GZ Bloodraven

She can commit to killing the people she wants to kill....

I think, just like Stoneheart, we lose Jon's POV for the rest of the series. We'll watch Jon thru Mel like we watched Stannis thru Davos.

I thought they could just do this in First Tumbleton, but I guess you could emphasize it with a smaller portion of Honeywine. George obviously wants his story to take 4 seasons, to let it breathe and sit. I think God's Eye has to end a season, so unless they get all the way there in Season 2 with 8 episodes, the fall of King's Landing makes the most sense for the end of season 2. But if they cut a major sequence, it might be Gullet or Rook's Rest that gets moved. I would love Eve Best to have three seasons for a potential Emmy nomination tbh, considering Milly and Emily aren't likely to get one this year.

BOOK SPOILERS: In terms of major players, Harrenhal/Burning Mill has Daemon, Duskendale has Criston Cole, Rook's Rest has Rhaenys, Aegon and Aemond, Gullet has Jace, Honeywine has Ormund and Daeron; Red Fork has...Jason Lannister?...Acorn Hall has like nobody major, Lakeshore also has nobody major, King's Landing has Daemon, Corlys, Alicent and Otto, the Red Kraken stuff has Dalton, Butcher's Ball has Criston, First Tumbleton has Daeron, Ormund, Hugh and Ulf, Dragonstone has Baela and Aegon, Gods Eye has Daemon and Aemond, the Riot of King's Landing is vital, Second Tumbleton has Addam, Hugh and Ulf. So it looks like 1. Harrenhal, 2. Rook's Rest, 3. Gullet, 4. Fall of King's Landing, 5. Butcher's Ball, 6. First Tumbleton, 7. Dragonstone, 8. God's Eye, 9. King's Landing Riot, 10. Second Tumbleton, 11. and Kingsroad are vital. I would also include the Red Kraken, but I'm not sure how necessary Honeywine, Red Fork, Acorn Hall or Lakeshore are. I'm assuming they cut season 2 to 8 so the could finish with Rook's Rest, but they could theoretically fit the Fall of King's Landing in if the pace is fast. 4 "battles" a season may be what they want: Harrenhal + aftermath, Rook's Rest, Gullet, and King's Landing season 2 (less Jace and Rhaenys ), Butcher's Ball, First Tumbleton, Dragonstone, and God's Eye season 3, King's Landing Riot, Second Tumbleton, the big deaths, and then Kingsroad and Hour of the Wolf in season 4. They would be running through this, but they could do that time frame.

Wouldn't this just be Varys? Switching babies around left and right?

I wondered why I, as a Rhaenyra stan, am shockingly charitable to Maegor even though I fully recognize that he earned his name. I think it's the part of me that really appreciates Logan Roy from Succession: needlessly and hopelessly insecure and hypermasculine and very competent at fucking people over to overcome that insecurity. Not Alt Shift X though, right? we all love alt shift x, right?

I want to emphasize the impact of Alt Shift X's Youtube channel on a lot of the online discussion surrounding ASOIAF. His "The real Tyrion Lannister" video got 6.7 million views, 7% of the entire readership of ASOIAF. That obviously moves people over, especially those who were casually invested in the TV show who then became hyperinvested in the books. I don't think he's a master of his story, and that's been apparent since he scrapped the time jump he wanted, but I do think he's a master of his characters. He has never seemed as concerned with plot as he does with making the people he writes occupy genuinely compelling spaces in the world that he created. He has allowed Westeros to truly become one of the greatest fictional worlds, filled to the brim with realistic depth and detail. I think people appreciate GRRM for his genius now than they used to, but I'm also pretty new to the deeper fandom.

I'll bite: Small Council King - Ned Stark Grand Maester - Gilly Master of Ships/ Grand Admiral - Lucerys Velaryon Master of Agriculture/ Trade - Olenna Tyrell Master of Infrastructure - Jon Snow Master of Laws - The Ghost of High Heart Master of Whispers - Varys Master of Coin - Balon Greyjoy Master of War - Tywin Lannister Master of Foreign Affairs - Oberyn Martell Hand of King - Mance Rayder Positions In Court High Septon - Jon Arryn Lord Admiral of the Narrow Sea - Davos Seaworth Lord Admiral of the Sunset Sea - Gyles Farwynd Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet - Euron Greyjoy Commander of the Seawatch - Asha Greyjoy Royal Shipwright - Aurane Waters Kings Royal Captain - Stannis Baratheon Harbormaster - Selwyn Tarth Lord Justiciar - Podrick Payne Kings Justice - Ned Stark Chief Undergaoler - Gyles Rosby Lord Confessor - Moon Boy High Reeve - Yohn Royce High Bailiff - Beric Dondarrion Kings Counter - Allyria Dayne King’s Scales - Wylla Warden of the Kings Mint/ Keeper of the Key - Sybell Spicer Master at Arms - Arya Stark Commander Household Guard - Jory Cassell Lord Assassin - Jaqen H'ghar Castle Blacksmith - Sandor Clegane Castellan - Weasel High Steward - Gregor Clegane Master of Horses - Petyr Baelish Master of Hounds - Petyr Baelish Master of Feasts - Petyr Baelish Master of Drink - Petyr Baelish Master of Games - Petyr Baelish Royal Huntsman - Renly Baratheon Court Bard - Dareon Head Researcher - Samwell Tarly Royal Food Taster - Pycelle Kings Healer - Roose Bolton Alchemists Guild Advisor - Tyrion Lannister Castle Fool - Quentyn Martell Queen - Catelyn Stark Queen Steward - Daenerys Targaryen Lady of Court - Lysa Arryn Mistresses of Keys - Salladhor Saan Princes Tutor - Mirri Maz Duur Kings Cup Bearer - Tommen Baratheon Kings Squire - Myrcella Baratheon Kings Ward - Walder Frey Kings Foreign Advisor - Sarella Sand's Mother - Summer Isle Kings Foreign Advisor - Illyrio Mopatis - Lys Kings Foreign Advisor - Kinvara from the show - Asshai Kings Foreign Advisor - Bellegere Otherys - Braavos Kings Royal Harem Warden - Satin Warden of the Kingswood - Garlan Tyrell Warden of Crackclaw Point/ Castellan of Dragonstone - Cletus Yronwood Kings Landing Citywatch Commander of the Citywatch - Robert Baratheon Gate of the Gods Captain - Gendry Kings Gate Captain - Edric Storm Lion Gate Captain - Bella River Gate Captain - Baratheon Twin 1 Old Gate Captain - Baratheon Twin 2 Iron Gate Captain - Barra Dragon Gate Captain - Mya Stone Kingsguard - 15 Members Jaime Lannister - Lord Commander Brienne of Tarth - Vice Lord Commander Willamen Frey Olyvar Frey Perwyn Frey Hoster Frey Big Walder Frey Matthis Frey Dickon Frey Leana Frey Emberlei Frey Walda Lefford Frey Tysane Frey Merianne Frey Arys Oakheart Squires for Kingsguard Lancel Lannister Willem Lannister Genna Lannister Queens Sworn Sword Brynden Tully Anya Waynwood Sansa Stark Sworn Sword Shae House Marriages Benjen Stark - Cersei Lannister Robb Stark - Jeyne Westerling Sansa Stark - Jon Snow Bran Stark - Myrcella Baratheon Wardens Sweetrobin Arryn - The East Benjen Stark - The North Cersei Lannister - The West Arianne Martell - The South

Are you using racial essentialism to justify conquest? If we want to go with the descendants of the dawn for the rightful rulers, Bu Gai or Chai the Sorcerer are your candidates, descended from the Lion of Night. Daenerys descends from shepherds, probably Western Lhazareen, and the Blackwoods, the Daynes, the Martells, and the Rogares. Do not claim false racial heritage to justify your racial conquest. As to the question: an undead Jon Snow is likely to go at least some level of mad, but not because Arya killed two people in Braavos.

If she goes Aerys II, we can crown her queen of the Seven Kingdoms and finally get a full First Man on the throne.

The Targaryens. They practice human sacrifice. They fuck dragons. They fled their comrades in Valyria and owned slaves. Bastard son of the House went North and betrayed the night's watch. Aerys II would have burned all of King's Landing alive if it were not for noble Jaime.

Every house has its evil generations, but House Peake consistently has just terrible leadership. Not as bad as the Bolton flayers or the Greyjoy rapers, but they are the only house who single-handedly led a rebellion with zero support that led to a kingslaying for absolutely no reason. If they were effective (like the Boltons or Dalton), maybe I'd give them a pass, but they have consistently been on the losing side of every battle.

This is so violently correct it hurts. I think a lot of people sometimes think that George has developed a magic system, in any meaningful sense, and I really don't think he has or wants to. It's just the basic principle of "we all die, and blood can do things" and that's what the weirwoods are, and they can connect all the consciousnesses and memories that they tap into, just like the wights, and glass candles, and shade-of-the-evening, and the Faces of the Faceless Men. I don't think that they are alien though, no more alien than the Children of the Forest. I think it is rather men that are the global disruptor, for good and for bad. Men chopped down the weirwoods and farmed blackbarked trees for its drug and feebily attempted to live in the jungles of Sothoryos. And it is, as you say, up to men to break those systems of power that lead to their deaths and prevent progress.

Dunk and Egg is basically a more detailed F&B2 for a 50 year period, and I'd prefer that history to a broader Aegon III to Jae II covering 150 years. I also think he probably has more motivation to write five 150 page novellas rather than one 750 mammoth where he'd have to detail out all of the things he hasn't thought about yet like he did with Jae I for F&B.

Aegor Rivers. Shoulda stopped with one Blackfyre Rebellion loss; instead he inspired a movement that made his side lose all five.

Does human sacrifice ever work in producing an effect? I might have missed something, but I don't remember it ever working (in that the human sacrifice caused something to occur).

Who are Frey family supporters? I have never met a single person who supports House Frey. Most of the Frey's are married off: there are literally too many to kill. Most also are now children of those from other houses: the whole point of these marriages is alliances and the other houses would defend the Freys. They'll be fine, Sabitha's line needs to survive somehow. Walder's gonna die bud. Walder's 92 years old, his heart won't take seeing a dragon. Also the throne is Aegon's by right, Jon's after that, then Dany's. She won't have to worry about the Freys though: they'll be fighting amongst themselves for control of the Twins. Imagine the War of the Twins, cousin on cousin, brother on brother, son on father. In the end, only Joyeuse's newborn babe will survive before unhinged, demented, craaaazy Arya gets to him.

Arthur Dayne sacrificed himself for his prince and his prince's child: if this is changed, a ton (a ton) of meaning is lost, for Howland, Ashara, Arthur, Dany, Aerys, Ned, Brandon, Meera Jojen and Bran, Arianne Elia Doran Oberyn, Aegon VI Jon Con Barristan Varys, Robert and Tywin and Jaime, Mace and Stannis, and of course Jon Rhaegar and Lyanna. Jon needs to be Rhaegar and Lyanna's son. Ned being with the woman who had the baby starting after he went to Storm's End and before he arrived at Starfall means the baby was at the Tower of Joy.

You're saying what if she is the mummer's dragon...I actually love that so much; it's not going to happen, but it would be such an identity crisis for her, I love it. It really hammers home the "identity can be very very flexible" message, but maybe a little too hard once we have a similar reveal with Jon. Two parentage reveals (three if you include the "Tyrion is a targ" people and four if you include the "Aegon is Faegon" people) is, like, a lot of twist parentage reveals.

This might be a futile question, but how long do you think F&B 2 would take? Does he have enough material collected for only 400 or so original pages, or does he basically need to start from scratch? I've been dying for Viserys II and Bloodraven artwork and an F&B 2 illustrated version would be really great, but obviously if he wants to prioritize ADoS or some more Dunk and Egg for the show (after he takes a well-deserved break following TWoW), that would also make sense.

The punishment for murder is the death penalty in Westeros, is it not? Why would we force her to be a Silent Sister when she's probably about to have face-stealing magic powers and could very easily escape. Send her to the Wolf's Den, she's escaping, send her to the Wall...? Actually not that bad of an idea except she's a woman. I would say that her only true murders are in Braavos though (do you think she's committed other murders, I'd love to know) so they should punish her, and the Faceless Men obviously seem to have some amnesty in Braavos, so she's probably pardoned and none of her killings are murders.

People who get frustrated with some people being uncomfortable with the absurd amount of incest, pedophilia and sexual violence. These are all very taboo topics, and if GRRM was less savvy (and some people think he is less savvy), they would not work. As is, I personally think he navigates them all with an appreciation for the fundamental absurdity of the human condition that I really really appreciate, but people who get mad at those that do not think GRRM is savvy in his discussion of these topics is laughable.

I think Thoros is completely right when he says that Stoneheart is pursuing revenge. And it's totally justified, I'm not downplaying that, it is justice no doubt, I just think a not undead Catelyn would be making the same moves that Stoneheart is making. And I'm not sure if Stoneheart knows that the Arya is a fake Arya: either way, she's obviously dead set on a totally justified revenge.

She's still searching for her other kids, no doubt, but it seems like her priority is revenge, whereas idk if that would be the case had she lived through the Red Wedding. Maybe it would be: maybe she'd still focus on getting revenge by sending Brienne on an errand to get Jaime over getting Arya from Winterfell or fixing her relationship with Jon (probably not).

This is reductive as hell. Unlike the Targaryens, who have been interbreeding for generations, the Tullys (Edmyn, Prentys, the Muppets, Hoster) have no demonstrated madness. Lysa only went mad after her dad almost killed her with moon tea, she hurriedly married Jon Arryn because he needed kids ASAP, she tried and failed to have seven kids, Littlefinger manipulated her massively, and she had no joy no love no prospects and no purpose. Catelyn went mad for like one second because The Red Wedding was happening and she had like two cards to play. I think she would be different: she'd be more focused on making sure her other kids are safe. As is, she has nothing left to live for; she would probably rather be dead, but as long as she's here, she can get revenge.