ASOIAF Theories: Patchface | The Fool of Storm's End

ASOIAF Theories: Patchface | The Fool of Storm's End

🎙 Quinn's Ideas 👥 1.0M 📅 July 16, 2016 ⏱ 12 min 👁 195K 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-26
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

PatchfaceDeep OnesShireenMerlingsASOIAF theory

Summary

This video presents a detailed fan theory about the character Patchface from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. The creator begins by recounting Patchface’s backstory: a fool brought to Storm’s End by Steffon Baratheon, who was the sole survivor of a shipwreck, washing ashore dead but then reviving with strange abilities and cryptic prophecies. The theory suggests that Patchface made a deal with merlings or Deep Ones, Lovecraftian sea creatures, during his time underwater. Evidence is drawn from Patchface’s songs and riddles, which frequently reference the sea, merfolk, and a desire to return there, as well as his unsettling behavior and the fear he instills in Melisandre. The video connects these elements to broader lore about the Deep Ones, their historical presence in Westeros, and their practice of breeding with humans. The central hypothesis is that Patchface’s mission is to take Princess Shireen, who has royal blood, back to the sea to be used for breeding, thereby giving the Deep Ones a claim to the Iron Throne. The theory is presented as speculation, acknowledging the lack of definitive answers in the books.

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Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The video’s value lies in its compilation of textual evidence and its coherent narrative that ties together disparate elements of the lore. The argumentation is structured, moving from Patchface’s origin to his behavior, then to the nature of the Deep Ones, and finally to a plausible motive. The creator uses direct quotes from the books to support each step, which strengthens the theory’s internal consistency. However, the argument is speculative and relies heavily on interpretation, with no confirmation from the author. The video acknowledges this by stating ‘I know nothing,’ which is honest but also limits the argument’s authority. The theory is engaging and thought-provoking, but it is not presented as fact, and the reasoning, while logical, is based on circumstantial evidence.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The video cites the books themselves as the primary source, which is appropriate for a literary theory. However, the only external link provided is to a fan wiki page about elephants, which is not directly relevant to the theory. The video credits numerous artists for their fan art, but these are not sources of information. The creator does not reference any official interviews, appendices, or scholarly analyses, which limits the scientific rigor. The title accurately reflects the content, as it is indeed a theory about Patchface. The video’s speculative nature is clear, and it does not misrepresent itself as factual. Overall, the sourcing is weak for a scientific analysis, but it is acceptable for a fan theory video.

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Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, which is a focused theory video about the character Patchface.

Quality & Reliability

6/10

The video presents a speculative theory based on textual evidence from A Song of Ice and Fire, but it is not peer-reviewed and relies on interpretation. The creator acknowledges the speculative nature. Sources are primarily fan wikis and artwork credits, not academic references.

Key Moments

Cited Sources

  • Elephants - A Wiki of Ice and Fire — Referenced in the video description as a credit for artwork, not as a source for the theory.

Concurring Sources

  • A Wiki of Ice and Fire - Patchface — Fan wiki page that corroborates the character's backstory and quotes, supporting the video's textual evidence.

Dissenting Sources

  • George R.R. Martin's Not a Blog — The author has not confirmed any theories about Patchface or the Deep Ones, and has stated that some mysteries may remain unresolved, which could contradict the video's definitive claims.

Contribution & Novelties

The video offers a novel interpretation of Patchface’s character, synthesizing existing fan theories and textual clues into a cohesive narrative. It highlights the Lovecraftian influences in ASOIAF and connects them to the broader mythology of the Deep Ones, which is a relatively underexplored area in fan discussions. The theory that Shireen is intended for breeding with the Deep Ones is a creative and original contribution to the fandom’s speculation.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • The Shadow over Innsmouth — A key Lovecraft story that introduces the Deep Ones and their breeding with humans, directly relevant to the video’s theory.
  • Deep Ones — A fan wiki page detailing the Deep Ones’ characteristics and lore, useful for understanding the mythological basis.
  • A Song of Ice and Fire — The series itself, providing context for the characters and world discussed.

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Radar Profile

The radar profile shows high scores in information quantity and technical level, indicating a content-rich video with a moderate depth of analysis. The lower scores in information quality and reliability reflect the speculative nature of the theory and the lack of authoritative sources. Overall, the video is engaging and informative for fans, but its scientific rigor is limited.

Reliability 5/10

💬 Très positif. Sur les 30 commentaires analysés, la grande majorité exprime un fort enthousiasme pour la théorie et le style de la vidéo, avec des éloges sur l'ambiance et la qualité de la narration, bien que certains soulignent la divergence entre les livres et la série télévisée.