tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post7675653402660196225..comments2024-03-28T18:32:05.933-04:00Comments on bensozia: The Ongoing Puzzle of George R.R. MartinJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01037215533094998996noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post-15160403425401283512019-11-04T19:57:12.776-05:002019-11-04T19:57:12.776-05:00Blackfyre is the name of the Valyrian steel sword ...Blackfyre is the name of the Valyrian steel sword that the Targaryen kings used to wield, but a certain foolish king named Aegon gave it, not to his legitimate heir Daeron, but to one of his bastards, Daemon. Daemon eventually rebelled against his brother, taking as his symbol not the red-on-black dragon of House Targaryen, but a black dragon on red; the two sides came to be known as the red dragon and the black dragon, and people say, "I fought for the black dragon." The rebellion was decided in a battle called the Redgrass Field, where the forces of the legitimate king, led by a sinister, sorcerous minister known as Bloodraven, were victorious.<br /><br />Reading this, I couldn't help but think it sounds an awful lot like Arthurian legend.<br /><br />Two dragons, a red one symbolizing the victorious legitimate forces, and a black one (inverted from white) representing a defeated opposition; a legendary magical sword; a Merlinesque wizard helping achieve the victory...<br /><br />Clearly it's not entirely the same, but the resemblance felt striking to me, perhaps being a possible point of inspiration.G. Verlorennoreply@blogger.com