127 ACOK 54 Jon VII Sworn Foes

Part 2 of 3 in arc where Jon is set up to feign desertion in the wildling army.

Man in Office/Power of the Individual: We see what one eagle can accomplish. Qhorin explains he sets the best man to the task. Later, tasks Squire Dalbridge to die holding back pursuers. Qhorin commanded Jon to decide about Ygritte to learn about him. “To lead men, you must know them.” 765 Jon says he freed Ygritte because Ned judged a man by looking into his eyes and hearing his last words. Jon saw Ygritte as no threat.

• Ramifications of mercy. Did Jon’s mercy backfire? Did Ygritte tell the wildlings about Ghost, Jon a warg? Setup for Queenscrown: Must kill lone captive or alert enemy army

• Setup for Jon to be sent as false deserter among the wildlings

• Introduction of Bran's powers through his helping Jon. What one powerful individual may decide for others.

Diplomacy. Ranging only confirmed what Craster told them. Construction of the idea ranging is provocative, unnecessary, wasteful: diplomacy accomplishes what spying fails to.

• Mance Might Have Been a Diplomat. Qhorin and the men at the Shadow Tower knew Mance when he was a black brother, before he deserted. Some say for a woman, some say for a crown. “They were friends as well as brothers, Jon realized, and now they are sworn foes.” 763 Reveal Mance was a wildling baby raised by the Night’s Watch. Qhorin says his desertion was only going home. Qhorin agrees Mance would accept Jon into his ranks.
  

  • Sets up for Jon to be a diplomat.

• Respect Wildings. “Only fools like Thoren Smallwood despise the wildlings. They are as brave as we are, Jon. As strong, as quick, as clever. But they have no discipline...Mance never learned how to obey.” 764

Worse Man/ Predator vs Peaceful People. It could be a warm life in the sun, but for their mission “It would be pleasant to ride in the light for a time, to let the bright mountain sun soak through their cloaks and chase the chill from their bones, but they dare not. Where there were three watchers there might be others, waiting to sound the alarm.” 763 “‘Shadows are friends to men in black,” Qhorin says. 763 Jon’s Warg Dream Scouting as Ghost A weirwood with Bran’s face with three eyes touches him to show Jon how to open his eyes. Then, he’s Ghost. He sees Mance’s army training for battle and digging great holes. “This is no army, no more than it is a town. This is a whole people come together.” 767 Sees mammoths. An eagle attacks Ghost.

Spy’s Intel. Qhorin asks Jon for every detail of his dream, knowing it may be information gathered through Ghost’s eyes. Jon is baffled Qhorin thinks he might be a skinchanger, as that’s only in Old Nan’s stories. Ebben says he’s seen enough of giant’s bones and wants to see one alive. “Be careful they don’t see you.”769 The party continues towards the wildling army. They see an eagle watching them from well out of bow-range, but decide to press forward. Ghost rejoins and they treat the wound from the eagle’s talons. Qhorin decides they retreat back, now. “We are seen, so now we run.” 770 Jon’s dream was warg intel Also in the chapter: Bran in Jon’s dream