Re-reading Song of Ice and Fire

Chapter 72, Daenerys, The Final Chapter
Summary
Dany creates the funeral pyre for Drogo. She also asks Jhogo, Aggo and Rkharo to be her bloodriders, however they refuse. Dany names Ser Jorah the first member of her Queensguard. When everything is done she lays the dragon eggs with her husband. Before the pyre is put to fire Dany has Mirri Maz Duur placed with Drogo and the dragon eggs. As the night falls the first star to show up on the sky is a red comet. They pyre is put to fire. Flames consume the maegi as she tries to cast her last spell. Dany hypnotised by the flames steps closer and closer to the fire, her clothes and hair is all burned, but she remains unharmed. Dany has a vision of Drogo raising from ashes on a smoky stallion.

When the fire dies out Ser Jorah finds Dany naked in the ashes. She’s holding three dragons. Jhogo, Aggo and Rkharo swear to be Dany’s bloodriders.

Quotes

When a horselord dies, his horse is slain with him, so he might ride proud into the night lands. The bodies are burned beneath the open sky, and the khal rises on his fiery steed to take his place among the stars. The more fiercely the man burned in life, the brighter his star will shine in the darkness.
Jhogo spied it first. “There, ” he said in a hushed voice. Dany looked and saw it, low in the east. The first star was a comet, burning red. Bloodred; fire red; the dragon’s tail. She could not have asked for a stronger sign.

Her vest had begun to smolder, so Dany shrugged it off and let it fall to the ground. The painted leather burst into sudden flame as she skipped closer to the fire, her breasts bare to the blaze, streams of milk flowing from her red and swollen nipples. Now, she thought, now, and for an instant she glimpsed Khal Drogo before her, mounted on his smoky stallion, a flaming lash in his hand. He smiled, and the whip snaked down at the pyre, hissing.

The cream-and-gold dragon was suckling at her left breast, the green-and-bronze at the right. Her arms cradled them close. The black-and-scarlet beast was draped across her shoulders, its long sinuous neck coiled under her chin. When it saw Jorah, it raised its head and looked at him with eyes as red as coals.

As Daenerys Targaryen rose to her feet, her black hissed, pale smoke venting from its mouth and nostrils. The other two pulled away from her breasts and added their voices to the call, translucent wings unfolding and stirring the air, and for the first time in hundreds of years, the night came alive with the music of dragons.

Commentary

Now we’re talking!

After the introduction in form of political intrigues the plot thickened when armies of Seven Kingdoms clashed, but the true culmination point is in this last chapter! After hundreds of years dragons are coming back to life! So far we’ve read great stories about Aegon the Conqueror, how he destroyed his enemies with help of the dragons. Well, the myths are coming to life now. We *know* what’s going to happen. Dany is going to take the dragons back to Westeros to win her crown like her great-grandfather did before her. Now if this does not make you want to reach for the next book I don’t know what will.

With amazing skill Martin was building the image of dragons, their power being legendary, their existance being the only thing ensuring the peace and integrity of Seven Kingdoms. Now the legend comes to life. The tension surrounding this chapter was built through hundreds of pages, I can’t imagine a bigger, better moment to end the book. Mr. Martin, nicely done!

The thing that might be easily dismissed in this chapter is the first appearance of the red comet, the same comet that will be adapted as the good sign by all parties. The truth of it is in this very chapter - this is Drogo’s comet. It’s the sign of the ultimate price he and his son paid to bring the dragons back to this world.

Robb is the King in the North, Dany gives life to the only three dragons in the world. How can you not read the next book?

The End of Game of Thrones, Song of Ice and Fire Book 1

Chapter 71, Catelyn
Summary
Robb, Catelyn and the liege lords enter Riverrun. They learn about Lord Hoster’s sickness. Robb holds a war council to discuss their next move. They learn that Renly was crowned and is supported by the power of Highgarden. Not wanting to make peace and bending knee to any of the kings in the realm Greatjon Umber calls Robb the King in the North. The rest of Robb’s liege lords join him in swearing fealty.

Quotes

Only one quote in this chapter, but WHAT a quote!

“Why shouldn’t we rule ourselves again? It was the dragons we married, and the dragons are all dead!” He pointed at Robb with the blade. “There sits the only king I mean to bow my knee to, m’lords,” he thundered. “The King in the North!”
And he knelt, and laid his sword at her son’s feet.
“I’ll have peace on those terms,” Lord Karstark said. “They can keep their red castle and their iron chair as well.” He eased his longsword from its scabbard. “The King in the North!” he said, kneeling beside the Greatjon.
Maege Mormont stood. “The King of Winter!” she declared, and laid her spiked mace beside the swords. And the river lords were rising too, Blackwood and Bracken and Mallister, houses who had never been ruled from Winterfell, yet Catelyn watched them rise and draw their blades, bending their knees and shouting the old words that had not been heard in the realm for more than three hundred years, since Aegon the Dragon had come to make the Seven Kingdoms one… yet now were heard again, ringing from the timbers of her father’s hall:
“The King in the North!”
“The King in the North!”
“THE KING IN THE NORTH!”

Commentary

The last two chapters of the book have one thing and one thing only to achieve: bring the reader back to read the second book. And I’ll be damned if they don’t achieve that!

The son of Ned Stark is rising to take his fathers place. Forced by Ned’s untimely demise Robb has to mature quickly and he does that following closely his father’s steps. He’s shaping up to be a strong and just Lord… and a King! That’s an amazing cliffhanger, I have to give props to Martin for this idea. Although I probably wouldn’t be so happy if I had to wait few years for the next book… Luckily I had Clash of Kings handy.

Lets get back to the chapter for a second. In the shadow of war effort and the raise of the new kings is Catelyn’s drama. Her husband is killed, her children are crippled, held captive, missing or facing mortal danger on the field of battle. The mother in her wants nothing more than to end this nightmare, to hold her daughters again, to see her sons grow old. Her motherly love is no match for men’s need for revenge. Tyrion was right, any chance for peace was shattered when Ser Ilyn took Ned’s life.

This chapter is also a grand introduction of the next book: A Clash of Kings. There are already three kings in the realm: Joffrey, Stannis (even though he’s hiding on Dragonstone) and now Renly. With Robb being crowned as the King in the North the realm becomes crowded with rulers. And this is not the end yet…

Chapter 70, Jon
Summary
Jon decides that he needs to join Robb and avenge with him the death of Ned. Samwell tries to stop him but he’s unsuccessful. His friends catch up with him and they manage to convince him to come back. They make it back to the Wall before the dawn. When Jon resumes his duties he discovers that Lord Commander knows everything about his attempt to escape and that he doesn’t hold it against him.

Quotes

“You said the words,” Pyp reminded him. “Now my watch begins, you said it. It shall not end until my death.”
“I shall live and die at my post, ” Grenn added, nodding.
“You don’t have to tell me the words, I know them as well as you do.” He was angry now. Why couldn’t they let him go in peace? They were only making it harder.
“I am the sword in the darkness, ” Halder intoned.
“The watcher on the walls, ” piped Toad.
Jon cursed them all to their faces.

“Do you think they chose me Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch because I’m dumb as a stump, Snow? Aemon told me you’d go. I told him you’d be back. I know my men… and my boys too. Honor set you on the kingsroad… and honor brought you back.”
“My friends brought me back,” Jon said.
“Did I say it was your honor?”

“I ordered a watch kept over you., You were seen leaving. If your brothers had not fetched you back, you would have been taken along the way, and not by friends. Unless you have a horse with wings like a raven. Do you?”
“No.” Jon felt like a fool.
“Pity, we could use a horse like that.”

Commentary

Love is the bane of honor, the death of duty.

When I first read those words I thought they were silly, that it can’t be true. That love pushes us to keep the honor and duty. After a serious thinking I was forced to agree with Maester Aemon. Love does not help us keep our honor. It makes sure that we do everything in our power to protect our loved ones and when protection is not possible we go avenge them. This has nothing to do with honor or duty.

This is exactly what is happening with Jon. The love for his father was stronger than bonds of honor and duty. Jon felt that if he had stayed on the Wall he would be disrespecting the memory of his Father, as if he forgot about him, as if he was nothing to him. I can totally understand his decision to run.

His near-successful escape had to happen though. Only going through with it and then realizing that he was not alone in his attempt to rush back to the old life made him understand that it’s “part of the job”. Aemon told him before, but Jon had to go through it himself.

The thing I liked particularly in this chapter was the way Lord Commander dealt with the entire thing. The Old Bear let it happen, announced it to Jon and managed to not alienate him by doing so. I was very impressed by their conversation. And I loved the joke about a flying horse.

Chapter 69, Tyrion
Summary
Messenger reaches the Lannister host. He brings news of Robb’s victory in Whispering Wood and Riverrun. Tywin learns that Jaime is taken prisoner. Lannisters gather to decide what to do with the war they’re losing. Finally Lord Tywin decides to move with his army to Harrenhal and send Tyrion to Kings Landing to serve as the Hand of the King.

Quotes

“Peace?” Tyrion swirled his wine thoughtfully, took a deep draft, and hurled his empty cup to the floor, where it shattered into a thousand pieces. “There’s your peace, Ser Harys. My sweet nephew broke it for good and all when he decided to ornament the Red Keep with Lord Eddard’s head. You’ll have an easier time drinking wine from that cup than you will convincing Robb Stark to make peace now. He’s winning… or hadn’t you noticed?”

Lord Tywin looked down at his son. “I had thought you were the one made for motley, Tyrion, but it would appear that I was wrong.”
“Why, Father,” said Tyrion, “that almost sounds like praise.” He leaned forward intently.

A part of him was more pleased than he cared to admit. Another part was remembering the battle upriver, and wondering if he was being sent to hold the left again. “Why me?” he asked, cocking his head to one side. “Why not my uncle? Why not Ser Addam or Ser Flement or Lord Serrett? Why not a… bigger man?”
Lord Tywin rose abruptly. “You are my son.”
That was when he knew. You have given him up for lost, he thought. You bloody bastard, you think Jaime’s good as dead, so I’m all you have left.

Commentary

This chapter comes like a breath of fresh air after the stink of death surrounding last few.

This does not make up for death of Robert, Ned and Drogo, but it’s nice to see Lannisters on the run for a change. There are some who want to make peace with Robb, but Tyrion points out that this option was forfeit when Ned was killed. There is only one way to end this war now.

It’s interesting to see how detached Tyrion is from this whole business. Even the thought of his brother in being held in captivity doesn’t seem to move him much. It’s only after Lord Tywin sends him to Kings Landing to rule as the Hand of the King his emotions surface. But instead of being happy that father finally acknowledges his value he gets mad. He’s certain that Lord Tywin only turned to him because he thought he’s everything he has left, that with Ned’s death there is no chance that Jaime will be freed.

I can’t begin to imagine what Tyrion had to feel right there and then. Being an imp was tough enough in itself, but the rejection he had to deal with every day could turn the best man into a bitter bastard.

The topic of “good” and “bad” characters in SOIAF was discussed many times. I’m very tough in my judgment. No matter how many maidens Jaime rescues I will still consider him an evil man. Tyrion though… He’s a bastard, he has a foul mouth, he can be cruel at times, but all in all I consider him to be “good”. Even though he’s a Lannister.

Chapter 68, Daenerys
Summary
Dany finally wakes from the nightmares. Her son is dead, Drogo lives, but his spirit is gone, only body remains. Dany learns of maegi’s betrayal. She will not be able to bear children and her husband is gone forever. Dany doesn’t give up, she takes Drogo out to the plains and tries to bring him back using every sex trick she was taught. When night passes and Drogo is still gone she kills him.

Quotes

Her son was tall and proud, with Drogo’s copper skin and her own silver-gold hair, violet eyes shaped like almonds. And he smiled for her and began to lift his hand toward hers, but when he opened his mouth the fire poured out. She saw his heart burning through his chest, and in an instant he was gone, consumed like a moth by a candle, turned to ash.

“My son was alive and strong when Ser Jorah carried me into this tent,” she said. “I could feel him kicking, fighting to be born.”
“That may be as it may be,” answered Mirri Maz Duur, “yet the creature that came forth from your womb was as I said. Death was in that tent, Khaleesi.”

“Where is Khal Drogo? Show him to me, godswife, maegi, bloodmage, whatever you are. Show me Khal Drogo. Show me what I bought with my son’s life.”

“When will he be as he was?” Dany demanded.
“When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east,” said Mirri Maz Duur. “When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child. Then he will return, and not before.”

“Tell me again what you saved.”
“Your life.”
Mirri Maz Duur laughed cruelly. “Look to your khal and see what life is worth, when all the rest is gone.”

Commentary

Looks like all the characters we sympathized with are going through agonizing pain (or just die). Dany is no exception. Drogo is still technically alive, but the man she loved is gone and so is her child. She paid terrible price for nothing.

This chapter brings a very interesting question of what’s really important in our existance. Is life in itself really that valuable? What is body for if the mind is gone? Drogo did not die, yet as Mirri said, death would be cleaner for him. What is life good for when everything else is gone?

I’ll let everyone digest this tragedy on their own. I want to focus on two things here. One is Mirri’s betrayal. She was definitely pleased with how things turned out. She was proud of the fact that it was her doing that “the stallion who mounts the world will burn no cities”. Was this her plan all along? She didn’t seem to celebrate the victory until Dany faced her. She also made a lot of sense saying that she informed her of risks that come with this spell.

I also keep thinking about the way Dany felt the dragon eggs. Did Mirri’s magic, that turned Dany’s son into a monstrosity, awaken the dragon in her? Targaryens were trying to wake the dragons for hundreds of years. Was Dany son’s sacrifice the first step to bringing the dragons back? It makes a lot of sense to me.