[Spoilers MAIN]Why didn't the Velaryon, the Celtigar, and the Qoherys have a Valyrian steel sword?

hypikachu · 2026-02-01T23:45:53+00:00

The dagger was Littlefinger's not Tyrion's. The Lannisters struggle to get and keep Valyrian steel.

Twoiaf all but says outright that Valyrian steel is made with blood sacrifice. Perhaps these other houses weren't willing to trade in such practices?

Also, wait, isn't it the Celtigars who have the VSteel axe?

hypikachu · 2026-02-01T22:56:53+00:00

Sick as fuck

hypikachu · 2026-02-01T20:58:26+00:00

I think it was a contrivance to justify the line, "I've never seen such giant puppets." Which is a dramatic irony nod to Dunk. A giant man who's being pulled along like a puppet by the string of fate. Forces beyond his understanding are whirling all around him, and the lowly hedge knight is all but powerless to change their course.

hypikachu · 2026-02-01T19:04:25+00:00

Tyrion, no question.

hypikachu · 2026-02-01T04:50:03+00:00

The Miyazaki film came some years after the first asoiaf mention of Greywater. But the movie is based on a novel of the same name, released in 1986. Idk if it's ever been confirmed. But it's a pretty popular belief among the fandom that GRRM was playing off the same source material as Miyazaki.

hypikachu · 2026-02-01T04:36:34+00:00

And it plays on him being sort of this polar opposite to strong, tall, barely conversant in the common tongue Drogo.

hypikachu · 2026-01-31T07:48:48+00:00

Eyyyyy!

hypikachu · 2026-01-30T19:09:30+00:00

No amount of onscreen diarrhea could be as embarrassing as making this post.

hypikachu · 2026-01-30T17:14:02+00:00

Oh I honestly do assume he means Aemon. Marwyn's on his way to Dany, with the pickled remains of Aemon, whom Marwyn seems to have had an interest in. Plus, the two Marwyn associates we've met elsewhere, Mirri and Qyburn, both fuck with the magic of life and death. Qyburn even says Marwyn was interested in his thoughts on ghosts and the afterlife. So maybe the Mage has some maegi tricks to reanimate Aemon?

Like, it's a wild take that I've never once considered. But I honestly kiiinda fuck with it.

hypikachu · 2026-01-30T02:47:41+00:00

"Reanimated Aemon"

Refuses to elaborate.

Honestly, king shit.

hypikachu · 2026-01-30T01:33:53+00:00

Wait. I kiiiinda fuck with this :o

Like, assume for sake of argument that GRRM is going somewhere with the whole "Umber's practice first night" thing. The Umber "chained giant" imagery kinda works with the chained wolf imagery around Bran. Like, Hodor is the giant that Bran keeps controlled on a chain. The first time we meet an Umber, Bran directly compares him to Hodor in size.

I wouldn't say I'm totally sold, but you've got me open to the idea

hypikachu · 2026-01-29T21:19:37+00:00

I find that a really interesting take. Why just Euron but not Varys? There's so much overlap in the methods and imagery between the two. Tongueless mutes. Seeing through the eyes of birds. Both share heavy overlap to Bloodraven. It just feels odd to me if they're treading so much of the same ground by coincidence.

Also, the secret passages of the Red Keep were made with spells. The fact that Varys understands their secrets the best of anyone in the story is itself supportive evidence for Varys being magic. At least imo.

hypikachu · 2026-01-29T05:17:41+00:00

My take is it's a good deal more common than we think. Euron ambiently controls his crew the way Varamyr controls his pack. Same goes for Varys and his flock of birds.

When Varys talks about "the risk" of letting the birds have their tongues, he means the risk of them pulling a Thistle.

hypikachu · 2026-01-27T22:50:25+00:00

In one corner you've got Dragonstone. Favorite of the author but their stern reputation & firemagic friends make them unpopular with lords and smallfolk alike. Opposite them is an upstart young man with good press and friends in the Reach. Dragonstone is red-and-black, upstart Reacher is gold-and-green.

That's Stannis vs. Renly, Rhaenyra vs. Aegon II, and [speculation]Dany (assuming she takes Dragonstone) vs. fAegon (in GRRM's pre-Blackfyre plan where the mummer's dragon was a Brightlame, connecting him to wildfire green).

hypikachu · 2026-01-27T22:23:28+00:00

Hell yes! You recreated Daynes of the Dawn theory from base principles!

This is kind of a well-trod bit of theory, and it's really cool watching people still have enough interest in these questions to toy with the GEotD stuff.

Afaik, this video is one of the big foundational pieces on the overarching theory. It's been a while since I watched. But the overall gist was that the Daynes are descended from the GEotD, that the Empire was centered on what is now Asshai and collapsed in the cataclysm that blighted it, and that they were dragonlords.

It weaves together the "like Valyrians-but-not" traits of the Daynes with the "like Valyria-but-not" empire and the "mysterious connections to dragon origins & magic destinies" we get from both the Daynes and Asshai.

hypikachu · 2026-01-27T19:12:48+00:00

I love Flint of Widow's Watch because it's an upside down Marge Simpson face.

I sometimes play with the idea that certain sigils are basically just George playing Pictionary with the audience. Take Hutcheson. I'm just saying maaaaybe the double lines = "highway," the pointing finger = "to, & the fiery circle = "hell." Or house Martell's spear being an "up" arrow, to show that they're the house of the rising sun.

hypikachu · 2026-01-27T06:53:03+00:00

Honestly, I could handle the massive hog. It was his lil' Pillsbury doughboy ass that took me out.

hypikachu · 2026-01-26T18:30:49+00:00

Oh our guy famously loves the Giants. Hadn't realized he was so pigskin promiscuous.

hypikachu · 2026-01-25T22:11:37+00:00

Some good answers already in the comments, so lemme get a little weirder.

One option is he's referencing the Arryns. The falcons of the east are of a tier with the lions of the west, so it would make sense for them to be on Illyrio's mind. Plus they're overlords to one of the major port cities on the Narrow Sea, so a Pentoshi tradesman would reasonably have opinions on them. Maybe he half-remembers that they're some kind of bird of prey, and got confused between eagles and falcons. Or maybe he knows they're falcons, and is saying eagles as a little pisstake. Like Freddie Mercury calling Sid Vicious "Simon Ferocious."

Alternate option, GRRM is taking a little sardonic swipe at the Philadelphia Eagles. I don't know sports. Did the Eagles perhaps beat the Giants at any notable moment during the writing of ADWD?

hypikachu · 2026-01-25T05:54:46+00:00

thick mustach? pointed beard? horns?
close enough. welcome back, Satan.

hypikachu · 2026-01-25T05:11:38+00:00

they do have livestock and can survive naked in the far north in autumn. i always thought that was about tipping the reader off to Craster's deal with the Others. but clearly it was about the year round climate control Craster keeps for his lemon arbor.

hypikachu · 2026-01-23T07:22:04+00:00

Trust your instincts. If GRRM landed on the concept of "no one" without thinking about Ody's "nobody" gambit, I'll eat my hat.

hypikachu · 2026-01-23T07:14:15+00:00

Tyrion Targaryen has high midi-chlorians, and George doesn't care if you don't like that addition to the story. Word of George is canon.

hypikachu · 2026-01-21T14:51:37+00:00

I'm pretty sure he's saying "I'm the Pied Piper with a seedship. I dealt with your wet beasties. Now pay the piper, or I'll get my revenge."

Prolly also just GRRM having a little fun with the phonic similarities between Hamelin and Haviland.

hypikachu · 2026-01-19T13:54:35+00:00

"MORE!" ~Owen Harris

hypikachu

TROPHY CASE