AGOT 04 – Eddard I

Robert groaned with good-humored impatience. “If I wanted to honor you, I’d let you retire. I am planning to make you run the kingdom and fight the wars while I eat and drink and wench myself into an early grave.”

AGOT 04 – EDDARD I (GRRM)

POV character
Eddard Stark 1

Chapter (AGOT)
5 / 73

Chapter (ASOIAF)
5 / 344

Summary

The king’s party arrives at Winterfell. It is a huge group with hundreds of riders and knights. Also part of the host is the queen – Cersei Lannister as well as her two brothers. Eddard thinks about the Robert he had known in his youth and that he had seen for the last time 15 and 9 years ago – at the end of the rebellion and when he supported him in defeating an uprising at the iron islands. Since then Robert – once a respectable and fine warrior and a “maiden’s dream” – has become fat. Nevertheless he did not lose his boisterous moods.

After the formalities, the first thing that Robert does is asking Eddard to bring him to the crypts as he want to honor Edddard’s sister Lyanna She was once his betrothed and died in Ned’s hands during the rebellion, as the crown prince Rheagar Targaryen abducted and raped her. His queen – Cersei Lannister – is very angry as she sees it as an insult (especially on herself) that the first thing Robert does is going to the grave of his old girlfriend.

When walking through the crypt, along long lines of Stark graves (in former times the King’s in the North) they talk how Robert still despises Rheagar Targaryen for what he had done to Lyanna. He tells Eddard that he regularly dreams about the decisive events at the Trident, when he and Rhaegar decided the war within a duell and Robert killed the crown prince, ending the line of Targaryen kings. Robert muses of how the history might have been different (better?) to him if they had lost on the Trident, and in glimpses he shows the bon-vivant that he still is, when talking about women, food and party.

In front of Lyanna’s grave (that is beside the grave’s of Eddard’s father and his older brother) they talk about Jon Arryn, the second father of Ned and Robert. Robert mentiones that Jon, who acted as hand of the king, dwindled away within merely two weeks, without any indication of illness before that. Then they talk about Lysa, Jon’s wife and that she fled Kingslanding with her son, who should have given as ward to Lord Tywin Lannister. Eddard offers to take the sickly boy instead as he is his nephew, but Robert believes that Lysa will never agree and Lannister would see it as insult.

After that they come to the point that Robert brings up the main reason of his visit. He wants to give the position as Hand of the King to Eddard. The Hand is the second most powerful position in the seven kingdoms. Eddard had suspected as much, but is hesitant. The next thing his king offers he did not suspect and takes him by surprise: Robert offers that Eddard’s oldest daughter Sansa should marry his son crown prince Joffrey, effectively making her the futur queen of the seven kingdoms. Eddard asks for some time to talk to his wife Catelyn about those offers, and Robert agrees on that generously.

Thoughts

• I like Eddard chapters, they are always very straight forward, and i love Robert – such a great character. But surely not the right man for his position – he should have stayed in the stormlands as their lord – that would have been exactly right up his alley. I think GRRM did some “main family” traits very “on the nose” (but that is ok) – the highly reserved and Starks from the cold north, the hot tempered Martells from the south, the loud and rumbling stormlords…
• Lots of memories on the rebellion and Lyanna – a small memory on her death here – a memory how she “was fond of flowers” there. Funny how soon it is shown how important that event (Lyanna’s death) was for those two men. I have the feeling their relationship never was the same afterwards. But it is still very visible how different they are mourning: Robert still in loud fury, while Eddard’s grieve is silent and deep. Beautiful characterization of these two.
• The despise for the Lannisters is blatantly visible by both men, and I think that also instills this mistrust at the readers side. In the first book the Lannisters are clearly put in the “bad guys”-corner – except Tyrion. In later books we will get to know some decent Lannisters (Genna) and even Jaime will show his decent side – later.
• Book vs. show: I will concentrate on Robert here, as the Lannisters will get their spotlight later and this chapter is mainly Ned and Robert. I seem to remember that Mark Addy was a casting joice that was a little controversial at first. But: I have to say that Robert (is at the moment) the character I have the most trouble with to find my “book Robert” again. Even when Ned thinks back to the “clean shaven maiden’s dream” I caught myself trying to remember of other pictures of Addy without beard. A tough one for me, and I do not know why, maybe because Addy acted out Robert to its fullest, I do not know.

Håkan Svensson (Xauxa), CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons – Link

AGOT 02 – Catelyn I

“There are darker things beyond the Wall.” She glanced behind her at the heart tree, the pale bark and red eyes, watching, listening, thinking its long slow thoughts.

AGOT 02 – CATELYN I (GRRM)

POV character
Catelyn Stark 1

Chapter (AGOT)
3 / 73

Chapter (ASOIAF)
3 / 344

Summary

Catelyn Stark walks into Winterfell’s godswood, a patch of old wood, that is surrounded by the castle. She looks for her husband who always – after coming back from an execution – seeks the silence here. She thinks about the differences between the nameless and faceless gods of old and the north, and her faith that includes seven faces of god with distinct names and roles and lots of rainbow colors. Eddard (Ned) even built a small sept for her to worship her gods.

She finds her husband in the middle of the wood at a pool – under the so-called “heart tree” with its white trunk, blood-red leaves and a carved face. There he sits and cleans his sword in a pool of water. He asks her about the children and she tells him, that they are arguing about names for the wolves. The three-year old Rickon is a little afraid of the wolves, but Eddard only remarks that Rickon has to face his fears better sooner than later as “Winter is coming” as the Stark words tell, indicating that (always) hard times are ahead.

They talk about the execution and that Bran did well. Afterwards they talk about the dwindling strenth of the nightswatch and Eddard says that he might have to call for the banners to ride beyond the wall to confront the wildlings and their leader, the “King-beyond-the-Wall” Mance Raider. After these formalities Catelyn has to tell Eddard bad news: Jon Arryn died.

Eddard had fostered in the Eyrie in his youth. This mighty castle is the seat of House Arryn, Lords of the Vale. Jon Arryn became a second father to Ned, and his other ward Robert Baratheon. Ned still was grateful that Jon Arryn once raised his banner in rebellion against the crown to protect the ones he pledged to protect as “The Mad King” demanded the heads of Eddard and Robert. And during this strange times years ago, Jon Arryn became even Ned’s brother-in-law, as both married daughters of House Tully to forge a strong bond between the rebellious houses.

Eddard is first in disbelieve, but Catelyn assures him, that King Robert himself wrote the letter. The letter also included that Jon Arryn’s wife, Catelyn’s sister Lysa, took their son and went home to the Eyre – although Catelyn thinks that might not be good and Riverrun (her home) might have been better. Eddard urges Catelyn to visit her sister together with the kids to fill the castle with laughter, as only her uncle is waiting there for her as he is in the Vale’s service at the moment.

Catelyn refuses, because the letter also included other news: the king rides north and wants to visit Winterfell. Catelyn has heard the rumors of the wolf that was killed by a stag and is therefore cautios. Eddard is pleased until he hears that Robert will bring his whole royal household, including his wife, children and brothers-in-law. The queen’s family, House Lannisters, were late supporters of the rebellion and Eddard never forgave them.

Thoughts

• Catelyn is the cause why we never got a POV from Robb as she is (more or less) always at his side. And of course because she will go to the Vale – a perspective we never would have gotten otherwise. If I like her chapters or not (and I tend to “not”) does not matter here – she is integral to GRRMs storytelling of the first books and strangely is one of the few (or only?) main POVs (excluding prologues and epilogues) that is killed later on (besides Eddard of course).
• There was no sept prior to Catelyn being Lady Stark. I conclude that the Starks up until that point did only marry with houses that follow the old faith (most likely northeners) or were so ignorant to ignore the new faith and the wishes of their spouses.
• The face in the heart tree – might someone or something look through them? Mayhaps. Catelyn feels watched by them.
• The isle of faces with “green men” is mentioned. I believe we still do not know what they are.
• Book vs. show: Catelyn in the books always had a much more “elegant” and “noble” feeling (still struggling with the northeners and their ways, 15 years after her marriage). The show-Catelyn is (as far as I remember) much more down too earth and grounded and only a little bit hoity-toity. And as all roles were aged up, also Michelle Fairley is easy to keep out of my head. About Sean Bean’s Eddard I already wrote in “Bran I”. Although as a couple and within the show Lord and Lady Stark were well cast.

Wald1siedel, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons – Link

AGOT 01 – Bran I

Bran thought about it. “Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?” – “That is the only time a man can be brave,” his father told him.

AGOT 01 – BRAN I (GRRM)

POV character
Brandon Stark 1

Chapter (AGOT)
2 / 73

Chapter (ASOIAF)
2 / 344

Summary

The seven year old Bran Stark is allowed to accompany his father, the Lord of Winterfell, and his two older brothers, as well as the ward of the Stark family to an execution of a deserter of the nightswatch. Lord Stark acts as judge and executioner in one person and beheads the deeply frightened deserter himself with the family-sword “Ice”. The older boys take that as business as usual and Theon the ward even makes fun of the victim and is called “ass” by Jon. Bran is a little bit shaken and deep in thoughts. His father explains that the Starks see it as their duty to execute the judgement themselves instead of using a headsman, and it is exactly that he expects from him later: to fulfill his duty.

While Bran talks to his father his brothers Robb and Jon race their horses. Robb finds a dead direwolf bitch – killed by an antler that punctured its throat. They discuss that no direwolf – a species “bigger than a pony” – has been seen south of the wall for two centuries. Everybody agrees that a “wolf killed by a stag” is a bad sign, as the wolf is in the Stark’s banner, while the stag is the sigil of House Baratheon – the king’s house. They find out, that the bitch gave birth to pups – either shortly before or even after she died (an even worse sign).

Theon opts for killing the pups and most agree with him first, even Lord Stark, but Robb and Bran oppose them. The group and Lord Stark are undecided until Jon points out that there are five pups. The litter (three male, two female) is a direct picture of the Stark children. He – initially – does not want a pup, as he “is no Stark, but a Snow” (a name given in the North to illigimate children). Bran instantly sees what his half-brother has done and is thankful. By stating not to be a Stark-child and not to be part of the family, Jon saved the pups and managed to convince Lord Stark to keep them. Lord Stark agrees on the condition that the children train their wolves well and by themselves.

Shortly before they depart Jon rides back as he has heard something. He finds a sixth pup, a short way away from the others. It is white with red eyes – an albino – and Jon keeps it for himself, taking it as a sign that he is in fact part of the family.

Thoughts

• I remember when I read this book the first time that I got really confused as soon as the revelations did not come “in the next chapter” anymore. Because here we directly see Gared from the Prologue again (although the first time around I thought it had to be Will).
• “In the name of Robert of the House Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, […]“
  Everybody always makes fun of Daenerys and her obsession with titles. But that is simply a tradition and the way to go in the seven kingdoms. And monarchs in the real world – all of them have/had titles like “Protector of the Faith” – Elizabeth II held so many titles that the titles have their own Wikipedia-page.
• The blood of the First Men still flows in the veins of the Starks […]
  I think this is significant. It may be an indication that they in fact have a deeper connection to the North, the Others and all that stuff.
• “He must have crawled away from the others,” Jon said.“Or been driven away,” their father said, looking at the sixth pup. […] Bran thought it curious that this pup alone would have opened his eyes while the others were still blind.
  So much foreshadowing in this chapter (I think I remember that this chapter was one of the first of all ASOIAF): – the stag that kills the wolf – the surviving of the pups – the comment that the white pup was “droven away” (as Jon will also be). But I think it is totally irrelevant that the white pup is the only one, that had “opened its eyes” at that moment. When did Jon see something sooner than his siblings?
• Book vs. show: On the APOIAF-discord I got the question if I mix up actors from the show and characters from the books although my last read AND watch are long ago. I will try to point out if that happens. In this chapter it was partly easy and hard. The children are no problem – although the young actors were great, all of them are too old as Bran in the book is 7, Robb and Jon 14 and Theon slightly older.
  The hard one here is Eddard Stark – Sean Bean was a great choice. For keeping actor and character apart the age-angle helps me: Bean is too old, therefore – easier seperation of show and books on that one.

TenTonParasol, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons – Link