Mikkel Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 I wouldn't say she needs to "break" to qualify as mad. More that she'll become increasingly convinced that her way is the only way, doing increasingly harsh things, all the while believing she's actually doing good. Believing yourself to be good is much more interesting and dangerous than a "classic" evil-for-the-sake-of-evil villain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Silver King Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 A lot of fictional mad people seem to have an idea of what they want to do though - no conflict, just clarity. For example characters such as Sylar and Hannibal Lector are very driven despite being quite insane. You could even apply this to real world mad people such as Charles Manson. His family had very clear goals and ideals despite him being absolutely bonkers. Same with Aerys being absolutely sure that blowing up Kings Landing and being reborn into a dragon would be the right thing to do rather than something else more rational. Yea and all those examples are people who are driven and clear to do heinous things. The events you cited on the Dothraki sea played out more like a vision quest in my opinion. She has already gone through multiple traumatic events and all of them have strengthened her as opposed to breaking her. She has shown time and time again to be quite resiliant and I don't think her family's(or certain members of her family) predisposition to madness will affect her again. She has done some brutal things don't get me wrong but she has also shown restraint when influenced to do much worse, i.e. killing the child hostages in Meereen or pulling a Red Wedding sort of deal on the Nobles there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon's Queen Consort Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Hasn't her madness been triggered already? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikkel Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Hasn't her madness been triggered already? Some of us certainly believe so, it's just not in a sane-one-moment-insane-the-next fashion, more a gradual slide towards brutally enforcing what she believes the way the world should be - including some sympathetic ideas about abolishing slavery, even if the execution of said ideas has been terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guard of the Rainking Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 I would forgive all the the boring Dany chapters, if she turns into a ruthless semi-mad character. Hell if it's done well I might put her on my top 10 asoiaf characters list. If this happens, I hope Emilia Clarke has improved her acting by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hound_Reborn Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 It would make her chapters at least interesting if she's either mad already, or she becomes mad. It'll definitely make up for her chapters which I've found to be dreadfully dull. Heck I feel there's already been a few indications, with her saying to herself (in every damn chapter) "I am the blood of a Dragon", I mean come on, that's not exactly what I call sane, I mean you don't read characters going I am a lion, or (well okay they're wargs so they can say it though) wolf, or I am a kraken, I think even those other characters (even Sansa) would find that to be ridiculous. Meh, I don't know (like Jon Snow), I just hope it doesn't end with Dany winning otherwise I'll probably give my books to the Lord of Light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon's Queen Consort Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Some of us certainly believe so, it's just not in a sane-one-moment-insane-the-next fashion, more a gradual slide towards brutally enforcing what she believes the way the world should be - including some sympathetic ideas about abolishing slavery, even if the execution of said ideas has been terrible. Count me in. Dany isn't a typical "mad" person but her actions aren't quite sane either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhaegars Heir Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 It would make her chapters at least interesting if she's either mad already, or she becomes mad. It'll definitely make up for her chapters which I've found to be dreadfully dull. Heck I feel there's already been a few indications, with her saying to herself (in every damn chapter) "I am the blood of a Dragon", I mean come on, that's not exactly what I call sane, I mean you don't read characters going I am a lion, or (well okay they're wargs so they can say it though) wolf, or I am a kraken, I think even those other characters (even Sansa) would find that to be ridiculous. Meh, I don't know (like Jon Snow), I just hope it doesn't end with Dany winning otherwise I'll probably give my books to the Lord of Light.one she doesn't say it on every cheater and two it's not meant to be literal it's her telling her self she has to live up to the legacy of her great ancestor which makes sense if your great great great great x's whatever grandfather literally created a country you'd feel pride as well as a need to live up to what he did. you don't think john Quincey Adams felt he same way about john Adams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guard of the Rainking Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 It would make her chapters at least interesting if she's either mad already, or she becomes mad. It'll definitely make up for her chapters which I've found to be dreadfully dull. Heck I feel there's already been a few indications, with her saying to herself (in every damn chapter) "I am the blood of a Dragon", I mean come on, that's not exactly what I call sane, I mean you don't read characters going I am a lion, or (well okay they're wargs so they can say it though) wolf, or I am a kraken, I think even those other characters (even Sansa) would find that to be ridiculous. Meh, I don't know (like Jon Snow), I just hope it doesn't end with Dany winning otherwise I'll probably give my books to the Lord of Light. I'm actually pretty fine with villain Dany winning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollowcrown Posted May 3, 2014 Author Share Posted May 3, 2014 Aerys was a good king until the rebels came? I don't think so, it's said multiple times that he roasted people for funsies. They didn't give him the name "Mad King" for nothing, and remember the scheme where his plan was to roast all of King's Landing never came to light, the smallfolk don't know about that, yet he still got the nickname. Viserys was a normal guy? You read the books, yes? In the first minute of meeting him, he gives his 13 year old sister an incredibly painful nipple twist. There's like at least 6 things wrong with that sentence. Dany wasn't outcast from the Dothraki. In fact, if she wanted it, she could've claimed the most honored place held by women in the clan in Vaes Dothrok. I think you need to do some re-reading, friend. I respect fan theories, especially outlandish ones, but your evidence is highly flawed. 1. I seem to remember he was. Until he got captured by the Darklyns he was a good king I recall, Tywin was very happy to be his hand. 2. Your argument is flawed - we have no evidence of Viserys being a cat-dissecting evil guy like Joffrey - all we know is he had spent years on the run trying to keep him and his sister safe. By the time the first book happens he has long passe I d over into madness - and I never said otherwise. 3. Well Dany wasn't going to Vaes Dothrak - she either had that choice, die, or run away. Dany chose exile with the remains of her Khalasar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire Eater Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Aerys already had fits before he was kidnapped. If anything Targaryen madness is only triggered if you had fits when you were younger. We started the book with Dany at 13 and we have seen no fits, Barristan that has grown up with Targaryens (2 mad ones) has seen no evidence, and Dany herself has been under alot of stress but has still kept sane compared to characters like Cersei. And lets be real, anyone will have visions if they are hungry and sick in a deserted place. There is no evidence for Dany being mad or even becoming mad. She even questions herself if she has the taint. I agree, if Dany is mad there would have been clear telltale signs in her POV like we saw in Cersei's. ETA: To use your example, I think Sylar and Lecter were both aware that what they were doing was considered "evil." Whereas whatever Dany does, I think she actually convinces herself that it's good or done with good intentions. Like the massacre of Great Masters in Meereen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Like the massacre of Great Masters in Meereen? One of the things she does, yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wmarshal Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Well, unless Dany gets tortured the shit out off her or a lot of stuff starting hitting the fan, say all the freedmen die, I don't see her going mad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frey Pentos Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Like the massacre of Great Masters in Meereen? 163 Executions rather than a massacre. The vast majority of GM's were spared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wmarshal Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 How many people you need to kill to make it a massacre? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictarion Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Dany lost her family before she was born, she grew up in exile, her brother abused her, she often lived in poverty, she lost her husband and her son, she faced the Red Waste, she had to banish the man she believed to be her most trustworthy friend, she's faced numerous assassination attempts, she had to witness her people being killed in a shadow war, her city was besieged, she had to lock the pale mare victims out of the city, and she lived for weeks in the Dothraki Sea, alone, dehydrated, starving, and suffering from a miscarriage. And she still hasn't broken. GRRM would have a hard time selling Dany as someone who can break after everything she's been through. Agreed. If Dany didn't snap after the events in AGoT, she's not going to imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GallantGambler Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Just my opinion, but I think Quaithe's prophecy has already begun to send Dany on a serious spiral of paranoia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hielo y Fuego Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Heck I feel there's already been a few indications, with her saying to herself (in every damn chapter) "I am the blood of a Dragon", I mean come on, that's not exactly what I call sane, I mean you don't read characters going I am a lion, or (well okay they're wargs so they can say it though) wolf, or I am a kraken, I think even those other characters (even Sansa) would find that to be ridiculous. Tyrion's constantly reminding himself that he's a Lion from Casterly Rock. Not saying Dany's sane or insane. Just pointing out that she's certainly not the only one who does this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roddy the Ruin Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 I would love it if she goes mad, it would be quite interesting to read. But I doubt she will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire Eater Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 163 Executions rather than a massacre. The vast majority of GM's were spared. How many people you need to kill to make it a massacre? Agreed with WMarshal on that. She had 163 people killed in one incident without trial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.