Sad re-read moments

[vivatforx]

Any Stark chapter in AGOT is pretty rough. Everyone has mentioned the key moments, but there is a part early on when they go to behead the NW deserter, and Ned tells Bran that one day Robb will be his liege lord and that he will have a holdfast. Terrible.

[Luthien Targaryen]

Oh boy, there's a bit about two thirds of the way through AGOT, i think it's an Arya chapter, where Ned is giving her advice of some sort...i think she'd had a fight with Sansa and locked herself in her room, i think Ned discovers Needle...i can't remember but it was so lovely to see Ned being a real Dad, and then knowing that Arya would have to lose her Dad so soon and he wouldn't be around to comfort and protect her anymore, and Arya's such a little girl. I don't often get tear-ey over books, but blimey...i nearly had to go and ring my Dad just to to make sure he was alright and still there...Not that i'm not a grown woman or anything, or that he's in any danger of being beheaded for denouncing the legitimacy of a boy king....

[The Fourth Head]

After reading ASOS and now thinking LF was behind it, I found Eddard's confession and execution a very bitter pill, all over again. (it was pretty bitter the first time too tbh!)

I know he may have felt resentment towards Eddard for being Catelyn's husband, but noone deserves to be so utterly destroyed- to allow others to manipulate him into lying and disgracing his own honour, only to be killed anyway. I don't know why, but knowing it wasn't just a kneejerk whim from Joffrey, and that it was a deliberately contrived scenario created by LF just makes it 10 times worse, and with LF taking no blame for it either.

The show illustrates it well (it that is what they intended to portray?) - LF just looking on smugly, listening to Eddard disgrace is own name, knowing he will die anyway, and knowing that at that moment, Varys, Cercei and Eddard have no clue whatsoever that Eddard was about to die. When Joffrey gave the order, Cercei, Eddard, Sansa, Varys all react- he just stands back to enjoy the show, whilst Varys goes rushing around and ends up talking to LF.

Then, what makes it even sadder is that LF's motive was probably not solely petty revenge, but to deliberately prevent peace, resulting in even more loss of life as a result of Ned losing his life unnecessarily- sad doesn't come close when re-reading it. It made me feel sick.

[Fistful o' Dragons]

Theon telling Asha that "you have to remember your name." I break out in sobbing after that line every time.

[Zorpack]

Those words - "knowing your name" - becomes the touchstone of his entire character arc later, and that particular turn of phrase gets repeated a lot in ADWD.

Between that and Walder Frey's "mayhaps" thing I'm kind of blown away by how many seemingly throw-away comments have subtle but huge relevance later.

I see Theons arc, but could you explain the "mayhaps" thing? I didn't catch it.. Thx!

[Dove]

During ACOK, Bran and Rickon are introduced to a game called "Lord of the Crossing" (a game played at the Twins) by Big Walder and Little Walder -

Bran I, ACOK

:

They didn’t have to tell the truth, but the oaths were binding unless they said “Mayhaps,” so the trick was to say “Mayhaps” so the lord of the crossing didn’t notice. Then you could try and knock the lord into the water and you got to be lord of the crossing, but only if you’d said “Mayhaps.” Otherwise you were out of the game.

Cat VI, ASOS

:

“My lord!” Catelyn had almost forgotten. “Some food would be most welcome. We have ridden many leagues in the rain.” Walder Frey’s mouth moved in and out. “Food, heh. A loaf of bread, a bite of cheese, mayhaps a sausage.”

Just a little thing, but it's a pretty neat detail - I didn't even notice it until it was pointed out to me here.

[Zorpack]

During ACOK, Bran and Rickon are introduced to a game called "Lord of the Crossing" (a game played at the Twins) by Big Walder and Little Walder -

Bran I, ACOK

:

They didn’t have to tell the truth, but the oaths were binding unless they said “Mayhaps,” so the trick was to say “Mayhaps” so the lord of the crossing didn’t notice. Then you could try and knock the lord into the water and you got to be lord of the crossing, but only if you’d said “Mayhaps.” Otherwise you were out of the game.

Cat VI, ASOS

:

“My lord!” Catelyn had almost forgotten. “Some food would be most welcome. We have ridden many leagues in the rain.” Walder Frey’s mouth moved in and out. “Food, heh. A loaf of bread, a bite of cheese, mayhaps a sausage.”

Just a little thing, but it's a pretty neat detail - I didn't even notice it until it was pointed out to me here.

Whoa, incredible depth. I would have never put that together. Thanks. I love all the little nuances we find in these books!

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Rewatch, actually, (because I don't remember if that happened in books), but Ned wanted Yoren to get Arya and keep her from watching him die, probably wanting her to retain her innocence by not watching a man die. And look what Arya has became now.

[Luthien Targaryen]

I've just found another bit that has almost moved me to tears on a re-read (man, this series is depressing me....) I'm most of the way through Clash and there's a part where Catelyn has just learnt that (errr, do i have to warn of spoilers? This is the re-read forum right? You've all read 'em all at least once or see the Tv show...) Theon may have done something very unpleasant to Bran and Rickon. She's been keeping the news to herself and trying to hide her understandable grief when she cracks and tells Brienne about it over dinner. Brienne's something of a clueless numpty about domestic matters and anything that doesn't involve swords, but as Catelyn tells her newest friend about the children she thinks she lost, it's heartbreaking and even Brienne's moved.

[Fistful o' Dragons]

I dreamt a wolf howling in the rain, but no one heard his grief. I dreamt such a clangor I thought my head would burst, drums and horns and pipes and screams. But the saddest sound was the little bells. :(

[The Crow]

Maester Aemon, "Egg, I dreamt I was old."

this right here

[Dragonmaster]

Oberyn. Finally a moment where you feel open justice is done, this awesome character finished off one of the worst and avenged his sister. Only for it to be turned around and described in a way that made me feel sick.

[SerWaymarRoyce]

this scene and quote from the beginning of aGoT while Eddard and Robert are in the crypts below winterfell

"The crypt continued on into the darkness ahead of them, but beyond this point the tombs were empty and unsealed; black holes waiting for their dead, waiting for him and his children. Ned did not like to think on that."

[ZeeAppoponaxComes]

Tyrion's story of his marriage and the set up, knowing what the real set up is the second time around is a brutal read.

[Direbrew]

I dreamt a wolf howling in the rain, but no one heard his grief. I dreamt such a clangor I thought my head would burst, drums and horns and pipes and screams. But the saddest sound was the little bells. :(

Ugh, my heart :bawl:

[FacelessDude]

I've just found another bit that has almost moved me to tears on a re-read (man, this series is depressing me....) I'm most of the way through Clash and there's a part where Catelyn has just learnt that (errr, do i have to warn of spoilers? This is the re-read forum right? You've all read 'em all at least once or see the Tv show...) Theon may have done something very unpleasant to Bran and Rickon. She's been keeping the news to herself and trying to hide her understandable grief when she cracks and tells Brienne about it over dinner. Brienne's something of a clueless numpty about domestic matters and anything that doesn't involve swords, but as Catelyn tells her newest friend about the children she thinks she lost, it's heartbreaking and even Brienne's moved.

I just finished that chapter (re-read). It's after the Tully men defeat the Lannister's at Riverrun and they are all celebrating, while Catelyn is morose and sorrowful. She then lets Jaime go.

[Captain Smallclothes]

Brienne talking about being a freak and unfit to be a son or a daughter to her father.