Why do people join the watch?

[fear2433]

GoT shows people joining the watch voluntarly. Why do they do that?

Why did Jon join the watch?

Because Benjen did?

So why did Benjen join the watch?

I just cannot understand the logic. Tyriin once said people even choose castration over the wall. Such bad thing then.

Isnt it volunteering to be put in jail for the rest of your life? To give up freedom.

Even volunteers who join are not allowed to desert them.

Jon could have travelled south, or gone east. Why did he choose the wall?

(He certaily didnt care about the white walkers or wildlings until the fist wyte attack)

[Kasakka]

A long time ago, it was an honor serving in the Night's Watch and Jon was partially "tricked" to join them (He didn't know it was a gang of thieves and rapists). Jon wanted to join the Watch, so he would be respected and honored, even if he was a bastard.

The exact reason why Benjen joined the Night's watch is unclear, even in the books. Maybe he thought it was his duty or that he just simply didn't have any role to play in Winterfell anymore. Starks have manned the Wall for hundreds of years.

If you were given a choice, your hand to be chopped off or the Wall, which one would you choose? Some would rather serve in the NW than be a cripple for the rest of their lives.

[ni2tre]

"There's great honor joining the Nights Watch" - Ned Stark

Joining the Nights Watch was considered a great way to bring honor to your house, especially if you are a younger son with nothing to inherit. But because through the years people have forgotten the true enemy, they don't send strong people there anymore and that's why NW has not great numbers anymore which means they have to accept thieves, rapers, criminals so they can defend the wall with what they have.

You see Jon learned from Ned all these years about honor and as a bastard with nothing to inherit anyway he thought joining the NW would be the honorable thing to do in his life.

[A Prince of Dorne]

It's a miserable decision, no doubt. Benjen joining is a head-scratcher. Jon as well, although he really had nowhere to go since Cat didn't want him at Winterfell.

The only time it makes sense is when you're given no other option

[Aerys Blackfyre]

because it's a honorable thing to do

[LSM]

For the common man, it's probably less to do with honour than the fact that in the winter, eating is fun! And if you're some poor bastard (in the literal sense) then joining the Night's Watch guarantees that at least you'll die with some gruel in your stomach.

[Ser Flowers]

For the common man, it's probably less to do with honour than the fact that in the winter, eating is fun! And if you're some poor bastard (in the literal sense) then joining the Night's Watch guarantees that at least you'll die with some gruel in your stomach.

100% agree here. Imagine if one morning you woke up in Westeros. Chances are you have no skills in fighting, you would just be a commoner. You really only have two options to survive. Be a whore or join the NW. And hell in the NW you get food and shelter, they teach you how to swing a sword. And if you're lucky you can be an assistant to the cook or the drunk septon and likely never see combat.

[TyshaLives]

1. Some people get convicted for a crime and choose NW because it's better than whatever other option they're being offered.

2. Some do it to prove themselves (second sons, bastards, low-born guys) because it's possible for anyone to get promoted in NW.

3. NW is kind of like a national army with a clear 'protecting the realm' thing. So it's honourable, like the army.

[fear2433]

because it's a honorable thing to do

Its quite strange how its honorable.

Because, you have to enslave yourself to the wall even if you join voluntarily.

For the common man, it's probably less to do with honour than the fact that in the winter, eating is fun! And if you're some poor bastard (in the literal sense) then joining the Night's Watch guarantees that at least you'll die with some gruel in your stomach.

But Jon was no commoner. He could have guarded winterfell along with Robb when Ned left for KL. He could have helped his family (kindof like Theon) rather than join a group of strangers.

What is so honorable about being a slave? (To the NW)

Jon is said yo be logical and intelligent. Who in the right sense will take this decision. Won't a logical person choose being Robb's hand rather than a slave maid.

[GrammarYatzy]

It's not like there aren't Tonnes of posters on this forum not getting any as it is. Plus, in planetos there is no cellphones or internet or other forms of electronic entertainment so stuff is pretty boring.

Really the nightwatch isn't so bad as long as you aren't a ranger. And most of the men of the nights watch aren't exactly giving up a playboy life filled with A-Class hygienic girls or any form of self determination

just due the proportion of westeros population odds are anybody here would be slumming it in a pile of human whatzit in fleabottom or barely managing to subsist/make quotas as a crop sharer on a pile of cow whatzit on some dudes farm. Steward in nights watch starts to sound pretty good when you factor in where you'd certainly end up otherwise as a westerosi

Basically, it's not a whole lot different then when an American joins the navy. The terms are less extreme in the navy but there options back home are better than westerosi too. Still navy can be a good gig

Basically,

What I'm trying to say is join the navy. America needs you!

Just don't join the rangers/Marines unless you are really tough and prepared to die

[Ser Flowers]

Its quite strange how its honorable.

Because, you have to enslave yourself to the wall even if you join voluntarily.

But Jon was no commoner. He could have guarded winterfell along with Robb when Ned left for KL. He could have helped his family (kindof like Theon) rather than join a group of strangers.

What is so honorable about being a slave? (To the NW)

Jon is said yo be logical and intelligent. Who in the right sense will take this decision. Won't a logical person choose being Robb's hand rather than a slave maid.

Its quite strange how its honorable.

Because, you have to enslave yourself to the wall even if you join voluntarily.

But Jon was no commoner. He could have guarded winterfell along with Robb when Ned left for KL. He could have helped his family (kindof like Theon) rather than join a group of strangers.

What is so honorable about being a slave? (To the NW)

Jon is said yo be logical and intelligent. Who in the right sense will take this decision. Won't a logical person choose being Robb's hand rather than a slave maid.

Jon was not a commoner, but he was a bastard who would inherit nothing. What was there for him in Winterfell? Be a member of the guard? And in all honesty if Ned died before Catelyn she would of ran him off. Also how can Jon be Hand to Rob when Rob was not a king and they were both 15 when Jon joined up. At least in NW Jon could gain honor, would be near his family in the north and his uncle was high ranking in the NW. Jon didnt care about getting laid at this point and cared more about making a name for himself. It was honestly the best choice for him at the time.

[TheBreastplateStretcher]

Not promised a betrothel or lands and titles because your the 5th son of the brother of the lord of your land? Come join the fun here with the night's watch!

(Waymar Royce)

Jamie lannister get your lord to fold on the river and give the castle you grew up in and around your whole life to a Frey? Well you can throw down your arms and go wondering the woods for the rest of your life or hey... "There's always good men needed on the wall."

Your step mom hate your guts and wish you'd just go away? Does your well known family have a long history of serving the black? Well then, just dial 1800 BENJEN and you could be the next contestant to honorably freeze your balls off for the rest of your life up here in the real north.

[FC_Lymond]

Jon was not a commoner, but he was a bastard who would inherit nothing. What was there for him in Winterfell? Be a member of the guard? And in all honesty if Ned died before Catelyn she would of ran him off. Also how can Jon be Hand to Rob when Rob was not a king and they were both 15 when Jon joined up. At least in NW Jon could gain honor, would be near his family in the north and his uncle was high ranking in the NW. Jon didnt care about getting laid at this point and cared more about making a name for himself. It was honestly the best choice for him at the time.

In history, there were tons of royal bastards that ended up rich. They ended up as chancellors, generals, given lower level lordships when they opened up. Even if they joined the church, they were basically guaranteed being a bishop.

Jon joining the NW is quite dumb.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Jon joining the NW is quite dumb.

His reasons are childish, but they aren't dumb. He wanted to remove any chance of giving a child the same life he has suffered. Benjen was right, though: he didn't know what he was giving up and he found out with Ygritte how little those things matter when you're with someone you love. And he is now regretting it.

[fear2433]

His reasons are childish, but they aren't dumb. He wanted to remove any chance of giving a child the same life he has suffered. Benjen was right, though: he didn't know what he was giving up and he found out with Ygritte how little those things matter when you're with someone you love. And he is now regretting it.

Yup its like imprisoning yourself for life!

In such a case, why do the people in westeros try to popularize its honour? To trap little children :p ?

Every other member was forced to join. Why only Jon made the dumb choice? (He was quite big enough then to think)

Also any idea why Jeor Mormint joined?

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Yup its like imprisoning yourself for life!

In such a case, why do the people in westeros try to popularize its honour? To trap little children :P ?

Every other member was forced to join. Why only Jon made the dumb choice? (He was quite big enough then to think)

Also any idea why Jeor Mormint joined?

Not everybody was "forced" to join. Mormont wasn't. He joined because his son was already a man (or so he thought...), hence, he probably believed his House would be in his good hands, as he was already married and expecting a child (or was about to, can't remember timeline right now). He joined the Watch because he knew, as a northman, that good capable hands are always needed there. That also happened with Donal Noye. He willingly joined after he lost his arm. He might not have been quite useful for the Baratheons but his skill could have found a good use up in the Wall, which indeed happened.

The Wall is a good solution for a man who is a younger brother with little chances to inherit something. In the Watch, you are still useful and you can rank high. That was Royce's case.

[scotcat]

In the past it was an honourable option for a 2nd son (or 3rd, 4th or 5th for that matter), especially if you came from one of the Northern houses. But ten time faded the memory of who the true enemy really is and it went from honourable choice to snowy prison.

For the commoners, it has nothing whatsoever to do with any notions of honour and everything to do with survival. If you have nothing, getting the food, shelter and training the Watch provides is a much better option than what you may already have in front of you.

[fear2433]

For the commoners, it has nothing whatsoever to do with any notions of honour and everything to do with survival. If you have nothing, getting the food, shelter and training the Watch provides is a much better option than what you may already have in front of you.

I like your post!

But don't you see the similarity with today's prisons?

A homeless guy could coomit a crime and go there.

But a second son, no matter how honorable will not go to prison because there is no coming back.

Someone pointed out its like the Navy. If the navy forces you to stay on a ship for Life! I guess no one would join the navy today.

People join honorable posts because they have the option of getting back their freedom.

A group of brothers who defended the wall make that stupid lifetime imprisonment condition for its members (at a time when all were volunteers) . Why?

[scotcat]

I definitely saw the similarities.

As for why make it a lifetime commitment when (at least initially) the Watch was made up of volunteers, the only reason that springs to mind is that if it were optional (i.e. you could leave whenever you liked) your fighting force would vanish whenever it suited them. Which isn't very handy.

Whereas, if they instituted a lifetime commitment, combined with the knowledge that (more than likely) whatever Stark ruled in Winterfell would execute you if you deserted your brothers, they ensured there would always be at least some men defending the wall at all times.

Yes, I know that castle Black is currently the only castle manned by the Watch because their numbers have fallen so drastically over the intervening centuries, but the Wall is still manned.

[Rouge]

I guess the next logical question is why does the Watch not have a lot more senile old men? Sure they have a lot of older characters in their midst, but there should be many more old guys like Aemon who are way past their prime and couldn't swing a sword. They do serve for "life" after all...