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Worst parent in ASOIAF


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7 hours ago, _Bittersteel_ said:

I don’t think they are Theon’s. Unless GRRM can’t math right, the boys would’ve been born the same time as Bran. When Theon was like 10.

One is, at the very least(the other is too big to be his if I recall) Theon isn’t called kinslayer for no reason and remember he states that he wasn’t kin to Starks. Which kin did he slay then if not those boys.

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2 hours ago, TheLastWolf said:

Look at where his kids are now, his choices lead to consequences far beyond his death. That said I'm sure they're gonna come resurgent (original title of Winds was-) then I'll pardon him.

I'm not saying he couldn't have made better choices but at no point did he ever intentionally chose to do something in order to hurt his children. So despite his bad choices leading to their suffering I just don't think he can compete with all the characters who deliberately chose to hurt their children such as Tywin and Craster.

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Craster, but he's a class all by himself.  Of the more or less ordinary parents, Cersei is the worst.  She enabled Joffrey in his cruelty and erratic nature, is abusive towards Tommen, and basically ignored Myrcella.  A real winner.

As for Ned I would call him one of the best.  What happened after his death isn't his fault.  Given his kids have survived with mind and body mostly intact, I'd say he raised them pretty well. 

 

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6 hours ago, TheLastWolf said:

Look at where his kids are now, his choices lead to consequences far beyond his death. That said I'm sure they're gonna come resurgent (original title of Winds was-) then I'll pardon him.

Yea, non of which he could have possibly foresaw. You're making it out as if Ned could somehow of predicted the future. In fact he even died trying to saving one of his daughters lives.

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19 hours ago, Craving Peaches said:

That was really weird. 

Inside Jaime's mind:

Hmm...what better place to bang my own sister? I know, in front of my son's corpse!

Better hope no one catches me and my sister...best way to do that discreetly is in a royal funeral in the largest religious buildings in the capital full of spies and with our dad close by

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13 hours ago, TheLastWolf said:

Relatively you're right, but empirically...

Bruh I'm the #1 when it comes to defending Starks from irrational hatred by certain alt bots, but....

Look at where his kids are now, his choices lead to consequences far beyond his death. That said I'm sure they're gonna come resurgent (original title of Winds was-) then I'll pardon him.

To be fair the only thing he neglected was to have them bethrothed off , given how many kids he has he could have had the starks in a virtualy unassailable position pre books start!

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On 11/19/2022 at 4:11 PM, Rondo said:

Lord Frey is actually a pretty good father.  He at least has the balls to support his children.

Walder Frey is a good father in the same way that Tywin Lannister is a good father, which is not at all.  Tywin didn't enact genocide in the Riverlands to retaliate for Tyrion's abduction because he was a loving father; he did it because he only cared about his own name and his own legacy.  Neither Tywin nor Walder care about their children, grandchildren, etc.  Walder can't even remember half of their names, and not because he is old and senile.  The faux outrage over Robb's betrayal was an excuse to switch to the "winning side"; he was looking for any way out to get into the favor of the Lannisters after they defeated Stannis.  Robb marrying Jeyne offended "him" that "his legacy" was rejected... not because his daughter was rejected.  He cares about his daughters even less than his sons.

Because of the Red Wedding, they are the most hated family in all of Westeros.  His children/grandchildren are being hanged throughout the Riverlands or being baked into pies because he put his petty vengeance and sycophantic relationship with the Lannisters ahead of his family.  Every single Frey is despised by literally everybody, even by their supposed allies, and it is all because of him.

Walder is more of a terrible person than a terrible father, but he's a terrible father all the same.

I agree with everyone else listed in this thread, except Ned.  He should have ended Sansa's betrothal to Joffrey and sent his daughters home much sooner than he did, but I think he's still the best parent in the series.

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Ned at least loves his children, which counts for a lot, but his parenting skills are severely lacking - shown by allowing his children to own direwolf puppies, with the only condition that they must train them entirely themselves and not bother the kennelmaster etc by asking for help. When toddler Rickon is a little nervous around his direwolf, Ned's only response is "He must face his fears. He will not be three forever. And winter is coming."

Poor Cat. Constantly terrified that Bran will fall from the outside of a tower, and now wolves. 

Her thought: what a strange people these northerners were. She's not wrong.

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20 minutes ago, Springwatch said:

Ned at least loves his children, which counts for a lot, but his parenting skills are severely lacking - shown by allowing his children to own direwolf puppies, with the only condition that they must train them entirely themselves and not bother the kennelmaster etc by asking for help. When toddler Rickon is a little nervous around his direwolf, Ned's only response is "He must face his fears. He will not be three forever. And winter is coming."

Poor Cat. Constantly terrified that Bran will fall from the outside of a tower, and now wolves. 

Her thought: what a strange people these northerners were. She's not wrong.

To be fair, he was right about the direwolves. They became protectors for all of the kids and in Bran and Jon's case even saved their lives.

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Just now, sifth said:

To be fair, he was right about the direwolves. They became protectors for all of the kids and in Bran and Jon's case even saved their lives.

He wasn't right. He thought they were dangerous, and he thought they would die. "You must train them. The kennelmaster will have nothing to do with these monsters, I promise you that. And the gods help you if you neglect them, or brutalise them, or train them badly. These are not dogs to beg for treats and slink off at a kick. A direwolf will rip a man's arm off at the shoulder as easily as a dog will kill a rat.[...]"

No doubt this opinion made it easier to kill Lady when the time came.

Ned only sees the light when Cat tells him about Summer and Bran: 

Bran's wolf had saved the boy's life, he thought dully. [...] And he had killed Sansa's, and for what? Was it guilt he was feeling, Or fear? If the gods had sent those wolves, what folly had he done?

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Craster is the first that comes to mind. No explanation needed, I think.

Tywin is a horrid parent. Completely neglected his children and willfully ignored all their family problems. Focused on Jaime and ignored Tyrion's intelligence and was a complete ass to him. Even after Tyrion proved himself a worthy strategist and saved KL during Battle of the Blackwater he still refused to acknowledge Tyrion's usefulness due to his own childish stubbornness. Ignored Cersei's insane tendencies and never even tried to steer her in a better direction (be it as a better person or a better politician).

Cersei mirrors him. Focused and enabled Joff (who takes after her) while ignoring Myrcella and being mean to Tommen. Robert was also not the best. Had he gotten involved with Joff or showed some fatherly affection and direction, the boy might have come out at least a little better.

Roose. I have no idea how he let Ramsay do all his insanity without thinking it will backfire sooner or later. Not to mention enabled it. 

Ned is good parent by our standards, but not such a good one by Westerosi standards. His children are politically clueless- mainly Robb and Sansa in the beginning of the series (do not get me wrong, I really like the Starks).

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37 minutes ago, sifth said:

Does Jamie count? He basically did nothing for his kids. Even as an uncle I don't recall him having any fond memories with them

He did nothing for Joffrey but he seemed to be trying to make more of an effort with Tommen, giving him advice and such. Unlike some other characters mentioned, he never seems to have been (deliberately) cruel or callous to his children. So while he's probably not a very good parent I wouldn't count him amongst the worst.

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