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How did the Starks and Karstarks become so different from each other?


Brynden Blackfish Jr.

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In addition to being related and having First Men blood, it seems pretty clear that the Starks and Karstarks shared many personality traits until around the time of Ned's generation. Ned and Benjen, unlike previous Starks, are known to be more on the civilized and level-headed side. Their father Rickard was probably more on the fiercer side, based on what I've read, and it seems like most Starks up until that time were the same way. That being said, Lyanna and Brandon were also very wild and showed clear First Men personality traits, as Rickon and Arya do in the current generation. The earlier generations of Starks were harsh, violent, and untamed, as was necessary in order to survive long winters and constant fighting. They would probably have little in common with most of the current generation of Starks besides their seriousness. The previous generations of Starks seem to have more in common, personality-wise, with current generation of Karstarks than their descendants. The current Karstarks are notoriously fierce and untamed, just like their First Men ancestors. Rickard Karstark's violent anger and desire for a father's revenge completely overshadowed logic and reason when he decided to kill innocent boys, and it seems like the Karstarks we know about would have done the same thing were they in Rickard's position. However, I know Robb, Ned, and Benjen wouldn't have even thought about harming or killing innocent boys if they were in Rickard Karstark's position because they were a lot more civilized than that.


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I think you have about the Right of it. Rickard Stark was a man who looked to the south, his eldest son and heir Brandon seemed to be more in the old school Stark mentality and that ended up with him dead in the Red Keep. Ned spend his formative years in the Vale and his children were raised by him and Catelyn so they most likely were raised with norms that were not generally a part of most historic Stark's upbringing. Not sure why Benjen was the way he was, maybe he was more a northman than we know, not too much page time with him.


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We can't They never lost any sons say what Ned, Robb, and Jon would do. Especially Robb who takes more after Brandon.



In the books there is a description of the Stark ancestors in the crypts. There have always been two types of Starks. There are the wolf-like ones similar to Brandon, and thre are thelean clean-shaven like Ned and Jon.


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We can'tThey never lost any sons say what Ned, Robb, and Jon would do.

In the books there is a description of the Stark ancestors in the crypts. There have always been two types of Starks. There are the wolf-like ones similar to Brandon, and thre are thelean clean-shaven like Ned and Jon.

You mean Wolf like ones and the ones who come across as made of ice like Eddard and Jon.

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The Starks and Karstarks are no more similar than the Starks and any other northern house, given the same amount of time (roughly 1000 years) for branching off, intermarriage, and so on.



Rickard Karstark and Eddard Stark's personalities were their own.



If there is any affecting trend at work, between the two of them, I would say it is the geography - Karhold is one of the most isolated places. The Boltons, Umbers, and Skagosi clans are their neighbours.

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The current generation of Starks are examples of anomalous "soft" Starks that seem to pop up every once in a while in their history.

These are usually replaced by the more usual Starks, who proceed to slay, disembowel and impale their way through their enemies in more traditional Stark fashion.

The anomalous "soft" Starks include, from the known list, Edrick Snowbeard who was too feeble to protect his realm from slavers, Torhenn the King Who Knelt, Eddard the Quiet Wolf and Rob Stark the Young and way too Noble wolf.

The Starks that balance out these weaker examples, are Brandon Ice Eyes, Theon the Hungry Wolf, Jon and Rodrik Stark etc.

Let's hope that Robb's successor will be Rickon the Werewolf or perhaps even Arya the Night Wolf, who will carry on in the tradition of the Hungry Wolf to bring bloody retribution down on the enemies of House Stark.

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The current generation of Starks are examples of anomalous "soft" Starks that seem to pop up every once in a while in their history.

These are usually replaced by the more usual Starks, who proceed to slay, disembowel and impale their way through their enemies in more traditional Stark fashion.

The anomalous "soft" Starks include, from the known list, Edrick Snowbeard who was too feeble to protect his realm from slavers, Torhenn the King Who Knelt, Eddard the Quiet Wolf and Rob Stark the Young and way too Noble wolf.

The Starks that balance out these weaker examples, are Brandon Ice Eyes, Theon the Hungry Wolf, Jon and Rodrik Stark etc.

Let's hope that Robb's successor will be Rickon the Werewolf or perhaps even Arya the Night Wolf, who will carry on in the tradition of the Hungry Wolf to bring bloody retribution down on the enemies of House Stark.

Personally I'd like the King who can set aside his pride and save my life.

Ned who was respected by everybody and was feared. Wow, what a sucker!

Robb Stark the guy who never lost a battle. Truly you cannot get any weaker than this.

Yeah, who needs diplomatic, compassionate and intelligent rulers anyways! Lets go with the guy who likes mindless bloodshed and is cruel and merciless.

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Personally I'd like the King who can set aside his pride and save my life.

Ned who was respected by everybody and was feared. Wow, what a sucker!

Robb Stark the guy who never lost a battle. Truly you cannot get any weaker than this.

Yeah, who needs diplomatic, compassionate and intelligent rulers anyways! Lets go with the guy who likes mindless bloodshed and is cruel and merciless.

Like it or not. The traditional Starks resemble Rickard Karstark far more than they do Ned or Robb.

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