The Winds of Winter: Mercy Preview Chapter (spoilers)

History of Westeros analyzes the fifth pre-release chapter from The Winds of Winter, widely regarded as the best of the bunch. George gives us something that is somehow dark, controversial and satisfying all at the same time. We peel off all the layers to find all the references and details you might have missed.
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[@GeekFurious]

Okay, after listening/watching this 12 times I feel I should comment on something: I can appreciate someone who is a big fan of Arya feeling disturbed by the sexual moments but I don't understand why you would say it is unnecessary. It was extremely effective at making the reader feel wholly uncomfortable, which clearly her murdering someone wouldn't do on its own. We've seen her kill before. This is new. This is extra fucked up. We're seeing her becoming a more cunning, vicious, and grown up assassin who will use any means necessary. Necessary being the operative word. Anyway, apart from that, I agree with pretty much everything else. :)

[@SupaBeluga]

Just watching this now in 2017 and they talk about it looking vaguely hopeful for a 2015 release for TWOW. All I could think was "Oh, you, sweet, summer children"... :P

[@megantredant1959]

Watching this in 2018 :(

[@justinschultz5250]

2019 here, y'all wish me luck

[@tracymetherell8744]

Watching in 2020....sigh

[@JamesDeBall]

2024. Still no closer 😢

[@HistoryofWesteros]

BTW, we checked how many preview chapters were released from Dance, it was 6, not the 4 we said we had seen on Tower of the Hand.

[@JaimeFlorSongwriter]

I'm sure that you know this by now, but you were referring to the scene where Arya kills Polliver, and reacquires her sword Needle. Obviously it's Raff that kills Lommy in the books, but it plays out differently on the TV series.

[@astarling09]

Just now watching this in 2019. It’s interesting listening to the chapters and theories for WoW after reading the books and watching all the tv shows. I need to go out and find all the sample chapters and read for myself. Great content on this channel! Thanks for all you guys do!

[@youngbuck189]

The random cat appearance at 19:00 had me laughing. That cat is quickly becoming the star, should be a regular! Keep up the good work, another great video.

[@HistoryofWesteros]

Would be funnier if it was actually a random cat! Our first cat, Jaqen used to show up in the videos when he was a kitten, but now this one, Kojja, is the star!

[@JCftwZOMFGwtf]

Watching this in 2020, sorry guys, no release date yet! You guys were so optimistic 6 years ago!

[@becsocsci621]

Oh my gosh, I get so happy when I see a new vid of yours in my feed!!! Thanks so much. Love & peace as always from Aus :) xx

[@ossorio1971]

Varys actually told Kevan that the reason he had to be killed was because he started fixing all the fuck ups that Cercei has done, so it seems to me that Cercei in power is precisely what Varys wants

[@1998champions]

Love the Kitty Kat in the Background.

[@Newsvinesynth]

So happy to have a new episode to enjoy! I was going to get tired of having to view your earlier casts five or six times. Thanks! ;-)

[@manashima]

Also about the Episode 1 of Season 4, yes, Arya kills Polliver in a very similar fashion to Raff. She basically stabs him in the neck with Needle after he asks her to help him up, echoing basically what she does in this chapter. Also she reminds the audience about Lommy by basically just saying "I know him, he killed Lommy" to the Hound.

[@cubicz123]

Great job as usual, and I got name-checked! Best day ever :)

[@ryanforbes6073]

I appreciate you guys making these and all and really enjoy them, I dont want to sound whiny but I think on this one you guys over explain a bit. I know you want everyone to keep up, but its on youtube, if people miss something they can just go back and watch again. Act as if your audience has SOME intelligence. Love you both tho!! thank you for making these!

[@narayantx]

Perhaps the FM have never had or tried to train a warg, which is why they cannot "break" Arya. This is also why she will not be a "True" servant of the HoBW., but end up back into Westeros.

[@phoenix019]

Great video! thank you for making it so fast.

[@DogOfWar64]

This chapter reminded me of the Ember islands episode from Avatar the last airbender because of the play.

[@manashima]

Heres what George said on the Not a Blog: "I mentioned that this chapter had quite a history. It's true. The first draft was written more than a decade ago. Originally, it was intended to be the opening Arya chapter after the infamous "five year gap," her first appearance in A DANCE WITH DRAGONS as initially conceived. Then it was supposed to be a part of A FEAST FOR CROWS, after I abandoned the five year gap and split the books. Then it was going to be the concluding Arya chapter in A DANCE WITH DRAGONS. But it seemed more like an opening chapter than a closing one, so shortly before ADWD was published my editor and I agreed to remove it from DANCE and shift it over into WINDS. Of course, it has been revised, tightened, polished, and tweaked at every step of the way, so the version on my website has some significant differences from the "five year gap" version. " So its a first Arya chapter of WOW

[@EPYHDA1]

A Japanese science fiction Kobo Abe wrote a novel, I think in 1960s or 1970s, about a prosthetic face which took over a person...

[@leylacoleman3283]

"So I saw 'bulbous purple head' and immediately thought 'Tyrion!' LOL! these commentators/analysts are actually pretty great. I have NEVER watched an analysis of Game of Thrones -- esp something this long -- all the way through, but it was so similar to how I interpreted the chapter, as well as other little facts I didn't know that were revealed (Bonobo) that it's actually quite interesting and worthwhile to watch. Good job guys!

[@jesserensing6148]

Aziz and Ashaya - always enjoy the discussion, thanks for posting - keep it up. I've got to admit its a bit surreal listening to a discussion about a single chapter of a single book (and an almost 80min conversation at that!). Does this type of meticulous coverage exist for any other series of books? Is there another series with a community of folks as heavily involved as we are? Again, I've always enjoyed your posts, keep up the good work.

[@briannakubiwood6595]

I think a way for the Faceless Men to perform their mission is they subconsciously invert their id and ego. It's not that her personality changes or disappears, it switches so that her impulsive ego doesn't drive her desires. The id allows her to do her job without being conflicted with personal grudges or bias. So either magic or psychiatric, either way a Faceless Man would use the id to manifest the desired disguise. Arya seems to break from this reverted id/ego because of her primordial desire for revenge. That desire is within the ego, so my guess is that most Faceless Men have such weak egos that the ability to regain past memories is much harder for them then it is for Arya. Personally I think Arya knows her time to leave is soon/now. I never thought she had the discipline to fully become a Faceless Man and this chapter greatly proves my point. She still craves revenge, even after going through the initiation of the Faceless Men. Even more-so, her mentor seemed to have doubts that she won't brake, hence why the play was so clearly connected to Arya.

[@briannakubiwood6595]

Also, this is just me being a bitch.... I'm a little annoyed how you pronounce Jaqen. I remember you guys doing it for other characters too like Varys. George R.R. Martin uses silent vowels in most of his characters names. That's why Arya is pronounced Ar-ie-a or Daenerys is pronounced Dah-ner-is. Maybe its just my preference, but Ja-gen sounds much more medieval sounding then Jae-gen

[@HistoryofWesteros]

Brianna Kubiwood GRRM has said people can pronounce things however they want to, and he himself says Dothrak-eye. We aren't saying Jae-gen, in any case, we are saying Jae-qen. It's just our preference, but we certainly understand finding it hard to get past a pronunciation. We ourselves hate 'Jah-qen and Jah-keen'.

[@briannakubiwood6595]

AA Podcast The tongue rolls a certain way when saying a name or a phrase, dictated by the mother language; This is why I have so much trouble with hearing these names pronounced differently. Unfortunately neither of us are right because there is no mother language to dictate the pronunciations of these names so all we can do is use our own judgement. A part of me wishes GRRM was more forward on how his character names are pronounced, but I think he's very aware of how complicated language can actually be. I don't want to compare GRRM's work to JRRT's work, but both have tremendous talent for 'world building' with only one glaring flaw. With JRRT's work, much of the religion and mythology of magic is vague. Similar to how GRRM's work is very temporal in its languages. (This is my own assumption) Both writers understand their shortcomings on creating a believable world, so they allow the reader's bias to fill in the gaps. It's phenomenal that these gaps cause the reader to analyze the mythos of the work, rather then question the believability of it. It just goes to show how talented both men are at presenting a story.

[@briannakubiwood6595]

Brianna Kubiwood Also, enough of this silly pronunciations aside; I really enjoyed your postcast on the Weirwoods/Magic of Westros.... and Varys & Illyrio...... err and your talk on the Riverlands, eh heck I enjoyed them all! I'd love to see a part 3 to Weirwoods, maybe the locations of important Weirwoods and your theories on what might happen/have happened at these spots. Clearly the Children didn't randomly plant Weirwoods everyone (or maybe they did) so there must be foreshadowing reasons for these places.

[@andrecoleman1856]

Brianna Kubiwood well put homegirl

[@brandonblackfyre5783]

Mannnnnn they were so hopeful that winds of winter would come out within a year, 2 years would be a long while... man it's been 4 years since this chapter has been released!!! I can't believe it's not out yet

[@rickydeetz]

18:37 I lost concentration. Kitten is adorable.

[@billsutherby]

18:30 Kitteh photo-bomb!

[@Lonedrumstick55]

Couldn't it have also been that Swift and the guards are out of touch with Kings Landing and don't know the Queen has been deposed?

[@CavemanJesus4Life]

Ashaya calm down, you look like you're going to burst. Be like Aziz he's always calm and cool. I've been waiting for new episodes, so I'm surprised I found new ones this late

[@Candygirl9890]

You guys are awesome! Great video! :)

[@ChannelxJ]

Varys wants queen to win you guys... He wants queen to screw things up. He said it him self.

[@AMARBHAVE]

Location of this chapter within TWOW chronology is of utmost importance. All other sample chapters are confirmed to be at the beginning. But if Mercy is set towards the middle of the book then it indicates few things. Even by the middle of the book, Dany is still in Essos. We will probably see the dance of dragons in ADOS but one would expect Dany to arrive in Westeros some time in TWOW. Also, the Wall is still standing and our ice cold friends from the extreme north have not launched a full scale invasion yet. Otherwise these things would have come up during the small talk of the guards.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

Also! I forgot to mention this earlier because I was listening on my morning commute but to me it seems likely that Arya was having the whole "Bran tree-dream" not from the North - but from Crackclaw point. We know it has pines, the majority of the peninsula being Pine Barrens. We know it has Weirwoods, new ones, too. The inhabitants are closer to First Men than to Andals. Perhaps closer to "squishers" than to Andals (not really). I also think it makes more sense for Nymeria and pack to have made it to Crackclaw rather than across the Neck and into the North and looking on a map - it's situated closer to both Braavos AND the Riverlands to facilitate the connection. I think the Pines were a dead giveaway, but in a different direction.

[@top300rocksongs90s]

Loved this podcast guys. The flow seemed much more natural. If I had one critique of the podcast (and it's a small one, because I love the work you guys do) it's that sometimes the relay of information is a bit robotic. That being said keep up the great work......can't wait for the next ep.

[@meganadams]

the girl who plays arya is actually 18 next year

[@AntonJumelet]

I think there is also some foreshadowing of this chapter in Theon V (ACOK). Especially the opening passage.

[@hobbs9074]

I love these videos hope you keep it up.

[@ClevelandKb25]

Glad to see you guys great video

[@EPYHDA1]

In "Romeo and Juliette", Juliette's mother mentions that she was younger than Juliette whe she gave birth, Juliette was thirteen. As Arya was in her stage personality, she might act older, as far as the man was concerned...

[@Upshemmy]

Varys could be a faceless man because like you said they can't kill people they know which is why he had his spiders kill Kevin.

[@aakash11bajaj]

really amazing video. i strongly feel that the femme Fatal thing, using sex as a weapon was more of Mercy Character thing than an Arya thing. i say this, coz, if u notice the inner talkings of Mercy when she describes Raff', its quite girly. she even giggles at one point. and using the sex for killing will be too simple, and predictable, and i hope that when Arya does take off the mask of Mercy, she doesn't retain this particular quality. superb video, looking forward to another one soon (on weirwoods, on the princess and the Queen)

[@joluoto]

I think Arya is playing Shaensa. The Bravoosi have heard rumors about Tyrion having raped a maiden, and having a child bride. So they probably just assumed it's the same person.

[@haleylinville85]

I was so excited to see you guys had a new video out! Then I started watching and you said there was an new sample chapter and I said "whhaaaa?!" And got even more excited! Great video! Please make more videos!!! Just quit your jobs and other hobbies and just make Asoiaf vids :) AA Podcast

[@titojr2531]

isnt Tyrion in Meereen with Penny and Jorah Mormont? They are trying to see Daenarys ( who i think may do a stannis towards the end of the battle of fire?) that would be cool-seeing her fly in on Drogon and make her own field of fire-and behind her the Dothraki!

[@titojr2531]

thats why Dany /Drogon needs to burn the red keep.what happened to Harren the black may happen to Cersi and robert strong.i remember season 2 when Dany walked into a destroyed red keep,roof missing,snow on the floor.i call it foreshadowing

[@shytguy]

I saw the first episode of season 4 it has to do with poliver. Since the tickler is dead in the show. Poliver killed lommy in the show with a throat stab. So I don't wanna give it away but just put 2 and 2 together when she gets needle back

[@RobynDWhite]

The key Arya takes is the key to the House of Black and White, her ability to return at any time, should she need to.

[@Special_Tactics_Force_Unit]

god i love her voice holy cow

[@DhDeadMan]

1:25 Hahahahahahahahahahahaha ''2015 release date'' Hahahahahahahahqaha... :(

[@Marpaws]

Very nice episode.

[@jessiegilchrist2528]

thank you so much for making these podcasts! I have no friends that are as into asoiaf as I am and it's so nice to have people discuss the chapters as much as I think about them. I am getting more and more annoyed with the tv shows portrayal of certain characters and scenes in the show. I wish that martin would hurry up and write the books so the tv show doesn't spoil anything. and I really don't think that arya will be portrayed as the psychopath that she has become in the books.

[@lane1776]

18:40 "youtubebomb" hahaha

[@TrpeGrozni]

Would you reminded me, what was the punishment for Arya after killing Night's Watch man Dareon. So I do not belive that this kill will bi unpunished.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

It would have been even darker if they had Mercy play Arya in the show. Also, the dude in charge of the theater I-S'barro - whatever his name is - He's likely got a bit of mummer in him as well, he could probably convince them "Yeah, I am pissed, too. I lost a perfectly good, up-and-coming actress because she ran off with some fucking guard. I'm angrier than you are, he was just henchman #5, we'd been training her for months." Notice how some of it wouldn't actually be a lie? That's how a pro lies, disguised in shreds of truth. It's not like Raff is a pillar of honor.

[@Howtragicforyou]

Oh you sweet summer children thinking that arya's storyline would have any meaning at all in the show. Other than to make her a magical teleporting Mass zombie killer

[@HistoryofWesteros]

True that!!

[@TheMrN3SS13]

Great video guys, hope to see some more out soon. Could someone please explain "the five year gap"?

[@GeekFurious]

The chapter was written a long, long time ago when Arya was supposed to appear after a five-year gap in her story. But eventually GRRM decided against it and rewrote it.

[@VladofWallachia]

George's original plan was to put out 3 volumes: GoT, Dance with Dragons and the last one. Between the first 2 there was supposed to be a 5 year gap. So ACoK, ASoS and AFfC are the bastard children of that gap, as George put it.

[@cubicz123]

***** Actually, I believe AGoT ACOK and ASoS were all supposed to be GOT. AFFC and ADwD is the filler to the 5 year gap. TWoW and ADoS would be book 2 and 3 technically.

[@prof.cecilycogsworth3204]

Key holders are the top tier of the Iron Bank. "According to Matthar, the Iron Bank was founded by sixteen men and seven women who hid valuables in an abandoned iron mine shortly after the foundation of Braavos.[2] As the iron mine's chambers filled with treasures, a bank was formed to utilize the wealth. Each of the twenty-three fugitives had a key to these great subterranean vaults, and their descendants-now numbering at least one thousand-are known as "keyholders" who proudly display ceremonial keys on formal occasions. Other powerful Braavosi own shares in the bank, sit on its secret councils, and have a voice in selecting the men who lead it.[2]" awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Iron_Bank_of_Braavos

[@fenris14120]

YES! you guys rock!

[@cargs3238]

I think what will happen is winds of winter will be finished but way too big. So he will split it in half it and make it 2 books kinda like AFFC and ADWD. Hopefully :)

[@AbelMcTalisker]

What your talking about at 1:15:55. Watch what happens in the season 4 near the end of the scene when Arya and the Hound get to the inn in episode 1. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKi0co1tlLidnbc Poliver in the TV series was the one who filled Raff the Sweetling`s role in the books.

[@raxelleon8189]

"She can't be late for her own rape." That's the most memorable quote from that chapter.

[@gundagreat]

I always put down Arya's insensitivity to the play and the role she was playing in it to the fact that she's been with Izembaro for quite a few months by the looks of things. Couple that with her training, and all of that will naturally not strike her on a daily basis, right?

[@1kaelthas]

Huzzah a new one. Ty guys n gals :D

[@CavemanJesus4Life]

Hahahaah I didn't notice it til later in the end, love the shirt Ashaya is it for sale? Where can I get one? Does it come in Black? Hey Aziz a question, do you think the show will use Malaquo Maegyr?

[@MeereeneseKnot]

Search moshi-kun on society6.

[@clayspringer3667]

If I can out duel you in a debate regarding the merits to the happenings in this chapter regarding George's take on Arya being so young and propositioned. (Ashaya). On google hangout! Actually big fans of your work. You guys are awesome!

[@clayspringer3667]

will you go out with me? lol

[@MeereeneseKnot]

Clay Springer Accepting proposals of marriage only. Unless you were asking Aziz, in which case he says yes emphatically.

[@clayspringer3667]

Ash B I'm not so much a Knight of Flowers, more like a tribesman from the Vale. I don't know if I have much to offer as far as marriage, but I would crown you the queen of love and beauty and we could head to the Tower of Joy. Hope you keep the videos coming! Really enjoy your perspective and it's nice to know there are people as excited as I am for the WoW. You rock!

[@TheMrN3SS13]

I can see this being a bit mixed up when and if the tv show catches up. In the tv show polliver kills lommy....

[@daveonow]

Regarding arya/mercy being in trouble for killing Raff. Here's a few thoughts. Remember that "cat of the canals" told the kindly man that arya killed the Knight's watchman. In the same way we know that it was arya, not mercy who killed Raff. Regarding the mummers being troubled by an implied responsibility for Raff's death remember this. EVERY man in braavos has a healthy reason to never interfere with them. We have every reason to believe that would include the sea lord & every other authority. If the temple has a coin to give potential recruits such as arya has, there is a good chance they provide anyone helping these recruits a similar token. Helping these recruits caries an obvious liability risk. Benefits as well, many faceless men will know them! We've seen how important that is! It would b known that any ally to the faceless men is not someone even the sea lord would want as an enemy! This is speculation I know, but every faceless man had to go thru training. Each likely had similar tasks involving businesses/merchants. How many other trainees would have done similar things? Just seems they would b afforded certain assurances.

[@1998champions]

A new video is great. I haven't read the chapter just yet. I saw that you had a new video & found out about the new chapter. I love being spoiled I will watch the video & then read the chapter. 1 week to go and I can't wait. Will you be making Episode reviews. I sure hope so.

[@azizal23]

We will indeed be doing episode reviews this time around!

[@1998champions]

Good, I will be watching them.

[@paulkolzow7392]

1:07:12 isnt it only a half of the people on the ship who want Arya to know their name?

[@johnlanouette]

There is a theory going around that the weir wood paste has jojen reed in it.

[@asharadayne6386]

I presume you two are a couple? How did you meet? Was it through your mutual love of ASOIAF or just a huge lucky coincidence that you both love it?

[@jessejohnson8365]

I think it would be great for you guys to do a show on the similarities on the faceless men and blood raven and the children when the kindly man shows himself to Arya he sounds almost identical to that of blood raven when bran sees them they worship the many faced God while the children have the Isle of many faces in the gods eye seems to many connections

[@mucxlx]

Is Littlefinger working for the Iron Bank?

[@stfnknbb]

IDIDNTREALIZEYOUPOSTEDTHISIAMSTUPIDEXCITEDRIGHTNOW!

[@andrecoleman1856]

Arya is about her shit. She's a personification of feminism. I as a man look up to her character.

[@acrefray]

Not really... Due to circumstances, she's changed from a fierce, strong girl into a cold sociopath.

[@acrefray]

***** Oh absolutely, I also enjoy reading her story. But she is absolutely not a personification of feminism, and absolutely should never be looked up to by anyone for her overall story arc.

[@IggyTthunders]

Andre Coleman A sociopathic kid with an over developed sense of revenge, raised partly by thugs, thieves and murderers is the personification of feminism?

[@andrecoleman1856]

IggyTthunders​​​​ I know what you mean and perhaps that wasn't the proper usage of feminism yet in a world so "cold" as that, as a man with a sister cousins and perhaps a daughter in the future, justice is justice with or without a face and i'm PROUD of her to an extent.

[@IggyTthunders]

Andre Coleman look, feminism is pretty coconuts, but...it's not that messed up. Also she seems to have a contempt for both the men and women in her era...as evidenced by her long ass list of targets...there's not that many things or people she likes at this point. She makes as many hateful generalizations about men as she does women. She's not a poster child for feminist academia's agenda. u can't exactly be an activist when you're training to be a selfless killer.

[@alexstewart9747]

4 years late for this vid and still no sign of the new book. come on George........

[@7ennifer]

Hey guys! Great video as always! Now that google has completely changed youtube, I have no idea which username this comment is under, but it's Jennifer Carter a.k.a. 7ennifer and Moon-Pale Maiden. I wanted to comment on a few things - first, do you feel that Mercy presumably died prior to Mercy/Arya working with the mummers? Secondly, do we have any idea who the other guard was? Last question - could this second drop of Brown Ben's Targaryen blood as suggested by Tyrion have something to do with the Black Pearl? Such as the progeny of Ossifer and Elaena somehow coming together with the love child of Aegon the Unworthy and the original Black Pearl? I absolutely loved this chapter. I think Arya is completely indifferent to sex and has just learned by watching the effect women can have on men. She is so clinical about it, that touching Raff was just a means to an end. If she is 12 or 13 at this point, she is old enough to understand it, but she's not emotionally old enough to want it for its own sake. I agree that its terrible and sad, but I loved that George 'went there' and didn't water it down. With modern sensibilities we are offended, of course, but in Westeros, 13 is not too young to begin experimenting in a sense. By 16, they would be considered adults and by 14 or 15, they would be married already and expected to consummate.

[@williamblackfyre4866]

I think we are being a little overly sensitive about a fictional character....dany had it much worse in the first book

[@GeekFurious]

Woah. You are fast!

[@HistoryofWesteros]

For once in our lives! We had a bunch of recording problems, too, actually, or it would have been out earlier in the evening!

[@Senate300]

One thing I ask myself after reading the preview chapter. Who the hell are Mercy & Daena?

[@dangerdan2592]

I think it just shows how gross and terrible that Raff is. The other guard says something about her being young if I remember correctly.

[@I_Of_Providence]

This is a world where a freakishly large giant killed a child and a baby and then raped and killed their mother with the brains of the baby still on his hands. Similar things have happened in Ancient Rome. Within the context of the world I don't see how this should be anymore controversial than any of the other things that have already happened, in the books or the show. Dany was 13 when she was raped by Drogo, Arya has already killed people, etc.,

[@MikeOsaer]

Hey guys - great (and impressively speedy!) summing-up. Have to say that i really liked how Arya is now vulnerable to the thoughts & feelings of the new faces she takes on, and is using it as another weapon in her FM arsenal. I'd also love to see articles on this from a feminist POV (i'm sure they'd be different) but i've just written a piece on the role of Braavos and how this relates to the future plot events of ASOIAF if this would be of interest?? mikeosaer.wordpress.com/2014/03/28/winds-of-winter-mercy-the-role-of-braavos/ Great video as always - look forward to more on WoW!!

[@northremembers2808]

i agree , it happens it has happened (read the bible - old testament) i dont see the reson it cannot be used in the book and even if it has never ever happend so what we talking about book that has DRAGONS !!! ice zombies and bunch of other crazy stuff .

[@whatsit101]

loved it.

[@tonyabraham9629]

When does the book come out, anyone?

[@nevinefathy5405]

hahahaha my sweet summer child, hoping for a 2015 release date for WoW :))

[@KaitlinLuksa]

No mention of #lemongate??

[@brandongeorge8009]

Ashea said this chapter about a play

[@brandongeorge8009]

(sorry sent it much to early by accident). you say the way George wrote it is very meta... Your right on point as far as I'm concerned. It's so George like... I love the way you broke the chapter down... I remember when you when he posted it I was like who the f..k is mercy... Then I read about three sentences maybe less and I was like this is an arya chapter...YEAH. AWSOME.F..KING YEAH... well I read it. then I read it again. and I think I even read it one more time three times right in a row. I thought it was one of Georges best chapters one of can't say it was the best writing I would have to say that the best writing was the red wedding chapters. not because they were my favorite chapters I just think they were so well written... I wanted to throw the book, I wanted to cry , I don't know what I wanted. I've never had another author make me so intense about something that I read. those are the kind of chapters that you can't stop halfway through you can't put your bookmark in and say I'll finish this later....It doesn't work that way he gets you so deeply involved in it. You want to read and read and read and read until there's nothing left to read... You guys are the best show out there keep making videos I would love to help you guys in any way that I can I wish I could do patrion but I can't right now maybe soon but in any other way... just like you I probably read all the books about 6x maybe 7x I'm sure there's something I can do...research lookin for quotes whatever...

[@TrpeGrozni]

Haw Arya can know what Lommy sey to Raff when she was in prison camp in the vilage in that time ??

[@TheMrN3SS13]

Arya was with lommy, its being sometime since I have read that part but I believe they were hiding together when it happened

[@calvinmirandamoritz4507]

We see Lommy's death through Arya's POV, no one else is around, so she's the only one who actually knows what Lommy said to Raff

[@megantredant1959]

She has to lead the Lannister men to Lommy

[@haleylinville85]

Also, I just want to comment that nobody wants little Arya to have to be sexual so soon but then again nobody wanted her to have to start murdering people so, what can you do? Also, the other guards point out that she is too young for them, only the Sweetling wants what she's offering, that's how George makes you feel better about it. Oh, and the fact that she kills him instead :)

[@Kindafu]

Isn't Maise Williams like 17 already?

[@calvinmirandamoritz4507]

I did. I did block out the whole memory of Tyrion's penis. I'm sorry/grateful you reminded me.

[@joluoto]

I hope Harys Swyft runs into Justin Massey.

[@lane1776]

how long was Jon Conning the Hand?

[@MeereeneseKnot]

He started at the beginning of Robert's Rebellion.

[@sichuevos]

Did she just say "blowjobs?" Subscribed. =)

[@shaft9000]

Arya is not 11 or 12 here, guys. More like 14. It's been a few years since GoT.

[@HistoryofWesteros]

Arya was born in 289 AL. ADWD covered up through the year 300. If it is 301 during this chapter, she is 12. We would have to have a 2 year time skip for her to be 14....

[@shaft9000]

How do you figure? Even the most 'accurate' timelines begin with disclaimers as being only estimates. There are no mentions of the years passing i can recall; only the seasons. Also, we don't know yet exactly how far into the book this chapter resides. I am pretty sure that Harys Swift was to visit Pentos and Myr and other free cities BEFORE going to Braavos - as a last resort. That's many months right there at a minimum, and clearly Arya's experience and demeanor has matured to a great extent, to such a degree that it is not immediately evident who this Mercy character is, but for visual clues(her dream, painting of the Titan etc) rather than behavioral ones - old Arya is buried, that is, until she sees Raff. And as fast as Arya has had to 'grow up', she is no longer exhibiting any of the behavioral cues of a pre-pubescent girl. Anyway, nice vid - especially the "kitty vid-bomb" halfway in ;-) Cheers!

[@mcjacktwo]

shaft9000 The chapter text itself suggests that Arya is probably 12: “Might be, but this one is a child.” “I am not,” lied Mercy. “I’m a maiden now.”

[@ChannelxJ]

KEVAN

[@adamk5237]

I do wish these could be melted down a bit more, 2 hours is way too much, a lot of useless boring info find myself skipping through. Rather watch 45 min of all stuff thats important, overall good stuff im a fan of this chann for sure

[@axlcell]

I like Barristan more than Tyrion in ADWD...

[@ValarMorghulis...]

So you shit on Theon with smirks and laughs but Arya is poor victim with bold straight faces... Feminist...haha, both of you.

[@TheMrN3SS13]

A little off topic here sorry, I noticed that people are talking about a chapter in WofW that is meant to be sexual and controversial, everyone talking about is saying that it is a sansa chapter, but did they make a mistake and it is actually this chapter? *To the best of my knowledge people are referencing the chapter as if GRRM said the chapter would be sexual and controversial, not that they have seen the chapter*

[@HistoryofWesteros]

The quote about a Sansa chapter being controversial was from Elio, by way of Vulture. www.vulture.com/2013/04/george-rr-martin-fans-have-three-meals-and-drinks.html

[@TheMrN3SS13]

Ah thanks for clearing that up, I wasn't sure if GRRM just said a Stark chapter will be controversial and people just presumed it would be Sansa. GRRM said before that he is basing a character in WofW on Walter White from breaking bad, do you think that that could be Sansa? I could see it fitting,Sansa being nieve, just like WW, maybe gets power from her marriage and decides to try and help her family, but comes corrupt with power, turns into a bit of a cersi, like she told cersi in GoT "I will be a queen like you." Just a thought, could you tell me your opinion please?

[@dangerdan2592]

People are going to overreact to this chapter for sure. People love to overreact.

[@PipinhoSnow]

?