The Gravedigging Hound - Complete analysis

[ache]

I still feel this exchange is significant -

He turned to Septon Meribald. “I hope that you have time to absolve us of our sins. Since the raiders slew old Septon Bennet, we have had no one to hear confession.” “I shall make time,” said Meribald, “though I hope you have some better sins than the last time I came through.” Dog barked. “You see? Even Dog was bored.” Podrick Payne was puzzled. “I thought no one could talk. Well, not no one. The brothers. The other brothers, not you.” “We are allowed to break silence when confessing,” said the Elder Brother. “It is hard to speak of sin with signs and nods.”

Martin, George R. R. (2011-02-24). A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4) (p. 526). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

I think it's possible something passed between Meribald or the Gravedigger during confession time, that Meribald knows who he is and that that will become relevant. There just seems to be too much effort put in by the author to clarify that even silent brothers may speak during confession for it not to be important.

Slightly unrelated, but one thing I have always wondered about is why Sandor was mounted on some other horse during the Blackwater Battle instead of kickass warhorse Stranger.

[kandake]

Any ideas why we get the infodump to Brienne re: the Hound's pscyhology? I thought it was interesting, but why does Brienne need to know this? Seemed like a big "O hai audience! Now it is time for you to have sympathy for this character if you did not already!" Any other reasons we can think of?

Because through Brienne's pov you gain an understanding of the common mans experience as warrior which is the Hound's experience . WHen she pod and the knight are traveling with the monk you hear of the cruel life of a poor man with no other choice but the sword. The peasant conscripted into the armies of the great lords who is the first to die on the battlefield, freeze in the cold, starve when there's no food and hang when his side loses. HE is one of the people who is always hurt when "the great lords play their game of thrones" . As she is hearing these stories from the monk she is being led to the island where she learns about the hound from the Elder Brother who was also a warrior. The hound is the culmination of that story. He is noble but barely, constantly at the beck and call of his liege lord the lannisers. Not to mention he is the second son with no choice to make his way in the world but with the sword. And the greatest parallel between the hound and the peasant is the lack of knighthood. We (the audience) learn of this through Brienne because she of all the characters is best suited to learn this understand it and empathize with the story what with her being a warrior.

[ladytiger]

I definitely subscribe to the theory that Sandor=Gravedigger and that his story isn't finished; plus the QI isn't far from the Vale. :)

[Chatty Duelist]

Very plausible and might just be true.

[Darkbringer]

Spot on. Any thoughts about what was meant by 'waiting for the seventh ruby' ? I just have this feeling that it means something critical, but have no idea what.

[Aerys Ahai Reborn]

Spot on. Any thoughts about what was meant by 'waiting for the seventh ruby' ? I just have this feeling that it means something critical, but have no idea what.

3rd post

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/88235-what-is-the-rhaegar-ruby-theory/

[Annara Snow]

I hope Sandor is alive as I come to sort of like him in ASOS. I know Stranger will not let anyone touch him/ride him except for Sandor and that is how people knew Sandor in ASOS. The Hound is known by three things : 1) His scarred face 2.) Stranger his horse 3.) His hound helm and he is so infamous in Westeros that people can recognize him by any of these things. I am curious to know if Elder Brother "buried" Sandor where he lied and where Arya left him as Rorge found his helm (and I forget which guy has Gendry's bull helm) to commit crimes and have Sandor be blamed for it. In those statements they do not reference, Stranger as the Hound only seemed to ride that horse and so I would think it odd that people would not see that when Rorge was committing his crime. Back to the point of this post...

Stranger never let anyone ride him/near him except Sandor but he grew accustomed to Arya so much that he allowed her to groom him, give him water, saddle him up and so i am thinking he would allow Arya to ride him as his new owner if Sandor is Dead.. Thoughts??

I think the only safe place for Sandor since he is so well known and very recognizable is to be on the Isle of Faces where things are scared. I was also thinking with him on the Isle he could gain redemption and can be brought forth to defend the Starks/Old Gods if need be.

More Later

People at Saltpants don't know what his horse looks like. I find it much odder that people thought Rorge with the dog helm was Sandor, even though Rorge was never described as a particularly tall man, just wide and stocky. That kept throwing me off during AFFC when I was wondering who it could have been (since I was always sure it wasn't Sandor) - the description of the crimes should have made me think of Rorge, but I kept thinking of tall, big men in the story. I'd say that the three things Sandor "The Hound" Clegane was known for were his scarred face, his helm and the fact that he's a very tall, strong man.

I guess they weren't paying much attention while they're being raided - and afterwards the rumors took off. Funny that nobody ever thought of asking - not even Jaime when he was doubting that Sandor would have done that - "How did you know it was the Hound? Did you see his face? What did he looked like?" Instead, the helm is apparently a means of positive identification! If someone said "we knew it was him because he was wearing the helm with a growling dog on it", that should have raised some doubts.

Maybe it's just a part of the overall "People see what they expect to see" stupidity rule in the books (Bran and Rickon's bodies, etc.).

[Le Cygne]

I definitely subscribe to the theory that Sandor=Gravedigger and that his story isn't finished; plus the QI isn't far from the Vale. :)

Yep, proximity! Saw this on GRRM's blog:

Someone asking a question: I just read the part where Brienne is talking to the Elder Brother of Quiet Isle, and he just confirmed a death of a certain character. Who happened to be one of my favorites, and who I was secretly hoping to end up with Sansa Stark! Okay, yeah, a pipe dream I guess, but I definitely saw parallels between he and Sansa and the Beauty and the Beast story. I hoped for them to cure each other of their separate diseases -- Sansa's shallowness and Sandor's, er, overwhelming rage at life. I know it's a little far-fetched, but tell me: didn't you kind of want it to happen too, just a little?

Elio: Read the chapter on the Quiet Isle again closely. Pay particular attention to people in the background, and see who gets mentioned more than once.

[Le Cygne]

The official app confirmed this, Sandor was saved and is on quiet isle.

I believe Sandor is alive and on the Quiet Isle, but the official app isn't "confirming" this, here's the entry:

Arya considers killing him, and the Hound attempts to force her into it by telling her how he killed Mycah and how he made Sansa sing for him. But Arya leaves him to die alone in the woods instead.

The Elder Brother of the Quiet Isle - the head of the septry - finds Clegane and ministers to him. The Elder Brother later reports to Brienne of Tarth that the Hound is no more and that he left his helm to mark the place of his passing.

[johnnysd]

Is there any real doubt whatsoever that Sandor is the gravedigger? I mean there are so many many references to it. Little surprised anyone actually doubts it at all.

[ache]

Anybody think the line Sandor was given in the Blackwater episode of the show was a kind of shoutout re the Gravedigger? "Oh, there's women in the ground, I've put some there myself". Just the specific wording makes me wonder.

[Miss Carnahan]

Can't believe after all this time that we're still waiting for the sixth book.

[FittleLinger]

I will just add that the hound's faith conversion has been foreshadowed.

In the fight between Oberyn and Gregor, the Viper hits the Mountain;s shield, and this removes the head of one of the painted dogs, right beneath the seven pointed star, which is painted on the shield as well. I think this foreshadows Sandor's future as the gravedigger on the Quiet Isle and the abandoning of his former "dog" self.

[Brynden Bloodraven Rivers]

I don't know if it was covered in this topic, but it's from a SSM:


[Will Sandor and Sansa meet?]
Why, the Hound is dead, and Sansa may be dead as well. There's only Alayne Stone.

[LongRider]

I missed this when reading the passage, thanks for mentioning it!

As far as getting Sandor off the QI, if GRRM wants him off, he'll find a way. One thing I do know, I could never guess what would happen next; part of ASOIAF's charm and GRRM's skill as writer. I expect to be surprised.

Hi. Personally I believe (and hope) Sandor is alive. The theory just fits.
There was another tiny detail that caught my attention while reading, maybe you'll agree with me in that it supports the theory. It's the reaction of the Brother that receives them in QI:



His reaction is definitely weird, too careful. He specifically asks why they want to meet the Hound, and doesn't seem to like the answer at all. I don't think he would've taken them to the Elder Brother so soon if they hadn't been searching for him. I think he knows Sandor is there and decides that the EB should tell them what story he saw fit. Because if the Hound was really dead, he would've just said "oh, sorry, you're late, he died already", or something.



On the other hand, I've seen a lot of comments about him finally slaying his brother (and some theories are really good). Well...



This is a prophecy by the Ghost of High Heart. We know for a fact that the maid is Sansa; some like to believe the Giant is Gregor. It might not be, as there are many other possibilities, but it's fun to think about. For more info about that: http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/Prophecies/Entry/1823

[LongRider]

Here's the part that didn't show in my post:

“Lady Brienne is a warrior maid,” confided Septon Meribald, “hunting for the Hound.”
“Aye?” Narbert seemed taken aback. “To what end?”
Brienne touched Oathkeeper’s hilt. “His,” she said.
The proctor studied her. “You are... brawny for a woman, it is true, but... mayhaps I should take you up to Elder Brother. He will have seen you crossing the mud. Come.”

[brashcandy]

I missed this when reading the passage, thanks for mentioning it!

As far as getting Sandor off the QI, if GRRM wants him off, he'll find a way. One thing I do know, I could never guess what would happen next; part of ASOIAF's charm and GRRM's skill as writer. I expect to be surprised.

You might find this interesting :)

[LongRider]

Thanks Brash!

I've been reading various P2P threads and really enjoy them! Guess I'll saddle up and sashay over to your link right now.

[aFeastForDragons]

It always amazes me how much detail there is in these books. I thought something was up the first time I read this chapter but I didn't pay it enough attention.

[Skoboe]

The gravedigger was struggling, yet he managed to almost hit the travellers with dirt as he shovelled, suggesting they were in close proximity.

There is no mention in the text of the gravedigger having his face covered.

Pod was right there! Pod - Tyrion's squire...the same Pod who was in the thick of battle with the Hound, the same Pod who attended Tyrion whenever he was around the Hound.

If Pod didn't even so much as take a second glance at the gravedigger, then why is everyone so sure that he is Sandor?