A Game of Thrones, Chapter 52, Jon
Summary
Night’s Watch party examines the bodies found outside the Wall. Mormont decides to takes the corpses into the keep for Maester Aemon to examine. When they get back to Castle Black Lord Commander tells Jon about the news from Kings Landing. When Alister Thorne calls Ned a traitor, Jon launches at him with a dagger. He is seized and locked away. In the night Jon hears sounds outside his cell and finds out that one of the bodies has come to life. Jon follows it to Mormont’s chambers and with Ghost’s help finally kills it using fire.
Quotes
UUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooo.
The sound faded slowly to silence. One blast meant rangers returning, and Jon thought, I was a ranger for one day, at least. Whatever may come, they cannot take that away from me.
“They say the king loved to hunt. The things we love destroy us every time, lad. Remember that.”
“I told you not to do anything stupid, boy,” the Old Bear said. “Boy, ” the bird chorused. Mormont shook his head, disgusted. “And to think I had high hopes for you.”
The sword laid the intruder open to the bone, taking off half his nose and opening a gash cheek to cheek under those eyes, eyes, eyes like blue stars burning. Jon knew that face. Othor, he thought, reeling back. Gods, he’s dead, he’s dead, I saw him dead.
Commentary
I’m a bit disappointed with this chapter. First of all, Jon’s behavior. He was pictured as a boy who could control his anger. To see him launch at Ser Alister like that seemed a bit out of character. Then we get the scene where the Other conveniently kills the guard at Snow’s cell and moves to Mormont’s chambers. And Jon appears at the precise moment when Lord Commander needs saving. This is not how Martin usually rolls the dice. It’s just too convenient.
That being said, there are a few interesting things in this chapter. First off, if you have not noticed yet, Lord Commander Mormont is the father of Ser Jorah, the outcast knight, who’s in Dany’s service (and is spying on her for Varys). We’re also discovering the effective weapon against the undead. Even though swords are not effective against them there is a weapon that works much better: fire. There is a reason why the wildlings burn the bodies of their fallen. They have no intention of having them come back to haunt them.
Tags: Jon
