Who do you think wrote the Pink Letter? Check out the ASOIAF books on Audible: www.audible.com/asx

My Theory: George R. R. Martin wrote it.

Meanwhile Patch Face: "yeah, everything is coming together"

I just watched a 20 minute video about how a letter signed by Ramsey was probably sent by Ramsey.... and I loved every second of it

It wasn't Jon Snow. There's no reference to "she's my queen" and "I don't want it."

This contrasts so much with the show's simplicity and rushed stupidity

"Fans have had a lot of time to overthink it." A truer statement was never made.

In the books Stannis is about to replay his greatest tactical victory, with even greater success I bet. During the first Greyjoy Rebellion he had trapped the entire Iron Fleet in a straight between 2 rocks and smashed it to bits and now he's about to trap the Frey army within a thin strip of land between 2 frozen lakes poked full of holes. Keep in mind his army is enduring a full fledged Canadian winter, literally balls deep in snow, but he refuses to give up his tactical position in the abandoned village. In the show Stannis gets defeated by 2 inches of snow and 20 goodmen...

Stannis lighting a false beacon seems symbolic to me because he is a false flame himself. A false fiery hero a false beacon.

this has more plot density and complexity than the whole season 8

Finally, back to the books baby.

Stannis's battle must be a reflection of Alexander Nevsky's famous 'Battle on the Ice,' in 1242, when he defeated the Crusaders by drawing them onto a frozen lake. GRRM really does love his history, doesn't he?

I feel like the lack of description about the letter could just be a way of showing how furious Ramsay is, and how he's unraveling psychologically. He's normally very theatrical and precise with his blood-ink and tightly rolled letters, but this letter was written in a hurry.

In the Books Stannis shows a lot more awareness about knowing about people's thoughts and motivations than you give him credit for and he makes a lot of dry jokes about folks. But yeah it was probably Mance.

Oh, Stannis. He was the only king we ever wanted. But somebody took him away from us, and nothing in the final 3 seasons could fill the hole he left behind.

"Stannis has the personality of a lobster" - Loras

I love Wyman Manderly! That dude is a straight savage! He not only cooks up some Frey pie and serves it to everyone at Winterfell, but he eats multiple slices himself and savors every bite.

I mostly just hope that the readers win. We really could use it right now.

Oh gosh, 9 years!? He wrote the first three in the same time span... Depressing

Remember when Game of Thrones used to be good? The North remembers.

It’s so refreshing to know that in the book everything makes sense and in the show it’s just a dream

Oh wow. You just made me care about game of thrones again lol. Here's to hoping the last two books are ever released...

I hope Stannis defeat the Boltons in the books, the show writers did him dirty.

"till the next book comes out" When the sun sets in the east and rises in the west...

GRRM loves history. One of the most famous battles in history is the "battle of the ice" where Nevsky defeated the Crusaders by tempting them onto the ice with heavy cavalry. They fell through, were destroyed, and Slavic Europe remained Orthodox. Stannis is the best general in Westeros and the legitimate King, while Ramsey Bolton is an impetuous vicious idiot. We will be seeing more of Stannis. It is a shame that the tv show was run by idiots, as a quick look at Eisensteins movie would show the potential of the battle of the ice.

I’ve missed got videos so much😭😭

Your videos are the only way I can get excited about GoT now :(

I think it’s most likely that Mance wrote it at Melisandre’s behest. She knows Stannis is in trouble and that Jon may be the only one who can save him, and she knows that Jon’s destiny is to leave the watch. It still doesn’t explain why Theon is mentioned in the letter though. Although Mance could’ve added the part about Val and the child on his own.

"And Jon doesn't know what a Reek is" :D

I'm suprised you didn't mention how Theon directly quotes the Pink Letter in Theon I of Winds ("He wants his bride back. He wants his Reek.") So that lends credence to it being faked by him and Stannis.

It would really fit the tone of the story if Stannis wins at Winterfell. It's just too upbeat for The Starks to take it. Far better for a grey character, like Stannis, to have that triumph.

Year 13 and we still don't know who sent the letter.

I like the idea of stannis using the lake. Also it will come back later with the dead rising and making the night king army larger

Ah Stannis... I would have followed you anywhere... my brother.. my captain... my king...

The voice Varys heard in the flame, please.

George R R Martin is in a great position where he literally can’t make the ending to the books any worse than the tv series. So even if it sucks people will still view it positively.

If Stannis has Manderly on his side and the element of surprise like you say, he'd have as good a chance as possible already to beat the Boltons and wouldn't need a ragtag bunch of wildlings to help him. With 100% surprise and an a hostile army already inside their walls, there wouldn't be much hope for the Boltons in Winterfell.

I "kinda forgot" about Game of Thrones S8 until Alt Shift X uploaded this video

I want Alt Shift X to do a theory video on when GRRM will finish his book.

I really hope that Stannis is still alive. He is one of the greatest characters in the books.

I was under the impression that Bowen et al. had been plotting Jon's assassination for a while, and had been waiting for a chance. Throughout the books Bowen and others are clearly upset about Jon's actions and the way Jon refuses to explain his actions. The diversion with Wun Wun fighting Ser Patrek, combined with Jon not having his wolf, provided the opportunity. It seems unlikely several of the NW would spontaneously execute Jon in such immediate response to his plan to ride south, especially in the middle of a deadly fight involving a giant.

All men will kneel before the one true king of Westeros Stannis Baratheon.

Pink Letter: Early Patron Release You: _Accidentally releases it normally_ Non-Patrons: *It's Free Real Estate* Great video though, I'm a Stannis Hypebeast.

"Manipulating Jon isn't something Stannis would do." This reminds me of Stannis's opening scene in book 2 where the Maester is being humiliated by the red priestess and Stannis joins in by making him wear patches jesters crown. The Maester thinks 'You were never one to mock, not before you met her' I'm paraphrasing of course. But it does go to show you that Stannis HAS changed in his ways ever since becoming Azor Ahai (supposedly).

First 20 seconds: Alt: The show is Crap Me: You have my attention

I forgot how good these books were. It's a shame they'll never be finished.

I used to live and breathe through those videos, shame how GoT got most of those carefully thought theories into nothing more than a theoretical script that's way better than what the show ended up being. Nevertheless, keep up the good work, i missed those videos a lot!

Sometimes I watch your videos before bed kind of like an ASMR video because they're pretty smooth and you don't talk overly fast.

"So Jon is shook" Sums him up

"& Jon doesn't know what a reek is." Tickled me

"I've been looking forward to this." - Dooku

Your editing is absolutely amazing. Keep up the great work!

Just finished ADWD, started on the first book last summer. I had no clue Abel was actually Mance, I always miss such details, but of course it's him. Loved the ending with Kevan and Varys making a cool comeback. My favorite storylines in this book were probably Quentyn, Griff and Selmy

The Battle of Ice results is all I’m really interested in anymore. I’m a Stannis fan and I want to see the Bolton’s go down. God I hope the books don’t end like the show.... it’s all so disappointing.

Last time when I was so early, Game of Thrones was still a great series.

this is the kind of video i've been craving for a while, and now my hype for winds is reinvigorated. also, i think the different handwriting is easily explained because ramsay had reek write the first two letters (brown, bloody text + erratic spiky handwriting seems in keeping with a tortured, desperate man writing a letter in his own blood), where this one was ramsay himself.

Thanks for all the great videos! You’ve made this show so much more fun to watch and think about.

Stannis VS Boltons is the thing im looking forward to the most!

Dude, I'm kinda trying to get over the season 8 mess and this video is giving me all the ptsds 😆

Absolutely love your videos! I liked the books, show was ok, but if you keep making these videos ill keep watching them! Thank You!

Great content, as always. Thanks for all that you do on your channel. Have you ever read The Wheel of Time series? If you're a fan a series of videos on those books would be awesome. Probably not as fun though since it is actually completed so there aren't as many fun fan theories to talk speculate on like this video has.

Next Game of Thrones book? Like GRR is going to finish writing it one day? I admire your optimism.

Stannis is the One true King.

Wow I never knew just how much the books differed from the show even during the seasons they were actually following the books. Why did the change it so much

Yey, an ASX video. Appreciate you're still making videos about ASOIAF mate.

I'd really love to see you cover dark!Dany theory. It already came true in the show, but I'd like to know how you think it'll go down in the books.

I feel they did Stannis so dirty on the show. I feel like they reversed the deaths of Stannis and Selyse, with the Red Witch still at the wall with Jon, Selyse, and Shireen, I feel Mel burns Shireen to bring back Jon. Jon comes back and beheads Selyse while Stannis finds out and hangs himself. idk why i think this either. Also I think That Theon and Asha are Stannis' prisoners outside of Winterfell, so If Ramseys had killed Stannis he'd have his Reek, so that is another inconstancy.

That was awesome thank you!! I hope you do more GoT videos in the future. Make one about who killed little Walder as well.

This is an AMAZING video, well organized, well explained, AND funny

one of the most interesting discussions from the winds of winter. kinda glad it wasnt answered or mentioned in the show. us book readers still have big topics to look forward to

Stannis the Mannis. One God, One King, One Realm

Whenever I’m having trouble going to sleep I watch your videos. Your voice is so soothing, and hypnotic which makes me sleepy. Thank you 🙏

I definitely think it was Mance. Even though we don't know what his motives were, he has enough secrets that there are plenty of possible reasons to motivate him to do this, although we can't know what's going on with him until the next book. Aside from the convincing analysis of the letter's wording matching up with Mance's vocabulary, he's also pretty much the only person who would know about all of the details mentioned in the letter. The next-closest possibility is that he was captured and forced to give up his secrets to Ramsay, but Mance doesn't seem the type to crumble under torture, and the whole point of the letter is that it seems to be written by Ramsay but upon closer examination probably wasn't, which makes Ramsay pretty much the least likely candidate.

There really isn't any other work of ficiton that has this many plotlines and this many mysterious secrets and shit going on literally non-stop

Such a pleasure watching your content, I can almost physically feel all the hard work that went into this one, keep it up!

Oh wow. You did the all tomorrow video. That story/art, really everything in that blew my mind .

I would listen to you read the ingredients off a cereal box your voice is so hypnotic. Seriously, you could have one hell of a career doing audio books! I feel like purring listening to you.

mostly unrelated, but i thought the phrase “false fire” in regards to Stannis is neat just considering his false azor ahai status

Please keep the Asoiaf content coming guys, it’s absolutely quality stuff. Keep up the good work

Great video. It would be also good to see a video on Davos and theoris on him looking for Ricon

Best video I've watched on the mystery yet. Very helpful tetris-ing in all the examples from the text. 👌

I knew All Shift would be the man to do an essay video like this!!

I really enjoy the book theory videos! I hope there are more coming ☺️

Yes! Thank you! I'm always so excited to see a new ASOIAF video from you.

If Stannis dies in winds of winter I won’t even finish the book

I think at the time of writing even GRRM didn't know who wrote it, which is why he placed things in there to make it hard to guess. However, I think he may go with the Mance Rayder wrote it answer in Winds if we get it sometime in the next decade.

AltShiftX Uploads: "Go on do your duty"

Hey there! Thanks again for a great video! I was wondering if you would consider doing a recap of the general state of things at the end of ADWD. Obviously this kind of covers the North situation but having a recap for all the main storylines ahead of the TWOW coming out (this summer hopefully) would be great. Thanks again for all your videos!

I believe that it was ser pounce warging into hotpie in order to write the letter

You aren‘t a real character in Asoiaf until you have another secret identity or are involved in at least two secret plots 🤣

Fire and Blood is such a great book. I've read it eight times already and I can't get enough of it. I really want vol. 2, so we can learn more about my favorite sot King Aegon IV. Plus, we will get Baelor The Blessed's crazy ass and the Blackfyre Rebellion. I of course want the main series finished first, but I really hope we will get vol. 2 at some point.

Please, Alt Shift X, don't ever leave us. I can't live without your videos - least not since GoT ended.

In A Dance with Dragons, different forms of communication are revealed and discussed. We learn about the obsidian candles and how Marwyn the Mage has been using one to communicate with the Faceless Men. We learn about the Weirwood trees and the concept of the Weirwood network in Bran's training. And dreams as a form of communication and possible direction or even misdirection, although this is not the first time dreams as a form of communication has come up. When the Northerners rescue Theon and Jeyne Pool, Theon is brought to Stannis in that tower with the fire beacon. Apparently he's been spending almost all his time just staring into it. Back at Castle Black, we know that Melissandre has been spending a lot of time looking into the flame. I think they're communicating with one another. Deception is typically not a tactic that Stannis would employ, it's not very in keeping with his character. Melissandre on the other hand, employs deception constantly. The very nature of her glimor is deception. So I think Melissandre advised Stannis to draw Jon Snow out from Castle Black. The best way to do this is to make him believe he's all that's left to help his sister. Thus the letter talks about Stannis being defeated, Mance is captured, the Boltons have secured their position and there's no one left but Jon that might be able to stop them. It's perfect for Stannis. Jon will leave Castle Black, learn that Stannis army still stands and he's still alive, only it will be too late for Jon to turn back. He'll have to aide Stannis in the Battle for Winterfell and with Jon's knowledge of the castle, Stannis will be victorious. Also, perhaps more so than helping Stannis, Melissandre might have come up with this plan as a way of getting Jon away from Castle Black to try to save his life. This is the theory that I have settled on, but Mance writing it is also plausible. Anyone that takes the Pink Letter at face value is a retard. The first time I read the Pink Letter, I got so mad at the show runners for what they did.

One additional detail: Whoresbane Umber, who is currently inside Winterfell, always signs letters with a crude drawing of the Umber sigil, as if he can't write his own name. However, we're told that his father thought he "had the makings of a maester", and he spent time learning at the Citedal, which makes it seem implausible he'd not have one of the most basic steps of education, reading and writing (and the most elementary step of it at that, writing ones own name). If, as stated in the Hooded Man/Winterfell Murders video, Rowan is actually Crowfood Umber's long-lost daughter, and thus Whoresbane's niece, it's possible that they've linked up at some point, connecting Whoresbane with Mance's conspiracies; and if Whoresbane can indeed write and is hiding it, he's another candidate for authoring the letter. Also, is Mance even literate? It seems implausible a man born beyond the Wall and raised by a purely military organization composed mostly of thieves and scum would be lettered.

Finally got around to watching Preston Jacobs first video I see. Well done

This was great. It's been so long since I've read it, I had forgotten so much. If a new book comes out, you'll need to do a comprehensive recap.

Oh my gosh, you videos makes me feel so anxious for the books, i don't know in what believe anymore haha

It would be coof if you made another video after "The Winds of WInter"s release, about all the Theories and how they actually turned out.

I hope that Stannis Baratheon becomes the king of the seven Kingdoms

I read the 5 books in 2010-2011. I then started watching the show. In 2019 I got the 5 books again but on audible. I listened to the first 4 and maybe half of the 5. I was getting so excited for the final tv season. By the end of the show I had to put down the audiobook. Still half way thru the 5th and I haven’t been able to finish it. The alt shift x vids were a nice discovery. Thanks for making all these.