Thursday, May 5, 2016

Has a glamour been placed on Hodor?

Potential Spoilers Below


I pose a simple question is there a glamour placed on Hodor?  For the people that say the show isn’t going to spoil the books that is ridiculous.  If both the books and the show are going to end up at roughly the same place some things simply have to play out in a similar fashion.  If not the writers should have just did their own show.  With that said I believe that the glamour that we know about in ASOIAF has another attribute that we haven’t learned of yet.  I only say this because ASOIAF is following the format laid out by The Wheel of Time. 

Un-glamoured Hodor
Glamoured Hodor
In TWOT the Mask of Mirrors is described as follows: weave, also known as Illusion or Mirror of Mists, which allowed one to change one’s appearance.  Later in the series it was found that by modifying the known weave they could also do the following:

Mask of Mirros being used in TWOT
 “Yes," Seaine said. "We know that some weaves play with sound. Variations on vocal weaves are used to enhance a voice to project to a crowd, and in the ward against eavesdropping—indeed, they're used in the various tricks used to listen in on what is being said nearby. Complex uses of the Mirror of Mists can change a person's voice. With some practice, Doesine and I were able to fabricate a variation on a weave that would alter the words we spoke. In effect, we said one thing, but the other person heard another thing entirely.”

Seaine
Doesine
Glamour is a trinket used by various people like Melisandre or the Faceless Men to create an illusion and disguise the wearer of the glamour.  Basically I am suggesting that this aspect of the Mask of Mirrors will be incorporated into the glamour in ASOIAF.  I believe it is that which only allows Hodor to sound as if he is saying “Hodor” but in reality he is speaking intelligently.

Melisandre glamoured
Jaqen H'ghar - Faceless man
Jaqen H'ghar changes his face
The next question would be why was he glamoured and by whom?  I believe that glamour was placed on him so that a secret that he stumbled onto wouldn’t be revealed.  Some may say then why not just kill him as that would ensure his silence.  I think that answer lies into who would have the ability to perform said glamour.  We know Melisandre has the ability but whom else?  From her description she sounds like the “woods witches” described in the books.  Then it goes to who Hodor would have encountered at Winterfell that would be able to glamour him.  I believe the answer to that would be Old Nan.  If you look up her description her description sounds like an “un-glamoured” Melisandre.  If you haven’t read the books and don’t know Old Nan is Hodor’s great grandmother.  I believe that Hodor stumbles onto Old Nan performing some magic that if it was revealed would have most likely got her thrown out of Winterfell.  I believe that Old Nan got herself put into a position where she could influence Bran Stark and ready him for the Great Battle to come.  As her great grandson she loves Hodor but she couldn’t leave fate to chance so she glamoured his voice so that he wouldn’t spill the beans.  Nothing complicated.  I just think that ASOIAF is using every aspect of TWOT and the Mask of Mirror is just one of many.

Winterfell
Old Nan
Melisandre in her un-glamoured state
Old Nan telling Bran a story
I believe her stories are a teaching tool 
I think Hodor misses Old Nan as she is probably the only one with whom he can carry on a conversation since I believe that she understands everything he says.  I also believe that she promises him that one day she would remove the glamour in question.

Old Nan looking after Hodor
In her own way she is still looking after a glamoured Hodor
Comments encouraged.  Love to hear the idea’s of others.  Most believe that since I present my idea’s as “fact like” I’m not open to change my viewpoints which are far from the truth.  I simply look at the information presented and go from there.  If you can shine a light on another way of thinking that opens the door to debate.

1 comment:

  1. I went back and checked and I found that ASOIAF did use the variation on vocal weaves used in TWOT:

    “Melisandre touched the ruby at her neck and spoke a word.

    The sound echoed queerly from the corners of the room and twisted like a worm inside their ears. The wildling heard one word, the crow another. Neither was the word that left her lips. The ruby on the wildling’s wrist darkened, and the wisps of light and shadow around him writhed and faded.”

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