Jaqen H'ghar: The Symmetry of Red and White, The Golden Tooth, Death in Harrenhal

[bemused]

Ghotibowl.. I agree that Syrio ( if he was an FM ) would not have been sent to in KL to train a little girl....He would either have already been on assignment in KL , keeping an eye on the political situation ( Robert was spending a lot of money, the Lannisters jockeying for increasing power, etc ), or he might have been sent there specifically to assess the new Hand.Becoming Syrio to teach Arya would just be a way of getting closer to Ned.

By the time Ned and Robert had their rift ( over Ned's objection to the plans to kill Dany)..He could have agreed to go to Winterfell to continue to assess what Ned would do. Would he just retreat into retirement ? Would he try to break away from the Iron Throne ?... Ned had been a major player in RR. Robert had not been in power long in the eyes of those making long term plans ( like the Iron Bank, e.g. ) It would not be unreasonable to want to get a feel of what his next move would be. ( Note that Syrio didn't agree to a permanent position in WF . He said he would go temporarily, but we don't know if any particular time was specified ).

I'll have to come back with the rest of this..

[Melisandre of Asshai]

Hello there.

Interesting theories so far, though I'm quite sceptical, actually. For once, I do not think that Jaqen is Syrio. I would like to presume he is, for that would mean that he has not died to protect Arya. But if he was Syrio, Arya would probably feel it somehow. Jaqen and her get along quite well, but she has been closer to her dancing teacher. So if Jaqen was Syrio, he would give her a sign. That he kissed her forehead is no sign to me. FM have a heart and they love people, and I think Arya might have been a little sister to Jaqen. Maybe he had a time where he was a little rebel, too, and saw himself in her. I don't know. But as much as I'd like, Syrio and Jaqen don't seem alike to me at all.

The same goes for Daario, though. I can imagine Jaqen was asked to protect Daenerys Targaryen, by whomever. But even if he was, and he could change his persona so completely, why would he sleep with her and all? Is that the only way to gain her trust, even if he sensed she wanted him? I think not. Dany might not have told him to take her into bed, had he not shown her signs. Jaqen would rather have protected her differently, I think. Maybe as part of her special little Queensguard. He is a FM and therefore could have gained her trust no matter what, as I think he is quite the clever man. Furthermore, he would not have been captain of his soldiers so fast, they would have been mistrusting at first. So to slip into the role of Daario, he would have had to kill him first, considering he only slipped into him somewhen when he needed to. Or Daario would have needed to be dead already, as the FM only kill when necessary.

I cannot say so much about the Alchemist theory, it seems senseful to me, though. At least that character was like Jaqen, killing, but being nice about it. And saying sorry.

Well, I can hardly wait for the Winds of Winter, which will maybe clear this matter up a bit...

Melisandre

[Cat of the Canal Girl]

Perhaps Jaqen and the Alchemist are just different faceless men.

Jaqen took the hooked nose/gold tooth face when he was done with Arya, then he ran off. He may have discarded that face later.

Then the Alchemist picked it up and used it, but his plans had nothing to do with Jaqen. The only point here was for us to recognize the face as one that the faceless man have in their available rotation. This is is GRRM's way of telling the audience there is a faceless man stalking around the citadel.

[Melisandre of Asshai]

Hey again.

Well, but two faceless men at once playing a more-major-than-minor role? Would that not be a little overdone? It could be, surely, but I don't know. I reckon either the Alchemist is Jaqen or someone entirely different, maybe Jaqen meets with Sam later in disguise and the A. has nothing to do with it at all. We'll see in about three years or so.

[HeWhoKnocks]

Where did the iron coin that Jaqen gave Arya come from? I assume Jaqen was put in the black cells without anything of his own. He could have found the coin in the black cells perhaps or in Harrenhal. Was he given the coin by somebody in Harrenhal? Qyburn? Tywin?

If you've read Pappillon or remember the Christopher Walken scene in Pulp Fiction then you know how Jaqen could have hidden the iron coin from his jailers in the black cells.