Game of Thrones 6.10 "The Winds of Winter" 6/26/16 [Show discussion]

While this may be intended as a parody, we have no reason to assume the people are not human, with human responses. This is a fantasy world, not a science fiction one. The GoT world is a different reality, not a different planet or an ancient or future Earth. It has more in common with Narnia than with Middle-Earth or Pern. There are creatures depicted that might not have human responses, like the Children or White Walkers, but the people depicted are consistent with humans as we know them. When they act in ways that don’t make sense, it’s just as jarring as it would be in a story set in our own world.

Arguing over the scientific validity of dragons is incredibly missing the point.

In fantasy fiction, you accept the premises of the world. Magic exists, dragons can fly, people can be returned from the dead, whatever.

What’s important in fantasy fiction is that the world have its own internal consistency and coherence, that the rules are known to the reader before they are exploited, and that the people behave rationally given those rules. It’s easy in such a world to write yourself into a corner or to fall back on Deux Ex Machina plot contrivances if you’re lazy or sloppy.

So… Dragons exist? Fine. But the world had better behave consistently with that idea. We can forgive the first fleet of wooden ships that went up against Daeneris and her dragons because they didn’t know their capabilities or if they even still were a threat, but there had better not be a second, because no one with a lick of sense would fight dragons with wooden ships. That sort of thing.

Here’s a good example: In the new Star Trek reboot, we are supposed to believe that the technology exists to transport humans from Earth to the Klingon system. There are HUGE implications for that, but everyone behaves as if it doesn’t matter. That kind of internal inconsistency is worth criticizing - but not the concept of the transporter itself, which is equally fictional but was developed around a consistent framework for when it can or can’t be used and what it’s limitations are. Or were.

Regarding there being no more dragons, weren’t the three hatched from centuries old fossilized eggs? They could find some more.

I have highlighted the part of your post that is relevant to why I, for one, would have no problem believing a second, or even a third, fleet could go up against her. How many times have the slavers fucked with her, now? Some people just won’t be told, they have to touch the stoveplate for themselves.

The most likely fleet to attack her is Euron’s, who hasn’t actually encountered the dragons yet and seen their capabilities (although he has heard of them).

On the other hand, we have seen at least two Ironborn garrisons surrender to Ramsay, so they don’t appear to be the sharpest spears in the armory.

Better send someone to the dragon-egg mines!

The most likely place to find more would be Old Valyria, which is still a smoking ruin infested by Stone Men.

Do the Iron Islanders know about wargs on the show?

Assuming you meant to ask about dragons rather than wargs, at the Kingsmoot Euron says he knows Dany has three dragons and he intends to marry her and together conquer Westeros.

No, I meant wargs. Euron has heard about dragons, if the Islanders know about wargs, they might try to use them against the dragons.

To ble clear, my point (just an observation really) was the “scientifc validity” (i.e: plausibility) of a particular physical behavior in the GoT universe (and not transposed to our own).

Other than that I strongly agree with everything you said.

Knowing about wargs is one thing. It’s quite another to find someone with the ability, which I gather is rare.

It’s unclear if they have heard of them, but so far the only people we have seen with the ability to warg are wildlings and Northmen (and only Bran among the latter), that is, followers of the Old Gods. As followers of the Drowned Gods I wouldn’t expect the Ironborn to have the ability.

Well, I figure they are as hard to find as the show wants them to be. :wink: Just like everyone goes everywhere at the speed of plot.

Makes sense.

They call themselves human, so they are. Whatever differences they may have from us would therefore have to be given some kind of explanation.

Because apart from the mystical/supernatural, for which there is clear evidence in GoT, I assume people experience the same forces in Westeros as we would on earth when they swing a sword or jump off castle walls, etc.

When did we see anyone other than Bran or 3ER do it?

Orell, the wildling who accompanied Thormund’s group, who warged into an eagle, and a Thenn, a member of Styr’s group, who warged into an owl to spy on Castle Black.

Do you remember Orell? He was one of Mance Raider’s warging scouts; Jon kills him in “The Rains of Castamere”.

That was quick, Colibri. Well, you should know about birds.

Man, I don’t remember that at all. But I’ll take your guys’ word for it.

Wildling named Orell, with the eagle. Played by the weirdo dude from British “The Office”.

EDIT: Ninja’d.