SPOILERS- More questions for Song of Ice & Fire readers

[Dr Midnight]

I like the other thread, and I'd enjoy hearing more from other readers.

1. What's your favorite small-scale combat scene? (one on one or few combatants)

2. What's your favorite large-scale combat scene?

3. Which death scene is your favorite?

4. Which rivalry between two people have you enjoyed the most?

5. Useless speculation time: Your predictions, however poorly founded, about the future of the story... or just where you'd like to see the story go.

6. If you were trapped in Westeros at the beginning of aGoT, knowing fully what was to come but you COULDN'T CHANGE it (i.e. telling Robert about "his" children before his death), what would you do? Where would you go?

--------------------------------
Here are my answers:

1. The Viper vs. the Mountain. Ends tragically, but is thoroughly entertaining. Loved it.

2. The wildlings vs. the wall. The thought is horrific and immense. The upcoming scene in helm's deep is as nothing compared to this scene.

3. Viserys the Cart King finally gets his gold crown.

4. Though it has yet to be fully explored, I'll say Jaime and Cersei.

5. Daenerys will trample the seven kingdoms in a hell of dragonfire and arakhs! I can't wait. Perhaps she'll meet in the center, with Jon commanding the forces of the north (wildlings and the watch?), and Bran and Arya using their deadly talents to fend off the onslaught.

6. I honestly can't think of one place in the land I think I'd be safe. I might try to get Syrio Forel to teach me what he could before King's Landing goes all to hell, and then I'd flee with a band of fighters to the north, to join Bran (if I could find them). Seems the safest route to me, other than just holing up on the Fingers.

 

[Velenne]

******SPOILERS FROM BOOK 3 BELOW******


1.) I would have loved to see the fight between a younger, robust Robert Baratheon vs. Prince Rhaegar on the Trident. Barring that, I'll go with Strong Belwas vs. the Champion of Meereen. "Strong Belwas lets all his foes cut him once. See my scars, and you will know how many Strong Belwas has killed." The Viper vs. Mountain fight seemed too much like "My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die." for my tastes.

2.) The Storming of King's Landing. Finally all of those little plot hooks coming together. And good ole Tyrion making a charge when Sandor Cleglane would not. GOOOOO TYRION!

3.) The Red Wedding. Poor poor poor poor Catelyn...that was the most moving scene of all the books for me so far. I actually had to stop reading, I was so overcome. She thought she had lost her whole family, but really, they were all still alive...except Ned, of course...and Robb.

4.) Cersei vs Tyrion! One countermoving against the other during the time of Joff's reign. "I will make your joy turn to ashes in your mouth." *shiver*

5.) Dany makes landfall in Westeros with over 50,000 fighting men. Meslisandre figures out that all the prophesies were about Dany, not Stannis and goes to her. Jon Snow inherits the northern armies and leads the Watch. Bran becomes the King-above-the-wall and allies with Jon. Rickon, yes Rickon, comes back as the pack leader of a swarm of wolves and direwolves. Arya ends up in Dany's service as an assassin and rides one of her dragons. I could go on...

6.) Somehow join Daenerys' army and work my way up to her council.

 

[Velenne]

I have another question, though.

What do you think is the significance of the wolves to their Stark counterparts?

It's obviously a foreshadowing plot device. The pups were found with a wolf that had been killed by stag antlers. DUH! Five regular direwolves, and one albino. One for each child, and an oddity for the bastard.

For instance, what impact did the death of Sansa's wolf have on her future? Or Arya getting rid of hers? And Jon? Robb, Bran and Rickon hung onto theirs and seemed to find their destinies. But Robb died while he was away from Grey Wind. Hmm...it vexes me.

 

[Dr Midnight]

I could go on...

Please do, that was good stuff. Do you think Rickon will be grown or at least grown ENOUGH to "do" anything by the end of the books? He's been very childlike the entire time... He's hardly grown at all.

As for the wolves, I have no idea. Sansa's wolf's death and Arya's wolf's exile have been mysteries I just haven't figured out yet. It's really troubling... but I suppose with Lady, Sansa wouldn't be so helpless. She'd be in danger of falling out of the maiden in distress category with a direwolf to protect her from her enemies.

People say a great deal about wanting to smack Sansa, and of course I agree, but her story really is one of the most interesting to me. I greatly enjoyed her last few chapters in the third book. Can't wait to read more.

 

[Velenne]

I see Rickon as becoming something feral like Perrin Aybara was afraid of becoming in WoT (remember the guy Perrin found in that village?).

I also think something very terrible will happen to the Freys. Martin foreshadows this with the tale of the Rat Cook when Bran made it to the Wall (can't remember the name of the castle). The gods turned the cook into a giant rat not because he killed a prince and served the boy to his king father in a pie, but because the boy had broken bread and ate under their roof. Guest rights.

I'll get more later. Time to work.

 

[Velenne]

Ok more theories.

Tyrion finds a way North to help Jon Snow, one of the few people who gave him friendship. Speaking of Jon, he leads the Night Watch to ally with the wildlings under Bran, who also owns the North by rights (Robb having no sons, and he being the next in Eddard's line). Since the Freys will meet a bloody and just end, the Riverlands will still belong to the Tully's who will rejoin their banners with the unified North.

Perhaps Dorne will march north proclaiming Myrcella the Queen as per their own customs. If they bend the knee or ally with Tommen, it will given Lannister a strong claim to Westeros again.

Exactly what Petyr has planned for the Vale, I don't know. He'll want to rule the North along with it, but if Bran pops up, that will be shot. What he'll do with Sansa after that -I'm not sure I want to think about. But the Vale will be key to any side's victory, though even with it, the Lannister's throne may not be able to hold against the Northron armies, (if they truly wish to fight them after that). Without the Vale, they're surely lost.

Yet it may not be an issue. I could also see the armies of the North fighting Others and wights and worse for a time while the Lannisters contend with Daenerys' host. The winners of those two struggles would face off in the end. I see this being the Others (I wonder what BBEG will lead them?) vs. the remaining forces left on Westeros.

But that all fits too well together, and Martin is much too devious for that. Tsk on him for killing Robb. :`(

Who will be Tommen's Hand? Cersei, I think.

What part does Ser Jorah have left to play? I don't think his betrayel is complete...

Will Jon Snow love again? I doubt it....but how awesome would it be if he and Dany....?

What will Lady Catelyn's part be? Clearly it was Thoros who raised her. But what is left to her now but hate? I think she may spell the bitter end for the Freys. Fitting too.

And my favorite, Arya Stark, the she-wolf? She learns the trade of the assassin in Braavos, for sure. Maybe Jaqin will teach her?

Until then, "Valar morghulis."

 

[Malexin]

*********Spoilers and Speculation below************

1.) The most memorable one on one combat for me is when Jon is forced to kill Qhorin Halfhand to infiltrate the Wildlings. It really shows the strength of his character and the will to do what must be done.

2.) The Battle of Kings Landing has to be one of the most awesome battles ever written. It would be amazing to see on the silver screen/

3.) My favorite death scene is Tyrion exacting his revenge upon his father Tywin. That old man got what he deserved.

4.) Not sure on this one. I guess Sandor vs. Gregor.

5.) Eventually it is revealed that Jon is the son of Prince Rhaegar and Eddard Stark's sister. I think this mostly because Eddard took the secret of who exactly Jon's mother is to his grave for the dual purpose of defending his sister's honor and protecting John from those who would be interested in using/killing the infant. This would make Jon the Ice to Dany's Fire. I think Jon having the white direwolf also foreshadows that Jon will represent Ice.

6.) I like warm weather so maybe Dorne.

 

[Velenne]

I'd have to go digging through it again, but don't they come right out and say who Jon's mother is? A wet-nurse or something? Or am I thinking of someone else? "Milk brothers" or some such?

 

[Mystic Eye]

My answers:

1. What's your favorite small-scale combat scene? (one on one or few combatants)

A: hmmmm... Maybe the lightning lord and Sandor.

2. What's your favorite large-scale combat scene?

A: King's Landing and the charge of Tyrion as well as the attack at Castle Black.

3. Which death scene is your favorite?

A: Danys brother getting his "Crown of Gold"!

4. Which rivalry between two people have you enjoyed the most?

A Tyrion versus the nobles of the realm and his own family. He is at odds with them all. Specifically, Tyrion and Cercei.

5. Useless speculation time: Your predictions, however poorly founded, about the future of the story... or just where you'd like to see the story go.

A: Well, They way Martin writes it is really hard to predict. It is pretty obvious that Malisandra has the wrong person as her champion and it is Dany she sees in the flames. Eventually she will work that out and drop Stannis like a hot potato. Knowing the way this story goes it will be at a time when he needs her most and since he is not a POV character he will die a horrible death.

Something tells me that before all is said and done there will be a bastard king in the north, Jon. Bran will lead the wildlings and join forces with Jon to go head to head against Dany when she comes and crushes every one else, smashing all their well thought out plans.
I cannot wait to see what Tywin does when she shows up with three Dragons and a huge army on the shores, or maybe at Kings Landing.
The dark forces are obviously the others and what ever else awakes beyond the wall.

6. If you were trapped in Westeros at the beginning of aGoT, knowing fully what was to come but you COULDN'T CHANGE it (i.e. telling Robert about "his" children before his death), what would you do? Where would you go?

A: It would depend on who I was in the social structure. If I was no one I would probably get the heck out of dodge. If poor, to the wall, if well off, across the seas.

 

[King_Stannis]

A: Well, They way Martin writes it is really hard to predict. It is pretty obvious that Malisandra has the wrong person as her champion and it is Dany she sees in the flames. Eventually she will work that out and drop Stannis like a hot potato. Knowing the way this story goes it will be at a time when he needs her most and since he is not a POV character he will die a horrible death.

being a POV character didn't help ned or catelyn