Going Over Catelyn XI, A Game of Thrones

Added: 2026-06-05

[00:00:01]Okay, let's talk about Catalin 11, which I have to say, you know, George is saving the best for last. The last two chapters of A Game of Thrones are are really quite brilliant. And what's what I find really interesting about about these chapters is that um especially Catalyn is that uh there's so much hidden here that people don't even realize is here. I think people love the Catalon 11 because it's got a really dynamic conversation at the end and it ends with the big King of the North triumphant kind of uh ending where everyone's like, "Yeah, King of the North." But of course, this is an anti-war book. Like, it's a tragedy at the end that that Rob is is declaring himself king of the north. Um, and Catalyn is clearly sad like about this.

[00:00:55]This is not her. this was not her her recommendation.

[00:01:00]Um yet you're yet people are caught up in it so much that you're like, "Oh, this is awesome on first read." Going back, it's it's um I really appreciate this chapter a lot, especially considering that it takes place at at Riverrun and and the message that that George is making with this.

[00:01:21]Um, and you know, some people say I'm imagining this, but so Riverrun is named after the first and last word of Finnegan's wake. And the idea is that by doing that, the story is is flowing back onto itself in in some sort of circle or but the idea is that the ending comes back to the beginning. And you know, in fiction, this is a really great thing to do. It makes people feel wonderful closure and everything, but we're supposed to be taking Catalyn's story from the beginning and bringing it back here to the end. And um it's there's so many wonderful clues of of what's going on here. When when you accept that dynamic, when you accept that this is taking place at Riverun, everything is coming back. Everything is coming back. It's really just it's really wonderful thinking about that there's so many callbacks apt call back callbacks meaningful thematic callbacks that it's not just fan service oh or or as I say um you know uh um continuity porn or anything like that. It's it like it's very important things that they're bringing back in a riverrun sense that this is going to happen again. This is the reason uh we a lot of people think the beginning of this chapter is boring but uh rather while the end is exciting and that of course that's true but like the beginning is important because you're actually being told why the the war of the five kings is really happening in the beginning and then the result in the end. It's it's a beautiful beautiful uh chapter that that George must have just thought a lot about. Anyway, let's get into it. I'm gushing a little too much from the beginning.

[00:03:21]It seemed a thousand years ago that Catalyn Stark had carried her infant son out of Riverrun, crossing the tumble stone in a small boat to begin her journey north to Winterfell. And it crossed the tumblestone that they had they had uh came home now. Though the boy wore Oh, and it was across the tumble stone that they came home. Now, though the boy wore plate and mail in place of swaddling clothes. So, Catalyn Stark, you know, she she made her her her journey to the north and back. This is it seems to her first time back to Riverrun. Uh considering that it doesn't really take that long to get everywhere in Westeros, um it's strange that Catalyn hasn't visited home, but nonetheless, she hasn't. She's coming back and Rob Stark is coming back. Riverrun.

[00:04:13]Okay, if the keep Finnegan's wake in there, Riverrun, it's coming back. Okay, all this is coming back. Um, Rob sat in the bow with gray wind, his hand resting on his direwolf's head as the rowers pulled their orars. The Greyjoy was with him. her uncle Brynden would come behind in the second boat with with the uh great John and Lord Karst Stark. That's the That's And this is the thing like what Rob is bringing with him behind him to Riverrun are the most important things. Like when you think about the most uh important people in Rob's story, right? We've got the Greyjoy who of course betrays him causing him to turn around which eventually leads to his death.

[00:05:07]We got Great John, who's the one that came up with the horrible, horrible uh uh notion of becoming king of the north, who screws him over, and Kar Stark, who you know has the the entire um uh situation where he has to bet him and lose his army, and his army starts breaking apart. But and of course, oh, and and Brendan, who is, you know, still out there causing trouble. Um but it's important that he's bringing these people. They're really the ones shaping his story.

[00:05:39]Um, you know, that's the important thing.

[00:05:45]It's f none of that's funny. No, no, nobody else is mentioned, but the most important characters.

[00:05:52]Catalyn took a place toward the stern.

[00:05:55]They shot down the tubblestone, letting the strong current push them past the looming wheel tower. Up. Yeah, this is kind of it's getting to be on the on the nose here. Everything's coming back in a wheel. The splash and rumble of the great water wheel within within was the sound of her girlhood that brought a sad smile to Catalyn's face. From the sandstone walls of the castle, soldiers and servants shouted down her name and robs. And winterfell from every rampert waved the banner of House Tully. A leaping trout silver against the rippling blue and red field. It was a stirring sight, yet it did not lift her heart. She wondered if indeed her heart would ever lift again. Oh, Ned.

[00:06:37]Below the wheel tower, they made a wide turn and knifed through the churning water. Everything's poetic. It's Catalin. The men put their backs into it.

[00:06:48]The wide arch of the water gate came into view, and she heard the creek of the of heavy chains and the great iron portalis was winched up. It rose slowly as they approached and cattle and saw that the lower half of it was red with rust. The bottom foot dripped brown on them as they passed underneath. The barbed spikes were mere inches above their heads. Catalin gazed up at the bars and wondered how deep the rust went and how well the port cullis would stand up against up to the ram or whether it ought to be replaced. Thoughts like that were seldom far from her mind these days.

[00:07:25]Oh my.

[00:07:27]This is some wonderful symbolism here because what h what's happening is is is everything seems strong and wonderful here, but there is a deep rust within House Tully. There's a deep rust within Rob's camp that is going to cause everything fall to fall apart.

[00:07:51]Um she wondered how deep the rust went and how well the part colis would stand. And the you know in the end we know the answer is no. Like that it's it's it's weak. Rob's Rob's cause is it seems strong but it's very weak because of the rust the the unseen rust.

[00:08:20]They passed beneath the arch and under the walls, moving from sunlight to shadow and back into sunlight. Boats large and small were tied up all around them, secured to iron rings set in the in his in the stone. Her father's guards waited on the water stare with her brother. Sir Edali was a stock young man with a shaggy head of auburn hair and a fiery beard. His breastplate was scratched and dented from battle and his blue red cloc stained by blood and smoke. At his at his side uh stood the lord host Blackwood. That's hoster Blackwood. We meet him again in in a dance with dragons with Jamie.

[00:08:59]A hard pike of a man whose with clo closecropped salt and pepper whiskers and a hooknose.

[00:09:05]His bright yellow armor was inlaid with jet and elaborate vine and leaf patterns.

[00:09:11]and a cloak sewn from raven feathers draped his thin shoulders.

[00:09:17]It had been Lord Host who led the sorty that had plucked her brother from the Lannister camp. Bring them in, sir, Sir Edmir commanded. Three men scrambled down the stairs knee deep in the water and pulled the boat close with long hooks. When Greywin bounded out, one of them dropped his pole and lurched back, stumbling and sitting down abruptly in the river. The others laughed. The man got a sheepish look on his face. The angry joy vaulted over the side of the boat and lifted Catalin by the waist, setting her on a dry step above him as water lapped around his boots.

[00:09:52]Of course, you know, she she hates Theon Greyjoy. So, but you know, they don't really get into the her hatred of Theon Greyjoy that much um in a Game of Thrones. It comes in it comes in obviously later in a Clash of Kings.

[00:10:08]Theon.

[00:10:10]Considering how important Theon is as a character later on, it's amazing how little time is given to Theon in the in in the Game of Thrones.

[00:10:20]Edmure came down the steps to embrace her. Sweet sister. Sweet sister. Of course, the um this was uh what everybody seems to call each other.

[00:10:30]Viserious calls Danny sweet sister.

[00:10:32]Tyrion calls Cersei sweet sister. Um, and so they they have that sweet sister.

[00:10:40]Sweet. I'm wondering if um Oh, uh, Jamie calls Cersei sweet sister.

[00:10:50]Everybody's sweet sister.

[00:10:54]He had deep blue eyes and a mouth made for smiles, but he was not smiling. He looked worn and tired, battered by battle, and haggarded from strain. His neck was bandaged where he had taken a wound. Catalyn hugged him fiercely. Your grief is mine, cats, he said when they broke apart. When we heard about Lord Eddard, the the Lannisters will pay. I swear it. You will have your vengeance.

[00:11:19]And this is the big thing. Vengeance.

[00:11:23]It's it's uh it's interesting that Cat is so wise and pacifist in this in this chapter and then becomes Lady Stoneheart. Um you know, but here she has her her deep wisdom here. Will that bring Ned back to me?

[00:11:41]She said sharply. The wound was still too fresh for softer words. She could not think about Ned now. She would not would not do. She had to be strong.

[00:11:53]This gets back to um her woman's woman's armor is is woman's armor is courtesy. Is that it? Women's armor. She has to remain strong.

[00:12:06]This is the thing is like women are not allowed to show emotion or else they're considered hysterical while men can can are allowed to scream about. So all that will keep. I must see father.

[00:12:22]He waits you in his solar," Edmir said.

[00:12:24]Lord Ho hoster is bedridden, my lady, my father explained. When had the good man grown so old and gray? He instructed me to bring you to him at once. "I'll take her," Edmir escorted her up the water stair and across the lower Bailey, where Peter Beaish and Brandon Stark had once crossed swords in her favor.

[00:12:44]"Uh, by the way, we we we've heard that in a previous chapter that Holster has been bedridden for two years.

[00:12:51]Um, so him saying like he's bedridden, I mean, I guess it's repetition for the reader, but you know, Catalyn of course knows that her father has been bedridden for two years.

[00:13:04]Where Beish and Brandon Stark went across swords, the massive sandstone wall of the keep loomed above them as they pushed through a door between two guardsmen and fishcrust helms. She asked, "How bad is he?" dreading the answer even as she said the words.

[00:13:19]Edmure's look was somber. She will not be with us long, the maesters say. The pain is constant and grievous. A blind rage filled her. A rage at all the world, at her brother Edmure and her sister Lysa, the Lannisters, the maesters, at Ned and her father, and the monstrous gods who had taken them both away from her. "You should have told me," she said. "You should have sent word as you should have sent word as soon as you knew.

[00:13:47]It's kind of weird. This is this is kind of weird this this section because again hostelli's been bedridden for two years.

[00:13:56]He's not going to die for another six months in the story. Okay. So saying like he's close to death like at at what point are you making that are you making that assessment? like you know I would So when someone's bedridden for six months or a year I'd be like that's pretty bad but he's been bedridden for two years and he's going to be continuing on like this for six months. So you know her being like oh you should have told me you should have said word like she already knew he was bedridden. Isn't that bad enough?

[00:14:28]Doesn't that mean like they're pretty close to death? I don't know.

[00:14:32]He for I mean cat's not thinking straight. He forbade it. He did not want his enemies to know he was dying.

[00:14:41]But he's bedridden like he's bedridden for two years. You think they don't they don't think about that.

[00:14:49]With the realm so troubled he feared that if the Lannisters suspected how frail he was, they might attack. Catalyn finished hard. Of course they did attack. It was the silly.

[00:15:00]It was your doing yours. A voice whispered inside her. If you had not taken it upon yourself to seize the dwarf. There she's taking the uh the guilt. I mean, the thing is is why did she take sees the dwarf? Well, the answer is is right here. She just walked over the answer.

[00:15:18]The answer was Littlefinger.

[00:15:23]And here she is. Like, this is what's kind of this is I mean, this is very cool because she's sitting here blaming herself for all of these things. Meanwhile, she is walking through She's walking through the signs of the war's cause. She's walking through them everywhere.

[00:15:42]Um they climbed the spiral the spiral stare in silence. The keep was three-sided like Riverrun itself, and Lord Hoser's solar solar was triangular as well with a stone balcony that jutted out to the east like a prow of some great sandstone ship. Uh, three-sided castles. George, I guess, becomes a little obsessed with them. Um, because around this time, you know, he writes uh the hedge knight, which Ashford Ashford Castle is also three-sided. Three-sided castles were kind of rare historically in our world.

[00:16:26]We've got the the kind of famous one in in in um Scotland called Cayar Cayara Lavarok Castle. It's it's um it specifically is kind of famous for being this triangular castle. Um but you know, you don't it's kind it's extremely rare to have a three-sided castle.

[00:16:50]So, the fact that like George has written Riverrun and Ashford within literally months of each other um is is uh is kind of funny.

[00:17:06]From there, the lord of the castle would look down on the walls and battlements and beyond to where the waters met.

[00:17:12]They'd moved her father's bed out onto the balcony. He likes to sit in the sun and watch the rivers. Amir explained, "Father, see who I've brought. Cat has come to see you. Hoster Tully had always been a big man, tall and broad in his youth, portly as he grew older. Now he seemed shrunken. The muscle and meat melted off his bones. Even his face sagged. Uh this is of course very similar to the Daenerys story with her feelings about William Derry. Um the fact that like these big men are wasting away in beds. Um, you know, it's I mean, I either just George loves the idea that these huge huge men are ironically become small men. Um, or that he's, you know, he's making a riverrun kind of idea that that we're the end of this war of the five kings, but let's bring us back to the beginning of the Daenerys story. Um, and meaning there's some sort of secrets there.

[00:18:14]Even his face sagged the last time Catalyn had seen him. His hair and beard had been brown, well stre with gray. Now they had gone white as snow. His eyes opened to this to the sound of Edmir's voice. Of course, like the last time Catalin seen him, he was, you know, I mean, I'm guessing it was when Rob's born, 15, 14, 15 years ago.

[00:18:38]His eyes opened to the sound of Edmure's voice. Little cat, he murmured in a voice thin, wispy, and racked with pain.

[00:18:44]my little cat.

[00:18:47]A a tremulous smile touched his face as his hands broke for hers. I watched for you.

[00:18:54]I shall leave you to talk, her brother said, kissing their lord father gently on the brow before he went through.

[00:19:00]Catalyn knelt and took her father's hand and hers. It was a big hand, but fleshless now, the bones moving loosely under the skin, all the strength gone from it.

[00:19:14]You should have told me a rider or a raven.

[00:19:18]I mean, he's been bedridden for two years. I This is This is a ridiculous secret, but you know, it's just so that there's a surprise here for Cat. Riders are taken, questions, he answered.

[00:19:30]Ravens are brought down. A spasm of pain took him and the fingers clutched hers hard. The crabs are in my belly, pinching, always pinching day and night.

[00:19:40]They have fierce claws. the crabs. Um, in a feast for crows, we of course get a reference again to the crabs in people's belly where uh, Euron says, you know, save me from the crab. He says, the people pray save me from the crabs within my belly. Which, you know, and the does that mean Euron was was walking in Hoster Tully's mind? Maybe.

[00:20:06]Um, some people say, some people think that the crabs mean he has some sort of stomach cancer because cancer is is the crab. Um, it's I mean, if that connection if that's the connection, it it it bears no logical reason that that would be that would be it. The re the reason that cancer is called cancer is that under a microscope the the the first discovered cancer kind of looked like it was claws in it in in in its shape and the the ourworld constellation of cancer is a crab.

[00:20:51]So, the idea that like it's it's in no way because cancer hurts like crabs pinching you. I'm sure some cancers do hurt and pinch you, but cancer isn't crab in this world. Not that there aren't Shakespeare quotes and and all sorts of things. I mean, there's a there's going to be a Bible quote later on in this very chapter with the plow shares, but I mean, there's no logical reason why crabs should mean cancer at all. They don't know what cancer is.

[00:21:26]They don't know the look of cancer under under a microscope. There's no connection between cancer and crabs in this universe. It's it's that's just not it. But so many people so many people are like I'm pretty sure he just has cancer. The crabs mean cancer whatever you know like I it makes that would make no sense. That would make no sense. Um but nonetheless he's got he's just he's dying of something. He's dying of something that's you know killing him and causing him to have pain in his abdomen which could be literally anything.

[00:22:05]Um, Mr. Vman makes makes me dreamline.

[00:22:08]Milk of the Poppy. I sleep a lot, but I wanted to be awake to see you when you came. I was afraid. I was afraid when the Lannisters took your brother. The camps all around us. Was afraid I would go before I could see you. I was afraid.

[00:22:23]So here we have, you know, hoster Tully is filled with all of these life regrets that he he wants to, you know, all this like history here. Okay. Um, and we're we're we're honing in on the cause of the war.

[00:22:41]I'm here, father, she said with Rob, my son. With Rob, my son. He'll want to see you, too. Your boy, he whispered. He had my eyes. I remember. He did. He does.

[00:22:51]And we brought you Jamie Lannister.

[00:22:53]Irons Riverrun is free again. Father Hoster Telly smiled. I saw last night when it began. I told them I had to see.

[00:23:01]They carried me to the gate house.

[00:23:02]Watched from the battlements. Ah, it was beautiful. The torches came in a wave. I could hear the cries floating across the river. Sweet cries when that siege tower went up. Gods would have died then, and glad if I could only have seen you children first. Was it your boy who did it? Was it Rob?

[00:23:22]Yes, Catalyn said fiercely proud. It was Rob and Brendan. Your brother is here as well, my lord. Him? His father's voice was a faint whisper. The blackfish came back from the veil. Yes, and Lysa. Cool wind moved through the thin white hair.

[00:23:38]God's beg your sister. Did she come as well? Here's the big hint. Okay. Catalyn is wondering about the rust. What?

[00:23:47]Riverrun. We're bringing this all back.

[00:23:49]And Catalyn's wondering about the rust.

[00:23:50]What is the cause of all this? Well, it's Lysa. It's Lysa and Littlefinger.

[00:23:55]We we crossed over the the situation with Littlefinger. It's all this is the true reason for the war. Um, and not anything else really. I mean, everything else like, yeah, all these other things happened. The true causes of the war, it's Littlefinger and Lysa.

[00:24:14]He sounded so full of hope and yearning, it was hard to tell the truth. No, I'm sorry. Oh, his face fell the and some light went out of his eyes. I'd hoped I would have liked to see her before because, you know, obviously he's he feels guilty about her, his uh forced abortion on her.

[00:24:36]She's with her son in the eerie. Lord Holster gave a weary nod. Lord Robert now poor Lord. Poor Aaron's gone. I remember. Why did she not come with you?

[00:24:46]She's frightened. My lord in she feels safe. She kissed his wrinkled brow. Rob will be waning. We'll be waiting.

[00:24:54]Will you see him? And Brynden, your son, he whispered. Yes. Cat's child. He had my eyes. I remember he was born when he was born. Bring him. Yes. Of course.

[00:25:07]This was just mentioned. Hoster. I think it's because hoster telly's mind is a little loopy. And your brother. Her father glanced over the river's blackfish. Has he wed yet? taken some girl to wife.

[00:25:20]Even on his deathbed, Kendall thought he has not wed. You know that, father. Nor will he ever.

[00:25:27]I told him, commanded him, Mary, I was his lord. He knows my right to make a match. A good match, a red wine, old house, sweet pretty girl, freckles.

[00:25:35]Bethany, poor child, still waiting. Yes, still. Bethany red wine and Lord Rowan.

[00:25:40]Wed Lord Rowan years ago, Catalan reminded him. And he has three children by her.

[00:25:46]Um, so Blackfish never married. And there's of course the debate on why this is. Most people think, oh, it's because Blackfish is gay. But the thing is is in this world, people don't get married for romantic reasons. So like him wanting wanting, you know, not wanting to marry a woman. I mean, nobody wants to marry who who they have to marry. I mean uh um so it's not really it's I accept that yeah that's probably the reason uh that he never married was was because of uh because he's gay but like it's actually kind of silly like who cares like no one likes their spouse no one's getting married for romantic reasons so why why but of course we we are in this discussion of of romance here that that Lysa never forgives Hoster for making for not only the abortion but for making her marry John Aaron who she didn't like romantically.

[00:26:52]Um so you know we're getting in this this this conflict here. So that um you know Brynden Brendan I suppose you know if we're if we're I guess if we're on the subject of like you know should people be able to marry romantically? Of course. Uh it's probably it's the only reason people should get married.

[00:27:15]But I mean I accept that there's a lot of reasons people get married and good reasons. I mean you know uh I mean here in the Dominican Republic all sorts of people like old people will will marry their nurses and the nurses are like great you know I I'll I'll get all his money when he dies. And it's like seems like a fair bargain. He wants somebody to take care of him in his old age and she gets his money when he dies. you know, there's no love, but that's the arrangement. You know, it's that's just, you know, there's other reasons to get married, but but you know, in this world, it's all for alliances. So, the fact that Blackfish never marries um is a little weird, but maybe he's making a point of it because because Hoster Tully is so obsessed with it that, you know, had he said, "Oh, I don't want to get married. Done." Um most people would be like, "Fine." You know, it's not like Ned Stark is sitting there being like Benjen never got married. you know, he joined the Night's Watch, you know, um he just didn't get married.

[00:28:25]Um or if uh you know, whatever Tyrion never chose to get married, would would would you know, uh Tywin really be like, "Oh, it was my right to command him to marry." Um I guess it comes up with some with with Arion, you know, but he's still giving her the choice and stuff like that. So maybe Blackfish's resistance is for the is is just despite Hoster. Um which would make which would make some sense like don't tell me what to do.

[00:28:59]Um and that you know it's really about Blackfish being gay and he's really angry at Blackfish because he knows he's gay and and you know Blackfish wants Hoster to accept him or or something like that. The other explanation is that Blackfish just didn't like the choices.

[00:29:16]And we're going to get that that he didn't want a red wine. Well, we know that the red wine supported the Targaryenss, but of course, this is um probably before the rebellion that this command of marriage would have happened.

[00:29:30]Um and oh maybe but then he says then the others he says even so spit on the girl the red wine spit on me his lord his brother that blackfish I had other offers the bracken girl walder fray any of the three has he wed anyone um I mean maybe he was angry at the phrase for for coming to the trident late and the Brackens there's no good reason for. Keep in mind that in the story the the um the Blackfire Rebellion uh all that kind of stuff hasn't been invented yet. So there's not an established reason for why the Blackwoods be would be hated. They they all they both fought on the right side during the war. Uh I mean the Brackens and the Blackwood both both fought on the right side during the war. So, um, it during Robert's Rebellion, but, um, you know, who knows? It could have been, it could have been something like that rather than rather than Blackfish being gay. He was just like, "No, not not those three houses."

[00:30:44]Has he wed anyone? Anyone? No. Kettalin said, "He has not come many leagues to see you." Uh, yet he has come many leagues to see you. Fighting his way back to Riverrun. I would not be here now if Sir Brynden had not helped us. He was ever a warrior. His father husted.

[00:30:59]That he could do. Night of the gate.

[00:31:01]Yes. He leaned back and closed his eyes in utterly weary. Send him later. I'll sleep now. Too sick to fight. Send him up later. The blackfish.

[00:31:13]So yeah, I I actually feel this is that cat does a bad job here. Um cuz he does say that he's going to see the blackfish, but he uh she communicates this poorly.

[00:31:30]Catalyn kissed him gently, smoothed his hair, and left him in the shade of his keep with his rivers flowing beneath. He was asleep before she left the solar.

[00:31:37]When she returned to the lower Bailey, Sir Brendan Tully stood on the on the water stairs in wet with wet boots talking with Captain of Riverun's guards. He came at her her at once. "Is he dying?" she said, as we feared. Her uncle's craggy face showed his pain plain. He ran his fingers through his thick gray hair. "Will he see me?" she nodded.

[00:32:00]He says he's too sick to fight. "Well, I suppose she does nod."

[00:32:05]So, could have said just later.

[00:32:08]"Um" Brendan Blackfish chuckled. I'm too old a soldier to believe that hoster will be chiding me about the red wine girl even as we light his funeral p damn his bones kettle smiled knowing was true I do not see Rob he went with gray joy to the hall I believe and here we get into the real the real meat the real meat of the chapter but so we've gone from the rust the real cause of the war, which is the same thing that eventually, you know, well, it's no, it's not the same thing, but the rust is all these other or oh, actually, we get the real cause of the war, the rust of House Tully, and then we come into the rust of of of Rob's Rob's um cause, which which will which will end itself. And it's all kind of it's all established here. So George did a good job on planning this all out.

[00:33:14]The Greyjoy was seated on the bench of on a bench in Riverrun's great hall enjoying a horn of ale and regailing her father's garrison with an account of the slaughter in the whispering wood. Um, again, you know, this kind of um I'm guessing, by the way, with the with Whispering Wood becoming public that this public publicly you like this starting out as this private poetry thing in Catalyn's mind and then being this like public well-known location that George wrote the Tyrion chapter after this one. This one it kind of begins in this situation like you could still say that they're talking about the slaughter and she just in her head is calling it whispering wood later everybody else is calling whis whispering wood. You could maybe argue that Catalin told them all and then if he wrote the Tyrion chapter second he would have whispering wood as a location for them too even though it doesn't make any sense.

[00:34:23]Um, some tried to flee, but we're This is clearly George knows now that he's planning things out that Theon's going to have a bigger role. So, he's giving Theon some some actual text because Theon has almost no role in a Game of Thrones.

[00:34:46]Some tried to flee, but we pinched the valley shut at both ends, and we rode out of the darkness with sword and lance. The Lannisters must have thought the others themselves are on them when the wolf of Robs got got in among them.

[00:35:00]I saw him tear one man's arm from his shoulder and the horses went mad at the scent of him. I couldn't tell how many men were thrown. The others themselves, it's pretty. I mean, it's not just like this regular regular curse like or this back of the mind thing like like well part well established part of their lore like they all know who they are.

[00:35:26]She interrupted where might I find my son Lord Rob went to visit the gods with my lady it was what Ned would have done he is his father's son as much as mine I must remember. Oh, God's dead.

[00:35:40]River run. River run. This is all coming back.

[00:35:46]So, yes, the um that's what Ned would have done.

[00:35:53]He is his father's son as much as mine.

[00:35:55]I I must remember um he this this is beaten beaten into our head in this in this um which is that Rob's fate will be Ned's fate. And we and you know we're we're in and a again going back to Riverrun. We're we're it's all looping back on itself that Rob will Rob will die like like Ned will die because of his um stubbornness or uh his um naivity or his failure to see the the forest for the trees, that sort of thing. Um Oh, God's Ned.

[00:36:38]She found Rob beneath the green canopy of leaves surrounded by tall redwoods.

[00:36:44]An old elms kneeling before the heart tree.

[00:36:48]A slender werewood with a face more sad than fierce. Tall tall tall redwoods. I mean redwoods are [ __ ] huge.

[00:37:00]Um, how tall is the average redwood?

[00:37:12]Jeez.

[00:37:14]200 200 200 feet tall. Jesus.

[00:37:18]Um, great old elms kneeling before the heart tree.

[00:37:24]Slenderwood with a face more sad than fierce. Uh, here's a retcon.

[00:37:31]There's somehow no werewoods at south of the neck and yet there's one at there's one at Riverrun the whole time where cat says that she doesn't feel comfortable in the north because of the werewoods.

[00:37:43]And here is a weirwood.

[00:37:48]His long sword was before him. The point thrusts in the earth. His gloved hands clasp around the hilt around the him. The others knelt, great John Umber, Richard Kstar, there's the problems. Mage Mormon, Galbert Glover, and more. Even Titus Blackwood was among them. The great raven cloak fanned out behind him. These are the ones who keep the old gods, she realized. She asked herself what gods she kept these days and could not find an answer.

[00:38:18]She'd earlier said monstrous gods who took Ned from her. I would not I would not do to disturb them at their prayers.

[00:38:25]The gods must have their due, even cruel gods who would take Ned from her, and her lord father as well. So Catelyn waited. The river wind moved through the high branches, and she could see the wheel tower to her right, ivy crawling up its side. As she stood there, all the memories came flooding back to her. Her father had taught her to ride amongst the trees. And that was the elm that Edmure had fallen from when he broke his arm. And over there beneath the bower, she and Lysa had played kissing with Peter. And here is the coming back. Coming back, the true cause of the war.

[00:39:03]She had not thought about it in years.

[00:39:05]How young they'd all been. Sheena older than Sansa. Liza younger than Arya.

[00:39:10]Peter younger still yet eager. The girls had traded him between them, serious and giggling by turns. It came back so to her so vividly that she could almost feel her sweaty fingers on on her shoulders and the taste of mint mint on his breath. There was always mint growing in the godswood and Peter liked to chew it. He had been such a bold little boy, always in trouble. He tried to put my tongue he tried to put his tongue in my mouth, Catalina confessed to her sister afterward when they were alone. He did it with me too, Lysa had whispered shy and breathless. I liked it.

[00:39:43]All right. Cause of the war. Cause of the war. Um, it's interesting that it takes a full two books for for the full story to be to be revealed um all the way in a storm of swords for all this to like fully come out.

[00:40:00]Starting with I mean at the beginning of the story hearing about Sweet Robin's um uh fostering and going for three books, you know, all of this.

[00:40:13]Rob got to his feet slowly and sheathed the sword, and Catelyn found herself wondering whether her son had ever kissed a girl in the godswood. Surely he must have. She had seen Jane Pool giving him moisteyed glances, and some of the servant girls, even ones as old as 18, had been had he had ridden in battle and um Oh, yeah. Even as ones as old as 18, he had ridden in battle and killed men with a sword. Surely he had been kissed.

[00:40:39]There were tears in her eyes. She wiped them away angrily.

[00:40:43]Mother, Rob said when he was saw her standing there. We must call a council.

[00:40:48]There are things to be decided.

[00:40:50]Your grandfather would like to see you, she said. Rob, he's very sick.

[00:40:56]Sir Edmir told me. I'm sorry, mother, for Lord Horster and all of you. Yet first we must meet. We've had word from the south. The Renley Baratheon has claimed his brother's crown. Renley, she said shocked. I thought surely it'd be Lord Stannis. I guess everybody thought it was Lord Stannis, you know, like all these people doing actions randomly because they need to deal with Stannis even though Stannis hasn't rebelled.

[00:41:22]Calling Stannis a rebel, but you know, at the same time calling him in to to pay homage.

[00:41:30]Uh, like I said, it's a bit, you know, it's a pretty big error in the in the in the story.

[00:41:37]But now they're trying to clarify that Lord Stannis is not a rebel yet. Um, Renley Renley is.

[00:41:47]So did we all, my lady Galpert Glover said. The war council convened in the great hall at four long trestle tables arranged in a broken square. Trestle tables, of course, the med popular medieval tables. You can just bring the folding legs and pop a pop a plank down.

[00:42:04]Hoster was too weak to attend to sleep in his balcony dreaming of the sun on the river on the rivers of his youth.

[00:42:13]This kind of, you know, we've been noticing this a lot that a lot of chapters feel like they started somewhere else and then more was added. Um, you know, like we just spent half the chapter dealing with the fact that Lord Ho Lord Hoster is obviously too weak to leave bed. He's been bedridden for two years and that he's he's asleep on his balcony and because he likes the sun.

[00:42:46]And here we have the line again.

[00:42:49]Um, just get that get that feeling. There is also just a complete tonal shift between the first half and the second half of the chapter. I mean, I like the first half of the chapter a lot, but the the second half is of course just much more vibrant.

[00:43:08]Edmure sat on his high seat the in the high seat of the Tullies with Brendon Blackfish at his side and his father's bannerman array to right and left along the side tables. Word of the victory at River had spread to the fugitive lords of the Trident drawing them back. Carl Vance came in a lord now. See, it's like, you know, we're almost we're there's a lot of it's feeling like this is the beginning of the chapter.

[00:43:35]Um Carl Vance had came in a lord now. His father's death beneath the gold tooth.

[00:43:44]Sir Mark Piper was with with him and they fought they brought a dairy, Sir Raymond's son, a lad no older than Bran.

[00:43:51]Lord Jonas Bracken arrived from the ruins of Stone Hedge glowering and blustering and took a seat far from Titus Blackwood as the tables would permit. I think this is very much showing that we're dealing with a lot of young either young or militaristic individuals here. So, you know, obviously like Rob is the son of Ned. He's not the leader. He's young. Um Edmir is the son.

[00:44:20]He's young. Blackfish, militaristic guy. Then we're dealing with Carl. He's young. Piper. Young. Sir Raymond's son. Young.

[00:44:33]Uh, Lord Jonas Brackwood dealing with vengeance. Stone Hedge.

[00:44:40]Um, I guess we don't have much on Titus Blackwood.

[00:44:44]The northern lords sat opposite with cattle and Rob facing her brother across the tables, but they were fewer. The great John sat at Rob's left hand. Then Theon Greyjoy. Gabbert Glover and Lady Mormon were right were to the right of Lady Catalin. Um this is the idea that you know people that are that are next to you are going to have more power and influence. So the idea is that great John has the most influence right now over Rob, which is the unfortunate thing, right?

[00:45:20]Lord, Lord Rickard Carstar, gaunt and holloweyed in his grief, took his seat like a man in a nightmare, his long beard uncomebed and unwashed.

[00:45:32]He had left two sons dead in the whispering wood and there was no word of the third his eldest who had led the carstark who had led the carstark spears against time and Lannister on the gr on the green fork.

[00:45:51]I mean it's interesting that was talking about it all like this wonderful time but Kstark is just dying here because his sons were killed. The arguing raged into the night. Each lord had a right to speak and speak they did and shout and curse and re re uh reason and cajol and jest and bargain and slam tankers on the table. Threaten and walk out and return sullener smiling. Uh the word you might not know in this list of things is cajul which means to like um sweet talk people. Um you know like try to convince them through like flattery or you know uh it's not used very much and it's only used twice in ice and fire and again it's the it's again used in in a John chapter in a game of thrones in a in a list of synonyms. You know, he's, you know, George is throwing out a big list.

[00:46:44]So, I'm gonna throw out this rare one.

[00:46:46]Cajol when like no one would ever use that on its own.

[00:46:52]Catalin sat and listen to it all. Roose Bolton had reformed the battered remnants of their host at the mouth of the causeway.

[00:47:00]It's a it's a fast trip back to the mouth of the causeway. And I don't know like I guess they're getting that letter from the twins or something. But that's a fast trip because this is what's funny here.

[00:47:16]Roose Bolton had reformed his better remnants at the mouth of the causeway.

[00:47:20]Sir Telman Tallheart and Sir Walder and Walder Frey still had the twins. Lord Tywin's army had crossed the Trident and was making for Harrenhal. Like that's a tiny distance.

[00:47:33]Lord Tywin from his from his battle back to the end at the crossroads and making for her and all is no distance at all while having heading all the way to the mouth of the causeway. That's insane, but oh well. And there were two kings in the realm. Two kings and no agreement.

[00:47:52]Many of the Lord's bannermanmen wanted to march on Harrenhal once to meet Lord Tywin and end Lannis for power for all time.

[00:48:02]That's that's a dumb considering like why would you attack a fortified castle like Harrenhal but okay young hotteered Mark Piper urged to strike west at Casterly Rock instead. Still others counseledled patience. Riverrun satith thwart the Lannister supply lines. Jan Jason Jason Mallister pointed out let them b their time denying Lord Tywin fresh levies and provisions. Uh levies often leveies are talked about as taxes in this situation. They mean levies as like fresh new men um and provisions while they strengthened their defenses and rested their weary troops. I again I think I mentioned this before in the Tyrion chapter like the the cutting of supply lines is a is is is a very silly concept considering that like Tywin is very close to King's Landing so they can just get their supplies from King's Landing like there's no there's no cutting of of the the lines like like he can he's got a he's got double he's got a double line here you know he's got the Crownland lands and the capital. They can get food from that direction. They can take the gold road if if they want. It's it's take a little bit longer maybe, but um yeah, Lord Blackwood would have none of it. They should finish the work they began in the whispering wood.

[00:49:30]Somehow they know about the whispering wood, the poetry in Catalyn's head.

[00:49:34]March to Harrenhal and bring Rose Bruce Bolton's army down as well.

[00:49:43]So yeah, I don't I don't like how they're repeating he's repeating himself here because he they wanted to march at Harrenhal and then later he wanted to march on Harrenhal.

[00:49:52]But Blackwood urged Bracken opposed as ever. Lord Janice Bracken rose to insist that they ought to pledge their field to King Renley and move south to join their might to his.

[00:50:04]Probably probably, probably Redley is not king, Rob said. It was the first time her son had spoken like his father. He knew how to listen.

[00:50:18]We are getting to the the stubbornness of Rob, which mirrors the st the stubbornness of Ned. And they're going to be very explicit about this.

[00:50:28]Um, you cannot mean to hold to Joffrey, my lord. Galaver clever said he put your father to death. That makes him evil.

[00:50:38]Rob replied. I do not know what makes Renley king.

[00:50:45]I never quite understood why Ned Stark or Rob were so into uh succession like the you know it's they literally like Ned literally you like usurped the Targaryenss and put Robert on the throat throne. He literally did that. Like he, you know, there's no there's there's no like deep-seated principle of of of like, oh, we've got to follow the law. No, you don't. Right? Like Viserius was not put on the throne. Daenerys was not put on the throne. Like it's very clear that they were you that Robert usurped. So Renley usurping seems seems normal. I I mean I understand that people are like maybe they're worried about the status quo like all around Westeros like lords will want to usurp each other for this reason.

[00:51:47]Yeah, probably. But they did that there, you know, that was the precedent set during Robert's rebellion and they didn't care about that. They didn't care about it then. like the world didn't end when Robert usurped like um regular primogenitor like you know um succession didn't end when when Rob when Robert took the throne. Uh it survived fine.

[00:52:16]Joffrey is still eldest true son. So the throne is rightfully his by all the laws of the realm. Okay. Okay.

[00:52:24]Mr. Mr. Son of Ned. I mean, because Ned was obsessed with this, too, right? That Oh, it needs to be Stannis. Like, why were he to die, I mean to see that he and I mean to see that he does, he has a younger brother. Tommen is next in line after Joffrey. Tommen is no less a Lannister, Sir Mark Piper snapped. As you say, said Rob, troubled. Yet, if neither one is king, still, how could it be Lord Renley? He's Robert's younger brother. Bran can't be Lord of Winterfell before me and Ranley can't be king before Stannis.

[00:53:00]This is the uh this is the argument of I'm we're we're talking about you know stability of the realm or something. But Lady Mormon agreed. Lord Stannis has the better claim. Friendly is crowned said Mark Piper. High Garden and Storm Zen support his claim. And the Dornish men will not be laggardedly. Yes, they will.

[00:53:28]If Winterfell and Riverrun add their strength to his, he will have five of the seven great houses behind him. Six of the errands bestow themselves. Six against the rock. My lords, within a year will have their heads on pikes. The queen and his boy, King, Lord Tywin, the imp, the king slayer, Sir Kevin, all of them. That is what we shall win if we join with King Renley. So he's talking about vengeance. Vengeance being the most important thing here. What does Lord stand us up against? That that we should cast it all aside.

[00:53:59]That's right, said Rob stubbornly.

[00:54:01]Catalin thought that he sound eerily like his father as he as he said it.

[00:54:12]This is the whole thing again. Like they they really they really like focus on this on the fact that Rob is Rob is like like Ned and is going to fail like Ned.

[00:54:23]So you mean for us to declare for Stannis?

[00:54:26]Oh, okay. I'm sorry. What does Lord Stannis have that we should cast it all aside? The right?

[00:54:33]Said Rob stubbornly.

[00:54:35]So does that mean we should mean for us to declare against Stannis? asked Edmir.

[00:54:39]I don't know, said Rob. I prayed to know to what to do, but the gods did not answer. Lasser killed my father for a traitor. We know that was a lie. But if Joffrey is the lawful king and we fight against him, we will be tra we will be traitors.

[00:54:56]My lord father here se this is smartest man in the world in the room. Sir Steon Frey of course he's going to get killed off in the next book because he's just too he's too smart. Um my lord father would urge caution.

[00:55:13]Age Sir Severron said with a weasly smile of a fray. Wait, let these two kings play their game of thrones. When the fighting when they're done fighting, we can bend our knee to the victor or oppose him as we choose. With Renley arming, likely Lord Tywin would welcome a truce and the safe return of his sons of his son, noble lords, allow me to go with him to at Harrenhal and arrange good terms and ransoms.

[00:55:39]Yeah. So here we're we're you know this this will get back the girls get back Jaime Lannister. They can stay out of the war. They can let Renley and and the crown fight and see who wins in the end.

[00:55:51]Sir Stevron is is absolutely right.

[00:55:55]Everyone should follow Sir Stevron's advice here. This gets everybody what they want. Um a roar of outrage drowned out his voice. Craven the great John thundered. Begging for a truce will make us seem weak, declared Lady Mormon. Ransoms be damned.

[00:56:13]Ow. We must not give up the king's slayer, shouted Rickard Karst Stark.

[00:56:21]Yeah, too bad. Too bad.

[00:56:25]The northern lords were were uh were rough here. Why not a piece?

[00:56:32]Catalyn asked. The lords looked at her, but it was Rob's eyes she felt him and his alone. "My lady, they murdered my lord father, your husband," he said grimly. He unshathed his long sword and laid it on the table before him, the bright steel on the rough wood. This is the only piece I have for Lannisters.

[00:56:50]And this is quite quite bluntly a parallel to uh Ned taking the d the the dagger and placing it on the table in front of Littlefinger. Littlefinger says, "Ha, let's make peace with the Lannisters.

[00:57:07]You can marry each other off. Play your cards right. Be smart about it." And he puts his his dagger down and says, "No."

[00:57:16]essentially. And so here Rob does the same. There will be no peace.

[00:57:23]Um this is uh the big mistake. The big mistake.

[00:57:33]The great John Bell is and this is the problem considering that great John has the most control over over Rob at this point in the story.

[00:57:40]The great John bellowed his approval and the other men added their voices shouting and drawing swords and pounding their fists on the table. Catalyn waited until they had quieted. My lord, she said then Lord Ederard was your lege but I share his bed and bor his children. Do you think I love him any less than you?

[00:57:56]She loves him much more than all of these dudes. These two like what do I love him less than you? No, she loves him much much more. Like what? Chris Catalyn becomes the smartest person in the story after the after the situation with Tyrion. Um everything she does is right and she every every piece of advice she gives is correct um until she dies.

[00:58:23]Her voice almost broke with grief, but Catalyn took a long breath and studied herself. Rob, if that sword could bring him back, I should never I should never let you see that until Ned stood by my side once more. But he's gone and hundred whispering woods will not change that. Ned is gone and Darren Horn Hornwood and Lord Kstark's valiant sons and many other good men besides, and none of them will return to us. But we must must we have more death still.

[00:58:51]Boom. You're a woman, my lady, the great giant rumbled in a deep voice. Women do not understand these things.

[00:59:04]Oh, so she gives the best advice and they reject it because it's not manly enough.

[00:59:12]Not manly enough.

[00:59:16]You are the gentle s. You are the gentle sex, said Lord Kstark with the lines of grief fresh on his face.

[00:59:24]A man has need for vengeance. Give me Cersei Lannister, Lord Karst, and you would see how gentle a woman can be, Catalon replied. Perhaps I do not perhaps I do not understand tactics and strategies. She does. Catalyn's the smartest person here, but I understand futility. We went to war when Lannister armies were ravaging the Riverlands, and Ned was a prisoner, falsely accused of treason. We fought to defend ourselves and to win our my lord's fre uh freedom.

[00:59:55]Now, Catalyn is brilliantly talking about what is like what is your point of war?

[01:00:03]Like we went to war because Ned was a prisoner. Now that's done with. So what are we going to war for?

[01:00:13]Well, one is done and the forever and the other forever beyond our reach. I will mourn Ned until the end of my days, but I must think of living. I want my daughters back and the queen hold the queen holds them still. If I must trade our four Lannisters for their two Starks, I will call that a bargain and thank the gods. I want you safe, Rob.

[01:00:33]Ruling at Winterfell with with uh from your father's seat. I want you to live your life to kiss a girl and wet a woman and father a son. I want to write an end to this. I want to go home, my lords, and weep for my husband.

[01:00:47]Beautiful. Beautiful. I mean, this is George at his best, you know.

[01:00:52]George at his best.

[01:00:55]And the hall was very quiet when Catalyn finished speaking. Peace, said her uncle Brendan. Peace is sweet, my lady. But on what terms? It is no good hammering your sword into plow shares if you must forge it again on the tomorrow. So this is the Bible quote um from Isaiah the uh u where he says like God will turn God will turn your swords into plowshares.

[01:01:18]He will he will transition humanity from from a uh from war warlike savages to to peace and prosperity and growth. Like that that's the that's the the statement. So like Brendan Tully saying, "Yeah, that's all pointless." Um is is the statement like like we're we're gonna stay as savages.

[01:01:47]Um, and then George becomes pretty blunt here. What did Torren and my letter die for?

[01:01:54]If I'm to return to Cohold with nothing but their bones, asked Sir Rickard Karst Stark. This is straight up reference to Vietnam forever. People are like, why did we go to war? We ha we can't we can't leave Vietnam now. That would that would invalidate all the dead that have already died. Like we, you know, they they would have died for nothing. And so we stayed in and more people died for nothing.

[01:02:21]This is very very clearly Vietnam reference here or in George's mind. What did they die for?

[01:02:30]This and George makes this this again in the Quentyn story when the Quentyn story is of course the the story of boy going off to Vietnam again, boy going off for war and adventure. Uh Quentyn looks like George at the age of 18. He he when George would have been drafted.

[01:02:51]Um you know, he he's imagining that Quentyn is going off for this war adventure, he he sees the the horrors of war, but before at the end of it all, Quentyn says, "What did you know, Cletus and and Kedri and everybody die for? I have to continue on." And um so we have this here too.

[01:03:17]I said Lord Bracken Gregor Clelegane laid waste to my field. Slaughtered my small folk and left Stone Hedge smoking ruin. Now I'm and now I'm to bend the knee to the one who sent him. What have we fought for if we if we are to put it back as it was before? This is uh Yeah.

[01:03:38]What are we What are we fighting? What are we fighting for?

[01:03:45]It was a mistake in the beginning. So, they're all doubling down because, you know, so what are they fighting for?

[01:03:51]What's the what's the goal here? What's the goal? No one knows what the goal here is.

[01:03:56]Lord Blackwood agreed to Catalyn Catalyn's surprise and dismay. Even Blackwood and Bracken are agreeing here against her. That's how that's how brutal this is for her.

[01:04:07]This is just a horror story for her. And it's funny that we like people read this as this glorious ending of King of the North, King of the North.

[01:04:16]And it's just like this right there from Catalyn's perspective, it is just the most brutal gut punch. Like, no, no, no, no, no. I don't want any more war here.

[01:04:30]And if we do make peace with King Joffrey, are we not traitors to King Renley?

[01:04:37]I mean, I'm sure you can you can negotiate that.

[01:04:41]What if the stag should prevail against the lion? Where would that leave us?

[01:04:46]Well, I'm sure you can they can understand.

[01:04:51]Whatever you may decide for yourself, I shall never call Lannister my king, declared Mark Paper. Nor I, yelled the little dairy boy. I never will. And the shouting began. Catalyn sat desparing.

[01:05:04]She had come so close. She thought they'd almost listened. Almost. But the moment was gone. There would be no peace, no chance to heal, no safety. She looked at her son, watched him as he listened to the Lord's debate, frowning, troubled, all yet wedded to this his war. He had pledged himself to marry a daughter of Walder Frey. But she saw his true bride plain before her now. The sword he had laid on the table.

[01:05:34]Catalyn was thinking of her girls, wondering if she would ever see them again. When the great lord lurched to his feet, "My lords," he shouted, his voice booming off the rafters. "Here is what I say to those two kings," he spat.

[01:05:48]"Renley, Renley Baratheon is nothing to me, nor Stannis neither. Why should the rule over me, Why should they rule over me and mine from some flowery seat in high garden or dorm?

[01:06:03]What do they know of the wall of the wolf'swood or the barrerows of the first men? Even their gods are wrong. Oh, so sorry, river rivermen that are in the room. You worship wrong gods. The others take the Lannisters, too. I've had a belly full of them. He reached back over his shoulder and drew his immense two-headed great sword. Why shouldn't we rule ourselves again? It was the dragons we married and the dragons are all dead.

[01:06:29]H there's our foreshadowing for the next chapter. Brilliant. He pointed at Rob with the blade. There sits the only king I mean to bow my knee to my lords. He thundered.

[01:06:42]Mords.

[01:06:45]He speaks lowborn. That's really interesting. Great John speaks lowborn like that. Well, actually just a second ago he he said my lords.

[01:06:59]So see in these despite the fact that like in a dance with dragons like George has an entire section of like the the the Reek chapters about the Meord versus my lord thing like here in the same paragraph the same character says my lord and my lords the king in the north and he knelt and laid his sword at his son's feet I'll have peace On those terms, Lord Karstark said they can keep their red castle in their iron chair too as well. He eased his long sword from its scabbard. The king of the north, he said, kneeling beside the great John. Mage Mormon stood. The king of winter, she declared, and laid her spiked mace beside the sword. And the riverlords were rising too. Blackwood and Bracken at Malister, houses who had never been never been ruled from Winterfell. The cattle and watched them rise and draw their blades, bending their knees and shouting the old words that that had not been heard in the realm for more than 300 years since Aegon the dragon had come to make seven kingdoms one.

[01:08:05]Uh, so does it make sense that Rob is super into uh succession and but then accepts like independence movement? Because if it's about stability of the realm, like why wouldn't that prevent every single lord from declaring themselves a king and be becoming independent?

[01:08:27]So I mean all the you know they look there's there there's not all the characters are stupid and illogical, okay? like it's it's fine. They're they're all against each other. Um they're all against themselves. Uh it's it's ridiculous. It's ridiculous.

[01:08:44]Um the uh but of course this is going to parallel, you know, like like the we have not we have not had um you know a king in the north for for 300 years. Here's our ending. We have not had dragons in you know 150 years.

[01:09:04]Let's have Let's have dragons. Um that these these these these old things are coming back. Riverr Run. Um it's uh you know, well done. Well done. And we totally forget that like this is you're you're over the reader is overtaken by by this. They think it's like this wonderful thing when Catalyn is like, "No, this sucks. This is horrible." And yet we're swept up in it too as they are. Um, this tragedy, this absolute [ __ ] tragedy, shouting, "The old worms of real more than 300 years since Aegon the dragon had come to make the seven kingdoms one.

[01:09:48]Yet now we're heard again, ringing from timbers of her father's hall." The king in the north. The king in the north. The king in the north.

[01:09:58]What? And what a stupid move.

[01:10:01]What a stupid move. What a horrible move, Cat. Which this is like horror for Cat and yet it's presented wonderfully as this like wonderful thing. Just like war. Just like every time there's a new war and the news is like, "Oh, it's so exciting. We're at war again. Ah, the bombs. Oh."

[01:10:22]um that the fact that like anyone that gets swept up in this is is falling for the same the same thing every time. It's brilliant. This is a brilliant chapter that that that it's such a dark, sad, horrible chapter for Catalyn and yet you forget about it because you're swept up in the wonderful the wonderful adventure of war. Um, which and and even though we're straight up told by cat like this is a really bad idea, like we're straight up told, but they all just go forward anyway. Um, every time, which is why we keep going to war over and over again thinking it's a good idea, even though you're just like, "Oh my god, I can't believe we're doing this again."

[01:11:09]Yeah. Catalyn Catalin 11. Even though I I suspect that the first half of the chapter was added to the second half, um it's done really really well. And the first half is the first half isn't just fluff. The first half is like the direct like directly explaining to us why this war is happening and how stupid it is. Um it's this is this is one of the best one of the best chapters. He ca George sent saved it.

[01:11:41]Not to mention it's a Catalin chapter.

[01:11:43]Every every line is just beautifully written.

[01:11:46]Masterful. Masterful. He really cared a lot about the Catalin story near the end. I mean the last last the whispering wood and this just uh great great chapters. All right. Thanks for watching and we got one chapter left. One chapter left for for a Game of Thrones. I'll see you next time. Bye.