Bit of a double-dip here. Longtime book-reader, show-watcher, and forum-scrounge, first time contributing comment. Figured it's as good a time as any, what with winter finally come at last and all that. Enjoyed reading the varied discussions thus far and just wanted to express a few stray thoughts.
In northern Wisconsin, there's a myth of a creature known as a hodag, which is essentially a cross between a bull and a crocodile. One of the previous theories suggested Hodor saw something in the crypts of Winterfell that causes his condition. Didn't truly believe that'd come to fruition, but anything's possible, and with the similarity Hodor always reminding me of hodag, I couldn't help but imagine poor, young Walder (Wyllis) and the hodag having a confrontation. Anyways, moving on...
So it's basically been confirmed that the Children did indeed create the Others as a last-ditch effort to curb the tide of first men into Westeros, after the Broken Arm and the Neck proved fruitless. Some have said that it's a letdown that the Others really aren't' malevolent after all, and it's actually man who's the antagonist to the natural world. Personally, I find it fitting. If there's any True Detective fans out there, all of it reminds me of the tagline from the first season, "Man is the cruelest animal", which in turn was taken from a quote from Nietzsche. It's not exactly a false statement.
Finally, if anyone would like to add another dimension to their enjoyment of GOT and ASOIAF, I'd recommend listening to the album 'GODS OF THE EARTH" by THE SWORD. Musically it's not for everyone, though I hope you can at least appreciate it for what it is, but the band and album took heavy influence from ASOIAF and the works of H.P. Lovecraft (how can you go wrong?). Beyond just the style, the lyrics directly reference the source material. A few sample song titles are "To Take the Black", "Maiden, Mother, and Crone", and "Lords". Specifically though, in regards to "The Door" and the remaining season(s), give "HOW HEAVY THIS AXE" a listen; considering the album was released in 2008, it's chillingly spectacular how much that track sets the tone for recent events and the wars still to come.
Well folks, that's all. Thank you for reading and bearing with me. In the future I will practice more brevity. Valar doeharis.
