Why does GRRM take away Jaime's hand?

[Mutherfudruk]

Are there any links to GRRM talking about what led him to make that narrative choice? I understand it serves a purpose and he goes on this redemption arc or whatever, but he was so powerful and formidable before. I wish he had that hand back tbh. The way it happened still seems so random and almost nihilistic to me. Any insights?

[dopplerdog]

The way it happened still seems so random and almost nihilistic to me.

It wasn't. It appears random in the show, because they don't explain it. But in the books it's explained - Vargo Hoat has very good reasons to do this, it's not a random act. Did you get to that part?

But in the big picture, it provides a major character with an identity crisis (and allows for a redemption arc, as you say), which makes for very interesting reading.

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

Vargo had his personal reasons of having Jaime's hand off, so in-story, it was not 'random'.

The explanation in spoiler tags, just in case

Vargo Hoat had originally been hired by Tywin, but had changed sides and worked for Robb Stark a while into the war. We can see this in the Arya chapters, when a group of northeners is "captured" and weasel helps them escape with the weasel soup. Vargo and Roose were both stationed at Harrenhal, from that moment forward, working for Robb Stark.

Then came the time that Roose decided to play for Tywin's team, and not Robb's. Vargo, no matter how he might come across when reading, is not a stupid man, and soon figured out that Roose was thinking about switching from Robb to Tywin. Should that happen, Vargo would be trapped. He was outnumbered at Harrenhal, and had already betrayed Tywin.. There was no switching sides for Vargo anymore... So Vargo wanted to prevent Roose being able to switch sides, and trying to do so, he had Jaime's swordhand removed, with the idea that Tywin would believe it was Roose's idea, thus preventing Roose from having any chance of going over to Tywin's side.

[John Suburbs]

Plus, we also get the possibility the Jaime could become a great left-handed swordsman, the way Quorin half-hand did.

[zaphodbrx]

Vargo had his personal reasons of having Jaime's hand off, so in-story, it was not 'random'.

The explanation in spoiler tags, just in case

Vargo Hoat had originally been hired by Tywin, but had changed sides and worked for Robb Stark a while into the war. We can see this in the Arya chapters, when a group of northeners is "captured" and weasel helps them escape with the weasel soup. Vargo and Roose were both stationed at Harrenhal, from that moment forward, working for Robb Stark.

Then came the time that Roose decided to play for Tywin's team, and not Robb's. Vargo, no matter how he might come across when reading, is not a stupid man, and soon figured out that Roose was thinking about switching from Robb to Tywin. Should that happen, Vargo would be trapped. He was outnumbered at Harrenhal, and had already betrayed Tywin.. There was no switching sides for Vargo anymore... So Vargo wanted to prevent Roose being able to switch sides, and trying to do so, he had Jaime's swordhand removed, with the idea that Tywin would believe it was Roose's idea, thus preventing Roose from having any chance of going over to Tywin's side.

correct, and in addition to that Vargo also hoped to get a reward from Lord Karstark ( by marrying his daughter and getting Karhold, staying out of the lion's hands ), and to remove Jaime from being a threat to him personally.

Roose lays out Hoat's motivations to be very complex for a man who is otherwise a comical ich thich joke. I think he might be wrong.. the real reason is simply that he likes cutting off hands and feet. ( Just like in the show ).