Ragnarok: this theory puts all other theories to shame

[Ser Creighton]

The characters I would most closely associate with Loki are Mance Rayder and Petyr Baelish. Mance was raised amongst his people's enemies ( like Loki ) while Baelish to a lesser extent ( a poor lord growing up amongst his wealthier brethren) but is at least more obviously a trickster character.

Bloodraven IMO more closely resembles Odin esp. with his connection to the Ravens and the idea that he sees and knows everything that happens in the realms. Odin was also a skinchanger who often went amongst the commonfolk in disguise.

I do think that there is an allusion to the Ragnorak myths, but as the posters above have stated these are not the only mythos that are being referenced.

Without reading the above link (even though I think I read it in the past) here are some of the links I found with the series and the Norse apocalypse:

1. The red comet could be an allusion to the red roosters whose crowing announces the start of the Ragnorak war throughout the Nine Worlds.

2. Bran may fit the Fenris wolf. Just as Bran was put into a near death state by Jaime, the warrior, the Fenris Wolf was imprisoned in the underworld by the Norse god of War Tyr. Jaime ultimately loses his hand because of the chain of events he sets in motion by pushing Bran out the window, while Tyr more directly loses his hand from the Fenris wolf in the process of imprisoning it. Just like the Fenris wolf escapes his literal chains, Bran escapes his figurative chains as he learns how to control his skinchanging ability.

3. Stannis and his red witch, Melisandre could represent Surtr and his flaming sword, or Dany and her dragons could fit the bill as well. Dany as an invader into Westeros may fit the part more easily, however.

4. Drago's funeral pyre has certain similarities to Baldr's funeral pyre as well. In addition, while Baldr's funeral heralds the beginning of Ragnorak, Drago's funeral results in the reemergence of dragons.

5. While this may be stretching it a tad, I noticed serpent imagery has been used abundantly in reference to the Iron Islands, Dorne, Qarth, and some of the free cities. While not a literal serpent, this collection of threats does seem to surround the land of Westeros.

6. Several battles also seem to reflect Thor's battles against the Jormungandr (the serpent) . Robert's battle against Rhaegar, where Robert is victorious but the Targaryen threat lives on across the sea, may be a subtle reference to Thor's early battle against the Jormungandr where he almost defeats the serpent but before he can land the killing blow, the serpent is allowed to escape back into the sea. Thor's final battle against Jormungandr ends with Thor crushing the serpent's head but Thor subsequently dies from the poison he took on during the battle. Likewise we have Gregor's battle against Oberyn where Gregor crushes the Red Viper's skull but is (apparently) mortally wounded from the poisoned spear.

5.

Bran is more than likely based off Gram and Sigurd of the Volsunga Saga.

[Daendrew]

Bran is more than likely based off Gram and Sigurd of the Volsunga Saga.

If the dragon can have three heads, why not a god :)

[Fool of a Book]

I believe the myth of Ragnarok is an influence, but not as popularly imagined.

George is a comic book nerd, not a mythology nerd. Delve into the Norse Pantheon of Marvel et al, that's the ticket.

[LordStoneheart]

I hate that blog. It skews things just as much as a normal crackpot thread on here.

[Fool of a Book]

Bran is more than likely based off Gram and Sigurd of the Volsunga Saga.

Sorry but Jaime is Sigurd and Brienne is Brunhilde. Jaime's dream of cutting off her armor/chains clinches that one.

[Ser Creighton]

I believe the myth of Ragnarok is an influence, but not as popularly imagined.

George is a comic book nerd, not a mythology nerd. Delve into the Norse Pantheon of Marvel et al, that's the ticket.

Actually just read Wildcards, the entire plot for a ASOIAF is revealed in Wildcards, the books are just a device to get people to read Wildcards.

You now Martin reads books too right? Lots of books, in fact he seems to love the things. Well as long as he doesn't have to write them.

[Ser Creighton]

I hate that blog. It skews things just as much as a normal crackpot thread on here.

Actually you can remove Crackpot from the name, all theories should be considered Crackpot, unless normal is placed in the title on this site.

[setmyheartafire]

Funny you say that. I've been digging for ideas about

the heart of winter and wondered if this was perhaps indicative of where Bran's story is heading:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel:_The_End

[Fool of a Book]

Actually just read Wildcards, the entire plot for a ASOIAF is revealed in Wildcards, the books are just a device to get people to read Wildcards.

You now Martin reads books too right? Lots of books, in fact he seems to love the things. Well as long as he doesn't have to write them.

You know Martin famously collect silver-age comics, right? It's the comics that are the keys. We've unfortunately been barraged with Avenger movies lately, I don't think George saw that coming.

And lol. True.

[Light a wight tonight]

No, Robert in his antlered helmet is Cernunos, the Celtic Horned God, a fertility icon, and boy, is Robert fertile. Bran is "raven" in Cymric and he's associating with ravens right now, including Bloodraven.

R'hllor is Ahura Mazda, the Zoroastrian Lord of Light.

The Seven are the Holy Trinity multiplied. Except the Maid the Mother and the Crone are the Triune Goddess.

There is no single source for the various manifestations in ASoIaF.

My own take on the works linked to: not especially well thought out. How the f*ck can anybody but Littlefinger be Loki? Bloodraven? He's more of a Woden figure, accompanied by ravens, and one-eyed to boot. In fact LF is one of the most important characters in the books and doesn't get a mention in the comparo. What's up with that?

[Fool of a Book]

No, Robert in his antlered helmet is Cernunos, the Celtic Horned God, a fertility icon, and boy, is Robert fertile. Bran is "raven" in Cymric and he's associating with ravens right now, including Bloodraven.

R'hllor is Ahura Mazda, the Zoroastrian Lord of Light.

The Seven are the Holy Trinity multiplied. Except the Maid the Mother and the Crone are the Triune Goddess.

There is no single source for the various manifestations in ASoIaF.

My own take on the works linked to: not especially well thought out. How the f*ck can anybody be Littlefinger be Loki? Bloodraven? He's more of a Woden figure, accompanied by ravens, and one-eyed to boot. In fact LF is one of the most important characters in the books and doesn't get a mention in the comparo.

Well Robert has some Thor elements, specifically Mjolnir the hammer, which has the capacity to break false identities. Rubies are famously a sign of trickery in the books, and Robert as Thor smashes Rhaegar. We'll learn about the falseness of his rubies in the next books.

LF is not Loki. Several characters play that part.

You take Bloodraven too lightly, he's the key to everything.

[Daendrew]

No, Robert in his antlered helmet is Cernunos, the Celtic Horned God, a fertility icon, and boy, is Robert fertile. Bran is "raven" in Cymric and he's associating with ravens right now, including Bloodraven.

R'hllor is Ahura Mazda, the Zoroastrian Lord of Light.

The Seven are the Holy Trinity multiplied. Except the Maid the Mother and the Crone are the Triune Goddess.

There is no single source for the various manifestations in ASoIaF.

My own take on the works linked to: not especially well thought out. How the f*ck can anybody but Littlefinger be Loki? Bloodraven? He's more of a Woden figure, accompanied by ravens, and one-eyed to boot. In fact LF is one of the most important characters in the books and doesn't get a mention in the comparo. What's up with that?

Littlefinger is clearly a Loki-like trickster.

[Daendrew]

I believe the myth of Ragnarok is an influence, but not as popularly imagined.

George is a comic book nerd, not a mythology nerd. Delve into the Norse Pantheon of Marvel et al, that's the ticket.

Where do comic books get their foundations? Mythology. This is all the hero with a thousand faces.

[Fool of a Book]

Where do comic books get their foundations? Mythology. This is all the hero with a thousand faces.

Yes. But George read the comics first.

[The Mother of The Others]

The Others are Ice Giants, and it's the end of the world after there'd been a delicate balance for the longest time with the Wall functioning just fine, then something pushed things into disaster mode. Sounds familiar alright.

Shhhhhhh! No Ragnarok spoilers! I haven't seen Thor 2 yet. Also Ragnarok was the spaceship U gained control of in Final Fantasy, so you probably got the name from there.

Loki is a bastard. One of the O.B. Bastards from way back. His offenses are more heinous than glittering vampires, more appalling than Richard Sherman. He's that guy who polishes off the 52 ounce steak and then uses your master bathroom.

[Fool of a Book]

The Others are Ice Giants, and it's the end of the world after there'd been a delicate balance for the longest time with the Wall functioning just fine, then something pushed things into disaster mode. Sounds familiar alright.

Shhhhhhh! No Ragnarok spoilers! I haven't seen Thor 2 yet. Also Ragnarok was the spaceship U gained control of in Final Fantasy, so you probably got the name from there.

Loki is a bastard. One of the O.B. Bastards from way back. His offenses are more heinous than glittering vampires, more appalling than Richard Sherman. He's that guy who polishes off the 52 ounce steak and then uses your master bathroom.

lol

Yup I think BR is Loki, the great bastard.

[setmyheartafire]

Loki is a bastard. One of the O.B. Bastards from way back. His offenses are more heinous than glittering vampires

Omg haha that's pretty heinous!

[Sir Lee knot]

I stopped reading at Jaime is Azor Ahai...

[mindchap]

"The theory that puts all other to shame" concludes with Tommen being PTWP and Egg reborn? :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

Thank you so much... I needed this...

I'm all for anything that brings back Egg. :D

It's amazing what people can find if they want to see it, there are some very common elements in stories that even GRRM said may have gotten in subconciously. If you write about wolves and cold, people who know a lot of Norse mythology are going to see connections, those who know British history are going to see connections, that's just the way our minds work. It does make for a more fun read though, because it is making you think.

[Ser Creighton]

Sorry but Jaime is Sigurd and Brienne is Brunhilde. Jaime's dream of cutting off her armor/chains clinches that one.

While I don't doubt Jaime and Bree have a minor connection to Sigurd and Brunhilde, this is where you have to separate exact parallels from the mythology, Martin doesn't do that. Gram and Bran clearly have similar roots and I would suggest that while Gram is a sword it is also a metaphor for Bran in many ways. You can also draw parallels to the Barnstokkr tree where Odin places Gram, or Odin who consistently assisted Sigurd, because of the death of Sigmund. Sigurd who learned to speak to birds and was given the gift of Prophecy. You also have the fact that Gram was broken and three times reforged, which is not all that different from the story of the forging of Lightbringer, or the fact that Bran himself had been broken.

Any direct parallel is a waste of time, most writers are not going to rip off a story unless they are writing a homage to it and clearly Martin isn't he just uses some, imagery, allusions, and metaphors, where you can draw some minor insight from them or clues. Outside of a Dream Jaime and Bree draw very little from the Volsunga Saga, she is a warrior and so is he, well that locks it down. The name Brienne can also be tied to St. Francis, you know a poor preacher that used to walk around preaching to the poor, bearfoot, and who loved animals, like dogs, and preached to sparrows. Martin mixes it up.