ASOIAF Theories: Firewyrms and the Strange Case of Aerea Targaryen

[@EFC497]

I find that the mysteries of the asoiaf world is more interesting than the main plot lol

[@petertromp8786]

Lets hope it stays that way. I really hope that GRRM doesn't tie up all loose ends; I hope that he just provides clues, which he does so masterfully in Fire and Blood.

[@zm4522]

Peter Tromp Where is your sense of closure man . I need an ending

[@piratepat44]

I think GRRM is much more a master of world building than narrative tbh

[@liepsnele11]

so does grrm sadly :(

[@inthefade]

This is classic Lovecraftian writing, and GRRM is very aware of it. Often people talk about wanting to know about Sothoros, the far East, Shadow Lands or Grey Wastes, or the ice dragons and what is in the far North. But what makes those places seem so interesting is that we know almost nothing about them. Lovecraft used to do this in his stories by saying that monsters or experiences were transcendentally horrific, but never giving more than a handful of details to push the reader along. The details RUIN this kind of storytelling. George knows it, so we'll never know more beyond some vague hints, and that is the very thing that makes it so damn good!

[@someone496]

Valyrian slaves were said to suffer so much that they begged for death, which was granted by the first of the faceless men and Aerea comes back from Valyria begging for death. Maybe the slaves were used as living incubators for the firewyrms by the Valyrians.

[@zarasavova6498]

Entirely possible, given how despicable all Valyrians were.

[@beneficent2557]

I have a theory that Valyrian steel was partially created from the heated iron ore that fire wyrms made as they tunneled through the earth. I am guessing that much of Valyria's wealth came from harvesting this ore, and this would have required a lot of slaves to host the parasites after they could not harvest the ore anymore.

[@loudggtv5544]

@@beneficent2557 It makes sense, Maesters have theories that Valyrian steel requires blood magic and sacrifices. Why not some alchemy all together?

[@Katzenkaiser4]

haha I love the alien vibes here

[@refulgent_fanta]

@@sudanemamimikiki1527 that's probably the answer but I heard another fan theory about it. I'm not buying it but it is interesting. According to some passage in the books, slaves in the Valyrian mines were dying for some reason but nobody knows exactly why. This is where fans began speculating and proposed that Valyrians were mining radioactive ore which is why their slaves were dying: radiation poisoning. Some say even the Doom might have been a nuclear event. It is clear that Valyrians in some areas were more advanced technologically than the rest of the world. So it is possible their maesters/scientists (or whatever they were called) might've accidentally stumbled upon some breakthroughs in nuclear physics but they messed with things they didn't understand, mixed nuclear physics with magic and BOOM.

[@borgCube100]

Can we talk about the largest and most ferocious dragon in the lore being attacked by... something?

[@Otterman112]

I too would like to know what was able to wound him like that 🤔

[@MADLADCOMICS]

Not only that, if it was in Valaryia and managed to also survive the doom, what kind if monsterous beast was over there and is it still alive

[@fahadalenezy8972]

The ice dragon is the largest dragon not this dragon.

[@animatedink2529]

@@MADLADCOMICS Very likely a Firewyrm. They are said to grow to monstrous sizes

[@13thunderwolf]

@@fahadalenezy8972? No

[@statikpanik]

maybe it was lost in translation through their telepathic link. she was thinking take us home meaning kings landing. but Balerion's version of home was Valeria. probably not, but that's just what my head cannon tells me lol

[@bengale9977]

That's not actually a bad theory. It would make sense and add another level of tragedy to Aerea's story.

[@evannesbitt7852]

"Valyria is gone, we don't belong anywhere" -Daemon Targaryen

[@danishmanhas2550]

That's exactly what I thought

[@madambutterfly1997]

Oh God, Poor Aerea

[@nikoslav]

Nothing is more unnerving and disgusting than some ugly bug or worm living inside of your body.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

@@nikoslav It's a good way to lose some pounds, however.

[@startrek1992]

She has maybe the most tragic fate of them all.

[@loplop019]

she got sakura matou'd

[@c.w.simpsonproductions1230]

It was likely not Aerea, but her twin sister Rhaena.

[@brendastarr9822]

This story makes me wonder if Euron really went to Valeria, how could he have survived it.

[@wiseguy01]

There is a pretty good theory that Euron is serving some greater Lovecratian deity, possibly even the Great Other. Which might grant him knowledge and magical abilities the same way the priests and priestesses of the Lord of Light can use its power. It's not so outlandish when you consider all that he is doing right now. Euron knows a lot of shit he probably should not.

[@jojoladydayne7311]

What is dead may never die

[@wiseguy01]

​@@johntshorter they seem more like a parasite that uses any warm bodies they can find to reproduce. It would be odd to say the very least that a species evolved to infect just one specific ethnic group of people... fast way to extinction when those people are gone. More likely they simply attack anyone and anything, explaining Balerion's wounds and just so happen to infect Aerea. Plus they are mentioned to predate dragons. So that alone makes them older than Humans I would assume, dragons being like living dinosaurs.

[@ladyvimto5546]

Yeah I think he lied

[@SunShine-ve5nr]

Only 2 things possible: 1. He is lying. 2. He was protected by something evil. And he has some greater agenda than just getting the Iron throne. DANY is in true danger from him. No way he would have got out alive if Balerion himself was hurt. GRRM did a great job by pointing out, any dragon blood descendant like targs could ride a dragon but to control them, they need to be bonded. Hmm! Basically, many are going to perish trying to claim Danys dragons. Quentyn Martell was the first. More to come.

[@GrayArea]

I fuckinnnnn STAN ur Septon Barth tone! This story creeped me out... when I read it! 😩😩 Now can u read me the rest of Fire and Blood!

[@QuinnsIdeas]

What's up, Queen! ❤

[@Tosei0816]

That chapter horrified me. I know Fire and Blood has it's problems, but when it's good it is soooo good.

[@q0w1e2r3t4y5]

what problems

[@meameam]

What problems? I'm just curious, reading I thought it was great

[@MasterPoppers]

The primary issue with Fire and Blood is that it is basically a rehash of what was known beforehand. Not much new was learned regarding the Reign of Aegon the Conqueror or post-Jaehaerys (the Dance of the Dragons has already been published in the forms of The Princess and the Queen and the Rogue Prince). Without a doubt, the most interesting chapters were the new ones regarding Jaehaerys' reign, both early on and later in life. Another big issue is that this isn't Winds. George, you can write your Silmarillion once you finish the main series.

[@jaymontealegre143]

@SLUG BOY well I for one did not enjoy the part about the memoirs of Lady Coryanne Wylde, A Caution for Young Girls. That took a left turn. It has little to no effect on the story. But this part about the death of Princess Aerea brought chills down my spine.

[@f4nf4rr40]

what problems. i loved this book so much that I read 3 times

[@crhettbuttler1]

The book says she said abhoring things beyond begging for death...and never reveals what they were...id say those are key...in understanding what tf happened...

[@crhettbuttler1]

Van H. Yeah this scene was next level even to that dream Cersei has with Tyrion chewing at her nipples or even Danny's visions in the House of Undying

[@maxw8682]

I think fire wyrms played a part in the doom of valyria by burrowing so much that it collapsed inwards. It would also explain why the smoking sea is so hot because underneath the fire wyrms are warming it up

[@ichundichundduunder]

It has kind of the same theme as Cthoniers from H.P. Lovecraft inspired imagination

[@pinkdouche]

Nahh the smoking sea is so hot because os the intense volcanic activity in the area. I don't know how the doom came to be but is probably just a natural thing, it happens. When you make your civilization around active volcanos the danger is always lingering. We have real life example of that.

[@DarkMark-cf1ec]

@@pinkdouche however near those volcanoes are the firewyrms, hot enough to even burn the pureblood targaryens volcanoes arent active 24/7, but living beings? they allways give out heat to stay alive

[@sangbum60090]

H.P. Lovecraft also wrote a short story about a great civilization that suddenly fell because they pissed off some eldritch being, called the Doom that Came to Sarnath. Not only it is called "the Doom", people of Sarnath were also originally shepherds, just like Valyrians.

[@bryguy1502]

So maybe the Doom wasn’t due to the magics of Valyria failing, but the dragon-tamers angering some ancient being. (Possibly the origin of dragons? Some alpha dragon, or the progenitor of the dragons, wyrms, and wyverns?)

[@subliminalfalllenangel2108]

​@@bryguy1502 Euron Greyjoy traveled through the Valeria ruins and wanted to become Cthulu. So maybe the valerians pissed some Lovecraftian Eldrich horror being(s), and Euron witnessed it without completely losing his mind somehow.

[@BudravenOG]

Also in HP's the Curse of Yig the woman at the end gives birth to half snake children as she dies.

[@brittanyrae5771]

Would also love a video about the 3 dragon eggs stolen from Dragonstone by someone in service to Queen Rhaena and Princess Aerea, then used to purchase a ship from The Sealord of Braavos!! Someone else we know over a century later took shelter with The Sealord and was later gifted 3 dragon eggs..... I don't believe in coincidence!! Not in this world.

[@QuinnsIdeas]

I'm already working on it. :)

[@brittanyrae5771]

This is why I love you, Quinn! ♡ One of my favorite ASOIAF channels.... tied for the top spot with Order of the Greenhand ;) You are all so wonderful and I get so excited for new videos from both your channels, moreso than any others.

[@TheAstroWitchLux]

@@QuinnsIdeas Yessss! I'm wondering if the reason Drogon looks like Balerion is because he is Balerion's son. Even if not, Drogon (and Rhaegal and Viserion) must have some of Balerion's DNA as the dragons were all inbred after the first generation, just like the Targaryens. I also wonder if Aegon III poisoned the dragons and that's why they were small ("the size of cats" according to ASOIAF) and deformed (like the one that hatched to Laena in F&B). After all, he didn't like dragons. Or maybe the maesters did it as I seem to recall you saying in one of your videos. Great work btw!

[@monsouranda2822]

@Britanny Rae, Where did you read that? Is it in World of Ice and Fire or the new one?

[@brittanyrae5771]

@@monsouranda2822 It is in Fire & Blood!

[@katem.3677]

Theory: Dragons are crossbreeds of wyverns and firewyrms. Wyverns look nearly identical to dragons but are smaller and don't breathe fire. Firewyrms do breathe fire and their physical description sounds similar to Asian dragons, but they live underground and do not fly. Do some mad scientist-like crossbreeding and voila--giant wyverns that breathe fire.

[@gilvinzalsos8734]

Giant wyverns that breathe fire. Sounds like a dragon with extra steps, but to have creatures like that roam around valyrian is interesting. Perhaps balerion fought a horde of wyverns and firewyrms

[@MitchellD249]

If those wyrms with hands and faces are indeed a chimera created by the Valyrians, the crazy thing is that's only one form of chimera we've been made aware of. Who knows how many more there might be lurking in Valyria. Maybe the thing that wounded Balerion was more than merely a firewyrm.

[@rastiga9196]

Mitchell Dale There is tales of a kraken like beast more like a dragon of the water that is more enormous than any dragon who ever lived.

[@26artgirl]

@@rastiga9196 So hence he threw the egg to appease it

[@beneficent2557]

@@rastiga9196 Naga the sea serpent?

[@Diogolindir]

that might also fit with the idea that Valyria is full of "demons" after the doom maybe all the fire chimeras are free to roam the ruins

[@wiseguy01]

I do believe that the world of ASOIAF is so vast, diverse and beautiful. Always something new to learn about if you are willing to look. It is an excellent example of world building in my opinion... right up there with Dune. GRRM should be very proud of himself. Although it also must be said.. that it would be a waking nightmare to live there. Imagine having to deal with dragons, firewyrms, White Walkers, wights, dire wolves, giants, basilisk, etc.. and the Lovecratian shit we have yet to see... plus the people are just as likely to end you as the monsters...

[@brittanyrae5771]

Dragons, and wyverns, and krakens! Oh my!

[@wiseguy01]

@nickyiil despite its issues, our world is comparatively much better. Your standard of living and life expectancy dwarfs that of a Wersterosi peasant or slave in Essos by orders of magnitudes. We have more advantages than disadvantages.

[@tinyspeaker]

'right up there with dune' no, significantly higher.

[@krisaaron5771]

@nickyiil Don't forget Donald Trump.

[@wiseguy01]

@nickyiil Donald Trump is openly conservative and misogynistic, lol.

[@PatchesMalone]

You gotta discuss that passage about that trio of ships from Oldtown (Sun Chaser) and its voyage west of Westeros, and then Corlys Velaryon finding it in Asshai ( i guess planetos is round). One of the most interesting tidbits in Fire & Blood imo

[@BiteThis]

GRRM already confirmed that the planet is round in an interview, also the asshai silk Mance has in his cloak, that was found on the frozen shore, where there is no port.

[@Argos-xb8ek]

I'd really love a book detailing the travels of Corlys Velaryon

[@eXanova]

Lol... Planetos...?

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

@@eXanova Planetos is literally the name of the planet in the books - a bit cringey I know. GRRM is a Sci-Fi writer, after all.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

@@BiteThis I thought the shipwreck was on the opposite, more Easterly coast. Huh. I probably overlooked that completely.

[@ferniek5000]

I think it is possible that Ballerion’s “gash” is the result of an exit wound from a worm. It went in small and came out causing a gash.

[@onawal931]

Yuck.

[@Jeffemcd08]

9 foot gash is pretty big man, im legit buying this book just coz of the fact Balerion the greatest dragon known to man went to valyrian and got seriously wounded

[@beneficent2557]

@@Jeffemcd08 Wyverns are the other part of this equation. If the Valyrians bred Dragons by cross-breeding wyrms and wyverns then it would make sense that both might be present after the Doom. Or Balerion was ambushed by a large Fire Wyrm on the ground. Personally, I think part of the Doom was caused because the Fire Wyrms got so big that their tunnels caused the cities to collapse on top of them. They also could have tunneled into the magma chamber (the fourteen flames made me wonder if Valyria was in the caldera of some kind of semi-active supervolcano).

[@beneficent2557]

Valyrian Steel was probably partially related to blood magic, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was a byproduct of the intense heat interacting with iron ore that would have been created by the Fire wyrms tunneling underground. Since the Valyrians' roots were in animal husbandry (they were shepherds) then they might have tried to breed a more manageable Fire Wyrm subspecies (chimera experiments) to create a sustainable Valyrian steel industry. This is also why they needed so many slaves, the strong would harvest the ore and the weak would host the parasites.

[@Jeffemcd08]

@@beneficent2557 I'm so happy that GRRM showed us abit of Valyria even if it was recalled fucked up

[@Lionstar16]

Why Aerea stole Balerion was probably because of childish arrogance: she most likely wanted her return to King's Landing to be a huge crowd gathering, the 'tragic' princess claiming the oldest and biggest of the Targaryen dragons - something she could rub in the face of her despised mother. If Aerea had just chosen a younger, more bidding dragon she could probably have returned to court life and maybe find happiness.

[@minatodroger7890]

the arrogance of youth i tell ya

[@persephone2706]

I don't think she could have chosen a younger dragon. I don't think that was up to her. More like fate.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

@@persephone2706 Aye, and it was fate that dictated she ought to be a living colony for all manner of nasty parasitic organism. Fate is crueler than anything - might be the primary antagonist of the series. More unnerving than Euron and unpredictable than Joffrey. Fate's name is George, naturally.

[@EvanSol919]

It was probably also to make sure that if Aerea did reach King's Landing, Rhaena wouldn't be able to force her to go back to Dragonstone.

[@Lord_Of_Night]

@ThisIsMyRealName Or maybe she was just a kid who didn't know any better. I think childishness is a more apt description here than arrogance.

[@dovekin5436]

I agree that it’s very likely Aerea was unable to control Balerion and ended up in Valyria where she was infected. I have to wonder if she somehow came across a dragon horn to regain control. Would Balerion really want to fly all the way back to Dragonstone dripping blood?

[@manuelaparcedo417]

It's more likely that she took the biggest baddest dragon to go to Valyria but was still unprepared for what she found and ended up regretting it.

[@lucialuppi5402]

Manuel Aparcedo but why would the dragon fly her back after going all the way to a far off land, getting into a bad fight, suffering serious wounds and having a dying sickly "burden" on his back?

[@manuelaparcedo417]

@@lucialuppi5402 Well technically I was saying she had full control of the dragon, why would the dragon leave her behind?

[@WingedBagels]

@@lucialuppi5402 Balerion, likely by instinct, flew to Valyria and didn't notice Aerea on his back. After a year there, Balerion realized that Valyria wasn't the home he remembered so he returned after being attacked by something. Balerion just wanted to see his old home but found it destroyed and unliveable.

[@InitialPC]

I think Balerion went to Valyria to force her off of him, but when he got injured he realized it wasn't worth the trouble.

[@wafflingmean4477]

To think, Balerion the Black Dread and Euron Greyjoy (if he's telling the truth) are the only known beings that have travelled to Valyria after the Doom and survived.

[@Lionstar16]

Personally I don't think Euron is telling the truth

[@frankhorrigan6950]

@@Lionstar16 I mean he has valyrian steel armor , I thing he did some massive sacrifice similar to one he is planing around oldtown to get inside valyria

[@Lionstar16]

@@frankhorrigan6950 Maybe he got that Valyrian steel armour from somewhere in Essos.

[@wafflingmean4477]

The weird part is when the Reader asked him "Have you?" in question to going to Valyria, rather than just say yes in front of all his important lords, he gets pissed off and leaves without saying anything. Is GRRM just trying to place some doubt by making Euron not want to explain himself to people he doesn't respect? Or was Euron under the impression he couldn't convincingly lie? He doesn't seem like the kind of person who shies away from that. And he was more than happy to lie to everyone about Balon. Even if he's lying about Valyria, why back down from the accusation?

[@KellieDoll28]

WafflingMean44 I don’t believe Euron. He has Valyrian artifacts, but there’s many such things in Essos. Why didn’t he wear the Valyrian armor during the kingsmoot?

[@petertromp8786]

To anyone on the fence about it, Fire and Blood is so freaking good. To give an idea, I'm now looking forward to Fire and Blood 2 as much as I am The Winds of Winter. It's written so smoothly it felt more like I was floating than reading at times. It also gives you an added appreciation of just how staggeringly ambitious ASOIAF is. GRRM could have easily chosen to write ASOIAF in the style of Fire and Blood, which is to say from an elevated, distanced vantage point, and it would probably have worked damn well, if Fire and Blood is anything to go by, and have made his life much easier in the process.

[@Lionstar16]

I agree - when I came to the end of Fire and Blood, I said aloud "That can't be it - where's the rest of it?" So now I have two George RR Martin books that I'm desperate to have (Fire and Blood volume 2 and Winds of Winter) :)

[@hecatesdaughter2207]

That “elevated, distanced point” to which you refer is called omniscient narrator. GRRM, I have been told, wrote the book from the viewpoint of a maester. So, basically HE is telling the sequence of events as he sees/remembers/knows them. Omniscient narration is written like God is talking. Everyone’s thoughts are known, everything going on is known. I can’t see GRRM writing in that style. Hope I am right that the story is told from one person’s point of view. Just saying.

[@Diogolindir]

I think Im more interested in fire and blood than finishing ASOIF. It is a shame that i was completely done with this world after GOT but the tale I've seen in Fire and blood, re ignited my love for it. Pun intended

[@petertromp8786]

@@Diogolindir I'm glad to hear you're back in. One shouldn't let one's frustration with GRRM's writing pace influence how one feels about the actual quality of what he produces. I think the success of the new TV show House of the Dragon has people back on board with how magnificent a world GRRM has created. Hopefully we have lots to look forward to in the years to come. I feel Winds of Winter as well as Fire and Blood 2 are going to be very special.

[@petertromp8786]

@@hecatesdaughter2207 Don't know if you've read the book after all these years, but indeed: Fire and Blood is written as an "unreliable" and not exactly unbiased history from one person's perspective, but that same person also relies on other, unreliable accounts to give his own history more credence. It's nice and complex, and a good device on which to pin a look back in time at Westeros' complex history.

[@TheTruthIsGonnaHurt]

*My Theory:* At some point in the journey, Aerea and Balerion got separated. Aerea lost and terrified, wandered the ruins of Old Valeria alone for a time. Balerion being a war dragon, wouldn't abandon his rider so he stayed behind and waited. Which is why nobody could find him. Aerea sees much of her ancient homeland, more so than any living Targaryen could imagine, but things take a turn for the worse. Aerea is attacked and is infected or impregnated by something living in the ruins of Old Valeria. Both is highly likely as the Valerians experimented with Blood Magic. After the "encounter", Aerea manages to escape. Aerea finds Balerion, but the creature was following closely behind, not wanting Aerea to leave. The creature then attacks Balerion. Both creatures have a nasty battle, images of King Kong vs the T-Rex come to mind, with the helpless female just trying to avoid being stepped on. The creature begins to get the upperhand. Exhausted and wounded, Balerion agrees it's time to get the fuck out of there and returns home with the princess. Aerea Targaryen returns home after a year bearing gifts that nobody wanted.

[@darthstarkiller6605]

I like to think instead of flying east to valyria balerion instead flew her south to somewhere in the far unknown reaches of sothoryos. I mean it takes something extremely monstrous to inflict a still bleeding 9ft wound on the black dread thick hide. So where can we find a such creature that could do something like that? sothoryos! Tattooed lizards that run down their preys and rip them apart with long curved claws on their hind legs, snakes fifty feet long, spotted spiders, giant white vampire bats, apes that dwarf the largest giants, basilisks that are twice the size of lions and these are only the few we know about who knows what else could be living in the farthest reaches of sothoryos!?!? Not even Jaenara Belaerys flying the dragon terrax south for nearly 3 years could find the end of the continent so who knows what kind of twisted monstrous horrifyingly dead creatures lay in the jungles, deserts, mountains of the farthest regions of the mysterious continent.

[@sangbum60090]

No. Valyria makes it more interesting.

[@minatodroger7890]

Or there is still something alive in the ruins of Valyria i mean the cities close to it have been described has having monstrous citizens. But Sothoryros does have some massive creatures hiding

[@sunking369]

A theory after listening to Aereas KZbin stories, Balerion was attacked by a giant firewyrm that wanted Aerea to act as an incubator for its offspring. Just like the premise of Alien, during the battle of the the two enormous beast Aerea got infected maybe by a laceration or a puncture wound. I do believe Aerea had some control over Balerion and coaxed him into flying or landing in forbidden Valerion territory. Unknowingly she got off Balerion and enticing the firewyrms to attack. This story deserves a visual representation.... imagine BALERION THE DREAD FIGHTING SOMETHING EQUALLY AS TERRIFYING to save the little girl on his back and in the end failing.

[@crhettbuttler1]

The book says she said abhoring things beyond begging for death...and never reveals what they were...id say those are key...in understanding what tf happened...

[@shooshooshooshooshooter]

when that part was teased in the book but not elaborated upon I was screaming at my audiobook to give me something! haha

[@lucymalak90rod60]

@@shooshooshooshooshooter I swear that I have never hated an author as I did to George when I finished that chapter/part and those "horrible things she said" were never told to the reader. I threw my book to the other side of my bedroom, then I apologize with it for mistreat it. ha ha.

[@jam_jor]

We Stan a woke Asoiaf king

[@connorgolden4]

I’d say kill it with fire but that would only make them happy, so I guess kill them with icey water.

[@johnhurley8918]

You should do a theory on how Jacaerys Velaryon's dragon, Vermax, may have left a clutch of dragon eggs in Winterfell. That might explain the dragon Bran saw as Summer when Winterfell was burned.

[@johnhurley8918]

@Glirion 🇺🇦 who????

[@arawn1061]

@@johnhurley8918 Joseph Joestar

[@karlfranzemperorofmandefil5547]

@@johnhurley8918 John Snow aka Aegon Targaryen

[@amyra8159]

@Glirion lmao that name 🤣

[@deanmasteller4203]

Most of you are forgetting the most important fact, that Balerion the black dread, the most powerful dragon in the world had a 9 foot long bleeding, smoking gash in his side, something put those wyrms in her and attacked them both

[@vivecthepoet36]

Theory: The reason the Valyrian Dragon Horn kills people isn't because of any magical function, but because it's infected with the worms in a larval or egg state

[@zanseinofan01]

Maybe it is even somehow partially made of firewyrm larvae, kind of like Leto II's Sandtrout membrane.

[@Joey-pb6ul]

Thats a really cool theory, but from my memory, the guy that Euron has blow his horn was described as bleeding from his bird tatoo (on his chest) and when he was cut open afterwards his insides were blackened and burnt (note that there are no worms). On the other hand Aerea literally burns alive and has the worms burst from her body which seems to be two quite different deaths. Doesn't make the theory impossible though.

[@PainCausingSamurai]

When reading this chapter my first thought was that she'd found a dragonhorn and used it to take Balerion. But the wyrms were so much worse...

[@nidohime6233]

That doesn't make sense, how people would get those worms in the first place?

[@varanaut1308]

She could have become the God-Empress of Dun.. I mean Westeros if they had let the wyrms work their magic on her body.

[@animatedink2529]

I'm slowly getting through Fire & Blood and the horrific end of Aerea Targaryen fascinated and terrified me, making me want to know more about Valyria because frankly, it's not just an abandoned and smoking rock, something is alive there. By the way, what 's the name of the track you used in the background of this video?

[@maidros85]

This makes me wonder if R'hllor is actually one (or all) of those worms, and his priests, of whom we know they live unusually long lives, are actually individuals who surrendered their bodies to be inhabited by R'hllor's offspring.

[@OctaviaBlake-xg1kj]

How can he be a worm?

[@adrienknox1127]

In fantasy wyrms and worms are not usually the same thing. A Wyrm is usually just a wingless dragon. Having said that, wyverns are usually dragons with two legs so you never know.

[@adrienknox1127]

@LagiNaLangAko23 I'm sure they do. The question is, are these worms or wyrms?

[@maxm3633]

@@adrienknox1127 well maybe they are kinda both? a wyrm is usually a dragon without wings, that can breathe fire.. but here they are described like a dragon wihout wings or legs (but with fingers so i assume, they have arms of some sort), or face :D wyverns on the other hand are usually dragons without arms that cannot breathe fire. combine both and you get a dragon. and i am sure there is a reason why "worm" and "Wyrm" are so similar to another in etimological terms. (regarding their real-life mythological appearences)

[@OctaviaBlake-xg1kj]

and breath fire

[@SunShine-ve5nr]

When I first read the chapter about Areah, my first thought was she was mutating into a dragon herself. After all Valyrians did experiments on themselves to become blood of the dragon...that is literally true and not a figure of speech!

[@riripari2042]

Wow people have so much creativity. If this had been on the show someone definitely might have vomited.

[@sarahann6090]

My God GRRM has some imanagation! Fire worms?!?! So when a strand of my hair tickled my neck I geeked out, like there's going to be one on me after watching this. Lol thanks 👍

[@Tabrinaistocool]

I believe the firewryms caused the doom of Valyria. They could be a species that’s size is only limited by resources like dragons. The firewyrms grew Colossal under Valyria festering in fire until they burst from the earth and devoured the land in their flame killing dragons and people alike.

[@saljpal3]

I guess they're the main reason nobody returns alive.

[@Wolf-xy7xp]

What we should really worry about is what happened to Balerion, he came back covered with injuries and had a 9-foot gash down his left side. I'm more scared of what could do that to the biggest dragon in history than a few parasitic worms.

[@amandajudge472]

I would love to know what happened to Balderton out there,,

[@AuroraSnowflake]

I honestly think he injured himself to remove the same Wyrms, that infested Aerea.

[@bdc2320]

Maybe the fireworms caused the Doom.

[@dustinsmith2021]

I need about an hour of you reading fire and blood

[@gaybroshevik4180]

Just give us weekly doses of Fire And Blood, please Quinn????

[@Agonis100]

The way they're described makes me wonder if they represent GRRM's take on the Medieval depiction of the Salamander: *"The Salamander - This has no digestive organs, and gets no food but from the fire, in which it constantly renews its scaly skin. The salamander, which renews its scaly skin in the fire,-for virtue." - Leonardo Da Vinci* *"If, therefore, the salamander lives in fire, as naturalists have recorded, and if certain famous mountains of Sicily have been continually on fire from the remotest antiquity until now, and yet remain entire, these are sufficiently convincing examples that everything which burns is not consumed." - Saint Augustine of Hippo* More from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salamanders_in_folklore

[@Torque2100]

Who else, upon hearing the descriptions of the Firewyrms, immediately thought "Holy, shit there are XENOMORPHS in Westeros?"

[@bobthecopywriter]

Have you ever considered doing a video on Saera Targaryen? Her appetites, character, and fate seems to represent a sociopathy, as opposed to psychopathy. Psychopathy seems more in line with Stormborne’s brother and father’s behavior. However, Saera seems closer to a sociopath.

[@TheAstroWitchLux]

I wonder if there's more to Saera than the author (a character, whose knowledge is limited and may be biased) told us. Saera's story makes little sense. She is disowned and forcibly imprisoned by her own father for basically having sex, which is not how the other Targaryens who had premarital sex were treated eitther before or after her. Saera's friends are also cruelly punished which is not how others are treated (as they had not sworn vows of chastity unlike Lucamore who was also badly treated). Saera is vilified by the author for her pranks despite her sister Viserra being far worse (daring young lads to put their head in a dragon's mouth?! Setting boys against each other to swim dangerus waters and climb fatal heights?) The author goes to pains to insist Jaehaerys meant to be merciful but he was angered because she left her room and tried to fly off on a dragon. This makes no sense as the dragons are her family's property so why would stealing one be an offence worth imprisonment with the Silent Sisters; this does not seem to be the fate that would have awaited Aerea had she survived. Given that Saera was consenting ad was the one who was punished, it also makes no sense that Jaehaerys duelled and killed Stinger as a revenge (revenge for what, if Saera was the one deserving of punishment?). Yet her other friends were simply told to marry each other instead of being duelled. I do wonder if there's something behind all this. A video would be most interesting!

[@gortrottelreiner4022]

Slut O'Crat It might be one of GRRM's real life allusions, though I'd have to look up the exact facts of Saera. As told here, her story reminds me of Julia, the daughter of emperor Augustus. If Saera's father exiled her favourite poet, that'd be Ovid, BTW. Err. I'd am somewhat wary of neurological/psychiatric diagnosis of characters in ASOIAF, beginning with its cultures being significantly different from ours. E.g. Depression manifests somehat differently even in Mediterranean and Norther European cultures, imagine how it would be with the North vs. Dorne vs. RL. AS Form sociopathy, lack of empathy and cruelty to outsiders are of the norm in such societies, harming family members (like the Mountain did to the Hound) is somewhat more indicative of something being wrong. Except if you're a Ptolemaic, in which case murdering your siblings is self-preservation, but I digress. Also look at differential diagnosis, to use another example, Sansa Stark is no sociopath, though she was heavily depressed and might be on her way to something akin to a subtype of borderline personality disorder...

[@deadshot1995]

Saera was really just a rebellious, spoiled teenager. Vissera was similar, but I think since she died young she's remembered to history as a sweet maiden (whether that's true or not), while Saera is remembered as the princess who threw away her status to become a whore and brothel-keeper in Lys. Maidenhood was considered important in similar medieval cultures, a girl who had premarital sex would be seen as impure and unfit for marriage, which is especially damaging for a princess whose father wants to marry her off. Stinger pretty much had to take the fall, since he was of the lowest birth iirc and fucked all 3 girls. Incidentally, as great a king and guy as Jahaerys was, he never really seemed to understand his daughters. He thought locking Saera up for a few years would humble her, but it just made her even more rebellious. It's implied tat at the end of his life she was the daughter he thought about the most and he likely regretted the way he dealt with her even though he never admitted it.

[@silasnai2290]

Don't be an incel

[@anitat9727]

@@silasnai2290 She did somewhat pimp out her friends. That's pretty sociopathic. But said history is written by Jaecerys's bestie so she could have just been merely sleeping around.

[@theautomator8372]

When I found out about this story a few months ago I was very disturbed by the mystery behind it and the questions I had afterwards. Just what horrors live in valyria? What could have caused such damage to balerion (who was the biggest living thing in the known world)? Its honestly really creepy to me.

[@minatodroger7890]

It speaks volumes if what happened to her traumatized Barth. Valyria was a den of blood magic and sacrifices it is possible that things remained there when it was destroyed.

[@runevi]

I'm a huge fan of Tolkien (as I imagine most are on this channel) but man, I just can't imagine him putting something this dark and disgusting into his legendarium. Imagine Gil-Galad with his shining helm, his mirrored shield and starry visage grappling with fire worms with faces and arms. It's almost comical how different these two men's creations are; yet we call him "American Tolkien." When there are way more differences than similarities.

[@silasnai2290]

Tolkiens work is so fucking boring. Dont compare the two because theyre High Fantasy.

[@elichalfant941]

The Worms are a ancestor to the Dune Worms and Planetos is Arrakis

[@onawal931]

I hope Jon isn't going to have to take a worm in order to win this.

[@akrybion]

Who will win the Game of Thrones? Muad'Dib of course.

[@rosesweetcharlotte]

I can dig this. Bring on the confusing clone thing!

[@maidros85]

"Planetos" lmao

[@owlnemo]

Spice is coming

[@HeatherHolt]

Great video. Worms with faces made me laugh tho. Reminded me of my GloWorm as a kid.

[@whoaitstiger]

4:24 Balerion flew Aerea to Valyria - a bit of a tongue twister that one!

[@omgjimmyboy]

This was awesome, I wonder if there's just a ton of dragon laying low in valyria

[@dangerdan2592]

I think there are. And they would probably be even bigger than Balerion since dragons seemed to grow much larger in Valyria than they did in Westeros. Balerion was the only dragon born in Valyria and look how big he was compared to most of the other dragons from the story, though I'm not sure if his size is just due to his age or the fact that he was born and lived in Valyria for a bit.

[@beneficent2557]

I wondered if the Valyrians had Wyverns as well, especially since the dragons were said to have been cross-bred from Firewyrms and Wyverns. If I were to guess, it would be easier to see a Wyvern attacking Balerion. Although a large enough Fire Wyrm could have ambushed him on the ground.

[@splifter6745]

What if somehow they were offspring of a human/dragon offspring experiment gone wrong and they were incubating?

[@connorgolden4]

Todd Oster Christ that’s a terrible thought.

[@johnhurley8918]

That sounds like some bad fanfiction.

[@connorgolden4]

John Hurley Well we know that in gogossos they basically did the same thing with other animals.

[@akrybion]

I mean, we know of several Targaryens that tried to become dragons, so maybe the wyrms are what's left of ancient magical/genetical experiments.

[@vernellejohnson7478]

Well, he did mention Chimeras. Chimeras can be any 2 DNAs (or more) combined that do not naturally exist together. I bet there was at least 1 or 2 fucked up Valryians experimenting on humans. Because if those worms have faces....where did the face come from? 😶

[@dangerdan2592]

think that there are still dragons living in Valyria that survived the Doom. Balerion was the largest dragon the post-doom Targaryens had because he was the only dragon from the story that was born in Valyria, and for some reason the dragons born after the Doom seem to have gotten smaller and smaller as time went on. If there are still dragons living in Valyria, they might be even larger than the Black Dread, assuming he wasn't that large just because of his old age.

[@paulgathii5284]

Yes. This is one of the most intriguing, interesting and ghoulish parts of Fire and Blood. I Love it.

[@marcostargaryen4181]

Ideasoficeandfire, do you think that dragons could still exist in the shadowlands, ulthos our in the ruins of valryia ? ? ? ? ?

[@pumpkinbread21]

Im halfway through the book and this is by far the most disturbing portion so far. What a horrifying way to go. No wonder Rhaena turned out how she did

[@ponsh4617]

I loved Fire and Blood, this is probably the biggest mystery, I wonder what sort of monster injured balerion that bad

[@Curien247]

Aerea Targaryen: A Cautionary Tale.

[@robiwood3267]

Man, I remember loving your book based commentary on GoT. Now I'm reading Fir&Blood and can go back and watch these. Love your work bud!

[@taraalexander8689]

After this, there is no way in hell Euron went to Valyria. This chick had the *Black Dread* with her, and even he came back with wounds. What the fuck could do that to Balerion, I wonder? All I know is that the Valyrians desperately needed to get blown up if *this* is what they were doing.

[@jhherkert]

While I am of the opinion that Aerea commanded they go "Home" and Balerion took her to Valyria, I’m curious about the idea of her traveling to Asshai in search of Ellisa Farman’s ‘Sun Chaser’. She had asked to go with her when Elisa ventured across the Sunset Sea, and traveling East from Dragonstone would take her through the Hills of Andalos.

[@OctaviaBlake-xg1kj]

THATS WHAT I THOUGHT, WHEN SHE COMMANED "HOME" HE THOUGH SHE MEANT HIS HOME

[@lucymalak90rod60]

I don't know but I want to have a copy of Septon Barth's book!! I'd totally buy it 😀

[@marianotorres9768]

These so called “firewyrms” remind me of the “old unknown creatures that chew the roots of the world” described by Tolkien in LOTR, rumoured to have dwelt beneath Khazad Dûm since the age of the trees. Fan theories of the Tolkien Universe on this issue believe them to be side effects of Melkor’s Discordant Song, as a side effect of a wicked treason (sounds familiar for ASOIAF readers)

[@gilvinzalsos8734]

Lands of always Winter would be the polar opposite of Old Valyria. And those whitewalker’s Bigass spiders are the counterparts to these chimeras living in the old Valyria

[@andrewsnowmon2586]

Sounds a lot like raccoon worms up here in the northwest.

[@SteveBueche1027]

The start of an invasion stopped by cold water

[@kyle857]

That part of the book was a terrible and compelling chapter. It was so creepy and interesting and sad all at once. Also you skipped the bit about the smoke from her vagina.

[@EmmieyCathiey]

Monsters Inside of Me: ASOIAF edition.

[@DaneofHalves]

Everyone seems to agree with the consensus that Balerion took her to Valyria but no one seems to remember that NO ONE in Westeroes or Essos ever sighted the biggest dragon alive at any point for over a year. No one. That is the biggest clue that something else besides "flight" occured with Balerion. That combined with what Septon Barth said about Aerea and Balerion possibly going through a door to a mystery that shouldn't be open seems to me that Balerion may have used some ancient type of magic tied to his birth as the only dragon to survived and lived from old Valyria and that only he possessed that the other dragons didn't have. He probably sensed his riders need to escape and get away and instinctively flew through some type of portal to another reality or the seven hells itself before being able to escape that nightmare and get back to westeroes. Even Balerion seemed to have suffered greatly wherever they went. To the rest of the world a year had passed but it may have been instanteous or just several days for them. Whatever happened, I hope someday this mystery is addressed in future content from GRRM or even in a Q and A. I've been trying to find one on KZbin but all the interviews I've found, no one has asked this question to George. In the entire book of "Fire and Blood", this small little part of the story nags at me. I want more than a third hand account from Barth! WHERE DID BALERION AND AEREA TARGAYEN DISSAPPEAR TO??? I hope that part of the story wasn't just George trolling the audience. 🤔

[@nononono3421]

I bet the worms is ASOIAF's midichlorians. The Targs have little firewyrms in them.

[@brittanyrae5771]

Yessss, I love that u made a video on this.

[@samforsyth]

I got the impression that, since they’re always comparing dragons to Wyrms and wyverns, that dragons are the product of a blood magic (sort of like Jurassic park dna splicing) that combines fire wyrms and wyverns...but they couldn’t quite get dragons tame enough... then they realized if they hosted and bred the Wyrms inside of humans they took on human-like behavior or characteristics which could then make the final product a dragon that was genetically-familiar with valarian humans, and so could become tame enough to ride and train. I think Balerion took Aerea home and they were taken by valarians who still live there and are trying to create dragons again.... maybe

[@christianvennemann9008]

Of course I watch this before bed...

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

So - I've been thinking about the origin of Grey Scale. Anyone think it could be possible that Grey Scale was the mistaken byproduct of Valyrian experiments in splicing reptile and human genes?

[@wolfsbanealphas617]

I feel like the dragonlords got the chimera bit from the Harpy first and just took over leftover projects the harpy was doing. Also I think they were trying to create super solders to combat the others creatures made of ice invulnerable to almost all weapons. to truly become the blood of the dragon and maybe more

[@arawn1061]

Or, more likely, for their own power and wealth

[@isabelasiqueira5405]

how to give someone nightmares 101

[@jollyfighter7319]

Radioactivity maybe? The doom of Valyria was allegedly a foul attempt of birthing dragons.

[@TheFiresloth]

Theory : Euron is actually a walking nest of firewyrms.

[@Killjoy97_]

Martin will make you feel sick in the books more than once.

[@maireadford198]

Maybe it was some kind of dragon STD. She may have left to try to mate w. a dragon like the old rumors.

[@Basedbateman97]

That Don't Explain Drogons Wounds.... haha wtf mate

[@vets2236]

Damn i tought the same thing, glad not the only one. maybe balerion saved her while she was being rapped by a wyrm hahahahaha omg, but i mean, everthing is possible in asoif

[@KayleeCee]

Hey, you might have something here.

[@bdc2320]

Great Video. Never heard of that one.

[@Spongebrain97]

Septon Barth is super interesting

[@JEland-bd4dv]

First words when she gets back : father, my skin is not my own!

[@bebos1262]

I really want to know what Balerion fought in Valyria that caused that large wound. Well, whatever it was it's most likely dead, after all Balerion came back alive.

[@InitialPC]

or maybe balerion just escaped

[@post-leftluddite]

Mayhaps the fireworms are like the xenomorph (from Alien) and it's offspring take on the features of whatever organism is the host for its parasitic larval stage

[@muthias4582]

Just when we thought the white walkers were the scariest that ASOIAF had to offer now we get this. Yikes is putting it lightly.

[@BudravenOG]

Aerea's story is totally a nod to HP Lovecraft's curse of Yig.

[@13thunderwolf]

Are we going to address that she was gone for over a year? How did she survive? What did she eat? What was she doing?

[@wolfsbanealphas617]

God bless you this is exactly what I needed you and orderofthegrennhand always make my day better

[@edwardmartin5860]

Don't know what praise i could give you that you have already gotin.But Quinn your are truly a professional at what you do and original on how you do it.Can't wait for the nxt video or just you narriating .THNX

[@GeekSensei]

Fire and blood also shows the origin of the eggs Aegon V used in summerhall. “Seven dragon eggs to honour the Seven Gods” which were chosen by a Maester for Aegon II

[@kasinokaiser1319]

I think they're some sort of parasite meant for dragons. Perhaps the Doom of Valyria cracked open the molten ground and the burning sea, and any dragons (if any at all) that did survive got infected with the wyrms similar to how much of the humans who now inhabit the ruins have greyscale. Balerion probably fought an infected dragon, and Aerea was the one who got infected. These creatures are probably just like fleas, ticks, and botflies to dragons, but when transmitted to humans become deadly.

[@bubbas9945]

I bet the worms sounded like that scene in the Thing movie where they're all standing around him bout to burn the monster disguised as a human and it looks at them and starts to scream in a very nasty scream

[@christopherhalter8590]

Would be sick if HBO makes a horror movie or short series about this

[@claralinainsauriga]

Aerea was childish she couldn't control the dragon and she wanted maybe some attention like her family is shocked like shes missing and the biggest of dragons is missing too and I feel she didn't plan too well with what she wanted to do because she came back a year later covered in just burning worms and died once in ice water. I honestly feel bad for her she was young with childish manner and if she chosed a tamed dragon maybe she wouldve been alive

[@moralhazard8652]

So is it now established that the Valyrians created dragons by breeding fireworms with wyverns?

[@tioscha0]

I don't think these are the same as the fire wyrms that devoured Valyrian slaves. I think the description of the creatures as worms w/ faces and hands is a rough analogy, not meant to be taken literally. Fire wyrms, terrible though they are, roamed Valyria before the doom. They are creatures of this earth. The flames of the Doom were said to burn so hot as to burn dragons (the embodiment of fire and blood), whatever survives there now is uniquely adapted to that environment and is unlike any other creature we've yet seen in the ASOIAF series That's my take on it anyway. The creatures being firewyrms also doesn't explain the horrific things Aerea supposedly described in her final moments. If Septon Barth was so disturbed by these things as to omit any mention of them from his writings, I can't imagine she was simply describing firewyrms or other beasts.

[@TheBurak47]

Dont forget that the Balerion was the biggest and most battle experianced dragon of Martin's universe.

[@rmovers123]

I want to know where Balerion took her and why he made her stay so long. I hate this mystery. I need to know damn it!

[@ovp3606]

I just want like a story on Valyria itself. Because it’s sounds SO interesting.

[@beepisbopis9613]

Will we ever be so lucky as to see a fully grown Drogon go to Valeria and encounter these beasts.