If you could put sole blame on a single person for the events that follows in ASoIaF, who would it be?

[aryagonnakill#2]

Well if Robert was a competent king none of it would have gone down. There are a lot of people who could have single handedly stopped it.

[Ranger Dirk]

Varys, he has been plotting for years to put (f)Aegon on the throne. Everyone else is just a pawn in his game. Ever since he lost his marbles, he has been trying to find a way into power. If he still had a pair, he would worry less about power and more about the ladies.

[Red Tiger]

Cersei Lannister.

[midi]

DJ Lil Fingah the master of the Dance floor

[Jon's Queen Consort]

Either Daenys for having that dream or Aenar for actually listening her.

[The silver dragon]

I have always felt that Westeros paid dearly for Aegon Targaryen's pride and hubris. Westeros is much too large and varied to be truly administrable by a sole ruler.

when that sole ruler had dragons that could travel vast distances in day's (where conventional travel would take months.), where they could destroy any castle or stronghold effortlessly. Then it was easily ruled by a sole ruler, how was aegon to know that his decedents would destroy their most valuable resource.

[The silver dragon]

Either Daenys for having that dream or Aenar for actually listening her.

what's gonna stop the other's then?

or the ironborn empire?

[FC_Lymond]

I don't think you can place the blame on one person.

But a lot of it is Tywin's fault, and much of that very deliberate.

Aerys wasn't mad before the DoD. Tywin had an army sitting outside the walls doing nothing while Aerys was going mad inside. What town could stand against the might of the whole nation for so long? None. Obvious plan involved.

Tywin sent Gregor to secure the heirs to the throne. Gregor. Again a deliberate act of malice.

Tywin did nothing about Twincest, allowing the heir to the throne to again be cast into doubt

Tywin allowed Joffrey to grow up a monster

and the list goes on and on

[GallopingGhost]

If you blame Cersei (which is totally fair) some blame has to go to Robert. She was thrilled to be queen. If he didn't call her Lyanna on their wedding night(?), she might/probably would have gave their marriage a chance. Even if it all fell apart later, she and Robert might even have had some trueborn children that would have come before Joffrey.

Regardless, it is all Butterfly Effect speculation anyway. (But fun to do).

[Red Tiger]

If you blame Cersei (which is totally fair) some blame has to go to Robert. She was thrilled to be queen. If he didn't call her Lyanna on their wedding night(?), she might/probably would have gave their marriage a chance. Even if it all fell apart later, she and Robert might even have had some trueborn children that would have come before Joffrey.

Regardless, it is all Butterfly Effect speculation anyway. (But fun to do).

Based on what we hear about Cersei's childhood (hell, based on her own POV's recollection of her childhood), she was ALWAYS a little psycho.

[thelittledragonthatcould]

I don't think you can place the blame on one person.

But a lot of it is Tywin's fault, and much of that very deliberate.

lol

Aerys wasn't mad before the DoD. Tywin had an army sitting outside the walls doing nothing while Aerys was going mad inside. What town could stand against the might of the whole nation for so long? None. Obvious plan involved.

How do you know his state of mind?

And Tywin did not kidnap Aerys. If you think this is what caused him to go crazy then should you not be blaming the Darklynns?

Tywin sent Gregor to secure the heirs to the throne. Gregor. Again a deliberate act of malice.

Yup, he screwed up. He should have sent a more experienced man than the teenage Gregor to secure the heirs. That is his fault, but considering Robert would have had them killed I don't think this is a cause of the War of the Five Kings. They would not have been so horrifically butchered, but they would be dead nonetheless.

Tywin did nothing about Twincest, allowing the heir to the throne to again be cast into doubt

Providing he even knew about the Twincest what do you expect him to do? Endanger the lives of his children and grandchildren?

Tywin allowed Joffrey to grow up a monster

WTF?

Tywin is the Lord of the Westerlands. Joffrey lives with his parents in Kings Landing. First and foremost it is their responsibility not Tywins. Jaime, Stannis and Renly were all regularly living in Kings Landing as well, is it only Grandparents and not uncles who shoulder the blame?

and the list goes on and on

Of course it does.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

It's obviously Jaime's fault.

If he hadn't been born with a functional penis, Aerys wouldn't have named him KG and Cersei wouldn't be jumping it and making babies out of it...

[GallopingGhost]

Based on what we hear about Cersei's childhood (hell, based on her own POV's recollection of her childhood), she was ALWAYS a little psycho.

Oh, no disagreement here that she is a crazy person, She did throw her friend down a well after all. But on day one of their marriage, he called her Lyanna which she never forgot and she checked out right there. She might have held on to the good marriage to the King thing long enough to give a trueborn son.

[Ser Arthur Hightower]

Joke possibilities:

Barristan, if he had failed to save Aerys; Rhaegar would be king sooner, no Robert's Rebellion, no twincest, Varys' plans fail.

Littlefinger's Hermit, if he hadn't told LF he would be a great man, he would never have got into the game.

Robert's female Estermont cousin, who's sleeping with him caused Cersei and Jaime to conceive Joffrey.

More seriously:

Barristan (again), this is only to a more limited degree, but still, why did he allow Robert's Kingsguard to become so crap? Mandon, Preston and Arys were all okay, and he couldn't do anything about Jaime, but Meryn and Boros have literally no redeeming qualities, he should have been bold enough to tell Robert they shouldn't be kingsguard. Also why didn't he react more strongly to Robert's will getting torn up?

Joanna Lannister nee Lannister, why didn't she tell Tywin?

Jon Arryn, he was doing most of the ruling in Robert's reign, he should have kept LF and Varys on tight leashes, and why he didn't tell Robert the truth as soon as he realised he was ill IDK. Also why did he even advise Robert to marry Cersei in the first place? Tywin had just committed a war crime for Robert against house Targaryen, his support was already guaranteed.

All prophecy ever written ever; Jaeherys makes his disgruntled children marry even though there is no political advantage and they don't get on due to some stupid prophecy, Rhaegar likely kidnaps/seduces Lyanna for the same reason.

I've picked unconventional candidates since Cat, LF, Varys, Cersei, Robert and Lysa have been said way too many times.

[Red Tiger]

Oh, no disagreement here that she is a crazy person, She did throw her friend down a well after all. But on day one of their marriage, he called her Lyanna which she never forgot and she checked out right there. She might have held on to the good marriage to the King thing long enough to give a trueborn son.

No way, the only man she truly trusted her vag to was Jaime.

Barristan (again), this is only to a more limited degree, but still, why did he allow Robert's Kingsguard to become so crap? Mandon, Preston and Arys were all okay, and he couldn't do anything about Jaime, but Meryn and Boros have literally no redeeming qualities, he should have been bold enough to tell Robert they shouldn't be kingsguard. Also why didn't he react more strongly to Robert's will getting torn up?

Because it's not the Lord Commander who controls who enters and leaves the Kingsguard, it's the king, regent or hand. Robert was weak and allowed Cersei to make several stupid moves.

As Gerold HIghtower said "you swore an oath to guard the king, not to judge him". Stupid rule, I know, but it's part of being a Kingsguard.

[Isobel Harper]

It's obviously Jaime's fault.

If he hadn't been born with a functional penis, Aerys wouldn't have named him KG and Cersei wouldn't be jumping it and making babies out of it...

This. :bowdown:

[TimJames]

Rhaegar. If he had showed some dang restraint, than several things would have been different.

Brandon and Rickhard stark would not have died attempting to rescue Lyanna from her kidnapper. Lyanna would not have died in a tower.

Robert Baratheon, Eddard Stark, Hoster Tully, and Jon Arryn would not have rebelled against the crown. This means the first great kingdom shattering rebellion would never have happened.

Since Robert and Lyanna would be married and living peacefully in the Stormlands, Cersei would never have placed her incest children on the throne.

Said incest children would not have executed Eddard, and the War of Five Kings would never have happened.

Daenarys would never have massacred the cities of Astapor and Meereen in an ill-fated attempt at abolitionism.

All in all, everyone would be happier and most of the people who died would still be alive.

[Ser Arthur Hightower]

No way, the only man she truly trusted her vag to was Jaime.

Because it's not the Lord Commander who controls who enters and leaves the Kingsguard, it's the king, regent or hand. Robert was weak and allowed Cersei to make several stupid moves.

As Gerold HIghtower said "you swore an oath to guard the king, not to judge him". Stupid rule, I know, but it's part of being a Kingsguard.

I know that, but Barristan certainly should have had some input, I think he was simply to wary of descision making and too cautious to contradict Robert or Cersei, I doubt that he couldn't have kept some of the worst out of the Kingsguard had he been willing to stand up to his monarch a bit more. Though knowing Cersei it's possible he did keep some of the worst candidates out of the KG and Meryn and Boros were better than the alternatives.

[Red Tiger]

I know that, but Barristan certainly should have had some input, I think he was simply to wary of descision making and too cautious to contradict Robert or Cersei, I doubt that he couldn't have kept some of the worst out of the Kingsguard had he been willing to stand up to his monarch a bit more. Though knowing Cersei it's possible he did keep some of the worst candidates out of the KG and Meryn and Boros were better than the alternatives.

Well, Barristan makes it pretty well known that his idea of a Kingsguard is someone who obeys his king no matter what. I don't think it was cautious as much as "My master, right or wrong and it's not for me to judge him".

[thisistherevolt]

I'm going to say whatever it was that Varys told the Mad King and caused him to leave the Red Keep for the first time in ages and go to the tourney in Harrenhal. Imagine if a Great Council had been called...