The Mystique of ASOIAF Prologues and Epilogues

In George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, the prologues and epilogues often introduce characters in a way that builds intrigue and suspense for the reader. By excluding these characters from the main plot, Martin creates a sense of mystery and encourages speculation about their motivations and roles in the story.

Mystery and Suspense

The prologue and epilogue often introduce characters in a way that builds intrigue. By not providing their POV in the main chapters, George R.R. Martin creates a sense of mystery around them, allowing readers to speculate about their motivations and roles in the story. For example, in the prologue of A Game of Thrones, readers are introduced to the Others, a formidable and otherworldly threat, which sets the tone for the entire series without revealing too much.

Foreshadowing

These characters can serve as foreshadowing devices. Their actions or insights in the prologue or epilogue can hint at larger events or themes in the narrative without revealing too much. This technique keeps readers engaged and encourages them to pay attention to the unfolding plot. For instance, the prologue of A Clash of Kings introduces Melisandre as a powerful sorceress, hinting at her significant role in the series.

Narrative Structure

ASOIAF has a complex narrative structure with multiple points of view (POV) characters. By limiting the perspectives, Martin can maintain a tighter focus on the primary characters and their arcs. This allows for a more immersive experience with the characters that readers are more invested in. For example, the prologue of A Storm of Swords establishes the Night's Watch as a corrupt institution, which deepens readers' understanding of the world and the characters.

Thematic Exploration

The prologue and epilogue can explore themes of fate, death, and the consequences of actions in a way that is distinct from the main narrative. The absence of certain characters in the main chapters can emphasize their symbolic roles or the broader implications of the events. For instance, the epilogue of A Dance with Dragons reveals the true agenda of Kevan Lannister, enriching the thematic exploration of loyalty and betrayal.

Character Development

By not providing a POV for certain characters, Martin can develop them through the eyes of others. This can create a more layered understanding of those characters as their actions and motivations are interpreted by the main POV characters. For example, in the prologue of A Storm of Swords, readers learn about the conspiracy within the Night's Watch, which deepens the understanding of the Night's Watch as a whole.

Key Prologues and Epilogues in ASOIAF

George R.R. Martin uses prologues and epilogues to set the tone for the books and to furnish crucial hints for main characters in similar situations and how their stories will play out.

Will AGoT Prologue

His chapter sets out to set up the main threat to humanity in the books, the Others, and how they seem to have an affinity for First Men blood. This chapter tells us in no uncertain terms that this is a high fantasy epic and the Others are the central antagonist, not the political drama that the show opted for.

Cressen ACoK Prologue

This chapter brings the other major divine entity on to the scene, where Melisandre preaches his worship and later drinks poison with no effect while Cressen dies from the same poison in a bid to kill her. This chapter brings R'hllor to the table and among other things tells us that Melisandre is going to be a very influential character in the story, not the stereotypical seductress or enchantress, but a genuinely powerful sorceress worthy of every bit of fear she inspires.

Chett ASoS Prologue

This serves to lay out the fact that the Night's Watch while performing a noble mission is really made out of criminals and cutthroats as this man is shown to be the ringleader of a conspiracy to kill Lord Commander Mormont and other officers in command of the Great Ranging at the Fist of the First Men in order to desert the Watch and escape south. The metaphor here is that the Watch is just as much at war from within as the kingdoms south of the Wall and taking advantage of all this division, the Others begin their march south, attacking the Fist, and conducting a slaughter from which there are few survivors.

Merett Frey ASoS Epilogue

This chapter serves to correct the reader's understanding that the Starks have been extinguished as a powerful house and the Freys have won for all intents and purposes. Guest right is one of the most fundamental tenets of existence in Westeros, and everyone from the poorest commoner to the richest lord is supposed to honor it without question. The Freys break this sacred rule, and the fire god brings back Catelyn Stark as an avenging angel to balance the scales.

Pate AFFC Prologue

Since the Others are coming, Jon has dispatched Samwell to Oldtown to become a proper maester. This chapter serves to illustrate two of the more eclectic companions that have gathered around Sam specifically Sarella Sand, one of the Sand Snakes disguised as a man named Alleras, and the Faceless Man who used to wear Jaqen H'ghar's face joins them wearing the face of Pate, a complete nobody in every respect. Earlier when Doran Martell is asked about what he plans to do with the Sand Snakes, he seems uneasy and almost frightened of what Sarella is up to at the Citadel, choosing not to summon her and leaving her to play 'her game' whatever that is. Archmaester Marwyn makes some pretty interesting allegations about his organization that imply that the death of the Targaryen dragons was caused by the maesters. There are hints of maesters having experimented on greyscale to create a super-virulent version called the grey plague which has had multiple outbreaks in Oldtown which were blamed on ships carrying people with the disease.

Varamyr ADwD Prologue

This one is actually the most significant of all these chapters as it establishes that Jon is a very powerful warg and suppresses his abilities. The strength of his bond with Ghost is so powerful that Varamyr is actively jealous of it. Even more importantly, after Varamyr's physical body is killed, his consciousness is transmitted into one of his wolves and he sees the woman who killed his body be transformed into a wight. This, combined with Melisandre's visions of Jon transforming from man to wolf and then back to man again, spells out the method of his consciousness surviving his murder at the end of this book. Jon's consciousness will be transmitted into Ghost and he will live as a part of Ghost's mind until Melisandre resurrects his physical body at which a somewhat changed version of him will reenter his body and animate it.

Kevan ADwD Epilogue

As Godric Borrell spells out to Davos Seaworth, Cersei setting Kevan aside is the only reason that any lord in the south would even consider aiding an enemy of the throne. After becoming Tommen's regent, Kevan manages to largely undo most of the damage that Cersei did in only a short time in her unquestioned rule after Tywin's death. Kevan also planned to send Cersei back to the Rock and forge an alliance with Queen Margaery Tyrell. The weakening of the Lannisters would have been undone by Kevan in time, and that is why Varys has to kill him in order to precipitate his true plan of bringing the fake Aegon to Westeros.