Game of Thrones requires a lot of concentration, but it can be hard enough to remember what happened last week, let alone something that occurred way back in Season 1.
In the latest episode 'The Spoils of War', a certain rare dagger made a surprise reappearance after six years away, so you'll be forgiven if you totally forgot what it was and what it means. Here's a refresher.
Bran's assassin
Back in Season 1, an anonymous (and rather useless) assassin tried to use it to try and kill Bran, while he was still in a coma following his push out of a tower by Jaime. Catelyn and Bran's direwolf Summer managed to stop and kill the bloke in time.
Catelyn showed the blade to Maester Luwin, Ser Rodrik, Robb Stark and Theon Greyjoy, who informed her that the pretty-looking dagger was made out of Valyrian steel and with a dragonbone hilt.
When challenged, Littlefinger told Catelyn and Varys that the dagger belonged to him, but that he lost it in a bet to Tyrion, which led to Catelyn taking Tyrion prisoner. These actions sparked the whole conflict between House Stark and House Lannister in the first place.
Catelyn then carried the blade to Ned in King's Landing to investigate its origin. Ned then kept the blade with him, but after Littlefinger betrayed Ned, he took it.
Return of the blade
Fast-forward to now, and Littlefinger still has the dagger – and decides to give it to Bran. Bran asked if him he knew who hired the assassin, to which he replied he did not. Do we believe him?
Bran then decides to give the dagger to Arya, who questions why a lowly assassin would have a dagger made of Valyrian steel. Bran replies that someone very wealthy wanted him dead.
Sansa also acknowledges that she doesn't trust Littlefinger, and that he'd never give anyone anything unless he expected something in return.
(In the books, both Tyrion and Jaime deduce independently that it was Joffrey who sent the assassin, but this is unlikely in the TV series.)
Valyrian steel and White Walkers
Earlier in the season, Samwell studied a book about the Long Night and mentioned how Stannis once told him that dragonglass could be found on Dragonstone.
On the page before this, Sam read that a Valyrian steel blade usually has a dragonbone hilt, but can also be made into a dragonglass dagger (and looks very similar):
"The Valyrians were familiar with dragonglass long before they came to Westeros. They called it 'zīrtys perzys' which translated to 'frozen fire' in Valyrian and eastern tales tell of how their dragons would thaw the stone with dragonflame until it became molten and malleable. The Valyrians then used it to build their strange monuments and building without seams and joints of our modern castles.
"When Aegon the conqueror forged his Seven Kingdoms, he and his descendants would often decorate their blades with dragonglass feeling a kinship with the stone. The royal fashion for dragonglass ornamentation soon spread throughout the Seven Kingdoms to those wealthy enough to afford it. Hilts and pommels were and are the most common decoration for dragonglass if too brittle to make a useful crossguard. Indeed, its very brittleness is what relegate it to the great houses and the most successful merchants."
Valyrian steel is a form of metal that, when fashioned into bladed weapons, can remain sharp forever without the need for honing. It is also recognisable for its strength and light weight in comparison to normal steel. Along with dragonglass, Valyrian steel is one of the few known substances that can kill White Walkers.
Since the destruction of Valyria, the majority of surviving Valyrian steel weapons serve as heirlooms in the various noble Houses of Westeros. Skilled blacksmiths can reforge Valyrian steel weapons by melting down existing ones, but it's a tricky process. Two smaller Valyrian steel swords can be made out of a larger sword, or a large sword can be made by melting down multiple smaller swords. Where's Gendry again?
Who currently has Valyrian steel?
The ancestral sword of House Stark was named Ice, and was captured by House Lannister when Ned was taken prisoner. Ilyn Payne used it to behead Ned at Joffrey's command. After the Red Wedding, Tywin had it melted down into two smaller swords:
- Oathkeeper – given to Jaime, and later given to Brienne
- Widow's Wail – given to Joffrey, and currently in Jaime's possession
Then, there's...
Longclaw – the ancestral sword of House Mormont – given by Jeor to Jon Snow.
Heartsbane – the ancestral sword of House Tarly – taken by Sam and currently in Oldtown.
The dagger – previously owned by Littlefinger, Catelyn, Ned, Bran and now Arya.
And intriguingly, Lady Forlorn, the ancestral sword of House Corbray, a little-known noble house. A Braavosi sellsword in service to the house resettled in the Vale of Arryn, and just so happens to be the great-grandfather of a certain Littlefinger.
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