Post by Ser Duncan on May 15, 2016 1:26:30 GMT
I was just trying to find an old interview with Martin on the subject of the Drowned Men that Damphair baptises and came across one from Asshai.com, the Spanish website which has interviewed him on two occasions.
So in this interview, that I had my wife translate for me (it's great to have a translator so handy ) Martin is asked why the Starks have such few family members in comparison to the Lannisters and Freys. His answer is most interesting because he says this on the matter --
Now if you run all this through a translator --
Now I don't know if Martin is keeping to the 'official' tale with this statement, or if he's actually giving something away here. The slight allusion to Jon at the end of the response is interesting, since he's just stated that Lyanna died without issue.
So in this interview, that I had my wife translate for me (it's great to have a translator so handy ) Martin is asked why the Starks have such few family members in comparison to the Lannisters and Freys. His answer is most interesting because he says this on the matter --
Es cierto que ahora mismo los Frey y los Lannister tienen familias muy amplias. Los Stark ahora son escasos. Pero hay varias cosas que han influido: en el Norte son habituales los conflictos; alguna rama de los Stark se ha ido separando tiempo atrás y ha formado su propia Casa (los Karstark son el ejemplo, pero puede haber más)...y hay que tener en cuenta la situación en este momento: los hijos de Ned ya sabemos cómo están; Brandon y Lyanna murieron sin descendencia; Benjen entró en la Guardia de la Noche. Y hay otro tema muy importante a considerar: el Norte es especial. Al Norte no lo gobierna cualquiera. Recordad la conversación entre Robb y Cat cuando precisamente hablan de este tema: Cat le habla de un familiar lejano del Valle con sangre Stark, y Robb dice "no puede gobernar el Norte, jamás lo ha pisado. Hay una opción mucho más cercana", y entonces es Cat la que dice "jamás". Bien, acabas de rechazar dos opciones de golpe.
Now if you run all this through a translator --
It is true that right now the Freys and the Lannisters have very large families. The Starks are now scarce. But there are several things that have influenced this: in the North conflicts are common; a branch of the Starks has been separated long ago and has formed its own house (the Karstark are an example, but there may be more)... and you have to take into account the situation at the moment: we already know how Ned's children are; Brandon and Lyanna died without descendents; Benjen entered the Night's Watch. And there is another very important issue to consider: the North is special. The North isn't ruled by just anyone. Remember the conversation between Robb and Cat when they talk precisely about this topic: Cat talks of a distant family member with blood Stark in the Vale, and Robb says 'he cannot govern the North, he has never stepped on it. There is a much closer option', and then it's Cat that says 'never'. Well, you just reject two options at once.
Now I don't know if Martin is keeping to the 'official' tale with this statement, or if he's actually giving something away here. The slight allusion to Jon at the end of the response is interesting, since he's just stated that Lyanna died without issue.