Game of Thrones Abridged

[@3NDER24]

Her tale is truly a heartbreaking one. In storm, her working so hard to get back to her brother and mother, and then when she finally gets there truly breaks my heart every time I read it.

[@AlysN]

Where is the fan theory that grrm won’t release the next book until schwifty is caught up with the series? That’s my head cannon

[@BrightBrandi]

George will be long dead by then

[@bae_ofpigz]

i hung out thru the entire live stream and all I got was a fun and memorable experience w a lot of very nice people

[@mzmendy]

He ended it shortly after I arrived, and that's all I got too. He's almost as bad as that tool AltShiftX

[@mzmendy]

#SchwiftysChatIsLit

[@Fnidner]

not anymore than that?

[@legendsofthebravebard]

This guy sounds just like Alt Shift X... I call shenanigans

[@osmya0044]

No, not at all

[@Lurklen]

Nah man, whole different guy. This guy, he speaks with the gravitas and poise of a true scholar. That wanker Alt Shift X sounds like a weasel in a human skin suit. Frankly I'm offended on Schwift's behalf that you could even confuse the two. One is so fucking gross...just disgusting really.

[@BrightBrandi]

I was just getting caught back up on these and somehow forgot we only get two or three episodes per year

[@belikeapanda9625]

I am so sad I missed this episode - 100 - cannot believe it. This is fantastic! And so many familiar squad members to this joyous occasion. It warms my heart to read along and listen to Schwift. Love you guys. So glad to be a part of the squad. Greetings and best wishes

[@Lurklen]

I think the point of the Qarth arc is to show Daenarys learning the lesson. In writing if all you do is show the lesson, with out the lesson being put into action, you're telling the reader the character has learned, not showing them. Also, it's to sit in contrast to Daenary's experience in the pervious book among the savage Dothraki. She's in a palace now, but the lesson is the same. She must be a queen, and seize her destiny. She cannot trust in fate alone, she has to take control, and beware others leading her down ruinous paths. Beyond this, I think the arc also reinforces that Daenarys is a mythical figure. The other characters mostly seem like normal people caught up in magical events, whereas Daenarys is a scion of a legendary line, mother of dragons, queen met by sages in the desert (I've always wanted to paint this scene, but I've never got around to it. It has big biblical connotations. Blood red comets, trio of kneeling seekers paying homage, ruined city, three dragons, her ragged tribe of the faithful.), she's basically suited to the treatment of the wealthy of Qarth. But she's also a heroine, and she has drive, and we need to see her put her lessons into practice, and pull off a win, instead of the loss of the last mythical experience. She has to build off a success before she gets to Mereen.

[@made-line7627]

Well said. Also, her visions in the HOTU add _so_ much to the story.

[@peen2804]

except she’s not a mythical figure, she’s a 15 year old that thinks she is because she has metaphorical nuclear arms. Kinda almost a little bit exactly like the majority of her lineage thought they were mythical figures and gods because they had metaphorical nuclear arms. Name a single character that has correctly interpreted a prophecy they are involved in lol. It sounds like you are more interested in her story going the “omg super cool n stronk dragon girl won the world and saved everything1111!1!1!1!1” the most boring shit imaginable. everything you’re saying doesn’t make her powerful if true, it strips her of agency. Makes her not the mother of dragons because she’s a powerful woman that chose to reintroduce dragons to the world, it makes her a puppet whose choices don’t matter because they’re predetermined. We’ve seen time and time again that is just not how prophecy works in this world. Also she’s is not a heroine. She is a greedy power hungry teenager that feels she deserves control because of who she is and her potential claim. Even freeing slaves isn’t something she genuinely cares about, it was basically a PR stunt and to bolster her resources.

[@Lurklen]

@@peen2804 She is absolutely a heroine and mythic figure, and also a power hungry teenager who feels she deserves control because of who she is and her claim. One might safely say she is a bad person by our standards, perhaps even a monster. The two are rarely different when it comes to heroes of myth. Gilgamesh was a right prick, and Hercules did all kinds of messed up stuff for his own ends. They were almost uniformly rapists and murderers. Mythic heroes aren't inherently good, far from it. (She's not especially greedy, prideful yes, but this is a world with very different morals and a person of her position is due a certain amount of wealth.) Heroes take great action and disrupt the status quo, the difference between them and villains is usually that their actions are an attempt to return the status quo to a previous and more desirable version, or institute new change that brings about a beneficial new world order/environment. Though not always. (They are also usually wholly unsuited to governing or overseeing the new world, their nature being that of fighters against _______, and often at odds with the peace they bring about. The only real qualifier of a hero is that they must do great things.) I mean on the face of things, her fate is predestined because she is a character in a novel. Her author intends for her to meet a certain end, and she will meet it to suit him. Does that make all of the events that happen to her meaningless? Of course not. She fulfills many prophecies, they come true, virtually all of them in the books. It's the interpretations of how that the characters so often get wrong. The prophecies shown are also not what *will* happen with certainty, but what will happen should the right events line up (as we saw with the ones involving her son). All the characters are puppets, dancing to the author's strings, but within their narrative they are all subject to destiny, she chooses to try to bring back Khal Drogo, and the Stallion that Mounts the World dies a hideous stillborn. But the dragons return in fire and blood. Should she have chosen differently it would be her son who rides west. Her actions to bring the dragons back were miraculous, according to the author. Targaryen's are not fireproof, the fact she was unburnt is a one time event, part and parcel with her mythic status as the mother of dragons. Other people at other times have thrown dragon eggs in fires, even other Tagaryens, no one else hatched dragons. She and the Targaryens in general are inspired by mythic characters (with a heavy dose of Moorcock's Melniboné), and her narrative is by design meant to represent a more high fantasy mythic quest (Jon is a more traditional fantasy hero, another prophecy child, rises through the ranks of a special order, becomes competent and its leader, has a special sword and pet, a lover among his enemy with red hair. There's dozens like Jon. Arya and Bran are child heroes, the urchin and the magic boy, Robb was the young king, all heroic archetypes common to fantasy.) Marten is using these character archetypes to explore those stories in a more "realistic" or at least more cynical setting (it's not terribly realistic at all). That doesn't make them any less what they are. The Targaryens *are* special, they *were* mythic sorcerers who tamed dragons and forged an empire. An empire of heroes, great and terrible, and the *only* thing that stopped them was a mythic catastrophe of epic proportions. That's the point they serve in Martin's narrative. Greatness and goodness are often at odds, and heroes are very often monsters. The *greatest* people to ever live were vain mad men who trampled civilizations beneath their jeweled sandals and scorched the world black with dragon fire. I've no doubt Daenarys will come to a tragic end. But I also have no doubt she will do so in a mythic and legendary way. That is the function she serves in Martin's narrative, and the arc she's on in the story. She will likely turn to villainy before the story comes to its close, most likely after her greatest acts. For all her many flaws, she has already done great (and horrible) things, like most heroes.

[@jordanthomas7702]

@@peen2804 I love that you can't see both sides lol

[@sofiav7071]

Recently George said Quaithe still has a role to play in the story so I guess whenever she comes into play is when we will find out the importance of the Qarth arc

[@AltSchwiftX]

The winner of the raffle is Bill Miller! Bill, I've sent you an email so you can get the prize :) Thanks for the donations -- we've raised $1,376.81 for UNICEF! You can donate to UNICEF's Yemen appeal here: www.unicefusa.org/?form=HelpYemenChildren

[@AuthFailed]

Wow! Thanks Schwift!

[@jackv4612]

@@AuthFailed Congrats Bill!

[@jolinefields3460]

I like how the two chapters ended kind of parallel with aria gets a smack on the cheek for speaking her wishes are dismissed. Jorah gets a softer shut up, but it’s still dismissed like shhh- even though it’s a kiss, it probably hurt like a slap because he wasn’t heard

[@btarczy5067]

Thank you so much for this series! I'm not at the best place right now and an Australian speeding his way through my favorite book series like the Flash, evaporating tangents as he passes through them is precisely what I needed. Too bad I didn't catch the livestream but I'm sure that listening to stories about the wartorn Riverlands will be quite a hoot. A centenary without at least a hundred deaths is considered a dull affair.

[@frankmerker630]

Wait I thought he was a Kiwi, or am I confusing him with that twat Alt Shift X

[@btarczy5067]

@@frankmerker630 I‘m an ignorant fool, don’t listen to me! Some time ago he described the Great Australian Emu War so I assumed, probably wrongly, that Australia was the hatching ground of the Schwift.

[@zacharyrihner4825]

I can’t put into words how happy I am. Your videos have gotten me through some very tough times

[@Luminousreign]

Shade of the evening is Dusky Woman bath water.

[@frankie9772]

Confirmed.

[@Darthxim]

Blood in the mortar of Harrenhal and Harren killed inside it. Sounds a bit like blood sacrifice and kings blood magic to me. Maybe that's why the curse seems to work?

[@Roach613]

I recently listened through your whole series as I’ve read through the books. Sad to say that, in true ASOIF fashion, I’ve caught up with you. Hope to catch a live show soon. Thanks for the hours of free content Schwift! My only request is that you make more episodes!

[@varsoonhks3211]

I just binged the entirety of Alt Schwift X's readings of Game of Thrones over the course of the last few weeks, surprised to find that I am now caught up. Guess I've got to wait now like everyone else.

[@hananiatacorelis2152]

39:39 for daenerys chapter

[@Funkmania.]

schwifty. I'm almost caught up and I havent read the books because I struggle to read. I am officially requesting more videos. I dont know how youre gonna do it but it is imperative to the future of mankind. Oh btw you're the greatest

[@AnarchoCatBoyEthan]

listen to davidreadsasoiaf, best imo way to listen to the series. great voices, really makes it more interesting than just an audiobook

[@chadgoose7886]

The harenhall chapters make me think of how people who get captured by isis must feel. The utter soul crushing hopelessness of knowing you are going to die, but not Simply just knowing you are going to die, knowing you are going to die in an incredibly painful way for no reason or point at all.

[@ShubertReads]

Thanks for the double-feature, and congrats on 100 amazing episodes! ❤️

[@klaraloblova1993]

This was great (as always), thank you!!!!

[@nik96nik]

I can’t believe the day has finally come. Also can’t believe I freaking missed it!! Anyways love ya schwift, never stop being schwifty ya legend

[@shazzy544]

1:00:00 While I think its true that George sometimes makes morally repugnant characters physically repugnant, he also puts a lot of emphasis on beautiful people being morally repugnant. All of the Lannisters are pretty, and they are almost always bad. Similarly, the critique of outwardly "noble" appearance and affectations as a guide for immoral action is quite central to the books.

[@michaeldavis8250]

This might be the best arya chapter

[@lopezland8436]

I just watched you all the way from episode 1 starting 3-4 days ago

[@AltSchwiftX]

👀

[@lopezland8436]

@@AltSchwiftX im starved for new GOT content. hurry an do another one Ser Schwift

[@osmundkettleback5815]

fuck I missed the stream but thank you so much for this, the podcast has literally kept me sane throughout my first year of college, godspeed Schwift. And remember, D+D = T

[@fulviopontarollo2952]

I am not sure if it will be seen as a sign of madness or sanity, but listened to a few chapters a couple years back then stopped But now, in the “new content” drought we are going through, I am inclined to begin again from the Prologue of AGOT rather than trying to remember where I left off exactly or randomly begin from now

[@AdaptiveApeHybrid]

Hey man, great fucking content! Think I'm in love with this. Personally, Arya's chapters in this book are some of my favorites in the entire series. It's what set these books apart for me, that darkness. Made these books more of an epic, bittersweet tragedy than a fantasy. I would have never fallen in love with this series if it wasn't for all the tragedy. It just makes it more real for me.

[@made-line7627]

Shakespeare would have loved it 💔

[@alistersinclair4600]

Dany does go mad when she gets to King's Landing, but it's just because it looks so shite it comparison to Qarth. King Saathos the Wise put out his own eyes after seeing Qarth, perhaps Dany should do that was well. And her nose too, to cover the shit smell

[@conormurphy4328]

Congrats...currently listening to chapter 6 of book 1 lol

[@danielgavish1315]

Ive been binging these and this is so awsome!

[@hampusholm6411]

Sweet! Thought you had stopped att #99

[@18pablo88]

He was a bad bastard, the tickler

[@jameshart2693]

Thank you so much

[@runareinert325]

ooooh, now I know why Danaerys burned Kings Landing, it didn't smell nice lol

[@Shadowplay4Cats]

It’s the burning of a match in de bathroom writ large.

[@thetalesofelbek7042]

Dany is my favorite along with Tyrion and Jon! followed by Theon ... i also liked Arianne , the Bold is also good

[@WorthlessWinner]

1:22:00 bring back the neanderthals, then we can have Ibinese IRL

[@QueenDaenerysTargaryen]

When Winds of❄⛄ Winter is released... I will take what is mine. 🔥🔥🔥🐉🐲🐉🔥🔥🔥

[@MrKarpo]

Is it the "bad pussy"? :/

[@frankie9772]

If George uses ugly appearance to hint at someone’s bad morality how do you explain Brienne?

[@neolexiousneolexian6079]

...I mean, Daario, Euron, and Tywin are all pretty handsome, aren't they?

[@frankie9772]

@@neolexiousneolexian6079 Hehe as far as I know

[@louisroy4911]

I’m finally caught up, and now I feel empty. Welp, time to go through again and count the number of times Shwifty says Dehumanize... or has that already been done?

[@randombencounter263]

It still fucks with my head that ballistae in ASOIAF are called "scorpions" but the actual animals aren't. They call them manticores for literally no reason, even though the word scorpion exists.

[@karlleonis7882]

I'm pretty sure that scorpions (as animals) are mentioned in ASOIAF. IIRC one guy during the Conquest of Dorne got killed with scorpions.

[@made-line7627]

@@karlleonis7882 💯%

[@larperdixon723]

mammoth petting zoos

[@Perceptious37]

A COK #100 from schwifty.

[@HelciusCabral]

Such great content, so many nice people #SchwiftySquwad

[@QueenDaenerysTargaryen]

Excellent💯💯💯

[@johndoe-nt]

Finally caught up!!

[@cleanfrozen4729]

Is it wrong that I wanna leave my wife for this guy?

[@made-line7627]

Is it wrong that I want to leave my cats?

[@cleanfrozen4729]

@@made-line7627 YES, YOU MONSTER!

[@made-line7627]

@@cleanfrozen4729 JK. I would never

[@sandiaYpescado]

Are there gonna more of these?

[@deffientllynotjalenbutler1736]

A real yin yang of an episode

[@jjollu]

You know why Quaithe doesn't mention Marwyn to Dany? Because Marwyn is Moqorro

[@polymorphicprocrastination5345]

Shit, I'm forever in the wrong side of the planet

[@daviddynmo4865]

Blood in the mortar of harrenhall!

[@Mari-tc4gw]

1:06:09

[@jessecharity5179]

Will you continue to upload audio versions onto podcast platforms?

[@petecherry4908]

Why did we stop this series? I need a companion for the remainder of a song of ice and fire readthrough

[@faisalkamal4319]

Rip drogo

[@sushidawgz]

Dany chapters are such a snooze fest... unless my boy shwifty is abridging them.

[@deffientllynotjalenbutler1736]

A rare double feature

[@ferrousallotrope]

Great stream ! But you never gave the mundane true fact about you !

[@margaritaquiroga8712]

100 and 101!!!!!

[@maoriscorpion]

Love a good raffle, a Cuz had one the other week for a wheelbarrow full of grog 🤣 I missed out on a ticket but I'll make a donation to the Yemen fund anyway.

[@justinkroboth360]

After losing Kentaro Miura earlier and being deeply wounded, I now have pretty much zero hope for this series getting finished. Thankfully, Ol' Railroad has furnished us with plenty of material and we've got folks like Schwift to provide amazing content for years to come.

[@Lurklen]

Oh damn, I didn't know about Miura. What a fucking shame, he was so young.

[@Ssatran]

I was told there'd be AOC?!?!

[@Gnomelander1400]

Alt shift x got a beef with you

[@dothrakidani358]

WOOOOOO!!! GOT TO BE THE ONE THOUSANDTH LIKE. f yer firsties...I brought the K.

[@sebastianholden4759]

I am so hurt that I missed the live stream 😢

[@kaziglubey4455]

Ugh I missed it! What is the regular start time for the Livestream?

[@rikkeholmberg]

What is this “regular” you speak of??

[@_Woody_]

Offering a sacrificial comment

[@ClydeC]

damn, I woke up late

[@Jonjzi]

High quality ad libbing

[@natbvm1880]

Tite

[@MrRockfowl]

Slow down im at part 60 LoL

[@evancarlson5805]

Hate the pro-torture sidebar we got here. In a fucking charity video.