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Why didn't the Blackfish take the Black or join the Kingsguard?


Angel Eyes

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If the Blackfish was so dead-set on not marrying, why didn't he ever take the Black or join the Kingsguard? That way, he could have put himself out of Hoster's nagging for good. Or did Hoster threaten him if he did take the Black or become a Kingsguard?

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7 hours ago, Angel Eyes said:

If the Blackfish was so dead-set on not marrying, why didn't he ever take the Black or join the Kingsguard? That way, he could have put himself out of Hoster's nagging for good. Or did Hoster threaten him if he did take the Black or become a Kingsguard?

Why should he?  He has a nice life at Riverrun.  Hoster's nagging is no more than a nuisance.  He can deal with that.  The Kingsguard has limited membership, so no spots may have been available, and I can see no reason to join the Nights Watch in his position.

Also, he was Knight of the Gate at the Eyrie for some time before the beginning of the main series and was there when Catelyn showed up with Tyrion.

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Just because he is a second son doesn't mean that he has no prospects in life. The Nights Watch and Kingsguard are really only honourable options depending on your point of view.

There are some exceptions, but a lot of the "non-criminal" recruits of the Nights Watch are sons of large families, where even if their fathers/older brothers were to die there would still be a long line of potential heirs in front of them. So really, the Nights Watch is just statistically a better option for them.

The breakdown of Brynden's relationship with Hoster seemed to be primarily related to the Brynden's rejection of marriage proposals set forth by Hoster as opposed to any incompetence, and from everything we've heard of him in the books he is a very competent leader/advisor and even fighter for his age. There's no need to sign your life away just to get away from marriage proposals. He has a lot of opportunities as a competent highborn male.

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9 hours ago, Angel Eyes said:

If the Blackfish was so dead-set on not marrying, why didn't he ever take the Black or join the Kingsguard? That way, he could have put himself out of Hoster's nagging for good. Or did Hoster threaten him if he did take the Black or become a Kingsguard?

Why would he? He has successfully refused to wed without taking the restrictive vows of the Night's Watch or Kingsguard, which would have stripped him of the freedom he enjoys. And if he refuses to obey his lord brother's commands to wed, what makes you think he would be well suited to be commanded around by the Night's Watch or King? It's crazy to suggest it would have been necessary or preferable for him to take such vows.

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12 hours ago, Angel Eyes said:

If the Blackfish was so dead-set on not marrying, why didn't he ever take the Black or join the Kingsguard? That way, he could have put himself out of Hoster's nagging for good. Or did Hoster threaten him if he did take the Black or become a Kingsguard?

Because he wanted to be around his lover and his children; Minisa Whent and Cat, Edmure and Lysa.

I had a post on it in wow I never noticed, may add it later.

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Why would Bryndan even want to serve King Bob - or by then mad King Aerys II? Besides, the King chooses his King's Guard. It isn't like getting a job at Burger King.

Ditto, several times over for the Night's Watch. Bryndan had a tiff with his big brother. He wasn't guilty of a capital crime, or sent into exile, or any other alternative worse than being posted to the frigid, dangerous, boring Wall and sworn to obscurity and theoretical celibacy (yay, Mole's Towne!). I'm surprised you didn't suggest becoming a septon or maester ("taking the grey").

Bryndan Tully had a major, responsible, somewhat prestigious position managing the Gate (my apologies; I forget which one) for Lord and Lady Arryn. He was far away from "Hoster's nagging". There was no need for him to neuter himself and lock himself away from the world, like the King's Guard, Night's Watch, the Faith, and the Citadel would require. These weren't even options to consider.

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  • 11 months later...
On 2/22/2019 at 11:41 AM, Corvo the Crow said:

Because he wanted to be around his lover and his children; Minisa Whent and Cat, Edmure and Lysa.

I had a post on it in wow I never noticed, may add it later.

So where is the theory that the Blackfish is Catelyn's father?

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Obviously there is the question of why he would want to? Maybe he likes his freedom, joining the Nights Watch is idiotic. Shit weather, shit life in general. Serving in the Kingsguard might be better, but still no freedom. Why would he refuse to obey his older brother but then become a slave to Robert or the NightsWatch|?

 

Alternatively he did want to join the Kingsguard and Robert, given his age, told him 'no'. Or perhaps did not want to upset Hoster by making sure that Brynden would never marry when clearly that is something that Hoster wanted him to do.

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Maybe Brynden is gay, and that's the reason why he never married. Though just because he doesn't want a wife, doesn't mean that he intends to stay single for his entire life. And outside of Night's Watch or Kingsguards he has significantly higher chances of meeting someone. Or could be that since his youth he's been in love with Norbert Vance, with whom he squired for Lord Darry. There were other gays in ASOIAF besides Loras and Renly - prince Daeron (Egg's son) and his boyfriend Jeremy Norridge, Daemon II Blackfyre, Alyn Cockshaw, Laenor Velaryon, etc., so why not Brynden? 

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The name Brynden is a clue about Brynden Tully. The obvious parallel is Brynden Rivers, also known as Bloodraven.

Bloodraven wanted to marry Sheira Seastar (his half sister and another of the Great Bastards of Aegon IV) but she declined.

I think Brynden Tully must also have a lover who declined to marry him for some reason.

Like Bloodraven, however, he may also have a behind-the-scenes powerbroker role that is his major focus and he does not want responsibility for a House and family of his own. For some reason, Bloodraven made it his job to support the Targaryen king but not to seek glory for himself. Brynden seems similarly determined to support House Tully and/or House Arryn and its members.

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On 2/11/2020 at 5:55 PM, Angel Eyes said:

So where is the theory that the Blackfish is Catelyn's father?

C’mon, you’ve been around long enough to know there’s a theory on everything and anything. :lol:

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