Prepping for Winter: Mercy, Part 4

[@chadsummerchild1120]

George is still waiting for Preston to explain the rest of the book. Than and only than will he release ‘Winds’

[@alanpennie8013]

Preston will explain to Elio and Linda in a game of Chinese whispers.

[@e22ddie46]

Holy shit! I totally forgot about Gilbert farwynd!

[@wisdommanari6701]

The Queen of the North

[@prof.cecilycogsworth3204]

It is known.

[@jaemuskedelarios]

I'm not even trying to troll, I am genuinely curious what is so difficult about the blatant distinction between "than" and "then".

[@Lionstar16]

For anyone who doesn't know, the portrait that Preston uses to represent Bobono is "Portrait of Sebastian de Morra" by Diego Velazquez. And is it me or does Sebastian look rather like Peter Dinklage?

[@lastEvergreen]

All dwarfs share similar facial features. It’s part of the genetic condition.

[@kragary]

@@lastEvergreen Nonsense. Just look at Warwick Davis.

[@robnewton7042]

Great comment... thumbs up.

[@prof.cecilycogsworth3204]

The discussion of the crown to identify the king and calling back to Jon's confusion about Mance's identity is a gem.

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

I always look forward to these vids, keep them up Preston

[@thewingedserpent5823]

How do you do it?

[@LazarusLongish]

It's never a good place to stop! More please!

[@alanpennie8013]

The symbolic parallels are really stacking up in this chapter. Perhaps it's a way of keeping the main characters connected now they're so dispersed across the world.

[@TheKrostiman]

Keyholders sound like Stadhouders from the Dutch republic. I see a lot of parallels between Bravos and the Dutch Republic. Broke free from a former super power, strong banking sector, large Naval power and a role in politics of a nation accross the sea. But hey I'm Dutch so who knows I might just be seeing what I'm already familiar with.

[@semaera]

You’re right. GRRM has pretty much said as much.

[@alanpennie8013]

@@semaera It's mainly Venice, but geographically Amsterdam would be a better fit.

[@semaera]

Alan Pennie what about the Hanseatic League?

[@alanpennie8013]

@@semaera It's medieval Novgorod (but not really).

[@Jesse-fd5bv]

Kanker

[@meilaniwenska664]

No words about the Stranger’s bloody paste and Jojen paste? Has the Stranger indeed come for him? Excellent analysis as always, so many unexpected connections!

[@100raptex]

Hey Preston, I've always wondered about the parallels between tyrion and the stranger. In his adventures in Andalos he's obsessed with death, and his crew parallel a warped seven. A disgraced blacksmith, a craven warrior, a homosexual father and a maid with stretch marks. Tyrion seems to think of himself as a walking deadman and bringer of death. And a "half man", like the stranger. I know a parallel isn't a connection, but what does it all mean?

[@austinfeldman1856]

Good stuff!

[@theletterm5425]

Who is supposed to be the disgraced blacksmith? If you're talking about Haldon, I think it just said the studied at the Citadel but never managed to earn a maester's link.

[@100raptex]

Duck

[@rayleighsilver8264]

Duck is the disgraced blacksmith.

[@pocketbomb8081]

This is good stuff, the half-maester too, is a Male crown like Bran Stark.

[@carterwilcox1421]

I love the use of the renaissance paintings. I honestly wish you used it for all the characters instead of switching between the paintings and the cartoons.

[@shinjinobrave]

I love the small detail of the Braavosi assuming the Stranger has horns, it's real subtle story telling.

[@e22ddie46]

At this point, you really don't need to tell us about grrm liking collective consciousness in his stories :). We've been with you since wolves and Robin's, were fully on team everything is bloodraven

[@tokevarvaspolvi8999]

He does need to reiterare it though, in case of new acolytes. If you don't back up the collective consciousness thing with George's history with it, anyone new is just going to scoff at it at first glance.

[@e22ddie46]

@@tokevarvaspolvi8999 I know. I'm teasing. And I'm sure some members aren't listening to his videos every day as their main source of distraction and relaxation.

[@tokevarvaspolvi8999]

@@e22ddie46 what fools! How i pity them!

[@e22ddie46]

Exactly. Also, I feel like people wouldn't start with a part 4. And it's definitely been mentioned already in one of the parts.

[@Starcom23]

@@tokevarvaspolvi8999 Nah man he has too low subs amd world doesnt appreciate him enough. preach!!!

[@toffotin]

This was NOT a good place to stop. You should have continued. It is known!

[@Vix2066]

What the what!!? How am I only just finding this? Part IV?? There’s more???? Sweet baby Jesus have mercy.

[@Mprator]

Kevan did set Swift going to Braavos in motion but he was killed that night. This delegation should be bringing news of his murder to Braavos.

[@thewatcher6360]

and we are back

[@naponroy]

2 mins ago and already 67 views... the night is foggy and full of Mercy.

[@rhythmicgwendolen]

The horns on the Stranger may also be a parallel to the boar that killed King Robert

[@bronhaller]

I had thought that Mercy was going to play Sansa (raped at her forced wedding) but I like that you picked Shae, as it fits with the story Shae gave at Tyrion's trial

[@infolord79]

Sansa hasn't been raped. She had a wedding but there was no sex and certainly no rape.

[@theletterm5425]

I really hope Penny does turn out to be either a spy, a secret assassin or... *something* other than who she currently appears to be. She took up quite a bit of Tyrion's ADWD storyline without any real payoff. She fails as a love interest for Tyrion with him feeling mostly pity towards her. Besides that she just kind of slows Tyrion down and gets in his way. Not sure what exactly George has planned for this character, but I hope it does turn out to be something at least semi-interesting after all the meandering in Dance.

[@e22ddie46]

Tyrion's whole story of dance is a lot of time without any payoff :P

[@alanpennie8013]

@ Probably because Tyrion finds her irritating.

[@theletterm5425]

Eddie F Very true. While most plots kind of end on cliffhangers in Dance due to the battles of Ice and Fire being removed, no individual storyline ends as abruptly as Tyrion’s. You think he's finally going to meet Daenerys when him and Penny are jousting for her in the fighting pit and then it just doesn't happen and they join the Second Sons and that's it lol

[@theeagleofbavaria]

Well, I think she is just who she’s said to be. I don’t really see the point of making her a spy... We like to go into tinfoil theories for AFFC and ADWD, but we just have to accept that most their narration kinda goes nowhere... Those books are just a WAY too much elaborated fashion to settle the stage for TWOW and on longer term for ADOS.

[@theletterm5425]

Cry of Soul Well you might be right that she is just who she says she is. But there are some good points in favor of there being more to her. One thing that really intrigues me is when Penny talks about performing for the Sealord of Braavos. She says he gave her and her brother a "grand gift". It's obviously left secret what this gift is so we can only speculate, but some think it might have something to do with the Faceless Men.

[@Graptopetalum]

Bobono is a fairly obvious anagram of bonobo, a species of ape famous for being sex mad.

[@Tziguene]

Bran saw Jamie as a king, maybe due to his golden crown.

[@duxxoo]

Preston strikes again 💪🏻

[@nymerianan4short314]

Yey Preston Jacobs doing ASOIAF stuff !

[@bradwolf07]

Penny always struck me as suspicious, and with every new piece of evidence, my paranoia grows.

[@neriumsuitedher]

I just found her annoying.

[@roronoadkat6997]

@@neriumsuitedher same

[@wangtoriojackson4315]

"It shall go ill for any man who fails me." I dunno, as far as pre-battle warnings to your troops go, I think I prefer "Any man dies with a clean sword, I'll rape his fookin' corpse!" Maybe Sandor Clegane should be a playwright.

[@Fiddler1990]

Thanks a lot for all the work preston!

[@ProMovieBlogger]

Yes. Thank you Preston. keeping them coming.

[@retroverdrive]

And we are back...

[@corbinskywalker]

GRRM PLANNED IT ALL

[@DubsUp-pf9xz]

@prestonjacobs "The Night's Watch" series is my favorite. Especially "The Secrets of Craster's Keep". Because of this I've read the story of the Night's King over and over. The more I read it it seems more like a warning against the children of the forest. The Night's watch's minds being taken over. The horn of Joramun possibly being used to wake them. And when this compares to your pink letter mystery it seems like the horn waking the children in the cave with Bran would wake any "singers" influencing the minds of men. The tale of the Night's King also seems like a tale of a Usurper. With the Starks being in your words "foreign invaders," It seems the "Winter Kings" take over of the North was part of a deal struck which resulted in the building of the wall and the Night Fort. With Defeated enemies becoming wildlings. While the wives and daughters were taken by the Starks for breeding. The Lord's right to the first night would be seen as an offering to the children of the forest (maintaining first men tradition) but in reality it's to encourage the people of the north to send possible telepathic babies to a designated location to be picked up by the others. So with that said, is it possible that "The Long Night" occurred because the Starks started having telepathic bastards they were trying to keep for themselves? Were the bodies of dead Stark kings placed in tombs to keep the secrets safe from the children of the forest? Could such a secret destroy the agreement made between the Starks and the others? Did the arrival of the first men interrupt the war between the children of the forest and the Others? The children of the forest weapons consisted of dragon glass. Too weak for the First men's but good enough to fight wights and white walkers.

[@GoblinTalk]

May the seven bless you for this video series

[@WorgenGrrl]

Interesting point to raise about courtesans...in some ways Braavos reminds me of Venice in Italy. And in Venice, especially around the late middle ages/early renesance, Woman were never allowed to be literate or have opinions of their own. Their job was to marry a good man and have his children to continue family lines and forge alliances. Courtesans were "outside the norm". They were allowed to read, they knew music, poetry and literature. They were allowed to carry on converstions with men on nearly every subject. A famous example is a woman named Veronica Franco who's life is told in the movie, "Dangerous Beauty" (One that I highly recommend)

[@PhillipChalabi]

Huzzah...he's back!

[@JoniukasVader]

Back are we and

[@nejisamakage]

Man, I use your videos to sleep every night. My brain thanks you.

[@Moshbearpig]

Deeper Papa P, DEEEPER

[@krystofdayne]

I don't know that Izembaro actually acknowledged Tommen here. One, it may be intentional mockery, in that Tommen is a "fellow monarch" i.e. not more than a King of Mummers. Second, people still generally call people "King" if that is how the person styles themselves, even if they don't recognize the title. They may call that person "false king" or something to that effect, but they will still say King, because otherwise if would be confusing

[@equinoxomega3600]

I think that Izembaro is just bragging, whatever king's envoys attend his plays, he would call king (if tomorrow Davos were to show up, he would surely say exactly the same about Stannis).

[@krystofdayne]

@@equinoxomega3600 Yes, also very possible

[@danjordan1]

BACK!!!

[@Halbared]

Mercy, mercy!

[@jldvorak33]

Bravos sounds more like an Elective Monarchy rather than a democracy. Like the common people don't have a vote only the Nobles with the special keys.

[@maltormash1048]

I wonder If this relates to the Theon chapter in ACOK after he kills the millers boys. He repeatedly sobs mercy as he dreams of them, then the first thing said to him in waking is "...your sister is here" . It's Asha in this context but I wonder If Arya wakes him in his chamber in TWOW to execute him for his crimes against the Starks. Would bring a good end to his character

[@michaelharipersad9882]

good video, keep it coming :)

[@makenamaehara2815]

Hey so I think the 6 collectives represent the six main characters at the start of the book. Arya - water. Dani -fire. Jon - ice. Bran - earth. The last two is less obvious. But sansa - bronze. And tyrion - iron. I believe tyrion is the only from Andal descent. And Sansa's story is tied with the old gods and the first men. Just a thought. I know you had guess back when on what the collectives were. Hive mind groups. Maybe each group wants to use one of the main characters as their champion or chosen one. Just a thought. Also bruh you dropped doing another podcast about another show!? Wtf! I'm dying to hear some hot takes on the reign of aegon the third

[@makenamaehara2815]

Is oakenfist true like his brother?

[@dustinsmith2021]

The Lannister’s are a first man house and if you believe in Tyrion Targaryen the he is Valyrian.

[@makenamaehara2815]

I mean yes. The lanistar house is first man. But lann the clever was from a far land. And has some andal features. Also tywin married his 2nd cousin. Who would still be tyrions mother. Thus still from the descent.

[@dustinsmith2021]

Makena Maehara but there is several thousand years of breeding to look at.

[@MrSilvUr]

The Forels seem to have a particular interest in Westeros. Syrio moves over to train the Hand's daughter, this newly-referenced playwright has written only plays (as far as we know) about Westeros.

[@Sipu97]

Is it democracy when only keyholders and some others have a say on who shall be the sea lord? Sounds more like some Ancient Greek philosophical government that consists of "wise men" (I don't remember the term for this but I think it was part of Plato's philosophy).

[@wisdommanari6701]

The Roman's had mostly lords in their congress and it was still considered a democracy. And the Greeks was only male landowners I believe

[@LNGD_46]

Does swyft know that his son in law is dead?

[@joshosborne683]

I was sleeping on this chapters analysis potential

[@ganykaliya7811]

I have noticed that most of these AWOW chapters are 90% parallels and foreshadowing with the plot moving at a snail's pace. This a problem because by the end of AWOW all the main characters have to be back in Westeros for "A Dream of Spring." This is similar to the pacing issue another George, George Lucas, faced in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy with almost nothing happening in both Episodes I & II and most of the burden of setting up Episode IV falling on Episode III.

[@e22ddie46]

In reality, they are all basically addendums to dance/feast. They really should have been all a part of them.

[@SophiaLilithUwU]

@@e22ddie46 I#m pretty sure this is truem. Most of them are just ADWD chapters that didnt make the editor's cut.

[@dustinsmith2021]

There is a limit to how big a physical book can be

[@ganykaliya7811]

@@dustinsmith2021 That is true, but it wouldn't be an issue of George didn't waste pages and pages on travelogues. I mean for crying out loud, two chapters of Arianne where nothing plot related happens.

[@dustinsmith2021]

Gany Kaliya it’s like you want to know What happens, but you could give a shit How it happens....

[@Gui101do]

Preston king!

[@porqpine53]

If Arya is responsible for the collapse of The Gate, meaning she’s the one who kills all the people, does that put all of their deaths into her teke cache? Like all the people Mel gives to the flames

[@wrongwayranger684]

Wonder how theyll collapse the Gate

[@avernvrey7422]

Monarchs are the terminal will of a nation. They don't speak only for themselves.

[@Karamazov9]

Monarchs are rich people who wield violence over others, they represent the will of their class, nations don’t even exist in a pre-capitalist context

[@branmakmorn]

Here's a question. For y'all what if? GRRM ends the story in a revised and updated edition of World of Ice and Fire?

[@akiramado9198]

Its better than nothing

[@JMTgpro]

Something that I still do not understand about the power of the faceless men, is if their change in appearance affects their apparent age.I mean, yes. Arya is 11, but Mercy? Could Arya take the appearance, for example, of a man in his forties? Height, girth and all? That maybe explains why everyone acts like Mercy is older than Arya is. Even herself

[@akiramado9198]

Mabey he simply regognizes tommen as king because he is the current king and it has nothing to do with what he really thinks. Or he simply dosent care

[@DolorousDillon]

Just thought of this but why is the envoy for the king going to a middle class play? Wouldn't the purple harbor be more apt?

[@dekuuchiha9990]

Do you release these as soon as they are available to the public?

[@pawemarsza9515]

I write it here because it's the newest video. I watched your theory about genetics behind abilities to ride and hatch dragons. It's entertaining and I am amazed by amount of work you had to put into this, but there is one huge hole I saw. In some cases you explain actions of individuals as Maegor or Bloodraven, or groups like the Faith by claiming that they know in detail, or at minimum vaguely, about genetics behind dragonlords abilities. But if they know, WHY did House Targaryen made so many moves against its own best interest. Why did one of the Targaryen kings maried Myriah Martell and send Deanerys to Dorne. Why not marry Deanerys? Or why did Bloodraven supported non-dragon-gene branch of Targaryen dynasty in the Blackfyre rebelion? You cannot say that Targaryens AND the Faith knew about those details since days of Aenys I, and then forget it to rememeber it again and know it again

[@bluedude656]

Preston are there any more chapters?

[@alecatnight1540]

Does the high septon pray?

[@wisdommanari6701]

Of that I'm not certain

[@andrewlagno9482]

i would think that arya is going to play sansa, since she married tyrion, who is presumably being portrayed as evil

[@Starcom23]

How it is that I watch 20m of Pres video in 35m? I dunno

[@mbumtaia8822]

did I really just listen to someone talk about genitalia

[@made-line7627]

And on the internet, no less! 😰

[@theblancmange1265]

Seems like you hadn't seen the Victarion videos before making this comment. Lots of horn blowing.

[@marshallisdrawing4871]

14:10 classic

[@Ζήνων-ζ1ι]

9:04 "...and our western society as well" Oh I see he managed to skin change into the past like Bran does. How's the 1500s, Preston?

[@Karamazov9]

We live in a regressive patriarchal society where people are still obsessed with paternity and monogamy

[@dasaggropop1244]

it is never a good place to stop.

[@phantomjoker5]

hoo boy

[@made-line7627]

Who is Arya playing in this play? Is the play about the politics in Westeros/Kings Landing/WofK? Who gets raped in that particular scenario in Westeros?

[@mattblackwell789]

Sweet

[@ticket_puncher]

2:38 I'm so mad because this spoiled me because I stopped reading THREE pages from when he dies ughhhh

[@Xerxes2005]

"And this is a good place to stop..." Oh, drats!

[@bradgilbert4408]

This is the last chapter right?

[@Attlanttizz]

Winter ... is never coming...

[@kerrybrennan7099]

It’s not like people won’t buy it once it finally comes out. Very little financial risk to delaying the novel’s release, if one thinks about it..especially compared to the inevitable backlash against the show when it can finally be juxtaposed against the novel.

[@Attlanttizz]

@@kerrybrennan7099 Winter... will forever be coming...

[@alanpennie8013]

@@Attlanttizz Wise (Stark) words there.

[@akiramado9198]

Global warming did away with it

[@Wyliecoy0te]

First... and we are back!

[@gh1430]

Gilbert King!

[@SchnellVITALVINYLVLOG]

👍💀👍

[@Lightsellful]

9:04 not sure u live in the same western society as us, daddy P

[@Anicius_]

Hi king

[@tiberivsgracchvs2393]

Your mercy = murder is a reach

[@МахамбетМамыров]

AWAB!

[@turtleanton6539]

!

[@osirisgem]

I heard from a source close to you that you make a pretty good sandwich. So..... do you?

[@williamjameshoffer4405]

The patriarchy of Westeros being regressive may be GRRM's view, but it is an ignorant, simplistic critique. For example, you explain it as about noble landholdings and removing agency from women, however, it is also for the common folk. Isn't it obvious that promiscuity and broken homes would be bad for society? That is why the GRRM version of freely sexual societies is actually an example of orientalism - a prejudice against Eastern and African societies for their loose morals but prefer them to the restrictive ones of their home societies. It is not true of course. Both Eastern and African societies have strict morals for the same reasons that Western ones do - disease, family structure, and emphasis on stability.

[@neriumsuitedher]

Obviously but you can't really make people see sense.

[@neriumsuitedher]

@ perhaps unfairly but never unreasonably considering that maternity can hardly be questioned whereas paternity, not so much.

[@williamjameshoffer4405]

@ Historically speaking, while the punishment falls more harshly on women, men are also victims of a sexist system. Sandor the Hound among others are Martin's critique. However, the moral responsibility to remain faithful in traditional societies is also applied to men. The testament to the success of these societies is that they survived instead of dying out.

[@SophiaLilithUwU]

None of the "freely sexual" societies in his books are perfect foils to sexist westeros though. They are all just different shades of sexist and patriachical. Dothraki need no explanation, the ghiscari are pretty sexist as well. courteseans being able to sucessfully pull some strings in bravoosi politics is good for them, but in a fair and just society they would be able to do that without having to resort to seduction.

[@williamjameshoffer4405]

@@SophiaLilithUwU Agreed. GRRM's politics of freedom is still the seedy Chicago from which he draws his inspiration.

[@PewPewPlasmagun]

Braavos is an oligarchy. Not a democracy. Not even an oligarchy voted upon by the masses. Not that I like either form, just pointing out.

[@bilis2866]

I can't see how sex would empower someone, particularly women. How something so ordinary gives you power?

[@Karamazov9]

Because it feels nice and having control over feeling nice and who you get to feel nice with is part of having agency and independence. This is also why access to abortion is so vital to women’s rights, abortion is what gives women the power to pursue their own pleasure without having to worry about being pregnant, just like men don’t have to worry about being pregnant

[@PsilocybeJedi]

YO this book ain't ever getting released

[@kerrybrennan7099]

I can think of good reasons to delay the release, so I think we will get it eventually.

[@e22ddie46]

It's winter is coming. Not winter has come. The final subverted expectation is to never release a book.

[@infolord79]

@@e22ddie46 Good stuff. That'd definitely be some big brained subverting. Also, if winter is always coming but never here, spring will always be but a dream.

[@panchotz100]

I never liked the conception that a woman is empowered by sex. Is a man who gets evrything he wants through physical strength, strong? No, thats beast. Is a woman who gets everything she wants through sex, strong?. No, thats a beast

[@jimster1111]

hey preston could you check up on jemma from the secrets of the citadel channel please? its been over 4 months since she last posted a video and im hoping shes okay. her content really paired well with yours.

[@DreamVikings]

Wheres the fucking book...

[@guustagg]

Just a minor caveat, bravos wouldnt be a democracy as the general population has no voting power, more like an oligarchy or other similar small wealthy groups holding all the decisions systems

[@kevinmendoza3865]

Wait Arya = Penny?

[@StommelenGames]

Preston, dude, I know it's been years but GRR Martin doesn't try to say anything special with mentioning courtesans. Braavos is basically medieval Venice and Venice had courtesans. That's it. And being a courtesan is not some symbol of female empowerment. It sucks if women can only get some status through sex work. And a courtesan is nothing more than a glorified prostitute much like escorts in modern world. So, you're desperately trying to be more feminist than Martin.

[@user-ie5ho7vv5w]

Daddy

[@markosavic8856]

Stop vilifying monogamy. And stop glamorizing prostitution. You don't have to use term whore, which GRR Martin uses throughout the books, but you should stop using term "sex worker". Prostitution is a exploitation of women and it should be treated as such.

[@O.G.H.]

God I hate those ugly cartoons. They look so out of place in this medieval fantasy world and how I depict them in my head