greenbardasoiaf

[greenbardasoiaf]

ASOIAF: Dany Abandons Her Children, Drogon Abandons Dany, Dragon Bonds IV, Part I, covers her first 2 chapters of A Dance with Dragons. and contrasts the savage nature of her dragons & conquest against her wish to be a peaceful ruler.

Thanks to the artists!

@shebsart @chillyravenart @ertacaltinoz @kallielef @sanrixian @kallielefave @yvyb @the-lady-rae @vkcoleart and more!

#asoiaf #dany #Daenerys #targeryen #drogon #viserion #rhaegal #jon snow #khaleesi #mhysa #barristan #reznak #meereen #hazzea #sons of the harpy #blood of the dragon #dragon queen #mother of dragons #grrm #geore r. r. martin #george r r martin #a song of ice and fire #a dance with dragons #dance of the dragons #hotd #house of the dragon #valyrian blood #child of three #quaithe

[greenbardasoiaf]

Kingsblood VIII: Hidden Dragonseeds

The Bard’s Truth, Episode 7.5 I recently mentioned in a twitter post on #ASongofMadness that I was voting for Gilly, on account of her hidden dragon blood. I got some feedback for @lizdated that she had never heard of that idea, asking if I have a video of that theory! Well, no, I didn’t. I will now, though! While George R. R. Martin gives us details about certain families and bastards in…

View On WordPress

[greenbardasoiaf]

Dragon Bonds 4: Dany Abandons Her Children, Drogon Abandons Dany (Spoilers Extended)

If A Storm or Swords was a transition period for Dany’s dragons (call it their teen years),  I would say that A Dance with Dragons is their final transition to adulthood. No longer are they lovable beasts; they are now dangerous creatures, with fully developed personalities – and wills – of their own. This applies to all 3, but especially to Drogon. As Dany’s bonds to them evolve, our Dragon…

View On WordPress

#A Song of Ice and Fire #ADwD #Daenerys #Dany #Drogon #Game of Thrones #George R R Martin #GRRM #Quentyn Martell #Rhaegal #Targaryen #Viserion

[greenbardasoiaf]

Thanks to Franniesart!

I really like your illustration of Alyssa Targaryen. Would please grant me permission to use it (and your other GoT/AsoIaF/HotD images) for my YouTube channel, which focuses: direwolves, dragons, and magic in this universe? I would give you attribution in the vid when used, in the episode notes with a time stamp, and a slide thanking artists at the end of the vid. Either way, I really appreciate your work! -Guy

Hello! Thank you for respecting my work and asking permission, I'm fine with you using my ASOIAF works with the proper credit!

[greenbardasoiaf]

ASOIAF: KingsBlood VI - Drogo and Genghis Khan - The Kazakh Dothraki, The Bard's Truth, Episode 7.3 considers the skinchanging of horses.

Thanks to the Artists!

@sir-heartsalot-blog @chillyravenart @elenyaart @klaradox

@naomimakesart

@kallielefave @l-livas-l @s-kinnaly @inna-vjuzhanina

@paolopuggioni @NMaTM @yvyb

@eldritch-historian-art  and many more!

#youtube

[greenbardasoiaf]

A Song of Ice and Fire: "Blood in the Sand" Short (Game of Thrones - House of the Dragon - HotD)

#youtube #ellaria sand #oberyn #doran #war #peace #a song of ice and fire #asoiaf #pureasoiaf #fire and blood #house of the dragon #grrm #george r r martin #game of thrones

[greenbardasoiaf]

Top Ten Sword Fighters in Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire

One of the scenes from the Jon Snow POV chapters that I recently covered in my latest Direwolves of Winterfell videos had a scene where Ghost was not featured, so I didn’t cover it here. It is a powerful scene during which Mance Rayder, disguised as Rattleshirt, fights Jon Snow in the training yard at Castle Black. Since it is pertinent to that timeline, I decided to put out this clickbaity video…

View On WordPress

[greenbardasoiaf]

Kingsblood VII: Sphinxes, Chimerae, Gargoyles, and Dragons

We examine Maester Aemon's comment to Samwell Tarly that "the Sphinx is the riddle, not the riddler."

Hello, and welcome to the Bard’s Truth, with your host, the Green Bard. This is Kingsblood VII, Sphinxes, Gargoyles and Dragons. In this episode We examine Maester Aemon’s comment to Samwell Tarly that “the Sphinx is the riddle, not the riddler.” I think this is presented to us as an obvious riddle, one we are invited to solve: Who and what are the sphinx(es) the Aemon is talking about? Here’s…

View On WordPress

[greenbardasoiaf]

Kingsblood VI: The Kazakh Dothraki

Hey all, The Green Bard here! It’s been a while… Aside from my most recent video, which I actually made early in April 2023, I’ve been taking a bit of a break since Ice and Fire Con. I moved, and finally I am set up in my new office and ready to record, produce, and write again as summer comes to a close. The one caveat to that is that I am also taking a two week vacation to Kazakhstan in August,…

View On WordPress

[greenbardasoiaf]

Notes for "Waking Life: Dreams in Westeros" Panel Discussion for

The most important use of dreams in ASOIaF is to show the beginnings of the manifestation of “The Gift.” The waking mind starts to let go and it gives an opportunity for the third eye to see. These dreams are, dare I say, an opening to the flow of the underworld, the weirwood net, the powers of the earth and the old gods. It helps if you sleep at the base of a weirwood or a weirwood stump, or…

View On WordPress

[greenbardasoiaf]

And with an accent stolen from Foghorn Leghorn. 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040361/

I find it absolutely hilarious that after playing the popularised sexy man “James Bond” for what feels like a millennium, Daniel Craig has only now reached tumblr sexy man status by playing a funky southern gay detective with a hubby that bakes sour bread. If this is not the most on brand tumblr thing I don’t know what is

[greenbardasoiaf]

Dany, Drogon, and her Children Alight upon Slavers' Bay - Dragon Bonds Volume III, Part I, The Bard’s Truth Episode 8.9 covers Daenerys Targaryen and her bond to her dragons in her first chapter in A Storm of Swords.

It continues the themes of the value and power the dragons represent, while emphasizing their independence and even hinting at their sentience. Our magical themes of mirroring and sharing of senses are also in evidence.

Thanks as always to the wonderful artists inspiring this fandom!  

@chillyravenart

@sanrixian 

@kallielef

@yvyb

+many more!

#youtube

[greenbardasoiaf]

Flight of Fury and Fear - Dany's Dragon Bonds Vol II Part IV, Bard's Truth is out now! This episode Covers Daenerys Targaryen and her bond to her dragons as she leaves the House of the Undying and Qarth.  

The focus of this episode is on the Value, and the Power that the dragons represent, in the context, of course of her motherhood and the ideas of possession of a beast in the context of a society based on slavery.  themes of protection and separation loom large.

As ever, thx to the amazing artists!

@vkcoleart @sanrixian @inna-vjuzhanina @marcsimonetti @chillyravenart @yvyb @give-sansa-stark-a-sword @kallielef @nalustrepalustre @sir-heartsalot-blog @naomimakesart @an-artist-who-loves-got @samartworksblog @mylestoyne @ertacaltinoz

@naomimakesart @klaradox @esmedalma

 and many more!

#youtube #asoiaf #hotd #houseofthedragon #house of the dragon #jonsnow #jon snow #drogon #Dany #Daenerys #khaleesi #qarth #barristan #barristan selmy #ser barristan #dragon #direwolf #ser jorah #jorah mormont #jorah

[greenbardasoiaf]

Magic, Prophecy, Godswoods, and Dragons at Half of the HotD S1

Hey, a YT vid is coming soon based upon this blog post about #HOTD. If you can't wait, read it here! And that's the Bard's Truth!

So I have been watching House of the Dragon Season 1 like most ASoIaF fans, and I see, well I see a lot of subtle magic. And that magic is very much in the Green Bard’s wheelhouse, so now you are getting this video. So I have decided that you get this from time to time from me instead of weekly reaction vids, because they are exhausting and kind of repetitive. I want you to get quality content…

View On WordPress

[greenbardasoiaf]

3 Dragons, 3 Walls - ACoK - Dany's Dragon Bonds Vol II, Part II explores Daenerys Targaryen and her bond to her 3 dragons as she navigates the politics of the city of Qarth in her 2nd and 3rd POV chapters in "A Clash of Kings" narrated by @CiciCustomz  #asoiaf 

Xaro Xhoan Daxos & Quaithe both try to show how they can help Dany along the way. Xaro tries to flatter her into marriage, but Rhaegal hisses at him, mirroring Dany's unease. Quaithe offers warning of others lusting after her dragons. The dragons show no response; is she genuine?

Thanks to the wonderful artists & their great art of Dany in Qarth, incl.

@VKCole

@sanrixian

@thinusvanrooyen

@chillyravenart

@inna-vjuzhanina @klaradox @kallielef @elenyart

@the-lady-rae @yvyb

@naomimakesart on tumblr+deviantart @give-sansa-stark-a-sword on tumblr.com and many more!

#asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #drogon #Rheagal #viserion #viserys targaryen #viserys #jorah mormont #quhuru mo #cinnamon wind #pyat pree #quaithe #xaro xhoan daxos #dragons #qarth #targaryen #dany #grrm #george r r martin #a clash of kings #daenerys stormborn #daenerys #blood of the dragon #fire and blood #house of the dragon #hotd #dragon bonds #my videos

[greenbardasoiaf]

Voyage to Drogon's Victory - Dany's Dragon Bonds Vol II Part I - returns to and continues our analysis of Dany's bond to her dragons, in A Clash of Kings. It covers their traverse of the Red Waste and sojourn in Vaes Tolorro en route to Qarth. #asoiaf

Some of our direwolf themes still seem to apply to the dragon bonds Dany is developing. Unique themes are the power and value of the dragons and Dany's motherhood. There doesn't seem to be any evidence of a pack bond.

There is a puissant passage showing how Viserys had done some teaching of Dany on dragon lore. The first feeding of meet to the dragons is a pretty cool touch by our author. "Only dragons and men eat cooked meat."

Thanks to the artists!

@chillyravenart @sanrixian @sir-heartsalot-blog @inna-vjuzhanina @l-livas-l @yvyb @esmedalma @zippo514 @marcsimonetti @kallielef

@naomimakesart

@rinua @samartworksblog @Zarory @nanfe

#asoiaf #pureasoiaf #dany #daenerys #khaleesi #targaryen #dragons #drogon #qarth #red waste #jorah mormont #drogo #viserys #viserion #rhaegal #rhaegar #jhiqui #irri #khalasar #vaes tolorro #vaes dothrak #stolen gods #quaithe #direwolves #direwolf #dragonstone #aegon #visenya #balerion #meraxes

[greenbardasoiaf]

The final episode and culmination of the series, presents my signature theory on what we all think is to come in Jon and Ghost's story in the forthcoming "The Winds of Winter." Fitting that I release this on Easter! 

This is  the most important theory I have. You can watch the vid or read it here below the line. I look forward to your comments.

Thx to the artists

@minuiko

@mylestoyne

@shebsart

@yvyb

@sir-heartsalot-blog

@chillyravenart

and many more!

__________________________________

The Direwolves of Winterfell Episode 6-17 - Epilogue: Jon's Second and Third Life

Now we’ll turn to what everyone seems to think will happen next: Jon starting his “second life” inside Ghost, before eventually being resurrected back into his own body. It is foreshadowed in Melisandre's POV:

His long face floated before her, limned in tongues of red and orange, appearing and disappearing again, a shadow half-seen behind a fluttering curtain. Now he was a man, now a wolf, now a man again. But the skulls were here as well, the skulls were all around him. A Dance with Dragons - Melisandre I

So Mel says he'll be a man, then a wolf, then a man again. I, like many that that passage combined with the information about the "second life" from Varamyr's prologue chapter together hint that Jon's becoming a wolf happens when he speaks the name "Ghost" while his body is dying in his final POV chapter. From the Prologue:

Haggon's rough voice echoed in his head. "You will die a dozen deaths, boy, and every one will hurt … but when your true death comes, you will live again. The second life is simpler and sweeter, they say." A Dance With Dragons - Prologue

... later ...

Varamyr could feel the snowflakes melting on his brow. This is not so bad as burning. Let me sleep and never wake, let me begin my second life. His wolves were close now. He could feel them. He would leave this feeble flesh behind, become one with them, hunting the night and howling at the moon. The warg would become a true wolf. A Dance With Dragons - Prologue

There is one other thing that ties the passages of Jon and Varamyr's deaths: In the Prologue, as Varamyr leaves his body, he “was rising, melting, his spirit borne on some cold wind.” This seems a parallel to the last line of Jon’s story as he presumably also leaves his body. When as he’s stabbed for the fourth time, he doesn’t feel it, "only the cold." If you didn’t catch that, the cold is what their deaths have in common.

We also see a parallel in Jon and Robb's deaths, where both speak their wolves' names as their last words. Again, like many, I consider the use of the boys’ wolves names to be evidence that they are about to spend their “second life” in those wolves. While Robb's second life would have been very short, since Grey Wind is immediately killed, Jon's soul will travel into Ghost, where he will remain for a quite a while before eventually being resurrected.

There are a myriad ideas as to how he is resurrected and what he will be like afterward. Some think he will be changed a lot, like how Lady Stoneheart is only a shadow of her former self after Beric brings her back. Other people think that his magical experience will cause him to transform into a more magical being, sort of "level up" to use gamer talk. Some also think he'll be more "wolfish." I believe more in that latter 2 ideas to a certain extent. We know from out study of Bran and Summer that extended periods of time in the wolf help the warg to embrace the magic, but also to think more like a wolf.

I'll also note that there is a similar resurrection in the Farseer series by Robin Hobb, a fantasy author that GRRM greatly admires. In that book, after spending several days in his wolf, the character is returned to his body, which had been buried earlier that day (disinterred the same night). In that book, it takes the hero many months to feel again like a human. and he never was the same. Jon may experience something similar.

I do think that Jon will pay some price for this initial death, in any case; he will certainly not be the same exact character upon his return to his body. Perhaps his body will also have some debilitating issues. We know that cold wights and fire wights don't really have flowing blood, so they don't really respire like true humans. It is my firm hope that Jon's body will be something more after his resurrection, truly a living body, somehow restored of his lost blood, flowing again. The only mechanism for this is transfusion (blood sacrifice?) after his body is warmed following being frozen quickly upon his death. "Cold preserves," as we know. All of this is potentially feasible... The stab wound to the gut sure is a problem though... oof... maybe he got lucky and nothing critical was punctured?

Setting that aside, there is also the complication of whether it is possible for Jon's soul to escape Ghost's body back into his own. I believe that our study of Ghost and his actions throughout the story give some pretty good clues to that, but first, let's study Varamyr's thoughts related to that concept.

He thinks his “second life” will be the limit, that once he goes into that vessel, he'll die for real once it dies. Note that the vessel Varamyr finally goes into is his wolf One-Eye, but prior to that, he tries to take over the body of the wildling Thistle. While it would be cool for a skinchanger to flip from one body to the next, and then to the next endlessly, I think our author has set bounds to limit this from happening, save in a few special cases. The key passage to understanding the limit to second lives is when he contemplates taking Thistle's body:

His gift would perish with his body, he expected. He would lose his wolves, and live out the rest of his days as some scrawny, warty woman … but he would live. A Dance With Dragons - Prologue

Note that he explicitly ties the gift (his ability to skinchange) to his own body, not to his consciousness. Well... that makes me think that in cases where a skinchanger starts their second life in a body that also had “the gift”, that a third life is possible. In Jon's case, I believe that this third life would be in his own resurrected body, after having spent a short second life inside Ghost. Some in the fandom, like David Lightbringer, suggest that Ghost needs to be sacrificed for Jon to escape the vessel of Ghost's body. I firmly reject this, nor do I expect it (although I wouldn't put it past the author to have Mel do this misguidedly, tragically, and ironically).

I believe I’ve made a very strong case in this series that Ghost possesses a body that has, in Varamyr's terms "the gift," or in Mel's terms, kingsblood." Ghost, is more than just a direwolf, he is a creature of magic. The red eyes gave it away; the telepathic communication at his first contact with Jon gives it away, and myriad other examples we have covered give it away. That’s right. One of the keys to Jon becoming wolf, then going back to being a man is that Ghost is the equivalent of a greenseer direwolf. Jon can jump back to his own body using Ghost’s gift.

I’ve been working toward this moment through 6 essays and 124,829 words to tell you this one thing... that Jon can have a third life because he is living his second life in the telepathically gifted Ghost, who is capable of his own second life. <<drops mic>>.

Now, that was not the only reason I wrote all these essays, and it certainly was not the only thing I learned about direwolves and skinchanging while on this exploration. I know some things. But to prove that Ghost has a greenseer level of the magical gift was the most important part of this whole adventure. I think that we’ve learned that Ghost is definitely much more capable than his siblings (with the possible exception of Shaggy, for whom we have such limited information) in telepathic ability. As to my hypothesis that it is because of his eyes, I can’t say for sure. I can say that it was either a genetic gift tied to his eye color or a genetic gift that is tied to him being an albino. We don’t have enough information to discern the genetic cause.

Either way, we’ve proven Ghost can communicate telepathically much more strongly than Summer or Nymeria. I think the evidence shows that he can reach out telepathically to humans in the same way that human skinchangers reach out telepathically to other beasts. While Bran and Summer’s bond is currently the strongest pair studied, seemingly because of Bran’s gift being stronger, Ghost’s power leaves open the potential for his bond to Jon to rival Bran and Summer’s as the story continues to develop.

Other than Ghost’s telepathic gift being stronger, he exhibits all the same direwolf themes as the others, mirroring, shadowing, obedience, ferocity and inspiring fear, bad things happening when away from his Stark, and affection when near. Specific to Ghost, we saw his theme of silence over and over again and some evidence that he may to be prone to manipulation by 3rd parties. We did not uncover a lot of evidence of this in his packmates, although maybe we would if we had looked more closely for it.

The only thing that is left to discuss in this episode is to contemplate how Jon will be resurrected. The fandom has various theories on this. Most probably think Melisandre will resurrect him one way or another. Some have suggested that the others also might also be part of reanimating his body as a cold wight. Some also think that Bran or someone might be part of it. I can't be sure, but since I want Jon to have flowing blood, I favor the latter, knowing the examples we have for cold and fire wights not having flowing blood. My own personal speculation is that Mel might try some kind of sacrifice, and Jon, as Ghost, seeing this, might willingly return to his body to try to avert her plan (iespecially since ghost can't speak..., his theme of silence returning).

And with that that we are done with direwolf bonds!

TL;DR I discuss parallels between Jon's death and that of several other dearly departed & not quite departed in #asoiaf, including Drogo, Cat, Robb/Grey Wind, but especially Varamyr. His exposition re: "the gift" and the 2nd life are keys to my theory on Jon's 3rd life / resurrection. Basically Ghost has the gift, so Jon can escape his body back into his own when it is resurrected.

#jonsnow #jon snow #ghost #resurrection #night's watch #warg #skinchanger #greenseer #direwolves of winterfell #direwolf #Stark #varamyr #the gift #kingsblood