Episode 24: A GAME OF THRONES, BRAN IV: "Bran the Broken" with special guest Manuclear Bomb!

Hello and welcome to the Not A Cast … podcast: the one true chapter-by-chapter podcast going through A Song of Ice and Fire one chapter a week. I’m one of your hosts Jeff better known as BryndenBFish. 

And I’m your other host Emmett, better known as PoorQuentyn. 

Welcome to our twenty-fourth episode of the Not A Cast entitled: “Bran the Broken: An Analysis of AGOT, Bran IV,” in which Bran Stark listens to scary stories, gets a saddle from Tyrion Lannister and has a tender moment with his brother Robb. This episode is brought to you all by our Lords Commander Mark N, Timothy W, Hayden J, and WolfmanZack. Thank you, gentlemen!

Spoiler warning: All published books - 5 novels, 3 Dunk and Egg novellas, histories, interviews, TWOW sample chapters, as well as Game of Thrones the TV show. Anything and everything!

Emmett intro to Manu

Manu’s possible ice breakers

• Mostly just a dude whose been in GoT twitter community since early
• Began writing with S5 for a baseball site of all places
• Scene of Ice and Fire
• My GoT- themed Facebook pic was the #1 trending topic on Reddit in Dec 2015
• Cat named Gendry

Questions

Ser Josh the Hrangan Hero asks a two-part question. Here’s the first:

Are you gentlemen inclined to support the Black or Red Dragon?  And which claim do you think George prefers? I tend to think the Blackfyre's most legitimate claim would have been to take up Deana's claim and her being passed over in favor of Viserys II.

 I won’t have much to add here; happy to converse but my eyes glaze over with the finer Targaryen history points. My answer is gonna be “whichever one Jon and Dany are”

The second part is:

I missed last months question if you are kind enough to take one more from me I would like to get your opinion on a tinfoil theory of mine.  If you have too many this month, no worries I will ask another question next month.

I think Dark Sister might be in Lyana's crypt.  I like to think that Bloodraven left it to Danelle Lothston when he was exiled.  I came to this conclusion because it appears she is either daughter or granddaughter of Aegon the Unworthy.  I think Bloodraven would have thought it important to leave it to someone in the Targaryen line and he would have preferred it go to a magic user.  And I think Bloodraven may have promised it to House Lothston to convince them to trade sides in the first Blackfyre rebellion.  

Coming back to Lyana, I think when posing as the mystery knight she found Danelle Lothston's armor wore it and uncovered dark sister.  I think Rhaegar consented to her keeping the sword/granted to her which led to her falling for him.  I think this would have been his way of showing her child was meant to be his heir.

Keep up the good work on the show.

Lord Commander WolfmanZack, one of our Lords Commander asks:

Since we won't get to them in the books for a bit. let's talk the Brotherhood. Obviously their fate is tied to LSH, and they cross paths with some of the best characters in the ASOIAF universe. I see them as a twisted & doomed version of Robin Hood & his Merry Men and unlikely to survive their experience with Stoneheart. Do you think they'll have any greater relevance to the plot or will they just end up as more food for the carrion crows? Bonus Q: who is your favorite member of the Brotherhood that isn't Beric or Thoros?

Ser Frank B asks:

My question is--and perhaps this is best suited for its own special episode--but what do you guys think is the fate of Lord of the Rainwood, Admiral of the Narrow Sea and Hand of the King, Lord Davos Seaworth? You both differ on the fate of his patron and I wonder if that impacts what you believe happens to Davos. Is he there for the burning of Shireen? Does he abandon Stannis before or after it? Does he make it South to Marya only to be caught up in Aegon's invasion? Thanks for the pod, it's the best!

Reminder about the Volantis patreon-only episode coming out on July 26th.

Synopsis

Bran watches his brother Rickon run with the wolves from a castle tower window above, wishing he could be down running with them. But he can’t, as his thoughts turn angry. He’s a cripple. Bran brushes tears away knowing that he’s nearly a man grown and real men don’t cry. 

Bran’s thoughts return to his dream, the one where he flew. But he can’t fly. Goddamn crows are fucking liars, Bran, uh, I guess thinks. Crows are all liars, Old Nan agrees next to the bed. And she knows a story about crows. But Bran doesn’t want more stories. Once in his life, he liked Nan and her stories, but he’s sick and tired of them now. Nan had been sent to keep Bran company and to keep him from feeling lonely, but she hadn’t helped. I hate your stories, Bran tells Nan.

Bran gets into some history on Old Nan. She’d come to Winterfell long ago as a wet nurse for a former Brandon Stark. No, not Ned’s brother. Ned’s father’s older brother. No, Ned’s father’s father’s brother. The story changes. Anyways, the child Nan had nursed tragically died when he was three, but Nan had stayed on, living on past the deaths of her sons to Robert’s Rebellion, her grandson during the Greyjoy Rebellion. She’d outlived everyone but her great grandson Hodor.

But Bran doesn’t want stories about the past anyways. He wants hi mom and dad, he wants to ride his pony with his brother. He wants it to be the way it had been before. But that wasn’t possible. Everyone had left him. His father, mother and sisters were in the south with the Winterfell retinue. Meanwhile even the Starks who were still in Winterfell -- his brothers Robb and Rickon had better things to do. Robb was Robb the Lord now, always chatting with Rodrik, Hallis Mollen or Theon Greyjoy while Little Rickon only came when Robb was out with his boys doing lordly things, and only then he would whine about when Robb was coming home.

I could tell you the story about Brandon the Builder, Old Nan says. They were always your favorite.

Several millennia ago, Brandon the Builder built Winterfell and maybe the Wall. But Old Nan frequently confused Brandon the Builder with her Brandon or his long-dead uncle Brandon who was killed by the Mad King. Regardless, those weren’t Bran’s favorite stories. His favorite stories were the scary ones.

Oh my sweet summer child. What do you know of fear? Fear is for the winter, my little lord, when the snows fall a hundred feet deep and the ice wind comes howling out of the north. Fear is for the long night when the sun hides its face for years at a time, and little children are born and live and die all in darkness while the direwolves grow gaunt and hungry, and the white walkers move through the woods.

Aw, hell yeah. We’re getting some Long Night worldbuilding! As Old Nan explains it: Long ago, there was a cold and hard winter that fell for a generation, many starved or froze to death in darkness. And through the dark came the Others riding pale dead horses and leading wights against humans. They hated iron, fire, the sun and every creature with hot blood in their veins. They fed their creatures on the flesh of maidens and human children. 

But there was hope. The Children of the Forest remained, hidden in their wooden  cities and hollow hills. And the Last Hero searched for them with a sword, horse, dog and a dozen companions. All of his friends died. His horse and dog too. His sword froze so hard that it broke, and the Others smelled the hot blood in him and hunted him with packs of pale white spiders big as hounds and …

Bang! Azor Ahai enters Bran’s room. Robb Stark? Jon Snow? Stannis Baratheon. No sir. Hodor has entered the game. He’s come with Maester Luwin. Bran’s to be carried down to the audience hall at Winterfell to meet guests: Tyrion Lannister and a few Night’s Watchmen await Bran. Hodor says, Hodor. And they head downstairs.

In the hall, Robb sits atop his father’s high seat. And he’s got his sword out. Oh boy. Robb proclaims that any member of the Night’s Watch is welcome at Winterfell. Aren’t you leaving someone out, Robb? Why yes, you are. Tyrion notices and says as much. Any man of the Night’s Watch , but not me, do I take your meaning, boy? Aw shit, it’s on. Robb ain’t Tyrion’s boy. He’s the lord here while his father is away. Then learn a lord’s courtesy, Tyrion tells Robb. Tyrion snarks that Jon was better at being at being graceful than Robb.

At the mention of Jon, Bran exclaims, “Jon!” Robb asks for Bran to be brought over to him and then turns to Tyrion: You said you had business with Bran. Yes, Tyrion does. First, how’d you fall? I never! Bran insists. Curious, Tyrion replies. But then Tyrion has a gift for Bran. Did you like to ride, Bran? Yup. But Bran can’t anymore. Everyone says. Nonsense. With the right horse and the right saddle, even a cripple can ride.

Bran’s not having any of that shit. He ain’t no cripple. Then I am not a dwarf. My father will rejoice to hear it, Tyrion responds. Tyrion then suggests using an unbroken, smart horse and then gives Maester Luwin the specs for a special saddle. More on this later! 

Robb is puzzled. Why is tyrion doing this? Well for one, Jon asked Tyrion to help Bran in any way he could, but for another:

I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples and bastards and broken things.

But then the door flies open, and Rickon, Shaggydog, Grey Wind and Summer come bounding in, not liking the smell of Tyrion one bit. They come at Tyrion from both sides, and Tyrion prepares to exfil out of the Winterfell hall quick-fast and in a hurry. But just as he backs away, the direwolves come snapping at him, knocking him over. Just before the wolves can tear Tyrion to pieces, Bran shouts No! Summer to me! While Robb does the same for Grey Wind. Bran shouts for Rickon to do the same, and Rickon says, Home, Shaggy, home now. 

With the danger passing, one of Tyrion’s men asks if he’s okay. He’s fine, save for a torn sleeve and pissing his pants. Meanwhile Robb has no idea why they attacked. No doubt they mistook me for dinner. And then Tyrion finally prepares to leave. But just before he does, Maester Luwin asks for a moment. He consorts with Robb, and Robb offers Tyrion the hospitality of Winterfell to Tyrion.

Spare me your false courtesies, boy. You do not love me, and you do not want me here. I saw an inn outside your walls, in the winter town. I’ll find a bed there and both of us will sleep easier.

And then Tyrion and his Lannister guard depart. The four Night’s Watchmen that remain are then offered the hospitality of Winterfell which they accept. Bran notes that Robb’s offer seems stiff and awkward. The boy lord is unused to his duties and roles as Lord Stark it would appear.

Bran is carried up to his tower again by Hodor, and Bran tells his direwolf Summer that they’ll soon go hunting together. And then Bran sleeps and dreams.

This time, Bran is climbing an ancient windowless tower. When he looks down and sees that he’s a thousand miles up, he nearly loses his grip, but he holds on for dear life. He knows that he can’t fly. Above him, the shapes of gargoyles peer down at him with eyes glowing red as hot coals. Once they might have been lions, but now they were twisted and grotesque. The gargoyles whisper to themselves, and Bran tries not to hear what they’re saying. But then they dislodge themselves from the stone and come down the side of the tower to Bran. I didn’t hear, Bran cries. I didn’t!

Bran wakes to darkness and Hodor. The stableboy washes and cleans Bran, dressing him and then takes him down to the Great Hall for dinner with Robb and the Night’s Watchmen. In the hall, they eat a good dinner of suckling pig, pigeon pie, turnips soaking in butter. Hell yeah, word porn. Bran takes in the seating arrangements. Yoren is seated between Robb and Maester Luwin as he was the senior person among the Watchmen. 

Conversation ensues. How’s Jon doing? He’s Ser Alliser’s bane. And how’s dear old beloved uncle Benjen? Uh … about that. Well, there’s hard news. Benjen has disappeared, having been sent north of the Wall to find Ser Waymar Royce. He’s most likely dead.

My uncle is not dead, Robb yells twice. Whatever, dude, Yoren says. Another black brother responds that Benjen knows the Haunted Forest better than anyone. If anyone can find a way back, he will. But Yoren says that good men have already gone into those woods and never come out. 

And then we get something oh-so-interesting. Bran can only think of the end of Old Nan’s story. You remember the one, right? The one about the Long Night, the Last Hero, the Others? The children will help him, Bran blurts out, the children of the forest!

Everyone is startled by Bran’s assertion. Luwin says that the children of the forest have been dead and gone for thousands of years, but Yoren’s like “Down here, yeah. Up there? Shit’s not like it is down here.” But more seriously, he says with obvious double-meaning Up there, a man can’t always tell what’s alive and what’s dead.

After dinner, Robb himself carries Bran up to his room. And when his older brother places Bran onto his bed, he doesn’t just leave. He stays. They remain in silence for a few moments, but then Robb talks about find Bran a horse. But Bran has something else in mind:

Are they ever coming back? Bran asks Robb

Yes. Mother will be home soon. Maybe we can ride out to meet her when she comes. Wouldn’t that surprise her to see you ahorse? And afterward, we’ll ride north to see the Wall. We won’t even tell Jon we’re coming. We’ll just there, one day, you and me. It will be an adventure.

An adventure, Bran repeats wistfully.

Robb begins sobbing in the darkness of the room, so Bran reaches out and finds Robb’s hand. Their fingers twine together.

And that is AGOT, Bran IV: chapter of character development, worldbuilding -- all built on a foundation of emotional investment built around Bran, his disability and his family relationships. 

What’d you all think about the chapter?

Depth/Structure

Following Bran III, perhaps the most fantastical chapter in all of ASOIAF, George does a masterful job of grounding Bran’s story back into the day-to-day of Winterfell (“grounding” as a counter to the “flying” of the previous chapter?). To do so, George uses very familiar, child-like sentiments that Bran is working through.

First is the heartbreak we all (especially children) feel when you wake up from a good or thrilling dream, and how we wish we were as we were in the dream itself. We all have dreams wherein we are rich, are with the loves of our life, or similar desires, only to wake up disappointed to return to the mundanity of our lives. Bran experiences the most extreme versions of each; in dream he is aflight, trapezing the entire world and tapping into truth and power thought dead. Awake, he is Bran the broken, bed ridden and immobile.

Second, we get Bran’s feelings of abandonment, given what has transpired since his fall. His Father left without him, in spite of the previous plans.  His Mother, who was to remain, has also gone and like Ned, will never see Bran again. They’ve taken his sisters, and Jon has also gone North, which while not as far, seems to be getting on with his life. He can’t play with Rickon; Robb has remained, but even he isn’t the same. He’s Robb the Lord now, playing the Stark in Winterfell(™), attending to the administration of Winterfell and the North. It’s not just that he’s alone, but everyone else is progressing (Ned is Hand, Jon has joined the Watch, Robb is Lord Stark), so it doubles down on this sense of immobility in Bran. Not only can he not physically move, but all the other movements in this society are denied to him; he can no longer be a knight, and though he may not be old enough to process this, his inability to bear children will not make him much of a match that a lordling/Prince would normally have. This why the saddle matters so much at the end; not only is it about riding and moving, but it allows Bran to be hopeful.

There’s more here (much of the chapter being a child being read bedtime stories is a very accessible experience for most), and it all helps ground Bran IV in emotion, to balance the fantasy and prophecy. That emotion pays off in the last moments with Bran and Robb locking fingers and Robb’s tears.

Bran fell, died, and has now been reborn--or at least, that’s what it feels like: “Yet to Bran it felt as if they had all died while he had slept . . . or perhaps Bran had died, and they had

forgotten him.” So much of the chapter is about his disappointment and disillusionment in returning to the everyday world after glimpsing something more. Even worse, he’s denied everything he loved about this world--his family and climbing/running/etc. This is the crisis young Euron faced: “when I was a boy, I dreamt that I could fly...when I woke, I couldn’t, or so the maester said. But what if he lied?” Yet Bran doesn’t descend into fratricide to flip off the gods as the Crow’s Eye did, for several reasons.

• Bran’s anger and grief
  • Jealousy of Rickon
  • Connected to the wolves and hence Stark identity
  • Feels lonely and lied to
• Old Nan’s story
  • He’s not even paying attention at first
  • The meta-ness of “a story about a boy who hated stories”
  • Horror as something kids think they like, until it’s real (a la Jurassic Park) 
  • The intensity of the imagery, focus on tears freezing (a motif of GRRM’s)
  • Bran saw the heart of winter, now he’s learning what it brings with it
  • The call to adventure comes from the place he least expected
• Tyrion’s gift
  • An unexpected release of tension right before the war breaks out
  • A reaffirmation of family ties and Stark identity, given Jon’s involvement
  • A refutation of Bran’s pessimism upon waking: can’t walk, can’t fly, but ride?
• Final moments with Robb
  • Again a cementing of familial and specifically fraternal love
  • An association of adventure with youth and innocence lost (like Quentyn?)
  • Robb reveals a vulnerability, and they find faith in each other
  • This is why Bran is not Euron, and why he will oppose the army of the dead from Old Nan’s story rather than set out to lead them

Mention something about how guest right allows Yoren to give hard truths to Robb Stark. He doesn’t fear that Robb will throw him out or kill him, because he’s tasted of his bread and salt. Mayhaps worldbuilding of unique Westerosi customs that will have a greater ramifications down the road. Guest right helps in easing the harshest of social inequalities of Westeros by telling nobles that they can’t abuse or kill the smallfolk on a whim.

Likes/Dislikes

Like: I like that Old Nan isn’t remotely sweet or saccharine. For all that “I know a story about a boy who hated stories” is one of many riffs on Princess Bride, she’s not like the grandfather in the movie’s framing device. She’s not really interested in making Bran feel better so much as she is in helping him grow up. Is “oh my sweet summer child, what do you know of fear” all that different from what Ned said to Arya a couple chapters back? Old Nan has to fill this role because the three-eyed crow ain’t talking right now and Osha and Jojen have yet to turn up.

Dislike: It’s easy to rationalize the wolves growling at Tyrion as abandoned foreshadowing for him sacking Winterfell. Still, it sticks out like a sore thumb upon reread. Tyrion being friendly with Jon and Bran doesn’t change the fact that he will act as an enemy of House Stark in ACOK, but this moment jars in context with him being framed for an act of aggression against the Starks. It’s as though GRRM is trying to lend credence to Littlefinger framing Tyrion, despite the drama of what happens in Catelyn V coming from knowing he was lying. 

Like: Theon Greyjoy. Character almost completely missed me the first time through AGOT, just kinda was there. Thus the first time thru ACOK the first couple Theon chapters didn’t really hit until he takes Winterfell; then he’s almost forgotten in ASOS/AFFC with fewer mentions than fingers on his body (joke - did not actually count this :) ). I honestly suspect that he’s so forgotten is what makes his return in ADWD one of the most cherished arcs. And at this point for George, who knows if he had Theon or Tyrion sacking Winterfell, but he had Theon’s character down, however slight it was at that point. Easy smiles, “always laughing at the joke only he was in on,” sniggers throughout this chapter. The shitty dude who is Theon Greyjoy is there early on and can appreciate more fully. (This could be a good segue into the Reek theory below)?

Dislike:The mildest of dislikes - Old Nan’s stories just feel like telling you exposition. Granted, the content is interesting and extremely relevant and I eat passages like that up every time I revisit. But perhaps could have been broken up or more eloquently handled, perhaps having Luwin or Robb finish some of the stories later in the chapter. I think ultimately this passage does work fine because in the context of a children’s bedtime story, it’s not out of place, and they slowly do build to this conversation in an organic way. Again, mild.

Like: Interestingly, I’m going to go a slightly different route than Manu and talk about narrative flow, because I think Martin doesn’t nearly get enough credit for writing organic transitions that flow from conversation. I love how “The stories are, before me and after me, before you too” leads to Bran giving us the Old Nan backstory or the “I could tell you a story of …” leads Bran to rote recitation in internal monologue of “Oh yes, Bran the Builder built …” or even how Yoren’s musing that Good men have gone into those woods and never come out leads to Bran blurting out about the end of Nan’s story on how the Children of the Forest will save Benjen. And finally, I love how Bran ends the chapter sad about how mom and dad aren’t home, and that’s fed by his earlier thoughts of him wanting his mom and dad back in Winterfell. 

Dislike: I’m with Emm on the Tyrion stuff. So, I have nothing to add. No mention of Stannis in this chapter?

Foreshadowing/Groundwork

You have to remember your name

Recalling that Theon Greyjoy was not originally supposed to be a POV (remember from our last Dany episode that Davos was the first new POV GRRM envisioned), there’s a bit of retcon foreshadowing present when Bran says:

Theon Greyjoy had once commented that Hodor did not know much, but no one could doubt that he knew his name.

Theon remembering his name becomes a prominent feature in Theon’s ADWD arc as someone we all know and love has and is writing at in great length, right Emmett?

Manu has some  random questions about the Others (obvs this doesn’t need to be discussed if it’s not the right place):

• How many times do we think they’ve come; just the two (once long ago and now, or was there more? I mean there is also the Night’s King story)
• If they’ve been “sleeping” (as Osha and Sam say later) for a long time, were they ever really defeated the first time? Or just “delayed”? Will the end game of ASOIAF actually put the threat down or continue a cycle?
• Old Nan says they fear “iron” (even tho they seem impervious). The World/Lands of Ice and Fire hints at structures similar to the Wall in Essos, but Iron didn’t come to Westeros til the Andal invasion. Does that have any pertinence to why the Others harry the continent of the FIrst men?
• Old Nan was about to say what the last hero did when all his companions died and was surrounded by Others when Hodor barged in - what was she gonna say?

Hodor’s name is Walder. Any significance? Show went with Wyllas?

Foreshadowing for Robb’s fate: Robb is short and harsh with Tyrion, and while maybe too discourteous, plays his role of Robb the Lord well even if uneasily. But it’s later during dinner with the Night’s Watchmen (an institution of the North) that Robb’s facade cracks, that the boy is revealed (when discussing Benjen). During the War of the FIve Kings, Robb acquits himself well in the field against the lords in the south, but ultimately he loses the politics in the North and the North itself.

The Children of the Forest still are alive north of the Wall

Maester Luwin said, "Bran, the children of the forest have been dead and gone for thousands of years. All that is left of them are the faces in the trees."

"Down here, might be that's true, Maester," Yoren said, "but up past the Wall, who's to say? Up there, a man can't always tell what's alive and what's dead."

Do the Children save Benjen?

All Bran could think of was Old Nan's story of the Others and the last hero, hounded through the white woods by dead men and spiders big as hounds. He was afraid for a moment, until he remembered how that story ended. "The children will help him," he blurted, "the children of the forest!"

The Last Hero foreshadows Bran, Sam, Varamyr, Quentyn, possibly Jon at some point

That Hodor walks in to be introduced just as his however-many-great-grandma gets to the point where the Last Hero cuts a deal with the Children seems significant, given Hodor’s fate...

You Starks are hard to kill

Everyone dies in King’s Landing foreshadowing

"There's many a mile and many a hawk between here and King's Landing, the message may not have reached them." Yet to Bran it felt as if they had all died while he had slept … or perhaps Bran had died, and they had forgotten him. Jory and Ser Rodrik and Vayon Poole had gone too, and Hullen and Harwin and Fat Tom and a quarter of the guard.

The stone is strong, Bran told himself, the roots of the trees go deep, and under the ground the Kings of Winter sit their thrones. So long as those remained, Winterfell remained. It was not dead, just broken. Like me, he thought. I'm not dead either.

And now we get to our final question by Ser Andrew B who asks:

Gentlemen,

Daenerys III offers our first glimpse into the existing eschatology of Westeros and Essos through Ser Jorah's revelation of the Dothraki Ghost Grass myth.

This not only gives insight into the Dothraki, but it also primes us to look more closely at the following chapter in which Old Nan tells Bran of the Long Night 1.0 (which is there only presented as a long-ago horrorshow akin to the world of Genesis 6: 1-7).

Without getting too much into what y'all want to do with Bran IV, would you care to talk about any links between these end-times tales? Are they purely thematic? structural? Are Dany and Fire-Wight Jon going to save the world only for the Asshai'i to fuck it up with floriculture?

Theories/Discussion

Well, I made my appearance on Sheep Island a few hours ago, cleverly disguised as Tyrion the Imp for a reading and Q&A session at Bantam’s virtual bookstore. Only this version of Tyrion could fly! Ah, if only the Tyrion in the books could fly, what mischief he will… ah… could… ah, never mind. – Back to My First Life, 5/31/2007

The Wargaryen theory (I’ll workshop the name). As recompense for Tyrion designing a saddle for Bran, when time comes for Tyrion to mount a dragon, he will do so with Bran’s help who will skinchange the dragon of choice.

Not gonna lie, a lot of this is thoughts based on feelings, meta analysis, and some deductive reasoning therefrom:

What does it answer?

This theory proposes to answer the question of who is the third head of the Dragon (presuming Jon and Dany are the other two, tho technically they don’t *have* to be for this to work). 

Why Bran and Tyrion?

Perhaps more meta than anything, but we know that Bran and Tyrion are two of “George’s children,” at least originally (I suspect that group has grown over the course of the books). For Bran, this gives further meaning to his flying and being the “winged wolf.” George could leave it at just his “flight” in his visions or his skinchanging of birds and that would be paid off, but having him skinchange is the apex of flight in this reality, and would also be the apex of skinchanging to boot.

AS for Tyrion, well, I simply just don’t like the theory that Tyrion is a Targaryen. It just smacks of destiny and not quite the interrogation of fantasy tropes that I think George is going for (I also don’t think the theory works great for other reasons, but this is not the time for that). So if I want my theory to be true (which is the most important part of fandom har har), Tyrion has to become a dragonrider by means other than having dragonblood. George has planted seeds about Tyrion’s obsessive scholarship on dragons, and I think that gets him a lot of the way there, but not quite all the way.  Bran with the assist helps complete that journey, and nicely pays off the earlier saddle exchange.

What character work does it potentially do?

I think Tyrion riding a dragon by whatever means will be an incredibly inspired moment, but I’m kinda more interested in Bran here. Bran immediately post-fall feels left behind, abandoned, and inert while his family moves on and away and his life without his legs weighs on him. He feels almost less than human. Tyrion’s kindness acts as a push in the other direction, breathing just a little of life in the broken boy.

I don’t know if the show’s depiction of emotionally vacant Bran in S7 will bear out in anyway, but if he does, perhaps paying Tyrion’s kindness back may be a way to have him snap back to a human bean. OF course it’s worth noting that Tyrion at the end of ADWD is broken himself perhaps him being able to ride a dragon may be an affirming moment in the same way riding a horse again for Bran was.

-----

SEPARATE BAD NO GOOD THEORY I DONT BELIEVE BUT ITS HARD TO AVOID

The last two seasons of Game of Thrones have introduced a time paradox element into the narrative, which has led to out of control and bad theorizing. Chief among these is the “Bran Stark is the Three-Eyed Raven who is also a Brandon Stark” that has been extrapolated to the “Bran is every Bran Stark ever; the Builder, the Breaker, the Shipwright, etc etc etc). I don’t like it, but it fucked me up when i Had to read the line about Old nan:

She had lived so long, Mother had told him once, that all the Brandon Starks had become one person in her head.

Conclusion

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