6 AGOT Jon I : "Take me with you when you go back to the Wall," Jon said in a sudden rush. "Father will give me leave to go if you ask him, I know he will." 53 Benjen says no, and not just because Jon is drunk. He can tell Jon's deeper motive is to compensate for feeling shamed by his exclusion from the Great Hall during the feast. Jon later tells Mance Rayder it's why he wants to join the wildling army. Jon thinks he wants to join the Night's Watch when what he really wants

Opening in A Feast for Crows, Confronted by Opportunity relates to deepest motivations and the inevitable. Refusing to Fail is a series theme. Sub themes: The Only Way , It Is Underway , Impatience , Resorting to Extremes 1 AGOT Prologue : As the youngest of the lesser line of Royce, Waymar won't return a failure from his first ranging, especially as he's been given command. It is not failure to report accurately, but he hopes for glory and refuses to feel his fear in an

Opening midway through A Game of Thrones , Don't Be a Sword relates to "the worthless lives of fighters" theme. A series wide theme, it one of a cluster of themes that anchor Brienne's storyline. 31 AGOT Eddard VII : Ser hugh was just a boy when he died. "The King knighted him before he rode north, in Jon's memory. The lad wanted it desperately, yet I fear he was not ready." 305 Selmy also says Hugh was Jon Arryn's squire for four years. A long time to train just to die pla