Will Barristan defect

[TheDemonBear]

In ADWD Dany asks Barristan to tell the story of how he escaped from King's Landing. In the story he mentions that in order to redeem himself he vowed to serve the rightful king of Westeroes.

My question is once Barristan learns of Aegon(assuming he is the mummers dragon, and not a mummers dragon), who has a better claim to the Iron Throne, will he abandon Dany for Aegon.

Which brings up another question, if said betrayal occurs could it possibly be Dany's betrayal for blood. I never really got the feeling that MMD betrayed Dany, since MMD couldn't have foreseen that Drogo would not listen to her instruction on carin for his wound, Jorah carrying Dany into the tent while MMD was performing the ritual, and warned albeit unclearly that Drogo would not be the same.

[Visual909]

Personally I don't think he would betray Dany and defect to Aegon. I think he's a fake to begin with but for the sake of argument I'll say Aegon is legit. Barristan was betrayed hard by his dismissal by Joffery, and swore to follow the rightful king. Likely he meant Visserys, but learned Dany was all that was left. After meeting her he has done nothing but bust his ass to protect her and earn her trust. While I think the journey has changed him, I think he cares to much about Dany to betray her. I think he would bend the knee in that case if she chose too since if it could be proven she is reasonable enough to do so if not marry Aegon. To maintain Targ tradition.

Now for your second part the betrayal of blood was MMD since she wanted her to suffer and for Drogo to be a shell of himself. I believe it mentioned that she did a curse but the words she said to Dany about her infertility that kept popping up in Dance. But the actual confession of her wanting to hurt Dany and Drogo in AGOT also helps support this.

[the Scorpion Knight]

I don't hink he will defect from dany but urge her to bent the knee to aegon

[Lummel]

Firstly Barristan is confident that Dany doesn't have the taint of Targaryen madness but he hasn't had the chance to observe Aegon.

Secondly he is likely to get news of Aegon from tyrion and I should think the first questions he will ask himself is 'why did Illyrio send me to Dany? Why didn't Illyrio tell me about Aegon'. This is likely to make him suspicious of Aegon and this in turn will feed into Tyrion's suspicions about Aegon.

So no I don't think he will defect and I suspect the result will be that Dany will be determined that Aegon is a fake and a would be usurper of her rights.

[NewJeffCT]

agreed - I don't think Ser Barristan is one who changes loyalties on a whim.

[CrypticWeirwood]

Ser Barristan the Bold is sworn to Dany. He sooner die than break his oath.

You cannot use modern situational morality on the Kingsguard, especially the Kingsuard of old, of whom Ser Barristan is one. They simply aren’t made like modern floosies. They have honor, something almost unrecognized by modern society.

See the Tower of Joy: they will die before they violate their vow.

[BlueHighwind]

Well, Barristan has flip-flopped to the Baratheon Dynasty to save his own skin before. However, I think he severely regrets that decision and will probably die serving his latest monarch.

[Stallion That Mounts Texas]

Ser Barristan loved Rhaegar and thought he would be the greatest king of all. He thinks of how he would have killed Robert had he been there to see the bodies of Rhaegar's wife and kids wrapped in Lannister cloaks.

If he believes that Rhaegar's son is alive he will have a tough decision to make. I agree with the previous poster that he would not abandon Dany, but he would urge her to either marry or bend the knee to Aegon (assuming he is real).

[History of Westeros]

I am in the "Septa Lemore is NOT Ashara Dayne" camp, but if it turns out we're wrong, then Barristan has the double whammy of Rhaegar's son AND the woman he loves. The fact that GRRM wrote about his love for her is potentially suspicious.

So Barristan could end up as the betrayal for love.

I think this is a very unlikely scenario, but I think it's worth mentioning.

[Patchface12]

I think he might, but only for Septa Lemore assuming she is Ashara Dayne.

[The Meeraculous Third Reed]

I think Barristan will be dead sooner rather than later. Mormont with a literal back stabbing anyone?

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

I am in the "Septa Lemore is NOT Ashara Dayne" camp, but if it turns out we're wrong, then Barristan has the double whammy of Rhaegar's son AND the woman he loves. The fact that GRRM wrote about his love for her is potentially suspicious.

So Barristan could end up as the betrayal for love.

I think this is a very unlikely scenario, but I think it's worth mentioning.

I think this is crucial. While I too am skeptical about Ashara being Septa Lemore, I can't think of another reason to (seemingly) randomly introduce Barristan's crush on her, conveying information that we could have heard from someone else — like Edric Dayne — unless it would end up being important later.

So while, under normal circumstances, Barristan would never defect from Dany, this might not be a normal circumstance.

[irishtemper]

I think this is crucial. While I too am skeptical about Ashara being Septa Lemore, I can't think of another reason to (seemingly) randomly introduce Barristan's crush on her, conveying information that we could have heard from someone else — like Edric Dayne — unless it would end up being important later.

So while, under normal circumstances, Barristan would never defect from Dany, this might not be a normal circumstance.

I think it was fairly obvious why the crush Barristan had on Ashara was brought up...because if I'm not mistaken, around the time where he thinks about his crush on her he thinks about his failure in the final tilt against Rhaegar and how if he had won he would have named Ashara queen of love and beauty and he was just pondering on how many lives would have been saved if he had just not failed that day.

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

I think it was fairly obvious why the crush Barristan had on Ashara was brought up...because if I'm not mistaken, around the time where he thinks about his crush on her he thinks about his failure in the final tilt against Rhaegar and how if he had won he would have named Ashara queen of love and beauty and he was just pondering on how many lives would have been saved if he had just not failed that day.

Ah, but why did it have to be Ashara? Barristan could have been sweet on any number of random women there. He could have beaten Rhaegar and avoided bloodshed by crowning ANY WOMAN as the Queen of Love and Beauty. But no, he reflects on Ashara. And if the purpose was to convey information about Ashara's "miscarriage" and/or her "suicide," that could have been provided by other characters, like Edric Dayne, as I suggested before. So sorry, I think there's more to it than that.

[Lummel]

... While I too am skeptical about Ashara being Septa Lemore ...

So while, under normal circumstances, Barristan would never defect from Dany, this might not be a normal circumstance.

True, but then this potential betray must be some way off in the future since Tyrion hasn't identified Septa Lemore as Ashara, unless Barristan can recognise her from his description and suddenly realise that she didn't commit suicide afterall and that there could be a happy ever after for him too skipping through flower filled meadows with Ashara had in hand if only he wasn't a kingsguard.

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

True, but then this potential betray must be some way off in the future since Tyrion hasn't identified Septa Lemore as Ashara, unless Barristan can recognise her from his description and suddenly realise that she didn't commit suicide afterall and that there could be a happy ever after for him too skipping through flower filled meadows with Ashara had in hand if only he wasn't a kingsguard.

I'm thinking that a betrayal in that vein, if it ever comes, would occur later, when Dany and Aegon actually confront each other in Westeros.

[Dornish Bannerman]

Where is it stated that Septa Lemore is Ashara Dayne? Or is this only speculation based on looks and other things?

[Lummel]

It is not stated that Septa Lemore is Ashara Dayne - it is a theory. There have been a good many threads about it since ADWD came out, see here for instance.

[Visual909]

That still seems a bit of a stretch but I suppose she could just dye her hair a darker color. I think she's blonde I don't rememebr exactly.

[Miriamele]

That still seems a bit of a stretch but I suppose she could just dye her hair a darker color. I think she's blonde I don't rememebr exactly.

I think Barristan mentions that she had dark hair.

At first I also thought that she was blonde because Cat said that she was "fair" but fair also means pretty.