Bronn: spying on Tyrion for Tywin?

[complexphoenix]

In a recent thread about Tywin and Shae, someone suggested that Shae might have been spying on Tyrion for Tywin. That got me thinking: could Bronn, who brought Shae to Tyrion in the first place, have been spying on Tyrion for Tywin?

When Tyrion arrives in Tywin's camp after his adventures in the Vale, he introduces Bronn to his father as "a sellsword of no particular allegiance. He has switched sides twice in the short time I've known him." Tyrion may have thought this funny, but Tywin might have read this as an opportunity. Bronn's loyalty clearly belongs to the highest bidder; Tyrion can easily outbid any non-Lannister but he can't outbid his father. Tywin could easily have offered Bronn a deal when Tyrion's back was turned: spy on Tyrion for me and be rewarded. In fact, I'd say Tywin would have to be nuts to send his son to serve as Acting Hand without someone to keep tabs on him.

After the Battle of the Blackwater, Tyrion's Mountain Clansmen are all chased off, while Bronn receives a knighthood. The Clansmen seem to have been genuinely loyal to Tyrion, whereas Bronn is a shady character. Could Tywin have given Bronn a knighthood in addition to gold for his services as a spy? Could Shae have been part of the conspiracy, with the words "you will not take that whore to court" meant as reverse psychology?

Thoughts? Other evidence for this theory I haven't noted? Evidence against?

[mediterraneo]

Why not?

[Scrambled Aegon]

The fact that he decided to name a kid Tyrion debunks this for me. I don't see why he'd do that unless he was legit because he sure as hell has nothing to gain from that

[Cristiano]

Hes a sellsword so gold buys his honor.

[Light a wight tonight]

Bronn may well be Tywin's agent, but another possibility is that he's sort of a guardian over Tyrion rather than a spy. This would require a re-thinking of Tywin's feelings toward Tryion, that he was concerned about Tyrion's welfare rather than wanting him dead or otherwise out of the picture. Standing as Tyrion's champion in the Vale could come under this job description. Not fighting Gregor would be due to different circumstances. Well, we haven't had a good crackpot theory here for a while.

[Minstral]

The earliest for Bronn to be employed by Tywin (in this scenerio, I don't buy it really) is when the two came out of the Vale and linked up with the main Lannister army. The second possible window would be right after the battle of Blackwater when Bronn recieves his knighthood from Tywin. Bronn being in the service prior to tywin's arrest is illogical owing to the fact that he first took his sword out in the service in Cat, and that there would be too much deus ex machina going on if he was somehow magically sent by Tywin.

[The Mountain That Flies]

I'd more likely buy Shae as spying for Tywin than Bronn, if for no other reason than there's no evidence of Bronn doing anything like that. The guy saw plenty of Tyrion's dirty business (even doing a fair amount of it himself), and yet none of this ever comes back to bite Tyrion in the ass. Furthermore, Bronn is very open with Tyrion about how his allegiance works, and while this could be a case of hiding in plain site, that really seems more likely to be true with Shae.

As for her, I doubt she was in Tywin's employ the whole time, but he obviously knew about her after Tyrion's brief time with her in the field, and would have surely looked into what his son had been up to upon arrival in King's Landing. I doubt he flipped her immediately, but more likely made his presence known and frighten her, thus making it easier to turn her when neccesary for the trial.

[Iona]

The fact that he decided to name a kid Tyrion debunks this for me. I don't see why he'd do that unless he was legit because he sure as hell has nothing to gain from that

Tywin's dead and Tyrion is on the loose. Only one of them is still a potential cash cow, so why not name the kid after him just in case there's a comeback.

[Usrnmhsnomning]

If Bronn were Tywins spy, he'd have been part of the trial against Tyrion just like Shae was. He, even more than Shae, knew what Tyrion got up to. If Bronn was already spying on Tyrion, it'd be nothing to him or Tywin to take the stand in return for even more gold. Bronn was legitimate.