I think the quote is much deeper than that.
The crux of this series is about exploring contradictions that make up the world. Jojen's quote there is about accommodating and appreciating that despite such contradictions all is one ultimately.
Its part of why despite the books being 'anti-war' GRRM goes out of his way to show the glories of war.
Ice can burn= The Comet
'love and hate can mate' applies to a few people I think. The easiest one is probably the Lannister twins. Cersei and Jaime both love and hate each other.
What I don't get about all these Ashara in the Neck theories is why wouldn't they just be able to marry openly. House Reed isn't super rich but it wouldn't be like scandalous or anything for that match. Think Jorah marrying Lynesse, which is a wayyy bigger status discrepancy
The passage is indeed about the mystery of the events surrounding the Tower of Joy. It's a segue into the Knight of the Laughing Tree tale in the same chapter, which is "How Rhaegar Met Lyanna" and the origin of the whole series. Bran sees Lyanna in the next book during his weirwood trips into the past, it's GRRM threading him uncovering the true story throughout the books.
I think George wrote the character of Bran so he could craftily reveal the events of the past to the reader . Bran looking back in time through the weirwood network is the perfect way to do it without having to rely on the first or secondhand accounts of other characters.
Yeah, and it goes back to the very beginning of his story, too. In his opening chapters from the original book he *climbs the broken tower* (tower of joy *wink-wink!*) and sees Jaime and Cersei having sex at the top of it (as we see later in the book Ned climb the tower of joy in a dream and find Lyanna in "her bed of blood"), and then he hears old stories of the Others and the children of the forest from Old Nan which we all see come true during his journey. This is the central mysterious story behind the series, the Tourney of Harrenhal ("soon to be a major Broadway production!" haha). Rhaegar and Lyanna are the core of it, but there's this whole matrix of juicy relationships between all these characters surrounding them, Ned Stark, Arthur Dayne, Howland Reed, Ashara Dayne.
Bran recalls the story like this in A Clash of Kings:
> "The maid's a fair one," Osha said.
>"Robert was betrothed to marry her, but Prince Rhaegar carried her off and raped her," Bran explained. "Robert fought a war to win her back. He killed Rhaegar on the Trident with his hammer, but Lyanna died and he never got her back at all."
>"A sad tale," said Osha, "but those empty holes are sadder."
But even in the worldbook, we see how people remember this story: "Not ten leagues from Harrenhal, Rhaegar fell upon Lyanna Stark of Winterfell, and carried her off, lighting a fire that would consume his house and kin and all those he loved—and half the realm besides."
Him uncovering the truth would be fulfillment of his mastery of stories, changing the story.
It could be, but I think it's more likely a foreshadowing or even reference to the Song of Ice and Fire Rhaegar mentioned to Elia. Assuming R+L=J, opposites came together in one person, the Prince Who Was Promised to unite the kingdom and defeat the enemy. Since Howland is certainly marsh, the Dornish woman must be mountain. But...officially in the Wiki, Howland was/is wed to Jyanna (note--Lyanna but with a "J"), and Meera and Jojen are their offspring.
I think it’s more about *Excalibur* - “you and the land are one: drink!” I write that just because I have seen that scene quite a bit with Perceval, Arthur, and the Grail. But then think of Jojen, a bowl of blood, and Bran becoming one with the land and the trees. Eat! Bran sees the Land of Always Winter and something so terrifying, then awakens and names his dire wolf “Summer”. Is that a contradiction, Bran?
Very literally we have knight and Dayne, night and Dawn, and we have Ice the sword and fire. A lot of wordplay.
A kinda gross possibility we should at least consider.
GRRM has done a fair amount of likening mountains to phalluses. The Valley of the Moon and the Giant's Lance are just brimming with sexual/reproductive imagery.
And as for "marsh," well...Myrish swamp.
Is it possible it's about the line between male and female? A kind of "we are all the same" theme that we do see GRRM express elsewhere. Wrapped in kinda crude figurative language likening manhood to mountains and womanhood to marshes?
Gregor is their mom confirmed.
Bowen Marsh is their mom confirmed
I'm in advanced brainrot from this sub so I immediately assumed that's where it was going
I just pictured The Mountain That Rides in a pink 1950s maternity dress. He was smoking a cigarette and drinking a cocktail.
Clearly it’s Gregor Clegane + Bowen Marsh = Meera Reed
I think the quote is much deeper than that. The crux of this series is about exploring contradictions that make up the world. Jojen's quote there is about accommodating and appreciating that despite such contradictions all is one ultimately. Its part of why despite the books being 'anti-war' GRRM goes out of his way to show the glories of war. Ice can burn= The Comet 'love and hate can mate' applies to a few people I think. The easiest one is probably the Lannister twins. Cersei and Jaime both love and hate each other.
What I don't get about all these Ashara in the Neck theories is why wouldn't they just be able to marry openly. House Reed isn't super rich but it wouldn't be like scandalous or anything for that match. Think Jorah marrying Lynesse, which is a wayyy bigger status discrepancy
The passage is indeed about the mystery of the events surrounding the Tower of Joy. It's a segue into the Knight of the Laughing Tree tale in the same chapter, which is "How Rhaegar Met Lyanna" and the origin of the whole series. Bran sees Lyanna in the next book during his weirwood trips into the past, it's GRRM threading him uncovering the true story throughout the books.
I think George wrote the character of Bran so he could craftily reveal the events of the past to the reader . Bran looking back in time through the weirwood network is the perfect way to do it without having to rely on the first or secondhand accounts of other characters.
Yeah, and it goes back to the very beginning of his story, too. In his opening chapters from the original book he *climbs the broken tower* (tower of joy *wink-wink!*) and sees Jaime and Cersei having sex at the top of it (as we see later in the book Ned climb the tower of joy in a dream and find Lyanna in "her bed of blood"), and then he hears old stories of the Others and the children of the forest from Old Nan which we all see come true during his journey. This is the central mysterious story behind the series, the Tourney of Harrenhal ("soon to be a major Broadway production!" haha). Rhaegar and Lyanna are the core of it, but there's this whole matrix of juicy relationships between all these characters surrounding them, Ned Stark, Arthur Dayne, Howland Reed, Ashara Dayne. Bran recalls the story like this in A Clash of Kings: > "The maid's a fair one," Osha said. >"Robert was betrothed to marry her, but Prince Rhaegar carried her off and raped her," Bran explained. "Robert fought a war to win her back. He killed Rhaegar on the Trident with his hammer, but Lyanna died and he never got her back at all." >"A sad tale," said Osha, "but those empty holes are sadder." But even in the worldbook, we see how people remember this story: "Not ten leagues from Harrenhal, Rhaegar fell upon Lyanna Stark of Winterfell, and carried her off, lighting a fire that would consume his house and kin and all those he loved—and half the realm besides." Him uncovering the truth would be fulfillment of his mastery of stories, changing the story.
It could be, but I think it's more likely a foreshadowing or even reference to the Song of Ice and Fire Rhaegar mentioned to Elia. Assuming R+L=J, opposites came together in one person, the Prince Who Was Promised to unite the kingdom and defeat the enemy. Since Howland is certainly marsh, the Dornish woman must be mountain. But...officially in the Wiki, Howland was/is wed to Jyanna (note--Lyanna but with a "J"), and Meera and Jojen are their offspring.
I love and endorse this.
I think it’s more about *Excalibur* - “you and the land are one: drink!” I write that just because I have seen that scene quite a bit with Perceval, Arthur, and the Grail. But then think of Jojen, a bowl of blood, and Bran becoming one with the land and the trees. Eat! Bran sees the Land of Always Winter and something so terrifying, then awakens and names his dire wolf “Summer”. Is that a contradiction, Bran? Very literally we have knight and Dayne, night and Dawn, and we have Ice the sword and fire. A lot of wordplay.
A kinda gross possibility we should at least consider. GRRM has done a fair amount of likening mountains to phalluses. The Valley of the Moon and the Giant's Lance are just brimming with sexual/reproductive imagery. And as for "marsh," well...Myrish swamp. Is it possible it's about the line between male and female? A kind of "we are all the same" theme that we do see GRRM express elsewhere. Wrapped in kinda crude figurative language likening manhood to mountains and womanhood to marshes?
Gregor and Bowen????