Old Powers Part 8:
Part 2 of Bran the Builder, the legendary founder of House Stark.

Theories and analysis of A Song of Ice and Fire using text evidence and quotes from George RR Martin.

Art and Visual Images Courtesy of:
Pamela Mertz-Lady Green Hand
Game of Thrones
Paul Taaks-Green Hand Knight
Fantasy Flight Games

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41 COMMENTS

  1. I am continuously impressed with you guys. You're so badass. It amazes me how thorough and well supported your videos are. There is literally no other you tube channel like yours. You guys are pros. You're on another level than everyone else thats for sure.

  2. I still don't see how the powers of Bran the Builder are coming back. Is somebody going to build something magical and strong like Winterfell, Wall or Storm's End? If you could answer my question. The Old Powers are waking videos are excellent (haven't watched the Lady Forlorn yet) but the "Bran the Builder 1&2" show no way how they are coming back in action.

  3. In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved grotesque with a spout designed to convey water away from the side of a building or roof. In other words, they're called grotesques, unless they have spouts, then you can call them GARGOYLES

  4. Spoiler for Ep 5

    In last nights episode Jon tells Dany 'I wish you good fortune in the wars to come'. A line, to the best of my knowledge, only ever said by Arthur Dayne and Mance Rayder (who is possibly Arthur Dayne himself). Do you think it's possible this is the show hinting at a book truth that they changed for the show?

  5. If bran the builder used fire magic to create smooth walls, the 5 forts have smooth black walls. There is a good reference to the smooth black stone of Asshai

    Theon goes waring and looses what is most important to him and his house? Sounds like another Theon we know

  6. Just a quick clarification. The lady forlorn you guys are talking about is the original sword that the sword lyn corberay wields currently is named after? So if it's out there missing you think it could somehow fall into jons hands? It would be pretty cool if Jon were to wield both ice of house stark and dawn of house dayne.

  7. Unrelated to the video but do you think you two could do a couples reaction to one or more of the new upcoming episodes of game of thrones? I think that would be awesome.

    I think it would be really interesting to see a live reaction from you two massive ASOIAF heads.

  8. I was just reading back through a game of thrones and something caught my attention and reminded me of this video. You're absolutely right about the timeline being messed up with the children and andals and long night but I noticed another inconsistency that I haven't ever seen anyone bring up.

    I assume most people would generally trust old nan as a pretty reliable source of information given her track record but on page 229 of a game of thrones when she is talking about the long night she says "they were cold things. Dead things that hated iron and fire and the touch of the sun"

    The others hate iron according to her…but we are told by every source I am aware of that the first men used bronze weapons and the dragon glass from the children. Iron supposedly came thousands of years later with the andals.

    Granted that quote may have been a mistake on GRRMs part and it's clearly a reference to the Irish Fey and their aversion to iron in Celtic mythology/folklore but if it was intentional on his part then that's a reference to first men iron weapons and if we stretch that to include alloys of iron you get Steel. Perhaps even a dragon steel of some kind.

    Worth considering at least.

  9. Classic response to being on the losing side of an argument, call the other guy a fool. And using a presidential quote to boost the condescension. Shucks if only I was clever like you I'd make a snide comment about how you're making a video series about gods shaping and effecting a world written by an author who is a vehement atheist. An author who shows us at every turn that "gods" in ice and fire are not actually gods but other forces that people perceive as gods, or just flat out lies. Have you read any other of Martin's works? He literally has dozens of stories where gods turn out to not actually be gods, but lies, or collective consciousness. If you think that George Martin's magnum opus is a world created by magical gods you're way off. The world is created by Martin, a man of science and reason, of real cause and effect. You simplify his work and his genius and his scope by saying it's all just made by the gods. That perception of ice and fire shows you lack understanding of Martin as a writer. "Water? Fuck your water. Bring me wine." The Hound

  10. Lol so to confirm once more, there is not a line of evidence in the books or on a website that say Mel shoots a fireball from her hands. Thanks for holding my hand thru that. And I'll try to save up that 5 bucks. Fireballs everyone! It never actually happened…but…fireballs!!

  11. We are told that the Valyrians were shepherds who were taught magic and
    how to tame dragons. Rather than the Valyrians having helped build the
    five forts, the maze on battle isle, etc. doesn't it make more sense
    that the use of black, seamless stone for building; the use of magic;
    and the ability to tame dragons all relates back to asshai and stygai?
    It seems to me that the shadowlands are clearly the genesis of magic and
    dragons and asshai and stygai seem to have suffered their own "doom"
    before Valyria even existed. Perhaps those who fled asshai and stygai
    became, or merged with, the valyrians and raised them out of their
    primitive state.

  12. Hey guys – loving the series as you add more content. However, I feel a little left out because I haven't read the books yet. Apart from a library (physical) or a bookshop, is there any way I could get my hands on the books (audio or written) for a decent price/free?

  13. Yaaaassss! I love you guys! Watching this the thought that GRRM only describes Tyrion as grotesque and twisted and like a gargoyle seems to be a subtle nod to the whole lion gargoyles thing. Especially since Jamie and Cersie are the only ones in or near the tower when Bran goes adventurering.

  14. I love your videos their magnificent.I have theory of my own and I would like to know your thoughts on it. Given the history and bloodtiese between the Starks, Backwoods, Tully's, Arryns, Royce's, Wyanwoods and others is it possible Jon will be King in the North, King of the Trident and King of the Vale.  Is it also possible that Aegon rule not only the Westerlands, Reach, Stromlands and Crownlands but the all the former Valyrian Empire. With that under his rule Aegon has no need for the Kingdoms of Jon or Dorne or the Iron Islands.

  15. Totally overlooked the Gargoyle connection between Dragonstone and Winterfell, overall an excellent thesis. I have a question. What is the best fortified castle in Westeros in your opinion? I would surmise between Storms End or Harrenhal.

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