Going Over Eddard I, A Game of Thrones 

What explains Robert's love of Lyanna for me is his character in general, Robert consistently idealizes and longs for things in his romanticized past. He longs to be strong again, he longs to kill Rhaegar again, and he longs for Lyanna. He doesn't really love Lyanna the person, he love's the idea of Lyanna he's created in his head. Cersei could never match the idealized version of his perfect woman that Robert had envisioned Lyanna as, and his proximity to her is in a sense a constant reminder of his loss that reinforces his feelings for Lyanna.

Can I just say I am in love with the fact you're doing EVERY CHAPTER

"A girth to match his height": I think George is speaking relatively. A guy who is 6'6" is considered a VERY tall person, probably like, 95th percentile. I think the girth to match his height just means he is as fat a guy as he is a tall guy. Like, his girth is 95th percentile. Not necessarily that the measurements are identical.

The only thing about Lysa that wasn’t crazy was not wanting Tywin to raise her kid 😂

The amount of fan artists who completely ignore the very early detail that Robert was clean shaven during the rebellions is staggering

I understood the warden titles in the sense that in case of war (external threat or local rebellion), the warden is the supreme commander (below the king and the hand) of the military forces in that region. It is just there to avoid arguments on who is the top lord in times of crisis, when additional troops from other kingdoms need to be sent to an area. I would still assume that if there is an attack on the North for example that additional troops (most likely from the river lands and the vale), would still come with their own commander and respective lord, but then be commanded under the supreme command of the warden of the North (unless the king or hand himself comes). However, if there is a major civil war, those title mean nothing, because the various factions can't even agree on a king to follow. That's why the warden title becomes unimportant later on in the story.

King Robert reminds me more of Henry VIII's grandfather, Edward IV. Like Robert, and Henry, Edward was tall, handsome and athletic in his youth. He won his throne by overthrowing a mad king (Henry VI). Edward IV was a pretty good king but after winning the throne he basically ate, drank and whored himself to an early grave.

Preston is spoiling us at this point ❤

I think Robert saw Ned and Jon Arryn as his true family, not a hard thing to believe. In all his dialogue, we never hear him championing his own house. Marrying Lyanna was the thing, maybe the only thing, that would give his fantasy real-world grounding. So no, not truly about Lyanna, except the part she played in Robert's dream narrative. I think his story is a mundane parallel to all those motivated by prophecy...there is nothing more dangerously seductive that an idea we want to believe.

the line of cercei being furious still makes sense because she's immature and gets angry at anyone who defies her, or her house

The overuse of "the others take you" reminded me of the controversial overuse of "nipples on a breastplate." I went into a relisten knowing to listen for that phrase in feast and dance and analyze who uses it and how often cause it had been jarringly common my last listen, but it turned out being used by unrelated characters all over the story, and he just uses it too often. He's just still mad about Clooney batman I guess.

Cersei was furious because Lysa refused to honor House Lannister. It's kinda like refusing a marriage pact, a proud house like the Lannisters may see it as an offense.

"Brandon had been twenty when he died, strangled by order of the Mad King"... was rereading Catelyn VII ACoK which discussed the deaths of Rickard and Brandon... that chapter sets so much Stoneheart stuff up (unfair trials and nooses). Its crazy how Brandon's death by strangulation was introduced this early... did GRRM plan on doing Stoneheart from the start?

The iron swords are said to keep the spirits in their grave - and the statues blindness symbolizes the eternal dark of a nonweirwood afterlife. But wait! The spirit probably enters the weirwood at the moment of death- not where the body lays. Therefore the crypts (and possibly barrows) are not to contain the spirits but to contain the bodies. The spirits are in the net. Others fear iron , wasn’t that said? Hence the iron swords keeping the bodies down.

I literally finished the Dany chapter 1 episode and this was posted as I close out of it. The video that was promised. Preston Ahai

I'm home sick,this is so awesome right now. Thank you,Preston ❤

PJ IS BACK FOMOS

I see the Weirwood net as Hell. It's the AI Hive Mind the Mind.

Preston I really appreciate the rate you’ve been putting these out. Thanks 👑

Pretty sure you'll have time to go over all the books before wow comes out 😂

How were all the Starks usually buried that weren’t lords or kings? I don’t think that has ever been addressed. Wasn’t Ned’s broken promise that he was supposed to tell Jon about his true parentage? And at that point I think he thought he wouldn’t see Jon again if I remember correctly.

These are such great resources for my Soundscape of Ice and Fire, Preston. Thank you and I hope you keep at it!

KEEP THEM COMING! LOVE THESE! 😆 NED STARK IS BACK

If Balons rebellion was 9 years ago that means Catelyn was pregnant with Arya during it. Can this have any significance? I don’t see much point to the Balons rebellion plot. There’s probably something magical going on. Could it be to Do with aryas conception?

The point about both armies scrambling for Rhaegar’s rubies as he’s dying makes even less sense with Barristan’s later claim that Rhaegar’s army loved their prince and believed in him, but this image paints the picture of conscripted peasants only out for themselves. So either Barristan is lying/misinformed about how much Rhaegar’s army loved him - which is definitely more than plausible - or Ned is misinformed/lying here about what happened after Rhaegar died - which he doesn’t really have a reason to do in his own POV. Or, most likely, George forgot this detail hen writing about Barristan’s recollection later, but I don’t really see how it can be both. 😂

Maybe the “they” is Howland Reed and Bran and that’s why Ned’s memory of the even isn’t perfect, bran played a role in the fight or something .Just the first person I thought of but it doesn’t seem like that much of a stretch, pretty sure this has all been theorized many times because it’s a pretty obvious event to have bran interfere with

Robert demeaning the idea of being raised by women when he’s supposed to be something of a Henry VIII standin is honestly really funny when you look at it in that context because that’s how Henry was raised, with his mother and sisters and away from the influence of his father and older brother, who held courts in their own right.

The crypts keep the spirits out of the weirwood. The statues have blind eyes symbolizing their state of eternal darkness. But Lyanna died at the ToJ, where there’s probably a weirwood. Could she be in the weirnet? Could it be her who can be used to review the secrets of the Tower?

I love these. watching your videos I always felt like we read two different books because I didn't analyze anything

10:29 this is my favourite thing they added in the show, the little eyebrow 🤨 look that Ned gives Robert after "Youve got fat!"😂 That few seconds of interaction are done so well, telling you so much with a few words and a look 🤌🏻

I am really happy you're talking every chapter. I started reading the series a second time just some weeks ago and am about two thirds in ACOK now. So I love that someone shares his ideas while reading "with me".

PJ IS RELENTLESS. UNSTOPPABLE. LONG MAY HE REIGN

Wake up honey, new chapter analysis just dropped

Could be crazy if Preston overtook Alt Schwift X

Cold iron keeping them in their tomb-- cryogenics, and a possible way back?-- instead of being lost in the Weirwood. So-- at some point-- Summer returns with Lyanna.

"Rhaegar lay dead in the stream, while men of both armies scrabbled in the swirling waters for rubies knocked free of his armor"... Interesting that Ned saw people looking for rubies at the Trident, cuz later we hear about rubies washing up on the Quiet Isle: "The battle was long leagues from here, but the river is tireless and patient. Six have been found. We are all waiting for the seventh." (Brienne VI AFfC) Did people find the rubies right after the battle? Where there really only 7? (there's supposed to enough to make the Targ sigil, plus Robert's warhammer shatters them to bits... was the Elder Brother just being very Fot7-religious?) Also what's GRRM's plan for that 7th ruby??? One of my favorite insanely crazy theories is that Rhaegar and Lyanna swapped places; Rhaegar glamored himself with winter roses at the Tower of Joy (um, not sure how the childbirth stuff happened - the theory kinda falls apart there) and Lyanna led the Targaryen army at the Trident, glamored with those rubies (the 7th ruby remained in her armor, so even in death and on the pyre, she maintained the Rhaegar ruse). This would make Robert killing 'Rhaegar' at the Trident insanely tragic, which is why I love the theory: 'Rhaegar's last words aren't "I love you, Lyanna" but rather "Robert you idiot, its me, Lyanna"

I'm just trying to imagine Robert coming all the way North and Ned saying, "Nah, I'm not gonna be your Hand. And your son is kinda dick, so I won't allow that Sansa-Joffrey betrothal to happen."

I was hoping you'd put one out today

Great stuff, thanks

The new sound set up sounds great!

As far as a real life equivalent of Jon Arryn, there is Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, who was known as the Kingmaker. He was the most powerful peer during the Wars of the Roses, and was instrumental in deposing two kings.

On whether Brandon is supposed to get a statue, we get this: "And there's my grandfather, Lord Rickard, who was beheaded by Mad King Aerys. His daughter Lyanna and his son Brandon are in the tombs beside him. Not me, another Brandon, my father's brother. They're not supposed to have statues, that's only for the lords and the kings, but my father loved them so much he had them done." (Bran VII AGoT) Granted, Bran's just a little boy, who could be wrong about the who-gets-a-statue rules (just like how he errs about the manner of Rickard's death) but from this line, I think we're supposed to think its weird that Brandon and Lyanna got statues, and that there's a future reveal in the works here?

I always thought the Warden titles were just the equivalent of a duke. In other words, a lord who owes direct allegiance only to the king of the realm and not another lord.

3 chapters left in my first read through of A Game of Thrones. It’s amazing and I’m so excited to start on ACOK while also watching these videos to better understand the shit I just read

Had not read asoiaf yet the first time I saw got season 1. In restrospect, casting Sean Bean MUST have been a deliberate death flag.

Pres 👏🏼ton👏🏼Ja👏🏼cobs 👏🏼He's the one! Finish the series for us, already!

It is really interesting to read early drafts and analyse the evolution of the story. But at some points I feel that Preston is judging the current version through the drafts. Sometimes, things well written on final version are criticized because of the early draft version.

24:24 I think ‘child woman’ is also meant to reference the children of the forest - and the theory that the killing or death of a woman child was a key cause of the long night event. What are your thoughts on this Preston?

Did he say "the great joyous rebellion"? I loved it! 😅

So for most of the younger Stark siblings throughout history, the sons who didn't became lords or kings... where are they buried? Were the Starks cool with putting them in barrows, letting the weirwood net get to them? Why???

cersei was furious anything does makes cersei furious

When will the next fanfic chapter arrive? Missing it very much 🥺

Brandon having a statue could be that their father died first, thus Brandon was lord for like 30 seconds. I'm pretty sure that's not how the story goes, but who knows what Ned was told, or told others.

Some of you opinions are wild. Of course people would stop and gather rubies. Most of them are fighting for money

Hey Preston, have you ever thought about breaking down Cormac novels? I’d be interested to hear your insights and breakdowns on say, Blood Meridian.

This is a small detail that's bothered me on reread - why is Cersei's wheelhouse so damn huge? Forty horses to draw a carriage is absolutely ridiculous in my head. Is there any real life parallel, like some pre-industrial transit system maybe? Or did a real world monarch actually build a mobile pavilion like that?

23:41 on your point about Brandon getting a statue, I think the explanation is that technically he died after his father, making him Lord of Winterfell, if only for a moment. It's still weird that Lyanna is down there, though.

What I find odd is, why is Robert expecting hard times to be coming? There's only two obvious threats to his realm at this time: coming winter and debts to Braavos. Bob later doesn't give a kingly shit about either and in regards to winter, Ned would be better placed in the north. What's more, it contradicts Roberts earlier phrasage of "everyone's fat and rich" which is supposed to signify that the times are good.

Words of Wisdom blog post a spoiler for TWOW finished, any thoughts?

Keep going !!!

Still very convinced the "they" who found Ned were Howland Reed and Ethan Glover, the only one who survived Aerys' massacre of the Starks in the throne room. 100% convinced Bran wargs Ethan (who is believed to be as young as 10) and that is how we learn the truth about the Tower of Joy since Ethan (Bran) being there gives us a direct POV into that important moment. Also convinced Ned/Howland killed Ethan to protect the secret, adding to Ned's "I'm not actually a saint" streak.

47:38 is Martin actually an atheist? All I remember him saying on this issue is that he’s a lapsed catholic ?

I think the warden titles have the same meaning as any other title from Lord to King. Only in so far as the people will follow you. The Vale would follow a Lannister as long as Sweet Robin is being held at Casterly Rock.

Girth isn’t around the waist, girth is around the entire torso. It’s still quite large but not quite as large as it sounds like you’re imagining.

23:08 I thought you're going to address the inconsistency of Brandon & Rickard Stark death. Is it Brandon who was forced to watch his father die by wildfire not the other way around?

Wasn’t Robert based on Edward iiv? I might be wrong.

How does Robert think lyana died anyways?

Did the US gov shut down? Because PJ found some extra free time

Could it be that Ned buried Lyanna in the crypts because he tried to hide her pregnant body? Then as a way to make it seem more casual ihe made sure Brandon was buried there as well? Unless there is proof Brandon’s crypt was built first but I assume all 3 were made together given the positioning. Just a thought

I dont think if you grow up in a single mother mother home that necessarily means your doomed . But i think its pretty clear to see people who grow up with both parents do significantly better. I was born and raised in Fallston Maryland and had both my parents, my husband was born and raised in the inner city of Baltimore, was raised by a single mother. I see so many people who also grew up in a single mother home around where my husband was raised they all had hard lives. Every single male in my husbands family has done time in prison. Where most people had good lives where i grew up. And just about every community leader i ever heard said almost all the problems the kids are having in Baltimore city stems from not having fathers in the home. Again not saying some kids dont do fine in single mother homes and sometimes things happen where it cant be helped, but ideally i think its hard to denie the best thing for kids is to have both parents. I know your way smarter then me , and im just a 24 year old girl but im just giving my opinion from what i have seen. I hope all is well on your end. Best wishes to you and yours.

Preston thank you so much for these, every time I see one pop up I have to listen!

Doesn’t the whole fostering plan only happen AFTER Jon is already dead?

Its not at all hard to believe that people would have been hunting for rubies in the middle of battle, stuff like this is broadly attested to in battles across the ages and in medieval England battles became famously less bloody over centuries as pursuit of hostages and trophies became so common that disciplined group tactics to kill rather than essentially kidnap and steal started falling to pieces in most cases.

if you think that Jaime was supposed to be king, it sounds like a remix of Macbeth, but Lady Macbeth is his sister and also she gets the profecy.

Rip Francis Scott keys ghost

When Henry VIII had his riding accident he wasn’t that young, he was already on his 3rd wife and he was pretty fit before that point

gotta read your histories since troops abandoning battle to collect loot resounds from the sources

Would Raegar have defeated Robert if he had either dark sister or blackfyre?

this chapter justifies the rebellion

Snow Ned, Snowden? Maybe George had secret info?

What do you think of the theory that Ned is or was in love with Robert? He spends a lot of time talking about how beautiful he used to be.

If a war breaks out preston gets the army raised by 2 moms

Ned is the Jan Brady of the Stark bois

57:47 - The king shits and the hand wipes is the TV-show version of the saying. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of D&D but I have to admit their version was better in this case, imo.

You’re a beast

I still think Cersei was responsible for Jon’s death. She told Little Finger to take care of it and he convinced Lysa to do it.

Preston I love you man, but don’t take every reference within the writing as literal. Presumably you’re saying things for either comic value or saying what’s off the top of your head. For example, GRRM was (through Ned) of course being facetious when describing Roberts appearance. Ned (GRRM) is describing Robert as having a waist that matches is height in the sense that he’s a very large rotund man..not that his waist is exactly the same size in inches as his height!

Pretty sure Brandon gets a statue because Ned is the lord and he wanted his brother to have one, especially since Ned thinks Brandon could have handled things better as lord. I’m pretty some Artos Stark also got a statue in the crypts even tho he was never lord

❤❤❤

I read that Henry VIII was diabetic. I thought it was the same with Robert.

Only thing that doesn't make sense with the Lysa motive is that Jon Arryn would have to be dead to need a foster. Robert brings up the foster situation by saying better to be fostered than raised by women. If Jon Arryn is alive he wouldn't need to be fostered in Roberts eyes

Warden of the North, east, west and south should only be used against external threats. It feels like it does not work in cival wars. You could argue that almost every wars that has happed in Westeros since the creation of the kingdom has been a cival war. So I wonder when in history it has been used. Westeros is not that threatened by its neighbors, Its not like a large feodal kingdom is next. A United Westeros should dominate the area.

I mean Brandon died after Rickard diddnt he? makes him Lord Paramount of the North for all of two minutes.

Team black❤

40 minutes in or so you definitely make a weird analysis. You are implying that Lysa killed Jon Arryn because Sweetrobin was to be fostered by Tywin. But It was after Jon Arryn's death that Robert was thinking about sending him to Tywin, not before.

Cockback is a good place “come together”

why the characters have to be a standin on a specific historical figure? GoT fans do this all the time for some reason, is not like the fat hedonistic king is a rare trope in fiction or anything

You are #1 p4p on youtube

Why would anyone betroth their baby to a horse 🤔

Robert loving Lyanna is not in his character at all