Brienna's "Last" word

[Dolorous Nate]

Originally Posted by JohnSnow

Martin has already said that the ending is not a real happy one. I guess he could be lying, but he really hasn't so far, so why start now.

I agree with Raven, that in some ways Brienne is the most Heroic character in the books. And in contrary to prior belief, POV characters are gonna start biting it. As the story winds down some of them are going to die, and a heroine such as Brienne is going to die in a way befitting her outlook on life.

Look at some of the major death's in the story. Ned dies by his own sword, swung by a man without honour. Joff, the vile, hideous child is poisoned. Tywin, whose whole outlook in the series is to advance the position of the Lannisters gets capped on the potty taking a numero dos. Rob who has some gift for military strategy and can coordinate three armies striking at the same time gets ambushed at his wedding. Even catelyn dies killing someone else’s child, and like a lot of events in her life is a poor trade. The life of a halfwit fool for her own son and his entire army.

Brienne will die but I would assume it will be something that will offer her some peace. Perhaps she will die in process of killing Melisandre once she knows that the red woman is responsible for renly's death.

Damn you people are good... The part about Martin saying the ending isn't happy does not surprise me but has me worried.

It would be just like him to end the series with some heart-rending Red Weddingesque life sucks plot ties, and after what he's laid upon us during the series, if he ends it as a total tradgedy I can verifiably say I will be pissed off.

*Update*

That being said... I will be incredibly satisfied with WHATEVER happens as long as the series does reach a completion at some point.

[viZion]

I think his exact word for the ending was that it would be "bittersweet". I take that to mean that it won't it be a complete emo fest. I take it to mean that that "good" guys will win some and the "bad" guys will win some. In other words, it won't end up being <insert hero/heroine> completely in control and with peace and love and happiness for all like most fantasy series.

Somewhere in one of these threads some of us make predictions about what that bittersweet ending will be. I think I said one of the things would be that the Lannisters ultimately retain their power..there won't be any comeuppance for them. Something like that.

[IlliferThePenniless]

I've always been of the opinion that people try to read too much into the promised bittersweet ending. That could mean a lot of different things and it's pretty much impossible what bittersweet means specifically. I expect some characters I dislike will get their just desserts and some will unjustly prosper. I expect some characters I like and admire will end up rewarded for for their nobility and virtue while others will die or find themselves punished.

Anything more specific then that seems to be the pointless kind of speculation.

[viZion]

Originally Posted by IlliferThePenniless

Anything more specific then that seems to be the pointless kind of speculation.

You mean, like about 99% of the content on these forums? The whole point of being here is to pointlessly speculate. I think you just hurt Boaz's feelings.

[IlliferThePenniless]

Not all speculation is pointless. Some speculation is textually based, or at least is based on inference from the text. Bittersweet can mean so many different things it doesn't end up illuminating much.

[TK-421]

Bittersweet could mean different things for different characters. For example, Dany could end up on the throne but she may pay a very heavy price for it.

[Landroval]

Originally Posted by Detritus

I know I'm draggging an old thread up buuuuuut....

I think she says "Stannis."

Why?

I'm in the process of rereading the books from start to middle and have just come to Renly's death in aCoK. Brienne is talking with Catelyn about what she will do after leaving her when they have arrived at Riverrun and says that she swore to kill Stannis no matter what "I swore a vow. Three times i swore. You heard me."

After offering to serve Catelyn Brienne says "...And I think that, when the time comes, you wil not try and hold me back. Promise me that. That you will not hold me back from Stannis."

Catelyn's reply is "When the time comes, I will not hold you back."

Brilliant. I think this is as close as we are going to get without further word from George.

[xLORDSNOWx]

What if she yells "Mercy!" just as Cat asked for at the RW?
Do you think that would move UnCat, or drive her further off the cliff?

[The Imp]

Originally Posted by xLORDSNOWx

What if she yells "Mercy!" just as Cat asked for at the RW?
Do you think that would move UnCat, or drive her further off the cliff?

Welcome to the board Lordsnow

I somehow think that "mercy" is going to get the job done

[Eulalia]

And even Brienne is running into some oath complications.

Her impact on Jaime is interesting, too.

[No One]

This is where I should've posted my original view on Brienne's last word, so I'll just say again...

I think Brienne has to say 'sword' and swear an oath to kill Jaime (seems like nothing less would/could satisfy Cat's 'frozen in vengeance' mindset. I like the idea that Brienne then breaks that oath, joining Jaime on the list of 'dishonourable' knights.

[No One]

Then again, Detritus makes a very good point about Stannis...

[TPA]

Originally Posted by Sabertooth

I think the last word Brienne says is "Sapphires" fwiw. Not sure why, but that's the first thought that popped into my head.

I was pondering the last word, and signed up here just to comment on it...but someone took my answer already

I agree with sapphires. GRRM brings elements of the story back for effect, like when the red woman says "you know nothing jon snow."

It was a single word "sapphires" that saved her from being raped.

In the telling, I think it will fall out by her putting some puzzle pieces together using the idea of ransom (sapphires). She will figure out that someone is holding Sansa for her claim to Winterfell, and puzzles out that it is littlefinger.

Sapphires by itself will not save her life, she will follow it with a rush of words. maybe "sapphires" followed by narrated thought, then "she is with littlefinger" or something.

Any other word would be lacking that dramatic effect.

[Koopa]

Doubt that, Brienne isn't smart enough to figure that out.
She wouldn't even recognise Sansa with her dyed her...

1000th post....Not that it matters.... still i've post a lot on this forum

[The Imp]

Originally Posted by KiwiBird

Doubt that, Brienne isn't smart enough to figure that out.
She wouldn't even recognise Sansa with her dyed her...

1000th post....Not that it matters.... still i've post a lot on this forum

hehe, you should post that on the "obsessed" thread