bootleg samples of The Forsaken.    This OP was way before her time on this one.   I would like to nominate this topic for best of 2016. 

I would this be the one? I'm going through it now  

 

[Curled Finger]

8 hours ago, The Fattest Leech said:

 

I would this be the one? I'm going through it now  

 

Yes Ma'am.  I'm sorry I didn't know how to link straight to the topic.   Thanks so much for entering it.  Pretty cool stuff particularly when you know this was written before The Forsaken chapter was made public.   I

[Sly Wren]

On December 21, 2016 at 7:54 PM, Kingmonkey said:

I'm outraged nobody nominated my amazing threa... oh wait, I don't seem to have made any in 2016  

@sweetsunray,

I'd like to nominate @Sly Wren's excellent thought-provoker, A Horn? No. A Wolf! Jon, Ghost, and the Horn that Wakes the Sleepers:

 And thanks again for bringing up the Song of Amergin which started that.

And I hereby nominate your SLJ thread--as you say, it may make us uncomfortable, but your take on the symbolism and narrative structure make it clear that it's an option. 

ETA: And since it wasn't published here until this last January, it should still be eligible, no?

 

On December 21, 2016 at 9:52 PM, Curled Finger said:

Anyone who reads this little post and hasn't had a chance to really enjoy @DarkSister1001's excellent Euron the Abomination thread is really missing out.    This was posted well before we got the bootleg samples of The Forsaken.    This OP was way before her time on this one.   I would like to nominate this topic for best of 2016. 

Amen--that post is amazing.

[wolfmaid7]

On 12/21/2016 at 6:54 PM, Kingmonkey said:

I'm outraged nobody nominated my amazing threa... oh wait, I don't seem to have made any in 2016  

@sweetsunray,

I'd like to nominate @Sly Wren's excellent thought-provoker, A Horn? No. A Wolf! Jon, Ghost, and the Horn that Wakes the Sleepers:

I'm not sure on the eligibility as it's actually multiple threads and several of them were posted right at the end of 2015, but I'd also like to nominate @wolfmaid7's epic X+Y=J project. Here's the first of four wrap-up threads, with individual theory threads linked within:

 

Thanks! Kingmonkey. You were a great participant and a big part of the project's success.Thank you for your conttributions.I look forward to it again in the "Heresy X+Y=J Reveal thread" when WOW comes out.

[One-eyed Misbehavin]

I think anything @aryagonnakill#2 writes on here is well thought out and points out the smallest quote to totally solidify said thoughts.

I think anything @Curled Finger Writes is very creative/new and very entertaining for such a large forum. 

 I'd say @Jon's Queen Consort is one of the better at sticking to straight canon. It's a multi-1st person story on the forum and just bc someone projects their views (in-universe or we as readers) doesn't mean either is right. And many times (Dany,Cersei, and even Ned)

@Lost Melnibonean is genius while being original. All I have to say

@Seams and @King Merrett I Frey Are also 2nd to none

Sorry if I left you out, no offense to the OP For not posting any links, but if you want some good OPS check these people out. 

One that does stick out in my head (but def didn't get the due justice) is @aryagonnakill#2 post on the relative ease (magic) the faceless men use to change their face. The Post is great just can't find it 

[Jon's Queen Consort]

We vote for threads or for posters?

[sweetsunray]

3 hours ago, Jon's Queen Consort said:

We vote for threads or for posters?

We vote for threads, NOT posters. The aim is to basically have a list of "recommended threads" of 2016, and great-read threads tend to have contributions from several posters.

And I'm pretty sure that "recommended posters" would be againt forum guidelines.

[sweetsunray]

@One-eyed Misbehavin The OP specifically states that discussing posters is off topic.

You can use the search function and do a search under a username to find threads or posts by them within a thread that you might wish to nominate, and formulate your recommendation. If that thread's OP was created in 2016 it's a valid nomination.

[Jon's Queen Consort]

26 minutes ago, sweetsunray said:

We vote for threads, NOT posters. 

That is what I was thinking too. Thank you.

@One-eyed Misbehavin maybe you must behave according the thread rules. I am answering personally because it became, or rather you did it, personal.

[sweetsunray]

Here's a summary of the nominations so far. I chose to categorize by subject, rather than OP's status, originality, hilarity and so on.

Characters:

• Why Bloodraven is not the Three Eyed Crow, OP LiveFirstDieLater, March 2 2016, Bloodraven beneath the tree
• Direwolves don't cry: a Direwolves Reread II, OP Seams, July 6 2016, Stark kids and their wolves
• Dead or Somewhat Dead, OP Curled Finger, September 27 2016, classifying the not-so-dead dead
• The Republic of Littlefinger, OP thought_criminal22, May 23 2016, littlefinger's politcal motives
• Nymeria is poised to return, OP The Fattest Leech, July 29 2016, Jon-Val combo as political and social influence in the North
• Euron the Abomination, OP Darksister1001, March 8 2016, Euron as greenseer

World Building:

• The caves are timeless: hollow hills, magic castles and greenseers, OP Wizz-The-Smith, October 10 2016, how castles in Westeros are built on hollow hills to harness greenseer magic
• Possible New Black Rocks Location/Connection, OP El Dude, July 22 2016, the House of the Undying and greasy, black rocks.
• God's Eye: an Ancient Asteroid Impact Crater, OP StarkofWinterfell, April 17 2016, Formation of the Gods Eye lake
• The Broken Arm and global climate change, OP Lord Vance II, February 26 2016, Climate impact after CotF broke the arm

Mysteries:

• Them Bones (rethinking Ned's Bones, Hallis Mollen and Silent Sisters), OP Sweetsunray, October 28 2016, Possible fate for Ned's Bones
• Ser Shadrich, his allies and adversaries (Morgarth, Byron, Creighton, Illifer), OP Bemused, August 16 2016, possible identities and motives of several characters appearing in Brienne's quest-tour and the men that appear at the Gates of the Moon
• Heresy Project X+Y=J: wrap up thread, OP wolfmaid7, August 24, Jon Snow's parents, a project that tried to give posters a chance to make a case for different proposals
• Heresy Project X+Y= S+L=J, OP wolfmaid7/kingmonkey, January 14, Lyanna + Stark brother as Jon's parents

Symbolism:

• Puns and Wordplay, OP Seams, February 14 2016, Amassing possible authorial puns and wordplays
• Weirwood and Jaime's dream, OP Cridefea, August 29 2016, Jaime's dream and what are the possible interpretations
• Prophecies and visions: Past & Future, OP Greywater Watch, November 6 2016, prophecies and visions
• The Chthonic Cycle - Part 1-4 - The Persephone, Hades, Demeter and Isis of Winterfell, OP Sweetsunray, March 18 2016, Ned's, Lyanna's and Catelyn's connections to mythological underworld gods
• A horn? No. A Wolf! Jon, Ghost, and the Horn that Wakes the Sleepers, OP Sly Wren, April 20 2016, Jon Snow and Ghost and the NW vows in relation to Celtic literary sources

Foodstuff:

• Humus, OP Red Ronnet, June 17 2016, the quality of Humus and whether Danaerys would love it