Post by evolett on Jun 12, 2016 13:41:01 GMT
Some time ago I conducted some research into the cycle of storms that supposedly hit Storm’s End every 77 years:
Now, there doesn’t seem to be a cyclic recurrence of storms but I investigated other catastrophic events, did some math and found that there is a definite 77 cycle of destruction affecting all regions of the planet. Beginning with the Doom of Valyria, my study shows a pattern of destruction, violence, plague or drought every 77 years (give or take a year). I couldn’t really figure out how this may come about and ended up leaving my findings for another day. In fact, I forgot all about it. Reading @mastercambodia's A Speculative Prehistory of Planetos in which he postulates a Gaia theory coupled with recurring responses by the planet at work in GM’s universe, sparked my memory, so I’ve decided to share my research. Perhaps we can make sense of it together.
The years given are calculated from the Doom + exactly 77 years. Not all dates match 77 years exactly, sometimes there’s a deviation of a year or two and there is one exception to the rule but the trend is there.
Year 102 BC - Doom of Valyria
Year 25 BC - The Red Death which destroyed that den of sin and horror on the Isle of Tears (said to have occurred 77 after the Doom)
Year 52 AC - Marriage of Jaehaery's I to Alysanne (in 53 AC) – NO evident event in this case (exception to the rule)
Year 129 AC - Viserys I death followed by the Dance of the Dragons and a couple of years later (132AC - 133AC), the Winter Fever
Year 206 AC - Great Spring Sickness (occurred round about 208 / 209)
Year 283 AC - Sack of King's Landing, end of Targaryen dynasty, death of Elia and kids. Robert's Rebellion beginning in 282.
Fascinating is that all these disasters hit Valyrians / Targs hard. Doom, Red Death on their colony, Dance of the Dragons, Winter Fever and Great Spring Sickness claimed a lot of Targs and of course the complete downfall of House Targaryen in 283 BC.
Almost as though some vengeful gods are at work.
The only exception we have is year 52 AC, but it kind of makes sense because Jaehaerys and Alysanne were percieved as good sovereigns, Jaehaerys known as a wise old king. No cause for meting out punishment was given during their reign. In fact, Jaehaerys specifically carries the title ‘the Conciliator’ and if so, we can assume his reign was pleasing in the eyes of the ‘vengeful gods’.
I calculated backwards to see if the pattern fits Hardhome which occurred roughly 600 years ago. We don't have any info on exact dates but Hardhome could also fit the pattern. That event would have occurred in approx. 333 BC.
So what phenomenon is this? A comet? I looked up Halley's comet. It has an average cycle of 77 years but more correctly returns every 74 - 79 years. If we are dealing with a comet, it would fit that cycle and explain the sight variation in the number of years it takes to return. The comet sighted over King’s Landing on the night of Aegon’s conception (281) offers some support for a comet as a possible cause, though I doubt it because the bleeding star which arrives in 299 does not fit the pattern. Seventeen odd years would be too far outside the norm of the cycle.
Justice served:
What is interesting though is the connection between this 77 year cycle, the 77 dishes served at Joffery’s wedding and the idea that justice is served.
Oberyn starts off mentioning the 77 dishes and continues by asking when justice will be served, linking the 77 dishes with the 77 year cycle of destruction that can also be seen in terms of justice being served in retaliation for atrocities committed by the Valyrians/Targaryens. Oberyn literally hungers for justice and strives to obtain it by fighting on Tyrion’s behalf against the Mountain.
Hunger is also a theme – Tyrion is disgusted by the indulgence of 77 dishes planned for the wedding feast, Maergary pledges the left over food to the poor, Cersei makes sure this does not happen.
Perhaps Maergary's giving food to the poor is an attempt to appease the gods, while Cersei's boycotting this gesture is something that will aggravate the gods.
Indeed, justice is of course served on that very day when Joffrey is poisoned during his wedding feast amidst his 77 dishes.
So – 77 dishes – 77 year cycle – Justice is served every 77 years
What do you make of this?
I've also been investigating the symbolism of the spiral images we see in the TV-series. The sprial (or wheel) represents cyclic forces, recurring events in terms of life on earth and can also be interpreted as history repeating itself. I think it's related to the above. I've published the first part of this study as a video and transcript - see this link for what I've discovered so far.
It is said that every seventy-seven years, a storm greater than all others comes howling down on Storm's end,
as if the old gods of sea and sky try once more to blow Durran's seat into the sea. (TWOIAF)
as if the old gods of sea and sky try once more to blow Durran's seat into the sea. (TWOIAF)
Now, there doesn’t seem to be a cyclic recurrence of storms but I investigated other catastrophic events, did some math and found that there is a definite 77 cycle of destruction affecting all regions of the planet. Beginning with the Doom of Valyria, my study shows a pattern of destruction, violence, plague or drought every 77 years (give or take a year). I couldn’t really figure out how this may come about and ended up leaving my findings for another day. In fact, I forgot all about it. Reading @mastercambodia's A Speculative Prehistory of Planetos in which he postulates a Gaia theory coupled with recurring responses by the planet at work in GM’s universe, sparked my memory, so I’ve decided to share my research. Perhaps we can make sense of it together.
The years given are calculated from the Doom + exactly 77 years. Not all dates match 77 years exactly, sometimes there’s a deviation of a year or two and there is one exception to the rule but the trend is there.
Year 102 BC - Doom of Valyria
Year 25 BC - The Red Death which destroyed that den of sin and horror on the Isle of Tears (said to have occurred 77 after the Doom)
Year 52 AC - Marriage of Jaehaery's I to Alysanne (in 53 AC) – NO evident event in this case (exception to the rule)
Year 129 AC - Viserys I death followed by the Dance of the Dragons and a couple of years later (132AC - 133AC), the Winter Fever
Year 206 AC - Great Spring Sickness (occurred round about 208 / 209)
Year 283 AC - Sack of King's Landing, end of Targaryen dynasty, death of Elia and kids. Robert's Rebellion beginning in 282.
Fascinating is that all these disasters hit Valyrians / Targs hard. Doom, Red Death on their colony, Dance of the Dragons, Winter Fever and Great Spring Sickness claimed a lot of Targs and of course the complete downfall of House Targaryen in 283 BC.
Almost as though some vengeful gods are at work.
The only exception we have is year 52 AC, but it kind of makes sense because Jaehaerys and Alysanne were percieved as good sovereigns, Jaehaerys known as a wise old king. No cause for meting out punishment was given during their reign. In fact, Jaehaerys specifically carries the title ‘the Conciliator’ and if so, we can assume his reign was pleasing in the eyes of the ‘vengeful gods’.
I calculated backwards to see if the pattern fits Hardhome which occurred roughly 600 years ago. We don't have any info on exact dates but Hardhome could also fit the pattern. That event would have occurred in approx. 333 BC.
So what phenomenon is this? A comet? I looked up Halley's comet. It has an average cycle of 77 years but more correctly returns every 74 - 79 years. If we are dealing with a comet, it would fit that cycle and explain the sight variation in the number of years it takes to return. The comet sighted over King’s Landing on the night of Aegon’s conception (281) offers some support for a comet as a possible cause, though I doubt it because the bleeding star which arrives in 299 does not fit the pattern. Seventeen odd years would be too far outside the norm of the cycle.
Justice served:
What is interesting though is the connection between this 77 year cycle, the 77 dishes served at Joffery’s wedding and the idea that justice is served.
Oberyn abruptly changed the subject. “It’s said there are to be seventy-seven dishes served at the king’s wedding feast.”
“Are you hungry, my prince?”
“I have hungered for a long time. Though not for food. Pray tell me, when will the justice be served?”
“Justice.” Yes, that is why he’s here, I should have seen that at once. “You were close to your sister?”
“As children Elia and I were inseparable, much like your own brother and sister.”
“Are you hungry, my prince?”
“I have hungered for a long time. Though not for food. Pray tell me, when will the justice be served?”
“Justice.” Yes, that is why he’s here, I should have seen that at once. “You were close to your sister?”
“As children Elia and I were inseparable, much like your own brother and sister.”
Oberyn starts off mentioning the 77 dishes and continues by asking when justice will be served, linking the 77 dishes with the 77 year cycle of destruction that can also be seen in terms of justice being served in retaliation for atrocities committed by the Valyrians/Targaryens. Oberyn literally hungers for justice and strives to obtain it by fighting on Tyrion’s behalf against the Mountain.
Hunger is also a theme – Tyrion is disgusted by the indulgence of 77 dishes planned for the wedding feast, Maergary pledges the left over food to the poor, Cersei makes sure this does not happen.
Perhaps Maergary's giving food to the poor is an attempt to appease the gods, while Cersei's boycotting this gesture is something that will aggravate the gods.
Indeed, justice is of course served on that very day when Joffrey is poisoned during his wedding feast amidst his 77 dishes.
So – 77 dishes – 77 year cycle – Justice is served every 77 years
What do you make of this?
I've also been investigating the symbolism of the spiral images we see in the TV-series. The sprial (or wheel) represents cyclic forces, recurring events in terms of life on earth and can also be interpreted as history repeating itself. I think it's related to the above. I've published the first part of this study as a video and transcript - see this link for what I've discovered so far.
(I'm trying to get people to read this short story from 1949 LOL)
