AZOR AHAI: Alternative Theories
Definitely Jon Snow could be Azor Ahai.
And since the publication of A Dance with Dragons, it's been a popular--probably the most popular--candidate for the role for various reasons, for reasons copiously detailed elsewhere.
Particularly significant and less ambiguous than the other pieces of evidence is Melisandre's vision in the flames.
Whether the Prince that was Promised is the same as Azor Ahai/Last Hero is up for debate. But it seems that Melisandre and Aemon think they are the same.
But, obviously the slaves and R'hllor-ites of Essos (not to mention Maester Aemon) think it's Dany and she seems another obvious candidate for it;but fan sentiment has turned against her in general and the arrow of the compass seems to be pointing more towards Jon Snow.
But I'm going to offer three alternative theories that I like, just for fun. I'm going to assume AAR and TPTWP are indeed the same person.
1. AZOR AHAI IS NEITHER JON SNOW OR DAENERYS TARGARYen. In trying to think 'outside the box' on this issue, I hope that the Chosen One is not the tropey Jon Snow and Daenerys.
I hope it's someone relatively unexpected, like Jaime or Brienne. Or Theon. Or Bran. Or Sam 'The Slayer' Tarly. Or even Stannis.
You can look at any of their stories, and play around with the symbology of the myth(the Last hero and his Dog; the myth of the making of Lightbringer) and spin theories of your own.
My personal favorite candidate for this is either Jaime or Brienne, with Oathkeeper being the potential Lightbringer. Mainly because I think it would be quite a character arc for Jaime.
2. AZOR AHAI DIED ON THE TRIDENT
Rhaegar really was the Prince that Was Promised. And, whoops! Robert Baratheon killed him before he had a chance to save the world. This one amuses me to no end.
3. There are two Azor Ahais.
Two of them. Two opposing prophecies. A Prophecy of Ice. A prophecy of Fire. A Last Hero who stops the demonic and cold Others. A Last Hero who stands up against the all-destructive fiery force of the Dragons.
These two figures are destined to clash. (And wouldn't that be awesome?)
( 4. There is no Azor Ahai.
The Prophecy is a bunch of meaningless drivel; symbolic , metaphorical, meaningless (and for readers, incredibly vague and incomplete) that people interpret anyway they want. Like the Book of Revelations. The Ten Headed Beast is Roman Empire! It's the Catholic Church! It's the European Union! It's the USA! The world banking system! The Internet! The Anti-christ is JFK! It's Hitler! It's Obama!
Wars are fought, revolutions staged, children are burned at the stake in sacrifice, all with the intent of chasing the idea of a murky mythological figure who will not appear in any definitive way. Or GRRM will never reveal it and will provide clues that point to several characters that might be a good (but never a perfect) fit.
Readers would thus be caught up in the same conflict arguing about who Azor Ahai is because no answer is forthcoming. There are only vague hints that require logical leaps and creative guesses on the reader's part.
This last is my favorite 'alternative' theory. Although perhaps it's too...post Song of Ice and Fire, or something.
I think we're going to get more details of what exactly the prophecy entails in the next book. New theories will be spun.
No comments:
Post a Comment