In Game of Thrones S08E05 The Bells, when the      Lannister soldiers drop their weapons &amp; ring the bells indicating  their surrender, Daenerys still decides to burn Kings Landing to the  ground using Drogon.   A large number of people seem to agree that this is a character assassination on the part of D&amp;D (Dan Weiss &amp; David Benioff). In Inside The Episode, they indicted that Daenerys has made this a personal matter rather than just the business of War.     Right from the beginning of S08, we are shown how nobody in Westeros loves her. Even her advisors serve her out of duty &amp; not love. She loses Jorah &amp; Missandei, her closest friends and now she's all alone.     In E05, she says to Jon as nobody loves her, she will choose fear.     In early seasons, when Daenerys sees the vision in House of the Undying, she's in the throne room with snow falling. Everyone assumed it was snow but now, after seeing Arya's scene at the end, we know it wasn't snow but ash falling. So, it was a prophecy.     In the last episode, we see Daenerys talking about her destiny.     So, is Daenerys's decision to burn down Kings Landing consistent with her character arc right from S01? Or was this character assassination on part of D&amp;D?     Was Daenerys Targeryean the Queen of Ashes all along?
121724
In S08E05 of Game of Thrones, Dany decides to torch Kings Landing and all the innocent people in it. She is angry and can't seem to hold back her rage, and apparently taken with the madness that afflicts Targaryens.  But why does she attack the city and the people first?   Why not go after the cause of all her woes, Cersei, who's right there in front of her, whilst Dany looks directly at the Red Keep where Cersei is standing.  Dany knows that Cersei doesn't care about the inhabitants of King's Landing.   She can't be killing them just to cause Cersei pain. And in doing so she gives Cersei plenty of time to escape, missing her best opportunity.
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I'm three quarters through the third book, "Storm of Swords" right now (so please, no spoilers from too late in the book or any subsequent books).  I just read a part where Tyrion is discussing with Prince Oberyn and they mention the difference between Dornish law and Westerosi law in Line of Succession (ie women can rule under Dornish law).  I'm a little confused trying to puzzle out what the exact LOS rules are.  At first I though it was: at the moment a king/lord dies, to find who holds the title next, you do a depth-first search down the family tree starting with the oldest sibling (ignoring anyone who isn't true-born or has given up their claim ie as Night's Watch or Kingsguard etc.).  Then, for Dornish law you take the first living person and for Westerosi law the first living male person found in this way (so succession can pass through a woman in both cases, but only Dornish law actually allows them to claim the title). If there are no valid living heirs, then you work backwards along the paternal line until you find an ancestor who has living heirs and start from them.  But there were various references to if Sansa's brothers were all dead, then her child would claim Winterfell.  It seems to me that that's only true if somebody else doesn't get it first.  In other words, if Sansa's brothers are killed before she has a child (even if she's already married), doesn't that mean Winterfell would pass to the nearest cousin along her father's line (whomever that may be)?  And then because that cousin has already held Winterfell, when they die the next in the line of succession starts from them so Sansa's children's family would not have claim to Winterfell again unless that cousin has no valid heirs.  What am I missing here? Is there some exception?  Are there no valid cousins?
63391
For quite some time now I have been asking myself how the world of Game of Thrones is shaped and if the people living in that world know the shape.   In questions here on SciFi.Stackexchange concerning the unnatural seasons or the definition of a year in Westeros, it is often  that the Westerosi can measure the duration of a revolution of their planet around the sun. But that only works if they know that they actually live on a planet.   In  answer it was said that people have been travelling in ships around the world. However, I cannot remember any passage in the books supporting this. Actually I only remember evidence for the opposite:    During the  on the Iron Islands, there is a man called  who promises the Ironborn treasures from lands far to the west, if they elect him as king. However, the POV character of that chapter (I think it was Victarion Greyjoy) does not believe him and sees the madness in Gylbert's eyes - as if speaking of travelling west is crazy.  Later when he leads the attack against the Shield Islands, the Iron Fleet travels out of sight of the coast line. This manoeuvre is considered very dangerous and risky. If this is already dangerous, traveling even further west appears close to suicide.   In addition, there was a  who sailed to the far west and never returned.   establishes that the world is not a hollow world, but is not conclusive as to whether it is a planet.  Is there any evidence in the books that the World of Ice and Fire is a planet? Was it established that the Westerosi know the nature of their world?
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As per this  , Arya tells the Hound her kill list:  - Walder Frey  - Meryn Trant  - Tywin Lannister  - Melisandre  - Beric Dondarrion  - Thoros of Myr  - Ilyn Payne  - Gregor Clegane  - The Hound  - Cersei Lannister  - Joffrey Baratheon    As per this  at 2:10 Arya only says:  - Cersei Lannister  - Gregor Clegane  - Walder Frey    waif: "That is a short list. That can't be everyone you want to kill. Are you sure you are not forgetting someone?" Arya: "Which name would you like a girl to speak?"  Did Arya actually fail this test? Did the waif know Arya was lying about the length of her list and then started testing her by using the second person pronoun, you. And Arya did respond to you. Previously, Arya only talked about herself in the third person.  Or, had Arya's feelings actually changed? Realizing she was too blood thirsty, she had shortened her kill list even before going to Braavos?    And, what did Gregor Clegane ever do to House Stark? Why is he on the shortened kill list? Tywin did order him to raid the Riverlands in season 1, and House Tully is from the Riverlands, and Arya's mother is from House Tully... so is that why Arya hates the Mountain more than even Joffrey? Tywin? (Arya could not know that they are both dead)  Addendum Unlike her killing of Meryn Trant, I bet Arya now has "permission" to assassinate Cersei, the Mountain, and Walter Frey. After all, she was not whacked for saying those 3 are on the kill list.
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Twice in the books Daenerys has been in situations where it is reasonable to expect that she would have been burned to death, or at least seriously injured, yet has come out unharmed.  The first time was when she stepped into the funeral pyre of Khal Drogo, which resulted in her dragon eggs hatching.  The second time is in A Dance with Dragons, when she is exposed to Drogon's fire.  In both instances, all that happens to her is her hair is burned away.  I can't be certain, but I believe there may have been references in the first book to her touching burning coals and other hot materials, as well.  Is this a trait shared by other Targaryens?  Her brother certainly wasn't immune to molten gold, and while a number of Targaryens were fascinated with fire (Aerion Targaryen died from drinking wildfire, believing it would turn him into a dragon), I don't recall seeing mention of any Targaryen shrugging off fire.  Is Daenerys' apparent immunity explained anywhere?
19456
In S01E01 of Game of Thrones, Eddard passes death sentences on a deserter. In a conversation, the desserter says:     I know I broke my oath, and I'm a deserter. I should have gone back to the wall and warned them, but I saw what I saw.   My understanding is there is only one way to enter Winterfell and it is through the Wall. So how did this guys manage to escape the White Walker without going through/crossing the wall?  Please watch both the videos for the reference:
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At the end of season 6 of Game of Thrones,       Cersei claims the Iron Throne.   It is not explained how.  Is it normal for a Queen regent to assume the throne once there are       no longer any other apparent heirs?   If so, would she need to seek out and destroy any distant blood relations of the Baratheons, or does it not matter as they wouldn't have a significant army?  If it's held by coup powers, shouldn't Jaime be King? He is presumably still Lord of Westerlands and in charge of the Lannister forces.
2696
In the season 8 episode finale of Game of Thrones the highest important lords met with Grey Worm to free      Tyrion and Jon. While it was pretty clear why they wanted to free Jon it was unclear to me why they also asked for Tyrion.   To make things even more strange, they asked about his opinion of a potential solution which becomes the actual final one in the end      (choose king and nominate someone).   I thought they (besides Sansa and Bran) don't like him and wanted to judge him? Or am I missing something?
106742
I'm still working my way through the third book, but as I understand it, books four and five (A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons) occur at the same time -- both picking up immediately after A Storm of Swords ends -- but taking place in different locations.  I've read that the original publication of a A Feast for Crows was met with some disappointment, with some fans being unhappy having to plough through a whole book before finding out what happened to their favorite characters after A Storm of Swords.  With this in mind, I was wondering if a different reading order might be permissible? For example, could someone chose to read A Dance with Dragons first? Or, even more audaciously, would it be possible to read both books simultaneously? I.e. A chapter from one book, followed by a chapter from the other?   Are either of these viable reading orders, or are there important reasons why A Feast for Crows should be read first?
57313
This pertains to Season 6 and Season 7 of Game of Thrones if you have not caught up this point... Beware the Spoilers! Now to the question...  During the scene where Cersei sits on the Iron Throne and is &quot;sworn in&quot; we see her escorted by seven members of the Kingsguard. Now this is what I would expect as that is the correct number. However, I have no idea who they are!                                The books pay more attention to detail in this area, but the show is also diverging and outpacing in this regard. We can see that a few of the names are not possible on the show. I have listed the names from the books and given why the reason they could not be members on the show in bold.  Ser Jaime Lannister, Lord Commander - Stripped of title Ser Loras Tyrell - Dead and also was never a KG on the show. Ser Osmund Kettleblack - Possible, but not mentioned by name Ser Balon Swann - Possible, but not mentioned by name Ser Meryn Trant - Dead Ser Boros Blount - Possible, but not mentioned by name Ser Robert Strong (aka Zombie Mountain) - Confirmed  I know it can be confusing mixing the books and shows, but the question still remains the same... Who are the current members of the Kingsguard? Bonus Question: Who is the Lord Commander, if any? ETA: This question can also apply to the Kingsguard escorting her throughout Season 7.
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Let's take take a look at the oath of the Night's Watch from Game of Thrones:  &quot;Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to come.&quot; ―The Night's Watch oath  But as of S06E02   Now that Jon Snow has died, his watch has ended.  But apparently he's breathing again.  So how much of this makes sense to still be binding? Is he technically free from his oath now? Does the &quot;until my death&quot; part contradict the &quot;and all the nights to come&quot; part?
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Based on , my understanding is that there are 9 regions of Westeros subject to the rule of the Iron Throne, from Dorne joining up to Cersei killing Robert.  With whom does [insert region] align in what appears to be Daenerys vs Cersei?   Kingdom of the North -- Daenerys probably but currently busy with White Walkers Kingdom of the Mountain and the Vale -- Daenerys probably but currently busy with White Walkers (supposedly; depends on what Littlefinger has in mind) Kingdom of the Isles and Rivers (Iron Islands) -- Daenerys Kingdom of the Isles and Rivers (Riverlands) -- Cersei because the Freys are with the Lannisters? Kingdom of the Rock -- Cersei because she is a Lannister Kingdom of the Stormlands -- Cersei? Kingdom of the Reach -- Daenerys after invitation of Varys and Ellaria Principality of Dorne -- Daenerys after invitation of Varys presumably Crownlands -- Cersei since Cersei is currently occupying the Iron Throne   Am I understanding this right? Anything wrong?
35327
I am re-watching Game of Thrones and I came across this question.  Tywin Lannister is the Lord of Casterly Rock - But since his death, who is now the Lord of Casterly Rock?    Tyrion can't be the Lord as he is a fugitive. Jaime Lannister cannot be the Lord either as he's in the order of the Kingsguards. There is no indication that it's Cersei.   Has this ever been mentioned? I imagine that since Tywin's death, there would be a lot of enemies who will see this as a weakness and try to take this land?
31749
My friend told me that Ramsay flayed Theon; this question is in two parts:   Is this correct? and What else has Ramsay possibly done?   I have not read the books, but don't mind spoilers from them.
97792
Spoilers for A Storm of Swords / Season 4 episode 2 "The Lion and the Rose".  At the Purple Wedding,      Littlefinger and Lady Olenna Tyrell   perform their plan of      poisoning King Joffrey.   A short summary of their plan:  Littlefinger orders Ser Dontos Hollard to give Sansa Stark a beautiful silver hairnet adorned with amethysts. At least some of the amethysts are actually strangler crystals in disguise. Ser Dontos also, still under orders of Littlefinger, urges Sansa to wear the hairnet at the wedding, which she then does. At the wedding, when Lady Olenna greets Sansa, she fusses her hairnet a bit, while secretly taking one of the strangler crystals. Later, during the wedding, Lady Olenna puts the crystal in Joffrey's royal cup, poisoning him.  But why was their plan so complicated? Why couldn't Lady Olenna just bring a strangler crystal with her to the wedding (as suggested in )?  Then they wouldn't depend on Ser Dontos and Sansa who could unknowingly have done something to prevent the success of the plan.  The only reason that I could think of, is Littlefinger and Lady Olenna plan for Sansa (and Tyrion as her husband with her) to take the blame for Joffrey's death.  They put the crystals on her person, so that upon examination it would clearly show that Sansa had the murder weapon on her. But Littlefinger had a plan he did not tell Lady Olenna, namely rescuing Sansa during the chaos ensuing the murder (and thereby leaving Tyrion behind as the only accused).  Is there anything confirming or debunking this theory? If my theory doesn't hold up, is there another explanation for why the plan was so needlessly complicated?
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Up until "Dragonstone" (Game of Thrones, S07E01) we have only seen faceless men change faces, but when Arya takes on the 'Face' of Walder Frey she assumes more than just his face. She takes on his voice, mannerisms, stature, and posture. Certainly, some of that can be mimicry (changing one's voice, etc), but when Arya (as Walder) stands to make a toast she is like him in more than just 'face', we get an especially good view of the hands and his height.   So, how* does the 'magic' of the House of Black &amp; White/The Many Faced Gods work in respect to this? Does putting on the face of another grant one more than just a face?  Note: other questions bring into question how or whether Arya still has access to that magic. For the purpose of this question let us assume that she does.  *Edit: By "how" what I mean is 'to what extent' or 'how far does it go'. (not by what 'magically principal' (ie is it a transmutation or a glamour). The reference that points out that memories even come with it. The names "The Faceless Men" and "The Many-faced God" focus our attention on the 'facial' aspect but the 'magic' really appears to cover allow the 'wearer' access to the identity, in both mind and body.
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Lots of spoilers for Game of Thrones, Season 7 Episode 6, "Beyond the Wall" here:      After Daenerys escapes from the Night king, the undead army pulls the fallen dragon out of the lake. To achieve this, they use chains.  Where do they have tons of chains from? Would that imply that the Night King has a "base" (or castle or whatever) somewhere? If they can't enter water or have troubles entering the water:   Who organized the chains       and put them on the dragon?