Areo Hotah POV in prologue, will be killed by Darkstar

[Borsabil]

I just posted the evidence, its the logical series of events that flows from it, and as you said someone betraying Arrianes plans. Everyone can think what they want, but if the only point you can make in contradiction is that you don't think a fictional character who you didn't write would do that, then I don't think you have an actual argument.

I'm not saying it's impossible I'm saying it's a stretch. Doran is a decent guy, it's the impression I got from the text. Telling a minion to horribly maim a little kid because?....

Either Darkstar is a total badass who was ordered to kill a little girl by Doran, and he failed, which would mean he's not such a badass....or he was told to maim Myrcella by Doran because? Doran wanted to disfigure a little kid in revenge for his sister , niece and nephew? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Darkstar has his own agenda I'm thinking, but too be honest that whole subplot in the books is boring me, like Danys chapters too meandering and longwinded.

[alienarea]

Darkstar belongs to the cult of the night. They don't kill children but cut off an ear instead.

[aryagonnakill]

I'm not saying it's impossible I'm saying it's a stretch. Doran is a decent guy, it's the impression I got from the text. Telling a minion to horribly maim a little kid because?....

Either Darkstar is a total badass who was ordered to kill a little girl by Doran, and he failed, which would mean he's not such a badass....or he was told to maim Myrcella by Doran because? Doran wanted to disfigure a little kid in revenge for his sister , niece and nephew? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Darkstar has his own agenda I'm thinking, but too be honest that whole subplot in the books is boring me, like Danys chapters too meandering and longwinded.

It doesn't have anything to do with wanting to maim a little girl, he wants to kill Balon Swann without anyone being able to prove he had anything to do with it.

[KingHodorTargaryen]

It doesn't have anything to do with wanting to maim a little girl, he wants to kill Balon Swann without anyone being able to prove he had anything to do with it.

I think his point is why would Darkstar try to maim Myrcella, and not kill her. Either he tried to kill her and royally messed up, or there's something else going on. I think it's Doran playing the game, he would get someone to maim Myrcella, see what Cersei sends, send all Lannister forces to fight Darkstar when he might not even be there, and keep them playing a cat and mouse game to try bleed Lannister forces.

[aryagonnakill]

I think his point is why would Darkstar try to maim Myrcella, and not kill her. Either he tried to kill her and royally messed up, or there's something else going on. I think it's Doran playing the game, he would get someone to maim Myrcella, see what Cersei sends, send all Lannister forces to fight Darkstar when he might not even be there, and keep them playing a cat and mouse game to try bleed Lannister forces.

Exactly thats what I've been saying, my last post was a simplification but if u look before that I went into more detail. The maiming fits perfectly, a dead Myrcella would have meant a raven to Cersei saying so as soon as Balon arrived in Sunspear, and a dead Myrcella would probably mean Cersei in her madness ordering all kinds of assassinations and wars and such. As it stands Cersei knows nothing, Balon knows nothing and is about to die, and Doran is about to get 2 Sand Snakes into KL. It is just like him to make these slow moves.

[manting]

i thought it was pretty clear that darkstar (greatful dead references aside) chose that name to differentiate himself from his more noble and famous relative Arthur Dayne. He was known as "the sword of the morning." So darkstar calls himself darkstar and says "i am of the night." This is reflective of his lack of morality (he was willing to cold-bloodedly murder a little girl) and to seperate himself from famous uncle Arthur.

[KingHodorTargaryen]

Exactly thats what I've been saying, my last post was a simplification but if u look before that I went into more detail. The maiming fits perfectly, a dead Myrcella would have meant a raven to Cersei saying so as soon as Balon arrived in Sunspear, and a dead Myrcella would probably mean Cersei in her madness ordering all kinds of assassinations and wars and such. As it stands Cersei knows nothing, Balon knows nothing and is about to die, and Doran is about to get 2 Sand Snakes into KL. It is just like him to make these slow moves.

I agree

[WildBlood]

I dont think Darkstar can touch Hotah. Hotah is a badass, Darkstar is a wannabe.

[Southron_Ambitions]

The Dorne storyline is way, way to unimportant to be the prologue. The prologues always have some bigger connection to the Ice/Fire battle than Dorne can provide IMO.

[aryagonnakill]

The Dorne storyline is way, way to unimportant to be the prologue. The prologues always have some bigger connection to the Ice/Fire battle than Dorne can provide IMO.

GRRM has been writing this series for DECADES and has in his own words regretfully had to expand it constantly to tell the whole story, he has said he did not want to add more POV's and such, but that he HAD TO. There is no way any of the storylines are unimportant when the author is saying stuff like that.

[Borsabil]

GRRM has been writing this series for DECADES and has in his own words regretfully had to expand it constantly to tell the whole story, he has said he did not want to add more POV's and such, but that he HAD TO. There is no way any of the storylines are unimportant when the author is saying stuff like that.

The Dorne storyline is an interesting, if meandering, set up for the eventual arrival of Dany into Westeros. Dorne is the only part of Westeros where she will be able to land her forces safely and expect to find a ready made ally. I have no idea why GRRM has gifted us the longwinded Doran/Sandsnakes/Arianne storyline which so far has gone precisely nowhere with no pay off. The Red Viper is killed by the mountain, in an admittedly badass, duel to the death......and nothing happens. The sand snakes throw a hissy fit and get pissed at Doran......and nothing happens. Arianne launches a crazy ass attempt to kidnap Myrcella.....and nothing happens. The whole point of the storyline seems to be to show us how cautious Doran is and how he's playing a long game, who's eventual outcome we're supposed to guess at. But we do know what he wants, he wants Dany and her dragons. He wants an overwhelming tactical advantage that will guarantee him victory over the Lannisters without risking the destruction of Dorne. Only the dragons can give him that. Certainly not the pretend Targ Griff with his 10,000 adventurers traipsing through the Stormlands.

[KingHodorTargaryen]

The Dorne storyline is an interesting, if meandering, set up for the eventual arrival of Dany into Westeros. Dorne is the only part of Westeros where she will be able to land her forces safely and expect to find a ready made ally. I have no idea why GRRM has gifted us the longwinded Doran/Sandsnakes/Arianne storyline which so far has gone precisely nowhere with no pay off. The Red Viper is killed by the mountain, in an admittedly badass, duel to the death......and nothing happens. The sand snakes throw a hissy fit and get pissed at Doran......and nothing happens. Arianne launches a crazy ass attempt to kidnap Myrcella.....and nothing happens. The whole point of the storyline seems to be to show us how cautious Doran is and how he's playing a long game, who's eventual outcome we're supposed to guess at. But we do know what he wants, he wants Dany and her dragons. He wants an overwhelming tactical advantage that will guarantee him victory over the Lannisters without risking the destruction of Dorne. Only the dragons can give him that. Certainly not the pretend Targ Griff with his 10,000 adventurers traipsing through the Stormlands.

It's to show how Doran's carefulness won't work just like Arrianne's impulsiveness won't work when she sides with Aegon.

[aryagonnakill]

The Dorne storyline is an interesting, if meandering, set up for the eventual arrival of Dany into Westeros. Dorne is the only part of Westeros where she will be able to land her forces safely and expect to find a ready made ally. I have no idea why GRRM has gifted us the longwinded Doran/Sandsnakes/Arianne storyline which so far has gone precisely nowhere with no pay off. The Red Viper is killed by the mountain, in an admittedly badass, duel to the death......and nothing happens. The sand snakes throw a hissy fit and get pissed at Doran......and nothing happens. Arianne launches a crazy ass attempt to kidnap Myrcella.....and nothing happens. The whole point of the storyline seems to be to show us how cautious Doran is and how he's playing a long game, who's eventual outcome we're supposed to guess at. But we do know what he wants, he wants Dany and her dragons. He wants an overwhelming tactical advantage that will guarantee him victory over the Lannisters without risking the destruction of Dorne. Only the dragons can give him that. Certainly not the pretend Targ Griff with his 10,000 adventurers traipsing through the Stormlands.

If you look at which characters actually have POV's, the story they are telling is leaving Dorne. Arriane is set to arrive at Storms End and Areo is setting out "after Darkstar" and we may learn 1 of many things from this story line. The badassness of the fight to ensue has also been set up since AGOT where Balon Swann came in second in the archery contest at the tournament, then with how he is described at the battle of the Blackwater. Then we see how badass Areo is and now in the preview chapters were being told that Darkstar was trained by Oberyn and that skilled knights as well as Arriane and others view Darkstar as very dangerous.

[The Bear With Yellow Hair]

Prologue will be Obara Sand's death. The three of them will converse about whatever ails them and then they will approach Darkstar. Darkstar will look to give up quietly and as he is taken by Areo Hotah, Obara notices that Darkstar quickly takes Hotah's longaxe and then with one huge swing, clunks Obara in the face, thus ending the chapter. Areo Hotah then has his own chapter in which he returns to Dorne, with his longaxe, and tells Doran that the Darkstar is dead, but unfortunately Balon Swann and Obara Sand were lost as well. Life goes on and soon Arianne sends word to Doran that Aegon is legit. Hotah urges Doran to send more of his troops and to go himself, but Doran only agrees to send more troops. What follows next is an attack on the weak and defenseless Sunspear by the Crow's Eye Euron Greyjoy. Areo Hotah says that there is a boat waiting for Trystane and Myrcella and get on and so they leave, but when Doran attempts to leave with them, Hotah says that it is not him. Hotah then explains that his allegiances have always been with Doran's estranged wife from Norvos and that that is where he will be taking Myrcella and Trystane. With this, Hotah puts an end to Doran, reminding him that he had wanted Doran to leave so that he would not have to kill him. Areo Hotah then leaves the murdered Doran and Sunspear to Euron Greyjoy.

[Dragon Roast]

I doubt that the prologue will have anything to do with Dorne or Darkstar. And if it did, it wouldn't be an Areo Hotah POV. This just doesn't fit the way that GRRM has used the prologue in the first five books. And I can't think of any reason why he would changed that, even if the OP's plot wish turned out to be align with the book GRRM is writing.

If Darkstar is going to kill Areo we will read about that in an Areo POV or perhaps we'll only read about the hunt for Darkstar, how he got away and who he killed during the chase. However that part of the tale unfolds, I don't think it will in the Prologue.

GRRM has used the prologues in even number books to introduce us to new locations in Westeros that will be of some importance in the following chapters and books. And he has used Maesters (chained or students) as the door to these new locations. I think the prologue is likely to use a Maester to introduce us to one of the following locations:

• Casterly Rock
  
• Highgarden
  
• Tarth
  
• The Step Stones
  
• An insiders look at the fall of Storm's End
  
• An insiders look at the Dreatfort
  
• A Maester trapped on Skagos
  
• Or Marwyn describing the start of what will turn out to be a very short journey
  

Of them all, I think that a Maester of Casterly Rock might be the most likely. But I'm pretty certain that the prologue will not have anything to do with the Darkstar story-line unless it is as a possible rumor reaching some Maester.

[Neo]

I don't think that it's a certainty that the Prologue for TWoW will be a Maester, but given the pattern of the first five books (where the Prologues have been North of the Wall - South of the Wall - North of the Wall - South of the Wall - North of the Wall) it seems likely that the Prologue for TWoW will be set South of the Wall.

It is true that both prologues set south of the Wall so far have had some connection to Maesters, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's just a coincidence. It is safe to assume that the main character from the Prologue of TWoW will die in that chapter, given the history of the books so far. If it were to be a Maester would that not make the Prologue for TWoW far too similar to the Prologue of ACoK?

However, GRRM is clearly using the Prologues to differentiate between the lands North and South of the Wall. If he is only using characters connected to the Citadel in his 'Southern' Prologues, could he be making a conscious commentary on the division between magic (represented by the lands beyond the Wall) and science (represented by the Maesters)?

[joluoto]

Bah, Areo Hotah will make minced meat out of Darkstar

[Veltigar]

j

[KingHodorTargaryen]

I disagree here. GRRM has explicitly stated that Darkstar tried to kill Myrcella and failed because Myrcella lucked out (her horse unexpectedly moved out of the way). IIRC GRRM said that even if two handed Jaime or Ser Arthur Dayne had been in the position that Darkstar was in they would have missed because of Myrcella's luck (she had plot armor). If you accept that and take into account that Darkstar is a calculating badass than I think it's pretty Obvious that the Darkstar was Dorans spy. He told Doran were they were going and when Doran men revealed themself he wanted to use the distraction that that caused to make his move and kill Myrcella. Both Arianne and Doran got played by Darkstar . IMO he wanted to involve Dorne in the war against the Lannisters in order to gain infamy so that people would finally remember that Ser Arthur Dayne isn't the only Dayne out there.

With GRRM's statement, my views do change. So Darkstar did try to kill Myrcella. Well this really kinda only changes the whole thing slightly. Darkstar has to be the spy for Doran, and since Doran let them go on with the plot, he has to have a pretty large degree of faith in Darkstar. If Darkstar was ordered to kill Myrcella under Doran's orders, it would still make sense. Doran gains revenge and his hands are very clean, as he can blame it on Darkstar. Darkstar would easily be able to avoid Lannister forces and would have Dornish help (Areo and Obara for examples) and then would gain a large amount of favor with the new Targaryen king or queen. I also agree with the fact that Darkstar wants infamy, just only to advance his position.

[Boros of Myr]

While I no longer support the "Myrcella is already dead" theory - the Lannister children must be crowned before they die, which she was not - the rest holds true. @Veltigar's statement supports my reasoning that it would be pointless to introduce Darkstar as a warrior if he was without prowess. To those who claim Balon Swann will die in Dorne - just how many Kingsguard is Areo Hotah supposed to take out there? Really.

True, this may not be a prologue chapter - but prologues do introduce new locations, and perhaps this could tie in the Tower of Joy? It's a maybe at least. Regardless, when Darkstar's hunters meet him, someone will die - and the process of elimination says he will be revealed as Arianne's betrayer.

To those that say killing Hotah would end the Dorne perspective - we already have Arianne, and most of the Southern conflict is building further north anyway.

The Dornish are associated with snakes. Doran is a cautious snake, but a snake all the same, and there is more venom in him than we know. I also have a hunch that Darkstar will ultimately end up in Aegon's Kingsguard.