Mithras Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 We're told that we're going to see the Land of Always Winter, but how is anybody to get up there and survive the extreme cold - unless they have Winter inside. Sansa had her snowflake communion at the Eyrie and afterwards stopped being a victim. Similarly Jon was several times "tempted" by a snowflake and his last thought as he went down was the cold. Perhaps therefore having Winter inside him will allow him to go north. I think after the decisive victory against the Others, Jon or Bran will go to the heart of Winter and make a deal to restore the balance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drowned_Man Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I think there are a number of events/moments/references that are implied by 'The Ice Dragon', (or maybe I have wrongly inferred). 1) Bran being told he will fly by BR = maybe he'll skinchange into a stray drogon/rhaegal/viserion - BR scheming, long presumed dead Targaryen bastard, hiding in a hill that we can assume isn't far off being as north as we're likely to get. - this said bastard was a former LC of the NW (a dragon and a wall of ice) - his plans don't seem to end with Bran - Jon's wolf shares similar physical features (white with red eyes) 2) Jon being the offspring of a Targaryen and a Stark (fire and ice) - the 2nd hidden dragon we know of after BR - he lives in the north where it's usually cold even in summer - Is also the LC of the NW like BR used to be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceFire125 Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 There are some long time asoiaf fans who has read The Ice Dragon, made the connection of Adara being touched by Winter to Val. As Val coming back from the North after getting Tormund, she was seen with blue eyes. Adara liked the winter. She (Val) took a deep breath. "The air tastes sweet." the cold air hurts to breathe and made Jon and Edd's tongue numb, but Val do not consider it cold, it's sweet, but "When the Others come..." We just don't know if she was touched recently (as Jon seeing her with pale grey eyes before in early ASOS), or she was a descendant of a half Other/human and is able to show her true self to Jon when she feel that he has 'stole' her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elkrider Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Isn't one of Old Nan's stories called "the Ice Dragon"? We may never hear it, but in my head I always pictured it as being the same as the short story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Äimätär Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I don't think that "Ice Dragon" story takes place literally in the world of ASOIAF. However it has several elements, like you pointed out, that may give us some tips about reality of ASOIAF. It wouldn't be the first time when the writer recycles the ideas in his books. Personally I have for sometime believed that ice dragons are source of power for Others like fire-breathing dragons are source for Targaryens. GRR Martin said that Others are not dead things, but different kind of life form. Could it be that Fire and Ice are in fact two fundamental forces in the World that creates two sets life-forms and magic? Ice dragons and fire dragons? Ice-magic and fire/blood magic? I believe that Others are originally CotF who argued against the Pact with First Men and left for the Land of Always Winter. There the angry CotF found the ice dragons and formed magical bond with them. And now they will take back the Westeros from men. Bran noted how CotF were diminishing and slowly dying and Leaf said that there was no place for CotF in the world that men were creating. Bran reflects that the men would be all rage and fury in similar sitution. Some CotF may have decided to make their place using power of ice dragon. For men, they cannot live in everlasting winter. Icy CotF, a.k.a Others, would have Westeros all for themselves. Adara lost her icy demeanor when the ice dragon died. What if Dany or Jon killed the last ice dragon and Others would revert back to CotF? That would pretty much save the day, especially when the Night Watch is crumbling and resources are meager. When Targ's fire-breathing dragons died, the magic weakened. Men as warm-blooded lifeform are perhaps able to use only Fire/blood-element based magic, giving impression that ALL magic was weakened. Extinction of fire dragons would not affected Others and their magic. Instead it might have tipped the scale for their advantage when weakened fire-element gave chance for Others reawake and resume the war. Dunk&Egg stories Arlan of Penny-tree noted how summers grew shorter and winters longer and colder after of the last dragon died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Melnibonean Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 The Ice Dragon short story is not related to ASOIAF. I figure there are at least 4 potential reasons to mention ice dragons. First, to sell Dreamsongs. Second, just to add color. Third, ice dragons are going to provide air cover for the ice spiders (really?) or Jon or Bran is going to mount or warg one to fight the Others or Dany's dragons. Or fourth--the winner in my book (along with selling Dreamsongs to salivating fans like me)--to suggest to casual readers, those that still haven't realised Jon is Rhaegar's trueborn son, that Jon is a dragon, the Ice Dragon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Melnibonean Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Oops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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