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baleanopteraI have been re-reading Martin. This happens quite frequently. Two things have struck me lately, and I have been pondering. Now this is all loose speculation – but please hear me out:
The first:
The kings of winter in the Winterfell crypt. They sit with their swords drawn over their knees, and a wolf at their feet. When Robb greets Tyrion in Game of Thrones, the feeling is tense – and he has a sword drawn over his knees. It’s Bran’s POV – and he thinks that a greeting like this is a bad sign. So what are the Kings of winter greeting – sitting like they are?
The second:
Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all nights to come
This is the wording of the Nightwatch oath. I love it, it’s beautiful – but it’s also a little strange. Especially this part: I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, […]
It goes from talking about what the initiate shall do, to what he is once he is part of the watch. He is the sword in the darkness. I’ve always liked that, the way the wording of the oath underlines that the person swearing is no longer an individual, but part of the brotherhood. In fact he is a tool of the brotherhood.
But as I was reading it, and I started thinking – the light that brings the dawn – the light bringer? As in Lightbringer that is associated with Azor Ahai? Because Martin wouldn’t hide a detail like that right? Well, yes he would – but that still doesn’t exempt me from grabbing at straws here.
Now the prophesy about Ahai and Lightbringer is given as this in Clash of Kings (in my paperback that is p. 111):
In ancient books of Asshai it is written that there will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. In this dread hour a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him.
And this mentions a sword –and not some ragged band of Nightwatch men. Except that the oath also states: I am the sword in the darkness.[…] . I am the fire that burns against the cold
So, could the prophesy be talking not about a literal sword, but a metaphorical sword, a weapon in the form of the Nightwatch – and who ever controls the Nightwatch wields this weapon?
See – this must be what going mad feels like. Re-reading Martin for the unnumbered time. *sigh* If he could just please finish the next book my head would be a quieter place. At least for a time…
The first:
The kings of winter in the Winterfell crypt. They sit with their swords drawn over their knees, and a wolf at their feet. When Robb greets Tyrion in Game of Thrones, the feeling is tense – and he has a sword drawn over his knees. It’s Bran’s POV – and he thinks that a greeting like this is a bad sign. So what are the Kings of winter greeting – sitting like they are?
The second:
This is the wording of the Nightwatch oath. I love it, it’s beautiful – but it’s also a little strange. Especially this part: I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, […]
It goes from talking about what the initiate shall do, to what he is once he is part of the watch. He is the sword in the darkness. I’ve always liked that, the way the wording of the oath underlines that the person swearing is no longer an individual, but part of the brotherhood. In fact he is a tool of the brotherhood.
But as I was reading it, and I started thinking – the light that brings the dawn – the light bringer? As in Lightbringer that is associated with Azor Ahai? Because Martin wouldn’t hide a detail like that right? Well, yes he would – but that still doesn’t exempt me from grabbing at straws here.
Now the prophesy about Ahai and Lightbringer is given as this in Clash of Kings (in my paperback that is p. 111):
And this mentions a sword –and not some ragged band of Nightwatch men. Except that the oath also states: I am the sword in the darkness.[…] . I am the fire that burns against the cold
So, could the prophesy be talking not about a literal sword, but a metaphorical sword, a weapon in the form of the Nightwatch – and who ever controls the Nightwatch wields this weapon?
See – this must be what going mad feels like. Re-reading Martin for the unnumbered time. *sigh* If he could just please finish the next book my head would be a quieter place. At least for a time…
no subject
Date: 2007-09-28 08:57 pm (UTC)I was just surfing around and came across the theory that the sword is Dany's dragons (they came out of a fire, and they make things burn - don't know whether you could call Dany a warrior, exactly, though). Now, this also sounds good, but so does the "sword = Night's Watch > Jon = Azor Ahai?" Soooo.... going even further into wild theory territory, who says Azor Ahai reborn has to be just one person, and the sword has to be just one sword? The dragon has three heads, right? They could both be the prophecy-figure.
This leaves the question of who's the third. Maybe it was Rhaegar. Prophecies don't guarantee success, as the Stallion Who Didn't Mount the World seems to show. Or - another unsupported theory here: we have an example of a royal baby switcheroo with Mance Rayder's son and Gilly's son. Maybe the same thing happened with baby Aegon, and he's still out there somewhere. Are there any boys about 16 or 17 we know of with purple eyes or silvery hair? (Not that that's proof either way, since he could be someone we haven't met yet if he exists.)
no subject
Date: 2007-09-28 09:07 pm (UTC)yeah, just ask Anakin Skywalker as following that prophecy went well. ;) But doesn't Maester Marvin (or some such) say a thing or two about prophecies at the end of "Feast"? How they will only end up causing trouble?
who says Azor Ahai reborn has to be just one person, and the sword has to be just one sword? The dragon has three heads, right? They could both be the prophecy-figure.
yeah I think that is pretty likely. You could have Dany for fire, Jon as a ice/fire middleperson and perhaps Bran with his warging and ice connections as the third. The three eye crow did after all tell Bran that he would fly. Didn't say how. ;)
Are there any boys about 16 or 17 we know of with purple eyes or silvery hair?
It depends. There are theories that baby Aegon was switched and is still alive. There is also the fact that House Dayne (who always seem to be lurking in the background when Targaryens are concerned) have purple eyes. So a bastard of Arthur, Ashara or someone else could be presented as a Targaryen. Added to this is the rumour Cat heard that Jon was Ashara's boy - so somehow the rumour had started that Ashara was pregnant.
Also remember - Wylla was a wet-nurse for the Daynes. This is what Edric Dayne tells Arya when she visits The Brotherhood without Banners. He also calls Jon his milk brother, as he thinks Jon is Wylla's kid and that she nursed them both. He also shows surprise when Arya hasn't heard about Wylla before.
See? It all comes back to the Daynes! They know something I tell ya!