(BOOK SPOILERS) Game of Thrones Series Discussion for Book Readers

[Blu-Benny]

Originally Posted by Aragorn the Elfstone

Eh, nobody outside of the Iron Islands ever considered Balon a king, least of all Stannis (the "one true king").

Melisandre, especially, would find no use for the blood of a usurper's son.

refresh my memory......didn't Stannis say Balon's name when he did the leaches thing??

[Starpower67]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

refresh my memory......didn't Stannis say Balon's name when he did the leaches thing??

Yeah but he used Robert's sons blood to do it. He considered him to be a false king like Robb and Joffrey. Because they were claiming something he thought was rightfully his. Even if in Robb's case it was just freedom for the North.

[mrrant_33]

Didn't they say that there were going to be a couple of flashbacks this season? Or was it only supposed to be the one?

And what the F has the Night's King been up to?

[Hucksta G]

Originally Posted by mrrant_33

Didn't they say that there were going to be a couple of flashbacks this season? Or was it only supposed to be the one?

And what the F has the Night's King been up to?

I thought I heard there were supposed to be a few flashbacks too

[BluProofie]

David and Dan said there was just one, though we might get a few next year judging by those casting calls.

The Night's King

[Show spoiler] will appear on Sunday's episode.

[Moe Szyslak]

Not sure why I haven't done this already, but last night's ep really makes me want to read that World of Ice and Fire book. I'll start that once the season ends.

Was looking for clarification on something....

[Show spoiler]Couldn't remember if the books explicitly mention that Valyrian steel and Dragonglass are one in the same. Came across this summary from AFFC, "When looking in the Night's Watch's archives, Samwell Tarly reads about dragonsteel, which he and Jon Snow think might have been Valyrian steel."

So I guess we don't necessarily know at this point, unless overlooked some other stuff.

EDIT: Ugh, just realized that excerpt refers to Dragonsteel, as opposed to Dragonglass. So do we conclude there are at least two materials that can kill a White Walker?

[Col. Zombie]

Originally Posted by Moe Szyslak

Not sure why I haven't done this already, but last night's ep really makes me want to read that World of Ice and Fire book. I'll start that once the season ends.

Was looking for clarification on something....

[Show spoiler]Couldn't remember if the books explicitly mention that Valyrian steel and Dragonglass are one in the same. Came across this summary from AFFC, "When looking in the Night's Watch's archives, Samwell Tarly reads about dragonsteel, which he and Jon Snow think might have been Valyrian steel."

So I guess we don't necessarily know at this point, unless overlooked some other stuff.

EDIT: Ugh, just realized that excerpt refers to Dragonsteel, as opposed to Dragonglass. So do we conclude there are at least two materials that can kill a White Walker?

Regardless, it looks as if Snow's Valyrian Steel blade can kill a white walker, so for TV purposes the debate's settled.

[Stinky-Dinkins]

Originally Posted by Moe Szyslak

Not sure why I haven't done this already, but last night's ep really makes me want to read that World of Ice and Fire book. I'll start that once the season ends.

Was looking for clarification on something....

[Show spoiler]Couldn't remember if the books explicitly mention that Valyrian steel and Dragonglass are one in the same. Came across this summary from AFFC, "When looking in the Night's Watch's archives, Samwell Tarly reads about dragonsteel, which he and Jon Snow think might have been Valyrian steel."

So I guess we don't necessarily know at this point, unless overlooked some other stuff.

EDIT: Ugh, just realized that excerpt refers to Dragonsteel, as opposed to Dragonglass. So do we conclude there are at least two materials that can kill a White Walker?

Dragon Glass is obsidian, a common glassy rock.

Valyrian Steel probably is almost certainly dragon steel but the books don't make that completely clear, because Sam just finds references to it in old books.

In the books obsidian can definitely kill them, but I don't remember them actually ever using Valyrian steel against a white walker, so it's just speculation.

[JeffTheMovieGuy]

Originally Posted by Moe Szyslak

Not sure why I haven't done this already, but last night's ep really makes me want to read that World of Ice and Fire book. I'll start that once the season ends.

Was looking for clarification on something....

[Show spoiler]Couldn't remember if the books explicitly mention that Valyrian steel and Dragonglass are one in the same. Came across this summary from AFFC, "When looking in the Night's Watch's archives, Samwell Tarly reads about dragonsteel, which he and Jon Snow think might have been Valyrian steel."

So I guess we don't necessarily know at this point, unless overlooked some other stuff.

EDIT: Ugh, just realized that excerpt refers to Dragonsteel, as opposed to Dragonglass. So do we conclude there are at least two materials that can kill a White Walker?

[Show spoiler]
Isn't Valyrian steel magically enchanted? Like the entire Valyrian empire when it was still in power was a civilization that practiced magic? And it's why their weapons are so sought after.

[Moe Szyslak]

Originally Posted by Stinky-Dinkins

Dragon Glass is obsidian, a common glassy rock.

Yea that's right. I'm refreshing my memory on the specifics now.

[Stinky-Dinkins]

Originally Posted by JeffTheMovieGuy

[Show spoiler]
Isn't Valyrian steel magically enchanted? Like the entire Valyrian empire when it was still in power was a civilization that practiced magic? And it's why their weapons are so sought after.

[Show spoiler]In the books is it so sought after because of its insane quality combined with its rarity (the technology to produce it has been lost), not because it's magic or enchanted. It holds an edge like no other metal and required pretty much no sharpening ever, and it's stronger and lighter than any other metal. In the books it's similar to how Crucible steel (like Wootz or Damascus) were regarded in real life in Europe during the Middle Ages... like famous swords like the Ulfberht blades.

There are things in the book that are obviously enchanted and made of Valyrian steel, but I don't think it has anything to do with the steel itself. Like that horn that Greyjoy guy finds in the ruins of Valyria.

[Moe Szyslak]

Hmm...the books mention that Valyrian Steel is spell-forged and magical. Can't remember if it's the same in the show.

[Stinky-Dinkins]

Do they? It's been a long white since I've read 'em, must've just completely missed it. Do you remember which book that was in? It seems bizarre that I would've completely glossed over it because shit like that interests me the most and when reading the books I always got the impression they were meant to be like the Ulfberht swords or something. I remember them saying they needed dragonfire or something to make them, but I never remember the swords themselves doing anything "magical" or special apart from being just super high quality steel. I know that horn the Greyjoy guy found was obviously enchanted seeing as it destroyed the lungs of that dude who used it and I remember it being mentioned that it was made out of Valyrian steel, but I got the impression it was magical because of all the runes and shit carved into it. I mean, Ned Stark's sword Ice was melted down into ingots and reforged into 2 new swords with no loss of quality, as it if were workable kind of metal and not some magical substance.

[JamesKurtovich]

Originally Posted by Moe Szyslak

Hmm...the books mention that Valyrian Steel is spell-forged and magical. Can't remember if it's the same in the show.

I'm pretty sure it is, but most of the characters wouldn't have any idea about it.

Last night's episode was great.

[Moe Szyslak]

I don't necessarily remember either, but the wiki of Ice and Fire mentions as much. It provides the sources as AGOT chapter 2 and the below interview with Martin from 2001:

http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Category/C91/P105/

[Optimus]

I think now Jon has the best resume out of any current living fighter on the show

[Moe Szyslak]

Ha....I overlooked or forgot that in ADWD

[Show spoiler]a White Walker/wight attack at Hardhome is implied in a Melisandre vision and a letter to The Watch from Cotter Pyke.

[The Lizard King]

Originally Posted by JeffTheMovieGuy

[Show spoiler]
Isn't Valyrian steel magically enchanted? Like the entire Valyrian empire when it was still in power was a civilization that practiced magic? And it's why their weapons are so sought after.

I think that Valyrian steel was forged from dragon fire and blood sacrifice, so yeah... magic is involved.

[Gaius Marius]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

refresh my memory......didn't Stannis say Balon's name when he did the leaches thing??

And he still hasn't died in the show Rob and Joffrey have been dead a while, but Balon still lives. Did they just forget about him?

[Optimus]

Based on the ep 9 preview and what Ramsay said about taking 20 good men to sneak attack Stannis's army, do you think he'll kidnap Shireen?