The absolute tiniest change you could make to avert war

[DannySpud]

You burned seven people while standing under a Weirwood tree and, err, drowning and have won the favour of the gods. They permit you to make one change to history so you can avert the war. You can't mess with free will and you have such limited power that the change you make has to be tiny. What would you do?

I would give Lord Jason Mallister a flash of recognition as he passes Catelyn on the Kingsroad. She would have less confidence in her anonymity on the Kingsroad and would decide against staying in the inn (his lack of recognition is what she uses to convince Ser Rodrick it'd be safe). She'd either make camp off the Kingsroad and avoid Tyrion altogether, or she'd meet him but this time she wouldn't be surrounded by sworn bannermen and so could do nothing about it. Tyrion wouldn't be kidnapped, Gregor doesn't get sent to raid the Riverlands in retaliation, Ned doesn't send his household guard to deal with him (plus Jaime hasn't killed Jory). He has no need of the City Watch or Littlefinger so doesn't get surprised by the attack in the throne room and can fight it off (LF might even side with him if Ned isn't sure to be defeated). Ned is regent (and not dead). The North doesn't go to war. The Lannisters are pissed, but no one else cares.

[Daario's*before*Snows]

Have Bran not climb that day

[Brienne Of Bombay]

Ned killing LF at Chataya's.

[PrinceHenryris]

Arya letting Nymeria loose on Sansa and Joffrey?

(covers head)

[danm_999]

I'm split between having Aerys die at Duskendale, or having Catelyn neglect to tell Brandon to spare Littlefinger in their duel.

[Full-Faced Braavosi]

Honestly, it doesn't seem like most of these changes would avert the war (perhaps with the exception of Aerys dying at Duskendale, which seems to break the rules as a pretty major change).

We forget that there are multiple considerations that led to the war - while the Lannister-Stark hostility was certainly part of it due to the whole Bran being pushed, Tyrion being kidnapped thing, the larger picture was that Ned was Hand of the King and was about to discover Cersei's secret about her children. This latter fact led to Robert being killed and Ned being imprisoned for attempting to depose Joffrey... his death then helped broil the war, but Renly and Stannis would still claim their rights to the throne.

[I Am Azor Ahai]

Hoster Tully not fostering Baelish, maybe.

[Full-Faced Braavosi]

I think people would do best by keeping Robert alive so that he could deal with Ned's accusation of Cersei-Jaime... so maybe just prevent him from drinking or hunting.

Unless I'm missing something, the comments about LF just prevent the initial strife between Stark-Lannister with the hostage taking of Tyrion and retaliatory attacking of Ned. The war didn't begin until post-Ned's execution for treason.

[NitzanLeo]

Probably JonCon burning Stoney Sept would have made it. Robert would have been dead and the rebellion most likely quelled. I do believe that only a change that would stop the rebellion as well as the War of the Five Kings could stop the War of the Five Kings, because either LF or Varys would have started a war anyway.

[SerStinger]

I guess inventing the condoms and handing a million of them to Cersei and Jamie would be pretty major?

[Maid of Tarts]

I would make Lyanna catch the flu just before the Starks were about to go to the Harrenhal Tourney.

[Quentyn the Blazed]

that time cersei had Jaime get moon tea to abort Robert's only trueborn child...I would replace the moon tea with regular tea

[western wolf]

I would prevent Dany from saving MMD

[Blood of the Flagon]

Ok Robert these are twelve simple steps.....

[Yukle]

This sounds really strange, but I'd bring the Others right to the wall when Tyrion is standing at its base.

Nothing else would bring the Realm together faster.

[danm_999]

Honestly, it doesn't seem like most of these changes would avert the war (perhaps with the exception of Aerys dying at Duskendale, which seems to break the rules as a pretty major change).

We forget that there are multiple considerations that led to the war - while the Lannister-Stark hostility was certainly part of it due to the whole Bran being pushed, Tyrion being kidnapped thing, the larger picture was that Ned was Hand of the King and was about to discover Cersei's secret about her children. This latter fact led to Robert being killed and Ned being imprisoned for attempting to depose Joffrey... his death then helped broil the war, but Renly and Stannis would still claim their rights to the throne.

I think Littlefinger being dead averts almost everything.

If Littlefinger is dead, Jon Arryn isn't murdered by Lysa. This means he and Stannis finish their investigation and go to Robert with the proof of twincest. This then means there's no opportunity for Renly to try and crown himself (instead, Margaery probably becomes Robert's new Queen like Renly wanted), and Stannis would likely be rewarded.

The Starks in this scenario would never leave the North, and Tywin Lannister has the choice of facing the entirety of the Seven Kingdoms by himself, or capitulating.

[The Mediocore Ron]

After Lyanna runs off with Rhaegar, Ned admits his love for Robert. They live happily ever after. No rebellion.

[Ibbison from Ibben]

Go back in history and find some silly reason to make Jenny of Oldstone's father a knight. Duncan the Small (or one of his descendants) succeeds his father Aegon V, thus avoiding all the problems with Aerys II.

[Lady Sansa Stark]

Either Catelyn Stark or Tyrion Lannister thinking at the Inn on the Crossroads: LOL, nope.

[Son of a Harpy]

I would send a raven to Lyanna before the tourney of Harrenhall that reads: Rhaegar is a dick …