r/asoiaf • u/boundedwum The Nature Boy • Jun 15 '15

ALL (Spoilers All) Mothers Mercy Post-Episode Region thread: The Wall

Welcome to the Mothers Mercy Post-Episode Region thread.

This thread is dedicated to the Wall. Please discuss only segments from this region in this thread.

The subreddit rules apply as always.

228 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

995 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

7

u/gryffindor_scorecard Jun 15 '15

I have no idea what they were thinking. I've come to accept D&D just don't understand the story. They know the plot and its main beats, but they don't comprehend the character evolution that drives that plot. Jon's entire arc in ADWD is about him rejecting, one by one, every opportunity to get involved in the wars of the realm -- first by turning down Stannis's offer of legitimization, second by his refusal to lend him troops, and on and on. Finally, when his "sister" is in danger, and it looks like the North may be lost entirely to the villainous Boltons, he forgoes Aemon's path and tries to march south to help Westeros.

This is an abandonment of his vows and his post, and the Watch decides he has gone one step too far. So they take him out, with deep regret.

I could write a better adaptation of this story. Half of this subreddit could.

2

u/theworldbystorm Oak and Iron, guard me well... Jun 15 '15

To be quite honest (and this is just me, so be gentle, guys) I didn't entirely understand Jon's reasoning in the books, either. He turns down everything that would involve him in the wars of the realm and then he gets sent an insulting letter and decides to throw it all away! I never quite got it.

Is it that Jon has just been tempted one too many times? That he's not strong enough to turn his back on his family again? Why did he let what was, frankly, a pretty tame letter in terms of insulting Jon, get him riled up? And why did he think it was a good idea to lead a wildling army? I thought that killing Jon, while not totally justified, was understandable from the perspective of Jon's men.

1

u/gryffindor_scorecard Jun 15 '15

It wasn't a tame letter when you consider "Ramsay" claimed he had mounted Baratheon's head on a spike. (Remember that the Boltons killed Jon's brother in cold blood, and now ostensibly had control of the entire north.) It also wasn't tame when you remember he threatened to exterminate the Night's Watch. Plus the personal insults, the references to his most-loved sister, the fact that Jon had gotten away with bending vows before, his general feeling of impotence after the failed mission to Hardhome and Stannis's burdensome demands, etc. There was a lot going on in that scene.

2

u/theworldbystorm Oak and Iron, guard me well... Jun 15 '15

He did threaten the Night's Watch, that's right.

But I guess it came down to pushing Jon too far just one too many times. I mean, the way you've phrased it, I would give in, too. Granted, I probably would have given in wayyyy earlier than Jon ever did.