Blood Magic

[@bronhaller]

Thoros says at some point (paraphrasing) that the difference between Beric and Catelyn was that Cat had been dead for days before being brought back, while Beric was dead for moments/minutes.

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

I think that it doesn't make sense that king's blood has power when anyone could grab a crown and become king, including those with no blood ties to previous kings. I think it was actually a misunderstanding. It's not king's blood, it's kin's blood that has power. Sacrificing those closest to the magician, those they (allegedly) love, is where the power is. That would add another layer to why kinslaying is so bad. Also it would be why the death of Nissa Nissa was such a big deal, the sacrifice of the most important person in the world to Azor Ahai is what gave power to Lightbringer.

[@gumbygumblecakes5402]

My first live, and sadly couldn't attend fully, had other nerd stuff to do; but you all are so amazing, just know that you've groomed for many hours in a snow cat with me, and made each shift easier.

[@SaneMillennial]

Another great episode! And loved Sean's black kitty at the end! He seems like a pretty chill cat. My cats don't let me hold them like that.

[@dancingsean3836]

that was Jet(and she's one of three sisters)

[@rodrigodecastroweiss8271]

At 12:06 Actually that's exactly what Crow's Eye and Melisandre think they are doing by blood sacrficing people to get good winds on their sails, even if they want to please different deities, in the case the Red God to Melisandre, and to Greyjoy himself (and to his minions the Drowned God).

[@darkartsbyadrienne]

Maggie the frog: could be a reference to an obscure ancient Egyptian goddess Heqet or Heket. She was a deity of magic, called 'heka'. Some scholars speculate that Heqet and the Greek Hecate are linked, but there's no definitive consensus. Interestingly, the Hellenic city of Alexandria, after the rise of Christianity adopted St. Catherine as their patron saint, who was believed to be syncretized with Hecate. But back to frogs: there is the common fairy tale of prince who is transformed into a frog, and can only be transformed back from a kiss, which includes transformation, but also hidden identity. So Maggie could be someone fairly powerful hiding under the guise of a local fortune teller

[@dancingsean3836]

so maggy the frog is varys! canon! you heard it here first! ;P

[@darkartsbyadrienne]

@@dancingsean3836 that would be a leap, I'd say 😄

[@Brellowcrop]

You do change the meaning of some words with different stress on the word. For example, you may listen to a record, but you would record a video. A farmer produces produce

[@HistoryofWesteros]

yeah... I did a poor job of explaining the difference there. You are correct of course!

[@Brellowcrop]

@@HistoryofWesteros Hey, you're all good, mate. Love the content, im just a langauge teacher so thought id share

[@archmaesterrenny9569]

Sean, given your thoughts about the morality of sacrifice, I think you’d be interested in Ursula K. LeGuin’s story “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” as well as N. K. Jemisin’s answer story, “The Ones Who Stay and Fight.”

[@samforsyth]

22:00 mirri maz duur’s parents must have put her in one of those expensive elite Blood Magic Immersion schools

[@uriustosh]

Helluva episode

[@dariusdrake3854]

Thanks for the stream. I find you bringing up magic radiation interesting. I didn't know George had that idea in his books, but now I'm wondering if that's common in fiction. Currently I'm working on a book series that deals with auras, and there's a plot point where the auras are leaked similar to a Chernobyl event.

[@alexmarkadonis7179]

Daniel B. Greene's books?

[@herbthompson8937]

I really hope the world doesnt come to an end if people think sacrificing 1 person for ALL of humanity is not ok

[@jackhutton5078]

“Maybe that’s the key to hatching dragon eggs, maybe you can’t know your doing it” Maybe that’s why they give the eggs to babies. Notice that the older the person is the egg the less likely it is to hatch. It happens, but still usually with the young. Maybe they carry the eggs around them in the hope that it hatches when they’re not paying attention...

[@DriftwoodLot]

I think Mirri’s prophecy came true to a certain extent. The strength of the horse did go into the rider but the rider was Dani, The Rider, Dragon Rider. The first to be born in a long time. Someone seen as a legendary figure, she embodies the archetype of Rider due to her being a somewhat mythical rider of beasts. The term rider takes precedence for her over Drogo. Speaking from an angle of prophecy and symbolism she would be associated with title of Rider more so than Drogo. Also, the horse was a two-fold statement. The literal horse and Drogo himself, for he was the fiercest of the “horse lords” who would ride over all of his enemies. Drogo is the horse master and symbolically the master horse, the greatest horse, Dani is the rider. Drogon may have more of Drogo’s essence than the other dragons, hence the stronger connection between Dani and Drogon, and Drogon does as he pleases, just like Drogo did. None of this can be proven but speaking symbolically it all makes sense, in my mind anyway.

[@alexmarkadonis7179]

Maybe Varys is not really a eunuch. He could have put a glamour on his rammer

[@alexmarkadonis7179]

Maggy the Frog might be a crannog woman or a child of the forest

[@jack-x7p3f]

i see you

[@stephencombes1979]

Magic of all types is based simply on intent and belief.

[@jack-x7p3f]

real magic learners are you here :]

[@KevonTheGolden]

I think the shadow baby was exclusive asshai magic wasn’t any blood involved

[@BeautifulBeastie]

Didn't she need kings blood to work the spell?

[@crd88918]

@@BeautifulBeastieyes, i believe she did according to the story… but it may also be that she is using that ritual requirement for her own purposes, or maybe she really believes and that gives the placebo effect of birthing the shadow babies

[@Brellowcrop]

I never thought magic in asoiaf has anything to do with what is obvious. Instead, belief, genes and psychics. E.g, If those with the magic genes believe in an act, say sacrifice, then that triggers their innate magic capacity and they manifest what ever the purpose of the act meant to is achieve, subconsciously. Everyone thinks its the act, like a sacrifice, but it actually are the ones in the audience who believe in the act strongly. I think the magic genes in asoiaf are widespread so there'll always be a few who can make the act come to reality. Also, if Khal Drogo was a skinchanger then, maybe the sacrifice of his horse was meant to put he consciousness back into his human body after a second life in his horse. That maybe whats in store for Jon and Ghost

[@dancingsean3836]

maybe if drogo had been a skinchanger, the "spell" would have worked, but he wasnt... jon snow is though!

[@Brellowcrop]

@@dancingsean3836 Yeah, thats exactly what i was saying. I think this ritual will play a role in Jon's resurrection. Ghost will be killed to give Jon life

[@conniesuper9892]

Did they think Maggy(mage) the frog was a crannogwoman?

[@dancingsean3836]

hmmm could be!

[@timnagel982]

Westerosi not westerosians

[@HistoryofWesteros]

Westorians is my pet name for listeners, it's not a reference to people in-world :)