What if. The King's Guard won at the Tower of Joy?

[Bright Blue Eyes]

By the time he sends an army, they are probably already on a ship.

Also, remembers that Robert might know that they have Lyanna and have no idea whether she's alive or not.

So what? Westeros got a lot of ships. He'll invade Essos if they aren't caught. And make no mistake, the Free Cities will serve them on a silver platter, tie a nice ribbon and say "thank you for buggering me" should the King of Westeros truly throw his weight into the ring.

[Sword of the Morgan]

I believe there's a decent chance the KG were under orders not to kill Ned. It may have been they were trying to kill all his bodyguards and take him alive.

If R+J=L is true than Rhaegar probably didn't want his lovers brother killed.

I never thought of that. Honestly, I just want to know what went down at the tower so badly, maybe more than anything else in the series, and I'm not even one of the fans obsessed with R+L=J.

[sj4iy]

I never thought of that. Honestly, I just want to know what went down at the tower so badly, maybe more than anything else in the series, and I'm not even one of the fans obsessed with R+L=J.

It's the one scene that I would love to see elaborated on more than anything else. I think there's something big that is key to the entire story that we don't know about.

[northwesterner]

The three of them surviving is unlikely as hell, but if they managed to do it...they should get the fuck out of the TOJ.

Jheeez, a little bit over dramatic

[Good Guy Garlan]

If those 3 KG had at least half a brain between the three, they send a rider as fast as they can to the Stormlands and contact Mace Tyrell and propose a Jon-Margaery match. The siege of Storm's End is resumed.

The Martells wouldn't like Rhaegar's son on the throne, but their hate for the Lannisters is bigger than that, especially with Elia and the kids' deaths still fresh. After all, Oberyn tried to raise Dorne for Viserys, why not do it for Aegon and Rhaeny's half-brother?

The super fresh troops of the Reach and the Dornish stablish an uneasy alliance and declare for Jon. The North is leaderless at this point, and most of the rebel troops are spent.

It would be basically Tywin versus the Reach

[sj4iy]

If those 3 KG had at least half a brain between the three, they send a rider as fast as they can to the Stormlands and contact Mace Tyrell and propose a Jon-Margaery match. The siege of Storm's End is resumed.

The Martells wouldn't like Rhaegar's son on the throne, but their hate for the Lannisters is bigger than that, especially with Elia and the kids' deaths still fresh. After all, Oberyn tried to raise Dorne for Viserys, why not do it for Aegon and Rhaeny's half-brother?

The super fresh troops of the Reach and the Dornish stablish an uneasy alliance and declare for Jon. The North is leaderless at this point, and most of the rebel troops are spent.

It would be basically Tywin versus the Reach

The last thing the KG would do would be to 'make a match' for their king. That's really overstepping their reach, imo.

[Lord Tony of House Stark]

they would have brought the child to the safest place possible probably Starfall. Jon is raised there tip he comes of age and rallies Dorne for the Targaryen cause.

[El Guapo]

If those 3 KG had at least half a brain between the three, they send a rider as fast as they can to the Stormlands and contact Mace Tyrell and propose a Jon-Margaery match. The siege of Storm's End is resumed.

Why would Mace Tyrell want to marry his daughter off to Rhaegar's bastard son?

[Good Guy Garlan]

Why would Mace Tyrell want to marry his daughter off to Rhaegar's bastard son?

Because Rhaegar's bastard son would inherit the Iron Throne (assuming Viserys and Dany die or something)

The last thing the KG would do would be to 'make a match' for their king. That's really overstepping their reach, imo.

I don't know, I think the KG overstep their reach all the time, and even Willam Darry, not a KG himself, arranged a match for Viserys. Add to that the fact that Arthur and his friends were probably scheming on Rhaegar's behalf since before the tournament, and even Gerold's ties with the Hightowers and Tyrells, and I see the recipe for some kind of marriage alliance

[sj4iy]

I don't know, I think the KG overstep their reach all the time, and even Willam Darry, not a KG himself, arranged a match for Viserys. Add to that the fact that Arthur and his friends were probably scheming on Rhaegar's behalf since before the tournament, and even Gerold's ties with the Hightowers and Tyrells, and I see the recipe for some kind of marriage alliance

There's a difference between 'overstepping one's bounds' and 'completely blowing them out of the water'. The KG have absolutely no authority whatsoever to arrange a marriage pact for their king. They take orders from their king, not the other way around. If Jon grew up and said "screw that, I'm not marrying her" then there's absolutely nothing the KG could do. Hell, if he told them to attack the Tyrells, they would be honorbound to do so. It's absolutely not feasible that the KG would make such a decision for their king.

[El Guapo]

Because Rhaegar's bastard son would inherit the Iron Throne (assuming Viserys and Dany die or something)

Bastards don't inherit anything.

Now if Mace wants to prop the bastard up anyway and try to take the throne by force in his name than he is welcome to try.

[Falstaff_Stark]

Ned's host kills the KG. There is no way they rode out alone. Ned's extreme vanity led him to bring 7 to the door. He had to factor in what if the Tower was fortified. You can't just disappear like that.

[Bright Blue Eyes]

If those 3 KG had at least half a brain between the three, they send a rider as fast as they can to the Stormlands and contact Mace Tyrell and propose a Jon-Margaery match. The siege of Storm's End is resumed.

The Martells wouldn't like Rhaegar's son on the throne, but their hate for the Lannisters is bigger than that, especially with Elia and the kids' deaths still fresh. After all, Oberyn tried to raise Dorne for Viserys, why not do it for Aegon and Rhaeny's half-brother?

The super fresh troops of the Reach and the Dornish stablish an uneasy alliance and declare for Jon. The North is leaderless at this point, and most of the rebel troops are spent.

It would be basically Tywin versus the Reach

Mace Tyrell, who has already surrendered and sworn fealty to Robert as well as sent his army home?

The North got Benjen and the rebels just got an additional 100,000 troops on top of the 100,000 they had in reserve on top of the 35,000 they led to the Trident.

It would be basically three quarters of Westeros against a divided Reach.

[Theon {HUNGRY WOLF} Stark]

If Robert gets to know Ned died by hand of KGs, who were keeping Lyanna captive, he would hunt them down in seven hells and kill them.

And some posters argued that Rhaegar ordered KG not to kill Ned. When the hell did that happen?

He was willing to piss off half the realm, just because he couldn't keep it in his breeches, and he would care for one life? No bloody way.

[Visenya Stark]

The Martells wouldn't like Rhaegar's son on the throne, but their hate for the Lannisters is bigger than that, especially with Elia and the kids' deaths still fresh. After all, Oberyn tried to raise Dorne for Viserys, why not do it for Aegon and Rhaeny's half-brother?

Rhaegar chose Lyanna over Elia. I don't think the Martells would accept such an insult. Especially now that Rhaegar and Lyanna have a son together.

[KingofSothoryos]

I think if Ned died at the ToJ, Mace Tyrell and Paxter Redwyne would have turned their cloak back to Targ loyalists, since they surrendered to Ned. Robert would still be injured from the Trident, so without Ned to lead his forces, the war would have languished but not ended. Dorne and the Reach would have defied Robert and the war would continue.

The Reach still had all its forces, since they only beseiged Storms End and didn't actually fight. Dorne sent 10k spears, but was widely thought to have held back most of their strength. With the Reach's strength at sea and ability to field the largest armies, which would be led by 3 of the finest knights in the realm, had a real chance of defeating the rebellion in a long protracted war.

[Ingelheim]

If those 3 KG had at least half a brain between the three, they send a rider as fast as they can to the Stormlands and contact Mace Tyrell and propose a Jon-Margaery match. The siege of Storm's End is resumed.

The Martells wouldn't like Rhaegar's son on the throne, but their hate for the Lannisters is bigger than that, especially with Elia and the kids' deaths still fresh. After all, Oberyn tried to raise Dorne for Viserys, why not do it for Aegon and Rhaeny's half-brother?

The super fresh troops of the Reach and the Dornish stablish an uneasy alliance and declare for Jon. The North is leaderless at this point, and most of the rebel troops are spent.

It would be basically Tywin versus the Reach

The timeline is wrong.

Mace had already surrendered when the TOJ happened.

[Frey Kings]

I think it would've been good night charlie when Tywin and the lannister army invaded KL. It would've be pointless to continue to siege Stannis,

[Bright Blue Eyes]

I think if Ned died at the ToJ, Mace Tyrell and Paxter Redwyne would have turned their cloak back to Targ loyalists, since they surrendered to Ned. Robert would still be injured from the Trident, so without Ned to lead his forces, the war would have languished but not ended. Dorne and the Reach would have defied Robert and the war would continue.

The Reach still had all its forces, since they only beseiged Storms End and didn't actually fight. Dorne sent 10k spears, but was widely thought to have held back most of their strength. With the Reach's strength at sea and ability to field the largest armies, which would be led by 3 of the finest knights in the realm, had a real chance of defeating the rebellion in a long protracted war.

Jon Arryn? The guy actually in charge of the Rebellion?

And Dorne's "most of their strength" is, as Doran himself said, a lie.They got a maximum of 20,000 remaining.

By the way, the ability to field the largest armies is clearly upon the rebels. 200,000-250,000 against 120,000.

[Avalatis]

That's a good point. I've always just been a bit skeptical as to how Ned survived that. Arthur Dayne, who was by most accounts the greatest warrior of his day, and the other Kingsguards were killed. While Ned, who wasn't a great fighter, survived. He had the numbers but still.

Or you know Ned was actually a good swordsmen in his prime. Obviously not at the same level as Arthur Dayne, but with a 7v3 advantage it was enough. I keep seeing people state it as a fact that Ned wasn't a great fighter and there is nothing to support such a statement. He trained with Robert. He fought throughout Robert's Rebellion without being injured. Ned didn't have the "reputation", but he was the type of man who didn't seek a reputation.