Tyrion is The Riddle of The Sphinx

[Daendrew]

Tyrion is The Riddle of The Sphinx. [EndGame of Thrones: Part 15]

With one photo I can convince you my theory of Tyrion being the Shpinx is true and it will forever hense seem obvious to you. But I still want you to read on. Click here to see it.

He said the sphinx was the riddle, not the riddler, whatever that meant. He asked Sam to read for him from a book by Septon Barth

• A Feast for Crows - Samwell IV

What is a sphinx? How are sphinxes described in the books?

It had been Lazy Leo who dubbed Alleras "the Sphinx." A sphinx is a bit of this, a bit of that: a human face, the body of a lion, the wings of a hawk.

• A Feast for Crows - Prologue

The gates of the Citadel were flanked by a pair of towering green sphinxes with the bodies of lions, the wings of eagles, and the tails of serpents..

• A Feast for Crows - Samwell V

The gateway to the Long Bridge was a black stone arch carved withsphinxes, manticores, dragons, and creatures stranger still.

• A Dance with Dragons - Tyrion VII

So what do we have here? A sphinx is a bit of this, a bit of that, a human face,: wings, serpent characteristics like tails and they are associated with dragons and creatures stranger still

But sphinxes also have the tails and serpents and are associated with dragons. What about dragon tails? Or something “stranger still?”

In 273 AC, however, Lady Joanna was taken to childbed once again at Casterly Rock, where she died delivering Lord Tywin's second son. Tyrion, as the babe was named, was a malformed, dwarfish babe born with stunted legs, an oversized head, and mismatched, demonic eyes (some reports also suggested he had a tail, which was lopped off at his lord father's command). Lord Tywin's Doom, the smallfolk called this ill-made creature, and Lord Tywin's Bane. Upon hearing of his birth, King Aerys infamously said, "The gods cannot abide such arrogance. They have plucked a fair flower from his hand and given him a monster in her place, to teach him some humility at last."

What about Tyrions associations with dragons? Tyrion dreams of dragons:

"So they say," Tyrion replied. "Sad, isn't it? When I was your age, I used todream of having a dragon of my own."

"No," Tyrion admitted, "not me. I seldom even dream of dragons anymore. There are no dragons

If you look into why Tyrion doesn’t dream anymore. It is honestly quite sad. What is different for him now than when he was younger is that he drinks himself into dreamless sleep. Just as the Maesters would drug Bran and Robin Arryn. Only after Maester Lewin died and Bran left was he able to hone his abilities. Robin Arryn is even more medicated and is the only one to still hear the singer in the Eyrie when he is long dead.

So lets put it all together now:

A shphinx is a halfman… ok. Wait… a Halfman?

They are part lion. Ok. You mean, like Lannister?

Tyrion was said to be born with demonic eyes and a tail.

And dragons. He is obsessed with dragons. He is a small man. If only there was one dragon, the smallest one that he could ride. Maybe he could somehow make a custom saddle to be able to ride it? Who knows?

What is this riddle stuff Aemon speaks of and what does this have to do with Tyrion?

Well… You know it all too well.

Where do whores go? That is the riddle that runs Tyrions life.

He isn’t a riddler. He is the answer to the other riddle Aemon mentioned but you might have missed. It may not be the riddle you were thinking.

[Aemon] asked Sam to read for him from a book by Septon Barth, whose writings had been burned during the reign of Baelor the Blessed. Once he woke up weeping. "The dragon must have three heads," he wailed,"but I am too old and frail to be one of them. I should be with her, showing her the way, but my body has betrayed me."

The true riddle is who will be the third head of the dragon. As Aemon is too old.

The sphinx is the Halfman. He is part lion (Lannister), part dragon(rider or Targ bastard), that was born with deformities like rumored tail. Oh and just like the Sphinx in Egypt Tyrion also has its nose cut off and looks horrible.

Tyrion is the riddle of the sphinx. He is the missing third dragon, as the dragon must have has three heads. Dany, Jon, and Tyrion.

It is after all GRRM’s story so it will not be a Disney ending. I think one or all of the dragons will die. One or all of the dragonriders will die. There may be wighted dragons. We don’t know what kind of a person Jon will be when he comes back. And lastly Bran has already become the Ice Dragon and saw himself facing off against Jaime, Azor Ahannister himself.

"Dragons," Moqorro said in the Common Tongue of Westeros. He spoke it very well, with hardly a trace of accent. No doubt that was one reason the high priest Benerro had chosen him to bring the faith of R'hllor to Daenerys Targaryen. "Dragons old and young, true and false, bright and dark. And you. A small man with a big shadow, snarling in the midst of all."

I wonder if the snarling is not the late phase of Greyscale where they go mad? Or it could simply be his dragon.

Tyrion is associated with sphinx statues:

"I can see where Joffrey learned his courtesies." Tyrion paused to admire the pair of Valyrian sphinxes that guarded the door, affecting an air of casual confidence. Cersei could smell weakness the way a dog smells fear.

• A Clash of Kings - Tyrion I

Tyrion and Septon Barth

Right after Aemon tells Sam about the Sphinx prophesy he asks him to read him a very specific book by a very specific author. My friend Aziz of The History of Westeros Podcast was the first to make the discovery I think that “Septon Barth” is GRRM-speak for this is basically true and what you should think. Almost everything Barth predicts is true.

So in the same breath that Aemon tells Sam the Sphinx prophesy, he asked him to read a book by Barth. It just so happens that Tyrion has read some of the very few remaining copies of that book by Barth and is seeking to read more of it it:

EndGame of Thrones is a multipart series. Click here to see the other parts of the series

Baelor the Blessed had ordered all Barth's writings destroyed when he came to the Iron Throne. Ten years ago, Tyrion had read a fragment of Unnatural History that had eluded the Blessed Baelor, but he doubted that any of Barth's work had found its way across the narrow sea. And of course there was even less chance of his coming on the fragmentary, anonymous, blood-soaked tome sometimes called Blood and Fire and sometimes The Death of Dragons.

• A Dance with Dragons - Tyrion IV

[Eiko Dragonhorn]

You forgot the Aerys/Joanna angle!

[Daendrew]

You forgot the Aerys/Joanna angle!

No it is there just not prominent :)

" part dragon(rider or Targ bastard)"

[Isobel Harper]

Tyrion is The Riddle of The Sphinx. [EndGame of Thrones: Part 15]

With one photo I can convince you my theory of Tyrion being the Shpinx is true and it will forever hense seem obvious to you. But I still want you to read on. Click here to see it.

...

:bowdown:

[Lost Melnibonean]

After that the old man spent more time sleeping than awake, curled up beneath a pile of furs in the captains cabin. Sometimes he would mutter in his sleep. When he woke hed call for Sam, insisting that he had to tell him something, but oft as not he would have forgotten what he meant to say by the time that Sam arrived. Even when he did recall, his talk was all a jumble. He spoke of dreams and never named the dreamer, of a glass candle that could not be lit and eggs that would not hatch. He said the sphinx was the riddle, not the riddler, whatever that meant. He asked Sam to read for him from a book by Septon Barth, whose writings had been burned during the reign of Baelor the Blessed. Once he woke up weeping. "The dragon must have three heads, he wailed, but I am too old and frail to be one of them. I should be with her, showing her the way, but my body has betrayed me."

Samwell IV, Feast

The Sphinx looks slight, but theres strength in those slim arms, he reflected, as Alleras threw a leg across the bench and reached for his wine cup. "The dragon has three heads," he announced in his soft Dornish drawl.

"Is this a riddle?" Roone wanted to know. "Sphinxes always speak in riddles in the tales."

"No riddle."Allras sipped his wine. The rest of them were quaffing tankards of the fearsomely strong cider that the Quill and Tankard was renowned for, but he preferred the strange, sweet wines of his mothers country. Even in Oldtown such wines did not come cheap. It had been Lazy Leo who dubbed Alleras the Sphinx. A sphinx is a bit of this, a bit of that: a human face, the body of a lion, the wings of a hawk. Alleras was the same: his father was a Dornishman, his mother a black-skinned Summer Islander. His own skin was dark as teak. And like the green marble sphinxes that flanked the Citadels main gate, Alleras had eyes of onyx.

Prologue, Feast

I believe that Aegon is Aemons sphinx, a chimera just like the manticore noted with the griffin and the dragon. The classical Greek sphinx would not allow anyone to pass unless he could solve the riddle posed by the sphinx. But in this case the sphinx, Aegon, is the riddle, being a Blackfyre and perhaps a Brightflame (and maybe even a Bloodstar too). And if Daenerys doesnt guess the riddle Aegon will destroy her.

As Daenerys enters Qarth, she passes under an arch of green, black, and blue snakes...

All the colors that had been missing from Vaes Tolorro had found their way to Qarth; buildings crowded about her fantastical as a fever dream in shades of rose, violet, and umber. She passed under a bronze arch fashioned in the likeness of two snakes mating, their scales delicate flakes of jade, obsidian, and lapis lazuli. Slim towers stood taller than any Dany had ever seen, and elaborate fountains filled every square, wrought in the shapes of griffins and dragons and manticores.

Daenerys II, Clash

Notice that she observes fountains wrought in the shapes of griffins and dragons and manticores. The griffin and dragon allusions are easy, of course, Jon Connington and Aegon. But the manticore allusion is much more elusive. In case you dont know, the manticore is a chimera, a fantastical beast comprised of the body parts of more than one animal or other mythical beast. The manticore most commonly consisted of a human head, a lions body, a bats wings, and a scorpions tail, but there were other variations. In ASOIAF, the manticore was much smaller, with a malign, black face and an arched, venomous tail, with the ability to fold itself into a scarab. In the real world, the manticore and chimeras were depicted in the art of the Romanesque and Renaissance periods to symbolize fraud. So, we have Jon Connington, Aegon, and fraud.

And consider the manticore that attacked Daenerys, disguised as...

a glittering green scarab, carved from onyx and emerald.

Daenerys V, Clash

[Isobel Harper]

I believe that Aegon is Aemons sphinx, a chimera just like the manticore noted with the griffin and the dragon. The classical Greek sphinx would not allow anyone to pass unless he could solve the riddle posed by the sphinx. But in this case the sphinx, Aegon, is the riddle, being a Blackfyre and perhaps a Brightflame (and maybe even a Bloodstar too). And if Daenerys doesnt guess the riddle Aegon will destroy her.

Interesting parallel to Aegon as the sphinx. Ultimately, he is a riddle himself. His truth of his identity is a complete mystery.

Notice that she observes fountains wrought in the shapes of griffins and dragons and manticores. The griffin and dragon allusions are easy, of course, Jon Connington and Aegon. But the manticore allusion is much more elusive. In case you dont know, the manticore is a chimera, a fantastical beast comprised of the body parts of more than one animal or other mythical beast. The manticore most commonly consisted of a human head, a lions body, a bats wings, and a scorpions tail, but there were other variations. In ASOIAF, the manticore was much smaller, with a malign, black face and an arched, venomous tail, with the ability to fold itself into a scarab. In the real world, the manticore and chimeras were depicted in the art of the Romanesque and Renaissance periods to symbolize fraud. So, we have Jon Connington, Aegon, and fraud.

The manticore during this time period ultimately symbolized evil and, therefore, also the devil. In Inferno, Dante Alghieri chose the manticore to represent the sin of fraud. The sin of fraud was considered one of the worse sins of man which warranted damnation into the Eighth of the Nine Circles of hell, which is likely why he chose the manticore to represent the sin in his text. While the analysis of manticore as representing fraud has merit, I believe the scene with "griffins and dragons and manticores" represent three people: Jon Connington, Aegon, and Illyrio, with Illyrio representing the devil.

Illyrio shares one of the most common Western stereotypes with the devil: the forked beard.

AGot, Daenerys I:

Gemstones glittered on every finger, and his man had oiled his forked yellow beard until it shone like real gold.

ADwD, Tyrion I:

The fat man stroked one of the prongs of his oiled yellow beard, a gesture Tyrion found remarkably obscene.

Now, imagine if you will a connection to (some of) Seven Deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride.

Lust:

ADwD, Tyrion II:

Daenerys was half a child when she came to me, yet fairer even than my second wife, so lovely I was tempted to claim her for myself. Such a fearful, furtive thing, however, I knew I should get no joy from coupling with her. Instead I summoned a bedwarmer and fucked her vigorously until the madness passed."

Gluttony:

ADwD, Tyrion I:

Above him loomed a grotesque fat man with a forked yellow beard, holding a wooden mallet and an iron chisel. His bedrobe was large enough to serve as a tourney pavilion, but its loosely knotted belt had come undone, exposing a huge white belly and a pair of heavy breasts that sagged like sacks of suet covered with coarse yellow hair. He reminded Tyrion of a dead sea cow that had once washed up in the caverns under Casterly Rock.

Greed:

ADwD, Tyrion I:

Jewels danced when he moved his hands; onyx and opal, tiger's eye and tourmaline, ruby, amethyst, sapphire, emerald, jet and jade, a black diamond, and a green pearl. I could live for years on his rings, Tyrion mused, though I'd need a cleaver to claim them.

Pride:

ADwD, Tyrion I:

A naked boy stood on the water, poised to duel with a bravo's blade in hand. He was lithe and handsome, no older than sixteen, with straight blond hair that brushed his shoulders. So lifelike did he seem that it took the dwarf a long moment to realize he was made of painted marble, though his sword shimmered like true steel.

We aren't entirely sure what Illyrio's motives are. I believe that theories the he is a Blackfyre are true, regardless if Aegon is a Blackfyre as well or not. If Illyrio is a Blackfyre, wrath and envy are likely motives behind his plot. And does Illyrio exhibit signs of sloth as well? I think so. Today, we regard sloth as simple laziness. In the religious context, sloth refers to inactivity in the physical as well as emotional and immortal sense of the word - apathy. It's easy to note Illyrio's physical sloth. And emotional and moral sloth is present as well. Illyrio was not hesitant to wed Daenerys to Drogo despite feeling that she wouldn't survive the Dothraki lifestyle, so long as he prospered from it.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Interesting parallel to Aegon as the sphinx. Ultimately, he is a riddle himself. His truth of his identity is a complete mystery.

The manticore during this time period ultimately symbolized evil and, therefore, also the devil. In Inferno, Dante Alghieri chose the manticore to represent the sin of fraud. The sin of fraud was considered one of the worse sins of man which warranted damnation into the Eighth of the Nine Circles of hell, which is likely why he chose the manticore to represent the sin in his text. While the analysis of manticore as representing fraud has merit, I believe the scene with "griffins and dragons and manticores" represent three people: Jon Connington, Aegon, and Illyrio, with Illyrio representing the devil.

Illyrio shares one of the most common Western stereotypes with the devil: the forked beard.

Now, imagine if you will a connection to (some of) Seven Deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride.

Lust:

Gluttony:

Greed:

Pride:

We aren't entirely sure what Illyrio's motives are. I believe that theories the he is a Blackfyre are true, regardless if Aegon is a Blackfyre as well or not. If Illyrio is a Blackfyre, wrath and envy are likely motives behind his plot. And does Illyrio exhibit signs of sloth as well? I think so. Today, we regard sloth as simple laziness. In the religious context, sloth refers to inactivity in the physical as well as emotional and immortal sense of the word - apathy. It's easy to note Illyrio's physical sloth. And emotional and moral sloth is present as well. Illyrio was not to wed Daenerys to Drogo despite feeling that she wouldn't survive the Dothraki lifestyle, so long as he prospered from it.

Impressive. Most impressive.

[Isobel Harper]

There's also one connection that the dragon and the griffin have with a unicorn. In this scene is from AFFC at an inn, the Seven Swords, to have her arms repainted.

AFFC, Brienne II:

"Your door is very pretty," she told the dark-haired woman who answered when she knocked. "What castle is that meant to be?"

"All castles," said the captain's sister. "The only one I know is the Dun Fort by the harbor. I made t'other in my head, what a castle ought to look like. I never seen a dragon neither, nor a griffin, nor a unicorn."

Knowing of Aegon and Connington in ADwD, we now are able read this scene as foreshadowing of their arrival to Westeros. I'm not too certain what the unicorn would represent in this case. Considering the manticore connection above, I see some sort of opposition to the manticore. Manticores historically symbolize evil; Unicorns historically symbolize purity and virtue. Perhaps the manticore and unicorn represent the opinions that Daenerys and commoners will adapt towards Aegon, respectively. Daenerys will ultimately see him as a threat; commoners will ultimately view him in a positive light.

In context of the series, the first thing that "unicorn" brings to mind is Skagos, which also brings to mind Rickon. Like Aegon (presumably), Rickon is a boy thought to be brutally murdered. Shaggydog will be key to proving Rickon's identity, just as Aegon obtaining a dragon might "prove" his identity. (The readers know that - whether Targaryen or Blackfyre - dragons will probably be drawn to him anyway, but the people will see Aegon with a dragon as "the Targaryens come again.")

The only other possible symbolism that I can think of is House Brax, whose sigil is a purple unicorn on a silver background. Purple eyes and silver hair are the stereotypical physical traits of a Targaryen. Valyrian features are rare in Westeros, and something the captain's sister (above quote) has also "never seen." The common folk might be convinced by Aegon's coloring that he is a Targaryen.

There's an additional scene that might be significant. It takes place in AGoT when Ned visits Tobho Mott's blacksmith shop.

AGoT, Eddard VI:

A pair of stone knights stood sentry at the entrance, armored in fanciful suits of polished red steel that transformed them into griffin and unicorn.

In this scene, Ned meets Gendry, one of Robb's bastards. While walking through the smithing area to meet Gendry, Ned describes it as feeling "as though he were walking into a dragon's mouth." Much later in the series, another Hand would come across another son of royal blood who is also being financially supported by Varys, being hidden with another type of griffin.

[Lost Melnibonean]

There's also one connection that the dragon and the griffin have with a unicorn. In this scene is from AFFC at an inn, the Seven Swords, to have her arms repainted.

Knowing of Aegon and Connington in ADwD, we now are able read this scene as foreshadowing of their arrival to Westeros. I'm not too certain what the unicorn would represent in this case. Considering the manticore connection above, I see some sort of opposition to the manticore. Manticores historically symbolize evil; Unicorns historically symbolize purity and virtue. Perhaps the manticore and unicorn represent the opinions that Daenerys and commoners will adapt towards Aegon, respectively. Daenerys will ultimately see him as a threat; commoners will ultimately view him in a positive light.

In context of the series, the first thing that "unicorn" brings to mind is Skagos, which also brings to mind Rickon. Like Aegon (presumably), Rickon is a boy thought to be brutally murdered. Shaggydog will be key to proving Rickon's identity, just as Aegon obtaining a dragon might "prove" his identity. (The readers know that - whether Targaryen or Blackfyre - dragons will probably be drawn to him anyway, but the people will see Aegon with a dragon as "the Targaryens come again.")

The only other possible symbolism that I can think of is House Brax, whose sigil is a purple unicorn on a silver background. Purple eyes and silver hair are the stereotypical physical traits of a Targaryen. Valyrian features are rare in Westeros, and something the captain's sister (above quote) has also "never seen." The common folk might be convinced by Aegon's coloring that he is a Targaryen.

There's an additional scene that might be significant. It takes place in AGoT when Ned visits Tobho Mott's blacksmith shop.

In this scene, Ned meets Gendry, one of Robb's bastards. While walking through the smithing area to meet Gendry, Ned describes it as feeling "as though he were walking into a dragon's mouth." Much later in the series, another Hand would come across another son of royal blood who is also being financially supported by Varys, being hidden with another type of griffin.

There is another unicorn that keeps me up late some nights (but not many :) )...

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/108278-she-saw-crimson-firelions/

[Isobel Harper]

There is another unicorn that keeps me up late some nights (but not many :) )...

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/108278-she-saw-crimson-firelions/

I meant to mention that quote in my comment but forgot. All I really wanted to mention though was that unicorn most likely means something, because of said scene.

[Daendrew]

Glad to see this turn into the fPhinx thread.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Glad to see this turn into the fPhinx thread.

C'mon man, nobody else said anything. I don't see Tyrion as the sphinx but can at least see him as the stone dragon.

[Isobel Harper]

Sorry, did we hijack your thread? :P

The sphinx as the riddle to Tyrion's identity could mean two things. There's the sphinxes at the Citadel which have the body of a lion and the tail of a serpent, i.e. Lannister and Targaryen. But the Egyptian sphinx, infamously known for its missing nose, has the head of a human and only the body of a lion. Since Tyrion shares the lack of a nose with the Egyptian sphinx, wouldn't Tyrion only be a "lion", i.e. Lannister? Also, the sphinxes in story have wings of an eagle. If the parts of the sphinx represent Tyrion heritage, what role do these eagle wings have in regards to Tyrion?

[barristan-b]

Nice OP. The thing that gets me is that Aemon studied at the Citadel for over 10 years and probably still knew it darn well up until his death.

He met Tyrion as well and seemed to think very highly of him...but he says this in light of reading Barth's book as mentioned. This is not in dispute to Tyrion being a head of the dragon but the thing is, he met Tyrion before the nose thing so maybe that's more of a real world emulation GRRM placed to hint us along.

Random parallels that come to mind: Giza/Sphinx mysteries in reference to the Hall of Records; not to mention, there are a ton of similarities between ancient Alexandria and Oldtown. The Library, the Lighthouse, serving as the intellectual and cultural center of the world.

"No one ever looked for a girl. It was a prince that was promised... Rhaegar, I thought... The error crept in from the translation. Dragons are neither male nor female... Daenerys is the one, born amidst salt and smoke... Lady Melisandre has misread the signs. Stannis has some of the dragon blood in him, yes... Rhaelle, Egg's little girl, she was how they (the Baratheons) came by it... They must send her a maester. Daenerys must be counseled, taught, protected..."

--

That had been one of his last good days. After that the old man spent more time sleeping than awake, curled up beneath a pile of furs in the captain’s cabin. Sometimes he would mutter in his sleep. When he woke he’d call for Sam, insisting that he had to tell him something, but oft as not he would have forgotten what he meant to say by the time that Sam arrived. Even when he did recall, his talk was all a jumble. He spoke of dreams and never named the dreamer, of a glass candle that could not be lit and eggs that would not hatch. He said the sphinx was the riddle, not the riddler, whatever that meant. He asked Sam to read for him from a book by Septon Barth, whose writings had been burned during the reign of Baelor the Blessed . Once he woke up weeping. “The dragon must have three heads,” he wailed, “but I am too old and frail to be one of them. I should be with her, showing her the way, but my body has betrayed me.”

(Sam IV, AFFC)

I think he's not really prophesying but going through the late natural deathlike trances where you think you're back in your youth or in random periods of your life again. Plus, he says the sphinx "was"; past tense as something he remembered or recollected. Everyone always says "is" but Aemon said "was".

Aemon knew from his time at the Citadel in his teens that glass candles weren't/couldn't be lit, he knew through Duncan the Tall and the eventual Summerhall situation that it seemed the eggs couldn't hatch, and probably of Daeron & Daemon II's dreams. All happening in his lifetime and he was quite close to the situation and then spent his whole boat trip to the Wall with Bloodraven and Duncan very interestingly. He's having these sporadic flashbacks upon his death but then there's the sphinx realization. I think it was something he read in Barth's work back in the day that Sam will find and read in Oldtown and then realize: "Holy crap, that's what he was talking about"

[Daendrew]

Nice OP. The thing that gets me is that Aemon studied at the Citadel for over 10 years and probably still knew it darn well up until his death.

He met Tyrion as well and seemed to think very highly of him...but he says this in light of reading Barth's book as mentioned. This is not in dispute to Tyrion being a head of the dragon but the thing is, he met Tyrion before the nose thing so maybe that's more of a real world emulation GRRM placed to hint us along.

Random parallels that come to mind: Giza/Sphinx mysteries in reference to the Hall of Records; not to mention, there are a ton of similarities between ancient Alexandria and Oldtown. The Library, the Lighthouse, serving as the intellectual and cultural center of the world.

(Sam IV, AFFC)

I think he's not really prophesying but going through the late natural deathlike trances where you think you're back in your youth or in random periods of your life again. Plus, he says the sphinx "was"; past tense as something he remembered or recollected. Everyone always says "is" but Aemon said "was".

Aemon knew from his time at the Citadel in his teens that glass candles weren't/couldn't be lit, he knew through Duncan the Tall and the eventual Summerhall situation that it seemed the eggs couldn't hatch, and probably of Daeron & Daemon II's dreams. All happening in his lifetime and he was quite close to the situation and then spent his whole boat trip to the Wall with Bloodraven and Duncan very interestingly. He's having these sporadic flashbacks upon his death but then there's the sphinx realization. I think it was something he read in Barth's work back in the day that Sam will find and read in Oldtown and then realize: "Holy crap, that's what he was talking about"

Aemon didn't think highly of Tyrion. He wen't far further than that.

He said "I think he is a giant come among us, here at the end of the world".

The end of the world didn't mean The Wall. It meant the end of the world. That's why Tyrions riddle is even more important for him.

I have a post coming up to say why. He is Tyr The Clever,

[barristan-b]

Aemon didn't think highly of Tyrion. He wen't far further than that.

He said "I think he is a giant come among us, here at the end of the world".

The end of the world didn't mean The Wall. It meant the end of the world. That's why Tyrions riddle is even more important for him.

I have a post coming up to say why. He is Tyr The Clever,

I get what you're trying to saying. I was though looking overall more about what Aemon meant in further context on the boat with Sam. I don't think we know what the riddle he is referencing really is yet. Your case for it being about Tyrion is interesting though.

[Isobel Harper]

I wanted to propose something on your "For the Night" thread, but I see it's locked now. Is it okay to post it here? In short, I think it might be Sweetrobin, not Bran, that warged into Wun Wun.

I don't completely agree with the theory that Sweetrobin can warg, but I recently posted an analysis on the scene where Wun Wun attacks Ser Patrek that you might want to take a look at.

I've always assumed that the "giant" is Littlefinger. The scene where Sweetrobin and Sansa fight over the doll and behead it ultimately foreshadows that Sweetrobin and Sansa will both be involved somehow in his downfall, whether they plan it together or Sansa uses her influence over Sweetrobin to cast him down - or even have him beheaded.

Alternatively, there's a (crackpot?) theory that Sweetrobin is able to skinchange. In addition to this, it is thought that Sweetrobin skinchanged into Wun Wun during Jon's assassination. I'm not in full accordance with this theory, but it leaves something to think about. Sansa might ultimately lead to Sweetrobin's downfall or death as well. Or she might either help Sweetrobin become aware of his warging and guide him into using his warging ability for good instead of harm, or possibly find a way to end his warging ability altogether. ("Suddenly she had the doll's head, Robert had the legs and body.")

Per this theory, Wun Wun is to Hodor as Sweetrobin is to Bran.

The giant would lash out violently when threatened, and those huge hands were strong enough to rip a man apart. He reminded Jon of Hodor. Hodor twice as big, twice as strong, and half as clever. (ADwD, Jon VIII)

There's also the possibilty that Bloodraven has already tried to reach Sweetrobin in his dreams, and that it frightened him. Note that Sweetrobin has a fear of birthmarks, in this scene manifesting as a fear of moles.

"Lord Nestor has a mole," he said, squirming. Robert was afraid of men with moles. "Mommy said he was dreadful." (AFFC, Sansa I)

The implications of this would have Sweetrobin be a sort of "anti-Bran" or "anti-Bloodraven," possibly as a (although somewhat weak?) power working against them. If this is true, I don't think Sweetrobin is fully conscious of his warging powers, let alone that he is working against Bran or Bloodraven in some way. At least not yet.

In addition to Wun Wun being utilized as Sweetrobin's own "Hodor," there are similarities to Sweetrobin during Wun Wun's murder of the Ser Patrek of King's Mountain, from the imagery of Ser Patrek being a doll to the parallel of Wun Wun's attack to Sweetrobin's "attack" on Winterfell with his doll. Here is part of the scene of Wun Wun's attack on Ser Patrek:

The screaming had stopped by the time they came to Hardin's Tower, but Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun was still roaring. The giant was dangling a bloody corpse by one leg, the same way Arya used to dangle her doll when she was small, swinging it like a morningstar when menaced by vegetables. Arya never tore her dolls to pieces, though. The dead man's sword arm was yards away, the snow beneath it turning red.

"Let him go," Jon shouted. "Wun Wun, let him go."

Wun Wun did not hear or did not understand. The giant was bleeding himself, with sword cuts on his belly and his arm. He swung the dead knight against the grey stone of the tower, again and again and again, until the man's head was red and pulpy as a summer melon. The knight's cloak flapped in the cold air. Of white wool it had been, bordered in cloth-of-silver and patterned with blue stars. Blood and bone were flying everywhere. (ADwD, Jon VIII)

There are several connections to Sweetrobin and his doll throughout the series. Here are a couple:

Her uncle's voice was troubled. "Lord Robert," he sighed. "Six years old, sickly, and prone to weep if you take his dolls away. (AGoT, Catelyn VI)

"Winterfell?" Robert was small for eight, a stick of a boy with splotchy skin and eyes that were always runny. Under one arm he clutched the threadbare cloth doll he carried everywhere. (ASoS, Sansa VII)

And this is how Sweetrobin and his doll have parallels to Wun Wun's attack on Ser Patrek.

"It's not so great." The boy knelt before the gatehouse. "Look, here comes a giant to knock it down." He stood his doll in the snow and moved it jerkily. "Tromp tromp I'm a giant, I'm a giant," he chanted. "Ho ho ho, open your gates or I'll mash them and smash them." Swinging the doll by the legs, (The giant was dangling a bloody corpse by one leg) he knocked the top off one gatehouse tower and then the other. (He swung the dead knight against the grey stone of the tower, again and again...**) (ASoS, Sansa VII)

It was more than Sansa could stand. "Robert, stop that." ("Wun Wun, let him go.") Instead he swung the doll again (**...and again.) (Wun Wun did not hear or did not understand), and a foot of wall exploded. She grabbed for his hand but she caught the doll instead. There was a loud ripping sound as the thin cloth tore. Suddenly she had the doll's head, Robert had the legs and body, and the rag-and-sawdust stuffing was spilling in the snow. (...the snow beneath it turning red. ...Blood and bone were flying everywhere.) (ASoS, Sansa VII)

"I don't want porridge." Robert flung his spoon across the hall. (...Arya used to dangle her doll when she was small, swinging it like a morningstar when menaced by vegetables.) It bounced off a hanging tapestry, and left a smear of porridge upon a white silk moon. "The lord wants eggs!" (AFFC, Alayne I)

[Daendrew]

I wanted to propose something on your "For the Night" thread, but I see it's locked now. Is it okay to post it here? In short, I think it might be Sweetrobin, not Bran, that warged into Wun Wun.

I don't completely agree with the theory that Sweetrobin can warg, but I recently posted an analysis on the scene where Wun Wun attacks Ser Patrek that you might want to take a look at.

That kind of blew maybe a 1/4 of my mind away. So I am left working with only 3/4ths of it. Very good find.

I have a big post coming up on The Vale. He sits on a Weirwood throne, but it is not connected to the Weirwnet root system. How would they get to him?

Also if things get locked in the future you can always comment on the blog.

[Isobel Harper]

I believe that Bloodraven has more power near weirwood trees, although powers of warging or reaching others is not limited to Godswoods. Remember, he is also a powerful warg. For example, it's a common theory that Bloodraven was warging the boar that killed King Robert, although it is doubtful that any weirwood trees were near the two.

[Daendrew]

I believe that Bloodraven has more power near weirwood trees, although powers of warging or reaching others is not limited to Godswoods. Remember, he is also a powerful warg. For example, it's a common theory that Bloodraven was warging the boar that killed King Robert, although it is doubtful that any weirwood trees were near the two.

He can even become the mist. Tormund asks Jon, how do you fight the mist?