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Rhaegar with baby Daenerys and Viserys

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it was always a bit weird to me that the ancestor dany resembles naerys? do we think there's an significance to this or grrm did put too much thought into this?

I definitely find it interesting to compare and contrast Naerys with Dany, as GRRM does in that description: “She was a wisp of a woman, smaller even than Dany (to whom she bears a certain resemblence), very slender, with big purple eyes and fine, pale, porcelain skin, near translucent. Naerys had none of Dany’s strength, however.” A major theme in Dany’s storyline is the subversion of what came before in her family history—“Aegon the Conqueror with teats,” “no one ever looked for a girl,” she dreams of flying on a dragon to the site of Rhaegar’s defeat and slaying white walkers (“This is how it was meant to be. The other was a nightmare, and I have only now awakened”), she’s dismantling the system of slavery that Ghis established after Valyria burned down their trees, etc. Thus, despite Dany’s initial similarities to Naerys, i.e. subjugation by a cruel older brother, forced marriage at a young age, and traumatic childbirth, I expect her life will continue to turn out quite differently—autonomy, a marriage for love, maybe even a happy ending? If “the dragon has three heads” really indicates that Dany will be part of a trio of some kind, I think it will be a contrast to the unhappy one of Aegon IV, Naerys, and Aemon.

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Ode to Fire and Ice

Hail to the dragon, hail to the wolf,

To fire’s fierce queen, to ice’s brave soul.

In lands far apart, their paths wind alone,

Bound by fate, by blood, by iron and stone.

Oh silver queen, born of a storm’s wild breath,

Who walks unafraid through flame and death.

The last of her house, with dragons at heel,

A breaker of chains, with an unbending will of steel.

You stand as the fire, the dawn’s red blaze,

With fury and mercy, through deserts and haze.

In the dust of empires, you rebuild anew,

A queen of the people, fierce and true.

And the white wolf raised in shadow’s cold grasp,

Bound by his honor, his vows tight and fast.

Son of the North, yet unknown in his name,

A guardian of all from death’s dark claim.

Where others have faltered, his courage holds fast,

With ghostly resolve, through winds icy and vast.

A shield in the darkness, a sword in the night,

In a world steeped in shadow, he fights for the light.

Two stars that rise from lands bleak and far,

One led by moonlight, the other a star.

The fire that burns, the ice that withstands,

Two forces united by fate’s unseen hands.

For they bear the weight of an ancient song,

Of a realm divided, of righting the wrong.

Together they stand, as fire and frost,

To reclaim the dawn, no matter the cost.

Oh, children of sorrow, of honor, of flame,

You journey as strangers, yet share the same name.

In prophecy’s shadow, your paths will align,

To guard against darkness, to break the world’s spine.

So rise, fire and ice, in fierce harmony,

As the dawn’s final hope, as a world yet to be.

Through storm and winter, through shadow’s dread call,

Together you’ll rise, or together you’ll fall.

For in the heart of night, in the blood’s silent flow,

Is the promise of fire, and the whisper of snow.

So sing of the dragon, and sing of the wolf,

Of the flame that endures, and the cold unbreakable soul.

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Jon Snow Stans on TikTok are just too funny; they freak out about Daemon's vision in the HotD about Daenerys being Azor Ahai and not their darling boy Jon Snow. They are in complete denial, no matter what you tell them, even if you point out all the clues from the books. 😂

Look, I love Jon Snow as much as everyone else (well, book Jon), and I think he certainly has a very important part to play in the grand scheme of things. I honestly see him as a sort of Last Hero figure, along with Bran. But it had been clear for more than a decade that Daenerys Targaryen is TPTWP/Azor Ahai, or whatever.

Daenerys is the one who was born on Dragonstone during the greatest storm in living memory, which is why she is known as ‘Daenerys Stormborn‘ she quite literally is a force of nature (Dragonstone itself is a volcanic island, a place of salt and smoke, as Melisandre pointed out to Jon in ADWD). She is also the last living child of Aerys II and Queen Rhaella (a Woods witch who came with Jenny of Oldstone to court, who in all likelihood is the Ghost of High Heart, told Jaeaherys II that TPTWP would come from Aerys and Rhaella's, which is why he married his children off to each other). It's Daenerys who walked into the scared fire of her husband's funeral pyre, whom she mercy killed (Drogo=Nissa Nissa) to wake dragons out of stone, who are described as “A flaming sword above the world“ within the story.

The bleeding star was first seen when she htached her dragons and guided her thereafter to find "truth", which she found within the House of the Undying in Quarth, as Quaithe keeps pointing out to her (“Daenerys. Remember the Undying. Remember who you are.“ ) The Undyings tell her that she must “drink from the cup of ice... drink from the cup of fire" because that's her destiny of what she is meant to do; she is the campion of fire, a campion of life who was born to lead the living against ice and cold darkness; the cup has passed on from her brother, Rhaegar, who passed on the knowledge about the Song of Ice and Fire to her, and it's her cup now she must drink from upon. This moment was also the only time the title of the series was mentioned. Dany herself even dreams about it, standing in the shoes of her famous dead brother as ‘The Last Dragon‘. 

"… the dragon …"

And saw her brother Rhaegar, mounted on a stallion as black as his armor. Fire glimmered red through the narrow eye slit of his helm. "The last dragon," Ser Jorah's voice whispered faintly. "The last, the last." Dany lifted his polished black visor. The face within was her own.

-A Game of Thrones - Daenerys IX

...

That night, she dreamt that she was Rhaegar, riding to the Trident. But she was mounted on a dragon, not a horse. When she saw the Usurper's rebel host across the river, they were armoured all in ice, but she bathed them in dragonfire, and they melted away like dew and turned the Trident into a torrent. Some small part of her knew that she was dreaming, but another part exulted. This is how it was meant to be. The other was a nightmare, and I have only now awakened.

-A Storm of Swords, Daenerys III

Daenerys is the one who is in the process of building the greatest army the world has ever seen that can match the Others—the living vs. the dead. She is the one who keeps challenging ancient customs wherever she goes and breaks anicent systems that change entire continents; hence, “from smoke and salt was she born to make the world anew.“

Maester Aemon, at the end of his life, even came to see the truth of the matter after years of deception. His last act was trying to send a maester to his great-niece, someone who could protect her and guide her home. Something he desperately wanted to do himself but tragically couldn't.

"No one ever looked for a girl," he said. "It was a prince that was promised, not a princess. Rhaegar, I thought . . . the smoke was from the fire that devoured Summerhall on the day of his birth, the salt from the tears shed for those who died. He shared my belief when he was young, but later he became persuaded that it was his own son who fulfilled the prophecy, for a comet had been seen above King's Landing on the night Aegon was conceived, and Rhaegar was certain the bleeding star had to be a comet. What fools we were, who thought ourselves so wise! The error crept in from the translation. Dragons are neither male nor female, Barth saw the truth of that, but now one and now the other, as changeable as flame. The language misled us all for a thousand years. Daenerys is the one, born amidst salt and smoke. The dragons prove it." Just talking of her seemed to make him stronger. "I must go to her. I must. Would that I was even ten years younger."

-A Feast for Crows - Samwell IV

...

"No," the old man said. "It must be you. Tell them. The prophecy . . . my brother's dream . . . Lady Melisandre has misread the signs. Stannis . . . Stannis has some of the dragon blood in him, yes. His brothers did as well. Rhaelle, Egg's little girl, she was how they came by it . . . their father's mother . . . she used to call me Uncle Maester when she was a little girl. I remembered that, so I allowed myself to hope . . . perhaps I wanted to . . . we all deceive ourselves, when we want to believe. Melisandre most of all, I think. The sword is wrong, she has to know that . . . light without heat . . . an empty glamor . . . the sword is wrong, and the false light can only lead us deeper into darkness, Sam. Daenerys is our hope. Tell them that, at the Citadel. Make them listen. They must send her a maester. Daenerys must be counseled, taught, protected. For all these years I've lingered, waiting, watching, and now that the day has dawned I am too old. I am dying, Sam." 

-A Feast for Crows - Samwell IV

...

"The dragon must have three heads," he wailed, "but I am too old and frail to be one of them. I should be with her, showing her the way, but my body has betrayed me."

-A Feast for Crows - Samwell IV

Azor Ahai is also known as the “Warrior of Light“ or the “Warrior of Fire“, and according to GRRM himself, fire represents passion, love, life, sexual ardor—basically everything Daenerys repressant in the story. Ice, on the other hand, is described as hate, betrayal, and cold inhumanity.

People say I was influenced by Robert Frost’s poem, and of course I was, I mean... Fire is love, fire is passion, fire is sexual ardor and all of these things. Ice is betrayal, ice is revenge, ice is… you know, that kind of cold inhumanity and all that stuff is being played out in the books. -GRRM

...

There is ice and there is fire. Hate and love. Bitter and sweet. Male and female. Pain and pleasure. Winter and summer. Evil and good.” She took a step toward him. “Death and life. Everywhere, opposites. Everywhere, the war.

-A Storm of Swords - Davos III

And if that isn't proof enough, just look at the very first book in the series and how it is laid out. AGOT starts with the prologue in the far north, introducing us to the threat of the Others (ice), and ends in the east with Daenerys and her dragons (fire). Hence, “A Song of Ice & Fire“. GRRM never made it a secret what his story at heart was about.

"Well of course the two outlying ones, the things that are going on north of the Wall and Daenerys Targaryen on the other continent with her dragons are of course the 'Ice and Fire' of the title" - GRRM

It is written in prophecy as well. When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone. 

-A Storm of Swords - Davos III

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Before I get started, it is my opinion that these prophecy arcs within HotD are more book-based, especially Aegon's prophecy, which is confirmed to come from GRRM.

With that being said, I might be trippin, but after the latest episode, I think Daemon might be the precursor to Bloodraven. We never found out what happened to Daemon's body or if he even died during the fight with Aemond above the Gods-Eye. What if he somehow made it to the shores of Harrenhal or even the Isle of Faces and got hooked up to the Wirewood net like his great-grandson and was guiding events that were to come before Bloodraven ultimately took over?

I mean, who came before Bloodraven? There must've been someone, and what if that someone was his own great-grandfather, and both of these “rouge Taragyens“ ended up in higher-minded places, guiding events that are to come, which will ultimately lead up to Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons. 

And before you say that this is impossible since Daemon doesn't have any First Men's ancestry, that's not entirely true. His great-grandmother's (Alyssa Velaryon) mother was a Massey, Alarra Massey. House Massey is an anicent house that can trace their ancestry back to the age of heroes, and after Aenys I and Alyssa's marriage, the next couple generations of Taragyens went back straight to sibling incest, leading up to Viserys and Daemon.

So yeah, Daemon does have a fair amount of first men blood in him, just like Daenerys has with her Blackwood ancestry. Her great-grandmother was non other than Betha Blackwood, the wife of Aegon V, and of course Bloodraven is also part Blackwood, and then, of course, there is Jon with his Stark blood. The blood of the first men does flow strong in our main Targs.

(Btw, this theory is partly based on GrayArea, who made a similar prediction about Daemon all the way back in 2021 before HotD came out, focusing on the main source material.)

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A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE

George R.R. Martin to Al Jazeera: the two outlying ones, the things that are going on north of the Wall and Daenerys Targaryen on the other continent with her dragons are of course the Ice and Fire of the title A Song of Ice and Fire.

George R. R. Martin to Adria's News: I mean… Fire is love, fire is passion, fire is sexual ardor and all of these things. Ice is betrayal, ice is revenge, ice is… you know, that kind of cold inhumanity and all that stuff is being played out in the books.

"No one ever looked for a girl. [...] The language misled us all for a thousand years. Daenerys is the one, born amidst salt and smoke. The dragons prove it." (AFFC, Samwell IV)

"She [Daenerys] is Azor Ahai returned [aka the Warrior of Light, the Son of Fire, the one who shall "wake dragons out of stone"] … and her triumph over darkness will bring a summer that will never end … death itself will bend its knee, and all those who die fighting in her cause shall be reborn …" (ADWD, Tyrion VI)

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HotD spoilers:

So it has been confirmed that Daenerys is indeed The Princess that was Promised, bleeding star and all. Shocker, I know.

Now, even though I think the whole prophecy stuff in HotD is going to be more so based on the coming books (especially Aegon's prophecy, which was confirmed to come from GRRM) it still pisses me off how Dumb & Dumber ruined Daenerys character in the shitshow that was season 8 only for us to witness her now in all her glory of what her true destiny is. And no, it's not fighting tooth and nail for this ugly Iron Chair. If anything, Daenerys will be the one to destroy the Iron Throne, as she did with the Harpy Throne. Yeah, GRRM does like his foreshadowing.

But seriously, screw you, D&D! 😡

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Is dragon sex even a thing? 😂

Vermithor is Drogon’s Father - House of the Dragon

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Knight of the Laughing Tree & Lady Lance

“Are you half horse, child?” Valena asked, laughing, in the yard. “Princess, did you bring a stable girl?”

“I’m Elia,” the girl announced. “Lady Lance.”

-TWOW, Arianne

When his fallen foes sought to ransom horse and armor, the Knight of the Laughing Tree spoke in a booming voice through his helm, saying,

'Teach your squires honor, that shall be ransom enough.' 

- ASOS, Bran II

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Not them stealing Quentyn’s storyline 😭

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Who the fuck is Aeriana Targaryen??????

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GRRM just announced new editions of ASOIAF:

Okay, something is definitely up. Why would you redesign the previous books in the series unless you were planning something? It seems like they are planning on publishing a new book in that series with a new design and wanting everyone to rebuy the old books again.

It's also worth noting that a paperback boxed set (like the one above) of the four older ASOIAF books with new covers released in 2011 around 4 months before ADWD came out.

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Winds of Winter Update:

As per usual, people are already complaining that Winds will never come out, but his post continues:

It may be a wrong interpretation, but the subliminal message I got is that he wanted to announce Winds in Glasglow, but Con didn't answer his request for a stage (and not for the lack of him trying), so now he's looking for a new place to announce it.

He also said “When Winds comes out… there will be a BIG announcement” This sounds rather hopeful too me. He wouldn’t add that if he thought it wasn’t coming out and we can hope it’s soon.

Bottom of the line: He wants the annoument for Winds of Winter to be big, he just can't figure out where or when, but one thing is clear it will not be on his blog.

He also talked about the Harrenhal stage play, which he hopes might come out in 2025:

Here is the thing: We barely know anything about the Tourney at Harrenhal and what went on there behind the scenes, let alone how Rhaegar and Lyanna even met. I do not believe for the life of me that George would just reveal all it's secrets in a stage play, which gives me even more hope that WoW will be out by at least 2025.

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Knowing that Baelon's dragon killed Alyssa's dragon just makes me want to curl up into a ball and cry. George, how could you? 😭

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The tragedy of The Dance of the Dragons really is how a family, that should've stood by each other and look at the bigger picture to protect Westerors and its people, ultimately tore each other apart and used their magical and majestic creatures that made them great to fight their war in the name of vengeance and greed.

The mighty Tagrayens destroyed each other and their dragons, and for what? An iron chair? It's only when Daenerys Taragyen miraculously brings the dragons back into the world after over a century that House Targaryen at last gets a do-over.

Daenerys Taragyen, unlike her ancestors, doesn't use her dragons recklessly and out of greed and vengeance. She knows how dangerous and special these creatures are; she is not using them for powers sake, as the Valyrians did, or out of vengeance. As it was the case during the dance. It's really the opposite; Dany is using her dragons to right the wrongs of her ancestors, to finally put an end to oppression and slavery, and ultimately save humanity from the coming darkness, as Aegon the Dragon had foreseen it.

The irony really is that everyone wants to sit the Iron Throne, but they always forget the most important promise a ruler makes to its people. They are meant to be the “protector of the realm", yet all they ever did was tear it apart. And now winter is here, and Westerors needs a saviour more than ever in order to survive the ice-cold darkness.

And that's what makes Daenerys so special and different from her ancestors; it's her choices to do good, to respect her dragons and the sheer power and might she carries with them and not use that power out of her own pettiness, but in the effort to try and make the world a better place.

“Why do the gods make kings and queens, if not to protect the ones who can't protect themselves?" - Daenerys III ASOS

(Artist: Kodabomb)

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Jon Snow is quite literally narratively haunted by the dead:

His bio dad got his chest smashed in by his cousin's hammer because he stole his lady love.

His mother, he dosen't know about, died giving birth to him.

His stepdad got beheaded as a traitor, which set off the War of the five Kings.

His girlfriend died in his arms after telling him he knows nothing. ironic.

His sister Rhaenys was stabbed to death, and his brother Aegon got his head smashed in by the Mountain. His other brother/cousin Robb went out via Red Wedding style, as did his wolf, whom Robb likely warged into after his death, so technically he died twice. All of them died because of Tywin Lannister.

His two stepmothers (Elia and Catelyn) were brutally murdered on the Lanaisters behalf, with one of them currently haunting the narrative as the Walking Dead via Lady Stoneheart.

His grandfather, Rickard, was killed by his grandfather, Aerys, as was his uncle Brandon, which set off a rebellion.

His grandmother died giving birth to his aunt, Daenerys.

His uncle Viserys was crowned by his uncle Drogo, who later got an infected wound and was mercy killed by his aunt Dany.

His cousin, Rhaego, was killed by a Maegi during a blood ritual to save his uncle. Their deaths were later used by auntie Dany to bring dragons back into the world.

His great-uncle, Aemon, died on a voyage to Oldtown, which Jon sent him on. On his last journey, Aemon at last saw the truth. His last act was trying to send help to his great-niece, Daenerys, to bring her home safely and make her understand that she and her dragons are the only hope against the coming great war for the dawn.

And now Jon Snow is dead as well, stapped by his own man, pending to be ressurected.

Wherever you look, death touches this character. If Daenerys Targaryen is the daughter of death, then Jon Snow is the son of death. Death shaped these two characters into who they are today. It's also why Jon is destined to be the King of Winter, with his Bride of Fire by his side. Together, they will defeat death and bring about the dawn of a new age.

“Old powers waken. Shadows stir. An age of wonder and terror will soon be upon us, and age for gods and heroes.“ -AFFC (GRRM)

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Something that kind of pissed me off in HotD is that they changed the origin of Daenerys dragon eggs from coming from Helaena's dragon, Dreamfyre, to coming from Syrax.

The theory essentially goes that Elissa Farman stole and sold three of Dreamfyre’s eggs, who was her lover Rhaena Tagrayen's dragon, to a merchant in Essos, and they were never seen again. Corlys Velaryon, the husband of Rhaenys Targaryen, even believed that he saw Elissa Farmen's ship in Asshai where Dany's eggs said to have come from. Daenerys, many years later, receives her eggs from another merchant in Essos after they have turned to stone. Illyrio probably knows the providence of the eggs and found the idea of ‘gifting’ them back to the Targaryen girl ironic.

Anyway, I love the notion that Daenerys eggs come from Dreamfyre.

Dany is a direct descendant of Team Black; their line is continued through Rhaenyra and Daemon's children, while Team Green's line died out. 

The Dance of Dragons is a tragedy that ripped the Targaryens apart, and having Rhaenyra's descendant hatch the eggs of one of Team Green's dragons just makes it more meaningful, especially with Dreamfyre being that dragon who was Helaena's. In a sense, Helaena's legacy continued through her dragon Dreamfyre.

Black or green, it dosen't matter. In the end, they were all Targaryens whose power and might was reunited again under Daenerys Targaryen.