A refresher on The Winds of Winter storylines

It’s been 10 years since the last book in the Song of Ice and Fire series came out. Let’s refresh our memories for (cross your fingers and toes) The Winds of Winter.

The highly anticipated sixth installment of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter, will attempt to wrap up a complicated set of plotlines from A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. Tucked away in a secluded cabin in the mountains, the author continues to write, while fans of the series continue to wait.

Yet The Winds of Winter presents Martin with his toughest challenge yet, since there is such a huge mass of storylines to continue and thread together. Martin talked to The Guardian about these issues in 2018:

"I’ve been struggling with it for a few years. The Winds of Winter is not so much a novel as a dozen novels, each with a different protagonist, each having a different cast of supporting players, antagonists, allies and lovers around them, and all of these weaving together against the march of time in an extremely complex fashion."

For many readers, it’s been some time since they visited Westeros and Essos. With Martin (hopefully) announcing some news soon, now seems as good a time as any for a refresher. Where will the story pick up when The Winds of Winter comes out?

In the North

Winterfell, once home to the Starks, is overrun by Boltons and a rabble of Northmen. They will all soon face off against Stannis Baratheon in a fight the fans have dubbed the Battle of Ice. Stannis and his troops are freezing and trapped in a relentless snow storm, awaiting an assault from the other side.

After a failed escape from Wintefell, Theon and Jeyne Poole jumped from the castle into the snow and found their way to Stannis’ camp, where Asha Greyjoy is startled to see the condition of her brother. On Stannis’ orders, Theon is set to be sacrificed to the Old Gods for his crimes against the Stark family. Meanwhile, keep an eye on Tycho Nestoris, a representative of the Iron Bank of Braavos on a path to the Wall. With him goes Jeyne Poole, whom the Boltons had been passing off as Arya Stark. Roose Bolton arranged for her to marry his son Ramsay Bolton as part of the family’s attempt to solidify its hold on the North.

At and Beyond the Wall

Jon Snow meant to lead men to Hardhome to rescue wildlings and men of the Night’s Watch before receiving a letter from Ramsay Bolton. The Bastard of Bolton claimed that he had captured Mance Rayder, who had infiltrated Winterfell as a spy, and defeated Stannis Baratheon. Now he was turning his attention to Winterfell.

Jon leaves Tormund in command of the mission to Hardhome and prepares to ride south with men of the Night’s Watch. In doing so, he breaks his Night’s Watch vows. Seeing it as a betrayal, Bowen Marsh and other men stab Jon Snow multiple times — “For the Watch.” Before he passes out, his last thought of Ghost.

Beyond the Wall, Bran, Hodor, Jojen and Meera remain in the cave of the Children of the Forest. But Jojen, who had been growing distant, and Meera are not seen in the last Bran chapter we have. Bran, training with the Three-Eyed Crow, is fed a bowl of weirwood paste to awaken his green-seeing abilities and has various visions.

And, of course, the Others march south.

In the Riverlands

The final Brienne chapter in A Feast For Crows sees her going in and out of consciousness after outlaws deliver her to Lady Stoneheart, a reincarnated Catelyn Stark now leading the Brotherhood Without Banners. Lady Stoneheart gives her an ultimatum: kill Jaime Lannister or die. Brienne of Tarth, Podrick, and their traveling companion Ser Hyle Hunt are about to be hanged until they are dead when Brienne yells out the word: “sword,” meaning she has agreed to kill Jaime.

Meanwhile, Jaime has finished his dealings with the warring Blackwoods and Brackens in the Riverlands, and with Edmure Tully at Riverrun. Brienne finds him on his way back to King’s Landing, and claims that she has found Sansa. She requests that Jaime come with her alone, or else Sandor Clegane will kill the girl.

Is this part of Brienne’s plan to kill Jaime as she agreed? Or is she playing a deeper game and planning to turn on Lady Stoneheart? Either way, the effort at subterfuge must be killing her.

King’s Landing

While a prisoner of the Faith in King’s Landing, Cersei Lannister hears news that Arys Oakheart is dead and that her daughter Myrcella has lost an ear down in Dorne. Seeing a chance in the open Kingsguard position, she asks her uncle Kevan to approach Qyburn for a replacement. After walking from the Great Sept of Baelor to the Red Keep in atonement for her few confessed sins, Cersei is introduced by Qyburn to a monstrous knight in Kingsguard armor named Ser Robert Strong, almost certainly the revivified body of Ser Gregor Clegane.

Kevan Lannister, ruling as regent in the Capital and trying to restore order, and Grand Maester Pycelle are killed by Varys, who has been hiding in the city since the murder of Tywin Lannister. His goal is to loosen Tommen’s hold on the Iron Throne as Aegon Targaryen, who he has known about all this time, invades Westeros.

The Stormlands and the Citadel

New players Aegon Targaryen and Jon Connington, along with the mercenary Golden Company, have landed in Westeros, attacking Griffin’s Roost and other small castles in the Stormlands. They plan to take Storm’s End, and Aegon intends to lead the siege himself.

At the same time, Princess Arianne Martell travels to Griffin’s Roost from Dorne to propose an alliance with Aegon, which likely means a marriage.

In Oldtown, Sam has arrived at the Citadel, leaving Gilly behind at his family home in Horn Hill. Finally gaining entry, he meets Alleras “the Sphinx” (probably one of the Sand Snakes posing as a man) and Marwyn the Mage, a crotchety archmaester considered mad by some of his colleagues. Marwyn talks about dragonglass and a magical obsidian candle before making it known his plans to travel to Slaver’s Bay, leaving Alleras and a boy named Pate to watch after Sam.

As these events are going on, an Ironborn fleet has made its way to the western sea to fight Redwyne and Hightower ships. Aeron Damphair witnesses Euron Greyjoy prepare for battle armored in Valyrian steel.

Across the Narrow Sea

The second siege of Meereen, known to fans as the upcoming Battle of Fire, takes place after Daenerys Targaryen has disappeared from the city. A coalition of slavers attack Meereen in an attempt to restore slavery, catapulting sickly bodies over the walls. Quentyn Martell has accidentally let Viserion and Rhaegal out of their underground chamber, and they’re now rampaging through the city. Barristan Selmy, who is basically now ruling the place in Daenerys’ name, intends to battle the slavers with Unsullied soldiers and any other warrior he can find.

On the other side of the battle, Tyrion Lannister has led himself, Penny, and Jorah Mormont to the tents of the Second Sons, led by Brown Ben Plumm. He’s made an agreement with Plumm to join the mercenary company in exchange for giving Plumm a lordship in the future. However, Tyrion and Jorah both agree they are on the losing side of the coming battle, and Tyrion implies he will use his influence to get the Second Sons to switch sides.

As the fighting begins, another sellsword company, the Windblown, turn cloak for Daenerys, and soon the Second Sons follow. Victarion Greyjoy, in route to Meereen or orders from his brother Euron but nursing his own pans, is spotted by Tyrion, who sees ships flying the Kraken banner.

In the Dothraki Sea, Daenerys wanders her way back to Meereen and has a number of hallucinations before falling to the ground, bleeding and dying. A Dothraki scout appears, stunned at the sight of Drogon, and then flees. Khal Jhago, formerly a follower of Khal Drogo, and his warriors return to find Daenerys devouring a charred horse with her dragon.

This living and breathing epic fantasy series remains as complicated as ever. As George R.R. Martin continues to work on The Winds of Winter, consider the quantity of storylines the author is attempting to weave together in a convincing way. Hopefully, the payoff will be worth the wait.

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