Here's Looking At You, Kid

That was the wrong move any way you look at it. Jon silenced input from the men of the watch by killing Slynt. That's not a healthy way to lead. If he had kept Slynt alive, somebody might have at least tried to talk sense into that thick head of his that leading an army of wildlings against the Warden of the North is not a good idea. It should never have actually gone that far. Jon should not have stuck his nose into Ramsay Bolton's business from the start. But that's another topic. Harsh can be just. But my main issue with Jon's handling of this matter is that he practiced double-standards. Like so many of us have been saying for years. Jon had a duty to those men to judge them fairly. He didn't do that. He let Mance Rayder go free. I guess you can break any rule you want, be guilty of the deaths of the men of the watch, and insubordination and get away with it if Jon likes you. Step out of line for something minor and he takes your head, if he doesn't like you. That's double-standards and it is wrong. Jon was in the wrong.

It is an obligation. Tywin doesn't have to like it.

Seems like a good motivation to put aside differences in order to cooperate. But cooperation won't happen as long as the likes of Cersei, Jon, Doran, Littlefinger, and Arya are alive. They are all too obsessed with revenge. Euron and Mance are other impediments to peace who must be disposed of. The Martells would do well to listen to Ellaria.

I can't wait for a fatal confrontation between Bran Stark and Jaime Lannister. I actually would not hold a grudge when he kills Jaime. If ever a scumbag deserved death, it is Jaime Lannister. I would be fine if he stopped there. He won't though. That tree will need to be fed because Bran will need to feed off of it. Human sacrifices are coming back. If it ever really went away. Arya is on her way to murder more people and many of her victims will not be deserving of it. Jon won't be merciful if or when he comes back. I sympathize with Bowen Marsh here. The crannogman had no other way to stop Jon from doing further harm to Watch and Westeros. He had to kill Jon to stop that boy's madness. Jon was responsible for his own death. There should not be any coming back from death. These Starks should die and that's it. No second chances as a wolf. Unfortunately, Martin went to a lot of trouble to explain skin-changing. I do not believe that was done to take up more pages. It will be very important in the plot going forward.

Tywin had a filial obligation to support Tyrion.

It could be inconvenient if somebody who liked the Starks were to challenge Sansa's marriage. It would be hard to dig up any documentation of the previous marriage though.

Tywin was hoping to get Jaime to leave the KG. He was not letting Tyrion have the rock. His back was not yet at the wall, so to speak. He might have pulled a Tarly if it had. They are bound by the same laws from which they have benefited for thousands of years. Fitness for the lordship has not been a part of the law. They inherit because of an accident of birth. The lucky sperm gets the goods. He would have needed the king's blessing to get around this law. Except Aerys was not going to be eager to release Jaime from the KG and it is more insulting to leave him with Tyrion as the heir to Casterly Rock.

It's not kinslaying in the sense that a blood brother is killed. But it is more extreme than, let's say, an American soldier murdering another. The bond between the crows are for life. They give up their blood families and become one big family at the Wall. We can see how Bowen Marsh felt about it. He was crying because he had no choice but to commit this distasteful act. Marsh was an honorable man of the watch who had serve faithfully but bad luck brought Jon Snow to the Wall to create this mess with the Boltons.

It was also destructive.

The Targaryens could have taken Storm's End and its lands without Orys. No it does not. Robert lasted less than 20 years compared to 300.

And Orys the bastard would never have been in a position to become a lord if it were not for the opportunity given to him by Aegon Targaryen. The Baratheon-Durandons simply cannot equal the Targaryens in terms of great accomplishments.

300 years is a very long time. That is a very successful dynasty. Maybe so. But that is one great thing about them that made them special. Something the Baratheons clearly do not have.

They lost the battle but not the war. King Viserys III survived, as did Princess Daenerys and Prince Aegon. The Baratheons had a brief victory. Which did not last one succession.

The Durandons were soundly defeated during the conquest. And the Baratheon line came from bastard stock, Orys. The Targaryens were one of the ruling families of the Valyrian Freehold. They were far from peons. The Baratheons and Durandons cannot compare.

The Targaryens held the throne for 300 years. The Baratheons only by a tiny fraction of that time. And the Baratheon screw ups brought Westeros to its present condition. The Targaryens are a far more successful dynasty compared to the Baratheons.