Proof that the Lemon Tree is Significant

[Ran]

Looks legit to me. I think it doesn't mean that much, FWIW, given the fact that George could have said, "Yes, it does point to the fact that originally Daenerys was in Tyrosh, but I forgot to change the type of tree and just went with it," or, "Yes, it does point to the fact that originally Daenerys was staying in the manse of a wealthy Braavosi/the Sealord of Braavos and he kept his lemon tree in a great big pot so that it could be moved indoors when frost threatened." (Nothing says Braavos is perpetually fog-enshrouded. Fogs are common there, yes. They are also common in regions of England, but I found several posts and articles about growing lemon trees there regardless; universally, it's a pain in the ass to do, but one can manage it if one wants that. Nothing says it was an enormous or very fruitful tree. It's frost that's the problem for them, not fog.)

 

The agreement to wed Viserys to Arianne was signed in Braavos, witnessed by the Sealord of Braavos. I don't understand why the lemon tree means Daenerys had to be elsewhere, but I certainly don't see why it has to be when George has gone out of his way to place her in Braavos as recently as ADwD. :)

[Lost Melnibonean]

 
Three times.  The third in the House of the Undying:
 
"And there outside the window, a lemon tree! The sight of it made her heart ache with longing." 

Poo. That's a good counter.

[Hippocras]

Aches with longing eh? Maybe the lemon tree has something to do with who she falls in love with.

[StarkofWinterfell]

I am not saying that is fake but it could have been done really easy in photoshop.

Regardless, the lemon tree isn't the real clue for me since a lemon tree could be potted, its her running thru grass barefoot that indicates its not Braavos.

 

 

My mind was just blown. Wow, now I must look up this "lemontree" thing.

 

Previously I thought it was just a bunch of fans having fun with an absurd theory but could it actually be real?

[Victarion Chainbreaker]

Looks legit to me. I think it doesn't mean that much, FWIW, given the fact that George could have said, "Yes, it does point to the fact that originally Daenerys was in Tyrosh, but I forgot to change the type of tree and just went with it," or, "Yes, it does point to the fact that originally Daenerys was staying in the manse of a wealthy Braavosi/the Sealord of Braavos and he kept his lemon tree in a great big pot so that it could be moved indoors when frost threatened." (Nothing says Braavos is perpetually fog-enshrouded. Fogs are common there, yes. They are also common in regions of England, but I found several posts and articles about growing lemon trees there regardless; universally, it's a pain in the ass to do, but one can manage it if one wants that. Nothing says it was an enormous or very fruitful tree. It's frost that's the problem for them, not fog.)

 

The agreement to wed Viserys to Arianne was signed in Braavos, witnessed by the Sealord of Braavos. I don't understand why the lemon tree means Daenerys had to be elsewhere, but I certainly don't see why it has to be when George has gone out of his way to place her in Braavos as recently as ADwD. :)

"Does it point to future revelations about Dany's past?"

"Yes, it does point to... well, that would be telling."

 

It seems clear to me that George is confirming my question, but not saying what the revelation might be. All things considered, it was the most info I could hope for an answer to. We now know for sure that there's a mystery about the lemon tree, and that the answer is something George considers spoilery.

 

We already know about the early draft set in Tyrosh, and that the Sealord of Braavos was involved with the exiled Targs. These things are not revelations. And as for the Wealthy Braavosi/Sealord having potted plants or a greenhouse, I think that would fall under the category of 'useless tidbit' rather than 'revelation,' and I can't imagine why George would want to keep it a secret.

[Ran]

Running the SSM and having many communications with George over the years, suffice it to say I don't find the response informative or indicative of what the title of the thread says. George's response is a non-answer. :) That's just my two cents.

[ChillyPolly]

Running the SSM and having many communications with George over the years, suffice it to say I don't find the response informative or indicative of what the title of the thread says. George's response is a non-answer. :) That's just my two cents.

 

Even if I agreed with you that "Yes" does not necessarily mean "Yes, the discrepancy points to revelations about Dany's past", I am forced to agree that, at the very least, it means "Yes, the discrepancy is significant and it points to something spoilery which I won't reveal" ... which for all practical purposes probably amounts to the same thing.  "Yes" was an answer to at least one of his two questions.   Otherwise, he chose the wrong word.

 

He said "Yes, it points to ..." and not "No, it points to ...".   Your explanations ignore GRRM's words on the theory that they must be mistaken. 

[Lost Melnibonean]

"Does [the lemon tree] point to future revelations about Dany's past?"

"Yes..."

Like pushing a barge packed with wildfire toward a slow boat with a great big pointed ram...

[TheHouseHB]

Aches with longing eh? Maybe the lemon tree has something to do with who she falls in love with.

 

:drool:  :drool:  :drool:  :drool: !

[Ran]

For those still doubting, I can verify that the message is indeed absolutely legitimate. Still, doesn't change my view of it. George has given so many non-answers over the years.

[ChillyPolly]

For those still doubting, I can verify that the message is indeed absolutely legitimate. Still, doesn't change my view of it. George has given so many non-answers over the years.

 

Yes, he has given many evasive, non-committal non-answers over the years.

 

Your conclusion does not seem to follow.  He has also written many not-a-blog entries over the years, but it does not follow that this is a not-a-blog entry.

 

It also occurs to me that the most efficient way to evasively non-answer an email or PM from a fan is simply not to answer it ... which I imagine is his usual policy simply as a matter of necessity.  It's not like he's being put on the spot in a live interview, and needs to deflect the question with a polite-but-meaningless respose.  This is as much of a response as anyone could have hoped for, and pretty-much exactly what Mormont challenged the lemongaters to obtain.

[Lord Wraith]

For those still doubting, I can verify that the message is indeed absolutely legitimate. Still, doesn't change my view of it. George has given so many non-answers over the years.

 

Well its not like Mr, Martin is going to just confess that anyone got it right.  Still non answers only prove one thing: that he's not answering.  Thanks for the clarification.

 

Now we know that lemons are important to something in Dany's past nice and vague.

[JonSnow4President]

 

Well its not like Mr, Martin is going to just confess that anyone got it right.  Still non answers only prove one thing: that he's not answering.  Thanks for the clarification.

 

Now we know that lemons are important to something in Dany's past nice and vague.

Of course, now it's a matter of is it a hashing of her childhood into an amalgamation of her concept of home and a peaceful life?  Is it an indication of secret plans with Dorne gone awry?  Is it a case of "you aren't really the person you thought you were raised as?"  Or a case of time-travelling sperm, or a time-bending womb?  I've never been fundamentally opposed to the lemon tree representing something.  I just tend to think it's on the left end of the spectrum, and important more in a symbolic sense rather than a plot sense, since it apparently has meaning at all now.

[Ygrain]

If Dany lived in the Sealord's Palace, that's a revelation enough for those of us who never caught the connection. Plus, I very much doubt that he supported the exiles out of the goodness of his heart, so the revelation might also include shattering Dany's illusion of safety and home related to it.

[Ygrain]

Sorry for the dp.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

If Dany lived in the Sealord's Palace, that's a revelation enough for those of us who never caught the connection. Plus, I very much doubt that he supported the exiles out of the goodness of his heart, so the revelation might also include shattering Dany's illusion of safety and home related to it.

 

That's why I think. He probably kept them because he was getting something from the agreement. Why not a marriage? Maybe the next Sealord will respect the agreement and support Dany. I doubt Braavos changing government is there in the story for nothing.

[The Dragons Hand]

Aches with longing eh? Maybe the lemon tree has something to do with who she falls in love with.

Ah, but that's the thing. She was raised in Tyrosh and that's why she has the hots for Daario and his silly peacock routine, because he is the Tyroshi of Tyroshi's and she associates that with home and she longs for it in more ways than one.

[The Dragons Hand]

 

I'm open to think that the Lemon tree was relevant, but not relevant in that theory of Dany being secretly raised in Dorne. There are many theories that can explain the relevant: I just proposed one without giving it much thinking.

 

For a series famed and adored for it's gradients in morality people seem almost universally set upon having two views of everything. It's either "DAENERYS WAS RAISED IN DORNE, EATING LEMON CAKES UNTIL IT STARTED SNOWING, BUT IT NEVER STARTS SNOWING, FOR IT IS DORNE, LOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOL!!" Or "FUCKING ILLEMONATI SHITLORDS FUCKING FUCK FUCK!!"

That being said I was firmly in the later camp because I disagree with 90% of anything Preston Jacobs agrees with on principle alone.
Although even he does pin his R+L=D thoughts on just the lemon trees, which is oddly refreshing.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

 

For a series famed and adored for it's gradients in morality people seem almost universally set upon having two views of everything. It's either "DAENERYS WAS RAISED IN DORNE, EATING LEMON CAKES UNTIL IT STARTED SNOWING, BUT IT NEVER STARTS SNOWING, FOR IT IS DORNE, LOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOL!!" Or "FUCKING ILLEMONATI SHITLORDS FUCKING FUCK FUCK!!"

That being said I was firmly in the later camp because I disagree with 90% of anything Preston Jacobs agrees with on principle alone.
Although even he does pin his R+L=D thoughts on just the lemon trees, which is oddly refreshing.

 

MY main mayor problem with PJ is that he LOOKS for theories. Authors don't hide info under rocks. They casually toss them around. If I look for a theory saying that Rhaegar was actually a frog, I'm sure I'll find it. Lemongate, HS=HR and Quentyn is alive are of that kind.

[ChillyPolly]

I'm sensing an attempt to revise GRRM's PM as confirming merely that the lemon trees are important in some vague way.

 

In fact he confirmed that the DISCREPANCY [or apparent discrepancy], of Braavos being [at least seemingly] too cold and foggy for lemon trees, is significant.

 

Vague theories about the symbolic significance of lemon-trees do not really get near to explaining GRRM's words.  At best they are a tiny part of an explanation that no-one has thought of yet.