A Song of Ice and Fire 30 Day Challenge

Favorite plot twist

Renly’s death

Despite the shock of Ned’s death in AGoT, I still made the mistake when reading ACoK of thinking that the plot would follow a foreseeable trajectory. It’s called A Clash of Kings, so we’re building up the brother against brother thing and that will be the big climax of the whole book probably and- oh shit, no it’s not. I never expected Renly to die that quickly. It shifted the alliances around, gave some legitimacy to Melisandre’s powers, and proved once again you never can tell with George R.R. Martin.

A Song of Ice and Fire Challenge

Most lamented death

Ned Stark

“After the first death, there is no other.” -Dylan Thomas

A Song of Ice and Fire 30 Day Challenge

-Most accurately portrayed character on the show

Varys was one character I never found a satisfactory fancast for when I was imagining the show, because he’s so odd and unique, I didn’t think anyone could really match who was in my head after reading the books. Then Conleth Hill came along and turned from a hairy northern Irish guy to a brilliant, funny and slithery bald eunuch before my very eyes. And it was perfect.

A Song of Ice and Fire 30 Day Challenge

Most Moving Moment

I chose two, for very different reasons.

(Spoilers)

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The Free City of Braavos

A vast city of islands and canals by the sea, Braavos is a place of trade and secrets. The legendary assassins the Faceless Men originate in a temple there, though all gods are welcome in Braavos. The swordfighters train in the elegant art of the Water Dance, and the city overflows with wealthy merchants and courtesans, and poor fishermen and dockside taverns. Even the kingdom of Westeros is in debt to the Iron Bank of Braavos. The city itself was a secret to the outside world for four hundred years after it was founded.

A Song of Ice and Fire 30 Day Challenge

-Song that reminds you of your favorite ship

I don’t really have a favorite ship since all love leads to suckiness in ASOIAF, and why get my hopes up, etc.

But I do hear Salt-N-Pepa’s “Shoop” in my head every time Dany thinks about a certain sellsword.

A Song of Ice and Fire 30 Day Challenge

-Most powerful lines

Everything that George R.R. Martin has written in A Song of Ice and Fire reinforces that this is not the standard fantasy story. Good guys die, bad guys thrive, and being the most honorable, noble and brave hero doesn’t mean a thing when your opponent is more skilled or cunning or simply has better luck. Sometimes honor is the downfall, and bravery might only lead to death. Heroes die like everyone else. Life is not a song, to quote GRRM.

A Song of Ice and Fire 30-Day Challenge

-Best player at the game of thrones

“Storms come and go, the big fish eat the little fish, and I keep on paddling.” -Varys

I think it’s a common opinion that Littlefinger and Varys are playing the game at a whole other level beyond the others in Westeros. No one has their wealth of knowledge and their ability to thrive in chaos. The reason I give Varys the slight edge is that he has shown virtually no sentiment, and has not been swayed by emotion. I think that eventually Littlefinger’s feelings toward the Stark women may be his downfall, or at the very least cause him to underestimate them. I think Varys is the best player, because even after a long time, we still can’t predict his actions and where he’ll turn up next.

A Song Of Ice and Fire 30 Day Challenge

-Outfit or costume you think a character should wear

I want to see Catelyn in something that is remotely flattering in season 3. Get her something open-necked and bright in color like Cersei’s dress. Cat would look stunning in that. Just anything but the drabwear!

Also would like to see Brienne wearing Kingsguard armor. She would rock it.

A Song of Ice and Fire 30 Day Challenge

- Scariest creature- Dragons

A Song of Ice and Fire 30 Day Challenge

-Most exciting book POV

Arya Stark

There’s always something going on in an Arya chapter in the ASOIAF series. You could say the same thing about Tyrion…until A Dance With Dragons. For spoilers’ sake, I’m focusing on the first two books alone.

In AGoT and ACoK, through Arya, see what a horrible shit Joffrey is for the first time while the boys spar in the yard at Winterfell. Then in King’s Landing, she learns her preferred type of “needlework” under Syrio Forel,and later witnesses his last (?) stand, killing armored knights with nothing but a wooden practice sword.

She also runs into a secret meeting between Varys and a foreigner we know is Illyrio Mopatis. With the gossip from the two men, we learn the plotting going on between the houses. And it’s from Arya’s POV that we see Ned’s execution.

In ACoK, Arya goes on an odyssey full of action and death. She develops her own ‘pack,’ with Gendry, Hot Pie and Lommy. (We see more of their time together in ACOK than we saw on the show.) She meets Jaqen H’ghar and saves him from the fire, and becomes the ghost in Harrenhal. If you haven’t read the book, you have to, if only for the Weasel Soup scene, which was not depicted on the TV show for (I think) plotting reasons.

After that, she serves as a cupbearer and hears about all sorts of battle gossip from around Westeros and the Starks begin to seem even less in control of their situation.

Her story in the subsequent books is exciting as well…but you’ll just have to read the books, or wait for future seasons and hope the best parts don’t get cut. Like Weasel Soup.

A Song of Ice and Fire 30 Day Challenge

-Favorite promotional photo from the show

The scene and image that inspired countless (okay, maybe a couple dozen) CSI parodies.

“Who tried to kill my Bran? Whooooooo are you! Who who. Who who.”

A Song of Ice and Fire 30 Day Challenge

- Characters you wish would interact

Brienne of Tarth and Sansa Stark

After getting past their initial discomfort around each other, they would get on very well as their ideals of honor and chivalrous knighthood are the same. I’ve always felt that Brienne had more in common with Sansa than with the younger Stark daughter she’d often compared to. They could save each other.

A Song of Ice and Fire 30 Day Challenge

-Favorite House Motto

We Do Not Sow

You have to admire the baldfaced guts of a motto that says essentially, “We don’t make or grow our own stuff. We’re just going to stop by and steal all your stuff.”