Lord Dustin's Bones = Arthur Dayne being alive

[Mithras]

I think there was a SSM basically saying that Ned had a fevered dream and the actual events need not be the same as in his dream.

[The Bear]

I've suspected that Arthur Dayne didn't die at the ToJ for quite a while and it's nice to see that other people have thought the same thing. I never thought he could be Mance, I thought maybe he went across the Narrow Sea or something, but it's plausible because we know Mance is good at playing characters and has a few up his sleeve. I think it's probably too much of a stretch for Dayne to be Mance, but we've seen a lot of knights who have either faked their deaths, left and been presumed dead, or gone into exile (Jorah, JonCon, Ser Barristan and so forth)

Duckfield, I think the OP is suggesting that the reason Lord Dustin's bones were not returned is because they were used to fake Dayne's death.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Uh, Ned does. Because it's the honorable thing to do and the sword has been in the Dayne family for a long damn time. It's absolutely within his personality to deliver the sword. I don't think it's out of the question for him to be doing other things at Starfall (using it as a port to get home, taking Wylla back from the Tower, powwowing with relevant people about how to sell the Jon story), but there's nothing suspicious about a man like Ned Stark taking the ancestral sword back to its home, especially when Ned has nothing but respect for Arthur.

Would that work for Selmy and Blackfyre too? Assuming Daemon's heir wielded Blackfyre as was his birthright would the honorable Ser Barristan have sought ought Maelys the Monstrous's heir to deliver the valuable heirloom to its rightful owner after he defeated the last of the Blackfyre pretenders in single combat? The Golden Company must have retreated in good order or have surrendered with some strength left after the battle to have survived. Perhaps the return of the sword was part of the cessation of hostilities?

[Dorian Martell]

Maelys had no heir.

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

I think there was a SSM basically saying that Ned had a fevered dream and the actual events need not be the same as in his dream.

There are pretty obvious symbols and metaphorical images in the dream. For example, Ned's friends obviously weren't wraiths. I'm also reasonably sure that there was no storm of blue rose petals and that Lyanna didn't call Ned "Lord Stark." But the basics of what happened — seven on three, two lived, Howland and Ned — I'm pretty comfortable saying that those are accurate. At some point you have to draw a line between what is real and what isn't based on common sense. Otherwise nothing in the dream could have happened and the entire thing can be thrown out. In any case, Ned's memories of the cairns and himself and Howland surviving (and being the only survivors) are not part of the fevered dream he has, but memories he has while awake.

[houseHB]

One thing that keeps me wondering if Arthur Dayne is secretly still alive is something George said in response to a question. Do not have a link or remember what it was, but I remember someone asked him if Arthur Dayne was such an honorable guy why did he allow Aerys atrocities to continue. George responded with something I think it was "Keep Reading"

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

One thing that keeps me wondering if Arthur Dayne is secretly still alive is something George said in response to a question. Do not have a link or remember what it was, but I remember someone asked him if Arthur Dayne was such an honorable guy why did he allow Aerys atrocities to continue. George responded with something I think it was "Keep Reading"

Which I think might point to the revelation that Rhaegar was planning to overthrow his father with at least some Kingsguard support. Not necessarily that Arthur is still alive.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Maelys had no heir.

Apparently the msle Blackfyre line ended. That doesn't mean there was no heir. Does Sweetrobin have an heir?

[WeaselPie]

I'm hanging on to my crackpot that Marwyn is Arthur Dayne. He gave up being the ultimate Knight to become the ultimate Knight of the Mind.

[65536ob]

this theory is interesting but there are several problems with it

1- the only way for arthur to pretend being mance is for him to have killed the real mance to begin with,, i see no reason why arthur would do this

2- why would arthur have deserted the night's watch after joining it willingly

3- there is no way arthur would have recognised jon after only seeing him as a baby 16 years ago

[Starkfaithful85]

i like everything but the mance part...also would jeor mormont and benjen star recognize arthur dayne...especially benjen, he was at the tournament at harenhall and rhaegar was there, dayne was also at harrenhall if I recall correctly and I would be willing to bet that benjen would remember on of the few member of the kingsguard especially a knight as reknown as arthur dayne

[PrinceHenryris]

While my theory doesn't preclude Arthur Dayne being alive, I wonder if the reason that Willam's bones weren't sent back was because he was actually killed by Ned and/or Howland?

Lyanna extracted a promise from Ned before she died. While we all have our assumptions, we don't know what it was. Mayhaps, Willam Dustin threatened that promise, and Ned felt the need to put him on a block or Howland shot him through the ribs with a poisoned arrow?

As a result, Ned had all the casualties of the ToJ buried there so nobody except Ned and Howland (and maybe Arthur) knew what really happened.

[WeirwoodTreeHugger]

The first two points are improbable, but not impossible. However, the Mance = Arthur theory is highly problematic. Not just because of the fact that Mance was raised at the wall. Mance loves to sing and is pretty good at it. Good enough to pass as a professional. Never have I seen any indication that Arthur was a singer. That would probably be a clue GRRM would give us if Mance was indeed Arthur.