Unpopular Opinions V

[little_horn]

But he guessed correctly - see Daenerys - ie her power to hatch three dragons.

Ya, and immunity from burning! Although that may be even rarer than being born a warg.

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[Woman of War]

Sand Snake:

"Back to unpopular opinions – I think GRRM is imaginative, creative, and clever, especially when writing dialogue."

I totally agree

"But as a writer, I think he's sloppy and self-indulgent, which is why his "lyrical," character-driven travelogues don't work as well as his plot-driven kill-or-be-killed episodes do."

No, I don't share that opinion. At the riverride in ADWD the fog was creeping into my clothes and I could feel Tyrions longing for places long gone and beauty never to come back.

And remember the description of the changing autumn grass in ADWD, the ants, the berries - and the hunger, when Dany tried to get back to Mereen. And when she tried to make a grass hat, failing and failing again and a queen should not fail, not even with strawhats! Her inner self-mocking, that girl was so brave.

"And I want more magic"

No, I believe the amount of magic is definitely enough. In fact I believe the magic should have crawled in more slowly as an underlying threat - or promise, depending on the perspective. Melisandre, the shadow babies, that was too much deus ex machina, too obvious. I would have liked the characters to discover magic slowly, slowly, creeping into their souls, not to have it thrown at their faces. And I would like to see main characters who are known for their more macchiavellian, rational, modern approach be forced to react directly to magic. Will they deny its existence, will they learn to make use of it, is it even given to them to be part of it and to wield magic themselves?

Littlefinger and magic?

Tyrion and magic?

Varys and magic?

the Faith and magic - inquisition?

How is magic perceived not only by the stunned onlookers, but by the "Intellectuals" of Westeros?

We have only had Tyrion POVs so far and there he reacted by brushing off the possibility of any magic. (the hand of the wight, Varys' story) I guess he will be taught better when the story goes on. How will he incorporate magic into his conception of the world?

[lyvyathan]

They weren't worried about annulling it; they wanted to frame Tyrion for Joffrey's death the whole time so he would have died and freed up Sansa. If they were planning to take her anyway after that happened, they would have had the girls maintain friendships with Sansa and comfort her. They only became interested in getting her back after Tyrion's death when the rumors that she was still a virgin started floating around -- and in my book, their treatment of her is about the same as Lysa's, with a little more social finesse on top.

It was for Elinor, I am sure of it. She had her squire that she was going to marry when he became a knight.

Why frame Tyrion to get Sansa (for marriage)? It should have been obvious that if Sansa was caught she would face trial together with her husband - and probably would have been executed as well.

I think they just wanted to kill Joffrey because of what Sansa said about him.

[Shaggydog Stark]

Hi everyone I'm new here and this is my first post. I've been a long time lurker and finally had to join in and state my opinions :).

I don't think that we're going to see anymore of Sandor Clegane. I personally would love to see more of him and maybe some SanSan stuff, but I feel like we might just be given the clues that he's alive in AFFC and left to decide whether he lived or not and what he's doing with his life now. Idk I just can't see him coming back as a peaceful, tame, silent(?) brother.

That's sacrilege! :lol:

Of course Sandor will come back! For the simple reason that I want him to ;). I love Sandor and I really don't want him to come back as some peaceful, tame and silent brother. I want him to come back just as he was in ASOS and kill LF and later to finish off

Robert Strong.

[Tini]

Sandor will not come back as he was in ASOS. He is lame, almost crippled, and while that may not matter as much when he is riding, it will affect his swordplay.

[Shaggydog Stark]

Sandor will not come back as he was in ASOS. He is lame, almost crippled, and while that may not matter as much when he is riding, it will affect his swordplay.

Cripple? When was he crippled? He is lame but we don't know if that has affected his sword fighting. We haven't seen him fight after he got his leg injury.

[lyvyathan]

Sand Snake:

"Back to unpopular opinions – I think GRRM is imaginative, creative, and clever, especially when writing dialogue."

I actually did not think that GRRM was that imaginative, creative and clever in portraying such dim wits like Cersei and Catelyn. Was it so hard to not create two morbidly stupid women characters - more like caricatures? It would have been a bit more interesting to see the actions - flawed or successful - of two highly intelligent women.

[lyvyathan]

"And I want more magic"

No, I believe the amount of magic is definitely enough. In fact I believe the magic should have crawled in more slowly as an underlying threat - or promise, depending on the perspective. Melisandre, the shadow babies, that was too much deus ex machina, too obvious. I would have liked the characters to discover magic slowly, slowly, creeping into their souls, not to have it thrown at their faces. And I would like to see main characters who are known for their more macchiavellian, rational, modern approach be forced to react directly to magic. Will they deny its existence, will they learn to make use of it, is it even given to them to be part of it and to wield magic themselves?

Littlefinger and magic?

Tyrion and magic?

Varys and magic?

the Faith and magic - inquisition?

How is magic perceived not only by the stunned onlookers, but by the "Intellectuals" of Westeros?

We have only had Tyrion POVs so far and there he reacted by brushing off the possibility of any magic. (the hand of the wight, Varys' story) I guess he will be taught better when the story goes on. How will he incorporate magic into his conception of the world?

The problem with the use of magic as a plot device in fantasy genre is that it becomes the deux ex machina to get the characters out of trouble.

"Oh help, we're stuck on the mountain Frodo!!" Sam

"Not to worry, I'll save you on this big Eagle." Gandalf."

"Where the heck has this Eagle been all this while and why are alive?" Frodo

Recently I think the worse example can be seen in the Heroes series- where any problem is solved by slapping on a special ability to the characters.

"Oh wow, the cheerleader saved us because she could tell the future!"

"I thought her power lay in being indestructible?"

"Opps, the script writers forgot about that, but we'll create a convenient plot device to enable her to have prescient powers!"

"Yaay!"

"She's trying to open a can now"

"Not to worry, her thumb can cut through metal."

"I thought... never mind."

Then comes the Dragons... the OMGWTFBBQ beasts - who will probably be used to throw back The Others. Can anyone else see that coming?

[Tini]

Cripple? When was he crippled? He is lame but we don't know if that has affected his sword fighting. We haven't seen him fight after he got his leg injury.

Actually we don't know if he is lame, either.

I was thinking of Brienne's statement regarding the lame gravedigger, something like "he moved with the curious gait of one half crippled". Or maybe it was "almost crippled", I don't remember. A lame leg will affect swordfighting. He will not be able to move as fast to avoid incoming blows, or close in as fast to attack. A bad leg might give out under him during a fight.

Willas Tyrell's dreams of knighthood were ended by a lame leg, though I think his leg was actually broken.

[Shaggydog Stark]

Actually we don't know if he is lame, either.

I was thinking of Brienne's statement regarding the lame gravedigger, something like "he moved with the curious gait of one half crippled". Or maybe it was "almost crippled", I don't remember. A lame leg will affect swordfighting. He will not be able to move as fast to avoid incoming blows, or close in as fast to attack. A bad leg might give out under him during a fight.

Willas Tyrell's dreams of knighthood were ended by a lame leg, though I think his leg was actually broken.

I looked it up because I too started having doubts lol.

On the upper slopes they saw three boys driving sheep, and higher still they passed a lichyard where a brother bigger than Brienne was struggling to dig a grave. From the way he moved, it was plain to see that he was lame. As he flung a spadeful of the stoney soil over one shoulder, some chanced to spatter against their feet. "Be more watchful there," chided Brother Narbert. "Septon Meribald might have gotten a mouthful of dirt." The gravedigger lowered his head. When Dog went to sniff him he dropped his spade and scratched his ear.

"A novice," explained Narbert

I wonder if he is struggling digging the grave because he is lame? If that is the case then, I guess you are right about his sword fighting be affected as well. That's a shame!

[HouseLark]

Varys, Sandor and the Wildlings are the only genuinely good people in the whole saga but Arya could end up joining them.

Everyone else is concerned with retaining their privileged status or enhancing it - the Starks included. I thought Jon might have been coming to the conclusion that privileging certain people because of the accident of birth was wrong but he still has a lot of affection for his family and believes that Winterfell is their "birthright". Talent should be valued above birth - I think Varys is going to demonstrate that too through his young protege.

[Tini]

I looked it up because I too started having doubts lol.

I wonder if he is struggling digging the grave because he is lame? If that is the case then, I guess you are right about his sword fighting be affected as well. That's a shame!

There is another scene in the dining hall a few pages later where the big gravedigger helps clearing the tables. That is where the line about being half crippled can be found.

The trouble with digging the grave I attributed mostly to the really hard ground.

[Shaggydog Stark]

There is another scene in the dining hall a few pages later where the big gravedigger helps clearing the tables. That is where the line about being half crippled can be found.

The trouble with digging the grave I attributed mostly to the really hard ground.

Found it, thanks. And now I am thoroughly depressed! :(

[Peasant Rebel Leader]

I'm not sure if this is an unpopular opinion, but I guess, since he's somewhat opposite Dany... ;)

Brown Ben Plumm is one of the heads of the dragon!

Reason: It's the easiest way to bring the dragons to Westeros, by flying them. Dany can't fly all the dragons herself and apparently (!!) Targaryen Blood helps a lot with that. Brown Ben Plumm has been speaking of his King's Blood a lot, so he could be a Blackfyre by the maternal side. Literature-wise, this also creates a good fracture for Dany to grow on, as she hates him for speaking the truth. But once she realizes that...

He can still die the moment he arrives in Westeros, making room for one of our heroes (Jon?) to take over.

[Golden&Crimson]

Cersei Lannister.

I think that, deep down, she is a good person.

Incest: Targaryens do it but no one speaks ill of them because of that.

Joffrey: too manny mothers create spoiled brats, sometimes the love of a mother is blind.

Tommen and Myrcella: she educated them too (giving a preference to Joffrey because: 1- his first son and 2- heir to the throne) and they are two sweet children.

Tyrion: hated him, and she was proved right. Tyrion is a dirty scumbag.

Robert: beer, game and women, the perfect husband and king... yah, right!

To me, she want to be loved and respect (she dreams about that), want to be a good queen (mother-queen) and try hard to keep the power of his family and children, unfortunately, some of her direct family don`t help at all and Kings Landing is too full of coniving bastards.

I personally would love to see the story end this way: Cersei, Lady of Casterly Rock, and Tommen (the nice boy cannot be king in the end of the story) her (legitimated) heir, Myrcella, i would love if she married with someone worthy and loved by her; Jaime, keep his place has Lord Commander of the Kingsguard or his burned by a dragon and Tyrion: killed by someone loyal to Lord Tywin Lannister.

All that prophecy about Cersei and the valonqar, were ramblings of a sad, mad, bored witch.

[Tini]

Found it, thanks. And now I am thoroughly depressed! :(

If Sandor is the gravedigger, we can still hope that his leg was still healing. And I remember reading at least one novel where a lame man actually regained his swordfighting abilities. Not even a bad story, now that I think about it.

["The Paladin" by C.J. Cherryh. The story was criticized because the female lead was 20 years younger than the man she fell in love with. And still a child. I guess some readers missed that, while the story started when she was 14, she was at least 18 years old by that time.]

[mcb]

Cersei Lannister.

I think that, deep down, she is a good person.

Incest: Targaryens do it but no one speaks ill of them because of that.

Joffrey: too manny mothers create spoiled brats, sometimes the love of a mother is blind.

Why are you so unkind towards Joffrey?

[Great Other]

Unpopular Opinions?Here's two of them:

-Prince Rhaegar is ALIVE,and he's Gerold Dayne.

-Asha Greyjoy is King Euron's daughter,not King Balon's.

[brashcandy]

Another Stark will die, maybe two. For now my money's on Rickon.

[Woman of War]

Ok, now I want my little bit of fun with "shipping"

To brashcandy: this doesn't mean I won't take it seriously

And I don't want to play matchmaker, five kids, the castle mortgage is paid and fights over smallclothes on the floor. As we all know, all happy families are alike, no stuff for books.

No, I think pairings can as well be hot one night stands, intense sexual encounters without hope, crossing minds with erotic undertones, one dies for the other out of love (the ultimate romantic scenario) or simply very good sex and begone before breakfast. "happily ever after" can hardly be expected in Martin's books.

So my suggestion of the day:

Daeneris / Tyrion

Why?

Both are highly unpredictable characters, they have both certain moral standards but tend to forget about them if it is convenient. Both have a lot of courage and have tasted the immediate danger of death maybe more often than other leading characters. Each of them has had their time of ruling, has been partly successful but also made gross mistakes. Both have serious family issues, have been victimized and abused.

And last but not least: both are interested in sex, not only in a lukewarm manner, but they really love to have sex . Both have made serious errors of judgement, for whatever reasons, in the choice of their partners - when the choice was given. They were both pretty foolish because of love, infatuation, craving for emotion, however you might call it. And both are basically very lonely.

Although there might be some slight difficulties:

Both go for very fixed erotic stereotypes: Tyrion likes his women pretty, Dany likes her men dark, dirty and pretty. So, apart from dirty, Tyrion does not exacty fit into Dany's pattern of prey.........Tyrion has yet to learn to deal with women on an equal level, Dany will no doubt be a good teacher, otherwise he might burn his fingers, his tongue and more....

And both, last not least, are very intelligent, given Dany's age she is an incredibly independent thinker.

And their sex would have nothing to do with child abuse, Dany is so far above Sansa when it comes to wisdom, good and bad experiences in life and the ability to handle her own destiny. No, she would never be victimized by Tyrion, she'd burn him or love him.

And isn't life about the Unexpected....

So draw your daggers, splash your poisons and tear my little theory to pieces....I am looking forward to it.