ASOIAF Theory 💀 The Greyscale Kings Under Winterfell - Part V: Stone Blessed

This video is part 5 of a series containing my theory for the upcoming book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter, surrounding the secret of Winterfell crypts, and ultimately, the key to defending humanity against the coming onslaught of the Others.
I believe that Azor Ahai, the hero of the first long night was in fact the male progenitor of house Stark, who after being turned to stone was stored with his army beneath Winterfell to await the return of the Others.
And in my opinion was also known as the Grey King, a hero whose very skin turned grey as he descended beneath the surface to sit a throne, resurrected and blessed with stone so that which is dead may never die, But rises again harder and stronger, protected by fell sorceries, so they can brandish their burning swords and fight the ancient enemy.
And the culture and stories we hear of these ironborn are meant to inform us of just this, that the Grey King, Azor Ahai and his warriors founded house Stark, became statues beneath the surface, and further the idea of this first Stark seeking out a magical woman to either grant this gift willingly or have it stolen from her.
So come with me as we attempt to discover the truth around the potential origins of House Stark...
💀Timestamps:
- 0:00 - Intro
- 2:06 - The Grey King
- 9:10 - The Drowned God
- 14:29 - Stone Blessed
- 24:03 - Stonezor Ahai
- 26:39 - Stone Sword
- 28:31 - Euron Crowseye
- 31:07 - Harlon Greyjoy
- 35:02 - Harrenhal
- 36:21 - Stone Feast
- 40:11 - Ragnarok
- 41:53 - Odin
- 45:05 - Sigurd
- 48:26 - Outro
💀 Subscribe to Eldric Stoneskin:
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💀 Watch the Eldric Stoneskin & the Greyscale Kings playlist :
• The Greyscale Kings Be...
Part I 💀 Stone Starks - • ASOIAF Theory 💀 The Gr...
Part II 💀 Stone Watchers - • ASOIAF Theory 💀 The Gr...
Part III 💀 Stone Heroes - • ASOIAF Theory 💀 The Gr...
Part IV 💀 Stone Gods - • ASOIAF Theory 💀 The Gr...
Part V 💀 Stone Blessed - • ASOIAF Theory 💀 The Gr...
Part VI 💀 Stone Men - • ASOIAF Theory 💀 The Gr...
Part VII 💀 Stone Knight - • ASOIAF Theory 💀 The Gr...
💀 All music and soundscapes written and recorded by Waves of Europa:
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💀 Main title image by Inkration Studios:
inkration.com
💀 Images from HBOs Game of Thrones used here under fair use

[@BeteBlanc]

Nice, this is the video I've been waiting for. Observations The drowned god's watery halls. I agree this might be the "green sea" of the weirwoods. However, note these things about Winterfell. There is a myth in Winterfell that there is a dragon beneath it that warms the springs. The Halls of the Castle literally are filled with water. They are Watery Halls. The crypts are literally beneath the the Water filled halls of the castle. Which means the Winterfell heart tree is within those halls too. The weirwoods are white, surrounded by blue/green sea if sentinal pines they they stick out like white caps. The Grey King wore a crown of Nagga's teeth. We think that means white because what is on Nagga's Hill. However, note the description of the Stark crown. "Iron spikes shaped as swords". This is exactly the description of the teeth of the dragon skulls Arya and Tyrion find. Something I'm wondering about though. The mottled colours of the drowned priests. We see this same mottled colouring in the mirrored armour of the Others as they reflect the surrounding rocks and trees. Consider Jojen's vision. The Sea came to Winterfell. While drowned by Theon figuratively, Bran decends beneath the Watery Halls of Winterfell into the Crypts to hide. After which Ramsey brings fire and sacks it. Figuratively this is when Bran opens his third eye on his own while "drowned". Lastly, a theory reflected in my user name. Jon was born at the ToJ. His is the white wolf. As child of (the tower) of Joy, Jon is technically a sort of Whitejoy (wind) to Asha's Black and Robb's Grey.

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Wow! These are some excellent points! Winterfell being a watery hall is an amazing find, wish I had thought of that haha, comment pinned my friend! 👏

[@TheCronesEye]

Wow, this series has been so terrific at providing well-researched connections between the Starks and the Ironborn. You’re doing a brilliant job showing how GRRM tells the same story through different periods of time and from different perspectives, religious beliefs, etc. I just have one question, King Eldric: Is your epithet “Stoneskin” pronounced Stone Skin - OR - Stone’s Kin ???? 😉 Great job! 🎉😊👍🥂

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Ahhh very clever! Maybe it’s both… Really appreciate the support! 🍻

[@Smeebit]

The layers upon layers is insane. It's like George is writing in 4D

[@eldric.stoneskin]

I agree, he’s an amazing writer, and I think the layers go so deep we won’t understand them all till the stories finished

[@ginathedreamer5655]

Always a good day when Stoneskin drops a new video! Love so much of this theory, so many ohhhh snap moments. You mentioned Jon being one eyed and I was so lost like when did that happen?? It feels like so long ago that he got mauled by orells eagle, made me realize I need to do another read of the series lol. Banger connections to the Ironborn too!!

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Thanks very much!

[@Greenseeress710]

Winterfell being a stone tree hit by lightning is crazy, I had never thought of that, perfect parallel to the grey king 👏

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Yeah it was a oh shit moment for me too haha

[@TheInsatiableDrBoom]

I wonder if it's another low key Frankenstein reference. Which there are already a surprising amount of within the text. I wonder if this somehow would all combine with the theories that Robert Strong may have Robbs head or that Oberyn was working with Qyburn.

[@leviathan8621]

Here we go!!!

[@luminousignesia372]

My man is dropping the hottest theory I've seen in a minute and it just keeps going hell yeah

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Cheers! Two more to go in this series

[@luminousignesia372]

@@eldric.stoneskin that's sick can't wait to see the end

[@andrewfarrell1816]

I wonder if this is what Sam is going to find at the citadel, instead of finding a cure for greyscale like in the show. He will find a book which the maesters have disregarded as superstition which outlines the practice of greyscale infection and resurection. We know the maesters do not experiment with magic or with life (for moral reasons). but I wonder if someone with greyscale (Jon Connington maybe?) will arrive at the citadel much like Jora in the show and faced with potential death be willing to risk anything for a cure. Sam will be tasked with caring for him in his dying days, but having seen magic while in the nights watch including the dead rising will be willing to try the practice on a willing patient.

[@eldric.stoneskin]

I’ve wondered the same thing, you could be right!

[@soccrstar4]

Just wanted to say thanks for the entertaining content and bump the algorithm.

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Your more than welcome!

[@westcoastweird455]

Feeling blessed to be in the first 20 watching ❤

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Hope you enjoy!

[@gavincopley7070]

Lol the use of "we" throughout these videos is such a funny little touch to me, it seemed odd to me at first but i think id have a mini breakdown if he switched to "I"

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Haha thanks!

[@gavincopley7070]

​@@eldric.stoneskinI have such a good time listening to you gaslight ne into believing your theories, keep up the great work😂

[@magnushood3896]

At the end of ragnarok Odin, heimdal, and thor die slaying Fenrir, Loki, and Jormungandr respectively. Do you think these fights to the death will be paralleled in the story. I could see euron being the sea serpent and thor being Jaime. Jon vs the nights king provided he’s still around. Bran vs the great other. Could be cool.

[@eldric.stoneskin]

They could be, I remember someone mentioning that Jamie paralleled Tyr who has a severed hand but I’d have to look more into this, I’ll get back to you

[@magnushood3896]

@@eldric.stoneskin I don’t think it’ll be and exact one to one but I’d be interested in what you find

[@arronjerden915]

@@eldric.stoneskinYes Tyr (or Twe in Germanic myth) had he hand bit off by Fenrir when the gods tricked him into letting them put an unbreakable rope around his neck.

[@Joevic225]

Asome video man, its been a while since a videotheory this good I will take a look at the other parts

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Thanks! Let me know what you think!

[@MrM4TR1M]

Finally. Lets go!

[@bradwolf07]

So there was a stone THUNDER King? I didn't know that. And I hadn't considered rhe Bones of Naga of the Ironborn's throne may actually be Weirwoods... that is absolutely fascinating to me U love this series. The in depth analysis always has me considering new information (and I had thought that well had run dry).

[@bradwolf07]

Growing up I rented a lot of books from my local library. One set of books was on mythological stories. I read about a German Hero (I think, it's been years) that slew a dragon and bathed in it's blood. The dragon's blood made his skin invulnerable except where a leaf was stuck to his skin. The dragon's hord was stolen and cursed so that it whomever sought the gold (amd not one of the original owners) would die. The hero claimed the gold, got glory, and made friends. Eventually he revealed his secrets to the friends. He was betrayed and killed, thus fulfilling the curse. A part of this video reminded me of that story. I later saw it turned into an alright made for TV movie

[@eldric.stoneskin]

It sounds like it was based on the story of Sigurd, there’s plenty of different variations of the tale, in one story he eats the heart of the dragon and learns the language of the birds, which sounds like the children teaching the first men to understand the ravens, I can’t remember the exact quote…

[@bradwolf07]

@@eldric.stoneskin I was thinking about it and I believe you are right. It probably was a version of the Sigurd story. Which would make sense why you going over the Sigurd story reminded me of the version I read.

[@bradwolf07]

@@eldric.stoneskin and yeah, it does sound like the Children of the Forest teaching the First Men... sorry I don't remember quote either at the moment

[@SweeneyTodd5197]

Oh LML is gonna love this

[@OfWolfandRaven]

Stannis, an Azor ahai character, is described as “iron, hard and unyielding.” Maybe another hint at Azor ahai having been ironborn?

[@eldric.stoneskin]

I’d say so! I missed that one!

[@alter6243]

Noticed another parallel if your theory is correct. Jon would parallel Zeus by having to “become stone” in a similar way to how a stone was used to trick Cronus which allowed Zeus to gain the strength he needed. Another example to show this potential connection is Rhaegar. Rhaegar essentially caused the downfall for his house due to his obsession with prophecy. The same thing happens to Cronus. Out of fear from prophecy, Cronus set himself up, and the rest of the Titans, to be overthrown by Zeus and the Olympians.

[@eldric.stoneskin]

That’s interesting! I’ll have to look further into that, thanks for the heads up, great comment!

[@tempertempernow]

Dooooooood I am loving these 🎉

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Cheers 🍻

[@nikharagrawal5808]

And the Starks do put iron swords across the laps of the statues, instead of bronze ones as real FM would have. I love this connection between the Starks and the Ironborn and their possible common descent, though I still wonder where both these people came form, if they are not First Men. Also, when you mention Ned's wife Catelyn Tully paralleling the Grey King's Merling wife, it also makes me think of her red hair (red hair=fire). And of course Ygritte, and Selyse's obsesssion with Rhollor and/or Mel. (I think this was pointed out in Crowfood's Daughter's videos?). But yeah, I think its Stone guy + Fire girl fighting Icy Others for sure.

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Yeah the firey woman archetype is interesting and is going to be central to my next big series, Ygritte is described as “kissed by fire” which suggests ressurection to me, with Rhollors firey kiss being actually able to ressurect people, eg. Catelyn with her red hair being “kissed by fire” as well

[@nikharagrawal5808]

@@eldric.stoneskin Very excited for your next series!

[@brianmcfeeley9382]

Another amazing video my man cant wait for part 6 and super excited for whatever theory ur working on next

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Thanks again for the support!

[@strk350]

Cmon' man .. absolutely fantastic 🤩

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Glad you like it!

[@4943melody]

I BEEN WAITING ON THIS ONE

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@DEANOpics]

Yes! Another video 🎉

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@stephencombes1979]

Another great video. Thanks for all the work you put into this series, I've been enjoying watching you explain this theory. I bet you're the reason GRRM is running late with WoW, he's watching your explain this theory before he uses it lol I've been sharing these videos and use your channel name but as a hashtag, do you have a page on FB I can tag so people 'like' and follow? Or is a hashtag just the best way for now?

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Thank you! Really appreciate the support! I haven’t started a Facebook or Instagram for the channel to be honest, I have a twitter account but that’s all at this stage, thanks for sharing my videos!

[@solutanbrun]

Oh! You mentioning one of the Starks of the crypt being named Donner (Thor) and Winterfell being struck by lightning opened up a whole new set of associations in my mind. Here we go! I’m Swedish. Thunder in Swedish is generally called ‘åska’ (pronounced “aw-ska”) but the sound of thunder is ‘dunder’ (pronounced like thunder but with a hard initial d). ’Åska’ is almost the same word as ‘aska’ (pronounced “ah-ska”) which is the Swedish word for ash. Do you know what the first man in Norse mythology was named? Ask. Ask is both the tree of life, Yggdrasil, as well as an old Norse word for fighter/warrior. Do you know what the first woman in Norse mythology was named? Embla. It’s believed to stem from the elm tree, but you cannot unsee the linguistic resemblance to ember/emblazoned. With that in mind it’s quite interesting that Theon’s warrior sister is named Asha, wouldn’t you agree?

[@eldric.stoneskin]

I do agree! That’s very interesting, just doing some quick research it looks like Ask and Embla we’re also made from trees after having life breathed into them, which fits nicely with the idea of people coming from the Weirwoods and the kiss of life we see with the ironborn drowning ritual! Excellent comment!

[@joelsmith6250]

Yassss I love this!!

[@Loreweavver]

Theon gives off a Gollum vibe. I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the final sacrifice that saves everyone. His ordeal seems almost like a pattern and he has already been reforged once from Theon to Reek. Edit: I just noticed. Nine brother's. Nine swords on the crown. Seven Kingdoms. Seven Divine. Seems a couple brothers got left out... Second Edit: if the Starks are representing the Yorks than the Ironborn seem to be the Normans. My history is foggy but I believe a wedding between these two groups was what ended the war of roses. Either Theon or Euron may end up wed to sansa?

[@anthonyochoa2955]

The War of the Roses was between houses York (Stark) white rose and Lancaster ( Lannister) red rose and ended with a marriage that created house Tudor

[@Loreweavver]

@@anthonyochoa2955 thanks. But do you recall who the marriage was between? I believe it was a York and a Plantagenet of Normandy that created the Tudor House but, again, it's been awhile. I could use a refresher.

[@luciamota1249]

This theory also reminded me of that one from cantuse: The Mannifesto, it said that Theon will likely be sacrificed(the theory said that burned) by Stannis at the Weirwood in the village where they are currently in Winds. At that time I couldn't understand the purpose of such a thing but this theory is expanding my views now..... Apart, has someone ever thought about the relation between House Stark(and now also the Ironborn) and the Pearl Emperor from the Great Empire of the Dawn, he and his people were said to be the ones who built the Five Forts to defend the realm from the Lion of the Night and his demons.... I don't know if they are direct descendants of the whole line of "gem emperors" or it was just a little hint by George to connect recent times with those ancient myths. ALSO, checking up the info about those "ancient" times I realized of something I think quite important: The Bloodstone Emperor(the most Azor Ahai like character we ever had and the one who I think Euron is trying to impersonate) was the NINTH ruler of TGotD..... Anyway, Elric is onto something important I can feel it and I like it haha. Cheers!

[@Loreweavver]

@@luciamota1249 I believe there is a connection between the eye colors of the different jem emperors and the houses of westeros but I've only heard a few people talk about it. The grey eyes of the Starks are covered here and the purple eyes of the Targaryen are easy to connect to the amethyst eyes. Lucifer means lightbringer has a lot of videos on the empire etc. In deep geek is another good channel and Quinn's ideas, also.

[@eldric.stoneskin]

I never thought of the gollum paralell but yeah it fits perfectly, Sméagol & Theon both gained power by murdering their relatives, paid the price after gaining it, we’re both tortured and changed for it, with both even gaining new names, Gollum & Reek, and becoming a shadow of what they used to be, excellent point Loreweavver!

[@jfkjkshjpppppppppphsasi8669]

Thanks!

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Your welcome! 💀🍻

[@helmholtzwatson837]

Harrenhall / Winterfell / burned giant parallel make me think of anti-ice army of roasted until crispy warriors / fire wights. Victarion?

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Agreed, I’m wondering if a part of the ritual that allows them to rise harder and stronger involves the magic we see Moqorro perform on Victarion, this would explain the “stronger” aspect of the ritual

[@TheErikaGuy]

YAYYYY

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@TOKEK1ng]

Lets Go!

[@willymo1729]

Let’s go!

[@conniesuper9892]

This was great! Perhaps Nissa Nissa was sacrificed by Azor Azai like Victarian loved his wife but could not keep her because Euron had raped her. Maybe he was so busy being a blacksmith,his wife was "sacrificed" because he wanted no one else to have her,and he knew he wasn't coming back from his hero mission. He went from tempering the sword in water,then CAUGHT A LION? Meaning WHAT?A Lannister or Ser Pounce?

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Glad you liked it!

[@1FATBOY114]

You really went deep on this theory and made excellent points however if the north and iron born worship the same God where do the squishes come in. I thought iron born hate weirwood trees, they called the demon trees.🤔

[@eldric.stoneskin]

I think the squishers are very much real but George is using them to symbolically inform us of the greenseers in the Weirwoods/Greensea And the idea of two factions of one religion that splintered off thousands of years ago despising each other even though they worship the same god has played out in real world plenty of times eg. Catholic vs Protestant or Christianity vs Orthodox

[@DeborahWitt-hr8if]

❤

[@viridianveritas]

You mentioned the wind being the language of the old god. The childrens language is described as sounds like a babbling brook, the giants like rumbling stone. What parelles do you see with the language of wind and the strom gods being the enemies of the iron born?

[@eldric.stoneskin]

I think it has to do with the Grey King coming from across the sea and stealing the power of the old gods, as we hear that he taunted the storm god until he lashed down with a thunderbolt and set a tree ablaze, which I think is symbolic of the grey king, a proto stark gaining the magic of the old gods and being able to use the Weirwoods to extend his life supernaturally

[@yggdrasil2]

Do you have thoughts on the pararels done between the Lannisters and gargoyles?

[@eldric.stoneskin]

The Lannister’s are very interesting and I’m still not sure what to make of them, they interestingly have “the Hall of Heroes where the costly armor worn by a hundred Lannister knights, lords, and kings stand eternal guard” which sounds remarkably like the crypts of Winterfell and the hero kings who stand their eternal guard

[@yggdrasil2]

@@eldric.stoneskin The Lannisters started out as a First Men house so maybe there's a connection there. We also have Bran's first dreams in which Cersei and Jaime are represented as stone lions, Tyrion is likened to a gargoyle almost every book, and Tyrion also dreams of the Shrouded Lord, leader of the stone men, with his father's face....

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Could be, I’m planning on focusing on the lannisters during my next reread, they’re so central George I’d hinting at something with them for sure

[@umwha]

Do the merlings of Ironborn myth refer to CotF? Is there a marine variant of the CotF or is it always referring to the woodland variety ?

[@eldric.stoneskin]

I think they might be referring to the children, although I’m not sold on this, meetings might also be any human that entered the “Greensea” but in support of it referring to the children we that “Old Nan says the children knew the songs of the trees, that they could fly like birds and SWIM LIKE FISH and talk to the animals” as well

[@umwha]

@@eldric.stoneskin Do you think Martin is going to reference there being variants of the Children of the Forest at all? I mean, in fantasy, there are often variants of elves. You've strongly evidenced a trinity in their religion: woods, stone, and water. Wouldnt be suprised if there were 3 Children races. Could this relate to the Squishers?

[@eldric.stoneskin]

@@umwha I think there are variants of children as well, it definitely seems that way, considering we get COTF named by Bran and Meera as, Leaf, scales, coals... but the most interesting to me is Snowylocks... Meaning this COTF had white hair, and its actually Snowylocks that gives Bran the weirwood paste that leads to his vision of the white haired woman sacrifice, the same colour hair as Snowylocks Im starting to think maybe the Others are a race of children of the forrest who were skin changing the dead, this was seen as an abomination and therefore they were Otherized by the COTF we know of who skin change the living, its just a thought at this stage and I need to do more investigating, what's your thoughts around this idea?

[@umwha]

@@eldric.stoneskin I dont think the Others can be a variant of Children because they are never said to be short - they also use armour and weapons that has the appearence of being intricately crafted, which is un Child-like. I'm more partial to David Lightbringers theroy - that early humans wanted to be able to enter the Weirnet. They did this by interbreeding with Children, some humans achieved Child-like powers. However, some humans were envious, and tried to use force to advance their powers. This would be when huamns started to carve their faces into Weirwood trees to make them easier to skin-change. An evil greenseer (Azor Ahai) used a magic woman (weirwood priestess Nissa Nissa) as a doorway to forcibly enter into the Weirnet and use its power. This is simaltaneous with the Red Comet impacting the Moon, and meteors landing on the land, in the sea and into the woods. AA and NN both die, and the Weirnet is 'raped' or colonised. As the impacts caused the Long Night, the Weirnet split into two - the living Green half, with the souls of Children, and the half that died, the frozen half, which contains the spirits of the human greenseers.The Others are the spirits of those greenseers, trapped eternally in the frozen Weirnet, coveting the world of the living, the Green-side of the Weirnet that they could not obtain.

[@ofirmichael66]

You said that men got smaller and weaker. just remember that the dragons also got smaller and weaker.

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Excellent point!

[@umwha]

What is the origin or purpose of the Others though?

[@eldric.stoneskin]

That’s a good question, I’m looking into it for my next series actually, at this stage I’m still undecided, what’s your thoughts?

[@umwha]

If Grey King founded the Ironborn why did he end up in Winterfell?

[@eldric.stoneskin]

I think he was seeking out a magical woman, trying to gain as much power as he could, and inevitably invoked the wrath of the Others, still researching this idea tho and will be the subject of my next series

[@umwha]

@@eldric.stoneskin Great. Heres how the ideas are knitting in my head. The Grey King came from the Empire of Dawn in the east. He (or his recent ancestors) sailed a weilrwood boat to the Iron Islands and founded that civilisation. He was interested in the Children who lived all across Westeros, and the magic they posessed. These early ironborn interbred with Firstmen, who themsleves were hybridised with Children. This may have been when the Long Night happened. The Grey King traveled to Winterfell, which was at that time a Weirwood Grove holy place, with adjoining druid castle. He there sought a Child-woman priestess to grant him the magic of the Weirnet. He further constructed Winterfell and the crypts, generated new bloodlines. It may been the killing / death in childbirth of the Child-woman that was simultaneous with the Long Night event.

[@eldric.stoneskin]

@@umwha This is exactly my train of thought as well, well done! My next series is going to start investigating this magical woman, who she was and and what happened to her. Glad your enjoying the series and I appreciate all your great comments too!

[@alexmoes3225]

Sorry mate, I love your channel but something about this episode just feels off? Is different script writer/editor? Just feels different, a bit belabouring each point.

[@alexmoes3225]

With the Iron Men description potentially being literal I've wondered about the Others aversion to iron. Wasn't iron introduced to Westeros with the PoS Andal's invasion? I thought First Men were bronze age, echoed by Royce armour? Of course with the whole "timeline heresy" theory (which ever particular flavour you choose) this type of detail is like smoke in the wind. No wonder old George has written himself into a corner!!

[@eldric.stoneskin]

Fair enough, it’s just me over here doing everything and did struggle a bit more with making this one as coherent as the others but gave it my best, the iron aspect is interesting as the crown of the kings of winter is iron which would definitely pre date the andals, and for it to be said that the others have an aversion to iron it must have been utilised before and during the long night