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LChris24

The 1000th Commander of the Night's Watch (Spoilers Extended)

EXTENDED

I have always thought that with GRRM making the current Lord Commander so close to 1000, that the series could possibly end with 1,000 Lord Commanders in total. There is also possible foreshadowing/association with joining the watch for numerous major characters.

Who do you think is going to be the 1000th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch?

#Previous Lord Commanders

Historical:

  • Lothor Burley (hosted Queen Alysanne Targaryen in 58 AC)

  • Orbert Caswell (who was called the Black Centaur and held the position for nine years)

  • Lord Commander Crowl (led the Night's Watch over a thousand years ago)

  • Rodrik Flint (thought to make himself King-Beyond-the-Wall)

  • Runcel Hightower (tried to make the position of Lord Commander hereditary and pass it to his bastard son)

  • Robin Hill (one of the three Lords Commander who nearly destroyed the Watch when they forgot their vows in favor of their pride and ambition)

  • Lord Commander Hoare (who refused to involve the Night's Watch in Aegon's Conquest. He was of House Hoare, although his first name is never given. His brother, King Harren the Black, was slain in the burning of Harrenhal)

  • Tristan Mudd (one of the three Lords Commander who nearly destroyed the Watch when they forgot their vows in favor of their pride and ambition)

  • "Sleepy" Jack Musgood (became known as "Sleepy Jack Musgood" in 226 AC, when he was caught off guard allowing the King-beyond-the-Wall, Raymun Redbeard, to pass the Wall and was thus late for the Battle of Long Lake)

  • The Night's King (the 13th Lord Commander. He converted the Night's Watch into his personal army and led it in battle against Brandon the Breaker, the King of Winter, and Joramun, the King-Beyond-the-Wall)

  • Lord Commander Qorgyle (the 996th Lord Commander. He was of House Qorgyle, although his first name is never given. He died in 288 AC and was succeeded by Jeor Mormont)

  • Marq Rankenfell (one of the three Lords Commander who nearly destroyed the Watch when they forgot their vows in favor of their pride and ambition)

  • Brynden "Bloodraven" Rivers (a bastard son of King Aegon IV Targaryen and Hand of the King to King Aerys I and Maekar I Targaryen. Arrested and sent to the Wall by King Aegon V Targaryen after the Great Council of 233 AC. He was elected to the post of Lord Commander in 239 AC, but disappeared on a ranging in 252 AC)

  • Osric Stark (a brother or son of a King in the North. He was chosen Lord Commander when he was ten, making him the youngest commander. He served for sixty years)

  • Several other brothers/sons of the KITN (Sam find them in addition to Osric Stark when looking for info on LC's to show that Jon isn't the youngest)

Main Series:

  • Jeor "the Old Bear" Mormont (997th Lord Commander, elected in 288 AC. Killed by his own men in the mutiny at Craster's Keep during the great ranging)

  • Jon Snow (998th Lord Commander, elected in 300 AC by an overwhelming margin. Previously served as Jeor's personal steward. Assassinated by his sworn brothers)

Now that Jon is "dead", I believe the Watch will elect a 999th Lord Commander (probably Bowen Marsh, Cotter Pyke or Denys Mallister)

It is also worth noting that:

*The oldest list (found by Sam) in Castle Black's vaults show only 674 Lord Commanders

"The Others." Sam licked his lips. "They are mentioned in the annals, though not as often as I would have thought. The annals I've found and looked at, that is. There's more I haven't found, I know. Some of the older books are falling to pieces. The pages crumble when I try and turn them. And the really old books . . . either they have crumbled all away or they are buried somewhere that I haven't looked yet or . . . well, it could be that there are no such books, and never were. The oldest histories we have were written after the Andals came to Westeros. The First Men only left us runes on rocks, so everything we think we know about the Age of Heroes and the Dawn Age and the Long Night comes from accounts set down by septons thousands of years later. There are archmaesters at the Citadel who question all of it. Those old histories are full of kings who reigned for hundreds of years, and knights riding around a thousand years before there were knights. You know the tales, Brandon the Builder, Symeon Star-Eyes, Night's King . . . we say that you're the nine hundred and ninety-eighth Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, but the oldest list I've found shows six hundred seventy-four commanders, which suggests that it was written during . . ." -AFFC, Samwell I

#Options

Possible

  • Dolorous Edd

After the meal Maester Aemon rose to ask if any of the brothers wished to speak before they cast their tokens. Dolorous Edd got up, stone-faced and glum as ever. "I just want to say to whoever is voting for me that I would certainly make an awful Lord Commander. But so would all these others." He was followed by Bowen Marsh, who stood with one hand on Lord Slynt's shoulder. "Brothers and friends, I am asking that my name be withdrawn from this choosing. My wound still troubles me, and the task is too large for me, I fear . . . but not for Lord Janos here, who commanded the gold cloaks of King's Landing for many years. Let us all give him our support." -ASOS, Samwell IV

  • Stannis Baratheon (defended the Wall from the wildlings, etc.)

  • Jorah Mormont

"All. The Fist. The wildlings. Dragonglass. This. All." His breathing was very shallow now, his voice a whisper. "Tell my son. Jorah. Tell him, take the black. My wish. Dying wish." -ASOS, Samwell II

  • Jaime Lannister

"It is not a question of wanting. The throne is mine, as Robert's heir. That is law. After me, it must pass to my daughter, unless Selyse should finally give me a son." He ran three fingers lightly down the table, over the layers of smooth hard varnish, dark with age. "I am king. Wants do not enter into it. I have a duty to my daughter. To the realm. Even to Robert. He loved me but little, I know, yet he was my brother. The Lannister woman gave him horns and made a motley fool of him. She may have murdered him as well, as she murdered Jon Arryn and Ned Stark. For such crimes there must be justice. Starting with Cersei and her abominations. But only starting. I mean to scour that court clean. As Robert should have done, after the Trident. Ser Barristan once told me that the rot in King Aerys's reign began with Varys. The eunuch should never have been pardoned. No more than the Kingslayer. At the least, Robert should have stripped the white cloak from Jaime and sent him to the Wall, as Lord Stark urged. He listened to Jon Arryn instead. I was still at Storm's End, under siege and unconsulted." He turned abruptly, to give Davos a hard shrewd look. "The truth, now. Why did you wish to murder Lady Melisandre?" - ASOS, Davos IV

  • Series ends with less than or greater than 1,000 Lord Commanders (Its just a coincidence that GRRM made it so close to 1,000 and the series ends with 999 or 1001 or more LC's)

Unlikely:

  • Theon Greyjoy

"I do not speak of running. Take the black."

"The Night's Watch?" Theon let the bow unbend slowly and pointed the arrow at the ground.

"Ser Rodrik has served House Stark all his life, and House Stark has always been a friend to the Watch. He will not deny you. Open your gates, lay down your arms, accept his terms, and he must let you take the black."

A brother of the Night's Watch. It meant no crown, no sons, no wife . . . but it meant life, and life with honor. Ned Stark's own brother had chosen the Watch, and Jon Snow as well.

I have black garb aplenty, once I tear the krakens off. Even my horse is black. I could rise high in the Watch—chief of rangers, likely even Lord Commander. Let Asha keep the bloody islands, they're as dreary as she is. If I served at Eastwatch, I could command my own ship, and there's fine hunting beyond the Wall. As for women, what wildling woman wouldn't want a prince in her bed? A slow smile crept across his face. A black cloak can't be turned. I'd be as good as any man . . . -ACOK, Theon III

  • Jon Snow (Jon dies as the 998th, but if the show can be used as evidence its possible he is forced to rejoin the Watch)

  • Watch ceases to exist (while unlikely, its possible that however the series climaxes, there won't be a need for a Night's Watch)

  • Tyrion Lannister

Jaime smiled. "I hope you're not thinking of taking the black on us, sweet brother." - AGOT, Tyrion I

and:

"Past certain, Lord Mormont," Tyrion replied. "My brother Jaime will be wondering what has become of me. He may decide that you have convinced me to take the black." -AGOT, Tyrion III

1001th LC

  • Bloodraven (While extremely unlikely, u/ThisIsUrIAmUr brought to my attention the fact that GRRM could be setting it up for 1001 LC and not 1000. This would obviously be a play on the "One thousand eyes and one")

TLDR: Who do you you believe will be the 1000th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch (if there is one)?*

Posted Aug 30, 2019, 1:52 PM UTC · edited

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