What's there to like about Robert really?

[LordPathera]

OP's viewpoint isn't surprising because that was the point of Robert's character.

He's a man whose not only past his prime, but has lost all will to live. He whored, drank, hunted and stuffed himself fat while the Realm went into heavy debt with other councilors like Stannis and Jon Arryn forced to pick up after Robert. He doesn't love/live Cersei and was clearly physically abusive with her. He not only neglects his own royal children, but also doesn't do jack for any of the 15+ bastards that he's fathered except for Edric. And at the end, this irresponsible fool is gored by a boar and the Realm plunges into war because of his terrible ability as a king.

Because Robert was never meant to be a king.

In his prime, Robert was handsome, tall, strong, skilled, brave, loyal and charismatic to where he could turn enemies into friend. It was this man who Eddard grew to love as a brother and the tragedy is that there are still embers of Robert the Great that can be glimpsed in King Robert the Fat. Even his lust wasn't as prevalent just yet, it can be inferred that Robert's love for Lyanna was truly genuine to a decent degree after all saving Lyanna from Rhaegar was one of Robert's primary motivations for rebellion along with not wanting to be executed. Heck, he was even a doting and loving father to Mya long after he lost interest in her mother, so there was even promise that Robert could've been a good father to his bastards.

But as Robert realizes, his victory over Aerys and Rhaegar was a hollow victory.

The love of his wife had died and he was set on the world's most uncomfortable chair to wear a crown that he never wanted to wear. That Crown changed Robert into a fat irresponsible drunkard who looked away from reality and neglected his responsibilities in every way possible as a husband, as a father (to his "trueborn" and bastard children) and especially as a king. The Greyjoy Rebellion was an opportunity for Robert to relive his long-past glory days as he led the 7 Kingdoms against Balon Greyjoy and crushed the Ironborn at sea and upon their islands. But it was too brief for a natural-born warrior like Robert and peacetime continued, as did Robert's fall into weakness. A fall that all too easily precipitated Westeros' descent into destruction and madness as the 7 Kingdoms tear each other apart without a strong central leader to unite them. Something that could've been prevented if Robert had at least tried to be a decent king or had any motivation to try to be a king.

Despite this as I say before, there are glimpses of Strong Robert in the Fat King. Which makes it all the more tragic.

That's what I and others like about Robert. We like the great warrior that he used to be and the embers of that warrior that remain in the drunk and fat king who hated every second of his life from the moment he got sat on the world's least comfortable chair.

[Tianzi]

10 hours ago, YOVMO said:

o me there were a few things to like about Robert. Robert was big. Not just in height but in personality. When I read robert stuff I get the sense that his entire life he was always the king of every room he walked in to. it wasn't just that he was a big fighter and a big drinker and a big womanizer...all things which are wonderful...but he could fill a room or even a battle field. I would imagine that when he was in a battle people honestly fought harder and braver knowing he was there down to a farm hand with a pitchfork and all the way up to landed knights and lords. 

I have to say you honestly surprised me here. Because for me one of the most visible characteristic of him was - outside of a battlefield, of course - 'pathetic'. The guy might have had a shiny past, but in a present day he is mostly seen whining, unwilling to take any action to improve the things he is whining about and his life in general.

[Laughing Storm Reborn]

A lot of folks who hate Bob, then think of Jaime or Oberyn a better person, or are huge fans of people who they don't know 75% about (Raeman or Lya)...

Unless your favourites are Ned or Davos or Sam or Shireen, hating on Bob is "a little" harsh

[Valens]

13 hours ago, Tianzi said:

Well, then Robert and his potential knowledge of the twincest was a threat to Joffrey's rule, bang, goodbye.

With Dany, maybe it was the rational choice, but Robert just started spitting venom when he heard about her. It was clear he acted out of hatred.

And well, Mya Stone very fondly remembers how he abandoned her (and his fatherly love didn't extend to having her acknowledged - putting her in a position when she could hope for a better marriage, for example), and Edric is only treated differently because his mother is a noble. And cared for by Varys. While Robert is very busy drinking, hunting and whoring carrying the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders, of course.

Of course, legitimizing bastards is debatable, and if he started doing this, Cersei would quickly put him in his deathbed, lol. But acknowledging them and taking some responsibility is another thing. One of his daughters ended up a prostitute. Not to mention taking responsibility for his heir, the future king. Whining about Joffrey - alright. Taking some steps to raise him better - nope, would require effort. And we know that Joffrey, little shit as he was, actually yearned for his 'father's' approval and would probably treat him as authority figure, hadn't Robert screw it.

Thankyou! You saved me the trouble of explaining all that. No matter how much his fans may try to make it look, Robert was just NOT A GOOD FATHER. He even tells Joffrey on his deathbed that he wishes he had been more with him and taught him to be a better man, than he I presume he means.

[YOVMO]

1 hour ago, Tianzi said:

I have to say you honestly surprised me here. Because for me one of the most visible characteristic of him was - outside of a battlefield, of course - 'pathetic'. The guy might have had a shiny past, but in a present day he is mostly seen whining, unwilling to take any action to improve the things he is whining about and his life in general.

I can see where you would say that, but by the time he gets to winterfell I think it is pretty clear that he is a broken man. You can see sparks of him for brief moments when he talks to ned either there or at the tourney...you can see his humor and a little flash of light showing a small fading ember of what used to be a large fire. What's more is that I feel it is a bad circle because he feels good for a moment and it reminds him of what he used to be so he seeks oblivion on booze or whores or, yes, self pity. Maybe pathetic is a perfect word if you take it at its etymological significance of pathos. I like to imagine those few really spectacular moments we see Robert at his best as being a small glimpse, 1%, of what he was when he was alive.

 

Basically, the Robert we meet was very much like Beric after being all Thorosed. He was still walking and talking and even fighting...hell, every now and then he told a joke. A moment here or there. But he had died. Only instead of being resurrected he was too stupid or too stubborn to just lay down. I think he honestly enjoyed nothing more than his deadbed than killing rheagar. I don't think he was whining per say....but everyone has a breaking point and he had long since past his.

This is why I think he is an amazing character. He isn't the hero king being crowned and anointed fresh from victory like Aragorn. He isn't the old and dying king we see in Marcus Aurilus in Gladiator. Those tropes are boring and done. We don't get that. We are only given glimpses of greatness through the exhausted eyes of a man long dead. And even those glimpses make us ask question of whether he was great or not. Imagine seeing it full force.

 

Anyway, I totally understand your reading of it as well.....I just see I'm in a slightly different light.

[Tianzi]

3 minutes ago, YOVMO said:

I can see where you would say that, but by the time he gets to winterfell I think it is pretty clear that he is a broken man. You can see sparks of him for brief moments when he talks to ned either there or at the tourney...you can see his humor and a little flash of light showing a small fading ember of what used to be a large fire. What's more is that I feel it is a bad circle because he feels good for a moment and it reminds him of what he used to be so he seeks oblivion on booze or whores or, yes, self pity. Maybe pathetic is a perfect word if you take it at its etymological significance of pathos. I like to imagine those few really spectacular moments we see Robert at his best as being a small glimpse, 1%, of what he was when he was alive.

 

Basically, the Robert we meet was very much like Beric after being all Thorosed. He was still walking and talking and even fighting...hell, every now and then he told a joke. A moment here or there. But he had died. Only instead of being resurrected he was too stupid or too stubborn to just lay down. I think he honestly enjoyed nothing more than his deadbed than killing rheagar. I don't think he was whining per say....but everyone has a breaking point and he had long since past his.

This is why I think he is an amazing character. He isn't the hero king being crowned and anointed fresh from victory like Aragorn. He isn't the old and dying king we see in Marcus Aurilus in Gladiator. Those tropes are boring and done. We don't get that. We are only given glimpses of greatness through the exhausted eyes of a man long dead. And even those glimpses make us ask question of whether he was great or not. Imagine seeing it full force.

 

Anyway, I totally understand your reading of it as well.....I just see I'm in a slightly different light.

Well, I have admitted he had the potential to be way better than he became. I suppose we can take the poetic approach and say anything past his 'breaking point' doesn't count, but unfortunately his family, the kingdom and his duties were still here, dependant on his actions, and he failed them big time.

As for the bolded, I can agree that Robert is a very well written character.

[YOVMO]

1 minute ago, Tianzi said:

Well, I have admitted he had the potential to be way better than he became. I suppose we can take the poetic approach and say anything past his 'breaking point' doesn't count, but unfortunately his family, the kingdom and his duties were still here, dependant on his actions, and he failed them big time.

As for the bolded, I can agree that Robert is a very well written character.

Funny, but I think that his unfulfilled potential is actually a great part of his character arc. The odd dilemma is that he reason he was able to love lyanna for so long was that she was dead and therefore the ultimate form of unattainable. He thinks if he had her he would be fulfilled but the truth is it would have taken him a month to be bored as snot with her......plus, he never would have fought in the war which was really the crowing achievement. He is so confused about himself, his life and what love means. So yeah, super well written.

 

As for him as a good king...we know that didn't happen. However, if we are simply asking, as the thread does, "what is there to like about Robert really" I think that is it. His confusion was based in the fact that he tried to make the world as the thought it should be rather than deal with it the way it was...this may be seen as a negative quality but I see it as Robert being a poet using actions instead of words and if that is absolutely, imo, something to like about him.

[brabbit18]

hi im new to the forum but i wanted to come say my opinion about robert because i always felt games of throne wasnt a story with hero and villains it show people as they are and i always found that my brother looked a lot like robert, my brother had a long past  with drugs he sold and people he killed when he feeled a menace and made money out of it, if people here knows big drug dealler they always thinks that they are a king, deserve the best and everyone need to show them respect i know about hearing the same storie about fight, glories ands great deeds over and over again until in their drunken mood the stories change every time and you need to act like its what happened  not to displease them but even if they are wrong these kinds of men wont accept to be told they are wrong even more if they have followers about  them, i saw the best like of the worst of people like that, in theire head they think they are good guy and will protect theyre family and theyre friends and do the good things but will kill children if they thinks thats they put him and his family in danger but he would had scruple and remorce from what he did, thats why men when like eddard stark and me exist to keep the bold and powewrful man to make mistake and fucks themselves up and the world. My brother lost his girlfriend of 7 years that he was going to marry, i knew love and i know that i would have been destructed me if that happened to me but he rised up and took his life in hand i know thats its hard losing someone it change a man and nobody here can really talk about how you would act and feels if you didnt losed your half. If i was not his brother and looked at what he did from an objective point of view maybe i might want to kill him but he is my brother and i know what he been trought and why he is like that now, nobody act bad for fun they had lived hard things and they changed them. I know he would give his life for mine like i would for him but we never get along well we dont have personality thats fits but he need someone to tell him that he is going to regret what he his going to do, if robert had eddard before and didnt marry a woman that didnt loved him he would have probably grew as a better man less wounded that he needs to drink everyday to forget what he missed with his lost loved and stop regretting where he is now. I just wanted to say that i know how are people like Robert and i would be the first one to want to beat them up i dont like people like that but when you grew up with a person like that, you shared his joy and his grief you know his bad and his good side you can understand why they are like that now and you can trust the fact that he might enrage you but he isnot a bad guy, i always thought that the worst man cant be judged without realizing what he had gone trought and what made him like that, even if they despise weakness and emotions showing and dont know what to do to cheer you up they ll always be there for you if you need them, someone can seem as strong as a mountain and proud as a king but when they leave that facade for you and see them cry it change a lot about your point of view about drunken proud kings. Im just saying that if anyone really knew the character and understand what he have been trought you would love him, pity him or understand that he could have a lot worst and he didnt because he stil have that have that dignity that makes you want to be better, to be a better king and a better father.When i was young my father was worst than robert for his kids i hated him but after i understood that even if it fucks the children mentally its not the fault of the parent if they were never raised, every man has the choice to be better and find ways to make the good things i would do whats needs to be done but i understand the ones how cant im not saying that he was a good men im saying that i understand why he didnt become one, thank you and sorry for the long post and my english im french canadian ^^