Arstan Whitebeard

[Rookie_Rider]

All this talk of just how difficult it would be to disguise Arstant is puzzling to me. The answer is actually pretty simple. Don't hide Arstan's true identity from the TV audience. Set up a scene in advance, a short meeting between Illyrio and Barristan, with the Magister laying out his plans. And then, give Arstan just enough disguise to fool Jorah. But not the TV audience. Let the audience "in" on the deception. The surprise should be on Dany and Jorah, not the audience.

[Machinist]

if the actor let his hair grow a bit and grew a beard and wore peasant clothes he wouldnt look the same at all but his accent/voice would be the same so on screen viewers would know its him, obviously you cant hear a characters voice in a book hense why it was a bit of a mystery, to me though it isnt a big deal, i cant see how they can hide it without going over the top with it

[Fire Eater]

Some people look different with a long beard and hair, but Barristan could be recognizable on the TV show if you watch it.

[Dr. Pepper]

Was Arstan meant to be disguised even from the reader? If so, it wasn't a very good disguise. I can't imagine why there would be any discussion on how to disguise him from a TV audience when his disguise was meant solely for Dany, Jorah and any other Westerosi he came across.

[Lordtoofat2sitAthrone]

Well, like so many things in this series, I missed it but when you go back and reread it, all the clues make sense and I kick myself for not catching on sooner. I actually think "Arstan Whitebeard" (I mean come on) is a really fitting nickname. While it may not fool us, the dear reader or a Westerosi, it sure fooled Jorah, who should know who he is. The poor attempt at an alias, is absolutely fitting with Barristan's pov's, he genuinely regrets having to be decietful, playing the Game. It might even turnout to be foreshadowing his death.

[Lord Ben]

I seem to remember him being surprised he wasn't recognized by Jorah when they first meet.

[FacelessDude]

I just found out Arstan Whitebeard is actually Ser Barristan Selmy. Selmy is one of my favorite secondary characters, I'm glad he's back.

[Silver Spearwife]

I just found out Arstan Whitebeard is actually Ser Barristan Selmy. Selmy is one of my favorite secondary characters, I'm glad he's back.

Does that mean you're still reading ASOS? If so, you should really stay in the Still Reading subforums. This place a dangerous spoiler hive.

I don't at all remember what show Barristan looked like. They could just put him on screen again, no disguise, white cloak, the whole deal and I wouldn't recognize him. Assuming a lot of fans are like me (and given that I've met a share who don't even know major protagonists' names, I'm going to assume there are a bunch), the disguise won't have to be that great.

Or, since Barristan isn't a major character, they can just do what they've been doing with minor characters from the first season who become important later and change the actor *shrug* but I guess that depends on the specific situation.

[eyeheartsansa]

any excuse to add more Illyrio footage is fine by me!

[SynthFG]

Was Arstan meant to be disguised even from the reader? If so, it wasn't a very good disguise. I can't imagine why there would be any discussion on how to disguise him from a TV audience when his disguise was meant solely for Dany, Jorah and any other Westerosi he came across.

Arstan / Baristan was one of those obvious things that many people miss because they are not looking for it,

You don't expect Baristan to show up in Quarth and there is so much going on with Danny trying to find a ship to Westros then heading into Slavers bay that you just don't care about who this guy is, especially as Strong Belwas is the more colourful of the 2

[Blisscraft]

How long had it been since Jorah had last seen Selmy? I can't remember. But really, it's been years, right? And at that, Selmy was all decked out as a Knight of the Kingsguard. As Syrio says, seeing is not always seeing. (I'm paraphrasing). Jorah, in the past, probably saw him as a Knight and not some old raggedy squire. Also, if I remember correctly, Jorah says there's something familiar about him before Slemy's big reveal.

[The GreatRon]

Jorah knows immediately something is off with him.

Selmy makes it clear he knows Jorah and saw him compete in the tournament at Lannisport where he later won married Lynesse

Jorah says hes too old to be a squire and too well spoken to serve someone like Belwas

He also smashes a Manticore with a staff sent by a sorrowful man, not something a simple squire would normally accomplish.

[Xray the Enforcer]

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