Hey, not to stray waaay off topic, but looking up Jace info made me stumble upon this:
The Rogue Prince The court was still rejoicing over the birth of the princess’s child when her stepmother, Queen Alicent, also went into labor, delivering Viserys his third son, Daeron … whose coloring, unlike that of Jace, testified to his dragon blood. By royal command, the infants Jacaerys Velaryon and Daeron Targaryen shared a wet nurse until weaned. It was said that the king hoped to prevent any enmity between the two boys by raising them as milk brothers.
If so, his hopes proved to be sadly forlorn.
Interesting implications for Edric and Jon, no?
Very nice catch!
“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.” ― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones
Post by regular jon umber on Nov 5, 2015 14:57:03 GMT
Any thoughts on snowgate essentially being 'northern bastard '-gate? If bastards born of the first night were sent to bastardgate, it would make sense for Snowgate to be the one renamed.
Maybe there was a flow - one bastard over the wall, one direwolf back?
Few events of note occur during that time, but a very climactic one for House Stark is the visitation of the Old King and Good Queen. Remember how much Ned fretted over Robert's court coming to Winterfell. I would imagine it would be ten times more awkward had Robert arrived with a dragonfleet, ceded 25 leagues of territory, and told Benjen he was moving the location of the Night's Watch command to the Night Fort.
GQA's alterations fall squarely in this timeframe, and we know Ellard Stark did not approve of them. Theon's statement seems to also make it quite clear that direwolves were seen south of the Wall up until 200 years ago, but not after.
So while I'm hesitant to name Ellard a Warg, I can see him being like Robb - influenced by his wolf and vice versa. I'm thinking GQA sought to end wolfbloodedness.
I'm wondering if this move is more about disconnecting the North and the Wall from their centrality to Westeros. Which might mean the warging was a side note--another sign of power that the Targs didn't understand, but were happy to undermine: far as I can see, no other house has this close of a relationship with mythical animals that are still alive. Let alone animals that are the "old races" (according to Leaf).
So, Little Miss Queenie wants to consolidate Westeros' focus on the Iron Throne. Vs. the Wall. And the Starks' ancient ties to the Wall.
How to do that? Take control: force the giving of the land (a move they can do to the Starks since they did kneel); offer much needed money to bribe/leverage the Watch into moving to Snowgate (a move that might take a bit more finesse--they can't technically order the Watch, right/ But can bribe and strong-arm a bit). Both off these moves undermine the Watch's magic and power while undermining the Starks. And puts the Targs in the "benevolent" position of paying for it all with jewelry.
So, would she need to actively try to shut down the warging? Or could it just be that was a side-effect she may not have understood? She's messing with the Starks' and their ties to the Wall. They are letting her (dragons are strangely persuasive). She may just want political power. But they are ceding their magical power--loss of direwolves is a "natural" result?
Bottom line: I'm not sure the Targs understood the Starks well enough to make "get the wolves!" their key focus. Targs DO get political power. Maybe that was the primary focus. And the direwolves were a side effect. Still just as blocked--just not blocked "knowingly?"
But... I don't think the move away from the Nightfort is much of a mystery. It seems pretty clear from the text that GQA wanted the Night's Watch to move, so she brought a dragonfleet to babysit Lord Stark, doubled the Gift, paid the NW off with jewelry, and had her husband bring unsword builders north to construct a new seat of command. Even without my spin, it seems rather deliberate.
YUP! Am wondering if they all called her "Good Queen" at the time (I now have Shirley Temple singing "Good Ship Lollypop" in my head) or if that's a twist that happened later with the loss of memory.
All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Oscar Wilde.
Hey, not to stray waaay off topic, but looking up Jace info made me stumble upon this:
The Rogue Prince The court was still rejoicing over the birth of the princess’s child when her stepmother, Queen Alicent, also went into labor, delivering Viserys his third son, Daeron … whose coloring, unlike that of Jace, testified to his dragon blood. By royal command, the infants Jacaerys Velaryon and Daeron Targaryen shared a wet nurse until weaned. It was said that the king hoped to prevent any enmity between the two boys by raising them as milk brothers.
Any thoughts on snowgate essentially being 'northern bastard '-gate? If bastards born of the first night were sent to bastardgate, it would make sense for Snowgate to be the one renamed.
Maybe there was a flow - one bastard over the wall, one direwolf back?
This does make sense--but since the Gate is at the Nightfort, not sure how an exchange of bastards and direwolves would work.
Wait, wasn't Snowgate renamed Queensgate, but it was the Nightfort that was replaced, so wouldn't it be the Nightfort where the bastards were exchanged?
With that well? I wouldn't be surprised. Something is not remotely kitchen-y about that kitchen.
All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Oscar Wilde.
The Starks certainly seem to have done something to piss off GQA. In addition to the points that you have mentioned, they also proposed a royal marriage for the Manderly's. They got the carrot while the Starks got the stick.
Big time.
The World of Ice and Fire - The North: The Lords of Winterfell After the Conquest and the unification of the Seven Kingdoms, the Starks became Wardens of the North rather than kings, swearing their fealty to the Iron Throne, yet remained supreme within their own domains in all but name. Though Torrhen Stark had given up the ancient crown of the Kings of Winter, his sons were less glad of the Targaryen yoke, and some among them entertained talk of rebelling, and of raising the Stark banner whether Lord Torrhen consented or not. Whether anti-Targaryen feelings were made worse by Queen Rhaenys Targaryen's efforts to knit together the new, single realm with marriages between the great houses is left to the reader to consider. That Torrhen Stark's daughter was wed to the young and ill-fated Lord of the Vale is wellknown; it was one of the many peace- binding marriages forged by Rhaenys. But there are letters preserved at the Citadel suggesting that Stark accepted these arrangements only after much protest, and that the bride's brothers refused to attend the wedding entirely.
Sounds like LF is a student of Rhaenys' work, and like Brandon toward Rhaegar, such dragon-gestures seem more than unwelcome in the north.
I've seen this one in a certain other place quite a bit:
The World of Ice and Fire - The North: The Lords of Winterfell We have earlier discussed House Stark's role in the Dance of the Dragons. Let it be added that Lord Cregan Stark reaped many rewards for his loyal support of King Aegon III...even if it was not a royal princess marrying into his family, as had been agreed in the Pact of Ice and Fire made when the doomed prince Jacaerys Velaryon had flown to Winterfell upon his dragon.
Not sure what to make of it, but it is interesting that Jace sought out those who GQA offended.
Nice catch on the Sansa parallel - none of her brothers came to the wedding. Hardy har.
Hey, not to stray waaay off topic, but looking up Jace info made me stumble upon this:
The Rogue Prince The court was still rejoicing over the birth of the princess’s child when her stepmother, Queen Alicent, also went into labor, delivering Viserys his third son, Daeron … whose coloring, unlike that of Jace, testified to his dragon blood. By royal command, the infants Jacaerys Velaryon and Daeron Targaryen shared a wet nurse until weaned. It was said that the king hoped to prevent any enmity between the two boys by raising them as milk brothers.
Any thoughts on snowgate essentially being 'northern bastard '-gate? If bastards born of the first night were sent to bastardgate, it would make sense for Snowgate to be the one renamed.
Maybe there was a flow - one bastard over the wall, one direwolf back?
This does make sense--but since the Gate is at the Nightfort, not sure how an exchange of bastards and direwolves would work.
Wait, wasn't Snowgate renamed Queensgate, but it was the Nightfort that was replaced, so wouldn't it be the Nightfort where the bastards were exchanged?
With that well? I wouldn't be surprised. Something is not remotely kitchen-y about that kitchen.
Voice isn't going to like this, but about that kitchen...
It's eight sided because it represents the eight celestial wanderers which existed in the past when we had two moons. The "broken dome" above represents the broken and wounded sky, the celestial realm. You'll notice the weirwood strains towards the moon in that scene, trying to pull it down into the well:
Bran wriggled closer to the fire. The warmth felt good, and the soft crackling of flames soothed him, but sleep would not come. Outside the wind was sending armies of dead leaves marching across the courtyards to scratch faintly at the doors and windows. The sounds made him think of Old Nan’s stories. He could almost hear the ghostly sentinels calling to each other atop the Wall and winding their ghostly warhorns. Pale moonlight slanted down through the hole in the dome, painting the branches of the weirwood as they strained up toward the roof. It looked as if the tree was trying to catch the moon and drag it down into the well. Old gods, Bran prayed, if you hear me, don’t send a dream tonight. Or if you do, make it a good dream. The gods made no answer.
That's the image of a greenseer pulling down the second moon, the eighth wanderer. We are told the greenseers brought down the hammer of the Waters - and indeed they did, because the Hammer (theory) was a moon meteor, and the ones who brought it down - Azor Ahai, aka the Bloodstone Emperor - was a corrupted greenseer. The moon was pulled down into the well - into the ocean - that's the sea dragon myth. The sea dragon was a comet (dragon) which landed in the sea, "drowning whole islands in its wroth," as they say... and it's also known to rise from the depths. A sea dragon is a leviathan - and what should rise from the depths of the well after this bit about the tree pulling the moon down into the well? Sam, who is called a leviathan on several occasions. Sam rolls around "in a puddle of moonlight," like a fish, just to drive the point home. There's also a moment where Bran recalls the lightning hitting the tower at Queenscrown in the middle of the struggle with leviathan Sam - a reference to the thunderbolt that the Storm God supposedly threw at the Grey King. The thunderbolt and the sea dragon of the Grey King lore are both descriptions of falling meteors, imo, which is why they frequently are referenced together.
What caused the Long Night?What caused the snowfall? The moon being pulled down through the dome of the sky:
A shadow detached itself from the broken dome above and leapt down through the moonlight. Even with his injured leg, the wolf landed as light and quiet as a snowfall. The girl Gilly made a frightened sound and clutched her babe so hard against her that it began to cry again. “He won’t hurt you,” Bran said. “That’s Summer.”
“Jon said you all had wolves.” Sam pulled off a glove. “I know Ghost.” He held out a shaky hand, the fingers white and soft and fat as little sausages. Summer padded closer, sniffed them, and gave the hand a lick. (ASOS, Bran)
Eight wanderers baby. Until there wasn't.
Oh and it's notable that Coldhands is discussed here at the conclusion of the chapter, because Coldhands is (theory) an undead greenseer, possibly even an undead "green man." You'll notice that Bran brings up the Green Men when told about Coldhands and his great elk... that's no coincidence.
I am telling you people, Mama Wolf was intended as Ned's warg familiar. The Starks may have forgotten much and more over the centuries since the Kings of Winter ruled strong, but Ned (and probably other Northmen) clearly remembers something from the family lore about the presence of direwolves....hence why he (and Jory) get a bit tweaked when they see dead mama wolf.
The 200 years thing is great - reminds me of the "1000 years" mentions that seem to be specific/relevant to Dany. Also, if you take it back another hundred years, warg-blocking would absolutely explain why Torrhen Stark marched south and bent the knee to Aegon I - it has long been my belief that he did so not out of cowardice or acceptance of Targaryen rule, but specifically to keep dragons - human and reptilian - out of the North as there is "something" there that Aegon and his line shouldn't have access to. Better to cede the kingdom to the crown and still retain some degree of control (wardenship) then have the dragonlords poking around in their wintry biznez. Maybe Torrhen knew that the Valyrians could do something like this: pen the wolves and quash the wargs.
Voice isn't going to like this, but about that kitchen...
It's eight sided because it represents the eight celestial wanderers which existed in the past when we had two moons. The "broken dome" above represents the broken and wounded sky, the celestial realm. You'll notice the weirwood strains towards the moon in that scene, trying to pull it down into the well:
That's the image of a greenseer pulling down the second moon, the eighth wanderer. We are told the greenseers brought down the hammer of the Waters - and indeed they did, because the Hammer (theory) was a moon meteor, and the ones who brought it down - Azor Ahai, aka the Bloodstone Emperor - was a corrupted greenseer. The moon was pulled down into the well - into the ocean - that's the sea dragon myth. The sea dragon was a comet (dragon) which landed in the sea, "drowning whole islands in its wroth," as they say... and it's also known to rise from the depths. A sea dragon is a leviathan - and what should rise from the depths of the well after this bit about the tree pulling the moon down into the well? Sam, who is called a leviathan on several occasions. Sam rolls around "in a puddle of moonlight," like a fish, just to drive the point home. There's also a moment where Bran recalls the lightning hitting the tower at Queenscrown in the middle of the struggle with leviathan Sam - a reference to the thunderbolt that the Storm God supposedly threw at the Grey King. The thunderbolt and the sea dragon of the Grey King lore are both descriptions of falling meteors, imo, which is why they frequently are referenced together.
What caused the Long Night?What caused the snowfall? The moon being pulled down through the dome of the sky:
Eight wanderers baby. Until there wasn't.
Oh and it's notable that Coldhands is discussed here at the conclusion of the chapter, because Coldhands is (theory) an undead greenseer, possibly even an undead "green man." You'll notice that Bran brings up the Green Men when told about Coldhands and his great elk... that's no coincidence.
I like all of the symbolism you've explained, but I still think the moon meteors ended the Long Night, not caused it. Regardless of my own theory, do you have an explanation for what you think ended the Long Night? Maybe just a link so as to not derail the warg-blocking discussion.
Actually, no risk of derailing, because the answer is "no." I don't have strong theory on what ended the Long Night. Seems like it was a terrestrial deed of some kind - I haven't found an astronomical explanation for ending the Long Night. Still working my way there. It's possible the meteors ended the LN in the sense that swords were made from the moon meteors and were used by the NW to defeat the Others. In that sense, humans caused the original sin, but managed to take the "lemons" and make "lemonade." In my thinking, the moon meteors were the cause of the Long Night, but perhaps they contained the seeds of the solution as well. This would a bit of redemption for the poor slaughtered moon goddess, which seems fitting.
Bottom line: I'm not sure the Targs understood the Starks well enough to make "get the wolves!" their key focus. Targs DO get political power. Maybe that was the primary focus. And the direwolves were a side effect. Still just as blocked--just not blocked "knowingly?"
I have a feeling that the Valyrians and Starks of old are actually extremely familiar with each other. IMO they have a magical rivalry that goes way, way, way back. The old lines have diluted and died out so much that current-day players have forgotten/never learned most of the enmity, but I suspect it was still there in GQA days.
Bottom line: I'm not sure the Targs understood the Starks well enough to make "get the wolves!" their key focus. Targs DO get political power. Maybe that was the primary focus. And the direwolves were a side effect. Still just as blocked--just not blocked "knowingly?"
I have a feeling that the Valyrians and Starks of old are actually extremely familiar with each other. IMO they have a magical rivalry that goes way, way, way back. The old lines have diluted and died out so much that current-day players have forgotten/never learned most of the enmity, but I suspect it was still there in GQA days.
I'm agreeing with a lot of your ideas, @beautifulbacon. I since the root of this "rivalry" seems to be magical, it's possible that magically-inclined Starks and Targs / Valyrians occasionally figure it out, via prophecy or dream or intuition. It's most likely there isn't an unbroken cabal that possesses this knowledge, I'm thinking, more likely that the knowledge is accessed occasionally through magic. Good Queen Alysanna might have had some dragon-dreams that told her what to do.
Then again, the Church of Starry Wisdom was supposedly started by the Bloodstone Emperor (who I think is Azor Ahai), who lived at the time of the Long Night... 8,000 years ago.... And atill exists to this day. That basically IS a cabal which claims an unbroken line of knowledge transmission from the time of the Long Night... So there is that. I've certainly pegged Marwyn and Quaithe as likely Starry Wisdom followers, but yeah! Let's do this - Good Queen Alysanne was a Starry Wisdom cultist. I like it.
Any thoughts on snowgate essentially being 'northern bastard '-gate? If bastards born of the first night were sent to bastardgate, it would make sense for Snowgate to be the one renamed.
Many thoughts. Some of which I'll get to in my response to PP's comment below. But first of all, it should be noted that Snowgate - the Gate that bore the name of children born in the north with no names of their own - seems incredibly significant. Also significant, is the fact that GQA slept in the castle for one night, and one night only, before it was suddenly renamed in her honor. Seems a bit hasty, no?
The presence of a dragon on the Wall, an actual dragon - fire made flesh, roosting on a wall made of ice seems a rather troubling prospect for anyone named Snow, or bearing allegiance to the North/Wall, imo.
I'm thinking GQA (Cersei with Tyrion's brain and Dany's blood) slept there one night, had a prophetic dream, and decided the Snows needed to stop. However benevolent or non we believe her to be, I think it's safe to say she was preoccupied with Fire, and had a fondness for it. Fire seems to be the force behind the m.o. of all Targs.
From the Wiki: Night's Watch Castles The castles are listed from west to east.
Westwatch-by-the-Bridge
Shadow Tower
Sentinel Stand
Greyguard
Stonedoor
Hoarfrost Hill
Icemark
Nightfort
Deep Lake
Queensgate (formerly Snowgate)
Castle Black
Oakenshield
Woodswatch-by-the-Pool
Sable Hall
Rimegate
Long Barrow
Torches
Greenguard
Eastwatch-by-the-Sea
Many things stand out to me. First of all, the Wall is a sword without a hilt, or many. It is dotted with many inlaid castles. They begin with very Winter-sounding names, and transition into very Green Powers-sounding names as one moves eastward (toward the rising sun - and Dawn).
GQA slept east of the Nightfort, and constructed a castle to replace the Nightfort (with the Old King's own men) that also lied to the East of the Nightfort - away from Ice and Winter. Eventually, the NW moved even further east, and began using Castle Black as its seat of command - as close to the (Old) Kingsroad as possible.
The NW nosedived. It is known. And throughout the tailspin, they tried to supplement the power lost at the Nightfort with aid from the crown. Meanwhile, the crown let their numbers dwindle, and sent only the worst criminals to maintain the most minimal of garrisons.
The dream gained in that single night abed at the Snow-Queen's Gate, I'm thinking, strengthened GQA's resolve to destroy the Night's Watch.
Maybe there was a flow - one bastard over the wall, one direwolf back?
That's what I'm thinking. Or, if the fathering of bastards is intrinsically tied to the siring of warg-blooded direwolf pups. More to come on that in my response to PP as well, as it is tied to the notion of the mother wolf being Ned's familiar. (I don't think she was.)
Wait, wasn't Snowgate renamed Queensgate, but it was the Nightfort that was replaced, so wouldn't it be the Nightfort where the bastards were exchanged?
What happens if one answers the Black Gate by simply saying their name? And their surname is Snow? Mayhaps an albino direwolf greets them with warm kisses. Maybe Ser Crackles does. No tellin. But yes, I agree that the Nightfort makes the most sense as an exchange location. After all, that was where the Night's King was discovered to be making sacrifices to the Others with his SnowQueen.
"I can see it. You have more of the north in you than your brothers."
I'm wondering if this move is more about disconnecting the North and the Wall from their centrality to Westeros. Which might mean the warging was a side note--another sign of power that the Targs didn't understand, but were happy to undermine: far as I can see, no other house has this close of a relationship with mythical animals that are still alive. Let alone animals that are the "old races" (according to Leaf).
So, Little Miss Queenie wants to consolidate Westeros' focus on the Iron Throne. Vs. the Wall. And the Starks' ancient ties to the Wall.
How to do that? Take control: force the giving of the land (a move they can do to the Starks since they did kneel); offer much needed money to bribe/leverage the Watch into moving to Snowgate (a move that might take a bit more finesse--they can't technically order the Watch, right/ But can bribe and strong-arm a bit). Both off these moves undermine the Watch's magic and power while undermining the Starks. And puts the Targs in the "benevolent" position of paying for it all with jewelry.
So, would she need to actively try to shut down the warging? Or could it just be that was a side-effect she may not have understood? She's messing with the Starks' and their ties to the Wall. They are letting her (dragons are strangely persuasive). She may just want political power. But they are ceding their magical power--loss of direwolves is a "natural" result?
Bottom line: I'm not sure the Targs understood the Starks well enough to make "get the wolves!" their key focus. Targs DO get political power. Maybe that was the primary focus. And the direwolves were a side effect. Still just as blocked--just not blocked "knowingly?"
Agreed, and that makes perfect sense, but I think you underestimate the power of dragon dreams, and the interest of the Dragon in the Direwolf. Bloodraven, though a FM-brother, is still half Dragon. His was an interesting mix that produced an incredible amount of intuition or foresight. Who knows how many eyes he was using to eye up the Wall, and Bran (the Summerwolf).
GQA was not only Targaryen, she was a dragonrider. And I have a sneaking suspicion her mount, Silverwing, was a breathtaking sight atop the Wall. Mayhaps it was an albino with red eyes? What's more, is Silverwing may have been the last living dragon prior to Dany's three. I'm drifting steadily away from my point, however, and should return.
"Knowingly" is an interesting word choice, and one I like very much. When it comes to Dany, much of her "knowing" is derived from dreams, visions, and lore. Weirwoods seem to share much of those same distinctions. I think it is highly likely that non-FM-blooded Targaryens (Targs not named Brynden Rivers) saw the Old Gods as a threat. GQA may have even understood that Starks needed to be weakened in order to strengthen the summers.
The Summer of Bran's birth is the same as that of Dany's successful reintroduction of dragons into the world. I believe these are a strong indicator that GQA's plan went well until that mother direwolf was found dead in the snow. Then, suddenly, we find Starks on the Iron Throne (Ned), Starks on the Wall (Ben, sorta Jon), and Starks in the weirnet (Bran). Each of these was triggered, I believe, by that wolf.
YUP! Am wondering if they all called her "Good Queen" at the time (I now have Shirley Temple singing "Good Ship Lollypop" in my head) or if that's a twist that happened later with the loss of memory.
I think she was a truly good ruler for anyone not named Stark, the same goes for her husband. They were quite beloved by the citizenry, south of the Neck.
"I can see it. You have more of the north in you than your brothers."
Voice isn't going to like this, but about that kitchen...
To the contrary, I liked it very much.
I have my own, differing views (particularly regarding the single moon that represents an eternal duality), but I am not married to them. Well, except for my pale woman. That kitchen does not seem like a kitchen, which is what I meant to imply by mentioning it. It reminds me at once of the Church of Starry Wisdom, the moon-skinned woman, and the misnamed "Black" Gate (made of white weirwood)... among other tangential fancies.
The weirwood gate Samwell names "Black" could be the base of that twisting tree that reaches for the Moon (Night's Queen).
It is certainly an image that connects the Old Gods, the Others, the Nightfort, and direwolves all together in my mind.
I also agree, as a diehard fan of Old Nan, that comets (particularly red ones) = dragons. Thus, Seadragon = Seacomet. Icedragon = Icecomet. In truth, I would find much more to agree with in your theories if you renamed your Azor Ahai transgressor Brandon, or the Last Hero. For me, the Westerosi myths are the true tale, and the Essosian myths are the corrupted telephone-game version.
I like all of the symbolism you've explained, but I still think the moon meteors ended the Long Night, not caused it. Regardless of my own theory, do you have an explanation for what you think ended the Long Night? Maybe just a link so as to not derail the warg-blocking discussion.
IMO, we have the answer already, in regards to what ended the Long Night.
From Old Nan we learn that the Others could not stand against the Last Hero after he was aided by the cotf. From the maesters, we learn that Brandon the Builder sought out aid from the cotf in the Long Night. From Old Nan, we hear of the Last Hero being such a man, on an identical quest.
We also hear a tale of the Night's King, and Old Nan names him a Stark of Winterfell. After the fall of the Night's King and his queen, the Others seem to retreat.
I name the man that brought him down the Sword of the Morning. And, if you've read my How Ice Became Dawn theory, you'll understand why. Astronomically, symbolically, and truthfully, nothing ends the night, be it long or short, except Dawn.
I am telling you people, Mama Wolf was intended as Ned's warg familiar. The Starks may have forgotten much and more over the centuries since the Kings of Winter ruled strong, but Ned (and probably other Northmen) clearly remembers something from the family lore about the presence of direwolves....hence why he (and Jory) get a bit tweaked when they see dead mama wolf.
Ok, here it goes. I don't think Mama Wolf was intended as Ned's warg familiar. The first and most obvious reason is that unlike dragons, direwolves have gender, and this seems to be a necessary element of the warg to wolf and wolf to warg connection.
I do think that wolf belonged to someone, and I believe it was Lyanna's.
/bomshell. LOL
I've long held that Lyanna is the face that cock-blocks Jon in his dream while he's making out with Ygritte beneath the heart tree with "his father's face". Hard to make out with a girl when you're mom is watching, and it stands as a valid concern that Ned may not be all that closely related to Jon. Also, I've long held that when Bran is falling in his coma, and Winterfell's heart tree looks up at him "knowingly" it is Lyanna acknowledging her nephew.
Thus, how does a pregnant direwolf reconnect to her wolf-blooded Stark who died in childbirth?
That direwolf wanted/needed to die for her living son, because Lyanna wanted/needed to connect to Jon. Folks familiar with my interps will recognize my Lilly Potter influences. Haha
The 200 years thing is great - reminds me of the "1000 years" mentions that seem to be specific/relevant to Dany. Also, if you take it back another hundred years, warg-blocking would absolutely explain why Torrhen Stark marched south and bent the knee to Aegon I - it has long been my belief that he did so not out of cowardice or acceptance of Targaryen rule, but specifically to keep dragons - human and reptilian - out of the North as there is "something" there that Aegon and his line shouldn't have access to. Better to cede the kingdom to the crown and still retain some degree of control (wardenship) then have the dragonlords poking around in their wintry biznez. Maybe Torrhen knew that the Valyrians could do something like this: pen the wolves and quash the wargs.
Indeed. Else, why march south? He could have bent the knee from the comfort of Winterfell's godswood, in the sight of his gods and men.
This gets back to my assertion that the Wall has only become reinforced and strengthened after the death of the last dragonking, who was Viserys.
In the past 200 years, what we have seen is a rapid decline in the quality and quantity of sworn brothers and their fortifications. Considering Robert's Rebellion is recent history, it stands to reason this was a conscious and deliberate effort conducted by those of Valyrian ancestry. Bloodraven, in my opinion, is the exception.
BR is a First Man, a sworn brother, and a greenseer. His Targ influence has certainly increased his magical potential, and he used that potential to House Targaryen's advantage in his time as Hand, but I think it is safe to say that he has turned his cloak. While Benjen's wife was honor, BR has clearly wed the weirwood. We know from Bran that it takes a Green Ceremony to perform the rite of passage. So, at one time after GQA's "gifts", BR joined the Watch and began undoing her work as well, I'm thinking.
Like Jon, BR only needed to look into a mirror to realize his gods were actually the Old Gods. A certain fandom sees Jon and BR linked by dragonblood, I see them linked by FM blood. It's as plain as the colors on their weir-faces.
I have a feeling that the Valyrians and Starks of old are actually extremely familiar with each other. IMO they have a magical rivalry that goes way, way, way back. The old lines have diluted and died out so much that current-day players have forgotten/never learned most of the enmity, but I suspect it was still there in GQA days.
I am wondering if instead of being personally familiar, they are simply naturally antagonistic due to their polar extremities. I am not speaking of Ice and Fire here, but nature and anti-nature. I consider House Stark's magic of the natural variety, and House Targaryen's magic of the unnatural variety - more akin to the Others than humans and direwolves.
"I can see it. You have more of the north in you than your brothers."
I have a feeling that the Valyrians and Starks of old are actually extremely familiar with each other. IMO they have a magical rivalry that goes way, way, way back. The old lines have diluted and died out so much that current-day players have forgotten/never learned most of the enmity, but I suspect it was still there in GQA days.
Perhaps less a rivalry and more of an instinct?
Dany's instinctual knowledge of how to wake the dragons is nothing short of disturbing--some sort of genetic knowledge of blood sacrifice? She instinctively knows to wake into the pyre?
I almost wonder if it mirrors Cersei's instinct to fear Ned's influence. Yes, she wants to main Arya and kill Nymeria out of pure spite and lust for power. Those two things make up 99% of her bodyweight. But killing the wolf--it's an instinct, too. An instinct that the Starks and their ways have always been just beyond the influence of the south.
Am assuming Miss Queen might have had the same instinct.
All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Oscar Wilde.