Would Robb's story actually have improved if he'd executed Jaime?

[WhatAnArtist!]

10 hours ago, Quoth the raven, said:

Would Robb's story actually have improved if he'd executed managed to keep Jaime?

Yes. He will have something to bargain with.  Jaime will be his guarantee of a safe passage back to the north and a guarantee of no retaliation against his riverland allies from the Lannisters. 

Catelyn ruined his chances because she was acting like a mother. 

In hindsight, the freeing of Jaime was really a far worse mistake than abandoning the Frey marriage.

[Ran]

The plan to have the Freys kill Robb was being developmed when Tywin believed Jaime was a prisoner. Way back in AGoT, Tyrion directly tells us that Tywin had given up hope of ever seeing Jaime alive again, and was pursuing his war as if Jaime was already dead. The planning of the Red Wedding when he believed Jaime was still a hostage just confirms that.

 

[BlackLightning]

8 hours ago, WhatAnArtist! said:

In hindsight, the freeing of Jaime was really a far worse mistake than abandoning the Frey marriage.

I'm not so sure.

The main problem with freeing Jaime was its timing. The Red Wedding was being planned and executed while Jaime was still a hostage; it literally has no bearing on that. The real mistake was not suing for a hostage exchange between Sansa and Jaime.

Sansa could've been used to secure or maintain an alliance. This is important as Arya, Bran and Rickon were all presumed to be dead in quick order.

 

[Curled Finger]

As I recall, Cersei was interested in trading Sansa and Arya--oh Damn maybe just Sansa--for Jamie.   Cersei is not a nice person, but she understands Sansa's political value and uses every means at her disposal to secure Arya.    While Cersei doesn't make the decisions she may be the best representation of Tywin's mindset in this matter.   Tywin is not rash or impulsive.   I think he would have done exactly what he did with Sansa if for no other reason than the original reason--to gain power in the vast North.   It was, after all,  Tywin's plan to kill Robb Stark regardless.  Had Jamie been executed the only thing that would have to change is Tywin's ideas about the Casterly Rock inheritance.   It was his wife he smiled for, not his son.  

Robb executing Jamie would have been out of character.   Jamie was a prize and Robb was keenly aware of this.  What real campaign reason was there to execute him?  Karstark's boys?   What king executes a prize to appease a subordinate?  This was not crime on the scale of the kidnapping of Lyanna Stark.   If Robb had been smart he would have charged people to see the Kingslayer in a cage.  He didn't do that, either.  

[Arthur Peres]

11 hours ago, BlackLightning said:

I'm not so sure.

The main problem with freeing Jaime was its timing. The Red Wedding was being planned and executed while Jaime was still a hostage; it literally has no bearing on that. The real mistake was not suing for a hostage exchange between Sansa and Jaime.

Sansa could've been used to secure or maintain an alliance. This is important as Arya, Bran and Rickon were all presumed to be dead in quick order.

 

I think the fandom puts much more value on marriage alliances than the characters in the books.

There is no one there for Robb to ally himself.

The Vale already has family ties with him, and the lords wanted to join him a pressured Lysa, but she refused to move, I doubt that Sansa would change that.

Balon was offered the best deal he could ask from Robb and went on to spit on him. Marrying Sansa to Theon would be saw more as a insult than as alliance.

Doran refused to back anyone and only payed lip service to the Lannisters, he refused to back even Renly when he was the favorite to win, no marriage would make him move, he is too cautious (coward).

Tyrells ambitious are opossed to Robb, they want the be royal family in a united Westeros, Sansa cannot give them that.

Robb already has the Riverlords and Northems fealty.

Stannis already is married and has no son, I also doubt that he would accept.

Renly already got a better match or is too dead to be a factor depending on the time.

I doubt anyone on Essos would care to hear him, as far as they care he is just a boy king trying his luck against big bad Tywin.