u/sixth_order

The last time Jaime and Rhaegar spoke, Rhaegar said this:

Rhaegar had put his hand on Jaime's shoulder. "When this battle's done I mean to call a council. Changes will be made. I meant to do it long ago, but . . . well, it does no good to speak of roads not taken. We shall talk when I return."

Those were the last words Rhaegar Targaryen ever spoke to him. Outside the gates an army had assembled, whilst another descended on the Trident. So the Prince of Dragonstone mounted up and donned his tall black helm, and rode forth to his doom.

He says he meant to make changes. Meaning to do something and actually doing steps in order to get it done are two different things. I've been thinking about this specifically around the arrest of Brandon Stark. Did Rhaegar know that happened? Because the time until Rickard gets word and arrives at KL would take over a month. Maybe even two. Why didn't Rhaegar act then?

The tourney at Harrenhal was believed to be an occasion to make plans. What even came out of that? If you really want to, you can get active pretty fast. Daemon Blackfyre had his ducks in a row, Bloodraven found out and things popped off. Robert, Ned and Jon Arryn immediately made moves once they receive the threat from Aerys.

If Rhaegar made no actual moves to set up this coup, how serious was he about it, really?

ADWD, The Watcher

"Beautiful and peaceful," the prince said. "Cool breezes, sparkling water, and the laughter of children. The Water Gardens are my favorite place in this world, ser. One of my ancestors had them built to please his Targaryen bride and free her from the dust and heat of Sunspear. Daenerys was her name. She was sister to King Daeron the Good, and it was her marriage that made Dorne part of the Seven Kingdoms. The whole realm knew that the girl loved Daeron's bastard brother Daemon Blackfyre, and was loved by him in turn, but the king was wise enough to see that the good of thousands must come before the desires of two, even if those two were dear to him. It was Daenerys who filled the gardens with laughing children. Her own children at the start, but later the sons and daughters of lords and landed knights were brought in to be companions to the boys and girls of princely blood.

I had forgotten this passage, I must admit. We soeculate a lot about the potential dynamics between Daemon with Bittersteel, Bloodraven and Baelor and just assume he was distant to Daeron because of their age gap.

Maybe in dornish lore, the story is told different. That Daemon was dear to Daeron, same as his sister Daenerys was as well. Something else to consider when we think about Daemon Blackfyre, the most mysterious character George ever created.

The second Daemon Blackfyre dreamed of Dunk draped Kingsguard armor. Except that only happens 20 years in the future after Fiddler is long dead. So why would he specifically even dream this? But then he also dreamt about a dragon blooming which represented Egg coming into his own. So one event two decades in the future and the other happening right in front of him.

Aegon the Conqueror dreamed about white walkers coming back, which only happens 300 years after.

Egg dreamed about dragons coming back before summerhall. That was in 259 and dragons were born again 40 years later.

So they have these dreams, but they can't even be certain they have anything to do with them or if it'll even come true in their lifetime.

ACOK, Jon VII. Jon and Halfhand talk about Mance Rayder.

"It happens I know the song. Mance would sing it of old, when he came back from a ranging. He had a passion for wildling music. Aye, and for their women as well.”

“You knew him?”

“We all knew him.” His voice was sad.

They were friends as well as brothers, Jon realized, and now they are sworn foes. “Why did he desert?"

"For a wench, some say. For a crown, others would have it.” Qhorin tested the edge of his sword with the ball of his thumb. “He liked women, Mance did, and he was not a man whose knees bent easily, that’s true. But it was more than that. He loved the wild better than the Wall. It was in his blood. He was wildling born, taken as a child when some raiders were put to the sword. When he left the Shadow Tower he was only going home again.”

'“Was he a good ranger?”*

“He was the best of us,” said the Halfhand, “and the worst as well. Only fools like Thoren Smallwood despise the wildlings. They are as brave as we are, Jon. As strong, as quick, as clever. But they have no discipline. They name themselves the free folk, and each one thinks himself as good as a king and wiser than a maester. Mance was the same. He never learned how to obey.”

“No more than me,” said Jon quietly.

We don't know how Halfhand ended up on the wall. But he's not a highborn so it's safe to assume he did something he really shouldn't have. Seeing his friend leave the wall, I wonder if he ever considered following.

I also find it interesting because this passage mixes other moments. Halfhand calling Mance the best and the worst sounds like Jaime's description of Criston Cole. And when he says maybe he wanted a woman, maybe a crown, it sounds like people say about Daemon Blackfyre. It even fits the idea that some want to believe about Bloodraven and Daemon of the brother he loved but they became enemies.

ACOK Jon III. Jon and Mormont are talking about Craster.

“My lord,” Jon said quietly as the wood closed in around them once more. “Craster has no sheep. Nor any sons.” Mormont made no answer. “At Winterfell one of the serving women told us stories,” Jon went on. “She used to say that there were wildlings who would lay with the Others to birth half-human children.”

“Hearth tales. Does Craster seem less than human to you?”

In half a hundred ways. “He gives his sons to the wood.”

A long silence. Then: “Yes.” And “Yes,” the raven muttered, strutting. “Yes, yes, yes.”

“You knew?”

“Smallwood told me. Long ago. All the rangers know, though few will talk of it.”

“Did my uncle know?”

“All the rangers,” Mormont repeated. “You think I ought to stop him. Kill him if need be.” The Old Bear sighed. “Were it only that he wished to rid himself of some mouths, I’d gladly send Yoren or Conwys to collect the boys. We could raise them to the black and the Watch would be that much the stronger. But the wildlings serve crueler gods than you or I. These boys are Craster’s offerings. His prayers, if you will.”

His wives must offer different prayers, Jon thought.

“How is it you came to know this?” the Old Bear asked him. “From one of Craster’s wives?”

“Yes, my lord,” Jon confessed. “I would sooner not tell you which. She was frightened and wanted help.”

“The wide world is full of people wanting help, Jon. Would that some could find the courage to help themselves. Craster sprawls in his loft even now, stinking of wine and lost to sense. On his board below lies a sharp new axe. Were it me, I’d name it “Answered Prayer’ and make an end.” Yes. Jon thought of Gilly. She and her sisters. They were nineteen, and Craster was one, but...

“Yet it would be an ill day for us if Craster died. Your uncle could tell you of the times Craster’s Keep made the difference between life and death for our rangers.”

“My father …” He hesitated.

“Go on, Jon. Say what you would say.”

“My father once told me that some men are not worth having,” Jon finished. “A bannerman who is brutal or unjust dishonors his liege lord as well as himself.”

“Craster is his own man. He has sworn us no vows. Nor is he subject to our laws. Your heart is noble, Jon, but learn a lesson here. We cannot set the world to rights. That is not our purpose. The Night’s Watch has other wars to fight.”

There's a lot there. Firstly, Jon's inner monologue remains elite.

Secondly, Mormont tries to make some points but I think he's still 100% wrong about Craster. The watch doesn't need him and they could get rid of him and just install some brothers at his keep. And it's easy from the outside to say what Craster's daughters should do when we're not living their abused reality.

Third, I really wonder in what context Ned said this to Jon. Because Ned never told Jon the thing he told Robb about still being close to your men and not being a stranger to them.

Fourth, this makes me think Ned never heard about any of the things Roose and Ramsay were doing. Otherwise, he would've done something about it. Right?

I am in no way talking bad about plays or theatre and the actors/directors who put on plays. It's great work, it's hard work and it's important.

That said, I am writing this with real confusion. I don't know if this is meant to be canon or just some fun side thing. But in either case, I really don't understand why you'd make something that the vast majority of fans of this universe will never see. When you do a play, the goal isn't for 36 million people to see it (the average global number for AKOTSK).

So genuinely what is the reason? This even hits more for me because I'm a fan of stranger things and they did the same thing. Where a play reveals important plot details about the final season. The final season watched by millions all over the world who will have no way of ever seeing this play.

And who would say no to Tourney at Harrenhal 8 episodes mini series?

Mike's inner voices. Fibula. Greg's love doctor.

Keep up the great content, gang!

With AKOTSK premiering earlier this year, I assume I'm not the only one who's been rereading every mention of Egg in the main book series.

AFFC Samwell II:

The old man heard him. Though Aemon's eyes had dimmed and gone dark, there was nothing wrong with his ears. "I was not born blind," he reminded them. "When last I passed this way, I saw every rock and tree and whitecap, and watched the grey gulls flying in our wake. I was five-and-thirty and had been a maester of the chain for sixteen years. Egg wanted me to help him rule, but I knew my place was here. He sent me north aboard the Golden Dragon, and insisted that his friend Ser Duncan see me safe to Eastwatch. No recruit had arrived at the Wall with so much pomp since Nymeria sent the Watch six kings in golden fetters. Egg emptied out the dungeons too, so I would not need to say my vows alone. My honor guard, he called them. One was no less a man than Brynden Rivers. Later he was chosen lord commander."

Correct me if I'm wrong but it reads like Aemon chose to go to the wall. What if he had stayed and helped Egg rule? I don't know if maesters are allowed to become hand of the king, but Septon Barth was, so maybe. If Aemon is around, could he have strayed Egg off his crazy scheme at Summerhall? Could he maybe have even helped Aerys II in the future?

It's Nikola Jokic. How is no one ripping this guy? Dan said he's the best offensive player ever. Stan Van Gundy has said on this show and elsewhere that he thinks Jokic might the GOAT period.

Nuggets are huge favorites, against a team with no back court and who lost their superstar. Jokic also was largely shut down by the guy guarding him.

Of all the losses in these playoffs, the nuggets had by far the worst.

During Jaime's second chapter in AFFC, he has a conversation with Kevan. He comes to Kevan trying to be nice, but Kevan just doesn't want to hear it at all from him. Why is that? Why is Kevan hostile toward Jaime? Cersei, I understand, but why Jaime?

Nor did his uncle make him more at ease. "Lord Commander," Ser Kevan said, when Jaime trotted up beside him at the head of the column. "Does Her Grace have some last command for me?"

"I am not here for Cersei." A drum began to beat behind them, slow, measured, funereal. Dead, it seemed to say, dead, dead. "I came to make my farewells. He was my father."

"And hers."

"I am not Cersei. I have a beard, and she has breasts. If you are still confused, nuncle, count our hands. Cersei has two."

"Both of you have a taste for mockery," his uncle said. "Spare me your japes, ser, I have no taste for them."

[...]

“Randyll Tarly is at Maidenpool. Let him deal with the outlaws. I would sooner have you go to Riverrun.”

“Ser Daven has command there. The Warden of the West. He has no need of me. Lancel does.”

“As you say, uncle.” Jaime’s head was pounding to the same beat as the drum. Dead, dead, dead. “You would do well to keep your knights around you.”

His uncle gave him a cool stare. “Is that a threat, ser?”

A threat? The suggestion took him aback. “A caution. I only meant … Sandor is dangerous.”

“I was hanging outlaws and robber knights when you were still shitting in your swaddling clothes. I am not like to go off and face Clegane and Dondarrion by myself, if that is what you fear, ser. Not every Lannister is a fool for glory.”

Dany and Viserys being in Essos wasn't a secret. If he loved Rhaegar so much, why not try to support his younger siblings?

If they want Young Griff to marry Daenerys, it would've made much more sense to have them connect much earlier, no?

Two individually very interesting characters. And I've been thinking about their relationship lately. And specifically this moment.

“Should the dragons turn up, anywhere from here to Yi Ti, we will demand their return. They were stolen from us, they are ours by right. If that demand should be denied, then we must needs go and get them. Take them back if we can, kill them if not. No hatchlings can hope to stand against Vermithor and Dreamfyre.”

“And Silverwing?” asked Rhaena. “Our sister—”

“—had no part in this. I will not put her at risk.”

The Queen in the East smiled then. “She is Rhaenys, and I am Visenya. I have never thought otherwise.”

Did Rhaena wish she had more of Jaehaerys' approval? Maegor put her through hell and she didn't really get much for going through that.