What makes Sandor Clegane awesome.

[Dolorous Nedd]

On my reread I realized there is a segment where Sandor has decided to go back to the Twins to see if Cat is still alive, but that is the morning after Arya has her wolf dream and sees that Cat is dead. He doesn't actually put it in those words, but it is heavily inferred. It just goes to show he cared a lot more about Arya than seems obvious at first blush.

I sincerely hope we see him come back in WoW and do something totally awesome.

[They see me R'hollin]

Does no-one care for poor Mycah? :(

[They see me R'hollin]

Whilst I do think he's awesome, he did kidnap Arya and threaten her quite a bit. And he killed Mycah. He is awesome, but he's not as moral as I believe everyone makes him out to be. In the words of Stannis, the good doesn't wash out the bad and I think Sandor's past is littered with a whole lotta' bad.

[Dolorous Nedd]

Whilst I do think he's awesome, he did kidnap Arya and threaten her quite a bit. And he killed Mycah. He is awesome, but he's not as moral as I believe everyone makes him out to be. In the words of Stannis, the good doesn't wash out the bad and I think Sandor's past is littered with a whole lotta' bad.

I do agree he was a little too quick to obey orders on killing Mycah. On the other hand he really had no idea what really happened and he was following orders from the person he was charged to protect. It didn't help that Sansa did nothing to expose the truth of the matter even though she knew full well what really happened.

It was also obvious his heart was changing the last time Arya saw him and he had many regrets.

[Grip]

He has admitted to killing men, women and children. Though sadly he isnt unique in this, doesnt make him any better though. I still like him but he is certainly a complex character, with a savage history.

[They see me R'hollin]

I do agree he was a little too quick to obey orders on killing Mycah. On the other hand he really had no idea what really happened and he was following orders from the person he was charged to protect. It didn't help that Sansa did nothing to expose the truth of the matter even though she knew full well what really happened.

It was also obvious his heart was changing the last time Arya saw him and he had many regrets.

Yes that's why I like him, because he is on one of the purest redemption routes. But regardless, his past is tarnished which is why, for me at least, I'm a little less enthusiastic about him. For example, some person earlier in the thread said he was awesome and great because his threats to Arya were empty. But if you think about it that's not awesome at all; regardless of emptiness or nay, he was still threatening her. You know what I mean?

I think maybe in the future when he really proves himself I'll be more possessed to him, but as for now he's still got a long long way to go.

[Roza Ahai]

He is the KG. His vow was to protect the king. He is a vowbreaker. At least he didn't kill the king. No, he should do the same as Jaime. Here would be an irony. Jaime killed Aerys, Sandor Joffrey.

[DogLover]

Whilst I do think he's awesome, he did kidnap Arya and threaten her quite a bit. And he killed Mycah. He is awesome, but he's not as moral as I believe everyone makes him out to be. In the words of Stannis, the good doesn't wash out the bad and I think Sandor's past is littered with a whole lotta' bad.

I don't think anyone makes Sandor out to be moral. Most readers, especially Sandor fans, see a deeply morally compromised man. He's full of self-loathing and torment. He's committed atrocious crimes, Mycah being the most obvious to the readers. Utterly inexcusable even for a man just following orders. Mycah was an innocent boy who was denied any form of justice, and the Hound should in no way be exonerated for the part he played. He also physically threatened the lives of Sansa and Arya. He did. And a 6'8" man threatening vulnerable girls certainly cannot be exused. It was a seriously fucked up thing to do. However, he did make the best effort his most emotionally stunted self could to keep Sansa and Arya safe. His relationship with the two of them shows how incredibly complex he is and that he actually has a moral compass.

To me, what makes Sandor truly awesome begins with him jumping in to protect Loras from Gregor. And then revealing the truth behind his facial burn (understatement) to Sansa, which also reveals how disgusted he was with Gregor for murdering Ser Hugh in in a tourney joust. Sandor is awesome when he gently prevents Sansa from pushing Joffrey off a bridge, as well as herself. Sandor is awesome when he saves Sansa from the rioters. Sandor is awesome when he lies for Sansa about Dontos. Sandor is awesome when he refuses Joffrey's order to beat Sansa and then yells "Enough!" when he they start to strip her, and then offers her his cloak. He's awesome when he promises Sansa he would protect her and never let anyone ever harm her again. He's awesome when Arya repeatedly tries to kill him and he lets it all roll off his back (would Gregor or Ramsay do that?). He's awesome when he saves Arya from running to her death during the RW. He's awesome when he forces her to get up and face the day when she's suicidal. He's awesome when he teaches Arya compassion and the gift of mercy. He's awesome when he let's Arya know in his own way that he'll help her save her mother. And he's awesome when he lets Arya take all her fury and rage out on the Tickler, and stops her before she crosses a line.

Sandor should not be whitewashed. He's committed atrocious crimes for which he should be held accountable, but he does have a moral compass, and as the series progresses, so does he.

[Juli]

It's awesome how he rode down Mycah and butchered him. He could have taken the boy back to Cersei alive but chose not to. That's badass.

[Juli]

What do you think would have happend to Mycah if he had brought him back to the kind Cersei, the equally kind Jeoffrey has said he hit him,. he was not about to change his story, I am thinking tourcher things far worse than being cut down in a single blow, he would not have been able to defend himself at all. Sandor was under Cersei's control, he was told Mycah had struck the crown prince...it was not debatable.

[Dolorous Nedd]

What do you think would have happend to Mycah if he had brought him back to the kind Cersei, the equally kind Jeoffrey has said he hit him,. he was not about to change his story, I am thinking tourcher things far worse than being cut down in a single blow, he would not have been able to defend himself at all. Sandor was under Cersei's control, he was told Mycah had struck the crown prince...it was not debatable.

Very interesting take. Could he have seen it as being a mercy to kill Mycah? No way on Earth the boy was going to live. As it is Sandor saved him from what could have been days of torment before the end finally came to him. One might argue Sandor could have let him go, but then someone else would have probably found him so Mycah still would have been doomed.

[Lyanna Stark]

Whilst I do think he's awesome, he did kidnap Arya and threaten her quite a bit. And he killed Mycah. He is awesome, but he's not as moral as I believe everyone makes him out to be. In the words of Stannis, the good doesn't wash out the bad and I think Sandor's past is littered with a whole lotta' bad.

In the words of Stannis, who wanted to burn Edric Storm and who was ok with murdering his brother Renly? When it comes to justifications, Stannis hardly has a leg to stand on. At least Sandor felt bad for killing Mycah.

Sandor should not be whitewashed. He's committed atrocious crimes for which he should be held accountable, but he does have a moral compass, and as the series progresses, so does he.

Quite.

[Booknerd2]

Crap, I don't think I put it on this thread, maybe another one...

That when after the RW when Arya was depressed, didn't want to wake up, was quiet and sullen, and didn't feel like talking...

He tried to bring it up, and he threw water on her, and did things to make sure she got up in the morning, had a routine, and snapped out of her funk. It can get worse, you have to start somewhere with grief, and he knew that and it was his gruff way of helping.

It is sweet and endearing and makes him even more human.

[Quiet Isle]

Crap, I don't think I put it on this thread, maybe another one...

That when after the RW when Arya was depressed, didn't want to wake up, was quiet and sullen, and didn't feel like talking...

He tried to bring it up, and he threw water on her, and did things to make sure she got up in the morning, had a routine, and snapped out of her funk. It can get worse, you have to start somewhere with grief, and he knew that and it was his gruff way of helping.

It is sweet and endearing and makes him even more human.

That was one example. I reread those chapters recently and realized that what he was doing to Arya, no one ever did for him. So without being taught, he knows compassion. He is one hell of a man. and I'm still not sure he cut down Mycah. But even if he did, the posters above have explained it well. the child was doomed one way or the other.

[They see me R'hollin]

In the words of Stannis, who wanted to burn Edric Storm and who was ok with murdering his brother Renly? When it comes to justifications, Stannis hardly has a leg to stand on. At least Sandor felt bad for killing Mycah.

Quite.

I'm not defending Stannis, I'm just saying his words are appropriate.

[Ser Alex Tully]

QUESTION:Is Sandor Clegane still classed as a squire because i'm sure he states he killed his first man aged 12 as a squire so if he has never taken the knightly vows is he still a squire even though he is one of the best warriors in westeros?

[brashcandy]

QUESTION:Is Sandor Clegane still classed as a squire because i'm sure he states he killed his first man aged 12 as a squire so if he has never taken the knightly vows is he still a squire even though he is one of the best warriors in westeros?

No; he acted as the sworn shield to the Crown Prince and later became a member of the Kingsguard. He may not be techically a knight, but it doesn't mean he's still a squire.

[Kittykatknits]

I do agree he was a little too quick to obey orders on killing Mycah. On the other hand he really had no idea what really happened and he was following orders from the person he was charged to protect. It didn't help that Sansa did nothing to expose the truth of the matter even though she knew full well what really happened.

It was also obvious his heart was changing the last time Arya saw him and he had many regrets.

She had nothing to do with the death of Mycah. The entire incident took place over a few days with Jaime and the Lannister men sent out almost immediately. Sansa did tell her father everything which he even confirms in his thoughts. The scene in front of Robert didn't take place until much later, after Mycah was already dead.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

The Hound is beyond forgiveness for his crimes IMO but he's dead now. I'm willing to forgive Sandor.

[Dolorous Nedd]

The Hound is beyond forgiveness for his crimes IMO but he's dead now. I'm willing to forgive Sandor.

I don't think he's dead, and he may not be beyond forgiveness either. As someone stated earlier Sandor might have seen his actions as protecting Mycah from an even worse fate if he delivered the boy to Cersei. This actually makes sense given his views on the world.