Gendry--speculation

[Boaz]

Clanny, it seems that Melisandre needs AA reborn to defeat The Other. She's convinced Stannis and Selyse's men that he is AA, but Davos is unconvinced. Aemon (a blind man) immdiately knew that Lightbringer, Stannis' magic sword, was a fake. So either Mel has severely deluded herself or else she knows Stannis is not AA. If she knows Stannis is not AA, then she either is trying to forestall The Other while looking for the real AA or else she's actually working for The Other and not R'hllor.

DFS, interesting idea. Off the top of my head, I don't think that Gendry is AA. But remember the story of AA? He did three things. First, he forged his sword. Second, he tempered his blade in the living heart of his wife. Third, he drove back The Other.

Now, since Stannis did not forge his own sword, mayhaps we should be looking for a smith to be AA reborn. There was the smith of Winterfell and the smiths of KL, but they're dead. So is Donal Noye. Gendry seems to be the only smith currently in the story. Gendry is the ******* son of the late king. He's also a dead ringer for Robert.

The first time we ever met Gendry, Eddard told Gendry's master something like, "If the time ever comes when he'd rather wield a sword than forge one, send him to me. He has the look of a warrior." We know Martin's largesse for foreshadowing...

Either as AA reborn or as a supplier of king's blood, Gendry has great value to Mel. Stannis would know what Gendry is on sight. But how on earth is Gendry going to the Wall?

 

[Ursa major]

But remember the story of AA? He did three things. First, he forged his sword. Second, he tempered his blade in the living heart of his wife. Third, he drove back The Other.

Not that I am proposing this as a serious suggestion, but the verb, to forge, has more than one meaning; one of these is "to make a forgery". Could the forgery be "Lightbringer"? (No blacksmithing skills are required in this case, just the ability to lie about the provenance of something.)


Just a thought. (But GRRM does like his little word games, doesn't he?)

 

[TK-421]

Good thoughts, Boaz and Ursa and there is logic to what you say, I cannot see Gendry as being charismatic enough as a character to be AA reborn. What does charisma have to do with it? Not much, except that an author usually creates characters that people have certain feelings towards and unfortunately, I do not feel anything when I read about Gendry except to picture him as a young, hard Robert with the true features of a Baratheon (unlike Joffrey) - which is a very old Valyrian House.

The sword if the only real link and think that there are other swords GRRM has made a great deal about: Oathkeeper and Claw being two of them.

 

[Eulalia]

Thanks for your thoughts. Gendry is one of those loose ends that make me go hmmmm. Shireen is another. If this was a TV murder mystery, Gendry would have done it, with a hammer in the forge. He's a character that gets introduced early on and then let fallow.

I thought he might end up partnered up with Arya (if it wasn't Sandor) at the end, but if she is still going to be very young, well no. Maybe she will be asked to assassinate him and will refuse! I suppose Jon is a more likely candidate.

Gendry was one of the links to the Baratheon inheritance issues. There is room for another smith-warrior. Melisandre needs a sacrifice. Bastards are a big deal in this book. Stay tuned!

 

[Syphon of Oor-Tael]

The thing is, the AA prophecy does not necessarily need a smith as a person that forges the sword. While it seems obvious, it seems too obvious. I believe that, yes, Gendry will indeed play an important role, probably in the most obvious way, as an heir to the Baratheon claim to the throne. However, him being a smith is too clear-cut for the prophecy. Of course, it could be that GRRM is making it too clear in order to make it not clear that it is too clear. Make sense at all?

 

[Ursa major]

Make sense at all?

Complete sense: GRRM is at least as slippery as Littlefinger (and possibly a good deal more so).


Thank goodness.

 

[the smiling weirwood]

G of a Baratheon (unlike Joffrey) - which is a very old Valyrian House.

I hate to point this out, but you are incorrect. The Baratheons have ruled the Stormlands since the time of the Andals. They are Andals. You are thinking of the marriage of one of Aegon the Conqueror's ******* brothers to the daughter of the Baratheon house, who assumed their name and continued ruling. The original male line was extinguished, but a ******* Targaryen does not an ancient Valyrian house make.

 

[TK-421]

Oh crap...But Baratheon is a Valyrian name??? Where is that World of ASOIF book they are supposedly working on when one needs it. I humbly apologize for my lapse in ASOIF lore.

 

[Pentagathus]

Clanny, it seems that Melisandre needs AA reborn to defeat The Other. She's convinced Stannis and Selyse's men that he is AA, but Davos is unconvinced. Aemon (a blind man) immdiately knew that Lightbringer, Stannis' magic sword, was a fake. So either Mel has severely deluded herself or else she knows Stannis is not AA. If she knows Stannis is not AA, then she either is trying to forestall The Other while looking for the real AA or else she's actually working for The Other and not R'hllor.
I don't think it's likely but she may simply not believe in the prophecy at all but just wants to gain power. She may be lying to Stannis in order to get to Edric Storm purely for personal gain. But I don't think thats the case.

Either as AA reborn or as a supplier of king's blood, Gendry has great value to Mel. Stannis would know what Gendry is on sight. But how on earth is Gendry going to the Wall?

Or how is Mel (and presumably Stannis) going to get to the riverlands/harrenhal area?

 

[IlliferThePenniless]

Or how is Mel (and presumably Stannis) going to get to the riverlands/harrenhal area?

Mel and Stannis are going to die at The Wall. I don't think there's any chance that they survive the north. It's not like Stannis would show any great affection for an unacknowledged ******* son (by a common whore) of Robert's anyway.

Whatever affection Stannis has for Eddric (and that's not too terribly much, we have every reason to believe that eventually Stannis would have acceded to Mel's demands and given the boy to the flames), it seems to stem from the boy's disarming charm, not out of any love of Robert.

 

[Pentagathus]

I wasn't suggesting that Stannis would go south just for Gendry. But yeah, I'm pretty sure they will die at the wall too since Stannis doesn't have to power to do much else.