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  • Game of Madness Round One (Part 3) | Fight!

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    Warning: Our Game of Madness articles will include content from the five currently released A Song of Ice and Fire books and seasons 1-5 of HBO's adaptation Game of Thrones. Some material from A Feast for Crows and A Dance With Dragons has not been covered in the show yet, but may be in season 6. If you aren't caught up with the books and/or show, read on with care.

    The Spice of Life

    If variety is the spice of life, the Far East has it in spades. A former member of the Westerosi Kingsguard leads a field of exiles and eunuchs, a sellsword and a water dancer, and a brutal war lord to make sure we cover all the bases. The variety of fighting styles in this region may make it the toughest to survive because it isn't always the difference in skill that determines the outcome, how one fighter's strengths match up against another's weakness could turn a seemingly easy match into a slugfest.

     

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    1. Barristan Selmy vs 8. Daario Naharis

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    Barristan Selmy the Bold from Game of Thrones

     

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    Daario Naharis from Game of Thrones

     

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    No one is more decorated than Barristan the Bold. Even in his current state (Ser Grandfather as Daario refers to him) Barristan would still be a threat to make our finals bracket. Taking him in his prime when he was slaying rebellion leaders and single handedly rescuing kings would require a special warrior to bring him down. Daario Naharis is not a special warrior.

    Leader of the Storm Crows, Daario is a huge wildcard as far as his intentions go. As a fighter, we can assume he’s skilled. You don’t rise to the top of a cut throat sellsword company with such an arrogant attitude. If he didn’t have the skills to back up his talk, he’d be long dead. We’re talking about a man who beheaded his two fellow leaders and his men still followed him without question. Our best glimpse at him in action comes from his TV showdown with Meereen’s champion, whom he easily handles, and his role in the Great Pit of Daznak where he fights off numerous Sons of the Harpy, with help from Jorah, Grey Worm, and an assortment of Unsullied, to protect Dany. Daario is probably good, a far cry from exceptional.

    Since the books don’t highlight Daario’s fighting skills, we are left only to HBO’s adaptation. If we take Barristan’s show counterpart, we know that he is very highly regarded by the likes of Jaime Lannister, Ned Stark, and Robert Baratheon. We also know that he defeated quite a bit of Sons of the Harpy as well, though unlike Daario, he basically did this on his own while Grey Worm handled his own ambush. Never mind the fact that Barristan is 63 when this happens. Whether you look at the show or the books, it seems very likely the Storm Crows would be searching for a new captain if these two men ever came to blows.

    Winner: Barristan Selmy

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    4. Syrio Forel vs 5. Jorah Mormont

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    Syrio Forel the first sword of Braavos from Game of Thrones

     

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    Jorah Mormont from Game of Thrones

     

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    This one will hurt. Syrio’s time in the series was brief (if you believe he is actually dead) but he still managed to leave a huge impact. We are constantly reminded of him throughout Arya Stark’s travels and his wisdom has helped the girl survive some pretty insane situations. We know the Water Dancer is fast and agile, we know he took out a handful of well armored Kingsguard members with a wooden practice sword. Whether he escaped Meryn Trant is up for debate but he did get in a few good hits before we left the scene with Arya. Had Syrio been fighting with steel, he very well could have survived that ambush with ease.

    Jorah is an intimidating exiled knight who earned his status when he was first through the walls at Pyke with Thoros. He lost his status when he was caught slaving, leading to an escape to Essos where he became a sell sword for a time. When fighting for love, Jorah is one of the fiercest we’ve seen. His lovers also seem to be his biggest weakness. It seems Jorah will be at a disadvantage right off the bat due to Syrio's agility and experience, but there’s one scene in particular that confirms the already pretty obvious. In the fighting pits, Jorah faces off against a water dancer and, put simply, gets completely rocked. It's safe to say this pit fighter is a far cry from Syrio Forel, the former First Sword of Braavos. Jorah only survives because another fighter similar in size and fighting style, kills the Braavosi sword by literal backstab. That guy knew he’d get rocked as well and took his chances with Jorah instead. Jorah is the fan favorite to fall.

    Winner: Syrio Forel

     

    3. Strong Belwas vs 6. Grey Worm

    Grey Worm from Game of Thrones

     

    Strong Belwas loves two things; fighting and eating. They’re basically all he does. Before meeting up with Barristan Selmy, Belwas was a veteran pit fighter who claims to never have lost a fight. Always one for showmanship, the large Eunuch lets every opponent cut him once. With fat and scars aplenty, Belwas is one of the most intimidating looking characters in our contest. Our best glimpse of Strong Belwas fighting is when he easily handles Meereen’s champion (a scene given to Daario in HBO’s adaptation). Given his reputation as a skilled pit fighter, it’s safe to say he’s gone up against a wide variety of foes with a wide variety of fighting styles.

    Grey Worm, also a Eunuch, has been trained to fight since a young age. Not only did he survive the brutal training rituals of the Unsullied, he also separated himself from the crowd enough to be elected their leader once freed by Daenerys Targaryen. The Unsullied are meant for fighting as a unit on an open battlefield, and in that capacity they are one of the most fierce forces on Planetos. They don’t fear, they don’t feel pain, they don’t break. Putting an Unsullied in a one on one fight, however, is a different story.

    At first thought, it seems like Belwas will win this with ease but Grey Worm can control this fight. Strong Belwas may look intimidating to most competitors in our tourney but not to an Unsullied who doesn't know the meaning of fear. Belwas also uses a curved Arakh as his weapon of choice and the short range will allow Grey Worm to stay at a distance with his spear. Finally, Belwas carries a small shield but a small shield will do little when the target is so large. Belwas will allow one cut but suffer many more unwanted until he finally falls. Grey Worm wins the Eunuch bowl.

    Winner: Grey Worm

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    2. Khal Drogo vs 7. Jon Connington

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    Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones

     

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    The Griff Jon Connington from A Song of Ice and Fire Greyscale artwork by Fantasy Flight

     

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    A brutal warlord, the great Khal Drogo has come to lead a Dothraki horde some 40,000 strong, the largest of the Dothraki sea. Drogo’s braid falls below his waist, signaling that he has never lost a fight. His status at the beginning of the series says everything you need to know about his abilities as a fighter. We get to see the Great Khal in action when his khalasar clashes with another belonging to Khal Ogo. While Drogo suffers a seemingly minor wound that eventually festers into a deadly infection, he handles the opposing Khal with relative ease.

    The exiled lord Jon Connington who reemerges in Essos as the Griff is an honorable and troubled man. Compared to other commander-first fighters in our tourney like the Ned and Stannis Baratheon, Jon Con is more than adequate with a sword. Reckless in his youth, the Griff suffered a devestating loss in the Battle of the Bells that lead to his exile, a loss that will haunt him until he can do right by his fallen friend Rhaegar Targaryen or until the day he dies. But now, Jon Connington is a worn and cautious man and driven by rage and pain, a deadly combo. It's safe to say that Jon Con's prime came after maturing for a while in Essos as he looked after and protected the possible son of his best friend.

    The biggest weakness of any Dothroki fighter when facing a Westerosi knight is the lack of armor. The next biggest weakness, their curved arakhs are all but useless against plate armor as the series has shown and discussed multiple times. If Drogo fought against more brutish opponents, such as the Greatjon or Tormund, it’s quite possible they would agree to fight without armor for the hell of it. Perhaps Drogo himself could even goad them into removing their steel dresses. The Jon Con we’ve come to know would never take the risk. Plate armor over the arakh and steel sword over no armor at all. This upset is surprisingly easy to call.

    Winner: Jon Connington

     

    From Dawn to Dusk

    We close out our first round in the South, home to several elite fighters. Dorne and the Reach have warred for ages so it's fitting for the rivalry to continue here in our Game of Madness but that rivalry takes a backseat to two members of the finest Kingsguard to ever serve. Several southern fighters are skilled enough to be in the finals and several more have the potential, but there's only room for one. Who will earn it?

    1. Arthur Dayne vs 8. Gerold Dayne

    Arthur Dayne the Sword of the Morning with Dawn from A Song of Ice and Fire artwork by Fantasy Flight

    If anyone could rival Ser Barristan Selmy’s list of accolades, it’s the legendary Sword of the Morning, Ser Arthur Dayne. While there is plenty to choose from to convey the magnitude of a man like Arthur Dayne, his fight with the Smiling Knight may best summarize his character. The Smiling Knight is referred to by Jaime Lannister as “the Mountain of my boyhood” and “half as big but twice as mad”. The Kingslayer once crossed swords with the Smiling Knight but was easily handled and bailed out by Arthur Dayne. The two fought until the Smiling Knight’s sword broke, at which point Dayne paused the fight to allow the man to grab a fresh sword. When the madman told Arthur Dayne he wanted his legendary sword Dawn, The Sword of the Morning simply replied “then you shall have it, ser” and the Smiling Knight was soon dead. What a badass!

    Fittingly enough, Arthur Dayne’s first match comes against a man who does nothing but soil the proud name he carries. The Darkstar, as he likes to call himself, would be more at home in a Twilight movie than in the world of ice and fire. Seen as beautiful and cruel, it is claimed by Arianne Martell that she has only partnered up with the man because of his fighting prowess but she soon learns a valuable lesson, playing with venom only gets you poisoned. The man of the night attempts to kill Myrcella Baratheon, just a little girl, and he can’t even succeed in that. While he does avoid capture, he is only able to wound the princess.

    This fight is a slaughter. A man who targets little girls is no match for an honorable man who fights and kills well trained warriors and monsters.

    Winner: Arthur Dayne

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    4. Areo Hotah vs 5. Randyll Tarly

    Areo Hotah from Game of Thrones

    Areo Hotah, the loyal and trusted guard of Doran Martell, was sold to the militant order The Bearded Priests at a young age and was trained in combat until 16 when he literally married his longaxe. His marriage vow is branded across his chest. Serve. Obey. Protect. Areo is an honorable and experienced man though we only see him in action one time, when he slays Arys Oakheart, a member of the Kingsguard tasked with protecting Myrcella Baratheon. Areo is a big and strong man, his longaxe gives him a range advantage over most of our competitors, and his training and experience have made him a very disciplined opponent for anyone who draws his name. Hopefully season 6 of HBO's adaptation lets Areo get some action that was sorely missed in season 5.

    Randyll Tarly is another one of our commander-first contestants, but more in the realm of Jon Connington than Eddard Stark or Stannis Baratheon. Randyll doesn’t shy away from the action and only a fool would want to cross him and his Valyrian steel greatsword Heartsbane in open battle. We also know that Randyll has been quite active in the series, though he won’t play a role in HBO’s adaptation until season 6. He commands the center against Stannis Baratheon in the Battle of the Blackwater and is rewarded for his efforts. He easily handles a northern force that attacks Duskendale. Kevan Lannister has some high praise for Tarly as a fighter as well, stating that Randyll is “as good a soldier as the Reach could boast”, “the finest soldier in the realm” and “there’s no better man to finish” the ongoing war.

    In his prime, Randyll could surely strike faster than Areo could swing his longaxe but without his lightweight Valyrian steel blade, it wouldn’t be as easy. There’s nothing to suggest that Kevan isn’t an honest man, his views on Tarly hold weight and while Areo did take out a member of the Kingsguard, Arys was wounded and weakened by arrows by the time he reached the Norvosi guard. After one more book/season, we may learn enough to say Areo would win this fight with ease but for now, we can only go by what we know. What we know suggests Randyll would come out on top, even if only by the slimmest of margins.

    Winner: Randyll Tarly

     

    3. Gerold Hightower vs 6. Garlan Tyrell

    Gerold Hightower, the White Bull, was the Lord Commander of the most legendary Kingsguard there ever was. He was a formidable fighter into his late years and, reflecting back on his prime, was stronger than Jaime Lannister. Our best chance to see Gerold fight will be when we get a Tower of Joy flashback but we do know he did not survive the battle. Though it’s easy to say he was well past his prime, and losing to a group of fighters where the best among them was Ned Stark is far from impressive, the fact of the matter is they were three against seven and no matter how skilled you are, those are losing odds. Some more facts, Gerold and his companions, Arthur Dayne and Oswell Whent, refused several offers to leave unharmed and, in the end, the fight was far closer than any seven vs three fight had the right to be.

    Garlan Tyrell has been absorbed by his brother Loras in HBO’s adaptation but in the novels, he is considered the better swordsman of the two. He’s noted as being an exceptional fighter and he often trains against three or four people at a time. He is far more humble than his brother as well which leaves him far less famed. We get our first view of Garlan in action during the Battle of the Blackwater where he leads the vanguard as “Renly’s ghost”, he slays Guyard Morrigen in single combat. He’s also one of the very few people to speak down to Joffrey Baratheon which takes quite the set of Valyrian steel balls to do.

    Garlan’s potential is sky high, and much like a few other competitors in our Game of Madness, his chances here could end up being much higher after we get another book to see more of what he’s capable of. There’s no doubt he can be one of the best but as it stands, he can’t beat one of the best.

    Winner: Gerold Hightower

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    2. Oberyn Martell vs 7. Loras Tyrell

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    Oberyn Martell the Red Viper from Game of Thrones

     

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    Loras Tyrell the Knight of Flowers from Game of Thrones

     

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    There’s nothing like a good ole longstanding, pure hate inspired family feud to finish off our first round. As if the Tyrells and Martells didn’t dislike each other enough due to their years and years of war, the current generations bring the rivalry to new levels when Oberyn cripples the heir to Highgarden, Willas Tyrell. This vitriol seems to be rather exclusive to the heads of house Tyrell, however, as Oberyn claims he and Willas eventually grow to like each other. Even after being crippled by the Red Viper, it’s still easy to see how someone could grow to like the man. He is that charismatic and that charisma is matched by his skill with a spear and his intelligent and agile fighting style.

    As mentioned in the last match, Loras isn’t as good a swordsman as his brother Garlan though he is the better lance. The Knight of Flowers is arguably famed beyond his abilities because of his hot headed and arrogant attitude. Much to everyone’s disappointment, Loras has been relegated to a gay stereotype in HBO’s adaptation, we only get a few flashes of his more interesting book version. Hopefully, season 6 will right these wrongs when the drama surrounding his sister Margaery Tyrell comes to a head.

    If there’s one thing Loras has in common with his brother Garlan undeniably, it’s that his ceiling is limitless. By the end of the series, Loras could be the type of fighter that enters this contest as a favorite to reach the finals. For now, he’s a young, brash, and inexperienced fighter with a lot of growing up to do. We do see him take out two of Renly’s Rainbow Guards in a furor, a scene we even get in the show, which gives you a taste of what he’s capable of. His sword should give him the advantage over Oberyn’s spear but the difference in experience, speed, and battle wits is too much. Another Tyrell falls in round one.

    Winner: Oberyn Martell

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    That wraps up first round action in our Game of Madness tournament. Let us know in the comments below how you think today's matches would play out and be sure to check out day one and day two of our contest as well. For now, we need to take a break to handle all the chaos of the first three days. The field of 48 being cut in half is a lot to take in so let the dust settle, stew on it for a bit, and come back on Wednesday April 13th for the start of round two!

     



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