Ned messed up on Robert's death bed

[AegonTargaryen]

I saw a cool thread about a possible Baratheon compromise whereby Stannis and Renly would band together behind Edric Storm, who is of noble birth on both sides, and acknowledged by Robert to be his bastard.

So the question is simple, why didn't Ned reveal to Robert Cersei and Jaime's incest, and have him legitimize Edric on his death bed.

Under this scenario, Edric Baratheon, son and heir of King Robert, is safe in Baratheon custody in Storm's End, where he is crowned upon Robert's death. Stannis and Renly, neither of which is particularly interested in being king for the sake of being king, rally behind their nephew.

Anything can happen next, but either way the Baratheons and Starks are sitting pretty. Say Ned agrees to Renly's plan, and they take control of King's Landing, arrest Cersei and her children, and place Edric on the throne. Tywin is fucked. His only alternative would be to try to bring in the Tyrells to Joffrey's cause, but would they marry Margery to an imprisoned bastard born of incest?

Alternatively, Ned refuses Renly's plan and gets beheaded by Joffrey. In this scenario, Winterfell, Riverrun, and Storm's End are all standing behind Edric hungry for Lannister blood. Renly and Loras probably arrange a betrothal to Margery, and again, Tywin is fucked.

Thoughts guys? Did Ned not fuck up by not trying to get Robert to legitimize one of his known children?

[Usrnmhsnomning]

Legitimizing Edric on his deathbed would still create a problem with the fact that many people would simply think Joff is legitimate anyway. It'd just be the Blackfyre issue all over again. The only way Ned was going to come out on top in that situation was if he accepted Renlys proposal and acted regent over Joffrey until they sorted things out. Also, despite knowing about Roberts bastards Ned still out and out supported Stannis and his claim. And there's no insurance that Stannis and Renly would have accepted the legitimization; Stannis clearly intended to press his claim and Renly disregarded rights altogether and crowned himself with near a hundred thousand swords.

[Burning down the House]

Anything can happen next, but either way the Baratheons and Starks are sitting pretty. Say Ned agrees to Renly's plan, and they take control of King's Landing, arrest Cersei and her children, and place Edric on the throne. Tywin is fucked. His only alternative would be to try to bring in the Tyrells to Joffrey's cause, but would they marry Margery to an imprisoned bastard born of incest?

Mace wants to be grandfather to the king. In your scenario Ned should marry Edric to Margery and bring the Tyrells and their 100k swords in on his side, if that happens the lannisters would just have to accept it or fight the whole realm alone.

[Toxspecific]

I saw a cool thread about a possible Baratheon compromise whereby Stannis and Renly would band together behind Edric Storm, who is of noble birth on both sides, and acknowledged by Robert to be his bastard.

Talk about twisting the very character of the series just for the sake of theorizing.

[VaramyrSixchins]

Mainly because Ned didn't want to give tell his friend his kids were really his brother-in-laws. He was reluctant to do it when Robert was alive and well, (albeit for different reasons) let alone on his deathbed...

[Minsc]

Talk about twisting the very character of the series just for the sake of theorizing.

If Robert had legitimized Edric then Stannis would have followed Edric to the grave.

[Longspear Ryk]

Yep i agree

But do they marry edric to sansa or margery?

[BondJamesBond]

It's a great idea but Robert was pretty pathetic toward the end and Ned didn't have the heart to tell him of the twincest. He should have, though. Ned clearly didn't have a plan other than to rule as regent which was basically putting off a big decision.

Edrick Storm seems like a nice kid, but he is a complete unknown and is basically everything to everyone.

It's a great idea, though. Good post.

[mrunderhill]

Yes Ned messed up here and it was actually, because he was not honourable. Like with the Sansa situation he was placing his family above honour. Robert was family to him and he could not bring himself to hurt Robert.

If Ned had told Robert the truth then Robert probably would have named Edric as heir. He would do so infront of the Small Council and the Royal Guard. Crows would be quickly sent that night. The combination of the Baratheons, the Tullys, The North, Dragonstone and the Crownlands would be too much for the Lannisters.

[Dr. Pepper]

Renly thought Joffrey was Robert's true son. He was going to crown himself anyway, a legitimized bastard wouldn't have made a difference in the least in that regard. Cersei also already planned to best Ned with strength of arms, so another piece of paper would have done nothing. Robert's will declaring Ned Lord Regent until Joffrey came of age meant diddly squat. Stannis declared himself the rightful king. He could have legitimized Edric Storm if he wanted, so that one of Robert's children sat the throne, but he didn't. Hell, Renly could have done the same and supported a Marg/Edric marriage, but he didn't. Joffrey's parentage became an open secret after Robert died, no one really cared, save for Stannis. Deathbed wills have been notoriously useless or harmful in the series. Ned certainly messed up a couple of times in King's Landing, but I can't see that anything would have changed.

[Toxspecific]

If Robert had legitimized Edric then Stannis would have followed Edric to the grave.

Yeah, then he would. The whole page didn't load so I couldn't see the rest of the post, I guess.

[David Selig]

This would not have changed anything. Renly wanted to be king, so he wouldn't have backed Edric. Stannis probably would've invented some excuse not to back his claim either.

That's assuming news of Edric being legitimised even reaches them, which seems very unlikely given the situation in KL. Cersei most likely would've tore up the proclamation making Edric the heir and nobody outside the Red Keep would know about it.

[MasterJack]

If Robert had legitimized Edric then Stannis would have followed Edric to the grave.

Yes, but everything would be exactly the same, with the exception of Stannis warring as Edric Storm Baratheon Regent, Lost in the North, ready to attack WF

[Minsc]

This would not have changed anything. Renly wanted to be king, so he wouldn't have backed Edric. Stannis probably would've invented some excuse not to back his claim either.

Renly could try to position himself as being Edric's regent in how the boy had lived in his castle for the majority of his life, and I do think Stannis would have followed Robert's legitimized heir.

That's assuming news of Edric being legitimised even reaches them, which seems very unlikely given the situation in KL. Cersei most likely would've tore up the proclamation making Edric the heir and nobody outside the Red Keep would know about it.

Hopefully, Ned would be smart enough to actually tell Renly thus allowing him to know and contact the realm after he escapes KL.

[David Selig]

Hopefully, Ned would be smart enough to actually tell Renly thus allowing him to know and contact the realm after he escapes KL.

Ned didn't tell Renly Joff and the other two are illegitimate, so I doubt he would've told him this either. Besides, without an official document to prove it, Renly had no reason to act on it and back Edric.

[The Mountain That Flies]

Stannis and Renly, neither of which is particularly interested in being king for the sake of being king, rally behind their nephew.

Renly is entirely interested in being king for the sake of being king. Unfortunately, as had kind of already been stated, if Robert had legitimized Edric on his deathbed, Cersey would have torn up the provlemation when Ned tried to honorably seize control. Meanwhile, if Ned had told Robert the truth earlier, there is a good chance Big Bob would have just buried his head in the sand further and said Ned had no conclusive proof (which he didn't, since Cersei's confession wasn't witnessed by anyone and Robert isn't really smart enough to fully buy into the genetics issue).

This is a very cool theory, but I just don't see it working out much differently from what actually happened. Robert didn't give a crap about Edric and was notiously bad at focusing on the actual ruling part of being king. Even if somehow he had been convinced of the twincest bastardy, he probably would have just drank himself to death before listening to pleas to legitimize anyone.

[Usrnmhsnomning]

He could have legitimized Edric Storm if he wanted, so that one of Robert's children sat the throne, but he didn't. Hell, Renly could have done the same and supported a Marg/Edric marriage

I don't think that's how legitimization works? If a bastard gets legitimized after the king has already died and been succeeded, why would it suddenly make him king? It just adds him to the line of succession doesn't it?

[Master Forel's Fro]

Even if Renly gave ned his support cercei had LF and all the gold cloaks. Cercei intercepted ned's letter to stannis, she would have taken any letter legitimising Edric.

[joluoto]

Stannis would not accept Edric being legitimized. Renly and the Tyrrels might, with Margaery being married off to Edric, Renly becoming Regent and Mace becoming Hand of the King. But we could also see Renly and the Tyrrels just make the same powergrab they did in the books anyway. And the Lannisters would deny the claims of course, and if Cersei and the children are able to flee King's Landing, Tywin would rise for them. Ned might find himself alone backing Edric.

[thelittledragonthatcould]

Why would Robert automatically believe it. He might not have been a caring father, but a revelation like that is pretty big and considering Ned's problems with the Lannisters it might come off as self serving.