Ser Arthur Dayne is the GOAT

[LEGS MAHONEY]

hes got nothing on Ser Duncan Macleod

He wouldnt have let a swamp midget sneak up on him and take him out either.

 

[Starnes Massive]

hes got nothing on Ser Duncan Macleod

He wouldnt have let a swamp midget sneak up on him and take him out either.

Duncan Macleod is a fictional character though.

 

[Midnighter]

but also one of the biggest and strongest too.

I don't remember this.

 

[loyalyolayal]

If we forget about that line, I’m still partial to Selmy over Dayne, just based on their body counts. Selmy had a lot more experience on the battlefield and slayed better fighters

It speaks volume to Dayne's reputation. Everyone wants to test themselves against Selmy. He's a Robert Whittaker. A beatable champ. Most people would "fuck this, I'm out." whenever Arthur unsheathes Dawn.

 

[jericksen5]

It speaks volume to Dayne's reputation. Everyone wants to test themselves against Selmy. He's a Robert Whittaker. A beatable champ. Most people would "fuck this, I'm out." whenever Arthur unsheathes Dawn.

Nah, Selmy is GSP. Goes out on top, a few years go by and some people stop thinking he’s relevant against the new generation.

 

[Thrawn33]

I think it was meant more as an opinion of people living in that world because whenever GRRM is asked directly about it he names a handful of characters that are all very close in equality skill wise and that there isn’t a clear cut #1.


Keeping in mind (for example) Jaime believes he can take Barriston if he has to prior his hand being cut off. Tho, he respects the hell out of Selmy and acknowledges the fight could easily go either way. But that’s the characters perspective and not necessarily what the author thinks.

And that's 2 hand Jamie vs Old Barry if I recall correctly...

....the arrogant badass gives himself 50/50 odds against an old man.

 

[Bacco]

About Dayne v Selmy

I think it's simple

Arthur got a more "Legend" imagery, not only he was absolute peak as swordman, but got the "magic" (as valyrian steel being special) sword support that... not a case he got Arthur (with his invincible sword excalibur) as name, GRRM just love wink at our historical/myth figures building his universe

Selmy was a more grounded char... he was incredibly good as you can get, but "real"
I ever associated him more with William Marshal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Marshal,_1st_Earl_of_Pembroke

Selmy was a 10, Arthur was a 10+1

 

[Bacco]

GRRM himself said (for example) that without ‘Dawn’ in hand -Sir Barriston and Arthur Dayne were equals skill wise. Dawn was the deciding factor.


The sword does matter in balance and strength -if you have a sword in your hand that’s just a bit more well balanced or can cut the other guys sword in two -you have an advantage, even if it’s slight.


In any event, someone posted a clip years ago in one of these threads of GRRM being asked directly who the greatest fighter of all time in the history of that world was -he said his answer usually depended on what day it was and what sword was being used. He went on to mention Cregan Stark, the Dragon Knight and a handful of others as the very best of the best and it would really depend on small variances as to who would defeat the other.


Also keep in mind The Dragon Knight and Cregan did fight, and neither was able to beat the other. Both regarded each other as the finest fighters of their time. There are quotes about it in the GoT wikis and so on. Blackfyre came of age after these 2 and never fought either -but the author himself says they are all (the handful he named) worthy of the status.

I think open the door to the past will be just a mess lol, top 10 will become essentially the former #1-#2 of each age

To have a bit of debate i usually watch it from Robert's rebellion time to current timeline

Fun thing even in present day universe there could be crazy good swordmen that we never read about (and we never will)

Just example Syrio admitted even in his youth prime he WAS'NT the best at straight swordmanship, but that win the First Sword of Bravoos title was more a mix of qualities: swordmanship but also smartness, character etc

Old, retired (he was'nt FSoB anymore) Syrio destroyed 5 guards with a stick moving unbelievable fast, before meet an opponent too armored for his wood pratice fake-rapier

The very best "water dancer" is likely the best duelist of the universe, if armors are'nt involved

 

[Cole train]

I think open the door to the past will be just a mess lol, top 10 will become essentially the former #1-#2 of each age

To have a bit of debate i usually watch it from Robert's rebellion time to current timeline

Fun thing even in present day universe there could be crazy good swordmen that we never read about (and we never will)

Just example Syrio admitted even in his youth prime he WAS'NT the best at straight swordmanship, but that win the First Sword of Bravoos title was more a mix of qualities: swordmanship but also smartness, character etc

Old, retired (he was'nt FSoB anymore) Syrio destroyed 5 guards with a stick moving unbelievable fast, before meet an opponent too armored for his wood pratice fake-rapier

The very best "water dancer" is likely the best duelist of the universe, if armors are'nt involved

First sword of bravos is said to be the most "observant" of swordsmen

Basically a guy who makes best bodyguard(guy who can spot assasins etc)

 

[Squall Leonhart]

"Even NOW I could carve the lot of you up like a cake" -Barry

 

[Bacco]

First sword of bravos is said to be the most "observant" of swordsmen

Basically a guy who makes best bodyguard(guy who can spot assasins etc)

Yeah, it was a role that required a brain just as sharp as the blade... i ever found brilliant the cat question, because it tested so many things at once it's not just eyes but character too.
Like many others will have not the balls to tell the Sealord the truth, even if they seen it

By the way i mentioned this because people seem to ever count Syrio (specially at that point) as the finest swordman of his style, when he was maybe top 10(?) of Bravoos in his prime when was young, let alone as 50/60yo(?) when he teach Arya... and still he had one of the most impressive feat in the series

 

[Cole train]

Yeah, it was a role that required a brain just as sharp as the blade... i ever found brilliant the cat question, because it tested so many things at once it's not just eyes but character too.
Like many others will have not the balls to tell the Sealord the truth, even if they seen it

By the way i mentioned this because people seem too ever count Syrio (specially at that point) as the finest swordman of his style, when he was maybe top 10(?) of Bravoos in his prime when was young, let alone as 50/60yo(?) when he teach Arya... and still he had one of the most impressive feat in the series

Yeah i talked about the fact that first sword of bravos is not necessarily the best swordsman in some thread

 

[jericksen5]

About Dayne v Selmy

I think it's simple

Arthur got a more "Legend" imagery, not only he was absolute peak as swordman, but got the "magic" (as valyrian steel being special) sword support that... not a case he got Arthur (with his invincible sword excalibur) as name, GRRM just love wink at our historical/myth figures building his universe

Selmy was a more grounded char... he was incredibly good as you can get, but "real"
I ever associated him more with William Marshal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Marshal,_1st_Earl_of_Pembroke

Selmy was a 10, Arthur was a 10+1

Dawn is not Valyrian steel. It was forged from a “fallen star”, but is said to be as sharp as Valyrian steel. Not sure if meteorite kills WWs, but my guess is no, which is why it’s not been made as relevant to the current storyline.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

I don't remember this.

Read his description in the wiki of Fire and Ice..

He is muscular and extremely strong, musing at one point that he could only think of a few men in the Seven Kingdoms stronger than him..

 

[HHJ]

"Even NOW I could carve the lot of you up like a cake" -Barry

That part was so great.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

It speaks volume to Dayne's reputation. Everyone wants to test themselves against Selmy. He's a Robert Whittaker. A beatable champ. Most people would "fuck this, I'm out." whenever Arthur unsheathes Dawn.

People weren’t more willing to fight Selmy -Barriston was just in more positions where his opponents had to fight, such as wars.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

"Even NOW I could carve the lot of you up like a cake" -Barry

Sadly, the show didn’t do the best job of broadcasting Sir Barry’s reputation, but there are a few scenes that flash his rep and that was one of them.


Go back and look at the Hounds face when Barriston pulls his sword out.. even he wants nothing to do with that shit lol. But it’s subtle, and I think only book readers got that.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

And that's 2 hand Jamie vs Old Barry if I recall correctly...

....the arrogant badass gives himself 50/50 odds against an old man.

Jaime practiced daily with Sir Barriston -they sparred every morning keeping them both on top of their game.


Selmy didn’t care for Jaime as a knight but respected him as a fighter. He knew Jaime was a dangerous man. Jaime also learned how to fight from Arthur Dayne too -you can argue that no swordsman in GRRM’s universe ever had better training than Jaime did. And all this is on top of him being a prodigy for fighting prior to learning from those two.


Two handed Jaime belongs in any conversation of the greatest fighters in the GoT mythos imo. He may actually be the best of them. At 15 he held his own against the smiling knight -a fighter that even Arthur Dayne needed over an hour to beat.

 

[dissectingaorticaneurysm]

Jaime practiced daily with Sir Barriston -they sparred every morning keeping them both on top of their game.


Selmy didn’t care for Jaime as a knight but respected him as a fighter. He knew Jaime was a dangerous man. Jaime also learned how to fight from Arthur Dayne too -you can argue that no swordsman in GRRM’s universe ever had better training than Jaime did. And all this is on top of him being a prodigy for fighting prior to learning from those two.


Two handed Jaime belongs in any conversation of the greatest fighters in the GoT mythos imo. He may actually be the best of them. At 15 he held his own against the smiling knight -a fighter that even Arthur Dayne needed over an hour to beat.

do you think the theory that Jaimie and Cersei are Targaryen while Tyrion is the only real son of Tywin plausible?

 

[MusclesMarinara]

I don’t think Jaime lost a duel to Loras.. it was jousting if I’m not mistaken -which was Loras’s thing.
.

Literally and metaphorically.