Fair enough. I always interpreted the "first men" as the Picts, making them Scots, with Andals being Angles (and Saxoxs). A lot of the iinherent disadvantages of the Northerners remind me of the disadvantages of the Scots relative to the English. Also, the terrain they show around Winterfell looks more like the Scottish highlands than York to me But I wouldn't bet anything of value on it.
you know, I didn't even think about the Andal-Anglo connection. I think part of the fun of GoT is trying to figure out which historical character or realm that GRRM is using for a particular subject. My personal theory is that the Ironborn would be closer to the Scots or Welsh.
I always thought of the Ironborn being Irish in that they were islanders, maybe even a play on the "Aran Islands" off the coast of Ireland.
Stark = York, Lannister = Lancaster, Wall = Hadrian's Wall, wildlings = Scots, Red Wedding = Black Dinner, Lord of light = Zoroastrianism and Cathars/Albigensian crusade. Martin has always said Wars of the Roses (not war) and Albigensian Crusade were huge influences so no shock or suprise at similarities. It is not a cohesive historical narrative, though, he just pilfers situations and reworks them.
I was surprised to learn that the Red Wedding had some historical basis too: http://www.nerdist.com/2013/06/george-r-r-martin-explains-the-red-weddings-historical-roots/
The (limited number of) books that I have that significantly touch on the subject refer to it as the "War of the Roses". Presumably in the same way that the Hundred Years War is not the Hundred Years Wars. Despite being multiple conflicts, they all dealt with the same subject. Wikipedia lists it your way, so I guess maybe "the kids" have changed it, but in middle age, I will continue referring to it as I learned it. Aldo, history.com refers to it as both "The War" and "The Wars". Examples of the singular: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-war-of-the-roses http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/war_of_roses.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/...uld-descend-into-second-War-of-the-Roses.html http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/tudors/waroftheroses.htm In another timely example, my neuroscience professors all called what is now known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Jakob-Creutzfeldt Disease. I remember it was called both ways, as Jakob discovered it first, but Creutzfeldt was alphabetically first. Apparently, at some point, it was settled the other way, but it is permanently burned into my brain as Jakob-Creutzfeldt Disease.
"The Wars of the Roses" was coined in the 1820's by Sir Walter Scott. David Hume referred to it as "Wars of the Two Roses" in the 1760's. "The kids" did not change it to "wars". If anything, I think that (American) high school textbooks changed it to "war" to make it easier. I know I was taught "war" in school but I already knew the historical term and how academics referred to it.
I was a bit disappointed with this episode, especially since the second to last episode of the season is usually the most shocking and entertaining! But I suppose that sets the stage for an exciting season finale.
To me this was the first time in the show that they are really giving us onscreen a battle worthy of it's scale. The Battle of the Blackwater we got a CGI explosion and Tyrion chopping a guy's leg off. Did we even see Rob's army other than the Red Wedding? I'm glad they're finally giving a major battle it's due and not just covering it in a scene or two (or less).
I really liked this episode, finally a good mix of heroes and villains. Do bodies only come back to life in the North? I don't quite get that concept yet. I'm assuming it's the snow that does something.
From last week. Did anyone else find it a little cheesy how Sansa was in a Sith Lord outfit after she told a lie for Littlefinger?
Thought it was a great battle and a really solid episode with lots of fantastic action scenes, but it just felt a little hollow, probably due to the fact that the battle featured characters that have either not been featured or developed a lot (the crows) or people who I don't like (slynt and Thorne).
Is Sam the author's self insert? Because it's very difficult for me to care about Sam. I just flat out don't like the guy. RIP Pip and Grenn
