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 Beaus of the Ball
8 spots of our final 12 have been filled; Qhorin Halfhand, Jon Umber, Jaime Lannister, Sandor Clegane, Brienne of Tarth, Victarion Greyjoy, Robert Baratheon, and Bronn have all secured spots in our regional finals. That's quite the lineup but it's even more impressive when you realize some of the very best have yet to stake their claims. Today, we finish off round two in the Far East and the South, where legendary fighters face off against the best of the current generation and one match pits two of our round one underdogs against each other to see who will be our Game of Madness cinderella.
The Far East
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1. Barristan Selmy vs 4. Syrio Forel
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Syrio Forel is an interesting opponent for Barry the Bold. We know the Water Dancer can take on armored knights, with relative ease to boot, but those knights were a far cry from Barristan Selmy. Syrio’s biggest advantage is his agility, it doesn’t matter if he’s small or not as strong, if he can’t be touched, he can’t be defeated. The guards he faces early in the series are heavily armored and most certainly not as quick as a prime Barristan Selmy. Barristan declares himself superior to five Kingsguards when he is relieved of his duties and we don't doubt the claim considering all of his accolades.
That early battle with Syrio and his wooden practice sword is the one thing that gives the former First Sword of Braavos any chance in our contest and while it was impressive, it was a bit anticlimactic that he was (most likely) killed by Meryn Trant. But what’s more interesting is that Syrio isn’t the only person to put up a fight despite being out armed and out armored. Why, Barristan Selmy did it as well! And he actually survived in the end! After being removed from the Kingsguard and tossing his blade at Joffrey’s feet, Selmy managed to escape King’s Landing with just a dagger in hand, taking out Goldcloaks every step of the way. Not only did he escape with his life, but he later donned a disguise and snuck back into the city to update his entry in the white book at the White Sword Tower. Seriously, with every Goldcloak looking to capture or kill him, he decided to go back and update his resume before getting the hell out of dodge for good.
When you can take your opponent’s best thing going for them and one up it with ease, it’s a no brainer that you’re coming out on top.
Winner: Barristan Selmy
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6. Grey Worm vs 7. Jon Connington
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One of these fighters will be the Cinderella of our ball. Unfortunately, they’ll have to face Barristan Selmy in the Far East finals but regardless of how that match goes, it’s a good run. Fighters from Essos are at an immediate disadvantage to a knight from Westeros. They are lightly armored, though the Unsullied spears would give them favorable reach. It is stated that the Unsullied can fight in armor if need be, and this would help Grey Worm, but it would be a sudden change to his usual fighting style. He’ll last longer but it may not increase his chances of actually winning the battle.
The Unsullied are also meant to act as a unit on an open battlefield. They are more disciplined than any other rank of fighter, they feel no pain and have no fear, their training starts at a young age and is relentless. It’s a focused life they lead but it’s not one that prepares them well for one vs one combat. HBO’s adaptation has shown, however, that the show version of Grey Worm is more than capable on his own.
Despite the reach advantage, Grey Worm won’t be able to control this fight like he did against Strong Belwas. He may be able to keep Jon Connington at bay for a time but the knight will force his way in and once in range, Grey Worm will have no choice but to abandon his spear and switch to a short sword. At that point, the Griffin feasts, regardless of what type of armor Grey Worm dons.
Winner: Jon Connington
The South
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1. Arthur Dayne vs 5. Randyll Tarly
Arthur Dayne is one of the most intriguing characters in the series. We don’t get a first hand view of the man and we mostly hear of him by reputation. He’s the closest the series has to a true knight which could explain why he’s so popular and why people are so excited that we’ll most likely get to see him in action through a flashback or vision. With some fighters, it’s hard to give credit for things we don’t know with certainty but with Arthur Dayne, you can make an exception. He’s the Sword of the Morning, a legendary title from a legendary house that has to be earned, it’s not inherited. The likes of Ned and Barristan Selmy vouch for his abilities and those are two of the most honorable men in the series. Jaime Lannister, one of the best to ever live, said he was in awe of Arthur Dayne. When it comes to defeating Arthur, it truly will require an elite and special fighter which means his matches will be more about his opponent than they are about him.
Randyll Tarly is also well regarded, though not nearly as much. Kevan Lannister is a good reference but the other side has Ned, Barristan, and Jaime. The commander-first fighters in our contest haven’t fared so well and for good reason. Leading and ordering men, strategizing out on the battle field, those are much different skills than what’s needed in the chaos of battle. That’s not to say Randyll isn’t a great fighter, he is if Kevan is to be believed. His finest moment came when he became the only Targaryen loyalist to defeat Robert Baratheon during his rebellion at the battle of Ashford, he defeated Lord Cafferen in single combat so we know he didn’t just command, he fought as well.
As far as what we've seen for ourselves in the present? Randyll in action as a commander. He is surely one of the best alive in a generation that has several fine commanders, but as a fighter we really only have the words of Kevan Lannister to go by. This battle is decided by the reputations of our fighters and Randyll’s pales in comparison to the Sword of the Morning.
Winner: Arthur Dayne
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2. Oberyn Martell vs 3. Gerold Hightower
We’ve seen Oberyn take down a well armored swordsman when he fought the Mountain in Tyrion’s trial by combat, though he had the aid of poison and a huge thirst for vengeange, a thirst that lead him to victory and defeat. Gerold Hightower might not be as strong as Gregor but he’s far more skilled and he may be one of the closest competitors in our contest to match the Mountain in strength. We know the White Bull is seen as better than Jaime Lannister when he was in his prime. While Oberyn has the reach advantage, Gerold is skilled enough to not let the Red Viper control the fight.
Oberyn will gain an early advantage, much like Grey Worm had in his two fights, it’s likely he’d get a few shots in before Gerold closes in for close range combat. It shouldn’t take the White Bull long, however. His plate armor and shield allow him to brush off those hits with ease. At that point Oberyn is outclassed. He won’t be able to effectively use his spear against the quicker sword, he’s not equipped to get through the armor and shield, and he’s not nearly strong enough to turn the fight around through hand to hand combat. Without the aid of poison to slow down and weaken Gerold as the fight progresses, Oberyn will have a hard time keeping his distance and dictating the pace of the fight like we saw him do against Gregor Clegane. And that's assuming Oberyn would even be able to find Gerold's flesh with his spear.
Winner: Gerold Hightower
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And with that, all of our regional finals are set. Barristan Selmy, Jon Connington, Arthur Dayne, and Gerold Hightower will join the others in determining the champions of each region. They are all just one match away from the finals and whichever 6 remain standing after round three will surely deserve the spots. Let us know in the comments below how you see today's matches playing out and who you think will win the Far East and South regions. Revisit round one of our contest and be sure to check back on Wednesday April 20th when we'll begin the final push to the finish of our Game of Madness.
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