George R. R. Martin’s The Winds of Winter continues to face prolonged delays, with no indication of completion and a definitive release date. While the author is involved in many projects and the volume is immense, the long-awaited novel has suffered delays. Notably, The Winds of Winter serves as the penultimate book in Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, which he had long planned to conclude with the seventh book, A Dream of Spring.
Despite its over 14-year delay, The Winds of Winter remains a treasure trove of compelling plot developments, converging storylines, and several anticipated battles. Martin’s readers are deeply invested in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, and continue to speculate about the conflicts that could finally unfold in The Winds of Winter, with showdowns like the Battle of Ice among them.
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GRRM Dishes On The Winds of Winter’s Two Major Battles
Martin has not yet released the novel, but that hasn’t stopped him from reflecting on his progress on The Winds of Winter so far, including the unaddressed plot lines and the planned battle sequences which he intends to tackle. Speaking with SmarterTravel, Martin stressed that the sixth book in his series will address the cliffhangers carried over from the previous book, A Dance with Dragons. He noted:
Obviously, I’m going to continue the story. There were a lot of cliffhangers at the end of A Dance with Dragons. Those will be resolved very early. I’m going to open with the two big battles that I was building up to, the battle in the ice and the battle at Meereen – the battle of Slaver’s Bay. And then take it from there.
In another interview, unavailable offline but preserved by ScreenRant, he emphasized to Entertainment Weekly back in 2014, “I think we’re gonna start out with a big smash with the two enormous battles.” Martin was obviously referring to Stannis Baratheon’s showdown with the Boltons in the North, as well as the Siege of Meereen. While these quotes are from earlier, they serve as a blueprint for the upcoming battle sequences.
The Stormland’s Conflict
Young Griff’s Campaign
A third major narrative thread within the fandom, one that was cut from Game of Thrones, is the Young Griff storyline. It centers on a young man claiming to be Aegon Targaryen, the son of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. A Dance with Dragons reveals that Rhaegar and Elia Martell’s infant son, Aegon (called fAegon by fans), may have been secretly swapped by Lord Varys with a commoner’s infant shortly before the Mountain came for the royal children during the Sack of King’s Landing. Exiled to Essos and raised in secrecy, Young Griff has been groomed to rule, and now intends to claim the Iron Throne.
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Given the complexity of Martin’s world-building, Young Griff’s true identity remains ambiguous. While not as clearly defined as the Battle of Ice or the Battle of Fire, Young Griff’s campaign in the Stormlands, alongside his father’s friend and protector, Jon Connington, is another major conflict unfolding in The Winds of Winter. Supported by the Golden Company, Young Griff/ Aegon’s forces seek to consolidate power as part of a broader bid to claim the Iron Throne.
The Battle of Ice
Stannis Baratheon’s Bid To Take The North
As per Martin’s promise to include this battle early on, Stannis Baratheon is expected to clash with the Bolton allies in an attempt to take Winterfell, to use the Northern forces in his bid to claim the Iron Throne. In the HBO series Game of Thrones, however, Stannis suffers a devastating defeat against Roose, his son, Ramsay, and their army. Wounded and defeated, he is later found by Brienne of Tarth, who executes him in retribution for killing Renly Baratheon.
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Stannis’ confrontation with the Bolton forces in the harsh northern winter is part of the broader political chaos stemming from the War of the Five Kings. In fan terminology, it is often referred to as the Battle in the Ice. The outcome of this battle is highly anticipated, with readers hoping that Stannis’ arc will be significantly different from his abrupt defeat and death in the HBO version.
The Second Siege of Meereen
Takes Place At Slaver’s Bay
The other major battle, known as the Battle of Fire in the fandom, has already been set into motion through The Winds of Winter preview chapters. Tyrion Lannister witnesses the Yunkish forces in Slaver’s Bay laying siege to Meereen, while Ser Barristan Selmy leads the city’s defense. In the HBO adaptation, he was killed unjustly by Sons of the Harpy. The slavers want to restore slavery, while Daenerys, who has conquered Meereen, remains determined to abolish it.
The battle is further complicated by the arrival of Victarion Greyjoy, the third son of Lord Quellon Greyjoy, who reaches Meereen’s bay with the Iron Fleet, adding weight to the conflict. In the HBO version, Daenerys defeats the slavers with the help of her dragons. She also has Tyrion Lannister, Daario Naharis, Missandei, and Grey Worm alongside her.
