A Song of Ice and Fire: A Vow for Myrcella

[@CreepyHollow]

I like how Arriane is all wrecked and feels guilty for seducing Arys ultimately sending him to his death, but this proves he saw past her seduction and chose his honor and duty instead, which makes him awesome to me.

[@ufoash440]

Best of both worlds - have ppl feeling bad about your death and don't go out like a bitch! Of course, being alive would be nice too but... can't have it all...

[@garlantyrell6368]

Arianne is a lot of things but she genuinely cared about Arys, even though she was mainly manipulating him and didn’t love him. And she also felt deep regret in getting Myrcella maimed because she’s just an innocent girl. She may be many things but she also has a heart and cares about those closest to her.

[@davedark27]

Maybe DarkStar scarred "Myrcella" to prevent further swaps between the two girls

[@lizmerrick6883]

Scar the other girl?

[@mickey4125]

Oh shit son you might be right!!

[@brettknoss486]

That would also create a paraelle with Jayne Poole, who was used by Ramsey Bolton as a stand in for Arya, and in all likelyness will lose her nose.

[@eric2500]

Why lose her nose? She's in Stannis's camp now, with her nose on, as far as the Theon chapters tell.

[@secretlythevillian8831]

​@@eric2500Frostbite. Jayne is mentioned to have frostbite on her nose.

[@ComradeSlice]

If the fake Myrcella made it back to King's Landing, Meryn Trant would know that she's *too old*.

[@emarti3853]

Creepy lol

[@ComradeSlice]

@Dan Fugett I know that... it was a joke

[@brooksrobinson7246]

@@ComradeSlice 4 years later and I still laughed

[@BenJover]

@@ComradeSlice lululul

[@thetangaledbug7670]

It's not meryn trant in the books.. it's someone else...

[@Wingsie88]

I love the idea of Rosamund swapping with Myrcella and you may be on to something, but I think you're reading way too much in that one scene of playing Cyvasse.

[@jasonwaters6607]

makes a lot of sense. the only weak point is that game of cyvasse. it certainly seems like he's referring to the actual Myrcella playing with tristane to me, but the age discrepancy is something I never noticed before. the language could be a little tricky too. I think you're onto something though.

[@midnatts-kornajoel2224]

Why can,t it be mursela playing with de dornich beliving she is de handmade

[@howlpendragon4132]

@@bobsagetisepic1197 it's like I'm reading a different language

[@ScottBonner]

@@midnatts-kornajoel2224 That's exactly what I thought, that both girls could have learned cyvasse and played with the prince, and either could be the one at table in that moment without undoing the possibility of it being a swap. Also, Myrcella can't be 9 across that many books. The publishers just copied and pasted the family trees unless they were told to change something.

[@temptationofmemories]

@@ScottBonner Sorry, I tried to respond to you but KZbin was like no. Myrcella was born in 290 and AGOTs takes place in 298, so she’s eight in AGOTs, and she’s nine by the time of Dance. Tommen is the same age as Bran in the series, so seven in AGOTs and eight in Dance. And we know Myrcella is younger than Arya. A wiki of ice and fire also says Myrcella is nine years old, so unless George has confused her date of birth in the text and simply recalls, or intends for her to be a year older than she has originally been stated to be, or perhaps the new year has set in and she has a birthday early in the year, the age in the chapter just as Preston has noted is definitely wrong.

[@temptationofmemories]

@@ScottBonner I checked the timeline to be certain and according to it Aegon’s forces landing in Westeros is taking place early in the year 300, so another year has in fact passed, but the events with Myrcella in the desert should be taking place a bit before this. Therefore, whether she’s still nine, or is now ten is unclear because we do not know what month her birthday is in, so it remains unconfirmed until Winds, I suppose.

[@joluoto]

Could ser Aerys have been the one leaking the plan to Doran then (someone did). If he never actually put Myrcella in danger it would make sense he'd also try to make sure the "crowning of Rosamund plot" didn't go anywhere.

[@Radiotomb]

That's always a possibility. He may have done it himself.

[@crazybaloth]

+Jonathan Luoto This is what I was thinking. Arys was the snitch who gave them up to Doran, thereby keeping Myrcella safe and restoring his honor. However, he couldn't live with his betrayal either so he does the next best honorable thing and ends his own life, dying as a Kingsguard.

[@tomlo91]

+Jonathan Luoto After my third reread I'm pretty convinced that Arys was the one, and if actually this would be true, then thats one more reason for him.

[@Malumultimus]

+Jonathan Luoto But if that were the case, Arys's foolish full-on attack wouldn't make sense to Doran. It'd be one thing if there was a skirmish and Arys was accidentally dealt a mortal blow, but that's not what happened. Everyone knew a fight was pointless and Arys charged in anyways. In the confusion, Arys managed to kill a guy, before Areo cut him in half. We're given every indication that no one needed to die at all, and Arys essentially killed himself. This wouldn't make sense from Doran's point of view. Nothing about the situation has changed, except Arys has effectively abandoned the princess he swore to protect. This is the scenario that provoked Preston to make this video in the first place: he can't protect her while he's dead. And Doran would know this; and Doran would know something's wrong.

[@joluoto]

Malumultimus Then the question is: is Myrcella even still in Dorne? Here's what I Think: there was no switch, Oakheart wasn't the one who told Doran (since it would endanger Myrcella) and then there's no problem. But as soon as you enter in the switch you also open up the quagmire that Arys risk being present when a false Myrcella is crowned. Then suddenly Arys telling Doran makes sense. Of course that opens up the problems of: where is the real Myrcella, how much does Doran know (if there was a switch I bet Doran figured it out), how much does Cersei know (had Arys any chance to send her word about his plan), which of course lead to how much does Balon Swann know?

[@Clothy22]

So Ser Arys decided to hide Myrcella in plain sight, posing as the handmaiden. What if all of the Lannister guards and household aren't hiding with Myrcella, what if they were all killed by the Martells to keep word from getting to Cersei? What if they accidentally killed Myrcella?

[@Rammstom2]

+Clothy22 Now THAT would be something!

[@jamietigges2154]

+Clothy22 That's actually a fairly logical step to take. Arianne was already content on starting a war, so why spare a few guards? Probably the biggest loop hole in Preston's theory.

[@alejandrolobatocantos8401]

Why would they kill a random girl if they plan to star a war? In case they wanted to they'd kill someone more important. They want revenge, killing a girl who wasn't even related neither important to the lannister would be pointless.

[@fredjohnson9833]

@@alejandrolobatocantos8401 killing the girl would be part of the cover-up.

[@Veritos777]

That would explain why Darkstar would cut off "Myrcella's" ear. So that they wouldn't be able to swap places anymore.

[@nicksbordone5271]

I thought the same thing

[@purpleskywhiteclouds]

I love Myrcella as a character. Has nothing to do with the fact that I'm also a blonde haired green eyed teenage girl, but she's underated. Shes one of the only ones who could stand up to Joffrey, and she had Cersei's beauty but none of her nature. Myrcella may not be Queen or a Baratheon, but she's still kickass. I hate that D&D killed her off in the show, and I don't like how she's portrayed in general. Also cutting Arianne and Aegon kind of sucked too :/

[@nikhiliyengar1510]

@here it comes the mighty duster! Wow what part of A Song of Ice and Fire makes you think that this is a happily ever after teenage romance story?

[@dustingaethje1332]

@The Chad King Aegon VI Sweetrobin is sickly and everyone in the story thinks he will die soon. According to GRR Martin story logic, that basically makes him indestructible. 🤣🤣🤣

[@fredjohnson9833]

@@nikhiliyengar1510 George once said he wanted some charecters to have happy endings while others wouldn't. The question is simply which characters are going to get which endings. Perhaps Myrcella will be one of the happy ones, perhaps not.

[@otto_jk]

I remember when I was a teen 6 years ago, thinking winds is likely published the next year

[@Jordan-zl4pn]

@@otto_jkI too have come from the future to lament the lack of Winds 🥴 At least we have the fanfic now!

[@hamzaji4481]

actually what you've said makes sense first why would grrm writes such a chapter without a purpose and the second thing that seemed off with me is why doran martell send balon in search for darkstar I think it to delay him but for what reason what I think is that doran knows the one who got hurt wasn't myrcella and the delay is because he has lost myrcella (she escaped) and needs to find her otherwise if he sends the desert girl to king's landing they'll know she isn't myrcella and all his plans will be screwed

[@PrestonJacobstheSweetrobin]

+Hamza JANATI IDRISSI Exactly, we are on the same page.

[@hamzaji4481]

thanks and I'm a huge fan of yours

[@elenastoian2179]

For some reason, I've always thought that Myrcella's golden shroud refers to the fact that she's going to join either the Septas or the Silent Sisters. I know there aren't many reasons to support this idea, but I feel that all Cersei's children physically dying, how it's stated in the prophecy, seems to be just too... Prophecies aren't suppose to be literal, so I suspect at least one of her children will metaphorical die and start a new live away from the Crown or Lannister name. Or maybe her golden shroud will be a veil that will cover her face like Quiethe covers her's

[@SunDogGod]

@ unless it’s a metaphorical death

[@olivermcgimpsey841]

Could it be a wedding veil?

[@eric2500]

She is betrothed to a Martell and it there is a lot of sun and gold imagery in their House, but if that pops up as a wedding veil it likely means GRRM is going to do a Bride- of -Death riff. Dude is dark -- our author really does seem to be out to prove how this world is savage cruel to kids. @@olivermcgimpsey841

[@eric2500]

Dunno why I got a strikethrough - I meant all that!@@olivermcgimpsey841

[@eric2500]

I think she was maimed, and might wear a veil for that reason.

[@badjokemaker3051]

Suddenly the last season and the dorne subplot are making even less sense.

[@magicalsimmy]

+Badjoke Maker I think that's why so many book readers are so pissed off at that plot line being butchered. They're fucking around with the Sand Snakes/Jaime/Bronn bullshit while ignoring Doran/Arienne/Master Plan awesomeness. Dorne is going to be a minor player in the show, though the 'bad pussy' line will go down in history as the most ridiculously hilarious best/worst line ever uttered in a show. LOL!

[@amisfitpuivk]

They probably couldnt show the desert escape story because it might have given away information that you can't notice in a book, like the fact that it's not Myrcella. That's the reason they couldn't do Arstan, so it could have given away too much here as well.

[@badjokemaker3051]

What's all the fuzz about the bad pussy line? It's just lame. But I'm from Germany maybe I can't see some inner meaning. I even bet Bronn and the Little Pussy Snake will never meet again.

[@shananika]

+Badjoke Maker You can't go by the show, the Dorne storyline has been changed too drastically. Half the characters don't even exist (Arianne, Quentyn, Darkstar, Arys, etc), Jaime and Bronn are not really there and the show has also drastically changed the personalities of Ellaria Sand and the Sand Snakes (half of whom don't exist). Show-Dorne is basically a shell of what it is in the books.

[@badjokemaker3051]

+shananika Did you read this possible "Season 6 Storyline leak"? Some of Prestons theories are making more and more sense when you try to think how it would be in the book to come to something like that but more complex. But it's still strange to see how they got rid of Myrcella in the Show without giving dorne some deeper Story it deserves.

[@jamesmonet3360]

If it wasn't for the Jaime in Dorne TV storyline, we'd all have thought the Myrcella actress change was just an actress change but we were actually about to have one of the best switcheroos in TV history. Bloody HBO.

[@amisfitpuivk]

She seemed pretty natural when Jamie was admitting he was her father. Idk if that's something Myr would tell Ros. And you'd think Jamie would know what his daughter looks like

[@jamesmonet3360]

Yep, that's what I meant, if Jaime in dorne didn't happen we wouldn't have had that scene, so if 'myrcella' got poisoned we still could have had the original actress ready to come back with no one expecting it.

[@smnb415]

+Hi Ha, good point! Although doesn't Jaime admit that he can't even recall how she looks like and that she changed so much, or something like that.

[@judeconnor-macintyre9874]

@@amisfitpuivk I don't think Jaime would know what his daughter looks like.

[@nicholasmeghri8371]

+Preston Jacobs Ser Arys's death is what created the vacancy for qyburn to place ser robert strong on the king's guard. if you believe qyburn is an agent of house martell, and ser robert strong is part of the dornish master plan, it stands to reason that doran martell had a hand in ser arys's death. unless one of the king's guard died, that plan couldn't go forward, and one happened to die at just the right moment... in dorne. Perhaps ser arys, realizing that to crown myrcella is to kill her, was the mystery informant who betrayed arianne. knowing about their affair the whole time, doran manipulated ser arys into killing himself because he would be too ashamed to face arianne after being the one who betrayed her plan. the girls were switched, and now doran has the real myrcella and control over cersei's champion

[@eric2500]

How did you get Doran being in control of Qyburn?

[@OKRolling]

This happens in the show too. Jaime just forgets what his neice/daughter/Princess looks like, and how old she is. They'll start series 6 with the original Myrcella actress jumping out and getting annoyed at her uncle/father for not recognising the obvious fake.

[@AdamCrawfordFitness]

That would be a nice twist in the show. I doubt the HBO writers are that witty, unless GRRM pointed it out for them.

[@jtiss_1023]

+Fleak Yeh not too sure D&D even knew this was going on, but i would have enormous respect if they did it, which is 90% unlikely

[@Laveo4o]

+Fleak But in order for that to work, we would need to have been introduced to the double already. And we haven't. Doesn't look like the show is into that stuff, given that there is no fake Arya

[@AhmedGhazwan]

+Laveo4o That's very true. But if ... And it's a strong IF ... if they actually do this, then it is actually better that we never saw the double. That way we'll be even more surprised. (( IF )) :)

[@brendangarcia63]

+Fleak I'm guessing more that the conflicts with the Ironborn, and even the Golden Company, in the books will get shifted to Dorne in the show.

[@AJCatalfamoJr]

Wow! Never saw that coming! I didn't give Ares enough credit to undermine Arrianne. But it makes perfect sense why he went all Suicide Squad. So where do you think is the real Myrcella??? Not on a boat bleeding out of her nose. Thats for sure!

[@youngmazapan]

she's on the rowboat with gendry

[@tr1nidad1]

+Tony Catalfamo That is my big problem with this story/theory . .. would Oakheart have the balls to betray Princess Arianne and bring in a mummer Myrcella??? I don't think he would but maybe if his conscious had suddenly gotten the better of him and then he kills himself rather than face her disappointing stare??

[@AJCatalfamoJr]

I love the rich world of ASOIAF but because its been SO LONG between books, we've had lots of time to think about every minute detail. Sometimes I wonder just how the deep the story endgame of this story will actually go and are we, as fans, overthinking things.

[@lizmerrick6883]

@@tr1nidad1 I know in ASOIAF it's a mistake to underestimate people, but Arys is dumb dumb dumb and a straightforward man who is uncomfortable with plotting. He goes along with Arianne because she twists him around her little finger, but he is deeply uncomfortable with it. I do think something is going on will go on with a Rosamund/Myrcella switch (does Balon Swann know Myrcella?). but whatever it was it certainly wasn't Arys' idea, and I'm not sure who he would go to for council. It could be someone minor like the Septa, but then I think she would have been mentioned in more depth.

[@possessedchair8144]

The "evidence" from the last part of the text is extremely weak.

[@tonlito22]

Wow, this explanation makes Ser Arys seem less like a pointless shock death character and more in line with what I have come to expect from the author.

[@HH-cm5rp]

of course I could see george put 2 fake daughter situation in the same books, one where the situation is debunked by a character telling us directly in his POV ( Theon for fake arya ) and another another showing how hard it is to sort it out without someone spilling the beans to the reader ( Arys for fake myrcella ). Thus putting us in the same situation than most people over the 7 kingdoms towards arya. Plus there are the geographic ( North, Dorne ) and Lannister/Stark parallelisms. I could see george laughing excitedly about how he tricked his fans.

[@florance333]

Whooooaaa! Mind = blown!

[@joecuthbert8637]

I love your work Preston ... always thought provoking and entertaining. I just hope your videos aren't the reason it takes GRRM so long to write the next book ..... *GRRM watches Preston's latest video* "Oh crap, not again. I need to come up with another new storyline now that Preston has worked out what I had planned for Myrcella." OR "Damn, why didn't I think of that. I could easily change that storyline by just rewriting 5 chapters. Better call the publisher and push back the release another 6 months"

[@nealfirstofhisname]

6 years*

[@4everyoung24]

I have wondered if he reads all these theories here and online and is using them as a way to crowd source the ending. Lol

[@runricksanchez]

I can see George watching the video and going "this fucking guy" then grabbing the pages of his manuscript and tearing them apart.

[@dookieshoe2905]

I wouldn't say easily seduced, wasn't it like six months of seduction before he finally caved?

[@Redem10]

Wait...royalty switch place with a handmaiden in a desert...Isn't that from Episode I I wonder if Maggy the frog prophecy still apply, if the theory true

[@joluoto]

+Redem10 Myrcella can still be crowned, and I think she will be. I don't consider Arianne's failed attempt as the crowning of Myrcella.

[@rebaivs189]

+Redem10 Are you talking about Star Wars?

[@Redem10]

+Ivan Ovish Yes I am

[@Duke_of_Lorraine]

+Redem10 I've heard that now that Reek escaped, Ramsay would have a new plaything to torture : Jar Jar Binks !

[@rebaivs189]

Redem10 I wonder if adapting this plotline to the series was so hard to do. At least would've been better than the terrible sandsnakes story.

[@dmgabri08]

You are the closest reader ever!

[@thatboi5415]

when I listen to these videos I wonder if I actually read the books lol

[@CadaverJunky8]

Meh, it doesn't matter. Myrcella's about to die in the next book anyway, along with Tommen. Also the inconsistency about her age is most likely just GRRM fucking up again. He's not new to it, he's messed up other character's ages and features before.

[@OfficialNWS]

Yes just ask Qyburn and Renly

[@matthewodonnellgavaghan]

+CadaverJunky8 I agree. In the mutiny at Craster's keep, there is a character named Clubfoot Karl and Samwell describes him as a big clubfooted ranger, yet in the appendix of a storm of swords, Clubfoot Karl is listed as a steward. George R.R. Martin makes mistakes, and we all have to take that into account when we are discussing theories.

[@AAUBD12964]

+CadaverJunky8 Wait if the book said she not quite one and ten, doesn't that men she nine. Like, she about to turn ten. Not that she is ten.

[@Pyrethryn]

+anjelica dobbs One and ten= 11. Ten = 10. Nine = 9. Not quite one and ten = not quite 11.

[@Daleksaresupreme1]

+anjelica dobbs One and ten means 11

[@mischahouston8044]

Myrcella is 9 years old from Clash to Dance. Tyrion himself chose Rosamund for her similar look to Myrcella and he had Arys Oakheart present Rosamund as Myrcella to Arianne from the beginning. When everything jumped off in the desert, the real Myrcella and her household ran off. Rosamund and Oakheart were nothing but decoys. Arianne thought she was playing Oakheart, but he was playing her from the start.

[@Anthony-eg2pj]

I like this theory a lot. I recently read these chapters and the Darkstar motive puzzled me. If he suspected Myrcella was a double when he knew the plan was lost he tried to kill the double so the real Myrcella would cause a lot of trouble if she resurfaced

[@fjwald]

Makes sense and fits, I wouldn't be surprised if this were true.

[@yourgalpalalwilliams3479]

Its amazing what you miss I've listened to all of the books twice and still things like these just go right over my head.

[@fredjohnson9833]

This theory, if true, makes See Oakhart one of my favorite characters.

[@sirgoose629]

Poor arys, basically the only good kings guard left, what a hero!

[@GardenGnome118118]

I'll find it very amusing if book 6 comes out, Myrcella has one ear and this has just been a video pointing out GRRm's logical inconsistencies.

[@justinehelene4831]

If we see Myrcella, it willbe Rosamund with an ear cut off. He's got it backwards, and the evidence is weak. People just don't think in lies like he is suggesting, not someone like Oakheart anyway. He often leaves out believable motivations for characters in his theories. The simpler explanation that doesn't ask the reader to accept any dishonest writing(Myrcella behaves exactly like we've been told she is like when she is with Arianne and the others, attentive, courteous, poised ect.) when GRRM has done people swaps in other circumstances, he writes the character differently i.e the bones guy burned instead of Mance. Rosamund will be a body double for Myrcella, but only so Doran stops the information of Mycella's death getting out. As I do think Rosamund being there probably just isn't for the sake of adding detail.

[@harrycrosswell2844]

Still loving all of your theories Preston, really want to see what you think of the oily black stone of asshai and all its mysteries

[@Rannos22]

That last part about how there were actually three kids in the room is the reason people think you're nuts Preston It's such a ridiculous stretch that I think I pulled a muscle just listening to it

[@TKLoken]

A lot of convoluted points, especially on Arys' dialogue on the game of Cyvasse, but it does seem to make sense. Even if it means risking Arienne's life (although Areo Hotah would never kill or harm her) to protect Myrcella's. My only issue is that this would imply a bigger role for Myrcella in the future, if for example Tommon is killed (fulfilling another part of Cersei's dead children prophecy)- but in the T.V series, she's dead- and it's been commented that both storylines (book and series) will reach the same conclusion. Maybe it just means that Myrcella will end up dead anyway, but surely all this effort to switch her, and leave her out of the hands of the Dornish, must mean something more? An interesting topic though, I was bitterly disappointed by Arys' death, despite only having one PoE chapter, he was one of my favorites. He just seemed more emotionally divided, more real.

[@Sarsol1989]

+ArsenalGiantsPs3 The series seems to be going way off the books. Especially when it comes to dorne, the Quentin has been completely erased, and I don't see them going anywhere close to whats in books by this point.

[@тито-к9в]

+Mikhail Solovyev and arianne, arys, and balon have been completely erased too...

[@MsAsh3070]

+ArsenalGiantsPs3 We don't know for certain that Myrcella is definitely dead although with all the possible casualties, I'll be peeved if more than 2 of them actually survive. Something interesting to note is that when the Sandsnake (I can't remember her name), leaned in to whisper that cringy 'you want a good girl but need a bad pussy' line, Bronn's eyes widen. Could she have slipped him the antidote? The scene in prison when she gave Bronn antidote clearly established that she had it. And we didn't see Myrcella actually die.

[@spikegilfer1997]

+ArsenalGiantsPs3 Indeed. If this series was more than on video long the convoluted points would breed into crack-pottery. But since it isn't, things stay relatively grounded.

[@akrybion]

+ArsenalGiantsPs3 I think only the "final"ending will be equal in book and show. Some subplots might differ and don't fully be part of the complete ending. Or can you think of anyway the swhole thing comes to the same end in both versions when the Littlefinger and North storyline are so different, when there is no Jon Conningston or (F)Aegon and Mereen is a waste of many interesting plotpoints (seriously, I think they fucked that harder up than Dorne, at least Dorne had some funny things, Doran had pretty witty lines in the show actually. And killing of Barristan! That old, lovable fool didn't deserve a death like this!). If everything would end the same, that means all those storylines would end up being pointless in the books, since the show comes to the same conclusion without having them.

[@Crick1952]

I think you're right about the switch, but Trystanne is definitely playing with the real Myrcella. You left out that the part about cyvasse was directly after a paragraph about how much Myrcella loves the spicy food of Dorne, where her name is used many times (Including the sentence Right Before where your evidence starts.) There was probably a switch, but it happened after The Soiled Knight chapter

[@Mrityugata]

About the age --- Myrcella was nine when she was being sent to Dorne (_A Clash of Kings_, Chapter 20: Tyrion V). Chapter also mentions that there is a difference of 2 years between her and Trystane.

[@cindyguo1234]

+Mrtyugata That's true, but Myrcella is only 7 in AGoT, so it seems she is only just 9 in ACoK while Tristane is 11 and nearly 12.

[@Mrityugata]

Cindy Guo I don't understand. You seem to be disagreeing, but you wrote the same thing. My point was that if Myrcella is 9 in ACoK, she can't still be 9 in AFfC, and that the age difference stated in quotation fits with what has been established in ACoK. So she really is nearly 11, and the appendix is inaccurate (which is already apparent in that it states the same age in ASoS and AFfC).

[@Mrityugata]

+Mrtyugata On second thought, maybe the appendix is accurate, and the discrepancy comes from the fact that it describes the state of thing from the beginning of the current book, and the beginning chapters of AFfC happen at the time of ASoS' middle chapters.

[@PrestonJacobstheSweetrobin]

+Mrtyugata I think that is generally the rule - that the Appendix is the beginning. However, I will say that Myrcella is listed as 8 in the AGoT Appendix and called 7 (nearly 8) in the text. There may be some rounding going on. Additionally, I wouldn't have expected Myrcella to be 9 in ACoK, but maybe Tyrion rounded up.

[@Mrityugata]

Preston Jacobs It makes sense for the appendix to be very technical, stating only full years, and characters to be more practical and rounding up. Especially children themselves, wanting to appear older.

[@melledevries4685]

7:04 "Desert Girl and the Queenmakers" is a rad name for a band

[@kevinmoore4237]

"So you've done this before" - reminds me of the old flick "The Conversation" where a certain line changes its meaning at the end. One area that needs to be fleshed out is this: if Myrcella and Rosamunde were switched from the get-go, why did they even bother to send the real Myrcella? To keep the option open that they really did want to go through with the Myrcella-Trystane marriage? Still waiting for the in-depth video explaining all the subtleties and plot twists of the show version of Dorne ... not.

[@robhuck2828]

I had definitely noticed the handmaiden thing when I read the books, and considering that the Lannisters already pulled the same stunt with fake Arya, it seems plausible. Looking at Arienne as an unreliable narrator also plays into this.

[@NeoBoxy]

It seems a bit farfetched to nitpick the writing in one chapter. Just because it says "she" instead of "Myrcella" probably doesnt mean there's another person, it's just writing diversely. You can interpret it however you want, but i do not think that was the intention of the segment.

[@ryanbennettbennett4059]

The silk cloak was more probably used due to being in the desert. A wool cloak would be mighty warm in the desert.

[@jtiss_1023]

Wow 6 years after reading this series and im still finding new things, even if it isnt true just to think about the story this way is mind blowing.

[@rasnac]

Wow! That was unexpectedly reasonable. I was expecting something like "Myrcella is Azor Ahai reborn" or "Arys Oakhart is actually Euron Greyjoy"...

[@gotfun6541]

Hi Preston (and othere aSoIaF fans), I just re-read A Feast for Crows and I would like to share a few observations of my own. Although I agree your statement that Arys is protecting Myrcella, I do think it is Myrcella who was travelling with Arianne and company. Myrcella tells in The Queenmaker chapter how they painted red dots on Rosamund before they left Sunspear. When Sylva asked her 'So you have done this before then?'' she is referring to the switch that is happening at Sunspear because the Myrcella in Sunspear is switched for Rosamund. The passage where the mystery girl and Trystane play Cyvasse though is fishy, I grand you. Especially the age difference is really weird and I have no idea what is going on here. Moving on to why Arys Oakheart killed himself. I agree that he must have thought he was protecting Myrcella. So the only logical guess I can make is that he expected someone to attack Myrcella and that he thought that would be Areo Hotah when he showed up. I've no idea why he would think this but it's honestly the only thing that I can come up with. Also I would like to know what you think Darkstar's motivations were for attacking Myrcella. I hope you found my interpretation interesting. I can't wait for the next book and see this all resolved. God damn I love this series.

[@HH-cm5rp]

darkstar renders any further swap impossible by slashing rosamunds ear

[@Dhart74]

Revisiting this videos on my 4th read through. In Tyrion 10 ACOK, he talks about how Cersi was going to send Tommen away and dye his hair and pass him off as a hedge knights son. So the seed for this exact ploy is something Cersi is confirmed to have thought of

[@Spiderdudu83]

This video is very, very old, but Rosamund being Myrcella would form a parallel to Jeyne Poole. Both, Rosamund and Jeyne Poole, are disguised as noble ladys, both are kidnapped in that role and both end up mutilated and disfigured, Jeyne probably losing part of her nose and Rosamund losing her ear and having a scar on her face.

[@tomtom21194]

Thankyou for the upload maestro, i was in need. :D

[@zukodark]

I don't see why he couldn't just refer to the handmaid as Myrcella. The best way to lie is to convince yourself. This completely make sense then.

[@HonkingWithRhythm]

"we don't know Myrcella's hair color." Umm... "gold shall be their crowns." "hair like sunshine." the whole point of Edric Storm showing that there was no resemblance between any of the three Lannister bastards because all three were blonde like Cersei and Jaime.

[@nyceric95]

I just reread The Queenmaker chapter and while I agree with most of this video I will say you overread the cloak bit. Oakheart wore the silk cloak because the passage was dreadful under the sun. Arianne even goes in depth about how hot the passage is with an anecdote of the the Martell sun and spear.

[@jsull81]

I just recently watched your video on Qorryn half hand, and his crew in the frostfangs the way you mentioned Aerys oakheart's silk cloak reminded me of the way ghost was described as standing out in the Moonlight, lol, probably nothing just thought I'd mention

[@deyw4786]

Im out Im fucking out....this is insane,insanely genius

[@michaelvasquez1355]

this was very good.

[@essej4944]

Ahhh HA yes, the classic Star Wars Pad'me decoy handmaiden trick. Bravo ! i've got goosebumps.

[@letheology]

Stop saying "Arianna". It's Arianne Martell.

[@PrestonJacobstheSweetrobin]

+letheology You can go on pronouncing things in a Westerland manner and I will continue on in my Dornish one.

[@letheology]

+Preston Jacobs So call the brother "Trystana" then.

[@viper77778]

I think you can pronounce it anyway you want because it is a book. But i do hate how he says, "Lazuli".

[@letheology]

+viper77778 Me too. I had to look up lapis lazuli on Wikipedia. It did list Preston Jacobs' pronunciation as a valid alternative. Doesn't mean I have to like it though.

[@viper77778]

+Sidewayyys Sorry, but no one here speaks your language.

[@danzalisnock9128]

I agree with all of this and its wild to see the mad genius at it again, but one thing is that how much time between the beginning of storm of swords and the end of FFC/DWD passed? because Jon and all the starks aged 2-3 years over the series I thought? so maybe it was a typo and she should be 10? which would make her not quite one and ten. its a stretch and I actually think the biggest time gap was from GOT to SOS and not so much from SOS to FFC/DWD...this is very interested indeed. I don't know how you catch on to this shit.

[@CotLatin4321]

Maybe I missed something but I never understood why Arianne thought she could get Myrcella to wage war on her own family? I mean, I understand that Arianne would be waging war on Myrcell's behalf and that she's trying to manipulate her into thinking in terms of Dornish succession law but that awlays seemed like it was kind of a longshot.

[@Patrick-Snow]

Great video Preston. Can you please do a video about Patchface? If you can. This guy is either a ticking time bomb or one of the ( heroes )of the story.

[@mikeugen]

You had me convinced in the first half, but the second half seemed to be reaching a bit. Love your ASOIAF vids!

[@billvolk4236]

We can always count on you to give GRRM more credit than he deserves.

[@AlexD19931]

The only flaw I can see with the plan of Ser Arys is that he would be pretty stupid to think he could do a better job of defending Myrcella dead as opposed to alive. By sacrificing his life he would only be buying her time, not necessarily keeping her permanently safe. If this plan was true then while it would take some time, eventually the fact that the hurt Myrcella isn't the real one would come out. It would then be a race between the kingslanding party to find her safe and rendezvous with the lannister guardsmen, and the dornish to find her first and take her captive/ kill her. If Ser Arys remained alive then she would have 2 white cloaks to defend her AND he would be able to get the kingslanding party to her before the Dornish could sniff her out. There would be risks involved in that as well but surely less than if he just died and left her completely lost to the kingslanding party.

[@rutger5000]

We do know that Myrcellas hair is blond. All of the Lanister children have blond hair, it's a major plot point. The whole arc of the false/insistious line of the Lanisters is build on the fact that all of Cerseis children are blond of hair.

[@Fawkes42]

+rutger5000 I think the point he was making was that we don't know if Myrcella had been dying her hair as part of the switch.

[@rutger5000]

Fawkes Murcella could have attempted to hide herself and died her hair, but then the one impersonnating Myrcella still needed to be blond.

[@Fawkes42]

+rutger5000 Which Rosamund probably has. For one thing she's a Lannister but also in the books it's stated that she was used as a decoy incase Stannis attacked, well Stannis was one of the first to figure out the blond hair thing so if Rosamund was going to have any chance of fooling him she'd definitely need to be blonde.

[@rafipalmero9983]

I hate D&D for leaving this out of the show

[@jtiss_1023]

+Rafi Palmero Knowing them they didnt even know about it. I have a feeling grrm doesnt give away his details only the broad strokes and if they dont get it he wont tell.

[@BLung-tq2mm]

+Rafi Palmero the swap wouldnt work on screen. We the viewer could not be mislead in the same way as this if we are able the see the desert girl with our own eyes

[@brendangarcia63]

+Rafi Palmero I have to rant; I hate the show for going to Dorne at all. Jaime in the Riverlands was a better setup, and it would have kept more established characters in motion. Any attention to Balon Greyjoy would have been more productive as well. The Dornish subplot could have been told entirely through Quentyn Martell, with some scenes in Meereen playing out better because of it.

[@jtiss_1023]

Turrican4D nah this is too complex for D&D to handle, they have no idea about it

[@KellieDoll28]

+Jav Tiss D&D are getting lazy. If they'd portrayed the Sandsnakes correctly; Tyene blonde & blue-eyed, Nym black haired w tiger eyes, Obara plain, & all 3 war-hungry for their father, I think things would've been a LOT different.

[@Cbjames715]

How do you catch on to all these small details? Whether you are right or not, I feel enlightened.

[@rashisti]

Never considered this angle. i dig it. Thanks for the new content!

[@GuruJudge21]

As far as your theories go, I'd say this one makes the most sense, by far. It also happens to be the one I most hope is correct.

[@tynoguchi7450]

Myrcella will still have to die

[@liammoffat7277]

Because of the supposed prophecy? Preston points out loads of times how a lot of prophecy is just good guesswork or charletenism, in which case what reason do we have to believe the maggie the frog prophecy? yes jeoffrey died like the prophecy said but he was the most haded ruler in the land and was bound to make enemies so it was only a matter of time before he got removed.

[@tynoguchi7450]

No, there does not to be a monarch anymore, so pretty much anyone with a claim to the throne should die

[@SaraStowe]

In season 5 of GoT, they recast Myrcella. IF, IF, IF, they had gone with this theory on the show, that the NEW Myrcella had been her hand maid in disguise, all they would have had to change would be the last scene with Jamie and Myrcella. Think about how cool it would have been to have New Myrcella die in Jamie's arms then have the OLD Myrcella appear and in the cabin and say, "It's a good thing we never switched back, Father."

[@carlosgarciasanchez]

Sara Stowe Dude LMAO

[@ChristinaTheSphinx]

When Tyrion was arranging for Tommen to be moved from Kings Landing, didn't he also tell "whoever he was talking to" not to tell him where he was going? Saying it was safer if he didn't know where he was. Very similar to "She's safer if Nobody knows where she is".

[@Couponkingdom]

So if this is true, it was really Ser Arys manipulating Arienne the whole time. When you read it it seems that Arienne is manipulating him. That clever bastard.

[@PrestonJacobstheSweetrobin]

+Couponkingdom It could be that. I'm thinking that Arys is drunk on Arianne, but sobers up later and has better judgement.

[@EvieDragonborn]

Arys Oakheart was one of my two dreamboats! (him and Wyllas Tyrell) Thanks for giving Arys some valid props.

[@LaborVoicesInc]

Yeeeeeee. Got my PJ fix for the week!!! UUUUGGGGGHHHHH....I need a new pair of pants after this video. Thank you Prez J.

[@kelliebom1]

I've heard a lot of theories and conspiracies, but this Myrcella one is brand new to me....and it makes a lot of sense. Very interesting stuff. I like how at the end of each one you say "I could be wrong about half of this..." Very well done.

[@Tumbleism]

plus killing Ser Arys Oakheart makes space for Ser Robert Strong

[@sflr38]

Wow this is awesome! Just when I think there isn't much of anything left to blow my mind, you come through again Preston.

[@admrob]

The Dorne chapters, even after two reads, still bore the shit out of me.

[@jtiss_1023]

+admrob True, which is probably why no one saw this coming

[@blobbert912]

+admrob Glad somebody else felt this. It seems that many are riveted by the Dorne chapters (maybe because they seem better when compared to show's adaptation?) but I found them to be a real slog, probably my least favourite part of the whole series.

[@leowillis5346]

+blobbert912 dorne is shite till u learn bout ur ice and fire

[@manband20]

+admrob It will get better. Winds has us going to the Stormlands to have someone else meet Aegon and JonCon so there's that! The Dornish Master Plan is pretty sick, too. I thought it was boring at first, but I honestly love them because of how much they have going on behind closed doors.

[@admrob]

manband20 I've read the sample chapters from WoW. Still bored by them.

[@DhDeadMan]

Goddam this was awesome, thanks Preston! PS: George is a genius

[@joperhop]

not sure about this one, but then again, never thought about it, never even crossed my mind. but then, thats why im subed :P

[@kathleencaitlyn]

This all seems very logical, but what happens when Ariana and her crew return? I mean, surely someone has to notice that the handmaiden, the septa and the Lannister guardsmen have all disappeared. Wouldn't people get extremely suspicious if that was the case? They would know that they had the wrong girl as soon as they'd notice the other one missing without an explanation.

[@goatismyname]

I was under the impression that Myrcella was much younger, say 5 or so just because she wasn't talking much, and the Oakheart guy was as bad a swordsman as he was a judge of character. But back in book 2, when Myrcella is being sent to Dorne, Tyrion thinks that best Kingsguard is going with his niece. So, if Tyrion thinks that Oakheart is the best of 7, he can't be stupid or weak. So, maybe the Sand Whore is a better seductress than is explicitly stated.

[@MsAsh3070]

+Lul Llipop Or perhaps, if he's as good as Tyrion seems to believe, Arys actually allowed himself to be seduced to win her trust?

[@jtiss_1023]

+MsAsh3070 So tricksy i love it

[@goatismyname]

***** and the plot thickens! If that were the case though, wouldn't he have been contemplating the scheme in his point of view chapter. He might have thought how it was working, or not working. Reassured himself in some way. Instead he thinks he screwed up, and dishonored himself by vow breaking. Nah, I think she was good. And he got in too deep.

[@TjDarkFallenLH]

Preston: I always get super excited when your videos pop up in my sub box. Please keep up the good work!

[@AdamDeyong]

If I wasn't already obsessed with ASOIAF and GOT, your awesome video have made me a true fan of everything GRRM. Keep up the good work.

[@thisguy8106]

Preston....please do a video about the Faceless Men. There's something up with Jaqen's character. The more I re-read, the more I am convinced that he plays a much bigger role in this story than most have noticed.

[@MissyAmy88]

As in Star Wars. Queen Padmé posing as a handmaiden, and the handmaiden posing as her.

[@Jaqen-HGhar]

dddaaaaaammmmmmnnnn. No no you're right, like I'm just gonna go ahead and give this one to you. I mean seriously there is no way that the prologue chapters are just throw away chapters anyway. Awesome catch Preston. One thing I think we also have to keep in mind is (sorry if i"ve mentioned it before) is that Martin has said that not all are narrators are trustowrothy even to themselves. I'm pretty sure Cersei lies to herself the most but yeah I don't know how much that effects the ability to figure out theories.

[@TheSniperMAJOR]

I actually liked Arys story a lot (for how short it was). Better than other Mini-Events of AFFC like the Kingsmoot and the lesbian Cersei. And a very good theory. When I first read AFFC (about a year ago) I wondered about this chapter, as something seemed strange. But now it actually makes sense. Thank you for the awesome theory!

[@nicksbordone5271]

If this is true, what if darkstar (or whoever it really was) never intended to kill myrcella? What if they knew she was a double, and scarred her to expose this for some reason? Now when they have to present Myrcella, they are forced to show the real one or risk premature war?

[@forsakenquery]

Fantastic pickup. There were way too many odd things in these events. You are however incorrect about the Cyvasse game, the swap occurred in the last few days of the kidnapping. Arriane had a chance to realise the same time Darkstar did, and just missed it. What might be going on in the game, is Arys observing Rosamund and thinking, as he knows what's going down since he broke his Kingsguard vows to get in with the Snakes in order to protect her.

[@akrybion]

Not really related to that video, but today I had an idea: What if Patchface, the fool and friend of Selyse is the real Aeron Greyjoy? And the one religious zealot is just a pretender and/or only thinks he is the real Aeron? It's just a random thought of mine, mainly because both characters were "born" by almost drowning. I know it wouldn't make that much sense yet stoirywise, but I just thought it was a funny idea. Anyone feels like commenting on it? Also: This video really convinced me. I never thought of it that way. Very very well done!

[@rookie549]

Maybe everyone knows this but, Ser Arys Oakheart actually exist on the show aswell and he accompanies Myrcella to Dorne as her sworn shield just like in the books. But the problem is that Arys Oakheart returned to King's Landing in Season 5. So this theory wouldn't work on the show but in the books it is stil al very high chance.

[@NiedheimAuthor]

The chapter where Arys gets his head cut off is the most loaded and prob best chapter in Feast, Shit actually happens and anytime a Dayne gets book time it makes for good reading. Thanks another great vid!

[@nickkoch3467]

Is that the reason why Darkstar cut off desert girl's ear? So everyone could tell them apart from now on?

[@Naza_SS]

this sacrifice rings to arthur dayne and company

[@MarkAndrewEdwards]

Does Preston not know what 'not yet' means?

[@PrestonJacobstheSweetrobin]

+MarkAndrewEdwards Did you not get that not yet one-and-ten is 10 and not 9?

[@6677hari36]

+Preston Jacobs Myrcella is most likely 10 in affc. my other comment explains it

[@danvocals123]

+MarkAndrewEdwards get wrecked

[@MatthewKoonsComedy]

By this logic Mark, Martin could've said not yet three and fifty, not yet nine and twenty. He was saying she was ten, almost eleven.

[@ArcticTemper]

+MarkAndrewEdwards Wrecked m8797879879787

[@raswartz]

Not sure Preston has nailed it, but something is very fishy. I got the sense from Game of Thrones that Myrcella was mentally soft, if not retarded. In the visit to Winterfell, she can't manage to follow the other girls at the needlework circle. "Desert girl" says that Rosamund had difficulty with the rules of cyvasse. It seems more likely that Myrcella was the one who could not master cyvasse, and that Rosamund was the one playing Trystan and beating him.

[@GoldLove21]

she's 9 and inbreed I don't think she's gonna be evil like Joffery but being a product of incest doesn't help with mental health.

[@jessicaangelini5106]

Saying a girl is “not quite one-and-10” is like saying a 9 year old is almost 10. Not quite 10. Means still 9. I think this is a good theory but ur entire focus on age is off.

[@FatManTap]

This is great, but I think there is one slight issue. Rosamund would have to be very good at not revealing her true identity, and she would have to be very knowledgeable about Myrcella and her life so that her cover isn't blown when people ask her questions in conversation. Having all this carried out by a ten year old would be impressive to say the least. A few mistakes or signs of nervousness would be suspicious. Other than that, I think this is a very interesting theory. It's so impressive how you are able to spot these supposed plot holes and suggest alternative solutions to them.

[@ThereseBradbury]

Preston Jacobs, I love your channel! I tip my hat to you!