I don’t care for that map at all, just way too busy, too crowded, for my eyes. The 2-man cover of the show’s theme was good though.
Best aSoIaF map I’ve seen, love it.
The coloured .pdf map of Westeros, Essos and Sothoros has a lot of the details on it - ie small seats and the families they belong to, but this is just cool.
I love that map. It reminds me of Richard Scarry stuff, which I adored as a small child. It is extremely, extremely busy but thats part of its charm.
That’s really good. Thanks!
Ergo
3185
If I could buy that as a poster, I’d frame it and hang it in my computer room. I’m crossing my fingers that this will happen!
rowe33
3186
Wow that cover was awesome…wasn’t sure if I liked it at first but the theme grew on me quickly after that first episode.
Benhur
3187
I love the map and would like to make it my wallpaper, but centering cuts off the top and bottom of the map. I hate being computer stupid.
The problem is a bit more basic than computer savvy; it’s a tall skinny image (1280x4019px) and wallpapers are ideally wider than they are tall.
A 4:3 image would be 1280x960, a widescreen would be 1280x800. 960 pixels would give you from around the bottom (excluding the illuminated borders) up to Lannisport.
One might also want to cut out the illuminations on the sides if one didn’t have the top or bottom. Lastly, if you were mostly interested in the North it’d probably be possible to photoshop the bottom illumination upwards so that it looked like a whole picture; the same can’t be done with the top because of the curve, at least without major hassle.
“When you are King the truth will be what you make it to be.”
In this case, the truth was what Robert proclaimed it to be, too.
Ultimately, Ned came to know better. Ned also knew there was no way that Robert would accept the truth. The truth meant that Robert had to square himself with the fact that Lyanna had rejected him and preferred Rhaegar to Robert, despite her betrothal.
Robert could never accept it. He preferred to believe in – and live – a fiction, one that the Stark clan preferred to officually promulgate as well – as otherwise – a Stark would broken a solemn vow and betrothal.
But Ned knows better. He tells Arya that she has “the wolf-blood” like Lyanna did – and he is sad for that as he knows it lead to Lyanna’s early death.
GRRM hints rather heavily at this and shows us that when it comes to matters of love, the Starks will break their vows, whether for good or ill. Lyanna chose Rhaegar for love and broke a marriage betrothal. It is no accident that that Robb Stark does the same thing – albeit for reasons of honour (which later become love). Like Lyanna’s actions, Robb’s approach to a betrothal and marriage has dire consequences.
Jon and Ygritte is just another aspect of this, as are the occasions where Ned allows himself to be dishonoured.
Aemon explains it all to the viewer in his “Love is the death of duty” scene with Jon in the rookery. That scene tells you everything you need to know.
Well, this may be; we don’t really know how ignorant Robert remained throughout. We also don’t know many details at all about exactly how Lyanna and Rhaegar went off with one another. The messianic prophecy may have been involved.
StGabe
3191
Let’s keep some perspective here.
Rhaegar “kidnaps” Lyanna. Brandon goes to King’s Landing in a fit of Stark honor and accuses Rhaegar. He gets arrested. Note he does not bring an army with him (five people go). Aerys requests that Rickard Stark and others (including some Arryns) come down for a trial. Again, no army comes with. Then everyone is killed. Rickard Stark is roasted alive by Aerys and Brandon Stark is allowed to watch with a noose around his neck and strangles himself trying to help his father. Aerys demands that Eddard Stark and Robert also come to King’s Landing (presumably to roast them alive as well). In response, Jon Arryn declares war on Aerys with the Baratheon’s joining him and the Starks. Aerys roasts more people, makes the head of the alchemist guild his new Hand and arranges to have the entirety of King’s Landing put to the fire should he lose his war.
But yeah, Aerys was just “misunderstood”.
Both Jaime and Barristan Selmy have long monologues about Aerys and neither is terribly apologetic about Aerys. The guy was crazy. Sure, roasting 10+ major lords of the realm may have initiated the war but this was just the most immediate symptom that the Starks/Arryns/Baratheons had as to the fact that, yes, this guy was crazy and doing terrible things. Mind you Rhaegar seems like a fine chap and I’m sure there were some misunderstandings with Lyanna. However, the war was against Aerys, not Rhaegar, and Aerys would have gone on being crazy had Lyanna run off with Rhaegar or not.
StGabe
3192
In an Aerys-is-not-crazy world, Brandon is forced to sit on his heels long enough for his sister to come back to King’s Landing and say, “sorry, I’m in love” and everything works out (presumably the same replacement weddings happen, and a few grudges are made, but there’s no call to arms).
I don’t think that anyone really made the war about Lyanna except Robert. That’s the undercurrent to his interactions with Ned over killing Dany/Viserys.
I don’t know who she is, but the choice for Melisandre looks great.
Edit: Ah! She was the witch in Black Death.
Not a bad choice for Stannis. I liked him as Jefferson (which was portrayed as a fairly similar persona), and he can carried the “whiny aristocrat-type” very well. Needs a slightly harder, harsher voice and that’d be great.
— Alan
I always had the impression from the books that he was much older than the actor’s picture conveys.
ShivaX
3200
Eh, that doesn’t look very Stannis to me. I can’t see that dude being Robert’s brother at all.
The other two look perfect though.
Edit:
He is. Almost as old as Robert.
And mostly bald iirc. Plus I’ve always gotten the impression hes a big dude like Robert.
