33 replies to this topic

[clydas]

A lot of characters in the books and readers off the books say that Cersei made a lot of stupid strategic decisions in A Feast for Crows.

Reading the book, I couldn't spot so many. In fact, most of her actual decisions seemed ok for me. As bad decisions I can remember the permission for the High Septon to build an army (although it shocked me how easily the guy forgave the Crown's debt) and the bribing of Kettleback to bed Margaery and kill Jon (did she really think the guy would take it? He couldn't be so dumb as to think he would escape the hanging after killing Jon. It turned out that he was, so it was a good move).

Her arrogance and paranoia let her to consistently ignore Pycelle's counsels and to do her best to hurt the Tyrells, her strongest supporters. But her actual government decisions seemed ok given her objectives.

So besides arming the septons what did Cersei do in A Feast for Crows that was so stupid?

[Volantis]

Actually I was really surprised about Pycelle being the only one who argued(though rather weakly) against Cersei. Never thought Pycelle would turn out the good guy.

[TheKitttenGuard]

clydas, on 12 October 2012 - 10:14 AM, said:

A lot of characters in the books and readers off the books say that Cersei made a lot of stupid strategic decisions in A Feast for Crows.

Reading the book, I couldn't spot so many. In fact, most of her actual decisions seemed ok for me. As bad decisions I can remember the permission for the High Septon to build an army (although it shocked me how easily the guy forgave the Crown's debt) and the bribing of Kettleback to bed Margaery and kill Jon (did she really think thethe guy would take it? He couldn't be so dumb as to think he would escape the hanging after killing Jon. It turned out that he was, so it was a good move).

Her arrogance and paranoia let her to consistently ignore Pycelle's counsels and to do her best to hurt the Tyrells, her strongest supporters. But her actual government decisions seemed ok given her objectives.

So besides arming the septons what did Cersei do in A Feast for Crows that was so stupid?

1. Stopping payments to the Iron Bank causing great economic harm throughout Westeros.
2. Putting incompetent or unsavory people on the council.  Aurane Waters took the fleet that she stop paying the Iron Bank to have.
3. Her overall Margaery plan.  
4. Stokeworth/Bronn episode (should of sent the kitten)
  Many of her decision are compund problems.  She did not want to pay the I.B for a personal fleet and in the end that fleet was stolen by Auran and near ruin westeros economy.  She allows for the Faith to re-arm and to use them against Maegaery and in the end she is accused in the end.  
Not surprise with the Faith doing the deal.  The power they receive by Cersei's actiom could be worth 10 milliom golden dragons.  As dumb as rearming a religious order is she could of see of getting all the crown's debt with that.

[direwolf_of_white_fangs]

itsnotanopinionitsafact, on 12 October 2012 - 10:10 PM, said:

1. Stopping payments to the Iron Bank causing great economic harm throughout Westeros.
2. Putting incompetent or unsavory people on the council.  Aurane Waters took the fleet that she stop paying the Iron Bank to have.
3. Her overall Margaery plan.  
4. Stokeworth/Bronn episode (should of sent the kitten)
  Many of her decision are compund problems.  She did not want to pay the I.B for a personal fleet and in the end that fleet was stolen by Auran and near ruin westeros economy.  She allows for the Faith to re-arm and to use them against Maegaery and in the end she is accused in the end.  
Not surprise with the Faith doing the deal.  The power they receive by Cersei's actiom could be worth 10 milliom golden dragons.  As dumb as rearming a religious order is she could of see of getting all the crown's debt with that.

Besides all of the above mentioned, Cersei's general thoughts in aFfC are mostly petty, small and stupid because she only cares about little issues and petty revenges involving Maergary Tyrrel out of Jealousy that is not even her enemy or should not. If you read aFfC you know all her thoughts and actions do not even concern the seven kingdoms but small king's Landing gossip. She gets  obsessed mostly with trivial matters and forget about the real issues and to govern the realm.
The fact she is a little off her game can be symbolized by episode of the burning of the tower of the hand. She is completely paranoid and imagine enemies everywhere and all sorts of crazy plots against her, most imaginary.

Perhaps the death of her favorite son Joff followed by her father's Tywin was too much for her to handle.

Edited by direwolf_of_white_fangs, 31 October 2012 - 08:48 PM.

[LastOfTheGiants]

Basicly any character she brought into the council was a HUGE mistake forming the weakest council we've seen yet in the whole series , no surprise they fall apart so quickly and that was her biggest mistake

[direwolf_of_white_fangs]

yepp, too many mistakes, she had it coming for her. Just the way it actually comes it was well deserved for her and all her scheming.
We can say she tasted her own poison.

[Phat Walda]

I think to expand on the idea of her pettiness, she is also extremely vain, and anyone who did not essentially make her feel like she was the number one priority, she viewed as a threat and would shut them out. Thus, people who were actually good at their jobs would be replaced by someone incompetent, just because she felt like she could control that person.

What it essentially comes down to is that every decision she made was a direct result of her fears and vanity, not any sort of grasp on the big picture or concern for the realm. She is the ultimate selfish ruler.

[SlackBladder]

She is also incredibly paranoid. As soon as Kevan Lannister doesn't agree to do everything she says, she immediately suspects him of working for the Tyrells and throws wine in his face. Basically she alienates any potentially useful allies and surrounds herself with sycophants and weaklings. Not to mention totally trusting Qyburn who was a Bloody Mummer, a dabbler in the black arts and is obviously only interested in himself.

[TyranosauRoss]

Trust Aurane Waters.

[TyranosauRoss]

Cersei is without a doubt the female version of the Mad King.  Proves it with her paranoia and drastic impulses.  Oh, and her burning down the Tower of the Hand kinda reminds me of the tendencies of the MK as well.

[Volantis]

Volantis, on 12 October 2012 - 12:02 PM, said:

Actually I was really surprised about Pycelle being the only one who argued(though rather weakly) against Cersei. Never thought Pycelle would turn out the good guy.

Same here

[Quentyn Baratheon]

Nearly every decisions she made IS a mistake.

[Where Boars Glow]

Alright far be it for me to defend some of Cersi's poor choices at ruler....however. Much as Kevin comes around to believing she may be right in mistrusting the ambitions of the Terells....so am I. I think she acts to much from emotion and makes some really bad decisions, most of which are already beautifully illustrated in this thread. I think her end motivation may turn out to be vindicated though.

Edited by Where whores go <-, 29 November 2012 - 02:21 PM.

[The Red Star]

Volantis, on 12 October 2012 - 12:02 PM, said:

Actually I was really surprised about Pycelle being the only one who argued(though rather weakly) against Cersei. Never thought Pycelle would turn out the good guy.

ya pycelle redeemed himself a little in my eyes, to the point where i was a little pissed when he was killed

[Quentyn Baratheon]

The Red Star, on 29 November 2012 - 01:50 PM, said:

ya pycelle redeemed himself a little in my eyes, to the point where i was a little pissed when he was killed

i can't wait for GRRM revealing the reason Pycelle is so much a lannister man. Something big must have happen for him to be such a lion whore.

[SlackBladder]

Volantis, on 12 October 2012 - 12:02 PM, said:

Actually I was really surprised about Pycelle being the only one who argued(though rather weakly) against Cersei. Never thought Pycelle would turn out the good guy.

I like how Pycelle is a bit more sympathetic in this book. When he turns up and mourns over Tywin, Jaime thinks about how he's an old an failing man, which actually made me quite sad.

[Lion of Judah]

Rearming the faith, hiring Qyburn and her accusations against Margery.

Edited by Lion Of Judah, 14 December 2012 - 08:45 PM.

[MelisandreTargaryen]

It was just nice to know she was making mistakes, and watch her fevered little brain freak out over the most trivial things. At every turn she proved to be more immature and ill-prepared for the throne than anyone... her fall from grace was brilliant.

[GabrielOfMyr]

fingering Taena.

[jons nissa]

clydas, on 12 October 2012 - 10:14 AM, said:

As bad decisions I can remember the permission for the High Septon to build an army (although it shocked me how easily the guy forgave the Crown's debt)

So besides arming the septons what did Cersei do in A Feast for Crows that was so stupid?

the high septon probably did the happy dance for an hour after cersei said they could rearm themselves if they forgot about the debt. being allowed to arm themselves and be able to enforce their will was worth every cent, as i believe cersei will realize in the next book.

that was a really big one. and many posters have already mentioned others.