[ADWD SPOILERS] The Kingbreaker

[I'm Unsullied]

I think this is the first decision Selmy's ever made that made any sense. Maybe he's learning. He's young yet.

But beating a sleepy, undisciplined, bareskinned, arakh-wielder ain't really badass.

Beating a quick, athletic man 40 years younger than him is indeed badass, armor or not. And the fact that he was so self-confident about it is even more impressive. He even held that confidence in the face of the whirling dervish and countless fools calling him Ser Grandfather. Selmy has not failed to impress me.

[GoodGuyA]

Khrazz came.

Best line ever.

[Khal Rith]

One line that still has me confused is

"The Red Keep had its secrets too. Even Rhaegar. The Price of Dragonstone had never trusted him as he had trusted Arthur Dayne. Harrenhall was proof of that."

What happened at harrenhall to prove he trusted Arthur more the Selmy? I feel like that line has significance about what happened to Lyanna but I can't figure out how/why.

Also just wanted to see what everyone thought about the following line.

"His fair lady had thrown herself from a tower soon after, mad with grief for the child she had lost, and perhaps for the man who had dishonored her at harrenhal as well."

So basically he is saying that she was greiving for her stillborne daughter as well as whoever impregnated her. Didn't Brandon Stark die right at this time? Who else died around this time? Arthur Dayne?

Also keep in mind all it says is that she might of looked to Selmy instead of Stark. It doesn't say Stark was the one who 'dishonored' her only that she looked to him. Could he possibly mean looked to him for help instead of love?

Wasn't it Ned Stark who killed Arthur? Who killed Brandon?

[Cotter_Pyke]

Well, technically Brandon strangled himself trying to rescue his father who was roasted by Aerys his pyromancers :ack:

[Jory's Shade]

Barriston the Bold FTW!

One thing I didn't see here is further dicussion of Summerhall. Apparently, Selmy knows more about Summerhall than I had thought. I hope we get a chance to crack that Egg... so to speak.

[The Shy Wolf]

Do you think he is a better swordsman than Jaime Lannister ( if he still had his hand)?

[Jory's Shade]

No. Barristan thinks to himself that the knight he was training in Meereen was as natural of a swordsman as Jaime Lannister. I think Jaime actually has no parrell since Arthur Dayne died. Bronn and Daario, perhaps but unlikely.

[DanyStark]

If only he had a bit more liking for being a ruler and not a protector: BARRISTAN SELMY ON THE IRON THRONE! But when I read that he wasn't going to put on his helm I though , "oh, shit another of my faves bites the dust..." But, we got ourselves a cool one on one fight and a charmed moment for Selmy. Oh...and DRAGONS!

[oba]

Do you think he is a better swordsman than Jaime Lannister ( if he still had his hand)?

At his current age? No. If both were the same age, I think Barristan could would certainly be able to hold his own. In his younger days, Selmy was regarded as the best swordsman in the Seven Kingdoms and Martin himself has said that, if Arthur Dayne and Selmy were fighting at their best with equivalent weaponry (i.e., Dayne's not wielding Dawn) it would probably be a toss-up. I don't see why the same wouldn't hold true for a Barristan vs. Jaime fight.

[mediocre cheese]

No. Barristan thinks to himself that the knight he was training in Meereen was as natural of a swordsman as Jaime Lannister. I think Jaime actually has no parrell since Arthur Dayne died. Bronn and Daario, perhaps but unlikely.

Where do we get that Daario of all people is a good fighter? His biggest achievement was killing two men who thought he was their friend. He talks a lot, but its never said he's anything special.

[Wun Wun Greyjoy]

I still like N+A=J personally (the stillborn girl being a possible cover), however if R+L=J becomes true all of Ned's "You did father a bastard" are true... just his bastard was stillborn.

Either way a great chapter, I really enjoyed the set up as well. Selmy's remembering of the tourney, was great before he goes and beats a pit champion.

[KayteStone]

Personally, I do believe it was Brandon Stark that Selmy was referring to--as others have mentioned, it's left intentionally vague. And we know that he had a way with the ladies. If he meant Ned, I think GRRM would have just come out with it and said it.

But let's back up a minute--let's suppose Ned Stark and Ashara Dayne WERE lovers. So what? Ned was not married to Catelyn Tully yet, or even betrothed to her, as Brandon was still alive at the Tourney at Harrenhal. And Jon Snow wasn't born until nearly two years after the Tourney, so if nothing else, Selmy conclusively confirms that Ashara Dayne is NOT Jon Snow's mother. I don't think it's too much of a leap to take him at his word, so I'm a little confused as to why some people are still insisting this is the case.

[Forelver]

Barristan is my admittedly rather old fashioned idea of a real knight. I loved his line "It is chivalry that makes a true knight, not a sword."

I'm still very unsure as to who poisoned those locusts. A lot of threads to tie up in the next two books....

[silverrain82]

So glad someone brought up this line:

"The Red Keep had its secrets too. Even Rhaegar. The Prince of Dragonstone had never trusted him as he had trusted Arthur Dayne. Harrenhall was proof of that."

What happened at harrenhall to prove he trusted Arthur more than Selmy? I feel like that line has significance about what happened to Lyanna but I can't figure out how/why.

I am so interested in Arthur Dayne, remember he almost killed Ned Stark, before Reed prevented it, and now this... Any ideas? I'm sure this is important.

[Gala]

Personally, I do believe it was Brandon Stark that Selmy was referring to--as others have mentioned, it's left intentionally vague. And we know that he had a way with the ladies. If he meant Ned, I think GRRM would have just come out with it and said it.

I agree! I also believe he was talking about Brandon...The story about Brandon and another noble lady (don't remember her name...the one that was in a crypt, lady Dustin, I guess...), her memories about Brandon and Ned's memories about both his brother (and sister...I also had an impression that she was very passionate and impulsive, like Brandon was) convince me that it was Brandon, who got Ashara pregnant! And may be she killed herself, after Ned brought the Dawn- the last drop after Brandon's death and the dead child! or, may be, she is still alive...who knows (except George, of course)

[Mayhem]

I think this is the first decision Selmy's ever made that made any sense. Maybe he's learning. He's young yet.

But beating a sleepy, undisciplined, bareskinned, arakh-wielder ain't really badass.

That sleepy akrah wielder was half of selmys age, he also said that he moved his akrah so fast it was a blur, and yet selmy a tired old man met every blow "calmly"

Also his badass line "This coward is about to kill you ser"

[Xosh]

“That night at the great castle, the storm lord and the knight of skulls and kisses each swore they would unmask him, and the king himself urged men to challenge him, declaring that the face behind that helm was no friend of his. But the next morning, when the heralds blew their trumpets and the king took his seat, only two champions appeared. The Knight of the Laughing Tree had vanished. The king was wroth, and even sent his son the dragon prince to seek the man, but all they ever found was his painted shield, hanging abandoned in a tree. it was the dragon prince who won that tourney in the end.”

I have a wild theory about the Mystery knight. I think it was Lyanna Stark. Rhaegar found out about her but chose to keep her identity secret and from that point their story began, whatever shape it had..

[Crown]

What a badass, seriously, what a fucking badass. I loved him since his first mention and I still do, ser Barristan Selmy, my hero. Loving his POV's, especially the history he gives.

[Ygrette]

We were never led to believe that Theon was dead. We always knew that Ramsay Bolton had him captive and was flaying him. Right before the Red Wedding, Roose Bolton presents Cat and Robb with a sliver of skin from Theon's pinky.

Between the sack of Winterfell and the Red Wedding was a long span of time where Theon's fate was unclear. I for my own part assumed he was dead.

[Ygrette]

Barristan! Dragons! WOO! Awesome chapter, I almost walked into a tree. I was seriously concerned he would die.

GRRM really is a sneaky mean old bastard and I mean this in a very loving way. Once he got us all used to main characters dying like flies, now he has me all suspicious because noone of significance has died in a long time. Really worrying, almost creepier than the bloodfeast of ASoS. The book has been extremely dark, creepy and unnerving so far.