Unanswered Questions?

[SugaMan]

So how exactly does one capitalize a word in speech?

It is from Cat's perspective, so when she hears "tansy" in her head she interprets it as "Tansy." The characters hear things and make their own conclusions, based on our knowledge of everything outside their perspectives, we can then make more educated guesses.

I personally think Tansy=tansy, but it is possible that it could be Lysa's nickname too. Although it would be a pretty sick nickname for Hoster give Lysa considering its use...

[true wolf]

Dawn is at Starfall. There has been no Sword of the Morning sine Arthur Dayne for some reasaon, most likely because there is no one worth holding the title yet.

What exactly makes someone worthy? This statement is all over the place in these forums, but what makes someone worthy? Is it stuck in a rock and only the worthy can pull it out? Come on, that is rediculous. If you can weild a sword and have any hereditary claim to it then there is no reason you shouldn't get it.

EDIT:

Is Dawn like Excaliber or something? - Only the chosen one can pull it from the Stone? Or maybe Ashara Dayne is playing Lady of the Lake?

I don't really think this... but with a name like Arthur and a sword like Dawn, it's pretty hard not to think of Excaliber

Here here! Sorry but sometimes I can't wait to post before reading the whole 14 pages of the forum

I'm not so sure about Ned sending messages to Howland Reed and getting no answers. Anyway, the Crannogmen are very isolationist and move around in the swamps, so it isn't easy to find them. But there's defintely something about Howland Reed GRRM hasn't told us yet. He should know the truth of Jon's parentage so it's possible GRRM has kept him hidden because he didn' want to reveal it yet.

Well ravens can't find the 'castle' so sending messages would have to be by messanger, like the way Robb proposed, walk up and down the neck with big banners waveing, and wait for them to find you.

[true wolf]

The whole Theon thing is a great mystery to me. I wonder what GRRM has in store for him as it must be something important to keep him alive.

Don't forget he is the most clear heir to the Sea Chair. He could return to the Iron Islands while everyone is away, like he did with Winterfell. If GRRM means to do a "Jaimie-esk" type of character turn around, he better do something so damn spectacular that it makes my head spin, otherwise he will always be the ingreatfull ass-bag that ruined one of the greatest houses in the entire kingdom.Period.

[true wolf]

All true except for the fact that this is usually true in the case of

1. lesser houses (take a look at the Freys, rich enough for old Walder to support his entire brood)

2. Houses with lots of sons (such as the Royces before the death of Robar).

Benjen is indeed a third son but his oldest brother is dead. There were probably only three male Starks when he joined the wall - himself, Ned, and a newly whelped Rob which is not really an ironclad future in a familly that would so recently just have lost a father, heir and sister.

I think there were probably other reasons which GRRM will whisk out.

Rickon was a third son too, but there was no talk of his destiny at the Wall. In fact his destiny was described as holding lands and holdfasts as his brothers bannerman, Bran too. This makes Benjens going to the Wall seem all the more suspect. Something else had to push him there.

[urizen]

Don't forget he is the most clear heir to the Sea Chair. He could return to the Iron Islands while everyone is away, like he did with Winterfell. If GRRM means to do a "Jaimie-esk" type of character turn around, he better do something so damn spectacular that it makes my head spin, otherwise he will always be the ingreatfull ass-bag that ruined one of the greatest houses in the entire kingdom.Period.

I don't see why Theon would do a "Jaimie-esk type of character turn around". Jaime at least shows self-knowledge and has a clear reason for doing what he does. In Theon's world It's never ever his own fault bad things happen. I can totally see Theon hanging (in chains ) around the Dreadfort blaming Asha for his "predicament".

[true wolf]

I think Coldhands is either Benjen or knows what happened to Benjen, which is why we never saw the meeting of Coldhands and Bran in aSoS. It would have revealled too much.

Coldhands is obviously metoring/tutoring Bran, why not Benjen before him. Benjen and Bran could meet far in the Northern Forests and train togather. I think Benjen is being tought by Coldhands, and is not Coldhands himself. This of course leaves the question un-answered; Who is Coldhands?

I don't see why Theon would do a "Jaimie-esk type of character turn around". Jaime at least shows self-knowledge and has a clear reason for doing what he does. In Theon's world It's never ever his own fault bad things happen. I can totally see Theon hanging (in chains ) around the Dreadfort blaming Asha for his "predicament

That would be great but isn't Theon a confirmed POV for the next book? How boring would it be for a POV to be in chains for 700+ pages.

[true wolf]

Something that just occurred to me about the Tower of Joy - why did the Kingsguard have to fight to the death to stop Ned getting there? It's not like he was coming to kill his sister, just rescue her, and surely the Kingsguard would have more honour than to imprison girls in towers... not that I think R+L=J is in any doubt, but this looks like more evidence in favour of it, as protecting the heir to the throne would be much more worth dying for

I think this is a hotly debated point in any R+L=J thread, but I had the same questions before reading any of them. Why have 3 KG guarding someone not related to the crown? Especially when there is a rebellion boiling over. The crown prince and the King are in mortal danger, yet 42% of the swords sworn to protect the royal family are off at the ToJ to protect what? WHY WOULD THEY BE THERE???

Also in regards to Jaquen H'ghar's mission, is it possible for him to have more than one. If not then how does he communicate with the "puppet masters"? How Do the FM recieve their orders?

Is Patchface really as big a moron as he is described? Some of what he sais is pretty cryptic and sounds a lot like foreshadow, oh oh oh... but really think about it and the sea has been largely forgotten as a force of nature. There was mention at one council meeting of a Great Cracken sighting and Cersi in her infinite wisdom shut it down imediately. Creatures under the sea could play some part in this saga.

[Brother of the Night Watch]

What's so sketchy about his motives? He and Ashara were in love. He went to explain to her how he had to marry Cat in his brother's place. He went to return the Dayne's family sword to them. I think he had nothing but great respect for Arthur, but unfortunately they were caught on different sides of a war, and only fought because of their duty. Even without Ashara in the picture, Honorable Ned would have still returned the sword.

Hmmmmm, this is where i get confused. Because you say he had to go tell her he was marrying Cat, but he had to marry Cat to get Hoster Tullys swords. On their wedding night he impregnated her and then went off to war. So was he not already married? The TOJ was at the end of the war, so surely he would already have been married by then? The timing of this part of the story has always confused me.

[true wolf]

I have been wondering and can't find a very definitive answer, who is older Jon or Robb? They were not togather until Winterfell and at that point it would be hard to tell physically wouldn't it? They have to be pretty close I think, maybee a couple of months apart.

[Lucidus]

Hmmmmm, this is where i get confused. Because you say he had to go tell her he was marrying Cat, but he had to marry Cat to get Hoster Tullys swords. On their wedding night he impregnated her and then went off to war. So was he not already married? The TOJ was at the end of the war, so surely he would already have been married by then? The timing of this part of the story has always confused me.

Does it matter? Either way his honor and duty bound him to marry Catelyn. Ned and Ashara Dayne wasn't a formal arrangement as far as we know and quite possibly was a sort of hush-hush type of romance. Ned goes to return the sword, tell Ashara about his marriage and his intent on staying married despite his own feelings (since it's his duty now), etc. and she kills herself out of grief.

Maybe the confusion just stems from choice of words. Instead of saying Ned going to tell Ashara that he was marrying Cat, it should be Ned going to tell Ashara that he had already married Cat.

[Northman]

Very interesting and informative thread. A few questions more about the world than plots:

1. What are the mechanisms for reanimation?

The Others/wights seem to rise from the dead of their own accord, but I'm unclear what power(or god?) makes it happen or where for example the shimmering blades and armor come from. They're apparently the "brains! brains!" variety of zombie in contrast to Coldhands; or to UnCat/Beric, raised by R'hllor. A potential UnGregor is again different.

2. Are seasons and/or unnatural powers related to astronomy?

A long summer predicts a long winter and the red comet heralds a return of all kinds of strangeness. Eh, this doesn't need an answer i guess.

3. With all the milk of the poppy going around, is anyone able to take a healthy poop?

[Guest Other-in-law]

I have been wondering and can't find a very definitive answer, who is older Jon or Robb? They were not togather until Winterfell and at that point it would be hard to tell physically wouldn't it? They have to be pretty close I think, maybee a couple of months apart.

I think that Robb is commonly believed to be older, since he was conceived before Ned went South during the war....if Ned had impregnated Ashara during or shortly after the Harrenhall tourney their child would have been obviously much older than Robb (a year or a year and a half, possibly). In fact, it's pretty vague. Accepting R+L=J, he would have been born at the time of Lyanna's death, and they may have been fairly close in age. Unless Ned took a very long time in returning to his bride, it would seem difficult for anyone to accept that the child was conceived after the return of Dawn to Starfall. If he actually stayed down there for nine months, and then zipped back north right away, one would expect that no one would mistake a newborn for a child close to a year, even with the conventional wisdom that bastards grow faster than trueborn.

An alternative would be that Ned somehow knocked up Ashara or whoever very shortly after his marriage (this would require her to be far north of Dorne), which GRRM has hinted at by commenting that she wasn't nailed to the floor of Starfall for the whole time. Overall, the vagueness is assisted by the fact that it's not polite to ask too many questions about someone's bastards, and Ned actively discouraged people from doing so.

[hobomagic]

(sorry for any duplicates)

Who was the Targaryen that they tried to marry the Queen of Thorns to?

Come on, it hate to be Aemon, as in Maester Amon, when they were going to make him king, he would need a bride.

[Guest Other-in-law]

Come on, it hate to be Aemon, as in Maester Amon, when they were going to make him king, he would need a bride.

You know, I'm quite willing to dismiss that one immediately. Aemon was sent off to the Citadel several years before Ollena was even born. The age difference alone is probably a good 30 years or more. Loras is about 15, so Mance is probably in his 40s, and his mother in her 60s or 70s at the oldest. Aemon was over 100 at the time of his death.

I'm inclined to see the hapless fellow as belonging to Prince Duncan, Jaehaerys, and Princess Rhaelle's generation, but those are the only three members of their generation that we've heard of so far. Unless it was Aerion the Monstrous' sons, if he survived long enough.

[Michael Jon Snow]

Other in Law

Ashra was One of Elia's ladys at court. She was in KL at the begining of Robbellion and not so far away as Starfall. And GRRM did say that she was not nailed down at Elia's side. She would have been able to meet Ned somewhere in the area between KL & Riverrun.

Although I suspect he has put that out there to keep the speculation going. If Ashra was in Starfall it would be near impossible for Jon to be Ned's son.

[Guest Other-in-law]

Although I suspect he has put that out there to keep the speculation going. If Ashra was in Starfall it would be near impossible for Jon to be Ned's son.

Agreed.

[Michael Jon Snow]

Very interesting and informative thread. A few questions more about the world than plots:

1. What are the mechanisms for reanimation?

The Others/wights seem to rise from the dead of their own accord, but I'm unclear what power(or god?) makes it happen or where for example the shimmering blades and armor come from. They're apparently the "brains! brains!" variety of zombie in contrast to Coldhands; or to UnCat/Beric, raised by R'hllor. A potential UnGregor is again different.

2. Are seasons and/or unnatural powers related to astronomy?

A long summer predicts a long winter and the red comet heralds a return of all kinds of strangeness. Eh, this doesn't need an answer i guess.

3. With all the milk of the poppy going around, is anyone able to take a healthy poop?

LOL!! Great questions.

1. Not clear, and I will address this one below.

2. GRRM said at one point that the seasons have a fantasy answer, not a scifi answer. So it is not due to some erratic orbit or anything like that. GRRMs astronomy isn’t very accurate anyway, so I kind of skip over that part of the text. (His phases of the moon are off and he has both a North star and a South star which is astronomically impossible for an earth-like planet. Minor things. If I can accept dragons, I can accept a consistent time for moon rise throughout the phases of the moon.)

3. Not many people know of the relationship between opiates and constipation, and fewer are going to make the connection. I just had to laugh, because Greggor shouldn’t be able to have a BM with the way he was quaffing MoP.

Alright, about the wights. There is not much direct indication from the books about the mechanism of the reanimation of wights. I did notice something when I reread the chapter where Sam kills Small Paul in the wildling village. Just before the wight bursts into flames, the blue lights in his eyes went out. Now, this could have been the moment of “death†for the wight, and the burst of flame an after effect, or the blue eyes could be an indication of the “controlling link†and that it was severed because Small Paul was doomed. It makes me wonder if a wight’s link could be otherwise severed. Perhaps Cold hands is a wight of someone (Benjen) that has been broken from the control of the others.

[Sandor vs Gregor]

Also, as I understand it, the wights and the Others are two entirely separate entities. The wights are reanimated people/animals who are more of a mindless zombie sort of creatures. But the Others seem enirely intelligent and mystic beings, as the prologue of AGoT indicates. And possibly even reasonable, as Crastor's relationship with them shows.

Someone back me up or call me out on this please.

[Michael Jon Snow]

You are 100% correct. Others are killed with Dragonglass, Wights with fire. See the last couple of Jon/Sam Chapters in SoS. Stannis implies that the wights are the army of the Others.

[reyjin]

Great thread!

I just had a couple of points I wanted to bring up. Regarding the Kingsguard at the TOJ - if R+L=J is true, Ned would have had to kill them, even if he made it clear that he had no intent to harm the child. I find it hard to believe that those 3 Kingsguard would roll over and allow the child to be raised without ever knowing its heritage, and I think its pretty clear that Ned would never let the child grow up to be a threat to Robert's throne. So, they had to be killed. Of course, its questionable whether Ned knew Lyanna was pregnant anyway, I guess.

Regarding the Horn of Winter - wouldn't it be interesting if the giant horn Euron has sounded was the Horn of Winter? And, perhaps, we see the Wall fall in the next book around the time (if such could be measured) that the horn was sounded in the Iron Islands?

At any rate, my favourite question from the books (yeah, its not from aFfC) is: What did Ned promise Lyanna?