As you may or may not know, Wars and Politics of Ice and Fire has its own Tumblr page (as well as its own Twitter and Facebook pages). Even more excitingly, we here at the blog have partnered with ASOIAF University to answer questions about A Song of Ice and Fire. We – that is, NFriel and I – take the text-based questions submitted to us, write up thoughtful, text-based answers, and publish these answers on the Tumblr. It was a long and productive week, this first full one of the new year, and we’ve started it off right, citing both Harry Potter and the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in our analysis this week. Plenty of alternate universe hypotheticals and the Queen Regent had both guns blazing in shooting down theories.
- SomethingLikeALawyer praises Barristan as the best living swordsman that we know of.
- SomethingLikeALawyer believes Robert would listen if Eddard told him about Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen.
- SomethingLikeALawyer highlights the troubles renegotiating the Dornish Treaty would have.
- NFriel speculates on who initiated the Elia-Rhaegar marriage.
- NFriel wonders on the role each Stark will have to play in the future.
- NFriel doubts that Rickard disrespecting his daughter caused her to run away from home.
- NFriel ruminates on what happens if a member of a betrothal dies untimely.
- NFriel shares her thoughts on whether Aegon IV poisoned Viserys II.
- SomethingLikeALawyer addresses a few questions on Green actions in the Dance.
- SomethingLikeALawyer explains why gold and silver are coinage metals.
- SomethingLikeALawyer thinks that Larys Strong was hiding with Aegon II on Dragonstone.
- SomethingLikeALawyer briefly talks about the status of the Velaryons today.
- NFriel acknowledges we don’t know enough about Qhorwyn the Cunning.
- NFriel theorizes a very bad time for Westeros if Rhaegel takes the Throne.
- SomethingLikeALawyer demonstrates that if Sansa was sent away, Eddard’s life is much safer.
- NFriel simplifies a question about Bloodraven and a one-eyed dog.
- SomethingLikeALawyer cites where Renly’s weak hold on the Stormlands is mentioned in ACOK.
- NFriel offers some advice on show watchers who want to learn more about the dense world lore.
- SomethingLikeALawyer rants on why he doesn’t like politicians like Renly.
- NFriel gives her own opinion on Daeron II (a change from SomethingLikeALawyer’s more critical judgment).
- NFriel postulates possible fates for Daena the Defiant following Viserys II’s ascension.
- NFriel delivers Daenerys’s thoughts and potential choices for handling her own succession.
- SomethingLikeALawyer mourns the lack of material on Robert’s Rebellion aside from ones he has previously cited.
- SomethingLikeALawyer delves into Stannis’s brain to extract his thoughts on Aegon and Daenerys.
- SomethingLikeALawyer agrees that Daeron I Targaryen and King Robb Stark share a great deal of parallels.
- NFriel notes problems with going to Asshai or having a POV from that area.
- NFriel dismisses another tinfoil theory.
- SomethingLikeALawyer refutes a (well-written) theory that Daeron II had a physical disability.
- SomethingLikeALawyer uses Barristan’s thoughts to show why he’s such a bad politician.
- SomethingLikeALawyer fanboys a little over Cregan Stark.
- SomethingLikeALawyer visualizes problems that would prevent Robb Stark from being an effective King of Westeros.
- SomethingLikeALawyer drops some quotes that show Westerosi outrage over Daeron I’s death.
- SomethingLikeALawyer portends a grim future if Jaime was discovered to be behind pushing Bran.
- NFriel opines on the possibility of an affair between Aemon the Dragonknight and Queen Naerys.
- NFriel answers why Daena was not one of Aegon’s chosen mistresses.
- NFriel states why Margaery’s virginity was so important in marrying her to Joffrey.
- NFriel pontificates on Quaithe’s identity.
- SomethingLikeALawyer guesses on why Cregan Stark didn’t seize power after the Dance.
- SomethingLikeALawyer speaks that we have no idea what kind of king Daemon Blackfyre would be.
- SomethingLikeALawyer handles why Otto Hightower was reappointed to the Handship.
- SomethingLikeALawyer supposes that Lightbringer won’t be a person.
- NFriel considers other candidates for Robert’s new queen.
- NFriel checks the case for incest if Cersei has one black-haired babe.
- NFriel utilizes the Hornwood case in a follow-on for Daenerys and her succession.
- NFriel hypothesizes a faction fight if the Baratheon line dies out.
- NFriel regards the wildfire as the biggest Chekov’s gun.
- SomethingLikeALawyer ponders that Tyrion could still become a dragonrider.
- SomethingLikeALawyer would love further information on the Hungry Wolf.
- SomethingLikeALawyer needs Robert Baratheon to want to work at being a good king before he could ever be one.
- SomethingLikeALawyer compares Aegon I to Otto von Bismarck.
- SomethingLikeALawyer concludes what happens when an older, infirm Kingsguard is unable to protect his king.
- SomethingLikeALawyer focuses on the weaknesses of the five kings.
- SomethingLikeALawyer suspects that there could be no bringing Martell and Lannister both into Robert’s new regime, save in alternate universes.
- NFriel expands on Elaena Targaryen.
- NFriel waxes eloquently on the possibility of Melisandre and Bloodraven being opponents.
- NFriel establishes that nothing much could help poor, doomed Aegon the Younger.
- SomethingLikeALawyer looks to tenure as a way to determine relative political strength.
- NFriel rejects the possibility that Syrio is still alive.
- NFriel reminds our readers that the podcast episode has everything we know about the book-that-never-was.
- NFriel feels that the hips did lie.
- SomethingLikeALawyer corrects an earlier misreading of a question.
- SomethingLikeALawyer points out that Daeron II being alive might have stopped Dagon Greyjoy.
- SomethingLikeALawyer elaborates a bit on House Arryn, the good and the bad.
- SomethingLikeALawyer condemns both sides of the Dance of the Dragons and would have fought in the war only grudgingly.
- SomethingLikeALawyer clarifies Littlefinger’s actions in the Alayne sample chapter.
- NFriel expounds on some of the most faithful houses in Westeros.
- SomethingLikeALawyer judges that the caricatures of Robert Baratheon don’t do the man justice.
- NFriel expects the Faith won’t call for a Trial by Seven, nor will Sandor be the Faith’s champion.
As always, we love to hear your text-based questions, so if you have a burning question about ASOIAF, click this link to send us a raven.
Until next week,
SomethingLikeALawyer
Wars and Politics of Ice and Fire 