Robert Strong

[mbuehner]

Point of order- the Martells did accept the fleshless skull, to the point the no mention was made one way or the other of its condition. Ipso facto- sending a fleshless skull was acceptable. Dipped in tar or left to rot would have rendered identification impossible under any circumstance, so it was irrelevant how it was sent. A rotten skull or a fleshless skull could equally be a forgery. They knew the Mountain was poisoned by the Viper, and their faith in his skills seems to have been total.

The bottom line is the Lannisters employing an 8 foot monster should raise questions with the Martells under any circumstance. The condition of the skull is irrelevant, given that an identifiable skull was never an option.

[Tini]

I don't think Cersei would care about the Martells' reception of a rotted head in the least. She doesn't like the Martells; she would have enjoyed Doran's reaction to the stench and foul liquid. Doran Martell mentions the skull's condition to Arianne, so its condition was noted. Doran suspects that he is being played, and he is playing the Game himself. The skull was offered as part of the Game of Thrones, and he accepts it as such. For now.

An 8-foot giant with Gregor Clegane's features would certainly raise questions: the question how Gregor Clegane survived. A headless giant would raise more questions. The Martells will realize that they have been betrayed either way. The Faith and the King's Guard would most likely be offended, too (and consider the giant a danger to Tommen).

I think there is going to be a head, and I think it will be Gregor Clegane's own head.

Maybe I'll now look up one of the valonqar threads, and put in a vote for Sandor Clegane. He won't kill Cersei by defeating her champion, he will strangle her for bringing his brother back from the dead.

[Lady and the Hound]

There is also the prophesy Arya receives about Sansa defeating a giant at a castle of snow. The Eyrie? Winterfell?

I'm on board with Cersei sends UnGregor to Eyrie (probably) to kill Sansa. Sansa kills him with fire. Sandor and Jamie may or may not be there too, to fit in with Bran's dream.

Can anyone tell me where this prophecy can be found? Which book and chapter maybe? I couldn't find it on the prophecy page. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Queen Elsa]

Can anyone tell me where this prophecy can be found? Which book and chapter maybe? I couldn't find it on the prophecy page. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

That is Arya's 8th chapter in ASOS (if my counting is correct):

I dreamt of a maid at a feast with purple serpents in her hair, venom dripping from their fangs. And later I dreamt of that maid again, slaying a savage giant in a castle built of snow.

[JLE]

Except I, and more than a few others, think that prophecy is more likely to be Sansa turning on Littlefinger, whose family crest is the stone titan of Braavos (although he himself uses his own personal sigil of the Mockingbird).

Still. It's possible that another huge person's skull - a possibility is Smalljon Umber, who died at the Red Wedding (it cannot be the Greatjon since he is alive and captive) - was sent to Dorne in place of Gregor's, and that "Ser Robert Strong" - who of course has to be the body of Gregor - may still have his own head.

Also I do suspect that the Clegane brothers will eventually come to blows again - Sandor will come out of his "retirement" to do it - and I hope Sandor will actually win, and survive. What he will NOT be, though, is champion of the Faith against the Queen: if Sandor ever fights again, it won't be for a religious reason, it'll be a personal one that he can convince himself is a right cause. Fighting on Sansa's behalf to save her life is one such possibility: fighting for the High Septon against the Queen in a political quarrel is definitely NOT a possibility.

[poostorm]

I assume there has to be a head under the helmet. I thought it was mentioned that Randall Tarly had an idea of what was under the helm, but that no one could see until after Cersei was championed. If there were just nothing, I think the uproar would be too much. Though, with two Martells at court, having Gregor's head would cause a huge conflict.

[SLKRR]

That is Arya's 8th chapter in ASOS (if my counting is correct):

Isn't the castle built of snow the model that Sansa made at the Eyrie? Next to that, anyone would appear to be a "giant."

[MikeDC]

I assume there has to be a head under the helmet. I thought it was mentioned that Randall Tarly had an idea of what was under the helm, but that no one could see until after Cersei was championed. If there were just nothing, I think the uproar would be too much. Though, with two Martells at court, having Gregor's head would cause a huge conflict.

I wonder if Robert Strong will truly end up being Cersei's champion for these reasons. Win or lose, would the Faith abide any outcome that looks like it's the result of some sort of heretical sorcery? It seems to me they'd object in any case, regardless of whether it's Gegor's headless reanimated corpse, or his headed reanimated corpse, or his headless reanimated corpse with someone else's head sewn on it.

Somewhere, I'm not sure if it was in The Hedge Knight or somewhere else, didn't we get the idea that the idea that the Faith looks at trials from a religious perspective, and the fact that live people are putting those lives on the line is a reason to abide by the results. Putting no life on the line shouldn't count (and yeah, Beric Dondarrian was dead, but since he was specifically brought back to life through the Red God, I suspect they saw their trial as valid. But the Faith didn't bring unGregor back, and would probably be repulsed by him no matter how many rainbow colors Qyburn puts on him.

[aryagonnakill]

Isn't the castle built of snow the model that Sansa made at the Eyrie? Next to that, anyone would appear to be a "giant."

Sansa certainly built a model of Winterfell made of snow in the Eyrie, and then ripped the head off of Roberts doll which he said was a giant that came to knock down the gate. However this seems much too obvious to some of us. Though her killing Littlefinger might seem obvious to us, the majority of readers have not re read.

[nat655]

I believe there was mention from the Dornish chapter (can't remember who's POV it was) that Doran was unsatisfied that the skull was Gregor's, indeed it could have been the head of many oversized men. Thus, I believe it may be Gregor Clegane, in fact is it not possible that Gregor is alive and what Qyburn was administering was just some sort of plastic surgery, whilst telling Gregor that he would need to change identity or be forced to die. Thus, he can't talk because of the recognisable deep voice? Idk, just feel like necromancy and using his body as a shell etc.. seems to have been pretty quickly accepted as the only possibility (if we're assuming the body is Gregor's)

[Whitering]

I believe there was mention from the Dornish chapter (can't remember who's POV it was) that Doran was unsatisfied that the skull was Gregor's, indeed it could have been the head of many oversized men. Thus, I believe it may be Gregor Clegane, in fact is it not possible that Gregor is alive and what Qyburn was administering was just some sort of plastic surgery, whilst telling Gregor that he would need to change identity or be forced to die. Thus, he can't talk because of the recognisable deep voice? Idk, just feel like necromancy and using his body as a shell etc.. seems to have been pretty quickly accepted as the only possibility (if we're assuming the body is Gregor's)

And now he never has to eat, sleep or crap?

[Tini]

And now he never has to eat, sleep or crap?

That's something he has in common with Melisandre, it would seem.

[nat655]

And now he never has to eat, sleep or crap?

That's just the mutterings of the small council, maybe Qyburn pumps him with horse shit every night after dark!

[Stephen Singh]

I think that Robert Strong is like Drogo. That he's lifeless and is controlled by Qyburn. They both were created by blood magic instead of Rhllor like the other un people who seem to actually have some life.

[TheRestlessWolf]

I made it through 5 pages of posts so forgive me if this has been said but gregorstein is guaranteed to win vs whomever the faith sends to the meat grinder. Remember Cersai is destined to have everything taken from her by a younger more beautiful queen. She mistakenly thinks this is MT but it seems certain to be Daey

[KingHodorTargaryen]

I made it through 5 pages of posts so forgive me if this has been said but gregorstein is guaranteed to win vs whomever the faith sends to the meat grinder. Remember Cersai is destined to have everything taken from her by a younger more beautiful queen. She mistakenly thinks this is MT but it seems certain to be Daey

Well there are many possibilities, such as Margeary, Sansa, Arya, Dany, Arriane, and possibly Asha. Of all of these, it is most likely Dany, but there are other possibilities.

[Steve Moss II]

What Cersie fails to realize is that every queen has everything taken from her by a younger, more beautful Queen. Queens marry, have children, their sons become Kings and they take new Queens. The Queen Mother is then moved to a nice quiet country estate to live out the balance of her life in peace, if she's half way normal, or locked in the highest tower if she's not.

In many ways Cersie reminds me of the evil witch in Snow White. She is so desperate to keep her youth and beauty, and so oblivious to the futility of the battle, that her inhumane methods creates her own opposition and leads to her eventual downfall.

[aryagonnakill]

What Cersie fails to realize is that every queen has everything taken from her by a younger, more beautful Queen. Queens marry, have children, their sons become Kings and they take new Queens. The Queen Mother is then moved to a nice quiet country estate to live out the balance of her life in peace, if she's half way normal, or locked in the highest tower if she's not.

In many ways Cersie reminds me of the evil witch in Snow White. She is so desperate to keep her youth and beauty, and so oblivious to the futility of the battle, that her inhumane methods creates her own opposition and leads to her eventual downfall.

At least Cersei doesn't know blood magic else she would probably be sacrificing virgins to stay beautiful.

[Nordling]

Most likely this has come up earlier in this topic, but who do you think the High Sparrow will choose to champion against Robert Strong? Assuming that inside the armor is what remains of Ser Gregor, I'd be intrigued to see the showdown between the Clegane's. Yes, I know the Hound's apparently dead, but then again there's a certain Gravedigger in the Quiet Isle, living among people believing in the Faith of the Seven..

[KingHodorTargaryen]

Most likely this has come up earlier in this topic, but who do you think the High Sparrow will choose to champion against Robert Strong? Assuming that inside the armor is what remains of Ser Gregor, I'd be intrigued to see the showdown between the Clegane's. Yes, I know the Hound's apparently dead, but then again there's a certain Gravedigger in the Quiet Isle, living among people believing in the Faith of the Seven..

There's also a child he now believes missing and married to a man he hated that he feels at least some compassion to rescue/reunite.