Jon intends to lead the land party to Hardhome to rescue more wildlings. Queen Selyse and Melisandre think this is a bad idea, but Jon has had it with Melisandre and her predictions that don't come true (or are at least slightly wrong, or delayed). Bowen Marsh also thinks it's a bad idea, because who cares about wildlings?
There's a meeting about which wildlings should command which castles. Bowen Marsh thinks they are bad and should be hung. This is not going well.
Jon has a chat with Tormund Giantsbane. He gets on much better with him and finds him far more agreeable. Then a letter from Ramsay Bolton arrives. According to it, Stannis is dead, Mance Rayder is captured, Theon and Jeyne Pool (who Jon thinks is Arya) have escaped, and Ramsay wants them back or else he'll kill Jon.
Jon calls a new meeting in which he announces that Tormund Giantsbane will rescue the wildlings in Hardhome and Jon will go and face Ramsay. Alone, if needs be, since the Watch are not supposed to meddle in the affairs of kings and he doesn't want to make anyone break an oath. But he's skirting awfully close to oathbreaking himself. The wildlings don't care, but the other Watchmen do. In fact Jon seems to be getting on too well with the wildlings and not well enough with the Watch.
So it shouldn't really be a surprise that mutiny is in the air. Though it does come so very suddenly. I suppose it is always the way: everything is fine, until it isn't. Jon gets stabbed 4 times. Will he survive? Ghost can't help him because Ghost is locked up to stop him from attacking Borroq the warg's boar.
If someone doesn't rescue Jon, whether he survives or not, his Watch-reforming days are over. I guess he just tried to do too much, too quickly. And was too concerned with helping Arya, who was not even Arya.
Showing posts with label Jon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jon. Show all posts
Monday, 23 September 2019
Wednesday, 18 September 2019
ADwD 58: Jon 895
It is the day Jon lets the wildlings through the wall. In the morning, Mormont's Raven says "Jon Snow" instead of "Snow". Is that Bran at work again?
The whole transfer is fraught with the worry that everyone will start fighting. In the end it goes off without a hitch. Boys to be used as hostages including sons of important people, warriors, Men of the Frozen Shore, Spearwives, you name it.
At one point Jon goes into the tunnel to see to a stuck cart. What's the matter with him? Shouldn't he try a bit harder to subvert Melisandre's prophecy of daggers in icy tunnels? He gets away with it, though.
Tormund tells him that Mance Rayder's big wall-destroying horn was a fake. I'm pretty sure Mance used that as the bargaining chip to get himself south of the wall. Until now I'd been buying the whole working together to fight the common enemy line. But could Mance really be up to something more clever?
Jon wonders if his Valyrian steel sword longclaw will be good at slaying Others. He's looking more and more like Azor Ahai The Chosen One every chapter.
Borroq the skin-changer seems to be interested in Jon. Can he tell that Jon has been warging with Ghost?
And we get a letter from Cotter Pyke who went to Hardhome with 11 ships and has 6 left. Things are not going well with the rescue of wildlings and he's begging for help via land. Does Jon have the ability to do anything? He seems to see it as the start of his war.
The whole transfer is fraught with the worry that everyone will start fighting. In the end it goes off without a hitch. Boys to be used as hostages including sons of important people, warriors, Men of the Frozen Shore, Spearwives, you name it.
At one point Jon goes into the tunnel to see to a stuck cart. What's the matter with him? Shouldn't he try a bit harder to subvert Melisandre's prophecy of daggers in icy tunnels? He gets away with it, though.
Tormund tells him that Mance Rayder's big wall-destroying horn was a fake. I'm pretty sure Mance used that as the bargaining chip to get himself south of the wall. Until now I'd been buying the whole working together to fight the common enemy line. But could Mance really be up to something more clever?
Jon wonders if his Valyrian steel sword longclaw will be good at slaying Others. He's looking more and more like Azor Ahai The Chosen One every chapter.
Borroq the skin-changer seems to be interested in Jon. Can he tell that Jon has been warging with Ghost?
And we get a letter from Cotter Pyke who went to Hardhome with 11 ships and has 6 left. Things are not going well with the rescue of wildlings and he's begging for help via land. Does Jon have the ability to do anything? He seems to see it as the start of his war.
Monday, 16 September 2019
ADwD 53: Jon 815
Jon does a deal with Tormund Giantsbane. Gold and a number of boys as wards/hostages and you can pass through the wall to escape the Others. And also help the Night's Watch with manning the castles and guarding the wall. It's all very amicably done. We'll also help look after your sick and wounded, of which there seem to be many.
"If every woman had a direwolf, men would be much sweeter," says Val. That's what I call feminism: a direwolf for every woman. Why not?
Val meets queen Selyse (who wants the wildlings to accept her red god, but Jon is having none of it) and her daughter Shireen. Val is totally freaked out by Shireen's greyscale, but Jon thinks it can be harmless in children. Who is right?
Some of Jon's lieutenants are not at all happy about letting more wildlings past the wall. Bowen Marsh delivers a blunt speech about how it is against the oath. Jon says, "I am the shield that guards the realms of men. Those are the words. So tell me, my lord--what are these wildlings if not men?" It's proper rousing stuff; Jon is good at this. And he is completely reforming the Watch to its true purpose: defense against Others, not wildlings. It's pretty lucky he was chosen as lord commander: none of the other candidates would have had the wherewithall to do it. Jon could be saving the world her.
In fact, now I think of it, where was he born? Could he have been born on Dragonstone? There was a Davos chapter where we learned something of that. Let me see... Here is what I wrote in chapter 9: "Jon Snow's mum is the daughter of a fisherman who gave him a lift from Sweetsister to the Eyrie". Looking at the map, Sweetsister is North of the Fingers, the Eyrie is in the middle (and inland, or down a fjordj), and Dragonstone is well south of the fingers and south of Cracklaw Point. Maybe if the fisherman and his daughter ranged quite widely after their encounter with Ned, Jon could be the prophesied chosen one...
"If every woman had a direwolf, men would be much sweeter," says Val. That's what I call feminism: a direwolf for every woman. Why not?
Val meets queen Selyse (who wants the wildlings to accept her red god, but Jon is having none of it) and her daughter Shireen. Val is totally freaked out by Shireen's greyscale, but Jon thinks it can be harmless in children. Who is right?
Some of Jon's lieutenants are not at all happy about letting more wildlings past the wall. Bowen Marsh delivers a blunt speech about how it is against the oath. Jon says, "I am the shield that guards the realms of men. Those are the words. So tell me, my lord--what are these wildlings if not men?" It's proper rousing stuff; Jon is good at this. And he is completely reforming the Watch to its true purpose: defense against Others, not wildlings. It's pretty lucky he was chosen as lord commander: none of the other candidates would have had the wherewithall to do it. Jon could be saving the world her.
In fact, now I think of it, where was he born? Could he have been born on Dragonstone? There was a Davos chapter where we learned something of that. Let me see... Here is what I wrote in chapter 9: "Jon Snow's mum is the daughter of a fisherman who gave him a lift from Sweetsister to the Eyrie". Looking at the map, Sweetsister is North of the Fingers, the Eyrie is in the middle (and inland, or down a fjordj), and Dragonstone is well south of the fingers and south of Cracklaw Point. Maybe if the fisherman and his daughter ranged quite widely after their encounter with Ned, Jon could be the prophesied chosen one...
Saturday, 14 September 2019
ADwD 49: Jon 753
In order to prevent Alys Karstark from having to marry her evil uncle Cregan, Jon arranges for her to marry the Magnar of Thenn (the Thenns being distinct from the Free Folk in that they have lords and fit in with the kneelers south of the wall a bit better). He's also locked up the evil uncle in an ice cell, so there seems to be a bit of redundancy there, though I suppose he'll have to be released at some point.
A raven has been sent to warn Stannis of the Karstarks double-crossing, but it might not reach him.
Melisandre reminds us the the saviour of the universe is supposed to be born amidst smoke and salt and wake dragons. So far that does sound more like Dany than Stannis. She admits having been fallible with regard to Alys not being Arya.
Jon's meddling with the Karstarks is arguable about protecting a maiden, but also could just be meddling. There is something in it for the watch, though: he's hoping Alys will send winter-starved old men and boys to the wall. There might actually be more food at the wall, too, if Jon's import business takes off.
Eleven ships have set sail for Hardhome to rescue wildlings. Hopefully they get there before the slave ships do. Glendon Hewitt has been left in charge of Eastwatch by the Sea and he's friends with Alliser Thorne (most likely person to start a mutiny).
Val returns with Tormund Giantsbane.
A raven has been sent to warn Stannis of the Karstarks double-crossing, but it might not reach him.
Melisandre reminds us the the saviour of the universe is supposed to be born amidst smoke and salt and wake dragons. So far that does sound more like Dany than Stannis. She admits having been fallible with regard to Alys not being Arya.
Jon's meddling with the Karstarks is arguable about protecting a maiden, but also could just be meddling. There is something in it for the watch, though: he's hoping Alys will send winter-starved old men and boys to the wall. There might actually be more food at the wall, too, if Jon's import business takes off.
Eleven ships have set sail for Hardhome to rescue wildlings. Hopefully they get there before the slave ships do. Glendon Hewitt has been left in charge of Eastwatch by the Sea and he's friends with Alliser Thorne (most likely person to start a mutiny).
Val returns with Tormund Giantsbane.
Wednesday, 11 September 2019
ADwD 44: Jon 674
Snooty Queen Selyse, annoying Ser Axell Florent, heir to the iron throne Shireen, probably cleverer than he makes out Patchface and assorted hangers on come to Castle Black on their way to the Nightfort (where Bran found a tunnel under the wall). Also with them is the Braavosi banker Tycho Nestoris. Jon does a deal with him to borrow some ships (to rescue the wildlings from Hardhome so they don't die and turn into wights) and some gold (to buy food). Paying it back is a problem for the spring. Tycho is also planning to lend Stannis money to hire sellswords to ensure that Stannis wins the war so Stannis will pay him back.
Which means it is clear that Cersei not paying back the Braavosi will cause real trouble, since the bankers will support Stannis or basically anyone who is more likely to pay them back. How money makes the world go around!
The prophesied girl arrives but she is neither Arya nor Jeyne. She is Alys Karstark, on the run from her uncle who doesn't sound much better than the Boltons. Help me, Jon Snow, you're my only hope, she says. She also has news that he is going to betray Stannis, which we already knew from the Theon point of view. But now Jon knows it, too and can perhaps warn him.
Which means it is clear that Cersei not paying back the Braavosi will cause real trouble, since the bankers will support Stannis or basically anyone who is more likely to pay them back. How money makes the world go around!
The prophesied girl arrives but she is neither Arya nor Jeyne. She is Alys Karstark, on the run from her uncle who doesn't sound much better than the Boltons. Help me, Jon Snow, you're my only hope, she says. She also has news that he is going to betray Stannis, which we already knew from the Theon point of view. But now Jon knows it, too and can perhaps warn him.
Monday, 9 September 2019
ADwD 39: Jon 600
Jon sends Val off to treat with Tormund (leader of the remnants of Mance Rayder's army). He wants them to not attack the wall and instead unite against the greater foe. Seems like it will be worth a try although Stannis will be cross if she does not make it back.
Jon is keeping dead bodies in the ice cells in the hope that they will turn into wights and he can study them. Know you enemy! The men are not too keen on this new-fangled scientific method lark, though.
Rumours are that a lot of the wildlings have gone off to a place called Hardhome to get on ships to cross the sea and escape the cold and the wights. Makes sense, except apparently Hardhome is a place that had doom of Valyria type natural disaster at some point in the past and is now haunted and evil. Which sounds like a load of old rubbish except that in this world supernatural stuff happens all the time. In any case there are likely to be no ships and since there is little shelter, all the wildlings will die and thus expand the wight army. Not great. There are caves like the ones Melisandre saw in one of her visions. Jon is hoping this is one of those prophesied futures that can be avoided.
Jon is keeping dead bodies in the ice cells in the hope that they will turn into wights and he can study them. Know you enemy! The men are not too keen on this new-fangled scientific method lark, though.
Rumours are that a lot of the wildlings have gone off to a place called Hardhome to get on ships to cross the sea and escape the cold and the wights. Makes sense, except apparently Hardhome is a place that had doom of Valyria type natural disaster at some point in the past and is now haunted and evil. Which sounds like a load of old rubbish except that in this world supernatural stuff happens all the time. In any case there are likely to be no ships and since there is little shelter, all the wildlings will die and thus expand the wight army. Not great. There are caves like the ones Melisandre saw in one of her visions. Jon is hoping this is one of those prophesied futures that can be avoided.
Saturday, 7 September 2019
ADwD 35: Jon 537
Jon arranges an expedition to the grove of weirwoods two hours' ride north of the wall so that six men can make their vows. A band of half-dead wildlings and a giant are there already, but the situation is diffused and in the end the wildlings come back with the watch. More mouths to feed but more hands to fight, perhaps. The giant could be useful.
Jon is planning to open more castles, including one manned entirely by women. He daydreams about building greenhouses to grow veggies, if only he had enough gold to buy the glass. I'm not sure the comparative advantage is there, to be honest. It would take a lot of glass to grow enough veg to feed the watch. Food can be grown more cheaply further south. The problem is trade is being disrupted and supply lines are unreliable. And people do not value the wall enough to pay for more than a handful of men. As soon as people realise the men are needed to fend off a real threat, then the watch will be able to charge a decent amount of money for their services and buy enough food.
Jon seems to be collecting dead bodies. I have no idea why. Is in league with Qyburn? No, he wanted live bodies. Probably this is something for Melisandre.
Stannis sends Jon a lengthy intelligence report, the gist of which is that he's taken Deepwood Motte (we know), has destroyed or captured all the ironmen's ships (bad luck, Asha) and is now going to attack the Boltons at Winterfell (or, as they would have it , take the bait). He's also planning to rescue fake-Arya, thinking her to be real-Arya. Jon feels bad for caring about his sister and also for sending off Mance Rayder to rescue her, given that he can't really trust Mance or Melisandre and it might all go very wrong and he shouldn't really be trying to save his sister anyway, given his vows.
Jon is planning to open more castles, including one manned entirely by women. He daydreams about building greenhouses to grow veggies, if only he had enough gold to buy the glass. I'm not sure the comparative advantage is there, to be honest. It would take a lot of glass to grow enough veg to feed the watch. Food can be grown more cheaply further south. The problem is trade is being disrupted and supply lines are unreliable. And people do not value the wall enough to pay for more than a handful of men. As soon as people realise the men are needed to fend off a real threat, then the watch will be able to charge a decent amount of money for their services and buy enough food.
Jon seems to be collecting dead bodies. I have no idea why. Is in league with Qyburn? No, he wanted live bodies. Probably this is something for Melisandre.
Stannis sends Jon a lengthy intelligence report, the gist of which is that he's taken Deepwood Motte (we know), has destroyed or captured all the ironmen's ships (bad luck, Asha) and is now going to attack the Boltons at Winterfell (or, as they would have it , take the bait). He's also planning to rescue fake-Arya, thinking her to be real-Arya. Jon feels bad for caring about his sister and also for sending off Mance Rayder to rescue her, given that he can't really trust Mance or Melisandre and it might all go very wrong and he shouldn't really be trying to save his sister anyway, given his vows.
Tuesday, 3 September 2019
ADwD 28: Jon 434
Jon sends Ser Alliser and some rangers out on a ranging. He loses a fight with Rattleshirt. He finds out that fake-Arya is marrying Ramsay Bolton, but he doesn't know it's fake Arya. Melisadre tells him that if he joins with her they will have great power. This must be the schtick she used on Stannis! Jon isn't having it for now, but Melisandre tells him Arya will escape the marriage and come to find him (but does she mean real Arya or fake Arya? Does she know the difference?) She predicts two of the rangers will be killed, which will prove to Jon her powers and presumably then he'll want to make sorcery with her. Or something.
Friday, 30 August 2019
ADwD 21: Jon 310
Jon goes off to visit the wildlings liviing in Moletown. They don't have much food. Jon recruits a bunch of them by promising them food, even though the Watch are going to run out too, sooner or later.
The days are getting shorter. Just how do these decade long winters work anyway? I'd assumed some sort of climatic oscillation, but now it seems astronomical. Is something tilting the planet on its axis? Or is it just magic?
Also, this wall. How long is it? I'm having a hard time seeing how 63 extra people can help Jon keep watch over it in any significant way. And he wants to open extra forts. The map says there are 18 forts. I think about 5 are open now (Castle Black, Shadow Tower, Eastwatch by the Sea, and two others that Jon opened a few chapters ago). There must still be many miles of unwatched wall. I'm really worried.
The days are getting shorter. Just how do these decade long winters work anyway? I'd assumed some sort of climatic oscillation, but now it seems astronomical. Is something tilting the planet on its axis? Or is it just magic?
Also, this wall. How long is it? I'm having a hard time seeing how 63 extra people can help Jon keep watch over it in any significant way. And he wants to open extra forts. The map says there are 18 forts. I think about 5 are open now (Castle Black, Shadow Tower, Eastwatch by the Sea, and two others that Jon opened a few chapters ago). There must still be many miles of unwatched wall. I'm really worried.
Wednesday, 28 August 2019
ADwD 17: Jon 253
With all the king's men, queen's men and wildlings, the night's watch are going to run out of food. Maybe they can get help from the Vale of Arryn, which should have lots more food. Knowing this, I would not be surprised if the vale ends up being of more strategic importance when the winter comes and food starts to run out everywhere.
Melisandre gives Jon the bone-shirted wildling and claims she can keep him loyal with a magic gem. Stannis means to attack the Dreadfort but Jon thinks this is a bad idea. He says Stannis should leave the wildlings with Jon to help defend the wall (presumably against monsters, not other wildlings) and go and find 3000 men from clans who live in the north-west. Jon thinks he should take these men and attack Deepwood Motte and defeat the Ironmen who hold it. (Or have they in fact abandoned it by now to have their Kingsmoot? Hmmm.) That suits Jon because he does not like Ironmen. But he is not taking sides in politics, oh no. He's a completely neutral defender of the realm.
How is Jon so good at strategy? He left Winterfell a boy and he's been in a handful of battles. I guess he learned a lot from Ned, including how to cut people's heads off and that "The Map is not the Land", which is pretty important advice.
Melisandre gives Jon the bone-shirted wildling and claims she can keep him loyal with a magic gem. Stannis means to attack the Dreadfort but Jon thinks this is a bad idea. He says Stannis should leave the wildlings with Jon to help defend the wall (presumably against monsters, not other wildlings) and go and find 3000 men from clans who live in the north-west. Jon thinks he should take these men and attack Deepwood Motte and defeat the Ironmen who hold it. (Or have they in fact abandoned it by now to have their Kingsmoot? Hmmm.) That suits Jon because he does not like Ironmen. But he is not taking sides in politics, oh no. He's a completely neutral defender of the realm.
How is Jon so good at strategy? He left Winterfell a boy and he's been in a handful of battles. I guess he learned a lot from Ned, including how to cut people's heads off and that "The Map is not the Land", which is pretty important advice.
Sunday, 25 August 2019
ADwD 10: Jon 154
Poor old Mance Rayder is being burned to death by Melisandre. I rather liked him. He's not going quietly, either, he's having a good old shout about it. Can't say I blame him. At least Jon has the courtesy of shooting him with some arrows. I'm not sure if that's what Melisandre had in mind, but there we are.
They open the gates and let through wildlings who are prepared to bend the knee to Stannis. I'm not sure what good it will do, since it's that or starve or get killed by wights; they're hardly going to be very loyal. They're also now on the right side of the wall for plotting revenge against the Watch or Stannis, should they fancy that idea. If I was a wildling I'd think settling the gift and taking control of the wall would be a pretty nice outcome. By the time people down south notice it'll be time to defend against white-faced blue-eyed monsters from the north anyway, not to mention something of a convenient fait accompli.
Bowen Marsh reckons they should just block up the tunnels through the wall. This sounds far too obvious. Should have done it years ago.
Jon wins the chapter: "Men love to complain about their lords and their wives. Those without wives complain twice as much about their lords." Hee hee.
Or is it Bowen Marsh: "What's a god compared to a nice bowl of onion soup?"
Jon is avoiding his friends because he's got some idea that in order to kill the boy and become a man and be a proper lord commander he can't just hang out with his mates any more. This seems daft enough that it's sure to come back and bite him. Why can't he just promote his friends so they can all hang out in the officers' mess? There's a lot to be said for a bit of nepotism. Instead he sends Pyp and Grenn to Eastwatch-by-the-sea.
Maester Aemon has left him a book that says the sword of light should be hot. But Stannis's sword is cold, which bothered Aemon. I have a new theory that it's the right sword, but it won't be hot until wielded by the right person. Such as someone who can get dragon eggs to hatch...
They open the gates and let through wildlings who are prepared to bend the knee to Stannis. I'm not sure what good it will do, since it's that or starve or get killed by wights; they're hardly going to be very loyal. They're also now on the right side of the wall for plotting revenge against the Watch or Stannis, should they fancy that idea. If I was a wildling I'd think settling the gift and taking control of the wall would be a pretty nice outcome. By the time people down south notice it'll be time to defend against white-faced blue-eyed monsters from the north anyway, not to mention something of a convenient fait accompli.
Bowen Marsh reckons they should just block up the tunnels through the wall. This sounds far too obvious. Should have done it years ago.
Jon wins the chapter: "Men love to complain about their lords and their wives. Those without wives complain twice as much about their lords." Hee hee.
Or is it Bowen Marsh: "What's a god compared to a nice bowl of onion soup?"
Jon is avoiding his friends because he's got some idea that in order to kill the boy and become a man and be a proper lord commander he can't just hang out with his mates any more. This seems daft enough that it's sure to come back and bite him. Why can't he just promote his friends so they can all hang out in the officers' mess? There's a lot to be said for a bit of nepotism. Instead he sends Pyp and Grenn to Eastwatch-by-the-sea.
Maester Aemon has left him a book that says the sword of light should be hot. But Stannis's sword is cold, which bothered Aemon. I have a new theory that it's the right sword, but it won't be hot until wielded by the right person. Such as someone who can get dragon eggs to hatch...
Friday, 23 August 2019
ADwD 7: Jon 109
This chapter coincides perfectly with AFfC chapter 5; the first Sam chapter. It even has much of the same dialogue.
Jon is stressing over a letter where he's trying to shame Tywin into sending men so he doesn't look weak compared to Stannis. Then we get to see the previously unseen meeting where Jon gets Gilly to agree to the baby swap.
After meeting with Sam to send him off to Oldtown (Sam gives him an odd look when he mentions Bran; we know that this is because Sam wants to tell Jon that Bran is still alive but has promised Coldhands not to), he reminisces about how Aemon advised him to stop being a big baby and grow up now that he is the Lord Commander.
To this end, when Jon orders Janos Slynt to go and defend a derelict fort, and Slynt refuses, Jon chops off his head. Quite right too. Stannis agrees. You can't be seen to allow men to disobey orders. Jon is doing a good job so far.
Jon is stressing over a letter where he's trying to shame Tywin into sending men so he doesn't look weak compared to Stannis. Then we get to see the previously unseen meeting where Jon gets Gilly to agree to the baby swap.
After meeting with Sam to send him off to Oldtown (Sam gives him an odd look when he mentions Bran; we know that this is because Sam wants to tell Jon that Bran is still alive but has promised Coldhands not to), he reminisces about how Aemon advised him to stop being a big baby and grow up now that he is the Lord Commander.
To this end, when Jon orders Janos Slynt to go and defend a derelict fort, and Slynt refuses, Jon chops off his head. Quite right too. Stannis agrees. You can't be seen to allow men to disobey orders. Jon is doing a good job so far.
Wednesday, 21 August 2019
ADwD 3: Jon 52
Jon is having wolf dreams again. Has he really not figured out that he really is inhabiting his wolf's body? I think he probably knows it but doesn't want to think about it too much. Via telepathy, we know that of the four remaining wolves (Sansa's was killed by Ned) one of them can no longer be sensed. Whether because dead (we think Robb's wolf was killed at the Red Wedding) or not is ambiguous. Bran's wolf Summer smells of summer, weirdly.
There's a bit of a Wildling refugee problem, but at least there are some spare lands for them to settle. Melisandre still wants two kings' blood, a father and a son to wake a dragon. Okay, confirmation that Jon does know what is going on with the wolf dreams: he thinks his wolf knows that Robb's wolf is dead. He also thinks that Bran's and Rickon's wolves have escaped, but not Bran and Rickon.
Stannis's and Melisandre's men are staying at Castle Black. One of them, Ser Godry Farring challenges Jon to a sparring session. But Jon has to go and see Stannis to tell him why he won't be giving him half the Night's Watch's abandoned forts. Stannis is trying to get various northern lords to declare for him and not having much luck. He's only the Karstarks who don't have much choice since Lord Karstark got beheaded for killing one of Robb's prisoners. Stannis thinks he can marry Val to some lord and the Wildlings will follow him, but Jon explains that it's a stupid idea.
He's also trying to explain that Dalla's boy is not a prince so there's no point burning him to death for some spell. There's a discussion about Gilly and Dalla's son. It's clear Jon is already planning a baby switcheroo.
Jon seems to be expecting another Wildling attack from Tormund and asks Melisandre for intel. She warns Jon she thinks he'll be murdered by daggers in the dark surrounded by ice. It's not the most useful prediction and it's a bit of a worry.
There's a bit of a Wildling refugee problem, but at least there are some spare lands for them to settle. Melisandre still wants two kings' blood, a father and a son to wake a dragon. Okay, confirmation that Jon does know what is going on with the wolf dreams: he thinks his wolf knows that Robb's wolf is dead. He also thinks that Bran's and Rickon's wolves have escaped, but not Bran and Rickon.
Stannis's and Melisandre's men are staying at Castle Black. One of them, Ser Godry Farring challenges Jon to a sparring session. But Jon has to go and see Stannis to tell him why he won't be giving him half the Night's Watch's abandoned forts. Stannis is trying to get various northern lords to declare for him and not having much luck. He's only the Karstarks who don't have much choice since Lord Karstark got beheaded for killing one of Robb's prisoners. Stannis thinks he can marry Val to some lord and the Wildlings will follow him, but Jon explains that it's a stupid idea.
He's also trying to explain that Dalla's boy is not a prince so there's no point burning him to death for some spell. There's a discussion about Gilly and Dalla's son. It's clear Jon is already planning a baby switcheroo.
Jon seems to be expecting another Wildling attack from Tormund and asks Melisandre for intel. She warns Jon she thinks he'll be murdered by daggers in the dark surrounded by ice. It's not the most useful prediction and it's a bit of a worry.
Monday, 8 April 2019
ASoS 79: Jon 1087
Well I was wrong, then. Personally I would have taken the castle, married Val, had lots of sons and lived happily ever after. Ok, I probably would have had to go into battle for Stannis, so maybe not. But Jon isn't averse to a battle or two, I thought he'd go for it. I certainly wouldn't worry about chopping down a few silly trees, as Melisandre wanted him to, or have any kind of guilt trip for taking the Winterfell that should have belonged to others.
Jon decides he will stick with the watch, but before he can tell Stannis his decision, he is made Lord Commander anyway! Sam has deftly manipulated the situation. Sam is a player, not a pawn. Who would have thought?
Jon decides he will stick with the watch, but before he can tell Stannis his decision, he is made Lord Commander anyway! Sam has deftly manipulated the situation. Sam is a player, not a pawn. Who would have thought?
Wednesday, 20 March 2019
ASoS 76: Jon 1053
Only Janos Slynt and Alliser Thorne think Jon is a turncloak now. Everyone else thinks he's a hero for capturing the Big Horn, even though mainly he was hiding in a tent delivering a baby. This is the kind of stuff that happens when you're a character in a GRRM book.
He's summoned to meet Stannis. So Melisandre is still about, but so is Davos. It was Maester Aemon's letter he read in his last chapter, and that's why Stannis is here. I like this line from Stannis, which is really what Davos had told him: "I was trying to win the thronse to save the kingdom, when I should have been trying to save the kingdom to win the throne." Which does sound like excellent advice, and also the sort of honourable behaviour that won't go unpunished in a GRRM book. We'll see...
Anyway, Stannis has an interesting offer for Jon: Bend the knee, marry Val, and he'll remove the taint of bastardy to make Jon a Stark and install him as lord of Winterfell. I don't know how that works with the Night's Watch vows but since Stannis has just won them a major battle and saved them from total destruction they'll probably go along with it, though Alliser Thorne won't be happy. The marrying Val bit is a bit odd but Stannis also plans to let the wildlings settle the Gift south of the wall, and it's a way to keep them in check. In theory, since the Free Folk are free and do whatever they want. But marrying Val doesn't seem so bad; she's pretty reasonable. And Jon does want Winterfell. So he'll probably go for it. Or he might be all angsty and heartwrenchingly deny himself the chance of happiness and/or greatness for romantic ideas about loyalty to the watch.
Monday, 18 February 2019
ASoS 73: Jon 1011
He was going to be left to die in an ice cell, or possibly hanged, but Maester Aemon (Targaryen) is having none of this Jon-is-a-Turncloak business, which for some reason is causing problems for Janos Slynt and Alliser Thorne. So they're going to send him to see Mance Rayder instead, to parley. And they want him to murder Mance to prove his innocence, which will get him killed. It's similar logic to drowning witches.
Tormund and Mance are both pretty friendly towards Jon. Even though hundreds of wildlings have been killed there is no hatred towards the Watch, who are deemed to have put up a jolly good fight. In fact the wildlings in general seem like awfully reasonable, rational people. It's questionable which civilisation is the most civilised.
Mance does in fact have the Giant Horn which could supposedly destroy the wall. But Mance isn't too keen to use it because he's not really running towards Westeros so much as away from the Others, and the wall would be pretty handy to be on the other side of. He wants to be let through in return for not blowing it.
Jon is wondering how he's going to murder Mance in front of his heavily pregnant wife when it all becomes moot anyway because Stannis has turned up, and we get a good look at what a well organised army with proper knights and big horses can do against a disorganised mob even though greatly outnumbered. Which mostly seems to be that the disorganised mob runs away. Jon is left being the midwife as Mance's wife is giving birth.
I'm starting to think that Jon might just get away in all the confusion.
And if Stannis is here, I can only assume that Davos has convinced him that bad things are happening beyond the wall and he ought to do something about it.
Tormund and Mance are both pretty friendly towards Jon. Even though hundreds of wildlings have been killed there is no hatred towards the Watch, who are deemed to have put up a jolly good fight. In fact the wildlings in general seem like awfully reasonable, rational people. It's questionable which civilisation is the most civilised.
Mance does in fact have the Giant Horn which could supposedly destroy the wall. But Mance isn't too keen to use it because he's not really running towards Westeros so much as away from the Others, and the wall would be pretty handy to be on the other side of. He wants to be let through in return for not blowing it.
Jon is wondering how he's going to murder Mance in front of his heavily pregnant wife when it all becomes moot anyway because Stannis has turned up, and we get a good look at what a well organised army with proper knights and big horses can do against a disorganised mob even though greatly outnumbered. Which mostly seems to be that the disorganised mob runs away. Jon is left being the midwife as Mance's wife is giving birth.
I'm starting to think that Jon might just get away in all the confusion.
And if Stannis is here, I can only assume that Davos has convinced him that bad things are happening beyond the wall and he ought to do something about it.
Friday, 15 February 2019
ASoS 69: Jon 946
The wildlings are build a turtle (a wooden roof to hide under while they break into the tunnel through the wall). But Jon Snow is in command of the wall and comes up with the excellent ruse of dropping barrels of gravel and ice on them. It works and the wildlings are repelled once more. So he goes for a nap. So far so good. Eventually they might break through since there are so many of them and the Watch will eventually run out of supplies, but for now, Jon is doing well. And you never know, there might be some good news around the corner.
Except no. Ser Alliser, who has always hated Jon since he stopped Ser Alliser from bullying Sam, turns up from another castle on the wall and accuses Jon of being a turncloak for spending all that time with the wildlings at the command of Qorin Halfhand. And a captured wildling has spilled everything about how Jon killed Qorin and got all friendly with Ygritte.
So despite saving Castle Black at least twice, Jon is now totally screwed. It's going to take a miracle to get out of this situation.
Except no. Ser Alliser, who has always hated Jon since he stopped Ser Alliser from bullying Sam, turns up from another castle on the wall and accuses Jon of being a turncloak for spending all that time with the wildlings at the command of Qorin Halfhand. And a captured wildling has spilled everything about how Jon killed Qorin and got all friendly with Ygritte.
So despite saving Castle Black at least twice, Jon is now totally screwed. It's going to take a miracle to get out of this situation.
Monday, 11 February 2019
ASos 64: Jon 868
Gazillions of wildlings turn up at the wall, brining all their mythical creatures with them. The Watch put up a decent battle up on the wall. All the wildlings can really do is stand near the wall while stuff is hurled down onto their heads, and wait for the gate to be breached.
Jon is put in command. That's quite a rise to power, even if he was only put their by attrition. The wildlings start to attack the gate and Jon goes all Gandalf on them: they shall not pass! Pyp sets a giant on fire with a burning keg. The mammoths run off in terror and the whole attack is routed. By this time Jon's leg hurts too much. He goes down to inspect the tunnel and everyone defending it is dead. He orders the tunnel to be sealed up. Will the wildlings get enough people through the tunnel before the main host is scared away for good? Will the brothers run out of ammo before they scare away the main host for good? It does not look good to me. I suppose if the Watch is completely destroyed Jon will be free from his vows and can go and reclaim Winterfell, for what good that will do him.
Jon is put in command. That's quite a rise to power, even if he was only put their by attrition. The wildlings start to attack the gate and Jon goes all Gandalf on them: they shall not pass! Pyp sets a giant on fire with a burning keg. The mammoths run off in terror and the whole attack is routed. By this time Jon's leg hurts too much. He goes down to inspect the tunnel and everyone defending it is dead. He orders the tunnel to be sealed up. Will the wildlings get enough people through the tunnel before the main host is scared away for good? Will the brothers run out of ammo before they scare away the main host for good? It does not look good to me. I suppose if the Watch is completely destroyed Jon will be free from his vows and can go and reclaim Winterfell, for what good that will do him.
Tuesday, 29 January 2019
ASoS 55: Jon 738
The wildling attack on Castle Black is here. The brothers are few in number, most of them are old or crippled, and the castle is indefensible from the south. But they do have some villagers from Mole's Town to help and they are not going to defend the castle, they are going to defend the wall. Jon's leg is injured but he can shoot arrows pretty well from the top of a tower.
The battle goes better than I expected. It turns out the brothers had a cunning plan to trap the wildlings between fire on the stairs of the wall. Styr the Magnar, who tried to get Jon to kill the old man, dies in the fire.
Jon finds Ygritte dying with an arrow in her. It's not one of his. And so he is spared most of the drama: the whole undercover mission turned out to be a surprisingly straightforward story arc for Jon. He didn't have to kill any of his own people; he didn't have to kill any of his new wildling friends; no-one found out about his wildling girlfriend; there was some suspicion from some brothers that he might be a turncloak but he's proven himself now. The next big drama will either be more wildlings attacking, or else finding out that he is Robb's heir.
The battle goes better than I expected. It turns out the brothers had a cunning plan to trap the wildlings between fire on the stairs of the wall. Styr the Magnar, who tried to get Jon to kill the old man, dies in the fire.
Jon finds Ygritte dying with an arrow in her. It's not one of his. And so he is spared most of the drama: the whole undercover mission turned out to be a surprisingly straightforward story arc for Jon. He didn't have to kill any of his own people; he didn't have to kill any of his new wildling friends; no-one found out about his wildling girlfriend; there was some suspicion from some brothers that he might be a turncloak but he's proven himself now. The next big drama will either be more wildlings attacking, or else finding out that he is Robb's heir.
Monday, 21 January 2019
ASoS 48: Jon 659
Jon makes it to Castle Black, where Maester Aemon starts healing his injured leg. The place is a shadow of the shadow of its former self that it formerly was. The wildlings have been running distractions and Jon tells the brothers to stop falling for that old trick and watch out for the main attack from the south, since the wildlings have already crossed the wall.
Jon learns that Bran is dead. Except he can't be, because Jon saw Bran's wolf. Then he dreams about Ygritte, and in his dream worries about fathering a bastard, which probably means Ygritte is pregnant. Oh the drama!
Jon learns that Bran is dead. Except he can't be, because Jon saw Bran's wolf. Then he dreams about Ygritte, and in his dream worries about fathering a bastard, which probably means Ygritte is pregnant. Oh the drama!
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