Canon Claude

Don’t forget he was willing to sacrifice three of his own relatives, including his wife’s brother, just to send a message to Ellen Tarbeck.

Yohn Royce avenging his son’s murder (assuming that Ser Loras is still alive by that point)

Tywin is absolutely the beneficiary of absurd luck, but at the same time, he does have to be somewhat capable in order to capitalize on that luck. Cersei, for example, is just as lucky as him but she squanders it spectacularly. Hell, Machiavelli himself devoted chapters of “The Prince” to how a prince must make use of good fortune. Say what you will about him being a clever administrator, an average general, maybe a good warrior when he was younger, that’s all up for debate. But if nothing else, Tywin knows how to take advantage of good fortune.

How can we not answer this with hindsight? We’d have to forget what we’ve already read across five books.

This is the proudest defence of conservatism and narrow minded bigotry that I’ve yet seen on this site. And I’m looking forward to Bowen Marsh’s gruesome and well deserved death in the next book. He told Jon to let thousands of people die cruelly, including children. The “Watch” that he’s defending deserves to be obliterated. The times are changing. Jon tried to bring about progress for the good of humanity and Marsh murdered him for it. He gets no sympathy from me.

Forget her allies, or even the fact that she hasn’t lived in Westeros during her life, her bid for the throne will be opposed purely on the fact that she’s a woman.

You’d think Bear Island would have some kind of harbour and fleet to protect itself.

Wasn’t this all a reaction to Stannis winning, though? Wouldn’t Tyrion have altered his plans if he heard that Renly had won?

And Renly would also possibly die in the blast, along with Brienne, Loras, etc. And Cersei would definitely do it, too, be damned the consequences. She’s never cared about other people’s problems beyond a few her own family.

You think Renly would bother with bargaining?

Let’s assume that the shadowbaby failed somehow, so Stannis was left with just five thousand men facing twenty thousand knights and horsemen. Renly’s battle plan is carried out, and Stannis dies with a sword in hand. What then? What do Tywin and Robb and Tyrion and Varys and Balon and Doran and the rest do differently? Would Renly be able to take the throne for himself? Would he be able to keep it?

We don’t know whose land it was first, to be fair.

I was being snarky, never mind.

This is why I kind of want the Others to win. Also, on the First Men note, Robar Royce was a hero for trying to drive the Andals out of the Vale.

That would more than likely deter the Manderlys from starting their own bank. I highly doubt that Braavos will abide competition so close to home.

I’m kind of surprised that Dagmer and his men are still alive at this point. Surely the Northman could have taken Torrhen’s Square back by now? How many Ironborn were even part of that force?

Kevan also bore witness to the alienation and abuse of Tyrion by his father and sister for years. And unlike Tyrion’s other uncles, he is not kind to him and is quick to suspect the worst in him.

It’s possible. But you could probably speculate the same thing about Alicent and Aegon II’s relationship (at least, before House of the Dragon, anyway).

I’m sure whatever rot she has will easily blend in with everyone else’s.

Many trees can produce seeds without bearing fruits. Fruits aren’t a requirement in that regard. And given the climate that weirwoods have grown in, I would be surprised if they produced any fruits.

It would explain why he’s so committed to Tywin. Not just relief that Tywin restored House Lannister’s reputation, but also the guilt over having served the men who killed his kinsman. I doubt Roger Reyne was stupid enough to bring Kevan to the ambush, though, especially since the whole point was that his brother claimed it was an accident. Kevan being there and seeing everything for himself would destroy that claim in a heartbeat.

The humans deserve to be killed by the Others.

So who is Barbrey’s heir?

That’s why I said I would prefer Rhaegar had become king. If Robert hadn’t been around to get engaged to Lyanna before she eloped, maybe the rebellion wouldn’t have been so devastating. And presumably Rhaegar would have finally had the nerve to remove his father from the throne and take over with the blessings of the great lords who were done with the Mad King. That would have been a preferable scenario to Robert, whose rule ended with the breakout of the worst war that Westeros has seen in a long time. And it’s not even over yet, all while more awful stuff is happening just as the Others arrive to do their own thing.

I think he should have abdicated when he turned 16. Forget Lyanna, forget Ned, forget the Stormlands entirely, he would have been just as bad at being a lord as he was at being a king. Just go east and live by the skill of his weapons. Stannis becomes the new lord, so he’s got less reason to grind his teeth so much. I don’t like Stannis either but I find it hard to believe that he could have done worse than Robert. Robert was one of the absolute worst kings who ever sat on the Iron Throne. He’s a careless glutton like Aegon IV, he barely exercises his power like Aerys I, and he is just as weak-minded and weak-willed as Aenys. Maybe if Rhaegar had had a chance to become king, things would have been much different.