Going Over Jon IX, A Game of Thrones

Added: 2026-06-04

[00:00:00]All right, let's talk about John Nine. I actually recorded a previous re going over with John Nine. And I finished with it and I wasn't really that happy and then I slept on it and I was like, you know what? I I don't think I did a very good job. And I think the reason was actually is I got to the end and I I [clears throat] realized the chapter doesn't really work as well as I thought it did. I know people think I'm very negative on on on some of these chapters, but I'm going to call a spade what a spade is. You know, there's chapters I like and there's chapters I don't. And I think John 9 uh fails on a couple levels. There's some things that are interesting about it, but um for the most part, I think the big things don't work. And so, the big thing is John nine. This is essentially a a chapter where John is trying to desert the Night's Watch and go see Rob and um [clears throat] and and go join Rob's army, which I think on a fundamental level like does not work. I think that if you're reading the story and you're reading a Game of Thrones and after the after the White incident with John and especially opening the story with the others, you see this front as the most important front and you couldn't imagine and John knows that this front is very important.

[00:01:33]He knows that there's this incredibly important dark magical supernatural event going on. So for for John to want to run off to to join Rob's army, it I don't know if they sell it well enough. You know, John is doing really important work. They're doing really important work here. and to leave it for the war, you know, yeah, John loves his brother and and is sad about his dad and all that, but at the same time, like this is in the this is in the the the wake of the White incident where they know that this is really important. There's really important stuff like um save the world kind of events to to leave but and and John wants to leave for for to to join a war to be one soldier among thousands. I don't know. I don't know if I buy it. Uh which is strange that like at the end of the chapter um Mormon has to remind Jon of this that they're doing really important work. Uh because we all know this, but also like John's the only point of view at the wall. Um do we do we think that for a second that John is going to leave the wall uh and and join Rob's uh campaign?

[00:03:04]I don't I don't think so. I don't know if anybody reads this and believes that John is going to leave this this theater. Um, and so it's it's presented as as a subver like a subversion at the end that John is trying to es uh go to Rob, but ho ho actually he's getting pulled back in and we're going north of the wall to to um to deal with those whites and others, which is the ending of the chapter. Yeah, that's what we were expecting. That's what we were expecting. It's, you know, it's like one of those um sitcom situations where one character is thinking about leaving, but you know they're not because they're part of the core principal cast and they and then at the end they change their mind. Like of course they did like you know um or you know the the hero you think he's going to die but it's the main character so he's clearly not going to die. It's the same thing here with John. Like we have this whole chapter subverting the expectation of that's trying to subvert the expectation of oh John's heading south. Oh no, he's heading north. Well, we expected him to head north. That's not of subversion.

[00:04:11]You're you're trying to create a sub you're trying to create this artificial subversion to surprise us and we're not really surprised. Um the uh the other thing is that this chapter functions as a meta commentary on the importance of John and Mormon spends the entire chapter or at the end of the chapter criticizing John for thinking that he's so important that this you know saying hey this story isn't about you and a big part of that is the fact that like his friends um come and save him and bring him back showing that this is this is a team effort, okay? Dealing with dealing with these big problems is a team effort.

[00:04:53]This idea that you're the chosen one is ridiculous. And there's a lot of meta meta commentary on, you know, John being the chosen one being a kind of silly idea. Um, and then what happens? They says, "Oh, no. I need you specifically and your wolf and you're so prophecy specific and and to go off north of the wall." And then you know obviously Corin halfand like chooses him specifically.

[00:05:18]So it's strange that all these comments the these meta commentaries being made about John like you're not so important actually you're you're the most important person after all. So I you know I think the chap I think the chapter fundamentally kind of betrays itself. It betrays its own message. Um, I do think there's some interesting aspects uh bringing up execution and desertion uh and reinterpreting the beginning of the book with with Ned. But, um, for the most part, I just kind of think that this is a beautifully written chapter, which means George is wasting time. You know, he didn't have an end to the John story, so he needed to create some sort of end of the John story. And it's just not on the same part. It's just not up there with Cat and and Danny when you're thinking about the the end. It's not I don't even know if it's up there with Tyrion. Like I think Tyrion uh functions better. You kind, you know, you're excited at the end because they're like, "Oh, we're finally going north of the wall to to deal with those o to deal with those those others." But that's also an empty promise because we go so many books and nothing nothing really happens with them. So anyway, I'll get we'll get into this, but again, this is mostly verb beautiful writing that doesn't have much content.

[00:06:33]Um, the mayor wickered softly as John tightened the cinch. Easy, sweet lady, he said in a soft voice, quieting her with his touch. This John being the the sympathetic, empathetic character that he is. Wind whispered through the stable a cold dead breath on his face, but Jon paid it no mind. Beautiful writing. He strapped his roll to to the saddle, his scarred finger stiff and clumsy.

[00:06:56]"Ghost," he called softly. "To me and the wolf was there, eyes like embers."

[00:07:01]"John, please do not do this." The other thing is John running off doesn't really make any sense. Um he would never make it. He would never make it all the way to Rob's army. And then Rob, like what would Rob do when he got there? Uh it's such a it's such a poorly thoughtout idea that that and and of course it's just undone. So we never have to deal with the fact that that that John trying to go thousand like what is it? Is it a thousand miles to to to Rob and somehow evading capture the entire time and then not being executed by Rob when he got there when Cat is right there? Um uh am I supposed to buy it? And yeah, everything's lampshaded, but or he, you know, he thinks about it and he recognizes it, but we never really have to deal with the logistics of it because we undo the chapter.

[00:08:00]Um, wolf there, eyes like amber. John, please must do this. He mounted rains in hand, wheeled his horse around to face the night. Samuel Tarly stood in the door, a full moon peering over his shoulders. He threw a giant shadow immense in black. Get out of my way, Sam. the giant shadow. It's very similar to um Tyrion's giant shadow. I guess uh George likes that metaphor.

[00:08:26]John, you can't. Sam said, "I won't let you. I would sooner not hurt you." John told him, "Move aside, Sam, or I'll ride you down." "You won't. You have to listen to me, please." John put his spurs to horse flush, and the mayor bolted for the door. For an instant Sam stood his ground, his face as round and pale as the moon behind him, his mouth a widening O of surprise. At the last moment, when they were almost on him, he jumped aside and um as John had known he would, stumbled and fell. The mayor leapt over him out out into the night. John raised the hood of his heavy cloak and gave the horse her head her direction.

[00:09:03]Castle black was silent and still as he rode out with ghosts racing at his side.

[00:09:08]Men watched from the wall behind him, he knew, but their eyes were turned north, not south. No one would see him. No one but Sam Charlie struggling back to his feet in the dust of the old stables. I mean, men don't sit there and, you know, constantly looking out like they turn around. They get bored.

[00:09:27]He hoped Sam didn't hadn't hurt himself falling like that. He was so heavy and ungainainely it would be just like him to break a wrist or twist his ankle getting out of the way. I warned him, John said. It was nothing to do with him anyway. He flexed his burned hand as he rode. we get this um another reference to John John's hand. You know, this becomes the common common thing is that he flex flexes the fingers of his his sword hand. I wonder if this is the um we'll see if this is the he flexes fingers once in John 8 but the flexing the flexing is done here too becomes real you know almost every chapter he flexes the fingers of his of his sword hand opening and closing the scarred fingers They still pained him, but it felt good to have the wrappings off. Moonlight silvered the hills as he followed the twisting riven ribbon of the king's road. He needed to get as far from the wall as he could before they realized he was gone. On the tomorrow, he would leave the road and strike out overland over fields and bush and streams to throw off pursuit. But for the moment, speed was more important than deception.

[00:10:44]It was not as though they would guess.

[00:10:46]It was not as though they would It was not as though they would not guess where he was going. It was not as though they would not guess where he was going.

[00:10:59]The old bear was a custom accustomed to rise at first light, so John had until dawn to put as many leagues as he could between him and the wall if Sam Tarly did not betray him. The fat boy is dutiful and easily frightened. But he loved Jon like a brother. If if questioned John Sam would doubtless tell them the truth, but Jon could not imagine him braving the guards in front of the king's tower to wake Mormon from sleep.

[00:11:21]H [clears throat] um all very beautiful writing which again like not much is happening. So this is the thing about George R.

[00:11:30]Martin. The more beautiful the writing, the less the less action there is. When Jon did not appear to fetch the old bear's breakfast from the kitchen, they'd look in his cell and find Longclaw on his bed. It had been hard to abandon it, but John was not so lost to honor as to take it with him. Even Jorah Mormon had not done that. He had fled in disgrace. Doubtless. Lord Mormon would find someone else worthy of the blade.

[00:11:53]John felt bad. When he thought of the old man, he knew his desertion would be salt in the still raw wound of his son's disgrace.

[00:12:04]I mean, his son his son was disgraced like [laughter] how many how many years ago?

[00:12:13]Like Mormons like I suppose. [cough] that seemed to pour away to repay him for his trust. But he couldn't be helped. No matter what he did, John felt as he was betraying someone. [snorts] Even now, as you say, this is just going. Even now, he did not know if he was doing the honorable thing. The southern had it easier. They had septins to talk to, someone to tell them the god's will and help sort out the right from wrong. But the Starks worshiped the old gods, the nameless gods. And if the heart trees heard, they did not speak.

[00:12:44]This is a common like John is fairly atheist through uh up until the storm of swords and then out of the blue he wants to honor Ned's Ned's gods to keep him in the watch. I I think it's um I mean you can argue about various religious experiences that he had war gang or something or or visiting the the brand tree. Uh but it's um it's uh it's a bit you know I I feel like John's religion is is whatever is convenient for the plot at the [laughter] moment.

[00:13:23]Um [clears throat] when the last lights of Castle Black vanished behind him John slowed his mar to walk. He had a long [clears throat] long journey ahead and only the one horse seemed through.

[00:13:39]There were whole vests and farming villages along the road south [clears throat] where he might be able to trade his mayor for a fresh mount when when he needed one, but not if you were in not if you were injured or blown.

[00:13:52]Um, [sighs] so you you would think I mean he's about to mention this, but so there [clears throat] there are a bunch of villages um near Castle Black. We only really hear about the name, the named one being Molestown, but it stands to reason that there are many villages that cluster near Castle Black, the Shadow Tower and East Watch. Uh the entire point of having the gift was that the lands and incomes would go to the watch and then the watch could use those incomes. So somebody is taxing these villages and their incomes go there. Of course, this is before the advent of the the gift as a concept which comes from a storm of swords. But um still a lot of these villages at least in this in this uh early writing and its continuity they they want to be near Castle Black for protection. I mean later on what the in Storm of Swords you kind of they kind of establish that the gift is very much empty because people fear [snorts] wildlings climbing the wall and raiding them. But um the uh but at least you know some exist here.

[00:15:22]He would need to find new clothes soon.

[00:15:24]Most like he'd need to steal them. He was clad and black from head to heel.

[00:15:28]High leather riding boots, rough swung breaches and tunics. slaveless leather jerk and heavy woolc cloak. Thanks for this just long description of of what you're wearing. Could have just said he was wearing black. His long sworded dagger were sheathed in black moles skin and homeberg and koif and his saddle black were black ring male. Any bit of it could mean death if you were taken. A stranger wearing black was viewed with cold suspicion in every village and hold fast north of the neck and med would soon be watching for him. Once Mr. Aan's ravens took flight, John knew he would find no safe haven. Even at Winterfell, Bran might might want to let him in, but Mr. Leuen had better sense. He would bar the gates and send John away, as he should. Better not to call there at all.

[00:16:11]So, he's going he has to go the entire north and somehow avoid villages. I mean, our our story begins with a character doing this and failing.

[00:16:26]Um, and so we are clearly supposed to be thinking about Garrett. Um, when this hap, you know, and comparing John to Garrett [snorts] yet he saw the clear castle in his mind as if he had left it only yesterday. The tower and granite walls, the great wall, the smell of smoke, and the dog and roasting meat, his father's solar, the turret room where he had slept. Part of him wanted nothing more as to hear Bran laugh again, to sap on one of Gage's beef and bacon pies. I think this is the first mention of Gage. To listen to old man's tale, tell her tales of the children of the forest and Florian and the fool.

[00:17:09]Um, it is interesting that we're getting Florian.

[00:17:15]Um, Florian [snorts] the fool comes up like yes, we we we hear about Florian and Jong fairly late in this in the in this um Sansa story. He's she he's mentioned early. I think he's mentioned it Sansa 3, Sansa 4, but it's very clear that we're getting more mentions of Florian here at the end of Bran at the end of John because Florian becomes the Sansa story on a Clash of Kings with with um Dontos. So, we're getting um uh George is priming us for for all of that, you know, like is Florian and the Fool really a tale John would would like, you know? No, it's there because it's going to be in the Sansa story. But he had not left the wall for that. He hadn't left it because after all, he was his father's son and Rob's brother.

[00:18:18]The gift of a sword, even as fine as longclaw, did not make him a Mormon. Nor was he Aean Targaryen. Three times the old man had had chosen, and three times he had honor. But that was him. Even now Jon could not decide [clears throat] whether the maester had stayed because he was weak or craven, because he was strong and true. Yet he understood the old man had met, and the pain of choosing. He understood all that to uh that all too well.

[00:18:42][cough] [clears throat] So, I mean, it's true that John is doing this because he's so insecure about being a bastard that he wants to prove that he's he's a Stark, and that's the only the only way to do it. And that's that's mentioned in passing, but I think to really try to sell it, he needed to George needed to put more of it in here. um that the reason that John is doing this is that he wants to die.

[00:19:17]He wants to be a Stark and die a Stark.

[00:19:20]But again, you it's the problem is that you're in the middle of this other story, you know, this this other story. He's at the peak of doing all this really important stuff.

[00:19:33]Tan Lannister claimed that most men rather deny hard truth than face it. So, we're we're we're just going back to we're rewinding through through um through everything that John has done.

[00:19:48]Try to create some closure or something to to everything. But it I honestly think it kind of reads like wasting time.

[00:19:58]But Jon [clears throat] Jon was done with the denials. He was who he was. Jon Snow, bastard, oathbreaker, motherless, friendless, and damned for the rest of his life. However that might that might be, he would be condemned to be an outsider, the silent man standing in the shadows who dares not speak his true name. Wherever he might go through the seven kingdoms, he would not he would need to live a lie, lest every man's hand be raised against him. But it made no matter so long as he lived long enough to take his place by his brother's side and help avenge his father. Okay, so this yeah, this is a this is a big contradiction. This is this does this this paragraph doesn't really make any sense.

[00:20:37]He says he's done with denials. He's Jon Snow. Bastard.

[00:20:42]Okay.

[00:20:45]Motherless, [cough and clears throat] friendless, and dead. I mean, if he's Jon Snow, why is he why is he trying to be by his brother's side to help avenge his father? That's that's direct contradiction.

[00:20:57]Tyrion Lannister. Jon was done with denials. He was Jon Snow. But then he's doing everything because he's a Stark.

[00:21:08]He remembered Rob as he last seen him standing.

[00:21:17]He remembered Rob as he last seen him.

[00:21:19]We're kind of just rewinding through through John's story. Sanding the yard with snow melting in his auburn hair.

[00:21:24]John would have come to see him in secret disguise. John would have to come to him in secret disguise. He tried to imagine the look on Rob's face when he revealed himself, his brother would shake his head and smile. And he'd say, he'd say, he could not see the smile.

[00:21:37]Hard as he tried, he could not see it.

[00:21:39]He found himself thinking of the deserter his father had beheaded the day they found the direwolves. You said the words Lord Edard had told him. You took a vow before your brothers, before the old gods, and new.

[00:21:52]So, I do think that this is very this is the the most interesting part of this is that we're supposed to feel that Ned's execution unjust was was unjust and and we're supposed to be on the Starks's side at this point more now more than ever.

[00:22:16]And then then we have this condemnation of Ned's actions at the beginning that he shouldn't have he shouldn't have executed Gared.

[00:22:27]And in a way Ned's execution is kind of a a comeuppance. And so I do say I do think that this is an interesting aspect of of the chapter.

[00:22:39]John. The only reason Jon is not executed is because people of the Nights Watch like him, you know. But people of the Night's Watch liked Garrett. The problem is that Ned Stark didn't know Garrett and we as the readers don't know Garrett. So, so his execution is is just kind of lost on us.

[00:22:58]Um, I'm surprised when I bring up that like when I say things like Ned's execution of Garrett was unjust, like that so many people kind of come out of the woodwork and are like, "No, he he was a he was a deserter. He's an oathbreaker. He should have died." And it's like, well, so Jon Snow should have died, you know, and then it's like, well, it's Jon Snow shouldn't have died because you like Jon Snow. That's it.

[00:23:23]Jon Snow is guilty of the same thing. He deserted. Um and he deser I mean Jon Snow deserts twice later but um and break and breaks his vows all all over the place.

[00:23:35]Uh but we but you know you know John and you like John and so the I would say the best part of this chapter is Mormon's speech at the end where he sort of says you know the world is complicated and nuanced and you know I let men go to Molestown because um you know we're dealing with complicated world and that that real justice you know uh involves nuance And that's the most important thing that comes from this chapter is I think Mormon speech at the end is the is the true saving grace of it. I everything else is kind of filler until we get to Mormon.

[00:24:18][clears throat] You took a vow before your brothers before the old gods and new Desmond and fat Tom and dragged men at stump. Bran's eyes had wide as saucers and John reminded him to keep his pony in hands.

[00:24:27]Just a lot of a lot of summary lot of summary of a game of thrones in this.

[00:24:34]He remembered the look on his father's face when Theon Greyjoy brought forth ice, the spray of blood on snow, the way Theon had kicked the head when it came rolling at his feet. He wondered what Lord Eddard might have done if the deserter had been his brother Benjen instead of his ragged stranger. So, yes, there's the interesting question. Would it have been any different? It must surely, surely. And Rob would welcome him for certainty. He had to or else. So John is thinking that there should be leniency for him because you know we we we because people like him you know and for the reader yeah we have all this leniency for John because we like him.

[00:25:10]Uh but where was Garrett's leniency you know where you know so this is why I say fully and utterly Gared's execution was unjust and Ned Stark gets his comeuppance in in a game of thrones.

[00:25:26]It did not bear to think about pain throbbed deep in his fingers as he clutched the res. John put his heel to a horse and broke into a gallop, racing down the king's road as if to outrun his doubts. John was not afraid of death, but he did not want to die like that.

[00:25:40]Trust and bound and beheaded like a common brigand.

[00:25:44]I mean, that's the thing. Garrett wasn't a common brigant. He was a um but he was in the night's watch for decades.

[00:25:56]But this is kind of funny. Um, there's more there's more of the comparison to to Garrett. This is it's very clear that that we're supposed to be thinking about Garrett in the beginning of the story.

[00:26:09]He must perish. It let it be with a sword in hand fighting his father's killers. [snorts] He was no true Stark. Had never been one, but he could die like one. Okay. So now he's not facing his, you know, let them say that Ed Stark had fathered four sons, not three. So he's not facing the hard truth of period. He thinks he's a Stark. Ghost kept face with him for almost half a mile. Red tongue loling from his mouth. Man and horse alike lowered their heads and he asked the mayor for more speed. The wolf slowed, stopped watching his eyes glowing red in the moonlight. He vanished behind and John knew he had followed his own pace.

[00:26:51]Of course, we know that here that uh the wolf is really planning he wants the wolf wants Jon back at the wall. So, he is he is um Ghost wants him at the at the wall. So, we're we're reminded in this chapter that that the wolf is like pushing destiny here.

[00:27:12]Mormon straight up says that the wolf is like pushing events. Um, and so yes, them him ghost outing John here is intentional.

[00:27:30]Scattered lights flicker through the trees ahead of him on both sides of the road. Molestown.

[00:27:34]Most town is mentioned when is first mentioned when a Mormon gets the little gems for the eyes of the of the wolf. Um, and [sighs] here here's here's the thing about Molestown. A dog barked as he rode through, and he heard a mule's rockus haul from the stable, but otherwise the village was still. Here and there, the glow of hearthfires shown through shuttered windows, leaking through wooden slats, but only a few.

[00:28:10]Mole's town was bigger than it seemed.

[00:28:13]The threearters of it was underground in deep, warm cellars connected by a maze of tunnels.

[00:28:21]Even the wh house was down there, nothing on the surface, but a wooden shack no bigger than a privy with a red lantern hung over the door. on the wall.

[00:28:31]He'd heard men call the [ __ ] buried treasures.

[00:28:35]So he wondered if any of his other brothers in the black were down there tonight mining. That was oathbreaking, too. Yet no one seemed to care.

[00:28:48]Molestown.

[00:28:51][clears throat] So I feel like I think I would suspect that Molestown is the way it is. So Molestown is almost entirely subterranean, okay?

[00:29:04]And it's not that the wall doesn't have worm ways and Winterfell doesn't have crypts and things like that. It's not that there other aren't other subterranean aspects to the north, but realistically, why is this village underground? Are other villages underground?

[00:29:20]You know, are villages north of the wall underground?

[00:29:24]You know, like was White Tree underground? is Crusters's Keep Underground. You know, he's got a cellar, but is is you know, there's there's no reason for for Molestown to be subterranean.

[00:29:36]And I feel like the only reason is that George is making a sex joke. So people talk about um so I mean digging for treasure um has always kind of been you know you you get the euphemism by itself that digging for treasure digging for buried treasure is already the euphemism for sex. And so this fact that we now have a town where you're you're going underground to then dig again. And I mean, you're you're digging twice. You're going down into the ground and then you're going into a vagina. Um, you're digging twice. The bare you're you're having buried treasure. Uh, is is is the joke here. And so I feel like Molestown is like it it doesn't really make any sense that you'd have this subterranean village.

[00:30:42]Um even in a situation where you know the long night happened and we had all these like underground tunnels and whatever, it doesn't matter. You'd still build above ground hvels out of out of out of wood. There's plenty of wood. Power outage. Power outage. There's plenty of wood.

[00:31:04]There's There's There's no reason for um for any of for this this town to be there. It exists underground because George was making a sex joke. They're digging for buried treasure. And so they're and they're digging for buried treasure. That's it.

[00:31:22]Like Molestown's entire purpose. And we don't, you know, Yes. They go to Molestown for the gems, but for the most more part most part Molestown is synonymous with the sex work.

[00:31:36]And so that that's the way the reason it's there is just for this joke. Like the Molestown was made underground for a sex joke and that's the only real logic to it. Like just think about it like Castle Black underground. No. like the other villages in Holdfast cre to uh all the things north of the wall. Who else lives underground? Why is Molestown underground?

[00:32:11]Oh, it's there for the joke. That's it.

[00:32:14]It's there for the joke of buried treasure.

[00:32:18]You know, you're going That's it.

[00:32:22]Um, Chris, the uh the other question is, you know, that's never been kind of resolved is how do the men of the Nights Watch actually pay for their sex workers? Um, I imagine Molestown, I mean, it's established later that, you know, with the gift that Molestown would be paying their taxes to the the Night's Watch. So, it's not that the Night's Watch wouldn't have coin on hand from collecting taxes, but they're not paying salaries to the men of the Night's Watch. Um, so where do people get their coin to actually go down and and have sex with the sex workers, you know? Uh, do they do they bring food? Is it is it [laughter] is it trading? Do they steal food from the the messaul and then bring it down and and trade it for sex? Like how is this done? How is this done? Uh but you know in most um situations where you're talking about a allmale environment, there's there are these uh outs for for men to have sex.

[00:33:37]you know, you've got um camp followers or in prison there's a there's more a more tolerance for same-sex relationships or conjugal visits and things like that. So, so Molestown is is allowed.

[00:33:56]Natellio is well beyond the village John Snow Slogan. By then, both he and the mayor were damp with sweat. He dismounted, shivering and his burning hand aching, a bank of melting snow lay under the trees. Bright in the moonlight, water trickling off to form small shallow pools. Jon squatted and brought his hand together, cupping the runoff between his fingers. The snow melt was icy cold. He drank, splashed on his face until his cheeks tingled. His fingers were throbbing worse than it had in days, and his head was pounding, too. Am I doing the right thing? He told himself. Why do I feel so bad? Oh my god. I mean it [snorts] it's beautiful and all but like a paragraph about drinking water. Um the horse was well lthered so John took his took the lead and walked her for a while. The road was scarcely wide enough for two riders to pass its surface cut by tiny streams and littered with stones. That run had been truly stupid.

[00:34:51]An invitation to a broken neck. John wondered what had gotten into him. Why was he was he in such a great rush to die? What what had gotten into him? like he's been planning this for a long time.

[00:35:05]This isn't like something he just did all at once. He had to like pack up his horse.

[00:35:13]And he, you know, everyone knew he was going to do it right for days. Like Aean was already warning him, don't go. Let me tell you a story.

[00:35:22]Off in the trees, the distant scream of some frightened animal made him look up.

[00:35:26]His mayor winnied nervously. Had his wolf found some prey. He cuped his hand around his mouth. Ghost, he shouted.

[00:35:31]Ghost to me. The only answer was a rush of wings behind him as the owl took flight. Frowning, Jon continued on his way. He let the mayor. He led the mayor for half an hour until she was dry.

[00:35:42]Ghost did not appear. Jon wanted to mount up and ride again, getting concerned about missing his missing wolf. Ghost, he called again. Where are you? To me, ghost. Nothing in the woods could be could be a trouble for a direwolf, even a half-grown direwolf.

[00:35:55]Unless, no. Ghost was too smart to attack a bear. And if there was a wolfpack anywhere close to John, surely surely John would have heard would have surely heard them howling.

[00:36:08]Just just I mean just oh my god like where is this going?

[00:36:13]He should eat. He decided food would settle his stomach and give ghost the chance to catch up. There was no danger yet. Castle Black still asleep still slept. In his saddle bag he found a biscuit, a piece of cheese, a small withered brown apple. He brought self beef as well and a rasher of bacon he'd filter from the kitchens, but he would save the meat for the tomorrow. After it was gone, he'd need to hunt and that would slow him. Um, so this sentence I think is interesting because um, will in our opening is on the wall because he for poaching and so John is talking about how he's going to have to poach. So he doesn't want to be killed like a common brigant, but he has become a common brigant here that he will need to hunt for his food. Um, so I mean over and over again we're supposed to be comparing him to the first chapter and and [clears throat] what's going on with the characters there, Will and Gared.

[00:37:20]John sat under the trees and ate his biscuit and cheese while the mayor grazed along the king's road. He kept the apple for last. was kind of soft, but the flesh was still tart and juicy.

[00:37:29][sighs and gasps] [clears throat] He was down to the core when he heard the sounds. Horse horses from the north. Quickly, John leapt up and stroed to his mayor. Could he outrun them? No, they were too close. They'd hear him for certainty. And if they were from Castle Black, he led the mayor off the road behind a thick stand of gray grease gray green sentinels. loves them gray green sentinels.

[00:37:57]Quiet now, he said in hush voice, crouching down to peer through the branches. If the gods were kind, the riders would pass by. Likely as not, they were only small folk small folk from Molestown. Farmers on the way to from their fields. Although they were what what they were doing out in the middle of the night.

[00:38:13]See, this is the thing is they can farm.

[00:38:15]It's warm enough to farm and yet everybody's underground in these underground tunnels.

[00:38:20]whether they what they were doing in the middle of the night. He listened to the sound of hooves growing steadily louder as they trotted briskly down the king's road. From the sound there were five or six of them at least. Their voices drifted through the trees.

[00:38:36]All right, finally we get some something else happening here. Certain he came this way. Oh man, these these power outages can't be certain.

[00:38:49]He could have ridden He could have ridden east for all you know or left the road to cut through the woods. That's what I'd do in the dark. Stupid. If you fall off your horse or break your neck, you'd get lost and wind up back at the wall when the sun came up. I would not.

[00:39:03]Gren sounded peeved. I just ride south.

[00:39:06]You can tell south by the stars. And what if the sky was cloudy? Pip asked.

[00:39:11]Then I wouldn't go.

[00:39:13]Uh the um usually Gren is supposed this is all a setup for the for Pip insulting Gren and all this. Like usually their interactions are all just set up, but this is actually a a realistic um you know interaction. And we can say that like Gren is actually not being that dumb here. He's actually he's actually right. like, okay, if I was going to set up for an escape, I wouldn't go on a on a cloudy night. And I've got this I've got the the stars um to tell me the direction.

[00:39:58]And I mean, John is talking about doing the same thing, going off going off the King's Road.

[00:40:05]Another [clears throat] voice broke in.

[00:40:07]You know where I'd be if I was me? I'd be at Molestown digging for buried treasure. I mean, they he just made he just made the joke about the buried treasure. Like, George is so proud of his buried treasure, his buried treasure joke that he's he's using it twice here.

[00:40:30]Toad's shrill laughter boomed through the trees. John's mayor snorted.

[00:40:35]Oh man, [sighs] keep quiet all of you. Helder said I thought I heard something.

[00:40:45][snorts] So George John of course has um a whole bunch of friends from his class. Um so we've got Pip and Gren. I think people know a little better because they have uh more extreme personalities and they're featured in the show. But Toad and Halder um are his friends too. And I guess we lose track with a lot of the friends because because you know they are uh John's story he goes off on his own uh for a clash of kings and a storm of swords and then he's not in a feast for crows really not I mean just a little bit and then um he then he sends off his friends in a dance with dragons. So these great friends that he has are are not around him that much. So Toaden Halder I think gets sent to the shadow tower while Pip and Gran go to the go to Eastwatch.

[00:41:41]Quiet all of you. Helder said. I thought I heard something. Where? I didn't hear anything. The horse stopped. You can't hear yourself fart. I can too. Grant insisted. Quiet. They all fell silent listening. Jon found himself holding his breath. Sam, he thought. He hadn't gone to the old bear, but he had gone he hadn't gone to bed either. He'd woken the other boys. Damn them all. Come down. If come uh come come dawn if they were not in their beds, they'd be named deserters, too. What did they think they were doing? The hush silence seemed to stretch on and on, and from where Jon crouched, he could see the legs of their horses through the branches. Finally, Pip spoke up. "What did you hear?" "I don't know," Helder admitted. "A sound.

[00:42:23]I thought it might have been a horse, but there's nothing here. Out of the corner of his eye, GL Jon glimpsed a pale shape moving through the trees.

[00:42:31]Leaves rustled and ghost came bounding out of the shadow so suddenly that Jon's mare startled and gave a winnie there.

[00:42:37]Haldderf shouted. I heard it too.

[00:42:39]Traitor, Jon told the direwolf as he swung up into the saddle. He turned the mare's head to slide off through the trees, but they were on him before he could got had gone 10 feet. So here he might have gotten away uh if it weren't for Ghost. So Ghost is shaping destiny here. And we are straight up told this by by Mormon at the end.

[00:43:00]John Pip shouted after him. Pull up.

[00:43:02]Gren said you can't outrun us all. John wheeled around to face them drawing his sword. Get back. I don't wish to hurt you.

[00:43:09]But I will if I have to. One against seven. Holly gave a signal. The boys spread out surrounding him. Um, who are the other three?

[00:43:21][snorts] >> Because we've got we've got Pip Gren I've got Pip Grenal Toad. But um, "What do you want with me?" John demanded. "We want you to take you back where you belong," Pip said. I belong with my brothers. We're your brothers now.

[00:43:40]So, this is a lot of um re rehashing a lot of stuff that was uh in the in the text before. Um these people being his new brothers. Uh as Sam, I think, says this, too. And then we get into the the words of the of the Night's Watch. They'll cut off your head if you if they they catch you. You know, Toad put in a nervous laugh. This is so stupid. It's like something the orex would do. Orxes, of course, Gren. I would not, Gren said. I'm no oathbreaker. I said the words and I meant them. So did I. John told him.

[00:44:15]Don't you understand? They murdered my father. It's war.

[00:44:20]It's my brother. Rob is fighting in the Riverlands. We know, said Pip solemnly.

[00:44:25]Sam told us everything.

[00:44:28]We're sorry about your father, Grunt said. It doesn't matter. Once you say the words, you can't leave no matter what. I have to, John said fervently.

[00:44:35]You said the words, John Pip reminded him. Now my watch begins. You said it.

[00:44:39]It shall not end until my death.

[00:44:43]Um, [clears throat] I shall live and die at my post. Grant added, nodding. You don't have to tell me the words. I know them as well as you do. He was angry now. Why couldn't you let me leave let me go in peace? They're only making it harder. I am the sword in the darkness. Halder and toned the watch on the walls. Piped toad. So, George knows that he made his the the the oath for the Night's Watch was his is really golden writing. And here he's just um he's just dipping in and he's double dipping and having having like, you know, he's like, I know how beautiful those words are. I'm going to have all of my characters like say them. Um again here to to move John.

[00:45:26]Um there is an interesting aspect of morality here because on the one hand George's this story constantly criticizes the idea of just um attaching morality to a king or something and not having to think and um and say you know and making the statement that no you have to you have to decide from morality for yourself.

[00:45:55]But he also has this idea of like well if you're deciding morality for yourself and you make that oath like your oath is the most important thing because you're deciding what is moral. So and then when you say I'm going to do something well if you don't do what you say then you can't even follow by your own morality.

[00:46:15]Like that's even that it's like this low bar. Some people are like oh the moral relativism of like coming up with your own morality. Well, fine. But even that low bar of like, well, I'm gonna come up with my own morality, but then I'm not even gonna follow that. Then you're what are you at that point? So, oathbreaker is in that sense a very a very um harsh insult because it's one thing not to follow somebody else's moral code, but now you've made your own moral code and you can't even follow that, you know, then what do you believe? Nothing.

[00:46:48]which makes Jaime Lannister really quite interesting because he's making he is making that oath. He's doing that oath, but then he's also attaching himself to a king and just following what that king says? And so, um, you know, like is Jaime L, you know, is Jaime Lannister's oath a good or bad thing? With the Knights Watch, it's a little easier because their oath is to protect people that to guard the realms of men. So when you make that oath to protect people, you know, in this in this utilitarian sense of I'm I'm defending others, um you know, that's a great that's a good thing. But um it's hard when it's like I I I vowed to protect this king. Well, what if that king is a horrible person? Ah, well, I've changed my mind, you know.

[00:47:41]Um, the Night's Watch vow is it's in in that sense morally easier.

[00:47:52][snorts] John cursed them to their faces. They took no notice. Pip spurred his horse, reciting. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. Stay back, John warned, brandishing a sword. I mean it, Pip.

[00:48:08]They weren't even wearing armor. He could cut them to pieces if he had to.

[00:48:13]And then we we find out some of the others because we we found out four. I guess Mathar is there. Um what happens to good old Mathar?

[00:48:30][snorts] Mathar just kind of disappears from the story, which is too bad, right? This is like one of his main friends. He's not sent away and then he just vanishes.

[00:48:44]Um I mean he's at he's at Castle Black. He doesn't die in the Great Ranging. He's at Castle Black in A Feast for Crows in the appendix and then he's he's just he's just never just never mentioned never mentioned in A Dance with Dragons.

[00:49:05]Um you join the chorus. I pledge my life to honor the night's watch. John kicked his mayor, spitting her in a circle. The boys were all around him now, closing them from other every side. For this night, Alder trotted to the uh in from the left. And all the nights to come, finished Pip. He finished over. He reached over for Jon's reigns. So here here are your choices. Kill me or come back with me. Jon lifted his sword and lowered it helpless. Damn you, he said.

[00:49:32]Damn you all.

[00:49:34]We do have to do we have to bind your hands or will you give us your word that you'll ride back peacefully? Asked Haldder. I won't run if that's what you mean. Ghost moved out from into the trees and glared at him. Small help you were, he said. The deep eyes looked at him knowingly. We best hurry, Pip said.

[00:49:52]If we're not back before the first light, the old bear will have our heads.

[00:49:57]How do we not do we not find out who the last two guys are?

[00:50:02]There's seven guys.

[00:50:04]Um I guess.

[00:50:23]Yeah. We never find out because he says one against seven, right?

[00:50:39]Um, on the ride back, John remembered little. He seemed it seemed shorter than the journey south, perhaps because his mind was elsewhere. Pips set the pace, galloping, walking, trotting, and and breaking into another gallop. Molestown came and went, and the red lantern over the brothel long extinguished. They made good time. Dawn was still an hour off when John glimpsed the towers of the castle black ahead of them. Dark against the pale immensity of a wall. Did not seem home. Did not seem like home this time.

[00:51:09]They could take him back, John told himself, but they couldn't make they couldn't could not make him stay. The war would not end tomorrow or the day after, and his friends could not watch him day and night. He would b his time, make them think he was content to remain here, and then when they'd grown lax, he would be off again. Next time he would avoid the king's road. He could follow the wall east perhaps all the way to the sea. Route long a longer route but a safer one or even west to the mountains and then south over the high passes.

[00:51:36]That was the wildling way. Hard hard and perilous but at least no one would follow him. He wouldn't stray within 100 leagues of Winterfell at the king's road.

[00:51:48]Sam Samuel Tarly awaited him in the stables. Slumped on the ground against the bail of hay. Too anxious to sleep, he rose and brushed himself off. I I'm glad they found you, John. I'm not, John said, dismounting. Pip hopped off his horse and looked at the light lightning sky with disgust. Give us a hand betting down the horses, Sam, the small boy said. We have a long day before us and no sleep to fa face it on, thanks the Lord's snow.

[00:52:15]When day broke, John walked to the kitchens as he did every dawn.

[00:52:19]Three-finger hob said nothing as he gave the old bears breakfast. potato today was three brown brown uh three brown eggs boiled hard with fried bread and ham steak and a bowl of wrinkled plums.

[00:52:36]By the way, um if you're if you're ever most people don't know this even though they eat eggs every day. Uh the differences between brown eggs and white eggs are simply the breed of chicken.

[00:52:48]Generally in America, we have white eggs because uh they are the the chicken that produces white eggs. Um I think it's the Longhorn is uh is they produce more eggs per year, so they're cheaper. And if you're doing mass production, you know, having these these mass-producing chickens are is going to be cheaper, though they're they're very unruly kind of chickens. So generally if you're if you have a small farm, people don't like dealing with the with these unruly chickens. So they have the the the more docile brown egg chicken producers.

[00:53:26]Um and so this is why we kind of get this association that like oh organic ch like chickens are going to have brown eggs. Well, usually the organic farms are smaller and they've got you know they don't want to deal with these unruly chickens. So they get the they get the the brown um ones. So I you know Westeros food is all over the place. So who knows? I guess they have both brown egg uh brown egg laying chickens and white egg laying chickens. But um generally speaking, yes, brown brown eggs are going to be more expensive because the chicken produces fewer of the chicken the type of chicken that produces them produces fewer per year.

[00:54:06]It's a more docile chicken. the unruly chicken uh does the white ones and they they massproduce more. Um uh and it's like a significant amount.

[00:54:17]It's like, you know, it's like 33% more per year like the white the white eggs versus the brown. So, but you know, here here John knows about brown eggs and white eggs. So, apparently otherwise he wouldn't have mentioned it.

[00:54:33]With fried bread and ham steak and a bowl of wrinkled plums, John carried the food back to the king's tower. He found Mormon in the in the window seat, writing, "His raven was walking back and forth across his shoulders, muttering," "Corn, corn, corn."

[00:54:46]The bird shrieked when Jon entered. "Put the food on the table," the old bear said, glancing up. "I'll have some beer." So, you know, like in a lot of fiction, John George loves to have his characters doing [ __ ] while they're having really important conversations.

[00:55:01]So he always has them he has them doing things like eating. This happens in fiction a lot or movies too. Like you in real life when you have an important conversation you're not eating. Okay.

[00:55:11]It's like important you know it's really you don't sit there uh um having breakfast while having these massively important conversations. No.

[00:55:22]Like you stop what you're doing because you need to think. You need to you need to have eye contact. You need to show sincerity. But for some reason, like, you know, they they they love these props. They love these props in in fiction and and in movies. Like, oh, I've got to be got to be eating an apple at the same time as doing something else. Like, I got to be eating a sandwich while having this incredibly important conversation. or um uh it was it was kind of a big joke like in um Law and Order they would always like they they'd always be in the middle of like hauling crates like yeah what do you want to know copper and like they're in the middle of their job like oh really you can't take literally three minutes to like stop your job you can't take a break for three minutes it's got you've got to still be hauling crates while while talking to the cops like come on It's the same thing here. Like really Mormon Mormon couldn't wait.

[00:56:18]Couldn't have the conversation and then eat his breakfast.

[00:56:23][sighs] So yeah, John opened a shuttered window, took a flag and a beard off the outside ledge, filled a horn.

[00:56:32]Hobbit had given him a lemon still cold from the wall. John crushed it in his fist. The juice uh trickled through his fingers. Mormon uh drank lemon in his beer every day and claimed that he that was why he had his own teeth. Um who I guess he just he doesn't want to cut the lemon open. Who who who squeezes a lemon like this? He just takes the whole lemon and crushes it. Like cut it open. You've got you guys have swords and dirks and whatever. Cut the lemon open. Squeeze it. Crush it. Crush it.

[00:57:16]And let all the juice go through your fingers. You don't know where Jon Snow's I know where Jon Snow's fingers have been. That's He's been riding with horses and with ghost all day. All that like all that dirt and filth is just going to pour right into Mormon's beer.

[00:57:33][ __ ] cut the cut the cut the lemon in half and squeeze it.

[00:57:41][sighs] Doubtless you love your father. Mormon said when when John brought him his horn, the things we love destroy us every time. Lad, remember what I told Remember when I told you that? Um, love is the death of duty. This is again like we're just re redoing a lot of stuff here.

[00:57:59]I remember John said solemnly, I did not care. He did not care to talk about his father's death even to Mormon.

[00:58:07]So I mean Mormon tells him about love destroying us every time and then Aean says love is the death of duty and now we get it again.

[00:58:21]See that you never forget it. The hard truths are the ones to hold tight.

[00:58:28]Fetch my plate. Is it ham again? So be it. You look wary. Was your moonlight ride so tiring.

[00:58:45]John's throat was dry. You know?

[00:58:47][snorts] No. No. The raven the raven echoed Mormon's shoulder. No. The old bear snorted. Do you think they chose me Lord Commander of the Night's Watch because I'm dumb as a stump? No. Aean told me you'd go. I told him you'd be back. I know my men and my boys, too.

[00:59:02]Honor sent you on the king's road and honor brought you back.

[00:59:08]It's a pretty good line here.

[00:59:10]My friends brought me back, John said.

[00:59:13]Did I say it was your honor? Mormon inspected his plate. But that's the interesting thing is that honor in this case is like trying to protect their friend because obviously John was gonna be or or um was was going to be killed at some point. He was not going to make it to Rob.

[00:59:31]Um they killed my father. Did you expect me to do nothing? If truth be told, we expected you to do just as you did.

[00:59:41]Mormon tried to plum. Spit out the pit.

[00:59:44]I ordered a watch be kept over you. You were seen leaving. If your brothers had not fetched you back, you would have you would have been taken along the way. And not by friends. Unless you have a horse with wings like a raven, do you?

[01:00:02]I don't know. Is Bracken.

[01:00:06]Is this a weird reference to Bracken?

[01:00:10]Um, Bracken has been established as a horse with wings at this point, but Oh, wait. Um, yeah. Oh, wait. Does Bracken just have No, Bracken doesn't have wings. It's It's only Bittersteel that has wings.

[01:00:33]So, now this is just uh No, you know what? This is this is a this is clearly like a Pegasus Perseus like reference.

[01:00:46]So, and this is where this is kind of we're Mormon is clearly critiquing the fantasy genre here. Okay, so he's saying, okay, [clears throat] look, you're not that special. You're not Perseus. Okay, you don't have a Pegasus.

[01:01:06]And he says, "No." John felt like a fool. Pity. We could use a horse like that. John stood tall. He told himself that he would die well. That much he could do at least. I know the penalty for desertion, my lord. I'm not afraid to die. Die or even create cried.

[01:01:22]Nor live, I hope, Mormon said, cutting his hand with a dagger and feeding a a bite to the bird. So So they do have knives right there. Just cut cut the lemon, man. You've not deserted yet.

[01:01:34]Here you stand. If we beheaded every boy who rode to Molestown in the night, only ghosts would regard the wall. So Jo, you know, Mormon is saying that nuance is important uh in in ruling.

[01:01:49]Gared should not have been killed. He wouldn't have killed Garrett. I don't think he would have killed Gar.

[01:01:55]Yeah, maybe you mean to flee again on the tomorrow or the fortnight from now.

[01:01:58]Is that it? Is that your hope, boy? John kept silent. I thought so. Mormon peeled the shell off a boiled egg. Got you gotta keep eating. Got to keep having that distraction.

[01:02:08]Your father is dead, lad. Do you think you can bring him back? No, he answered Sullen. Good, Mormon said. [sighs] We've seen [clears throat] the dead come back, you and me, and it's not something I care to see again. That this is this is what I kind of really think undercuts the whole thing is that we as readers know the more most important thing is the others. Um, John should certainly know that, you know, he's got he's still got his wound from fighting the the whites.

[01:02:39]He ate the egg in two bites and flicked a bit of shell from out between his teeth. Um, he uh Corin Halfhand also eats eggs. He just [ __ ] loves him eating eggs while while having important conversations. Your brother's in the field with all the with all the power of the north behind him. Any one of his lord bannermanmen commands more swords than you'll find in all the nights watch. Why do you imagine that they need your help? Are you such a mighty warrior? Or do you carry a grumpkin in your pocket to to magic up your sword?

[01:03:14]So this is the whole thing like you're not special. You don't have you don't have a pegasus. You don't have a magic sword. You're not the hero.

[01:03:24]But you actually you but actually you are the hero. Like so I mean he makes he he he makes the meta commentary and then they like they under they just they undercut it.

[01:03:40]Like if the story later became like all of Jon's friends come with him and it's important that he's with Pip and Gran and Howder and Toad and and and Sam and like and in a teamwork sense they they like do something. But from here on like the rest here it's like no you you are are special in this war against the others and later Khalfan's like I need Jon Snow to come along for no [ __ ] reason at all with me.

[01:04:16][clears throat] Jon had no answer. The raven was pecking at an egg breaking the shell pushing his beak through the hole. It pulled out morsel of white yolk of white and yolk.

[01:04:28]Um, the old bear side, "You're not the only one touched by this war. Like is not, my sister is marching in your brother's host. Her and her daughter of hers dressed in men's mail. And yet I have had didn't give them the sword."

[01:04:48][laughter] [gasps] Mage is a hory old snark, stubborn, short-tempered, willful. Willful. Truth be told, I can hardly stand to be around the wretched woman, but that doesn't mean my love for her is any less than the love you bear your halfsisters."

[01:05:04]Frowning, Mormon took his last egg and squeezed it in his fist until the shell crunched.

[01:05:11]Or perhaps it does.

[01:05:18]Be that as it may, I still grieve as if she were slain. Yet you don't see me running off. I said the words just as you did. My place is here. Where's yours, boy?

[01:05:33]Why is he crush Why is he crushing Why is he crushing an egg?

[01:05:41]I have no place, John wanted to say. I'm a bastard. I have no rights, no name, no, no mother now. Not even a father.

[01:05:47]The words might not come. I do not know.

[01:05:51]I do, said Lord Commander Mormon. The cold winds are rising snow. Yes, we we've been told this over and over again. Beyond the wall, the shadows lengthen the Carter Pike I mean shadows lengthen. He's saying that the sun is going down. Um therefore, the shadows are lengthening.

[01:06:09]Carter Pikes write writes of a vast herd of elk herds of elk streaming south and east towards the sea. The mammoth as well. He says that one of the men discovered a huge misshapen footprints not three leagues from Eastwatch.

[01:06:23]You know, clearly giants rangers from the shadow towers have found whole villages abandoned. And at night, Sir Dennis says they see fires in the mountains, huge blazes that burned from dusk till dawn. Corin Ha Corin Halfand uh his his name is Red Kalland to Corin but it's Cororin in in a game of thrones took a captive in the depths of the gorge and the man swears that man sator is massing all of his people in some new secret stronghold he's found to what end gods only know I mean I don't think I don't think it's that hard to figure out what's going on, you know, like they're they're they they clear they've seen the others. There's been spotting of the others. We've got whites coming back from the dead. You now have animals, vast herds are streaming out of the area. Um the the the wildlings are abandoning their villages and and massing.

[01:07:29]It's It's really not hard to figure out that they're trying to get the [ __ ] out.

[01:07:34]Like that they're trying to get [ __ ] out because of the others. Like, do you think your uncle Benjen was the only ranger we've lost in the past year?

[01:07:43]Benjen? The raven squawkked, bobbing its head, bit of egg uh dribbling from his beak. Benjen. Benjen. No, there have been others. Too many. Do you think your brother's war is more important than ours? The old man barked. Of course. Of course it's not. That's why we're all sitting here being like, "Why are we wasting our time on this chapter?"

[01:08:02]John chewed his lip. The raven flapped its wings under him. War, war, war, it sang. It's not. Mormon told him, "God save us, boy. You're not blind and you're not stupid. When dead men come hunting in the night, do you think it matters who sits the Iron Throne?" Yes, that's what all of us are [ __ ] thinking when reading this book. Like why are you squab why are everybody squabbbling over the iron throne when when we we we're introduced to the story with the others?

[01:08:28]John should know this. John, no. John had not thought of it that way.

[01:08:35]H how had John not thought of it that way?

[01:08:39][snorts] How How had John not thought of it that way?

[01:08:58][sighs and snorts] [gasps] I I I think this I think this sentence breaks me. I think this sentence see I was split on this chapter. I was like, "Okay, is it a big waste of time or is there really interesting meta commentary that Mormon gives on like the f on fantasy literature and and um and no, this is this chapter is dumb. This chapter is just dumb. I I've I've come around to really like having read it now twice, I' i've come around to just just not liking it." Um, I'm People get so angry at me. I just, [snorts] how is this possible? How is this possible?

[01:09:55]Your Lord, Father sent us to us, John.

[01:09:58]Why? Who can say why? John wanted to go.

[01:10:03]John wanted to join the Night's Watch because he was a bastard and he had no place to at Winterfell because he was going to be handed the king.

[01:10:18]Who's to say like John wanted? Why? Why?

[01:10:22]Why? The Raven called.

[01:10:24]All I know is that the blood of the first men flows in the veins of Starks.

[01:10:29]The first men built the wall and it's said that they remember things otherwise forgotten.

[01:10:34]Okay, so Jon is not so important with his magical sword and he doesn't have a Pegasus, but the Starks are super important by birth and by blood and that beast of yours. He led us to the whites, warned you of the dead in the steps. Sir Jeremy would doubtless call that happen stance. Jeremy is dead and I'm not. Lord Mormon stabbed a chunk of ham with the point of his dagger. Is he still crushing the egg?

[01:11:02]Is he still [ __ ] crushing the egg with his head? What has he done with the the egg that he crushed with his fist?

[01:11:11]I think you were meant to be here and I want you that wolf of yours with us when we go beyond the wall. Okay. So, Jon Snow, you're not the most important person in the world, but you are the most important person in the world because the gods are are twisting fate around you.

[01:11:30][snorts] His words sent a chill of excitement down. Beyond the wall, you heard me. I mean to find Ben Stark, alive or dead.

[01:11:42]He chewed and swallowed on the ham. I thought he was crushing the egg. I will not sit here me is I will not sit here meekly and wait for the snows and ice winds. We must know what's happening. It's very clear what's happening. It's very [ __ ] clear what's happening. Okay? Like you've got people disappearing. You got people abandoning. You've you had Garrett abandon his post. You have wildlings and and and deer moving out of the area. People have spotted the others.

[01:12:18]It's very [ __ ] clear what's happening.

[01:12:27]This time the knight's watch will ride in force against the kings beyond the wall, the others, and anything else what might be out there.

[01:12:35]Why?

[01:12:36]I mean, the wall is a pretty secure location to defend from. Why would you take everybody and go out in force? I mean to command them myself. He pointed his dagger at Jon's chest. By custom, the Lord Commander Stewart is his squire as well.

[01:12:57]But I do not care to wake every dawn wondering if you've run off again. Um, so I will have an answer from you, Lord Snow, and I'll have it now. Are you a brother of Night's Watch or only a bastard boy who wants to play at war?

[01:13:13][snorts] [clears throat] I mean, the assumption when you read the book is that the story is going to go have conflict for the with the others. So, this this like treating it as a surprise, that we're going to we're going to go on exactly the plot that you think it's going on as a surprise here is just it's just kind of weird.

[01:13:35]John straightened himself and looked and took a deep breath. Forgive me, father.

[01:13:39]Rob Arya Bran, forgive me. I cannot help you. He has the truth of it. This is my place. I am yours, my lord. Your man. I swear it. I will not run again. The old bear snorted. Good. Now go put on your sword.

[01:13:58]I mean, I get that like this sounds like a cool line, but how does this make any sense? I mean, they're not leaving now.

[01:14:07]They're not They're not They're not leaving. Like, what are they doing? Like, is he supposed to go to the yard and practice? Like, what now? Go put on your sword. Like we're they they've got like weeks if they got weeks of planning ahead for the great ranging.

[01:14:36]Go put on your So yeah, having gone through it a second time, uh yeah, this this is this is a disastrous chapter. disastrous chapter.

[01:14:53]I think that the the subversion of expectations is um dumb because you're you're subverting everything towards what we were expecting. So you're you're creating this you're creating this artificial um reason for John to to go to go south when he John very much should know.

[01:15:19]Apparently he didn't know. Apparently, he never thought of it. But John should know that they're dealing with like crazy supernatural events that are way more important than everything else.

[01:15:29]Okay, John should know that, but yet he's never thought of it that way. He never thought of it that way. And and so we create this whole chapter where Jon is supposedly going to leave the the the watch and go to and go to Rob, which no one believes because we all know that the story needs to head towards the other others. And that Jon is the only point of view to do that.

[01:15:52]And then you get subverted at the end being like, "Haha, we're actually going to see the others after all." Like that's not that's not a subversion.

[01:16:01]and the meta commentary on John like not being the chosen one, which if if they left it actually as like his friends in the watch like were all important going forward. Um like Mormon's like, you know, those men that those men that came with you, they're important too.

[01:16:25]You know that this is a team effort.

[01:16:28]um cuz we're we're the watch and we're brothers. Uh that would be something.

[01:16:35]But the statement is contradictory. He's like, "John, you're not so [ __ ] special. You don't have a you don't have a Pegasus. You don't have a magical sword. Um but actually, you are super [ __ ] special, and I need you north of the wall.

[01:16:59]I appreciate the fact that like they there there's there's a lot of callbacks to to Gared and you're supposed to think about the morality of that execution compared to Ned's and John being in this same situation.

[01:17:18]Yeah. No, this this as a as an ending to the John story, as a as as a chapter in and of itself, I think this this chapter is uh Yeah, I think it's a stinker. I think it's a stinker. I'm sorry.

[01:17:33]That's my feelings. But now we're left with the we've only got two chapters left and uh they are the of course what George has been waiting for his his uh his cat and Danny um where he's been putting all of his effort. So I think you know obviously we're going to end on a on a high note here uh with Cat and Danny. So we'll see you next time.

[01:18:04]Thanks for watching.