Darkstar

[kimb]

I'm in the middle of my second time reading AFFC- here are random thoughts and theories:

"Darkstar" Gerold Dayne:
- cousin to Arthur Dayne
- friend?/hired knight to Arianne
- Arianne described him as having silver hair (divided by a streak of black), dark and angry purple eyes, cruel mouth, and a crueler tongue
- he meant to kill Myrcella but only sliced her face
- he told Arianne that killing Myrcella was how she would get the war she wanted
- we are never told much about him except it was implied that she needed a sword/knight for protection

1. He is Aegon (Rhaegar and Elia's son) who was wisked away to live with the Daynes and the baby that died was a switch. Elia was Dornish and it was said that she had black eyes and dark hair. Rhaegar had silver/white hair and purple eyes. This could be another example of the Targaren "flip of the coin between greatness and madness". I'm sure he isn't called Darkstar for nothing. It seems that the Daynes were very loyal to the Targaryens.
We aren't sure where Darkstar has lived but he seems to be able to roam and hide very easily. Probably a family outcast and sort of a hired sellsword.
We're also not sure of what Dany has been up to but there seems to be some secret plot to bring the Targs back into power. Could these same plotters have introduced Darkstar to Dany and told him the truth? Could Dany have asked him to kill Myrcella? Revenge for his sister's (her niece's) death and to start a war. The war would drain all sides, allow time for the dragons to grow, and then conquering would be fairly easy. Perhaps the difficult battle is that of the wights. At the wall, they find out the truth of Jon's parentage and ta-da... the dragon has 3 heads.

2. He is Jon's twin born to Rhaegar and Lyanna- split up a birth to protect them- you know the twin theory. Once again, the dragon has three heads.

 

[Raven]

I believe Darkstar is the wrong age. Too old to be either Jon's twin or Aegon.

Oh, and we do know where Darkstar lives, Arianne makes mention of his castle.

 

[the sweetling]

I believe Darkstar is the wrong age. Too old to be either Jon's twin or Aegon.

Oh, and we do know where Darkstar lives, Arianne makes mention of his castle.

Darkstar's castle is High Hermitage, near Starfall

 

[Boaz]

Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet.

GRRM has not played the twins seperated at birth card yet. Most fantasy writers not worth their salt have used this plot device to surprise their readers. Jean Claude Van Damme movies revolve entirely on this basis. Every American soap opera uses the seperated twins shamelessly.

But to some degree we enjoy wondering how we ourselves would have turned out in different circumstances. Would I be evil, would I be charismatic, would I inspire loyalty, would I be smarter, would I have the same morals?

Martin has not even hinted at this. But he has done the old switched at birth routine with Mance's and Gilly's boys.

Anyway, back to Darkstar... who is he working for seems to be the big question. If he'd truly been on Arianne's side, why attack Myrcella? If he's on Doran's side, why attack Myrcella? Mayhaps he's just another frustrated Dornishman impatient for justice or revenge upon the northerners. Mayhaps Illyrio and Varys have continued to work with the known Targaryen loyalists, like Gerold Dayne. Mayhaps, the Darkstar sees himself as one of the new knights of the Faith. I don't know.

But if Myrcella dies, who benefits? Tommen. The Tyrells. Dany. I'd imagine a Dayne would hate the Tyrells as much as possible. So,imo, Darkstar is working with/for Tommen or Dany.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

Boaz- I'm not sure Dany would send a hired killer after Myrcella, though. She doesn't seem to have cold cunning in her, and she certainly doesn't seem the type to have a child killed.

 

[Boaz]

AU, I agree. But Dany really has no clue of the real politics of Westeros, so her interests are represented (without her knowledge or approval) by Illyrio and Varys.

 

[kimb]

I guess I must be reading into the italicized words/thoughts too much. In the ADWD preview, Dany thinks "if he had lived I might have married him. Aegon would have been closer to my age than Viserys". She still seems pretty bitter about the Unsurper's dogs and that "there might have been a sixth (Aegon) if the Usurper's dogs had not murdered her brother's son when he was still a babe at the breast."
The only major house in Westeros that I can see her forming an alliance with is Dorne. I think they were perhaps the only house that didn't end up bending their knee to Robert. It seems that after what happened with Elia, they were allowed to remain separate from the other kingdoms of Westeros.
I think Dany is becoming impatient in Meereen and finding out that Aegon is still alive may get the fires started. If Prince Doran is not moving fast enough for Dany and she possibly conspires with the Sand Snakes, I can see her making things happen. She may not have wanted Mrycella killed and only married but when Prince Doran had Arianne stopped, Darkstar took it in his own hands to start the war.
Also, I think Barristan Selmy knows more than he is saying. He was on the kingsguard with Aurthur Dayne. I think it would be odd if he didn't know about the Aegon baby switch and Lyanna being pregnant.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

Also, I think Barristan Selmy knows more than he is saying. He was on the kingsguard with Aurthur Dayne. I think it would be odd if he didn't know about the Aegon baby switch and Lyanna being pregnant.

Barristan and Arthur Dayne were in two different places at two different times. Their being on the Kingsguard together does not automatically guarantee that they share the same knowledge. Sam and Jon are brothers on the Wall, and yet Sam knows that Bran is alive, while Jon does not. Some people, especially those on the old Kingsguard, took their vows seriously. If Arthur Dayne and his two companions were charged to keep a secret of Lyanna's pregnancy, it is doubtful that they did not take it to their deaths.

If Barristen were privy to such information, I'm sure he would have shared it with Dany instead of keeping silent about it. She is the last member of the family that he was sworn to serve. If he had known about Jon, would he maybe have sought him out instead of Dany?