The Grey King: Secret PreHistory of the Ironborn - A Song of Ice and Fire - Game of Thrones

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One part ancient mariner from across the Sunset Sea, one part rowdy First Men, and what do you get? The secret prehistory of the Ironborn. Tha's right, our Ironborn disaster hunters video has spawned a whole series, and in this video, you can find out about the Grey King and the two cultures who merged to become the bloody pirates we all know and love!
Disaster Hunters playlist: • Disaster Hunters of An...
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title image uses "The Grey King" by Justin Sweet

[@keveyson]

So I just listened an astronomer talk about meteors. I learned that despite the massive heat and spectacular flames generated by a meteor falling through the atmosphere is still often not enough to heat the core of the meteor, which is the super cold temperature of space. This means that meteors are often cold to the touch shortly after impact. They are literally objects of both ice and fire

[@space_orphan]

This is so cool! TIL, thanks!

[@j3fr0uk]

Hmm defo doesn't apply to all meteorites. Some have compounds that can only be produced at high heats and pressures.

[@keveyson]

@@j3fr0ukthat heat is not coming from entry friction, but from massive collisions in the early solar system.

[@Okcucumber]

Cool!

[@Dani_1012]

Now that's hella cool

[@KimberLefaye]

What if.... The Gray King's mermaid wife wasn't that busy. Maybe she just laid a big batch of fishy squisher eggs and he just "fertilized" them? 😂

[@DavidLightbringer]

tbh.... we don't know how the squishers spawn, no

[@staytuned2L337]

I was thinking something along the same lines - maybe she lays clutches rather than individual babies 🤔

[@namonibblonian]

I was also wondering this

[@FlorianMark]

Like in Futurama?

[@theprimo100]

@@FlorianMark Cavorting in the spray

[@fischbrotchen7]

The idea that Ygg is Naga works amazing for theories. A tree eats with it's roots, which makes the throne from Nagga's jaw a seat of weirwood roots.

[@DavidLightbringer]

oh I never thought about the roots being the mouth of the tree. that's dope

[@alexandergangaware429]

@@DavidLightbringer A tree is gravity's nutritional battering ram against the earth. Discuss

[@MrHws5mp]

@@alexandergangaware429 Surely it's more the case that a tree is the earth's nutritional battering ram against gravity?

[@TheInsatiableDrBoom]

You know crazy weird though what if the Pearl throne is like a preposterous huge ambergris marble. Then it's made of like leviathan whale vomit and ground kraken squid teeth. Turned into... perfume?

[@alexandergangaware429]

@@MrHws5mp Don't call me Shirley

[@keveyson]

In the video Dave compared the Ironborn to both Vikings and North American arctic hunter-gatherers. During the medieval period when Norse sailors expired the North Atlantic and established settlements in Iceland, Greenland and even as far as the Canadian maritimes. In Greenland they encountered and traded, primarily for Walrus ivory, with the Thule people, who as far as we know were migratory hunter-gatherers. Given his rather extensive knowledge of history, George may have been inspired by the real life historical meeting between the "first-men like" Thule people and the strange foreign mariners from across the sea.

[@DavidLightbringer]

yeah so I watched a great doc about the Thule, that's where I learned about the Cape York / Anghito meteor. It didn't occur to me that that meeting might have been an inspiration for Ironborn history tho, cool idea

[@keveyson]

@@DavidLightbringer I've always had this feeling that Westeros is a bit like a historical "what if" of what the Americas would be like if Europeans had colonized them in the Medieval period instead of the Renaissance... but also magic and dragons.

[@jonhauge-evaldsson783]

Oh, beautiful!

[@AndrewRisitano]

"No godless man may explain my Seastone chair!"

[@DavidLightbringer]

hahahaha

[@b0baf00t8]

The theory about the islands being connected to Westeros by a land bridge is almost a direct parallel to Great Britain. There was once a very fertile section of land that attached Britain to Europe, called Doggerland. It disappeared when the sea levels rose.

[@pyropulseIXXI]

it wasn't a 'section of land.' it was an entire area that took up the entire north sea.

[@b0baf00t8]

@@pyropulseIXXI calm down ffs. I am well aware of the size of it, as is anyone who has heard about it. lol. I am by no means referring to the U.S. Public Land Survey System when I say "section of land." So, there are no units of measurement associated with that phrase in my context.

[@Arkantos117]

You also have the sunken landmass of Sundaland around Indonesia.

[@sebastianmacken24]

I've been loving this series. And like many of the other mythheads you've been making long shifts much more tolerable

[@Slechy_Lesh]

He really gets the ideas buzzing

[@T.GLongstaff]

Same if I got a long drive I just put lightbringer on and the drive goes quick

[@robertpankey7537]

Less than 100 likes so far... People lets get those numbers up, Lore Master of Starry Wisdom David puts in the time and bestows quality upon us. Smash that like button harder than the Hammer hit the Arm!

[@Slechy_Lesh]

You need to if you have a Samsung device like me

[@inelouw]

Your mention of how "the fire of the gods" represents knowledge and technology, or in Martin's world, magical knowledge, actually reminded me of Jack Vance's "Dying Earth" series and how magic and knowledge are almost completely indistinguishable in that world. Interestingly, George R.R. Martin edited a massive anthology of stories set in the Dying Earth universe, so maybe that's an influence on his work just as Tolkien and Lovecraft are.

[@genlob]

The Grey King's skin eventually going grey and him descending under the waves sounds a lot like the deep ones hybrid life cycle. Back to the watery halls of R'lyeh. I noticed the Jacen Burrows artwork from Alan Moore's Neonomicon, which gives a disturbing version of the deep ones' mating habits.

[@DavidLightbringer]

I should get a copy of it

[@DavidLightbringer]

SO I KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT 🦑

[@genlob]

@@DavidLightbringer Definitely. It's part of a trilogy starting with The Courtyard, ending with Providence. As GRRM shows the grim reality of feudal existence so Moore shows the 'reality' of what Lovecraft implies. There's a shit load of forced skinchanging in there as well. That bit's mostly riffing on Lovecraft's The Thing on the Doorstep, involving an Innsmouth deep one hybrid.

[@rivermistfae]

what is dead may never die ✊🏻🦑 Seriously, your dedication and work are absolutely unparalleled, my dudethanks for all you do to uncover and explore every layer and give us new insights so we may further appreciate this already brilliant series.

[@mormontsraven4072]

Super excited to watch this, have been following this for a few months. This seems to be the most plausible explanation for the unique culture on the iron islands. It is very interesting how the squishers have come from just a reference in the intricate world-building to something that is important to the understanding of the story. Oh and Rhaegar did a great job with the ad, great job Rhaegar.

[@manyeyedcrow9391]

These ironborn videos are more than worth the wait! I am always going to think of the damp-hair as squidaddled from now on. Also, great job, Rhaegar!

[@alvimgabriel4400]

Hey dear! GRRM is Karl Marx fan?

[@Gimshooter]

I first thought that Naga was a "normal" dragon and that when it died they used its bones to construct the Longhall. Similar to how settlers would repurpose the wood from their ships for buildings. Also if one of the Grey Kings was a Dragon Lord from Asshai it would fit the ship metaphor pretty well (traveled over on dragon/ship then used the remains of the dragon/ship to construct a building).

[@ChrisVillagomez]

I thought the same, until I watched LML I thought Naga's Bones were actual dragon bones used for the hall

[@cloverazar5315]

Congrats on nabbing a CS spon, they’re a great site and so “you” (and Rhaegar). As for the video: loving this series. The deep-dives into the world are fabulous

[@DavidLightbringer]

thank you so much!

[@GeminibBorn]

Not gonna lie, I’ll pretty much watch any skit with Reading Rhaegar. It’s just a great bit. The ‘horny’ King Roberts bits were the best! They gave me some good laughs.

[@DavidLightbringer]

oh he'll be back

[@jbonify]

Congratulations Mr. Lightbringer on your recent revelations and the completion of another grand project.

[@amandaofhouserobinson6707]

Let Rhaegar know he did a brilliant job!! Also "SQIUDADDLED" LMFAO !!! Im so going to try to use that word in a nornal convo while im at work todsy!!! Excellent

[@rapturescorner5964]

Another absolute banger from the most in-depth and thought provoking ASOIAF KZbinr. Amazing stuff as always, David! Already looking forward to the next one!

[@DavidLightbringer]

🙏

[@jiggajayflow]

As soon as I finish watching your videos I can't help but murmur: "and now my watch has ended" lmfao

[@Grizzlymeadows]

Regarding shipping heavy things like the sea stone chair. Ships from the old world were often loaded with local stone for ballast for the trip to the “new world”. Then the empty ships loaded up with plunder and resources for the trip home. Eg. Toronto’s old city hall is built from Scottish sandstone, despite the presence of local Ontario sandstone of similar quality. Ballast to keep the ships loaded down enough to sail right. Cheers, love your videos, thank you.

[@Luinedhel]

Oh, I've been waiting for this. I'm also called David, so, from David to David: Thanks for this content!

[@kelseythreepio]

playing my own mythhead stoner game and damn dude. monty python reference, reading rhaegar and weirwood net mentions in the first 5 minutes? delicious, continue.

[@DavidLightbringer]

these are the colors I paint with

[@kelseythreepio]

@@DavidLightbringer the primary colors of a true hero

[@justinabernathy6901]

I was listening to this video running my line at the factory I work at when my co-worker clipped a water line right next to me and ended up flooding half the plant.

[@DavidLightbringer]

AND THE WATERS OF WRATH WILL RISE HIGH

[@MrHws5mp]

Maybe the whole of Planetos is just a mote of dust on the floor of some cosmic factory, the long night is when they havea pwer cut and the cataclysmic moon meteors are just sparks from a careless welder...

[@DarthSidian]

I've been waiting for another proper Lightbringer video, as opposed to just livestreams. This is a treat!

[@lyarrastark6254]

Thank you, David, for sharing your knowledge once more.

[@therunningman_]

Another banger of a video. Amazing work, David! Even the ad was great haha, watched it all the way thru.

[@permiebird937]

Wonderful video on the Ironborn, I'm really enjoying this series. The CS piece was great. Your making your sponsorship segments fun and funny, causes me to watch instead of fast forward. Rhagar makes a humorous unemployed room mate at loose ends.

[@donniejefferson9554]

Every few months I'll see a video from this channel get recommended and i binge it for a while. Iron Islands and their weird lovecraftian stuff is probably my favorite part of Ice and Fire lore so I'm very happy that youtube reminded me of this channel right now. Always love the content.

[@TheInsatiableDrBoom]

Hey man I always love the Sunday streams that you and Tim run, always a nice listen at 3rd shift. But Ive been listening since your essay and blog days and the designed content is just the absolute best. I hope your well David cant wait to start this up.

[@ryan17stehle]

This man does his homework and I love it. Fantastic video as always. Keep up the great work.

[@andrewbahlman7768]

Hats off to your ad man that was actually entertaining and you did a great job selling me on curiosity stream

[@martinkrog5943]

Haha, it's not often I don't skip the adds, on any YT vid, but this was genuinely great :D And you'd make a GREAT viking, Lightbringer "Skinny guys fight till they're burger" -- Tyler Durden, honorary viking : ) Skåååål

[@kelseymartin683]

Amazing essay! I adore your research and content. Especially your produced videos. This Ironborn series has been fascinating!!! Thank you for the great work!

[@TheLoud0ne]

Great content as always!

[@markagrippa4018]

Ive always found the Iron Isles lore the most interesting of Westeros next to House Dayne and the Hightower, soemthing connects all of them, Dawn, the Hightower, Grey King etc

[@user-ll2de1cp2n]

So excited for this!!! Also love the sponsor bit!!! So happy you finally got them as a spon! 😊 (I haven’t even finished the ad read year but it’s perfect)

[@icy_skywalker631]

Totally loved the video Dave! I can't wait for the next one!

[@dirtysheepdog]

Excellent work on the advertising by Rhaegar. But man, that guy needs a job 😂

[@MrHws5mp]

There might be a summer job going in a hall somewhere....

[@barryhercules7588]

Would the first men have called the head of House Grey(joy) "The Grey King" ...a position rather than a person?

[@DavidLightbringer]

hey ow that's a great notion actually

[@DavidLightbringer]

there could part of that greying idea tied to sitting on the kraken throne, which might be magically toxic like the oily stone at Asshai and Yeen

[@rivermistfae]

29:44 Get outta here, Haggon! 😂

[@DavidLightbringer]

ABOMINATION

[@Darksun93]

Another great video. I'm loving this series. Keep up the amazing work!

[@ltownvidz]

Rhaegar just bumming it on Dave’s couch is hilarious

[@kahare9565]

I hope he gets a job someday! Would be hilarious to see him deal with that

[@cityslacker6221]

thanks David! awesome stuff as always.

[@The88Cheat]

Glad you uploaded.

[@Ganjalf-tk7lv]

Nice, waited so long for this one 🎉

[@KimberLefaye]

I've been looking forward to this one! Well done, !

[@TSmith-yy3cc]

Fantastic as usual; can really tell how much work went into this! Congrats on the sponsor; you really deserve it! Pat the birds and take care of yourself. 🦑

[@swaggerdagger5168]

Exactly what I needed after a long day at work

[@eziowayne]

I love your content, Dave!

[@amandaofhouserobinson6707]

Hell yes! Great vid! Thankyou! ❤😊

[@theladyofthetides]

i was in a meeting when i got the notification and gasped out loud new LmL video out! great points made in this video can’t wait for the next!

[@darksister96]

Been loving the focus on the Ironborn 👏, they we’re never my fav chapters but all the deep lore is always awesome

[@edgarseis]

aww i love curiosity stream for you :) awesome!

[@farahgiovanna]

so much fun! Thank you David... you are stellar!

[@briennesfatsister4788]

Great job David. Squishers freak me out so bad. I can't wait for more Iron Born videos.

[@savy_lee]

Another Sponsor!? Congrats dude!! 🎉 3:39

[@DavidLightbringer]

I need more time 😭😭😭

[@AskMia411]

Congrats on the curiosity stream sponsorship!!!!

[@jjtojo25]

Man I just love your vids Lord Lightbringer

[@ishfaaqimtiyas8063]

I just watched Crowfood's daughter's theory that oily black stone is what happens to EveningShade trees when they get old and petrify. So what if the hall of the Grey King was made of weirwood and his seat was once Shade of the Evening wood. Black and White. Which would make him.....

[@DavidLightbringer]

I don't think that makes a lot of sense - that he's mixing shade and weir wood, but we do not know. also I think Amanda has that one reversed; the oily stone is what poisoned the shade trees. We agree they are connected, it's just which way the causality flows

[@user-su3vm1tp1b]

I am a new subscriber! Your content is fantastic. Big fan here!

[@silviamoneva]

We are waiting for 100 000 subs! you deserve it! great video!

[@reirawho6174]

what a brilliant series!

[@banenation]

Amazing video! Your content is what gets me through work!

[@Saturos226]

Can't wait to put all this secret knowledge into my head

[@johnnysmall]

Haven’t been around too much recently, but just getting around to watching these. Amazing stuff. I feel like I say this every time there’s a new upgrade to your set but dang dude it’s looking professional af!! Seeing those reference monitors on your desk made me say “hell yea” out loud. Maybe you’ve had them for a while and I haven’t noticed but yea man. The quality of your videos is improving faster than I can even keep up with :) keep on killing it man!

[@cblimes]

awesome video dave and i loved the ad reading raegar rules!

[@MrStarFlex]

Sooo... the "Demon Tree who fed on human flesh" is a Weirwood tree and the "fed on human flesh" are sacrefices, human ones, which the inhabitants of the island(s) performed towards the Tree before and until the Grey King arrived? Maybe?

[@ScarlitWidow]

Yay surprise upload! Ok 114 sons but were they born one at a time or like Nemo should have been born with lots of siblings?

[@DavidLightbringer]

I'm guessing the deep ones hybrids spawn in clutches haha

[@Fathoms09]

Huzzah! Thank you David!

[@lapple5574]

Love the new video branding my guy

[@comicdog5097]

Just took my 4:20 dabs then noticed this video. Perfect. Praise Garth!

[@kimberlyduran3949]

Had a lot going on, so I had the pleasure of re-watching like 5 times tonight! Lovely evening, thank you!

[@DavidLightbringer]

many thanks!

[@MrHws5mp]

Might be jumping the gun here, but here goes (i.e. before I forget it): could it be that the stories of the Grey King calling down lightning to set a tree on fire (and thereby kill it) and making longships from the wood of a bloodthirsty tree (and thereby killing it) refer to the moon-meteor strike killing off all the weirwoods on the "Iron Penninsular" and then cutting them off from the rest of the Weirwood Net by severing the land bridge and turning them into the Iron Islands? If Weirwoods don't grow in Essos, apart from the corrupted Shade Of The Evening sub-species, because of the meteor strike near Asshai, then perhaps the same principle applies to the Iron Islands, which is why they seem so disconnected from the culture of Westeros: they're literally disconnected from the Weirwood Net that influences and guides it.

[@DavidLightbringer]

no that's a good idea and one I should give more thought too. great comments here

[@that_vivian]

Yesssss finally!!

[@owleyes07]

♥️🦉Rhaegar you did an amazing job😅

[@Greenseeress710]

I’d say the thrones of pearl are probably weirwood thrones, we see the black gate glowing white looking almost iridescent, and plenty of weirwood thrones in the series which would be white as well and maybe look pearlescent like the black gate when the thrones are alive or being utilised?

[@DavidLightbringer]

that's very possible, I just didn't want to let the Weirwood throne thing out of the bag yet haha

[@thelateescapist8266]

The long for told Grey King video has arrived! Let's goooo!

[@SouthernMotherofDragons]

Reading Rhaegar!!! Great video, excellent content. Congrats on an incredible sponsor!!!

[@bryanarts2922]

Man what a wonderful rumpus such a wonderful commercial you Rocked Reading Ragar you did a Royally righteous job on the pitch they should call you the pitch king.

[@Plasmathedeathjester]

Well iron born do have Valerian sounding names like balon, urragon, hagon, then first man names like theon, harras, joron

[@DavidLightbringer]

Urrigon is the big one - that's also the name of Uthor Hightower's heir

[@lorenburnham821]

Loved it

[@JsHolgersson]

Sweet ! Garth be Praised 🌱🔥💨💚

[@bebethebard]

Excellent video as always, David. 🦑👑

[@darrellwalker4053]

Norse and Danes ...mind blown ...also makes me think of Thorin on the Comedy "Ghost" who often reminisces fondly of slaying Danes

[@Dustpuma1]

Being from Minnesota, love the represenation! Also David we look similiar so I assume we're related somewhere Modsun esque

[@julesgch3976]

I love your channel❤️‍🔥 can’t wait for the Deep Ones video

[@SoCalledGodess]

🎉🎉🎉 ironborn video!!! I hope it includes some timeline heresy 🤞

[@isabell746]

There it is! I expect to be floored!!! 🤩

[@user-hs8wc3ol6o]

I like how you make your ads funny w/ReadingRhaegar..it makes it so I watch the entire ad without becoming bored and changing or ffwding ....

[@DavidLightbringer]

💯

[@kadymiddleton6699]

Squidaddled is my new favorite way to describe the damp hair thank you 😂

[@matejurkovic7967]

Great video

[@debater452]

Btw The people of three sisters also were ones similar to the Ironborn as they too were pirates that raided all over their area

[@derekalexandersmith]

You really shine a light on how much thought and effort into the world building and the layered references George puts. It's not just a flat set piece. It's narrative within narrative all the way down. Honestly the secret sauce of his writing.

[@DavidLightbringer]

what's amazing is how economically he does it within the story!

[@derekalexandersmith]

@@DavidLightbringer yes. It's just an offhand comment here or there, a paragraph if you're lucky. But across thousands of pages I guess it adds up lol

[@namonibblonian]

Sally sells seastone chairs down by the seashore..

[@Poetrixx]

these produced vids are great

[@xavier84623]

cant wait for part 3!!!! deeeeep ooooneessss!!!!

[@malikshabazz2065]

great work!

[@laurelsilberman5705]

“Hideous, get it out of my sight” made me laugh

[@LitcheTheArsm]

Nice sponsorship 👀 and ofc Rhaegar did a phenomenal job