Libri Labra Book Club discussion

7.16! I am excite! Who's with me?

By the way, Ommegang's latest GoT beer, Bend the Knee, is outstanding.

Me! I might have to watch the last couple of episodes of the last season. I'm not sure I remember what happened.

Jonaerys. You heard it here first.

Can't wait. I am so ready.

"Shall we begin?"

Season 7, Episode 1 aired on Sunday. Who's seen it? Thought?

I watched it finally. I made no effort to refresh my memory. When the show started I jokingly said "what is Filch up to?" A minute later I was completely confused as to what I was watching. I thought someone had been hitting the polyjuice potion.

I could have lived without seeing Sam's montage. :Barf:

After having this scene explained, rewatching it makes me cry.

(view spoiler)[ http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/07/game-of-thrones-what-did-arya-mean-not-you-direwolf-nymeria-stormborn (hide spoiler)]

Wasn't that part of the post episode commentary by the show runners?

I didn't see any post episode commentary. I don't watch it live.

Can Dany marry Jon now? lol I may be the only one hoping that will happen.

The scene where (view spoiler)[Jon pets Dany's dragon was awesome. I expected more of a reaction from her though. (hide spoiler)]

Short answer. Yes.

(view spoiler)[Jon petting Drogon reminded me of the scene in any romance movie where the prospective boyfriend/girlfriend goes to the other's house and the pet (who normally doesn't like anyone) likes them. Dany's clearly into Jon as you could tell when he was talking about joining the raid to get the wight to bring to Cersei.

If you recall when Gilly is rattling off these inane facts to Sam about the Citadel, she asks him what an annulment is. Sam tells her, and she begins to say that Prince Rhaegar Targaryen (Dany's older brother) got an annulment and Sam cuts her off. What was not said was a long standing fan theory that Rhaegar had abducted Lyanna Stark (Ned Stark's sister and Robert Baratheon's beloved), and took her to Dorne where he apparently annulled his marriage to Elia Martell (sister of Oberyn) and married Lyanna. Jon is the result of the consummation of that marriage (when in Season 6 a young Ned reunites with Lyanna at the Tower of Joy she entrusts Jon to his care, and makes him swear to never reveal who his father is). Since Prince Rhaegar was the first born of the Mad King Aerys, Jon now becomes the sole living male heir to the Iron Throne. Dany may be older, but the crown passes to the firstborn male son. Since Dany and Jon are related, they can be married by traditional Targaryen custom.

When Rhaegar had abducted Lyanna, her father and brother went to King's Landing to get King Aerys to bring Rhaegar to justice. Instead the king had them burned alive for treason. That was when House Baratheon and House Stark joined forces in Robert's Rebellion, which they one, and how Robert was on the Iron Throne in Season 1.

Unfortunately, it was a difficult childbirth and Lyanna died as a result. Since the elopement and marriage were secret, word went around that Rhaegar had kidnapped and brutally killed her (because of all the shouting and the blood from the birth). This only spurred on the rebels in their quest to overthrow the Targaryens. (hide spoiler)]

I was aware of all this. However, I hadn't mentioned it because you stated you don't look into fan theories etc because you consider them spoilers.

(view spoiler)[Most people I've talked to understand that Dany and Jon are aunt and nephew, which is why everyone is rejecting my wishes for them to marry. However, Targaryens have a history of incest and aunt/nephew is more separated than brother and sister (Cersei & Jaime). I will keep my fingers crossed that they marry. I much prefer this over them killing each other for the throne. (hide spoiler)]

This was back when I was reading the books, and in the course of researching things, I learned other things. Not spoilers per se, but rather, "oh, I didn't know this was a posssibility".

(view spoiler)[There was a part in the last episode where Dany says something like "The dragons are my children. They're the only children I'll ever have, do you understand?" I can't help but feel that was a warning to Jon that she wouldn't be able to have kids should they decide to get together. The episode as a whole had a couple other references to children. Like when Jora told Jon to keep the sword and pass it down to his own future children, and Tyrion bringing up the subject of Dany's successor. (hide spoiler)]

What are your thought's on that Tom? Do you think they're painting an accurate picture here of a future union between fire & ice? or do you think this is a tease that will turn sour?

That's a good catch.

(view spoiler)[It makes it seem that Dany's and Jon's offspring will be the Lightbringer that the red priests prophecy about. (Melisandre thought it was Stannis, and now Jon). I could see them finishing off King's Landing as the season finale, and then starting season 8 some 20 years later when Jonaerys' child comes of age. If that's true then Jon and/or Dany may not survive through the end of the series. To me, Jon represents ruling by reason (ice) and Dany, ruling by heart (fire). Combining the two in one person seems the way to go. (hide spoiler)]