Stefan's Theory Hour, part 49

Thursday is Theory Day! Since it's issue 49, I have to do something special for 50. Ideas and suggestions in the comments!

This is the fourty-ninth article of the series. Since there are a lot of theories floating out there and I'm asked often enough what I think of them, I thought I write it down. You can then laugh about me when I am totally proven wrong by "The Winds of Winter" or something like that. Rules are as follows: you put a question about any theory or plot element (really, let's stress "theory" a bit for the sake of interesting questions) either in the comments of any theory post or by mail (stefan_sasse@gmx.de) and I will answer them in an upcoming post. And if you now ask "Stefan, isn't this a shameless rip-off of Sean T. Collin's "Ask me anything"?", I would tell you to shut up, because you are right.

Prepare for part 49. Spoilers for "A Song of Ice and Fire", obviously. 

Who is your bet to be Cersei's valonqar: Jaime, Sansa, Sandor?
Jaime. For a while, I was in the Sandor-camp, but my beloved co-host of "Boiled Leather Audio Hour", Sean T. Collins, talked me out of it.  Sansa, on the other hand, was never on my radar. Volonqar means "little brother", so why would she be in the mix all of a sudden? Of course, it's possible that like with Azor Ahai and the dragons the gender was mixed up in the translation, but Sansa doesn't make any sense, especially thematically. She has her hands full with Petyr. But back to the Sandor-Jaime-question. I think we all agree that we rule out Tyrion, because where would be the fun in that? While it's true that Sandor would be a "little brother" and pair up nicely in trial by combat against Ungregor, it doesn't make sense for the inner working of prophecy. When every one's little brother could technically fulfill the prophecy, it becomes meaningless. Therefore, it has to be Jaime. He's her little brother after all, clutching her ankle at birth. He also is her twin, her "second her", the other half. For Cersei's as well as for Jaime's arc, there can be nothing emotionally that replaces one of them killing the other, wrapping the hands about her throat. Why would Sandor do that? No, it's Jaime. While the Sandor-Ungregor-Trialbycombat-thing has some merits to it, it doesn't make sense, and Martin would forego real drama for a simple show-effect. And that is not really his style.

What about Shireen's Greyscale?
That's tricky, isn't it? I already spoke about it, though.

How was Tywin planning on keeping Tyrion from inheriting Casterly Rock after his death?

Simple - dissolve Jaime from his duties as a kingsguard. Remember what happens after the war is won. Tywin takes up his duty as hand. When he gets word that Jaime is alive and more or less well (from Jaime's lips) he instantly goes on about how that makes it impossible for Jaime to serve. A precedent! Huzzah! There's something to gain in everything for Tywin Lannister. He also cites the precedent that Cersei created by dismissing Barristan Selmy. For Tywin, it's clear that this will happen. Besides, Tyrion is already half on the way to the Wall in his state of mind. The whole plan only crashes down when Jaime, for some reason, refuses. The old Jaime probably wouldn't have. It's also possible that he planned for this when he sacked King's Landing, hoping that Robert would simply pardon Jaime and dismiss him from the Kingsguard. But Jaime and Cersei both wouldn't have had an interest in that, and so, Tywin could only bide his time until he was in a position of power that allowed him to demand the king to dismiss Jaime somehow. But one thing he surely didn't plan - for Tyrion to inherit. 

What do you think is the ultimate purpose/ role of the direvolwes in the series?

Narrative wise or for the characters in their world? The wolves are mirrors of the souls of the Stark children and their constant companions (until they aren't, at which point these characters come off the rails). They often help them, and Bran and Jon also forge the deep bonds of wargs with the animals. For both of them, they serve as the prime vessels for opening the door to their abilities; for Robb, it was just a cool accessoire, and Rickon only becomes a much more dangerous half-feral three-year-old. In the narrative, the wolves clearly indicate a special fate for the Starks from the beginning, a trope that Martin subverts cleverly by slaying Lady, driving off Nymeria and killing Grey Wind along with Robb. But it's a giant red herring, because those that need the wolves - Bran and Jon - keep them, and they become important for the story. Jon is even chosen by the Halfhand simply because of Ghost! The Halfhand knew more than we do, obviously.