Watchers on the Wall

By Red Aly

Every mystery embedded in A Song of Ice and Fire offers rich ground for theories to germinate as we wait for the conclusion of the series. The best theories are community-building pursuits as they inspire animated discussion among fans and maintain interest between books and between seasons. There is only one rule here: Keep it fun! Be warned: This series may contain major book spoilers and is intended for people who have read all of the A Song of Ice and Fire books released so far, as well as Fire and Blood. Based on F&B, this article contains probable spoilers for future episodes/seasons of House of the Dragon.

In A Song of Ice and Fire, the fabled Valyrian steel swords are impossible to overlook. George R.R. Martin devotes pages to building up their backstory and all the key characters’ arcs are influenced in some way by them to the extent that they could be considered characters themselves. Yet they are mysterious.  Their value is inseparable from the fact that no one knows how to make them anymore and so new ones cannot be made. They are priceless family heirlooms, their stories embedded in the stories of  the preeminent families of Westeros. Furthermore, it seems that not only is Valyrian steel very rare and valuable, but it is necessary in the coming fight against the threat from the North; while ordinary  steel shatters when it is used against White Walkers, Valyrian steel does not. This is therefore a crucial tension in the series.

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