Balon Swann & the Hunt for the Darkstar

[aryagonnakill]

Is it really the consensus really that Darkstar is the informant or is just that the folks who think that's unlikely give up sooner? :)

I'm with the camp that Doran thinks Darkstar is dangerous because he knows what really happened and isn't interested in playing ball.

Balon Swann is the least odious of the active kingsgaurd. It'll be sad if he goes down, but I'm undecided on which would move the plot in a more interesting way.

Well I can't name any of the other members of Ariannes group, because grrm didn't take the time to introduce them much, or mention them by name at all after the incident with Marcylla. It seems clear George has something in mind for Darkstar, and It would also seem weird to reintroduce one of the others who most likely no one would remember. Although it is possible that all of the others besides Darkstar told Doran.

[HopeForSpring]

Trystane could have raised the alarm for all we know - and all the conspirators are nicely sorted away in AFCC 40

http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/A_Feast_for_Crows-Chapter_40

I think Darkstar is interesting because he's chaotic, but I'm certainly not rooting for him. I think if Balon finds out what really happened, though, he's dead.

Possible outcome, Balon kills Dayne but in the battle banter Balon finds out things he shouldn't know and then gets killed by a sand snake.

[Music Loving Chemist.]

After having just read those chapters again. Their fellowship consisted out of 7.

Arrianne, Myrcella, Oakheart, Darkstar, a orphan of the river and 2 highborns.

We read later that the 2 highborns have been 'punished' accordingly, one was married of to a old man IIRC.

Darkstar runs off and we don't hear anything from the orphan anymore... So, either it was him who betrayed them or the orphan.

*EDIT*

"Someone told," Hotah had said. The memory still made her angry. Arianne clung to that, feeding the flame within her heart. Anger was better than tears, better than grief, better than guilt. Someone told, someone she had trusted. Arys Oakheart had died because of that, slain by the traitor's whisper as much as by the captain's axe. The blood that had streamed down Myrcella's face, that was the betrayer's work as well. Someone told, someone she had loved. That was the cruelest cut of all.

The betrayer being Darkstar.

So, if Darkstar and Swann fight. I assume it would be under Doran's orders. Which would make it quite interesting imo.

[The Second Son]

I think it's about time we see what "the most dangerous man In Dorne is really capable of. Personally liked darkstars one liner. If he gets dawn and kills Balon swann with it.... Well... Would be interesting.

[Lord Gautham Girishankar]

Darkstar is like one of those wildcards in the book who suddently turn up and become some important character out of nowhere...or he could just be a useless person who gets killed and news is brought about from someone else's POV..you never know

[MarianneSnow]

If GRRM stays true to his word, I would think the prologue would probably refer to either events at the Wall or North, or in reference to one of the two battles about to commence. It seems likely that Balon Swann is just being led on a wild goose chase to waste time until Prince Doran decides to make his move. At that point, Balon will either be detained or executed. As for Doran giving orders for Darkstar to kill Myrcella, he was still holding his cards close to his chest at that point, so he would not have ordered her death. But even if he had, there would have been many ways to accomplish this without the situation presented in the books at the river. And to those who don't think cuddly old Prince Doran would gleefully kill off Myrcella or any other Lannister, he has had the promise of vengeance to warm his blood for the past two decades, and some of those he's avenging were his niece and nephew, children murdered on the orders of the Lannisters. I wouldn't put him above anything, in regards to them.

Odd books-prologues in the North

Even books-prologues in the South-that seems to be the pattern

book 6-I think that it is a def possibility that we see a Swann/Darkstar POV but with what is going on in Oldtown and on Dragonstone and Storm's End, who knows?

[Tharvot]

Balon Swann will not make it out of Dorne. His hunt for Darkstar will end his life.

In the meantime, Dorne will continue to delay and buy time as they act like they have no knowledge of Swann's whereabouts, only that he is hunting Myrcella's attacker. Myrcella will not be returned to KL. Instead, Dorne will ally themselves with Aegon's forces once they take Storm's End and prove their power.

This will put the Tyrells and Lannisters in a tough spot. With Cersei now once again Regeant, she will continue to drive a wedge between the Tyrells and Lannisters. She will likely send the Tyrells out to defend their own lands. This will likely prove to be a fatal mistake.

[HopeForSpring]

But she didn't love Darkstar. I think it is just as likely that one of the people who got punished was the person who told. Why not punish them for not coming to him sooner... I still don't buy Darkstar as tattle-tale.

POV's die in Prologues, so I wouldn't be surprised if TWOW prologue was about this.

[aryagonnakill]

But she didn't love Darkstar. I think it is just as likely that one of the people who got punished was the person who told. Why not punish them for not coming to him sooner... I still don't buy Darkstar as tattle-tale.

POV's die in Prologues, so I wouldn't be surprised if TWOW prologue was about this.

I think its more likely that if those lords who were supposedly punished were the ones that told, that they weren't really punished at all.

[HopeForSpring]

I think its more likely that if those lords who were supposedly punished were the ones that told, that they weren't really punished at all.

Possibly, possibly. I hope we find out and this isn't one of the mysteries GRRM intends to leave unresolved.

[Rice Tea]

Idk if this has been put out or shot down but maybe Darkstar was ordered by Doran to maim Myrcella "in an attempt to kill her"?

[Blackfyre Bob]

I liked what I read of Darkstar; I didn't find him super dorky or cheeseball -- at least no more than a ton of the other Machismo-oozing knights whom all make bold claims about their feats, fighting prowess, etc. Anyway, that being said, I tend to agree with the supporters of the Doran/Darkstar theory, and that Swann will eventually be murdered, either by Darkstar, or by a sand-snake. Does anybody else think that Doran Martell is just as sneaky as Tywin and Roose? Not in the same ways, but I think he is manipulative, in his own passive-aggressive way. Furthermore, I think he is usually pretty aware of what is going on in Dorne, contrary to what Arianne seems to think.

[SerGrahamando ofUttershill]

I liked what I read of Darkstar; I didn't find him super dorky or cheeseball -- at least no more than a ton of the other Machismo-oozing knights whom all make bold claims about their feats, fighting prowess, etc. Anyway, that being said, I tend to agree with the supporters of the Doran/Darkstar theory, and that Swann will eventually be murdered, either by Darkstar, or by a sand-snake. Does anybody else think that Doran Martell is just as sneaky as Tywin and Roose? Not in the same ways, but I think he is manipulative, in his own passive-aggressive way. Furthermore, I think he is usually pretty aware of what is going on in Dorne, contrary to what Arianne seems to think.

He's not as sneaky, he's much, much sneakier. Agree with everything else you said.

[Lion of Judah]

Balon Swann is a walking dead man, if Obara doesn't kill him Darkstar will. I'm still not clear why he did attack Myrcella, but the man has a mean streak.

[Unholly Septon]

Balon is dead as far as I can forsee.But I think he is going to find some truth first.That Darkstar guy is a great mystery for me.The Deyns and the Starks seem to have something going on between them-not just love stories.That guy knows something...very strange character indeed.Although we've got to see him giving a fight with Balon before he earns the title of bad-ass.

[Jalapenohitchhiker]

Balon is dead as far as I can forsee.But I think he is going to find some truth first.That Darkstar guy is a great mystery for me.The Deyns and the Starks seem to have something going on between them-not just love stories.That guy knows something...very strange character indeed.Although we've got to see him giving a fight with Balon before he earns the title of bad-ass.

:agree:

Whatever Darkstar knows is going to bring about some sort of plot twist, whether it has to do with Dawn or something entirely different. But I have a bad feeling that Balon will be on the brink of finding out what it is, and then Darkstar will end him.

[Silent_Hero]

:agree:

Whatever Darkstar knows is going to bring about some sort of plot twist, whether it has to do with Dawn or something entirely different. But I have a bad feeling that Balon will be on the brink of finding out what it is, and then Darkstar will end him.

Darkstar shall become the next one to wield dawn and be called the Sword of the Night!

I'm not very sure where this particular arc is heading towards but I have a feeling it's probably going to be big, Darkstar is just too much of a wild card to be left on the field un-played. We know he's really dangerous(the most in Dorne) and we know he has a streak of white on his head those two put together can mean...a Secret Targ!!! But really idk.

[NotSoSilentSister]

I've got a suspicion that the girl being returned to KL is not the real Myrcella. She was wounded so that she could not be recognised easily. Although we know she was wounded it isn't clear how badly. Also, Doran makes several comments about how all children can look the same when he is at the Water Gardens. And why would he return such a valuable hostage when he has doubts about Gregor's death and is planning to declare war on the Iron Throne, and therfore on the Lannisters?

I think that's shockingly plausible. Sure the jig is up as soon as the girl is delivered to Cersei, but up to then, it still wins Doran time. Doran probably anticipate Cersei's betrayal and prefers to keep his valueable hostage. Sending Cersei a fake Myrcella postpones the moment of open defiance for a little longer. Maybe fake-Myrcella is not supposed to ever reach her destination. Doran might have his very own bandit-incident planned. Fake Myrcella gets killed, Doran denies all responsibility, Cersei can't afford open war, the Sandsnakes have to be tolerated in King's Landing for a little longer, while the actual Myrcella is hidden away as a trump card to be played at the right moment. Poor Rosamunde Lannister....

(It would also allow for Cersei's prophecy to come true without Myrcella actually having to die.)

I do think Darkstar is Doran's creature and I can't see Doran ordering Myrcella's murder - not because Doran's so kind and cuddly and fond of children, but because it does not seem to be a good strategy. Myrcella's more valueable alive.

Why does Doran consider Darkstar the most dangerous man in Dorne? Well, it could just be that Gerold is dangerous in the way of Ramsay Bolton, Euron Greyjoy and Gregor the Mountain - dangerous in the sense of psychopathic, unpredictable, out of control. It does not have to imply that Darkstar is particularly good at physical combat (the Mountan sure is, but Ramsay not necessarily) or a worthy canidate to become the next Sword of the Morning.

It's also possible that Doran just said it because he wants someone else to believe it, not necessarily because he holds this opinion himself. He's planning to use Darkstar as a distraction for Cersei's knights - it makes sense to talk up Darkstar's fighting prowess in public and promote rumours about Darkstar's danger to highlight the importance of Balon's quest and justify why he himself couldn't deal with the problem yet.

But it's also very likely that Darkstar indeed has some valueable information, because Martin needs to drop some more exposition quickly, and Darkstar seems like the most convenient device. There are two main possibilties:

a) Darkstar has info about Ashara's kid - only relevant if that kid is indeed still alive and someone already involved in the proceedings, IMO, because any other option would hardly justify so much narrative attention. Could Darkstar himself be Ashara's son? Probably not, he's too old, isn't he? So if it's not him, but any of the other secret Daynes speculated about (Jon, Dany, Aegon), wouldn't that person make a more likely candidate for the next sword of the Morning? Why make a big fuss about secret Daynes and then not give them Dawn?

B) Darkstar has info about Arthur and his mission at the ToJ and Rhaegar's plot in general. More likely, I think - especially the details of Rhaegar's plot are interesting... Martin has indicated in a recent interview that there's more to come along these lines. I don't think Gerold knows that Ned saved the kid; if anyone knew about Jon and counted on him for their plans, they would have sent some support to the Nightswatch already.

If that storyline ends up in the next prologue, I would expect one the following scenarios:

a) Balon POV - he finds out some of the things Darkstars knows, kills him, is then killed by Obaria to prevent Cersei's plot against Trystane.

B) Darkstar POV - reveals some of things he knows, kills Balon, is then killed by Obaria to keep up the pretense of peace with the Lannisters for a little longer.

c) Obaria POV - talks with Darkstar about important secrets, Balon kills Darkstar, finds out about Obaria's involvement, also kills Obaria. Least likely, I think, because that would mean another of the Dornish plans failing and it's getting old already. I have a feeling that luck will favor the Dornish for a while.

Balon is pretty much toast. I think the Trystane-plot is real, by the way (would like to know how Doran got wind of it, are there any theories? Who is the Dornish spy at King's Landing? Taena?). Balon might be one of the knightlier knights still standing (it's indeed remarkable how often other characters make quite favorable remarks about him throughout the series - Jaime respects him, Tyrion respects him, even Areo thinks the has to be taken seriously), but the KG (even the good ones, even Barristan) have a long tradition of also obeying the more reprehensible orders of their kings/queens.

[SerGrahamando ofUttershill]

It could easily be Varys who is feeding Doran info. We know he has still been hanging about in KL. Was it him who went to Sunspear after the Rebellion to make peace with the Martells?

[Quentyn Baratheon]

It could easily be Varys who is feeding Doran info. We know he has still been hanging about in KL. Was it him who went to Sunspear after the Rebellion to make peace with the Martells?

IIRC Jon Arryn himself, with the bones of Prince Lewyn Martell.