The First Targaryen: Elric of Melniboné
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- Опубликовано: 27 май 2024
- A Song of Ice and Fire is filled with references and inspirations from other great works of fantasy, such as Dune and Lord of the Rings. George RR Martin was especially influenced by Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné, the silver-haired king with the blood of dragons who came before Aegon, Daenerys, and Daemon Targaryen.
ASOIAF is intricate and dense in politics, but Elric is more about the relationship between the ailing emperor and his magical, sentient, soul-drinking sword, Stormbringer. Game of Thrones references Stormbringer, and in the books, a theory exists that Stormbringer's lust for souls may have even inspired Valyrian steel. GRRM loves the world of Elric, so in this video I introduce Moorcock's Eternal Champion and discuss where he may be seen in ASOIAF, including Valyria, Euron Greyjoy, Azor Ahai, and even some characters from House of the Dragon.
Intro music:
"Above the Vast Clouds of the Aquamarine Peak" - Quest Master questmaster.bandcamp.com/albu...
Darkstar animation & other art by Francy Sketches: nobodysuspectsthebutterfly.tu...
Images used under Fair Use from various Elric graphic novels; illustrations by Didier Poli, Julien Telo, Robin Recht, and Jean Bastide
Images used under Fair Use from various Dunk & Egg graphic novels; illustrations by Mike S. Miller
Reddit theory about souls: / spoilers_extended_a_ho...
u/GhengisKazoo: / genghiskazoo
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:27 Elric of Melniboné
4:35 Law/Chaos = Ice/Fire
6:05 Melniboné & Valyria
8:42 Elric & Bloodraven
11:06 Elric & Aegon III
12:53 Yyrkoon & Daemon
14:18 Stormbringer
17:00 Stormbringer & Lightbringer
23:06 Azor Ahai
23:58 Last Words
#asoiaf #gameofthrones #houseofthedragon 
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Its crazy how much of Fantasy Literature is inspired by Elric, from Drizzt to ASOIAF to Witcher
Don't say that to the writer of the Witcher. He get mad as hell
And even SIFI like 40k. Guys a Goat.
@@B..B. Witcher is plagiarism of Elric of Melnibone. He should just admit he stole from Moorcock.
@@Nevirate he never admit it he hates people appointment on that
@@tungstenerian8699 Sci-Fi. 40k is just Warhammer Fantasy in space, so all the fantasy influences in WF apply to 40k.
Nice to see more and more people talking about the original White Wolf. And Bilnd Guardian does a lot of songs on Elric of Melnibone
So does Domine, Skelator, Númenor, Eternal Champion, Elric, and Hawkwind literally did an entire concept album and a live album where Michael Moorcock read passages from his work
You did it again Chris, I had no idea who Elric was before and by the end of the video i'd already bought the set
Awesome! I hope you enjoy, Elric stories are very fun to read
Best fantasy series ever. You might also like some of Moorcocks other characters (there are crossovers so you will appreciate those more) Corum (My favorite after Elric) Hawkmoon, and Erikose, as well as the eternal Champion John Daker. They are all connected in a way......
me too
I've had the good fortune to edit and publish a new Elric story. Michael Moorcock is as wonderful a person as you'd hope for.
I've seen you around various other comment sections and I'm happy to hear that's the case. I need to get round to reading the new one
The reason the Targaryens are inspired by Elric but Geralt for Rivia is plagiarized is because Martin praises his inspirations while Sapkowski denies them
Well said!
I never heard Martin quoting Moorcock even once. When you hear him, it all came from wanting to be different from what had been done before (hint to LOTR there, conveniently forgetting all the sword and sorcery and dark fantasy done before).
it's not how plagiarism works lmao
@@user-or6mz4gy6i Actually both Martin and Moorcock are penpals, at least they were
Sapkowski even calls Geralt "the White Wolf." I mean, COME ON.
Love the Elric acknowledgment. Also a note- there’s a good argument the Ironborn descended from the peoples of what became the Thousand Islands and Mossovy- places arguably that fled the Doom of the Empire of the Dawn during the Long Night apocalypse.
Might explain souldrinker swords of Dragonsteel.
Fun fact : Moorcock took inspiration from Three Hearts and Three Lions (law and chaos) and The Broken Sword (stormbringer), both are written by Poul Anderson.
As well as a detective character called 'Zenith the albino'
@@whyonthefall5373 good reminder, nearly forgotten about that
Three Hearts and Three Lions is world's first isekai.
The Broken Sword is world's best fantasy novel.
@@user-co3uc8vt7e good one😂😂
Lol: Three Hearts & Three Lions: obvious 33 code drop.
A la Michael Moorcock (MM = 33)
A la Chaos Cross (CC = 33)
A la Conan the Cimmerian.
A la Call of Cthulu.
One of the young kingdoms in Elric is called Valmyria too.
Like Valyria? damn George really took a lot of inspiration from elric books.
*plagiarised
Morcock loved Bloodraven so much that he went back in time and retroactively borrowed the idea from George
Elrics been around since 61..what?
@@JoshuaKevinPerryit's a joke
@@whyonthefall5373 Not a good one ...
There is a whole concept album on Elric by Hawkwind called Chronicle of the Black Sword. The live recording of this, 'Live Chronicles' is better than the studio album.
Elric wasnt just first, he was the best of them. The parallels between is dependence on his sword, and real life addiction were handled superbly!
Sadly not just an addiction, it's a requirement for life. Especially now that he can't get his potions anymore
This is where all of D&D started basically
Thank You for the great summary of Elrics influences on GRRMs work. It would probably give too much away, but Nissa Nissas fate resembles strangely Cymorils. Also it's good to have people reminded of Elric & the Melniboneans as they are very unknown but have such a great impact on fantasy (i. e. Midkemia to mention something that was not in the video) to even modern sci-fi cartoons, namely Rick and Morty.
The amount of references between elric and ASOIAF Is crazy
Really good video, make the one on Valyrian Steel! It's a very interesting topic with lots of cool lore and theories.
Liked and subscribed for Elric rep.
Please do a part 2, and I know many videos and theories already exist about the Lovecrafian influence on ASOIAF but I have yet to see one that covers how the land masses of Essos are often named the same as cities and locations as the Dreamlands or how there is pretty much a Lovecrafian counterpart to every single god in the universe of ASOIAF. Most videos or theories stop after comparing Cthulhu to the Drowned God or Nyarlethotep to the Many Faced god. But R'hllor is also easily comparable to Cthuga and the Great Other is incredibly similar to Ithaqua the Wind Walker.
Duuuuuude this is EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for. This is what I needed. Thank you ☺️ 😊
Wow top 3 ASIOAF creators right now in my opinion. Very good Job!
*asoiaf
Nice.....been thinking this for while now. Especially when House of the Dragon came out.
I found a paperback version of 'Elric of Melnibone' when I was a kid. I may have been too young to appreciate it, because it didn't inspire me to seek out and read the rest of the series. It seemed rather depressing, and from my perspective didn't have a lot happening in it. (In my defence, I was about 9 or 10 at the time.)
With perfect phonetic logic, I thought Melnibone was pronounced MEL-nih- bone. Kids, eh?😆
Because of this video I bought the whole "Elric of Melnibone" series...
I'm going to start it after I finish my reread of "The Dark Tower" series.
Those are definitely a fun read, I highly recommend.
Great, I hope you enjoy the Elric stories! They’re a lot of fun
@@CrusaderChris thanks for letting me into a new realm. (When I start a new book it is almost like stepping into a new dimension)
Try the Corum series too! It's so good.
We want a part two please! 🙌
Loved this. Part 2 pls
Amazing video!
This has been a great primer for the Elric Saga for me. I’m going to be starting the series shorty. Would love a part 2
Eagerly awaiting part 2
Elric! The white Wolf! Well. .Ghost is white, John's dire wolf. But if Ghost is Erirc , that makes John ..moonglum!
These two go together after all. The eternal champion and his companion. They always find each other.
Erekose has it worse than the lot though, his companion is an elf.
Lots of references, if you pay attention. sometimes its not the names , sometimes its the situations, sometimes its the conversations.
Azor Ahai is a legend, and legends get twisted over time.
The nameless people who taught the Valyrians were not from assai, they hailed from the shadow.
Assai is a human city, the first human city. The first dragon lords were never human.
Wanna find them? Here's clue, pass assai and cross the shadow, look for traces of the labyrinth makers.
Descendants of giants, subterranean dwellers,they were like the Valyrians in aspect. There are still descendants of their blood to the isles of the jewel sea.
I suspect the first long night, the first attack of the others, had nothing to do with humans.
Humans claim the hammer of the waters was raised to keep the first men from colonising westeros.
I say poppycock!
Tf do the Andals know? They came after.
Battle isle , on which Oldtown is built. Battle ? Against whom? Who lived in that subterranean labyrinth of black stone, under the Hightower keep?
Follow the clues and find the darkness that hides from the light. Find what The Singers will not admit.
Humans always try to give themselves a greater sense of importance
The Deep Ones are a thing in George RR Martin's world.
Look up the inhabitants of the Thousand Isles who are scared shitless of the Sea
You'd think they'd be fishing and trading but no they won't touch the water. I wonder why.
I really get Shadow over Innsmouth vibes here.
Great video sir just fantastic
You're the next Alt Shift X bro keep it up i love your videos
Would love to see a whole video about Valyrian steel
Bring on that part 2 my guy
IDK about anybody else, but ASOIAF and Elric of Melniboné reminded me of Legacy of Kain.
The prophecies behind the swords and chosen ones are pretty similar.
Scion of Balance = Azor Ahai/Prince That Was Promised
Soul Reaver = LightBringer = Storm Bringer (Both Soul Reaver and Light Bringer needed souls to bring out their true potential)
Kain's vampiric appearance in the original Blood Omen also seems to be a clear homage to Elric.
Also you could find out a secret room where there was a reference to a monstruous demon lord named Hah Ak Gik which seems too be a reference to the end of the first book when he meets Arioch
Every time I see a video on Essos, Hyrkoon always makes me want something like this. Elric is one of my favorite characters of all time.
I also see The Kamarg from Count Brass every time I see the Neck and Moat Cailin. The Sidhe and the Vadagh of the Corum books, when i think of the the children and the first men. Erekose in the return of Jon, to fulfill his fated role as the eternal champion/azor ahai. Maybe it's just my own Moorcock super-fandom, but... Lol.
I would love a video of the relationship between Mervyn Peake and ASOIF. House Peake- Lord Gormond, Titus, etc... It seems to be one of the most open influences that no one talks about, could be the underappreciation of the Gormenghast books, and/or weird BBC adaptation of said books. Peake was a visionary too. His art was amazing and his stories were beautifully twisted and haunting. Harrenhall always brings Gormenghast to mind too. Cursed, dark, sparsely populated, and sprawling.
Great video!
Nice to see Elric get mentioned!
Arthas Menethil and his Frostmourne in the old Warcraft lore anyone?
Super interested in a whole video on blood magic and what not
That definitely looks like the same armor daemon wears in HOTD
Micheal Moorcock has also inspired Warhammer, both fantasy and 40K.....
No mention the Elric was the subject of two Albums by seminal space rock band Hawkwind. Both 1975's Warrior On The Edge Of Time and 1985's The Chronicle Of The Black Sword are about Elric and Micheal Moorcock worked with the band on both. He recorded the vocals on a track on the first and read poetry on stage at some gigs on the tour of the latter.
Do you think Elric was the start of the trope of main characters with white hair or red eyes.
More a trope of every single black leather, dark armor depressed, brooding, self-guilt, emo edgelord in most fantasy genre, included the Dark Elves and edgy Drow, but lack that poet proses that made Elric interesting.
Siegfried is also an inspiration, because he defied Wotan and broke its staff, ending the era of god rules. Plus, he is its literal opposite: not invincible, not a warrior (as a soul, while he is proficient), not a dragon slayer (but a tamer)...
I think there is plot significance to soul drinking swords, particularly with the children of the forest. Their souls are supposed to go into weirwoods after death but imagine how angry they would be if placed inside valyrian steel weapons instead.
This is my childhood readings... Growing up in the seventies, I read this in novel form, comics later on (P.Craig Russell) and now re-reading in Audio book form.
I love your videos
Love it...Elric is actually my real name my dad is an OG geek
I first learned about Elric after hearing about how it inspired the game Marathon by Bungie. Which is funny because it just happened to get a new game announcement yesterday. Anyways, it also has many ties to Halo and Destiny. There is even a location called The Dreaming City in Destiny 2. It’s insane to see how many stories it has inspired.
Nice video! I think you're one of the few people who acknowledges that while Bloodraven is very much inspired by Elric the two make very different choices. Also, a nitpick: you could also argue Bittersteel, together with Daemon Blackfyre, make up two halves of an Yyrkoon-shaped whole: Bittersteel has the incestuous love triangle while Blackfyre is the rival claimant who is more "traditional" dragon king than the "rightful" heir (though against Daeron and not Bloodraven) who is associated with a sword of black magic (Mournblade for Yyrkoon, Blackfyre for Daemon). He was even named after HOTD Daemon in-universe, who like you said is also a kind of Yyrkoon analogue.
Good points. He reminds me of the Drow of D&D
The Melniboneans are the inspiration for the Drow, Warhammer's Dark Elves/Eldar, and pretty much every other evil elf civilizations in that vein.
This was awesome Elric my favorite character of fantasy. Moorcock rules.
I’ve recently read the Elric saga omnibus volumes. There a great read for fantasy fans. 😊
Modern fantasy is all about LOTR, Elric, and Conan.
Read that books 45 years ago. It is a shame that the inventor of the multiverse and the eternal champion is so unknown...
I thought of this along time ago too, I read this book in 1993
Please make part 2
If Yrkoon had to deal with Bloodraven his head would be decorating a spike 😂
i like corum more his aesthetic is so great with the hand of kwll and it's magic. Elric just cries arioch.. arioch... and help appear
The help has its price!
Yeah, tbh, his reliance on Arioch and other elemental spirits he made pacts with can get a little repetitive
If you're going to mention Blue Oyster Cult, you may as well mention Deep Purple(Stormbringer),and Hawkwind ( and maybe Cirith Ungol, for their use of Whelan/ Elric art on their album covers.
Glad to see more of Moorcock’s creation get attention.
Don’t know if you’re well versed in Witcher lore, but fate and Destiny are also borrowed from Elric in The Witcher, and with the many similarities between Elric and The Witche, Sapkowski should really cut his losses and make The Witcher part of the Moorcock Multiverse.
Goran Gligovic is such a good artist
Part 2!!
Stormbringer eh? I wonder where GRRM got his idea to name a sword Lightbringer?
Hmm?
Two black swords eh, I wonder where Moorcock got the idea for twin black blades? Tolkien
19:22 Is that Maliketh black blade is that also a reference to stormbringer.
Mayhaps you could create a video detailing whether or not there are parallels between GRRM's characters and those of Robert E. Howard, specifically Conan of Cimmeria.
Read or listen to "Black Amazon of Mars" by Leigh Brackett. It's practically the plot of asoiaf. They protagonists name is Eric John Stark.
@@greenknightable I've heard of that story, never been able to afford a copy.(Sorry, I don't do audiobooks.)
@@scotttrammell3913 it's on youtube.
be aware than many more metal songs are inspired by Elric, all cover arts of Cirith Ungol(name being from Tolkien's) albums are full of Elric's pictures
Why GRRM never really mentioned Morcock or Elric in his interviews? But talks a lot about Tolkien and LOTR?
PLEASEEEEEE MAKE ANOTHER ONE
the elric saga is fuckin GREAT.
Jimmy Hendrix is an eternal champion too his sword cloud hurler (stratacator)
Can you please make playlists of your ASOiAF videos?
I keep coming to your channel because I love your voice and content, but since there are no playlists, RUclips randomly selects another video after yours.
This disincentives me from choosing your videos to fall asleep to.
Setzer from Final Fantasy 6 and Alucard from Symphony of the Night are both dead ringers for Elric.
Without Elric there’s no Targarians, Geralt of Rivia, Legacy of Kain series or Arthas and Frostmourne.
I actually was decribing elric to my wife the other day and when i got to the ruby throne and dragons they use for was my wife said "like the targaryens? Did he inspire them?"
May or may not relate. Sorry if it doesn't. I've been obsessing for the last week or so over something. You're making the Elric connection. And you've suggested the Valyrian/Ironborn possible link.
I was thinking about the crown of the Starks. Often Eldric is suggested at connected to them. I was thinking about "iron spikes wrought as swords." I realized this isn't actually all that far off of describing the teeth in dragon skulls. The Grey King's is said to have been pale, but made of Nagga's teeth. If the Stark crown was actually made of dragon teeth that's kinda odd. Sort of reminds me of the idea of separate salt and rock kings.
But anyway. Do you think there might be anything to the idea that the Stark crown was dragon teeth? Could Ironborn be more of a reference to iron rich dragon bone originally, rather than actual iron?
Crusader Chris made an Elric video?
SIGN ME THE FUCK UP
The children of Hurin has a great evil sword too
what song did you use in the intro?
Link is in the description. It’s from Quest Master, they’re great 👍
24:11 I personally would have use The Beatles to represent LOTR. Other than that, this is an apt comparison.
You only have to read Elric’s description to get that the Melneboneans are elves.
Mapping elves over Moorcock's Melniboneans is much too reductive. The way some people think, it's as if we can only have 3 or 4 major non-human races ever since Tolkien. Seriously, it's a mistake to try shoehorn Moorcock's vision into Tolkiens. Just accept his description of their race and culture and move on without trying to be too clever about it.
Both Valyria and Melnibone were inspired by real-life empires too; the Roman and the British. Rome ended due to a collapse no-one is really certain of the true cause of, and the British Empire just dwindled away after the British themselves stopped believing in the imperial ideal.
Also another white haired character with a soul infused evil sword comes to mind: Arthas Menethil.
There are Elric references in Dorne as well. Also, I am pretry sure there is a noble house that directly references Morecock.
Yeah I'm on rare herbs too me and elric have something in common 😎🔥💨
Elric is also pretty funny at times. Like when he tries to push back ppl he likes because he knows his shitty magic evil sword will find a way to kill them ^^
Where is the first animated shot from? Of darkstar
From Francy Sketches: francy-sketches.tumblr.com/post/682534377152036864/pov-cringe-30-year-old-tells-you-about-his-edgy
At last! Someone else noticed it!
Lore of The First Targaryen: Elric of Melniboné momentum 100
The Doom of Vilyria? I think they mined deep into the world-ship hull and reached the nanomachines that repair hull damage and it contaminated the living.
What?
Where's the link for the evil Azor theory?
Did the guy after the "Stormbringer" guy suggest "Terminus Est?"
He just says “Terminus”
Interested
not just one song
try the hawkwind, the blind guardian and many more
Valyrians are not "human like", they are human, Mleniboneans on the other hand are pretty much elves. Valyria was not originally an island but a peninsula, and the capital was the Freehold, Dragonstone was just an outpost, so they didn't "rule from Dragonstone". Remember the Targaryens were basically a very low ranking Valyrian family.
I think Melnibone has more in common with something like Asshai than Valyria, at least current Melnibone, in the sense that both places had dragons coming from there and both paid strong worship to weird magical godlike entities that most people outside consider evil.
If you read the stories, both have lizard ancestry.
JFC ... what an atrocious lack of imagination. Ever since Tolkien all tall, slim, non-humans are assumed to be elves. Moorcock's universe didn't have elves. People need to stop reading other authors' ideas with a Tolkien filter.
Now if only Netflix can capitalize on that creative debt and give Moorcock's works the platform that they do deserve
I agree, but I’m not sure i trust Netflix with the source material. I liked The Sandman, but not the Witcher so much. I do think an animated series similar to Castlevania could do well on Netflix, but for a live-action adaptation maybe HBO or elsewhere would be best.
I used to think that, now even Moorcock (he's occasionally active on the Facebook group for Elric, so might be worth joining if you haven't) seems pretty content it doesn't happen.
Plus times have changed a fantasy expy of the declining British Empire was social commentary in the 60's, now not so much. They'd need to retool it a bit to make it relevant.
Mara Sov / Uldren vibes.
I think a legit Baratheon prince would had a valyerian sword named Stormbringer I seen in fanfiction it actually makes sense.
Your work is amazing!!! I hope feedback like this motivates you to making more great content 😊
I feel euron is the yrkoon of asoiaf
I sadly do not buy R+L=J :P
If Jon had dragon blood in him.. why does he not have any dragon dreams? Only wolf dreams!
LOVELY CONTENT, TOO!
So the iron throne came from the iron isles. The seaborne throne came from the shadow lands.
Excellent analysis! It's such a shame how Michael Moorcock is being ripped off. I would have sued all these assholes.
It's comic how Warhammer went after other companies for using things derived from Moorcock like Chaos shield and so on... when Moorcock had given permission to them to use the material before Warhammer and received nothing from either.