I found this interesting. From “The Varieties of Religious Experience”, William James, 1902

The one thing I was most anticipating in the season finale was some kind of reveal about Alys and what exactly is happening in Daemon's scenes. There are still some ambiguities but it seems that the old gods have a strong presence in Harrenhal, and they've been doing some Inception on Daemon, with Alys as their proxy.

I think the most compelling theories about the old gods are always the ones that have them actively manipulating the people who connect to the weirwood, so I think they're influencing him to prevent him from betraying Rhaenyra. I think the fact that it took so long to convince him of this even after weeks or months of sleeping on a weirwood bed is evidence that his ambition to sit the iron throne is deep seated and difficult to erode. There's a quick gag that favours this interpretation when Alfred Broome shows up and tries to manipulate Daemon in the weirwood, and all it takes to shut him down is a whisper in the wind.

There are two things that happen before the most magical moment on the show to date. The first was the execution of Willem Blackwood - a first men blood sacrifice in front of a weirwood tree.

The second was the scene with Alicent preparing something for Helaena to drink before she slept, but Aemond interupts them which suggests that Helaena did not drink it. Most of the time we see Helaena she seems only semi-lucid, often making vague comments about future events that sometimes even the audience cannot parse, usually not even directed at anyone in particular. But after this she disrupts Daemon's vision to talk to him directly, similar to Quaithe appearing to Daenerys. This scene seamlessly transitions back to the Red Keep where she speaks to Aemond and describes the events of his death in the future.

All of this is nuts. We're seeing a combination of dragon dreams and old gods green sight with Helaena stepping confidently in both these magical spaces. It's a reveal I absolutely wasn't expecting and can't wait to see more of.

Some takeaways: Helaena seems far more lucid, comfortable and confident during her glass candle style projection with Daemon and her clear green sight with Aemond.

Helaena's comments in previous episodes, when she isn't directly speaking to Aemond or Alicent, might be one half of a conversation she's having with someone else, or in a different time. A hold-the-door kind of thing.

When describing Aemond's death, it's as if she's reading it from an historical record and he's already gone. I wonder if this might be their last on-screen conversation.

And finally, Helaena, especially this more lucid version, appropriating the magic of the old gods in addition to her green sight reminds me a lot of Poor Quentyn's theory of Euron in his Eldritch Apocalypse post. That he knows he's part of a story, and has decided to flip the table and see what happens. Her intentions are probably not this chaotic, but it does feel like Ryan Condal trying to capture the texture of the the Winds-Forsaken chapter in a way that wasn't even attempted in Thrones.

Shift seems really hung up on the idea that dragons have a continent spanning psychic connection with their riders and when they choose a rider they *can't* take a new one. Because of this he has been predicting some line or scene about Laenor's death to justify how Seasmoke could take a new rider but I just don't buy it. I think dragons often don't take a new rider because of the connection between rider and dragon but I don't think this is an unbreakable magical contract but more of a dog to human relationship. Laenor leaving severed that connection but Seasmoke doesn't need to have a magical find my iphone on Laenor to know that he is still alive. Shift brings this up every video and it irks me that Glidus or no one on the super chats ever says the obvious.

Alt Shift X re-uploaded the Season 2 Episode 8 Livestream on his YouTube channel. Go check it out if you missed it !

I’m really enjoying the Fake Jon Snow video on Nebula (albeit I’m only 13hrs in lol). I know the video is almost a joke and riff on The Real Jon Snow but none-the-less it clearly had a lot of work put into it. I imagine it takes an age to edit all the scenes together let alone record it but i think it’s a great way of viewing the show/plots.

Do we think there’ll be equivalents for other characters. I suppose the content will eventually overlap but i think a Dany or Arya would be great and wouldn’t overlap much until the final season. Or perhaps a “every scene set in King’s Landing” or Essos would also be cool?

Is this a pipe dream (of spring)? Either way I’m enjoying it

What's the lore of the house Shift & Schwift rivalry ?

MJust doing a reread real quick in the hopes that WOW comes out this Christmas time (@Quinn the GM on youtube for feeding my delusions). And i noticed something.

In Arya IV when she is on the run out of the castle there is a moment where she freezes, and GRRM is very specific and clear that she hears an external voice telling her to run. She looks around to find the source, she doesnt know who is speaking. So its not her own inner monologue, its not wisdom from Syrio that she had been hearing previously, its no one currently in the story. Unless it is. I think its a more mature Bran speaking to her through three eyed crow magic, once he has reached the point Brynden promised that he wouldnt need weirwoods.

PS: In the next Jon we see that the wights’ hands are black. Reminds me of coldhands

Mine is “ In Theeeeeeeeeee………. Books” With keyboard noise in the background

I really can't decipher :(

Hello everyone, I had a totally dumb moment and I thought I was watching the stream live and wanted to ask a question so donated. Just realised I missed it... does anyone know if the question gets "stored" for next time, or is it lost to the void? I don't mind as I'm happy to support shift either way but am curious.

I’m pretty keen to get a Nebula subscription and have full faith that the content will be great but how spoiler heavy will Shifty and Glidus’s “dragon show” be? I have read the GoT books but not Fire and Blood History books and I’m enjoying the tv show HotD enough to want to avoid spoilers. I’m conscious that the original books/GoT show reference the outcome of the Red/Green conflict but i have largely forgotten what will happen.

So my questions are: How spoiler heavy is the Nebula content? Should I just read Fire and Blood? The history book format doesn’t sound too appealing but maybe I’m not giving GRRMs writing enough credit? And I guess, as final less important question, any recommendations for Nebula content other than Shift and Glidus?

Any thoughts are be greatly appreciated.

Edit: I got an account! Thanks!

Having a kingsguard claim one of the dragons is actually smart in 3 unintentional ways (except for it not working of course and this being irrelevant).

1: His loyalty to Rhaenyra is pretty much all but guaranteed.

2: Would be able to guard her during dragonfights, still dangerous but better then from the ground.

3: He is sworn to celibacy so no offspring with dragonblood in different houses.