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Lord Randyll is either a cheap or sadistic bastard


Mal Malenkirk

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He could have forced his son to become a Maester instead of taking the black. Same end result.



Randyll is from the Reach; Oldtown is practically next door, there should be some affinity here. He might not even have needed to twist Sam's arm too much; his son is clearly well suited for te Maester's life. His wife would doubtlessly have been much happier.



So why force the black?



First possibility is the expense. I have not read anywhere that some fees should be paid to the citadel so the accept your child, but it seems likely. Unlike the Night Watch, the Citadel doesn't seems to have lands or any way to sustain itself. I have to assume they get some income at some point, a entry fee seems likely. And if so, mayhaps Randyll Tarly did not want to pay it on behalf of Samwell.



Or perhaps he just hated his son so much he'd rather see him at the wall in the hope he suffers and dies.



Or hey, maybe both.



What a jackass either way.


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I can't remember now which book it was in, but Sam actually explains that. He said something about his father looking down on Maesters because they are servants, and Tarlys are not servants. So basically it had to do more with family pride. But I agree... total jackass.


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I doubt money was the issue. When Jon tells Sam he's sending him to the citadel Sam complains about how his father wouldn't tolerate his son being a servant. The Night's Watch is a life of servitude as well but from Tarly's military perspective the Wall is more fitting.


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I can't remember now which book it was in, but Sam actually explains that. He said something about his father looking down on Maesters because they are servants, and Tarlys are not servants. So basically it had to do more with family pride. But I agree... total jackass.

It's AFFC, Samwell I

"My father, Lord Randyll, he, he, he, he, ...the life of a maester is the life of servitude....no son of House Tarly will ever wear a chain. The men of Horn Hill do not bow and scrape to pretty lords."

(still an ass, though)

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Randyll Tarly was a perfect fit in his world. Sam was a total misfit. Any time a kitchen girl can drub the heir to a House with strong military tradition there's something wrong with the heir. Once Dickon was born Randyll should have disowned Sam and packed him off to the Citadel where he'd have been more at home. Apparently the Wall looked like a better alternative to Randyll.



I'm surprised that few people get as disgusted with Sam and his constant whining about being a craven as I do. He has a ton (nearly) of potential but wimps out for the slightest reasons.


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An ass, yes, but the survival of his family and men depends on having a strong lord, something that Sam, at the moment, proved not to be. Keeping him around in the Citadel, putting his pride aside, would meant everybody remembering that he had a weak son, and they're weak. At the Wall, he would become stronger or die. He became stronger.

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I'm surprised that few people get as disgusted with Sam and his constant whining about being a craven as I do. He has a ton (nearly) of potential but wimps out for the slightest reasons.

Eh, if you ask me, Sam perfectly exemplifies Bran's conversation with Ned in the first book.

Bran thought about it. "Can a man still be brave when he's afraid?"

"That is the only time a man can be brave" his father told him.

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I'm surprised that few people get as disgusted with Sam and his constant whining about being a craven as I do. He has a ton (nearly) of potential but wimps out for the slightest reasons.

Well, he has proven to be brave when it's needed to be, though. He hasn't realised that yet, I guess.
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I can't remember now which book it was in, but Sam actually explains that. He said something about his father looking down on Maesters because they are servants, and Tarlys are not servants. So basically it had to do more with family pride. But I agree... total jackass.

I am re-reading and I forgot that part (not yet up to AFoC) but it rings true, I had forgotten about that.

Somehow that's even worst.

Hey, Randyll, you serve the Tyrells. What's the damn difference with a maester serving a house?

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I am re-reading and I forgot that part (not yet up to AFoC) but it rings true, I had forgotten about that.

Somehow that's even worst.

Hey, Randyll, you serve the Tyrells. What's the damn difference with a maester serving a house?

Tyrells are his liege lord, Sam would most likely serve a lord of equal or lesser station than Randyll

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I am re-reading and I forgot that part (not yet up to AFoC) but it rings true, I had forgotten about that.

Somehow that's even worst.

Hey, Randyll, you serve the Tyrells. What's the damn difference with a maester serving a house?

Well Randyl is a bad ass general with a ton of power and respect in the realm so that would be the biggest difference.

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Eh, if you ask me, Sam perfectly exemplifies Bran's conversation with Ned in the first book.

The problem with Sam is that he takes bad situations and magnifies them in his mind to the extent that he's paralyzed. He fears pain, even though he has survived painful situations. He can't say "That was pretty bad, but I got through it." He just freaks out all over again. He can only act when he's absolutely forced to set his fear aside.

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The problem with Sam is that he takes bad situations and magnifies them in his mind to the extent that he's paralyzed. He fears pain, even though he has survived painful situations. He can't say "That was pretty bad, but I got through it." He just freaks out all over again. He can only act when he's absolutely forced to set his fear aside.

Hence Jon ordering Sam not to think of himself as craven anymore, before he sent him out to the Citadel.

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