Honestly the opening sequence should be a map, like the GOT opening. Geography is important in this show, and most viewers have no idea where all these places are!
@@AltShiftX I have to disagree here. Game Of Thrones is, for lack of a better term, modern to the world of Ice and Fire. Thus, it makes sense for the opening to show things as they are now. HOTD, by contrast, is set in the distant history of GOT, and one of its principal themes is the unreliability of historical narratives; therefore, the symbolism of the tapestry makes a lot more sense, considering its obvious inspiration from the Bayeux tapestry being considered a historical document for centuries until its reappraisal as pro-Norman propagandising created by a deeply biased source.
Isn't it ironic that Cersei was brave enough to risk her hand in a lions mouth while Jamie wasn't, yet it is Jamie who eventually ends up losing a hand. That's not a coincidence. George loves his foreshadowing.
I was thinking that Aemond mentioned Otto was loyal to his family as another insult to Larys that he knows that he killed his father and brother in that fire as well.
@@CA-bw9vw Perhaps. But the difference is Aemond is the prince regent and can do what he wants, while you can't have a hand to the king that you can't trust.
Unfortunately Darklyns speech was so touching that i immediately knew he'd fail, i would be much more surprised if someone as honorable as that knight got a dragon
Honestly how is Rhea supposed to be a hero in this show? She knowingly risked Darklyn's life on 99-1 odds without confirmation of the death of Laenor. Something that will probably never be acknowledged again on the show.
The dog is a trained terrier, though. He’s probably killing rats in the dozens and leaving them on his favorite human’s door step every night. You don’t eat your planting seed.
@@thedarkfaegaming she just talked about how her father raped her and got her pregnant and the very next thing they do is hookup + wasn’t in the script = absolute dogshit scene
by far my favorite part of this episode was daemon going "who could be doing this to me" like he didnt take drugs given to him by the weird goth girl who keeps predicting his future
It’s hysterical that Alicent’s best son is the one she didn’t raise. Said “one good child” earlier and people rightfully pointed out I was forgetting Helaena when Helaena deserves the world.
Its kind of crazy how many years I have been enjoying your GoT videos, and yet still im counting the days till the next lore / explanation videos. Heres to another 7 years, cheers
"Author George Martin says that we will learn more in future books." He also said he had made good progress on Winds of Winter in 2020 BUT HERE WE ARE!
Maybe this is a less popular theory, but IMO the singing referred to the three flatterers. They were singing their praises to Aegon, then got trapped in a cage of chastity and duty as the King’s Guard. Then we saw one of them get killed by the mob while failing to protect Alicent.
23:43 "Maybe incest is bad!" Counterpoint: this whole mess could've been avoided by doing an incest. Rhaenyra + Aegon are the obvious example, but why weren't Viserys and Rhaenys married in the first place? Both of them break the tradition by marrying outside the family and that is what gave rise to all of this wishy-washy succession in the first place.
@@grasstastesbad marrying laena would have resulted in the exact same outcome, except rhaenyra would have been cooked up within a week. Even without meleys, the velaryon fleet alone is keeping Rhaenyra's hopes alive at this point
@@sarwatarannya8786 i don’t think so. it would’ve taken some time for viserys and laena to consummate their marriage because she was so young and he also got sicker over the years, so there would be fewer or even no children. rhaenyra was married to laenor, laena’s brother, so the relations between the sides of the family would’ve probably been a lot better. laenor claimed and loved rhae’s children and corlys doesn’t really care that they’re bastards either because they’re still named velaryon. so yeah, i think there would’ve been a good chance everything would’ve been alright
Rhaenyra and Aegon have about a 15-year age gap, which is not ideal for creating a secure succession. Viserys and Aemma's marriage was a way to bring Targaryen blood back into the main branch of the family. If Aemma hadn't married into the Targaryen family, it would have opened the possibility of another family being able to claim a dragon. Even if Viserys and Rhaenys had married, the main question would still stand: who would be the regnant and who would be the consort? The descendant of the first son (who happens to be a woman) or the descendant of the second son? Since Viserys was a chill guy, I doubt it would have been a problem, but what if it had been between two power-hungry people?
I think the whole “stop singing” thing is referring to Aemond threatening Aegon into silence. Aegon woke up, began talking, then was threatened by Aemond and after that he won’t be singing. “Singing” often is used as a synonym for tattling, or ratting people out. Aegon won’t be singing about Aemonds actions at Rook’s Rest.
Definitely plausible, though the wild dragons theory is more possible IMO. The bugs represent Seasmoke, Vermithor and Silverwing. One of them stopping singing is most likely alluding to Seasmoke finally finding a rider. This also ties in the rumors that episode seven will be the Red Sowing.
I think Helaena's "stop singing" comment was referring more to Alicent, because of the way it was said and the way the scene was framed. Alicent "stopped singing" as she was taken out of the council and effectively has no voice in King's landing
The problem with that theory is that prior to this, Helena's cryptic statements were always made prior to the event in question occurring. In this case, Helena made the comment after Alicent had been stripped of her seat on the Small Council. If chronology isn't relevant, then one could argue that it refers to Aegon being silenced as one of Allicent's 3 sons (at least for now). It is odd that we've always ultimately figured out what her mysterious comments were alluding to but in this case, it's quite unclear (to me, at least).
I'm convinced it's Aemond standing triumphant in the intro considering long hair and a raised sword. It seems that it really is supposed to be a visualisation of Haelena's prophecy, as what intro shows is either a metaphor or straight up facts that shouldn't be known to a maester writing a chronicle.
@@blaubeer8039 also, Sheepstealer roaming just makes a lot of sense. It's a wild dragon that hasn't been getting regular feedings like the ones in captivity. Just a very odd stance for GRRM to take overall
George is also mad they aren't following lore that he's planning to reveal over the course of his next three books. So lore he will likely never actually release. Go figure
@@alexladon9757 An author’s works can still be continued after they pass, so it makes perfect sense that he wants the lore released like HE wants, even if he himself doesn’t continue it. I mean, we all know D&D not going by the lore and story is what ruined GoT.
One thing i believe game of thrones fell short on is the networks that whisper through the country. The brothel workers and hand maidens getting names and character development is really nice to watch. Makes it feel so real. I understand GOT had far too many complex plots and characters to introduce the spy networks, but i am glad it was brought to light in HotD.
On the matter of Seasmoke not accepting Sir Steffon..I felt that he had accepted him until he said “I’ve done it”. Maybe Seasmoke sensed that, at that moment, Steffon saw his chance and potential for power, and to use Seasmoke as a tool/weapon and not a partnership with bound souls.. It gives the dragons more of a personality I think. And because of that whole ordeal Seasmoke just bails to bond with Addam, since he’s been lonely and wants a rider
I find it strange that George claims dragons seldom move away from dragonstone, plenty of real world animals range further out when food is scarce, so in my mind it would make sense that Sheep Stealer is all the way in the vale where food sheep are more plentiful, especially since the greens probably took all the sheep in the Crownlands to feed their Dragons and and sheep on Dragonstone are probably being used to feed the Black's Dragons
@@KageChimerarachneYingiyou find it strange that the author that wrote the magic creatures is mad when his rules of magic are not followed? There could be a billion reasons why their magic makes them stay that could be revealed in future books.
I think it’s Aemond in the opening scene because of the long hair, but also because of the figure holding a sword. In Aemond’s scene with Orwyle, he can be clearly seen wearing blackfyre. This then gives the previous scene with Aegon another meaning. When Aemond puts the ball on Aegon’s chest, the ball represents power via the right to speak at council (note how everyone has to have one before they speak and how Cole picks his up the last episode before apologizing and responding for being late). The Aemond/Aegon scene now implies Aemond’s belief in power by force, not words, and he who has the sword is all that matters, so he’s mocking Aegon by giving him back his ball. It also has connotations of brothers fighting over toys etc. It also leans into Aemond’s transactional nature and how he accepts his suffering if it gets him more power, eg ‘I lost an eye, but gained a dragon’. Now he’s lost a brother, but gained the throne (kind of). This also links to what Haelena asked him last episode.
Seasmoke forgot to specify "no substitutions" on his rider subscription service. I guess you do need to spring for Dragazon Prime, or they send you the Temu version of what you ordered.
Marrying Jason Lannister would be hilarious . Every time you want something, all you need to say is “but my lord husband, so and so has a bigger better one” and bingo, you get what you want. So easy to manipulate 😂I love him
The subtle foreshadowing of Addam being important was awesome. We've just seen glimpses of him and Corlys looking at him all series. I really like the way they wrote it.
too many shows now just introduce new characters exclusively when they become relevant to the plot. im happy that, even tho it slowed the pace down a bit, they introduced Hugh, Ulf, Addam and Alyn earlier and actually characterised them outside of 'dragonseeds'
Despite knowing the entire story, I really admire how ASX refrains from giving out any spoilers during their live streams and weekly episodes. Great job!
I think Helena's prophecy is in regards to someone's death. A 'Song' of Ice and Fire, 'song' here means a 'tale', so she could be meaning someone's story has ended.
I love how much personality their giving the dragons this season! Poor Addam.. he was running for his damn life while Seasmoke was chasing him like a big puppy wanting to play! Seasmoke was like STOP RUNNING! I JUST NEED TO SMELL YOU PLEASE
Mildly spicy take here, but...if Martin is feeling a little touchy about changes being made in the show, I have a tough time feeling sympathetic about it. That's not to say that he doesn't have a right to express displeasure. It's his work. He has every right on earth. But...apart from the publication of A World of Ice anf Fire, and then Fire and Blood (which, let's be honest, is "A World of Ice and Fire -The Director's Cut"), all we've gotten of "the world of the books" is a couple of sample chapters and nebulous updates about "progress". It has been a full 13 years since "A Dance With Dragons" was published. I know a lot of people who were die-hard book fans, but have since given up on the series because of the wait. I can't say I blame them. Hell, I'd forgotten half the plot of book 5 until I stumbled across Alt's Blackfyre video a couple of years back. I feel like I'll need to re-read Feast and Dance the second Book 6 comes out just to remember who's actually still in the game, and that thought doesn't necessarily excite me. This channel has done more to keep my love of ASoIAF alive than anything Martin has done in the last decade and change. I applaud Martin for the truly monumental world he's created. Nothing can take that genuinely momentus achievement away from him. But it's an awfully big ask to expect people to cling to those books when the only progress we've seen in years amounts to "Dude, trust me."
I think he is having some sort of deja vu. When the GoT reached the end of the books, the show went downhill, fast. I guess he doesn't want HoTD to have the same faith. Maybe for selfish reasons? Maybe he wants the francise to be on a high in 2-3 years when Wind comes out? Probably. But also, there are many other differences that he accepted, the biggest one being that the main character of the show (Rhaenyra) is quite different from the books. In the show she is all good, almost infailable, but in the books the character is way more gray.
@alexandrupetrea8267 Certainly a fair point. I will say, I don't mind the changes to the show. With regards to Rhaenyra especially, I think the contrast between the show and book is a lovely illustration of the power of propaganda. Makes the show an interesting companion to the book, for me. Can certainly understand if it ain't everyone's cup of tea, though. So far as releasing the books on a high note...sad as it is to say, I don't know if that's possible, now. Regardless of what people feel about the show or the books, I worry that the time spent is going to make criticism of the books much harsher. They're not gonna be perfect, as no work of art ever is. I think more than few people are gonna use the sheer amount of time spent between publications as an excuse to nitpick. This series has been going on for almost 30 years, nearly half of that spent waiting for book 5. Martin can take as long as he wants to cook, but he shouldn't be surprised if his literary audience has shrunk some.
@@ShubertReads meleys was literally there , how hard is it to control a dragon ? What happened to Luke is an example . You have to understand this is not the simple
the sincere announcement of the hot take "maybe incest is bad" like it was an actual deep analysis got a real big laugh from me. Just love your overall takes where it gets really deep into it but still manages to acknowledge how silly this story can be
While Rhaenyra might have blockaded city by sea, Aemond locked the city gates, thus preventing the Smallfolk from leaving King’s Landing to find food and safety, so he is at least just as responsible as his half-sister for the Smallfolk’s suffering.
True. And if Rhaenyra can send food to kings landing thanthe greens could gather food just as easy either from the Crown lands, Reach or the storm lands. I also don’t get the tactic of closing the gates if there’s a food shortage.
@@GaryCrantIt’s possibly to have innocent people in the city in case the blacks ever attack King’s Landing. It’s basically keeping hostages so King’s Landing isn’t free to raze. (Especially when Aemond and Vhagar leaves to do battles, like they plan to with Harrenhal)
@@GaryCrantyou underestimate Targaryen madness. Aegon the conqueror himself has burned countless castles with all its people when they refused to bend the knee. I realize a city is different from a castle, still.
Rhaenyra knowing Leanor was still alive unless proper confirmation given to her about his death and risking Ser Steffons life with Seasmoke of all dragons has to be a plot hole
I mean, given how Seasmoke was acting, it makes sense that she just thinks that he died in Essos. That's also a reason why she left so fast after getting news that Seasmoke was seen with a rider, because she might think that it's Leanor
Again and again I am most grateful and appreciative of your work in these episodes. It truly makes me think more deeply about what I just saw and enjoy what I saw and what I am about to see. English is not my first language and even in my first language, back in the school days, I have fully known there is a depth to literary work that is very hard for me to get a full grasp. Not to mention now I have a full time job and limited time to devote to my hobbies. Your work has been great for me in many movies and series, helping me to enjoy them more. I hope this comment reaches you and gives you energy. I know life is hard for everyone and every bit of energy is priceless. Cheers, and please do carry on, I'll be here, enjoying and supporting. :)
Aemond also gave Larys a burn about 'familial loyalty' (does he have any reason to think there's more to the deaths of Larys' father & brother, or is it just in relation to Ser Simon surrendering to Daemon?) - ironic, considering what happened last episode...
honestly i wish we did get nettles, but i suppose i cant blame them for combining characters (like i think they did quite well with the tullys) since there are so many different characters in Fire and Blood. i wish we got nettles, but ig this way they dont have to introduce a new character and can give Rhaena something to do
I think the bug stopped singing part could be representing how Aegon is not talking either because of his injuries or because Aemond is keeping him quite
"is Aemond evil enough to murder his brother in cold blood" feels like the wrong angle. It's more like, Aemond is evil enough to keep his brother alive but weakened to keep him in a state of tortured subservience to so he can keep feeling empowered & dominant.
Just want to commend you on these videos. Other channels just seem to point out the obvious in their “explanation videos”. But these videos actually present background and connections
@32:30 Bobby B never wanted to be king either. He lived for fighting, drinking, and whoring. He would have been a bad king if he didn't have good help, simply because he had no interest in ruling. The main reason his reign was so successful is him leaving the actual business of ruling to his Hand Jon Arryn
these are such good recaps; it’s become part of my routine to watch these before the new episode; thank you for your diligent work on these videos!!! they help break everything down so well for me; because i’ve read the book fire and blood but i have awful ADHD and sometimes processing the episodes is rough lol; gotta maximize my knowledge of the GoT universe!!
Personally I think blaming Viserys for the Dance of the Dragons is a lil overblown. Sure, he could have been more proactive to totally prevent it, but he was surrounded by schemers looking to push their own personal agendas. While he was king, the realm was at peace and it seems like the smallfolk were able to live relatively happy lives. In my mind, that sounds like a pretty stable realm led by the king. Idk I just feel like Vizzy T deserves better 🥺
Agreed. Viserys wasn't perfect, but he was a good and peaceful king who didn't want senseless wars or violence. I think we can put a lot more of the blame on Otto's scheming and the dynastic system in general.
Not to mention Daemon's inability to be chill. If Daemon had been someone worthy of giving power, Viserys would have happily named him his Heir and Hand.
I just want to give a “thank you” to Alt Shift X. He’s been making excellent content for years. I was an early Patreon, went away, then came back years later to now. This bastard is quality in a handbag
Knowing that Rhaenyra and Mysaria were not supposed to kiss kind of bothers me, because a hug and a make out session have entirely different implications. I'm surprised the director decided to go with it.
honestly i agree, but i like the kiss more with the idea that its not supposed to be a good 'romantic' thing but just showing their bad habits. more just Mysaria lacking human contact and Rhaenyra continuing her habit of trying to shag her way out of relationship problems (attepted daemon when she was falling out with her closest friend alicent, criston when daemon backed out, daemon when she lost harwin and so on)
@jimmyramos1989 it's not just "a kiss", it doesn't happen in a vaccum. Rhaenyra is a queen, married and embroiled in a military conflict. Any indication of her misbehaving or losing the plot could massively derail everything she's working for. Her making out with another woman in the throes of emotion makes this look like an episode of desperate housewives.
@@StripesZB I don’t think the moralization of her current position applies in this universe. This is a world where people use the facade of duty and tradition, when in reality they flawed and complicated. Also, the Targeryans come from a country where degeneracy is the societal norm. Basically, scenes like that are contextual. But even more so, subjective. Also, sexual tension is commonplace-especially in a fictional world where people fly literal dragons.
That first Dragonseed scene with Darklyn might be my favorite scene theyve ever done for either show. Especially with the monks chanting a song to summon the dragons, hits so different seeing and hearing it. Some wicked stuff.
Episodes 4-6 have had basically 1 plot charging thing. Aegon and the old lady diedish with their dragons. Blacks are chillin, greens are chillin, peasents still pissed lol me too. Daemond doing mushrooms on holiday
It was stupid af for Rhaenyra to try to get a rider for Seasmoke first, knowing full well that Laenor might still be alive….. should have started with Silverwing.
Ngl I was really expecting Laenor to return to his family after hearing news war broke out in the east, and the Velaryon’s decide to use the “Adam” moniker as just a secret identity
this tbh. the kiss aint supposed to be a big romantic thing, its just what she does. because of how Daemon groomed her, she's pretty consistent when it comes to shagging whenever her relationship problems / life problems get too stressful. (she's falling out with alicent? go after daemon) (daemon backs out? go for criston) (harwin dies? go for daemon) that sorta stuff
Thanks for this and all your content. It really helps me with remembering what happened last week. It is also very reminiscent of the "Last week on Soap" bumpers from that classic comedy.
Not that this is a crucial detail or anything important but that dog that Hugh pats is not Cheese’s dog, it’s a different breed, when it turns around you can see its face has blue eyes and a Merle coat.
Seasmoke picks Addam because Seasmoke is nearsighted and can't tell him and Laenor apart. This is why Seasmoke didn't burn Ser Steffon untill he got close enough that Seasmoke could tell he wasn't Laenor.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
64 hours of HOTD and GOT videos with Glidus and Alt Schwift X: nebula.tv/altschwiftx
40% off an annual Nebula subscription: go.nebula.tv/altshiftx
What is the map you use @AltShiftX it is so detailed!?
BRO U NEED TO DO THE LASTEST EP!! so much stuff to talk about
"Maybe incest is bad."
Bit of a hot take that one, my goodness.
Quite the controversial opinion, isn't it?
Get that on a t-shirt
He's not afraid to ask the big questions.
Don't say this in Alabama. 😅😅
incest is only bad if it produces offsprings or when there is a power inbalance at play
ASX says "maybe incest is bad" in every video as if he's trying to convince us
Methinks he doth protest too much
He is one of Maester's Agent
Terminally ASX voice: "Is he trying to convince himself?"
Such a puritan. There's just a dash of crippling birth defects that go with obtaining fire lizards.
Don't let the propaganda fool u, targaryens are gods
Love the increased use of maps to help orient the topics.
Honestly the opening sequence should be a map, like the GOT opening. Geography is important in this show, and most viewers have no idea where all these places are!
@@AltShiftXagreed. I barely know where I am in the real world half the time, I absolutely get lost in Westeros!
@@AltShiftXNo, it should not😊
@@AltShiftX We do see maps in the show letting us know what's where. The glowing table that broke Glidus comes to mind.
@@AltShiftX I have to disagree here. Game Of Thrones is, for lack of a better term, modern to the world of Ice and Fire. Thus, it makes sense for the opening to show things as they are now. HOTD, by contrast, is set in the distant history of GOT, and one of its principal themes is the unreliability of historical narratives; therefore, the symbolism of the tapestry makes a lot more sense, considering its obvious inspiration from the Bayeux tapestry being considered a historical document for centuries until its reappraisal as pro-Norman propagandising created by a deeply biased source.
Isn't it ironic that Cersei was brave enough to risk her hand in a lions mouth while Jamie wasn't, yet it is Jamie who eventually ends up losing a hand. That's not a coincidence. George loves his foreshadowing.
do not confuse bravery with stupidity, there was nothing to be gained from her action whilst she risked a limb
Its not really foreshadowing when Jaime loses his hand in ASOS. And Cersei tells the story about the lion in ADWD
Bravo Vince
Daenerys is a kinslayer
Gravo Beorge
I was thinking that Aemond mentioned Otto was loyal to his family as another insult to Larys that he knows that he killed his father and brother in that fire as well.
👍🏻
Bingo
Great observation: can’t believe that never occurred to me but absolutely makes sense.
So Aemond is a hypocrite huh...
@@CA-bw9vw Perhaps. But the difference is Aemond is the prince regent and can do what he wants, while you can't have a hand to the king that you can't trust.
Seasmoke: *wHy ArE yOu RuNnInG?!*
Addam: *AAAAAAAHHHHHH*
😂😂😂
"What am I gonna watch today?"
> uploaded 45 seconds ago
nice
LMAO SAME
Yeah even after watching the near-3-hour-long Q&A episode, I am still gonna watch this 40min recap lol
Nice
Unfortunately Darklyns speech was so touching that i immediately knew he'd fail, i would be much more surprised if someone as honorable as that knight got a dragon
😂😅😢 15:46
The good never stay on top for long in this world 😢
Honestly how is Rhea supposed to be a hero in this show? She knowingly risked Darklyn's life on 99-1 odds without confirmation of the death of Laenor. Something that will probably never be acknowledged again on the show.
To me it seemed that he was just blinded by ambition. Trying to claim a dragon is a crazy risk to take.
I was gutted, and for her too, he was so loyal 😢
Bro speaks english so well that I can understand him without subtitles wish everyone spoke this good
Yeah, i loved his accent
ne yalama yapıyon be.
“Jason is an arrogant douche.”
@@seckinhasan3923 Fr
Damn you're right and i've never noticed that😂
"Maybe incest is bad" - Alt Shift X, 7-28-2024.
Brave take. I can't believe he had the courage to say that
More like 2024-07-28 but that’s a detail 😅
@@BubreherroClose enough, it's DD-MM-YYYY. But that's a small detail
I wouldn't make such bold statements. We need more information. Everyone needs to do his/her own research on the matter.
@@user-qk5mm1yw7y small minds - small quarrels
This might sound f'ed up but the most unrealistic thing about this show is that the dog wasn't captured and used as food by the hungry people
@@bigbucks1594 Cheeses dog is obviously Alys warging that's how he survived
Magical Mutt
It might be smarter in the long run for someone to use him to find rats to eat
Feels like the people are in a hording and anger stage and not yet in a starving stage.
The dog is a trained terrier, though. He’s probably killing rats in the dozens and leaving them on his favorite human’s door step every night. You don’t eat your planting seed.
@@TheEneccathat’s a good point. they seem to have plenty of fish but a lack of other foods due to the blockade and the quarantine of the city.
22:23 "Rhaenyra holds a sword, and Mysaria is into it." 😂
Hes not wrong though 😂
We're all like mysaria 😂
The kiss was so dumb
@@mrlos6646 Speak for yourself. I, for one, loved it. Rharnyra deserves some love for a change
@@thedarkfaegaming she just talked about how her father raped her and got her pregnant and the very next thing they do is hookup + wasn’t in the script = absolute dogshit scene
by far my favorite part of this episode was daemon going "who could be doing this to me" like he didnt take drugs given to him by the weird goth girl who keeps predicting his future
My man coming in clutch in the last minute before next episode :D
Coming in clutch with that hotD
literally what he always does, isn't it?
You could be more last minute than this. I always was for school
@@rizzo021🤨
@@Jayfive276 he's like grrm, I doubt it
"George says we may learn more in future books"
OH DOES HE NOW
It’s hysterical that Alicent’s best son is the one she didn’t raise.
Said “one good child” earlier and people rightfully pointed out I was forgetting Helaena when Helaena deserves the world.
Yes. Helaena is worse than Maegor.
This is Helaena erasure
Maybe Helaena isn't seeing the future. She's *making* the future.
Unlike the boys, Helaena is a decent person, but she's still messed up. Sounds like Daeron is the only one who isn't messed up
Its kind of crazy how many years I have been enjoying your GoT videos, and yet still im counting the days till the next lore / explanation videos. Heres to another 7 years, cheers
and how much more fun these videos are when they don't turn noticeably sarcastic because the source material turned bad.
Same. His doppelgänger shift x is equally entertaining albeit with a rather frustratingly inferior work ethic.
"it sounds like George Martin is mad about showrunners changing his book" you would think he should've learned by now huh
He said show viserys is better than the book viserys
13:30 I think "This one stopped singing" is a revelation closes to home: Aegon stops ruling and keeps quiet about Aemond.
You're the first person I've seen make this comment. I hadn't even thought of that. You're an absolute genius 👏
Aemond is all about no snitching lol
💡💡💡💡
So why show 3 crickets is my only question. Because 3 crickets representing the 3 tame dragons on dragonstone makes sense.
@@govinddas7876 I thought it was the 3 kids her and her two brothers 🤷
"Author George Martin says that we will learn more in future books."
He also said he had made good progress on Winds of Winter in 2020 BUT HERE WE ARE!
Night gathers, and now my watch begins…
Oh sweet summer child
For real at this point I cannot take anything George says seriously. He's seriously just going to expire without having finished it.
2 months ago he said he was 2/3 the way through.... its never going to be released.
@@herramadur “You said those sausages would be ready in 2 minutes 10 minutes ago!”
Maybe this is a less popular theory, but IMO the singing referred to the three flatterers. They were singing their praises to Aegon, then got trapped in a cage of chastity and duty as the King’s Guard. Then we saw one of them get killed by the mob while failing to protect Alicent.
Ooo I haven't seen this one yet! I like it!
Seasmoke being like : COME BACK LITTLE MAN, Y R U RUNNING
23:43 "Maybe incest is bad!"
Counterpoint: this whole mess could've been avoided by doing an incest. Rhaenyra + Aegon are the obvious example, but why weren't Viserys and Rhaenys married in the first place? Both of them break the tradition by marrying outside the family and that is what gave rise to all of this wishy-washy succession in the first place.
Or viserys could just marry Daemon and his daughter to each other
viserys should’ve just never married alicent, that would’ve prevented everything
@@grasstastesbad marrying laena would have resulted in the exact same outcome, except rhaenyra would have been cooked up within a week. Even without meleys, the velaryon fleet alone is keeping Rhaenyra's hopes alive at this point
@@sarwatarannya8786 i don’t think so. it would’ve taken some time for viserys and laena to consummate their marriage because she was so young and he also got sicker over the years, so there would be fewer or even no children. rhaenyra was married to laenor, laena’s brother, so the relations between the sides of the family would’ve probably been a lot better. laenor claimed and loved rhae’s children and corlys doesn’t really care that they’re bastards either because they’re still named velaryon. so yeah, i think there would’ve been a good chance everything would’ve been alright
Rhaenyra and Aegon have about a 15-year age gap, which is not ideal for creating a secure succession. Viserys and Aemma's marriage was a way to bring Targaryen blood back into the main branch of the family. If Aemma hadn't married into the Targaryen family, it would have opened the possibility of another family being able to claim a dragon. Even if Viserys and Rhaenys had married, the main question would still stand: who would be the regnant and who would be the consort? The descendant of the first son (who happens to be a woman) or the descendant of the second son? Since Viserys was a chill guy, I doubt it would have been a problem, but what if it had been between two power-hungry people?
I think the whole “stop singing” thing is referring to Aemond threatening Aegon into silence. Aegon woke up, began talking, then was threatened by Aemond and after that he won’t be singing. “Singing” often is used as a synonym for tattling, or ratting people out. Aegon won’t be singing about Aemonds actions at Rook’s Rest.
Yet
Aemond*
It could also be Alicent stifled by the patriarchy.
Definitely plausible, though the wild dragons theory is more possible IMO.
The bugs represent Seasmoke, Vermithor and Silverwing. One of them stopping singing is most likely alluding to Seasmoke finally finding a rider. This also ties in the rumors that episode seven will be the Red Sowing.
@@arrasectumexactly
Anyone else think the reason she takes off so quickly is because she thinks Laenor has returned, another reason she left alone
Same thing with Corlys and his reaction.
I think Helaena's "stop singing" comment was referring more to Alicent, because of the way it was said and the way the scene was framed. Alicent "stopped singing" as she was taken out of the council and effectively has no voice in King's landing
Yeah I agree. I think it's important to note that Alicent is still trapped in her cage but now she has been made silent.
The problem with that theory is that prior to this, Helena's cryptic statements were always made prior to the event in question occurring. In this case, Helena made the comment after Alicent had been stripped of her seat on the Small Council. If chronology isn't relevant, then one could argue that it refers to Aegon being silenced as one of Allicent's 3 sons (at least for now).
It is odd that we've always ultimately figured out what her mysterious comments were alluding to but in this case, it's quite unclear (to me, at least).
I'm convinced it's Aemond standing triumphant in the intro considering long hair and a raised sword. It seems that it really is supposed to be a visualisation of Haelena's prophecy, as what intro shows is either a metaphor or straight up facts that shouldn't be known to a maester writing a chronicle.
its Aegon.
It would also make sense because Helaena embroiders too!
Was just about to say that.@@elifdurmus8243
such good graphics support, every character, setting, vignette, with labels and quotes, with thoughtful script voice-over
I find it interesting that GRRM claims that dragons don't roam, considering what Drogon was doing for the entirety of Dance lol
@@blaubeer8039 oh yeah, totally forgot about that!
@@blaubeer8039 also, Sheepstealer roaming just makes a lot of sense. It's a wild dragon that hasn't been getting regular feedings like the ones in captivity. Just a very odd stance for GRRM to take overall
George is also mad they aren't following lore that he's planning to reveal over the course of his next three books. So lore he will likely never actually release. Go figure
@@alexladon9757 An author’s works can still be continued after they pass, so it makes perfect sense that he wants the lore released like HE wants, even if he himself doesn’t continue it. I mean, we all know D&D not going by the lore and story is what ruined GoT.
@@mattdavies9813 A lot of animals have set territories that they use as hunting grounds so Sheepstealer not roaming around also makes sense.
maybe jason is going to warg into the lion and have a pokemon battle with caraxes or an owl
Caraxes use flamethrower!
Cheese dog use protect!
One thing i believe game of thrones fell short on is the networks that whisper through the country. The brothel workers and hand maidens getting names and character development is really nice to watch. Makes it feel so real. I understand GOT had far too many complex plots and characters to introduce the spy networks, but i am glad it was brought to light in HotD.
On the matter of Seasmoke not accepting Sir Steffon..I felt that he had accepted him until he said “I’ve done it”. Maybe Seasmoke sensed that, at that moment, Steffon saw his chance and potential for power, and to use Seasmoke as a tool/weapon and not a partnership with bound souls.. It gives the dragons more of a personality I think. And because of that whole ordeal Seasmoke just bails to bond with Addam, since he’s been lonely and wants a rider
30:18 Gorge Martin is angry about a dragon in the vale but didn’t lose his absolute shit over season 8????
i guess dragons are what matters to him the most lololol
I find it strange that George claims dragons seldom move away from dragonstone, plenty of real world animals range further out when food is scarce, so in my mind it would make sense that Sheep Stealer is all the way in the vale where food sheep are more plentiful, especially since the greens probably took all the sheep in the Crownlands to feed their Dragons and and sheep on Dragonstone are probably being used to feed the Black's Dragons
@@KageChimerarachneYingiyou find it strange that the author that wrote the magic creatures is mad when his rules of magic are not followed?
There could be a billion reasons why their magic makes them stay that could be revealed in future books.
He is definitely mad about season 7 and 8. He just doesn't want to piss off all the people associated with GOT. It's Hollywood .
Why do people STILL think that two wrongs make a right?
"George R.R. Martin says we will learn more about dragons in future books." Wish I believed that. Haha
Loved Gwayne being Daeron's hype man 🟩
I think it’s Aemond in the opening scene because of the long hair, but also because of the figure holding a sword. In Aemond’s scene with Orwyle, he can be clearly seen wearing blackfyre. This then gives the previous scene with Aegon another meaning. When Aemond puts the ball on Aegon’s chest, the ball represents power via the right to speak at council (note how everyone has to have one before they speak and how Cole picks his up the last episode before apologizing and responding for being late). The Aemond/Aegon scene now implies Aemond’s belief in power by force, not words, and he who has the sword is all that matters, so he’s mocking Aegon by giving him back his ball. It also has connotations of brothers fighting over toys etc. It also leans into Aemond’s transactional nature and how he accepts his suffering if it gets him more power, eg ‘I lost an eye, but gained a dragon’. Now he’s lost a brother, but gained the throne (kind of). This also links to what Haelena asked him last episode.
A lot of people say the show is getting too slow for them, however I enjoy it more than ever. Cant wait for some dragon riding action tomorrow
Seasmoke forgot to specify "no substitutions" on his rider subscription service. I guess you do need to spring for Dragazon Prime, or they send you the Temu version of what you ordered.
Marrying Jason Lannister would be hilarious . Every time you want something, all you need to say is “but my lord husband, so and so has a bigger better one” and bingo, you get what you want. So easy to manipulate 😂I love him
The subtle foreshadowing of Addam being important was awesome. We've just seen glimpses of him and Corlys looking at him all series. I really like the way they wrote it.
too many shows now just introduce new characters exclusively when they become relevant to the plot. im happy that, even tho it slowed the pace down a bit, they introduced Hugh, Ulf, Addam and Alyn earlier and actually characterised them outside of 'dragonseeds'
Ive loved your videos for years and years. Hope you have a great time watching the new episode
Despite knowing the entire story, I really admire how ASX refrains from giving out any spoilers during their live streams and weekly episodes. Great job!
I think Helena's prophecy is in regards to someone's death. A 'Song' of Ice and Fire, 'song' here means a 'tale', so she could be meaning someone's story has ended.
This is my guess, songs are about life to George so if one ends, then maybe a life has ended
I love how much personality their giving the dragons this season! Poor Addam.. he was running for his damn life while Seasmoke was chasing him like a big puppy wanting to play! Seasmoke was like STOP RUNNING! I JUST NEED TO SMELL YOU PLEASE
“I likes you and I wants you, so we can do this the easy way or the hard way”
- Seasmoke
for real, especially how they've shown the different personalities of seasmoke, vermithor and silverwing
Mildly spicy take here, but...if Martin is feeling a little touchy about changes being made in the show, I have a tough time feeling sympathetic about it.
That's not to say that he doesn't have a right to express displeasure. It's his work. He has every right on earth.
But...apart from the publication of A World of Ice anf Fire, and then Fire and Blood (which, let's be honest, is "A World of Ice and Fire -The Director's Cut"), all we've gotten of "the world of the books" is a couple of sample chapters and nebulous updates about "progress". It has been a full 13 years since "A Dance With Dragons" was published. I know a lot of people who were die-hard book fans, but have since given up on the series because of the wait. I can't say I blame them. Hell, I'd forgotten half the plot of book 5 until I stumbled across Alt's Blackfyre video a couple of years back. I feel like I'll need to re-read Feast and Dance the second Book 6 comes out just to remember who's actually still in the game, and that thought doesn't necessarily excite me.
This channel has done more to keep my love of ASoIAF alive than anything Martin has done in the last decade and change. I applaud Martin for the truly monumental world he's created. Nothing can take that genuinely momentus achievement away from him.
But it's an awfully big ask to expect people to cling to those books when the only progress we've seen in years amounts to "Dude, trust me."
I think he is having some sort of deja vu. When the GoT reached the end of the books, the show went downhill, fast. I guess he doesn't want HoTD to have the same faith. Maybe for selfish reasons? Maybe he wants the francise to be on a high in 2-3 years when Wind comes out? Probably. But also, there are many other differences that he accepted, the biggest one being that the main character of the show (Rhaenyra) is quite different from the books. In the show she is all good, almost infailable, but in the books the character is way more gray.
@alexandrupetrea8267 Certainly a fair point. I will say, I don't mind the changes to the show. With regards to Rhaenyra especially, I think the contrast between the show and book is a lovely illustration of the power of propaganda. Makes the show an interesting companion to the book, for me. Can certainly understand if it ain't everyone's cup of tea, though.
So far as releasing the books on a high note...sad as it is to say, I don't know if that's possible, now. Regardless of what people feel about the show or the books, I worry that the time spent is going to make criticism of the books much harsher. They're not gonna be perfect, as no work of art ever is. I think more than few people are gonna use the sheer amount of time spent between publications as an excuse to nitpick.
This series has been going on for almost 30 years, nearly half of that spent waiting for book 5. Martin can take as long as he wants to cook, but he shouldn't be surprised if his literary audience has shrunk some.
@@BuddyWithTheSideburnsif you mean the show is propaganda I agree !!!
You forgot to mention how Aemond saying "His loyalty to his family is unquestionable" implies he know Larys killed his father and brother
Which is rich coming from the guy who ALSO tried to burn his brother alive.
@@ShubertReadswho says ? It might have been accidental
@@frfras7 Watch the scene again. Definitely not accidental.
@@ShubertReads targaryen exceptionalism at its finest
@@ShubertReads meleys was literally there , how hard is it to control a dragon ? What happened to Luke is an example . You have to understand this is not the simple
I was LIVING for Aemond calling Larys a fking TOAD, that was brilliant
the sincere announcement of the hot take "maybe incest is bad" like it was an actual deep analysis got a real big laugh from me. Just love your overall takes where it gets really deep into it but still manages to acknowledge how silly this story can be
While Rhaenyra might have blockaded city by sea, Aemond locked the city gates, thus preventing the Smallfolk from leaving King’s Landing to find food and safety, so he is at least just as responsible as his half-sister for the Smallfolk’s suffering.
True. And if Rhaenyra can send food to kings landing thanthe greens could gather food just as easy either from the Crown lands, Reach or the storm lands.
I also don’t get the tactic of closing the gates if there’s a food shortage.
@@GaryCrantIt’s possibly to have innocent people in the city in case the blacks ever attack King’s Landing. It’s basically keeping hostages so King’s Landing isn’t free to raze.
(Especially when Aemond and Vhagar leaves to do battles, like they plan to with Harrenhal)
Only the giantfolk climbed the walls and escaped 😢
@@AllyrionWW I don’t think anyone would want to burn a city they intend to rule 🤷🏼♂️
@@GaryCrantyou underestimate Targaryen madness. Aegon the conqueror himself has burned countless castles with all its people when they refused to bend the knee. I realize a city is different from a castle, still.
“He pets the dog, which is nice…or maybe he just wants to eat it” 😆
I don't get why dragons wouldn't venture from Dragonstone? Is that just George becoming old and cranky?
Rhaenyra knowing Leanor was still alive unless proper confirmation given to her about his death and risking Ser Steffons life with Seasmoke of all dragons has to be a plot hole
Is kinda funny nobody asks why the dragón is acting different
The whole think about making it look like Rheanyra and daemon killed him but instead he left for essos is a plot hole
Does she know or does she think that she knows?
I mean, given how Seasmoke was acting, it makes sense that she just thinks that he died in Essos. That's also a reason why she left so fast after getting news that Seasmoke was seen with a rider, because she might think that it's Leanor
"future books" ahahahaha...
Thank you so much from Spain, I can't watch the new episode until tomorrow so I look forward to these videos during the weekend.
Just had a fat scran on a full English now lighting a doink and gonna watch some Alt shift x what a Sunday
God bless you
Seasmoke: Sure you can climb on and ride me!……😁
Also Seasmoke: …… Not! Dracarys!!! 🔥🔥🔥
Bro was just playing 💀
Seasmoke after claiming Adam: Great succces 👍👍
Might as well be called "Game of Unresolved Mommy/Daddy Issues"
Daddy wasn't there, to take me to the fair, to change my underwear😂
In the next episode teaser, I love the shot where sea smoke stands behind his rider with a big grin. “Hey mom look what I found!”
Again and again I am most grateful and appreciative of your work in these episodes. It truly makes me think more deeply about what I just saw and enjoy what I saw and what I am about to see. English is not my first language and even in my first language, back in the school days, I have fully known there is a depth to literary work that is very hard for me to get a full grasp. Not to mention now I have a full time job and limited time to devote to my hobbies.
Your work has been great for me in many movies and series, helping me to enjoy them more. I hope this comment reaches you and gives you energy. I know life is hard for everyone and every bit of energy is priceless. Cheers, and please do carry on, I'll be here, enjoying and supporting. :)
Aemond also gave Larys a burn about 'familial loyalty' (does he have any reason to think there's more to the deaths of Larys' father & brother, or is it just in relation to Ser Simon surrendering to Daemon?) - ironic, considering what happened last episode...
27:15
That's an interst way to describe a dragon.
"Giant fire breathing nuclear lizard."😂
“Wake up it’s alt shift x HOTD video”
WE UP
Coffee in hand and let's do this!
One of my most looked forward to videos in the week!
Thank you so much for your hard work!
you are truly the goat shift this was just in time
I really love the cute little side to side movement the dragons do sometimes. They almost look like a wet dog shaking off🤣
Man I hate that this episode basically confirms Nettle is out of the show and they just merged her character with her Rhaena
honestly i wish we did get nettles, but i suppose i cant blame them for combining characters (like i think they did quite well with the tullys) since there are so many different characters in Fire and Blood. i wish we got nettles, but ig this way they dont have to introduce a new character and can give Rhaena something to do
*Seasmoke: Why are you running!? WHY ARE YOU RUNNING!!?*
I like he realeases his video this late! It’s a good way to catch up before the new episode 😅 Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷
@@TiagoMCxt Tropa de HotD matinal hahahaha
I think the bug stopped singing part could be representing how Aegon is not talking either because of his injuries or because Aemond is keeping him quite
"is Aemond evil enough to murder his brother in cold blood" feels like the wrong angle. It's more like, Aemond is evil enough to keep his brother alive but weakened to keep him in a state of tortured subservience to so he can keep feeling empowered & dominant.
Just want to commend you on these videos. Other channels just seem to point out the obvious in their “explanation videos”. But these videos actually present background and connections
@32:30 Bobby B never wanted to be king either. He lived for fighting, drinking, and whoring. He would have been a bad king if he didn't have good help, simply because he had no interest in ruling. The main reason his reign was so successful is him leaving the actual business of ruling to his Hand Jon Arryn
these are such good recaps; it’s become part of my routine to watch these before the new episode; thank you for your diligent work on these videos!!!
they help break everything down so well for me; because i’ve read the book fire and blood but i have awful ADHD and sometimes processing the episodes is rough lol; gotta maximize my knowledge of the GoT universe!!
Personally I think blaming Viserys for the Dance of the Dragons is a lil overblown. Sure, he could have been more proactive to totally prevent it, but he was surrounded by schemers looking to push their own personal agendas. While he was king, the realm was at peace and it seems like the smallfolk were able to live relatively happy lives. In my mind, that sounds like a pretty stable realm led by the king. Idk I just feel like Vizzy T deserves better 🥺
Agreed. Viserys wasn't perfect, but he was a good and peaceful king who didn't want senseless wars or violence. I think we can put a lot more of the blame on Otto's scheming and the dynastic system in general.
Not to mention Daemon's inability to be chill. If Daemon had been someone worthy of giving power, Viserys would have happily named him his Heir and Hand.
I just want to give a “thank you” to Alt Shift X. He’s been making excellent content for years. I was an early Patreon, went away, then came back years later to now. This bastard is quality in a handbag
Knowing that Rhaenyra and Mysaria were not supposed to kiss kind of bothers me, because a hug and a make out session have entirely different implications. I'm surprised the director decided to go with it.
They are idiots man what do you expect
honestly i agree, but i like the kiss more with the idea that its not supposed to be a good 'romantic' thing but just showing their bad habits. more just Mysaria lacking human contact and Rhaenyra continuing her habit of trying to shag her way out of relationship problems (attepted daemon when she was falling out with her closest friend alicent, criston when daemon backed out, daemon when she lost harwin and so on)
What is up with kids today being so weirded out by sexuality. It’s a kiss. This happens in acting all the time. It ain’t that serious.
@jimmyramos1989 it's not just "a kiss", it doesn't happen in a vaccum. Rhaenyra is a queen, married and embroiled in a military conflict. Any indication of her misbehaving or losing the plot could massively derail everything she's working for.
Her making out with another woman in the throes of emotion makes this look like an episode of desperate housewives.
@@StripesZB I don’t think the moralization of her current position applies in this universe. This is a world where people use the facade of duty and tradition, when in reality they flawed and complicated. Also, the Targeryans come from a country where degeneracy is the societal norm. Basically, scenes like that are contextual. But even more so, subjective. Also, sexual tension is commonplace-especially in a fictional world where people fly literal dragons.
I love that you release these right before the next episode
That first Dragonseed scene with Darklyn might be my favorite scene theyve ever done for either show. Especially with the monks chanting a song to summon the dragons, hits so different seeing and hearing it. Some wicked stuff.
It’s stupid. Jaehaerys sung that to Vermithor. Now they are tryna make it mainstream like everything lmao
I honestly look forward to these every Sunday morning now
Also, I love seasmokes sounds when he's chasing Addam.
I find myself looking forward to the Q&A’s and Live Stream as much or more than the episodes 😅🖤🐉
Episodes 4-6 have had basically 1 plot charging thing. Aegon and the old lady diedish with their dragons.
Blacks are chillin, greens are chillin, peasents still pissed lol me too.
Daemond doing mushrooms on holiday
I think the bug that stopped singing was about Allicent no longer having a voice in running the kingdom.
It was stupid af for Rhaenyra to try to get a rider for Seasmoke first, knowing full well that Laenor might still be alive….. should have started with Silverwing.
Bless the Seven for another great video
old gods are better
Shifty is back!!!!!
1.9 million subs sounds about right, these videos and after episode reviews that are 3 hours long I salute you!
"Only one thing can bring AltShiftX and AltSchwiftX together..."
Me: Glidus?! 😮
"...Nebula."
Me: yes, of course... totally
alas, even i am not that powerful
Good synopsis brother. Well done.
The most shocking thing to me was to see Sylvie of all people bad mouthing Aemond. When it seemed like she cared for him and he was quite fond of her
That was before Aemond said she was just a whore and meant nothing to him when confronted by Aegon
Ngl I was really expecting Laenor to return to his family after hearing news war broke out in the east, and the Velaryon’s decide to use the “Adam” moniker as just a secret identity
The only dialogue common from GoT S1E1 to HotD S2E6 - "Maybe Incest is Bad"
I don’t mind waiting till Sunday! As long as it’s a Alt Shift X video I’ll wait
I think the kiss was a stress relief thing… Rhaenara is just stressed.
this tbh. the kiss aint supposed to be a big romantic thing, its just what she does. because of how Daemon groomed her, she's pretty consistent when it comes to shagging whenever her relationship problems / life problems get too stressful. (she's falling out with alicent? go after daemon) (daemon backs out? go for criston) (harwin dies? go for daemon) that sorta stuff
Thanks for this and all your content. It really helps me with remembering what happened last week. It is also very reminiscent of the "Last week on Soap" bumpers from that classic comedy.
Not that this is a crucial detail or anything important but that dog that Hugh pats is not Cheese’s dog, it’s a different breed, when it turns around you can see its face has blue eyes and a Merle coat.
Thank you Alt Shift X
Seasmoke picks Addam because Seasmoke is nearsighted and can't tell him and Laenor apart. This is why Seasmoke didn't burn Ser Steffon untill he got close enough that Seasmoke could tell he wasn't Laenor.
😂
Thanks for your service to this show!