u/ayodeleafolabi

In as much as we speak of honour being the main factor that motivated Ned to tell Cersei about the incest, we often forget that it is Robert's attitude that pushed Ned to do so. Ned never forgot how Robert gloated about the murder of Elia and her kids. That is something that stayed with him for all the years. That event broke something between them; something that not even the death of Lyanna could patch up. And in the first book we see Ned discovering that the old friend that he once knew was gone and the king he swore his oath to is a monster; remember that they had just quarrelled about the question of killing Daenerys and Viserys.

The truth is Ned could no longer trust Robert to not act like a monster. He saw how Robert transformed what was a righteous rebellion against a tyrant into a horror of infanticide and femicide. You see him in real time processing whether to tell Robert directly or not before concluding that Robert is a child killer who will murder those babies. It is not until Robert is at death's door that he regrets his mistakes and the fact that he never listened to Ned when he was supposed to.

In conclusion, it is easy to shit on Ned but if you were in his shoes and saw your friend turn from a jovial guy into a child murdering monster the right thing as per you will be to shield anyone you can from his wrath. I know I would have done the same. Perhaps Ned was too pure for such an evil world but that's what makes GRRM's writing so delicious 😋!

In as much as we speak of honour being the main factor that motivated Ned to tell Cersei about the incest, we often forget that it is Robert's attitude that pushed Ned to do so. Ned never forgot how Robert gloated about the murder of Elia and her kids. That is something that stayed with him for all the years. That event broke something between them; something that not even the death of Lyanna could patch up. And in the first book we see Ned discovering that the old friend that he once knew was gone and the king he swore his oath to is a monster; remember that they had just quarrelled about the question of killing Daenerys and Viserys.

The truth is Ned could no longer trust Robert to not act like a monster. He saw how Robert transformed what was a righteous rebellion against a tyrant into a horror of infanticide and femicide. You see him in real time processing whether to tell Robert directly or not before concluding that Robert is a child killer who will murder those babies. It is not until Robert is at death's door that he regrets his mistakes and the fact that he never listened to Ned when he was supposed to.

In conclusion, it is easy to shit on Ned but if you were in his shoes and saw your friend turn from a jovial guy into a child murdering monster the right thing as per you will be to shield anyone you can from his wrath. I know I would have done the same. Perhaps Ned was too pure for such an evil world but that's what makes GRRM's writing so delicious 😋!

By the time the story ends, the Lannisters won't be remembered fondly. It doesn't matter if some of them survive or not, they wont be able to recover the power they once had and pretty much will be a pariah forever associated with child murder, treachery and some of the vilest traits that a house may possess. The Mad King will be better remembered than Tywin. What do you think?

By the time the story ends, the Lannisters won't be remembered fondly. It doesn't matter if some of them survive or not, they wont be able to recover the power they once had and pretty much will be a pariah forever associated with child murder, treachery and some of the vilest traits that a house may possess. The Mad King will be better remembered than Tywin.

Grrm in one blog spoke about Dany and the faceless men. He said that if I'm not mistaken the faceless men wont go after Dany for now which means that there is bound to be an eventual reckoning with the Faceless men.

The hints are there: The Faceless Men are suggested as a method to kill Dany and Viserys, Arya goes to Braavos to become a Faceless Man. A Faceless Man is in Old Town to look for a book about the death of dragons. I believe that at some point they will go after Dany. There is bound to be some final battle between these two and I see Arya being instrumental in defeating them (The Faceless Men). And i think that with the destruction of the Faceless men, Braavos will bend the knee to the Targaryens.

What do you think?

The more I read about Jorah the more I ask myself how Dany didnt order his head to be lobbed off once she discovered his betrayal.

This man could have easily fed the Small Council bullshit but he decided to put the lives of two scared kids in danger for the sake of going "home". Kids that needed guidance, protection and a father figure. Hell, if he was so desperate to get home, he could have hedged his bets on them to an extent to get home and they would have surely rewarded him for his protection.

But no, he had to put their lives at stake for the sake of a pardon that never came. In the end the Baratheons and Lannisters didnt give a shit about him and he burned bridges with the Targaryens. Its no wonder that Lynesse abandoned the bum as soon as an opportunity came to do so. Dany is forgiving for certain cause any other person would have not exiled him.

The Lannisters do bear a lot of resemblance to The Borgias. They were incestuous, cruel and ruthless. They spared no one, broke every law and rose to the highest levels of power in Europe. And it all collapsed when the Patriarch Tywin and Alexander died. What do you think?

I believe that it is necessary that the Long Night becomes a Pyrrhic victory. Think about this; The realm ignored the threat of the Others, they mocked the letters of the Night's Watch and were too busy fighting each other over a stupid chair. Meanwhile the dead were rising again and gathering up their army.

I believe that Westeros needs to be punished for their lack of preparedness. The Long Night should start with the dead scoring numerous victories. If its me I believe that they should sack everything from Winterfell right down to the Trident. Remember the dream Dany had of her meeting the Usurper at the Trident. I believe that the final battle that will end the White walkers should be at the Trident and the war and the war should be one that human comes out of it well spent and escapes barely with their lives. In the end, there should be some sort of memorial day to remember it.

I believe that it is necessary that the Long Night becomes a Pyrrhic victory. Think about this; The realm ignored the threat of the Others, they mocked the letters of the Night's Watch and were too busy fighting each other over a stupid chair. Meanwhile the dead were rising again and gathering up their army.

I believe that Westeros needs to be punished for their lack of preparedness. The Long Night should start with the dead scoring numerous victories. If its me I believe that they should sack everything from Winterfell right down to the Trident. Remember the dream Dany had of her meeting the Usurper at the Trident. I believe that the final battle that will end the White walkers should be at the Trident and the war and the war should be one that human comes out of it well spent and escapes barely with their lives. In the end, there should be some sort of memorial day to remember it.

In the epilogue of ADWD, Kevan thinks to himself about the starvation that will likely hit the realm hard during the coming winter and somehow believes that Tywin would have had a solution to that.

Reading that part always left a bad taste in my mouth because we know that Tywin is to blame for the starvation. His house started the war, he went ordering the burning of farms and crops across the realm and even Kevan himself gave commands for their soldiers to set the Riverlands on fire. Jaime is no different. He is the reason behind the war of the five kings and it is thanks to his actions that the realm has suffered in no small part.

Why will they talk about solving this problem when they are the cause of it? Where they not thinking about winter when they were burning the realm?

Yeah you heard me! The council of 101 on paper looks like a solid thing to do but in fact it was bullshit.

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Think of it. Jaeherys was a man who impersonated absolutism during the entirety of his reign. His word was law and he made sure to use of it at every turn he could to get whatever he wanted. You will think that someone who loved absolutism will make use of it when it came to the succession but no! Of all a sudden he doesn't know what to do with it!

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Rhaenys' claim was superior. End of fucking story. There was no debate. In logical and Andalic sense, the claim of Rhaenys took precedence over that of Viserys. There should have been no question as to whose line the throne was to pass but we know that Jaeherys is not a fan of women. All one has to do is look at how he treated Saera, Viserra and his wife Alyssane to understand what he thought of women. He by passed Rhaenys herself and only called a council when he had no direct heirs meaning that he would rather have others decide the succession than rightfully acknowledge what was the obvious due to a claimant being a woman.

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The Council itself led to the Dance of the Dragons. It established the precedence that women are not to rule which undermined the will of Viserys who wanted his daughter to inherit the throne. It was thanks to this council that Aegon and the greens found ground to usurp Rhaenyra. I still believe that this council was more responsible than Viserys for the Dance of the Dragons.

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For a man who promoted the idea of Targaryen exceptionalism, leaving an issue as precarious as succession to his lords was stupid. He could have settled it in-house. There was no need to involve those who by every stretch had their personal interests at stake to decide the fate of a dynasty that prided itself on being above all. That was very demeaning of him

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In conclusion, the council of 101 looks solid on paper but it was a fat mistake. It only exposed the hypocrisy of Jaeherys whose favourite hobby was hating women and undermining them at every step. This council and not Viserys is responsible for the Dance of the Dragons.

Yeah you heard me! The council of 101 on paper looks like a solid thing to do but in fact it was bullshit.

​

Think of it. Jaeherys was a man who impersonated absolutism during the entirety of his reign. His word was law and he made sure to use of it at every turn he could to get whatever he wanted. You will think that someone who loved absolutism will make use of it when it came to the succession but no! Of all a sudden he doesn't know what to do with it!

​

Rhaenys' claim was superior. End of fucking story. There was no debate. In logical and Andalic sense, the claim of Rhaenys took precedence over that of Viserys. There should have been no question as to whose line the throne was to pass but we know that Jaeherys is not a fan of women. All one has to do is look at how he treated Saera, Viserra and his wife Alyssane to understand what he thought of women. He by passed Rhaenys herself and only called a council when he had no direct heirs meaning that he would rather have others decide the succession than rightfully acknowledge what was the obvious due to a claimant being a woman.

​

The Council itself led to the Dance of the Dragons. It established the precedence that women are not to rule which undermined the will of Viserys who wanted his daughter to inherit the throne. It was thanks to this council that Aegon and the greens found ground to usurp Rhaenyra. I still believe that this council was more responsible than Viserys for the Dance of the Dragons.

​

For a man who promoted the idea of Targaryen exceptionalism, leaving an issue as precarious as succession to his lords was stupid. He could have settled it in-house. There was no need to involve those who by every stretch had their personal interests at stake to decide the fate of a dynasty that prided itself on being above all. That was very demeaning of him

​

In conclusion, the council of 101 looks solid on paper but it was a fat mistake. It only exposed the hypocrisy of Jaeherys whose favourite hobby was hating women and undermining them at every step. This council and not Viserys is responsible for the Dance of the Dragons.

Robert's admitted guilt on his deathbed is often used by his fans to say that Robert meant well and at heart was a good person but I disagree to say that such notion is false.

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It is easy for anyone to admit guilt and mistakes when they are knocking on death's door than to make things right when they are living and healthy.

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Robert had 15 years to do the right thing. 15 years to give Elia and her kids justice, 15 years to forge a new system and bring about better days, 15 years to keep the crown solvent. He did none of those. All we got is a fat, bastard breeding and wretched ruler who cared nothing about doing the right thing. He allowed old wounds to fester, corruption and his government was a Lannister Occupied Government in all but name.

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I mean why are we talking about his deathbed guilt when some chapters he was gloating about the death of Rhaegar's kids claiming that the Lannisters repaid the Targaryens their due coin and he wont lose sleep over it. He defended the sack of the capital even when Ned tries to explain to him why such a thing was not right. For all his life he defended cruelty and injustice. He was willing to have a pregnant bride slave killed and all of a sudden we should sympathise with him because he finally admitted guilt on death's door? Never!

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It doesn't matter whether Robert claims he knows he was wretched a king. He has sown the seeds of war, has filled his court with corrupt officers and changed nothing to the system. His confession means nothing to the story and once the Lannisters are removed he will remembered as a miserable king whose dynasty brought pain and suffering on innocent people.

Robert's admitted guilt on his deathbed is often used by his fans to say that Robert meant well and at heart was a good person but I disagree to say that such notion is false.

​

It is easy for anyone to admit guilt and mistakes when they are knocking on death's door than to make things right when they are living and healthy.

​

Robert had 15 years to do the right thing. 15 years to give Elia and her kids justice, 15 years to forge a new system and bring about better days, 15 years to keep the crown solvent. He did none of those. All we got is a fat, bastard breeding and wretched ruler who cared nothing about doing the right thing. He allowed old wounds to fester, corruption and his government was a Lannister Occupied Government in all but name.

​

I mean why are we talking about his deathbed guilt when some chapters he was gloating about the death of Rhaegar's kids claiming that the Lannisters repaid the Targaryens their due coin and he wont lose sleep over it. He defended the sack of the capital even when Ned tries to explain to him why such a thing was not right. For all his life he defended cruelty and injustice. He was willing to have a pregnant bride slave killed and all of a sudden we should sympathise with him because he finally admitted guilt on death's door? Never!

​

It doesn't matter whether Robert claims he knows he was wretched a king. He has sown the seeds of war, has filled his court with corrupt officers and changed nothing to the system. His confession means nothing to the story and once the Lannisters are removed he will remembered as a miserable king whose dynasty brought pain and suffering on innocent people.

GRRM has a way of foretelling someone's fate. He foretold the death of Robb in the vision at the House of the Undying. And I believe that Tyrion's cyvasse has already spelled in black and white what Young Griff's fate will be.

Aegon was trying to go to Meereen to get Dany and her dragons in order to sail to Westeros but just like in the game, Tyrion dissuades him from such approach claiming that it would make him look like a bitch. He foolishly listens to the advice and preemptively sails to Westeros. Now unlike the game I think he will find major success at first but somehow will get caught in a quagmire that will require Dragons to help but like in the game, the dragons will be too far away to do anything.

Some have theorised a second dance of the Dragons but I'm of the opinion that it won't happen. His fate is clearly spelled in the game and it will happen as such.

GRRM has a way of foretelling someone's fate. He foretold the death of Robb in the vision at the House of the Undying. And I believe that Tyrion's cyvasse has already spelled in black and white what Young Griff's fate will be.

Aegon was trying to go to Meereen to get Dany and her dragons in order to sail to Westeros but just like in the game, Tyrion dissuades him from such approach claiming that it would make him look like a bitch. He foolishly listens to the advice and preemptively sails to Westeros. Now unlike the game I think he will find major success at first but somehow will get caught in a quagmire that will require Dragons to help but like in the game, the dragons will be too far away to do anything.

Some have theorised a second dance of the Dragons but I'm of the opinion that it won't happen. His fate is clearly spelled in the game and it will happen as such.

I know this is an unpopular Opinion and yes I am a Targaryen fanboy. But after reading the books over and over again I can't help but conclude that Jon Arryn is overrated as Hand of the King and here is why:

THE CLAIM OF 15 YEARS OF PEACE:

One of the justifications people put for why Jon Arryn is a good hand is the so called 15 years of peace. The 15 years of peace is not down to Jon Arryn being competent. If anything this man did little to nothing to mend the wounds of the realm. He neglected the historic wrongs that some houses suffered, he allowed tensions to simmer and basically turned his head away. The peace was not down to him being charismatic or Robert being invincible. It was down to his enemies being weak and unprepared. The Targaryens had no dragons, FAegon was still a boy, Dorne just reeled from a war in which they lost most of their fighters. It was not about him. The proof to it is that once the pieces were in place for his enemies to strike he was the first piece of the Baratheon chessboard to fall and everything about House Baratheon collapsed like a deck of cards.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE REALM

In all the books read, there is nothing that shows proof of his competence. He renovated no roads, didnt fill the treasury, promulgated no new laws and erected no new structures. Even a commoner like Septon Barth did more to improve the realm than him. If anything it is under him that the crown is bankrupted, corruption festers like a plague, he empowers incompetent and vicious people who scheme against his regime and basically changes nothing from the era of the Mad King other than the name of the dynasty. Basically it is the same rotten system under a different name

THE DORNISH QUESTION

Jon Arryn did nothing to solve the Dornish question. He made a half arsed trip with the bones of Lewyn Martell to speak to the Lords there who accepted peace not out of respect for him but due to the fact that they are too weak to do anything. For 15 years he allows the Dornish grudge against Robert to grow and goes as far as making sure that the histories lie on what happened. He doesn't work to mend the broken ties with them, he gives them no justice and basically allows them to seethe and brood creating a potential base of operation for the Targaryens. Compare that to Tyrion who gives Dorne a seat in the council, arranges a bethrotal and goes as far as promising the heads of Gregor and Amory. Something that the competent Jon couldnt do in 15 years.

THE LANNISTER PROBLEM

Jon Arryn was poor in handling the Lannister problem. He allowed them to fill the court and rewarded them far beyond what they deserved. Eddard was right to demand the expulsion of Jamie from the KG and though it may have not been to the Night's Watch, sending him to Casterly Rock would have gone a long way. He didn't. He rewarded a child murdering house like the Lannisters with a royal marriage and more offices than what they deserve only for him to realise the mistake that he made once he discovers that the children of Robert are all bastards. He allows his adopted son and King to be surrounded by lions who killed him and Robert. He would have lived had it not been for the Lannister Pycelle.

In essence Jon Arryn killed Robert. He is one of the reasons why Robert's reign was so corrupt and inefficient. Eddard couldnt have done much even if he wanted to because Jon had made sure that whoever succeeded him will stand no chance as long as they were non-Lannister. Jon Arryn is overrated. He is not that competent. At best he is a mid hand of the king, at worst he is down there with the likes of Septon Murmison as one of the worst hands of the king.

I know this is an unpopular Opinion and yes I am a Targaryen fanboy. But after reading the books over and over again I can't help but conclude that Jon Arryn is overrated as Hand of the King and here is why:

THE CLAIM OF 15 YEARS OF PEACE:

One of the justifications people put for why Jon Arryn is a good hand is the so called 15 years of peace. The 15 years of peace is not down to Jon Arryn being competent. If anything this man did little to nothing to mend the wounds of the realm. He neglected the historic wrongs that some houses suffered, he allowed tensions to simmer and basically turned his head away. The peace was not down to him being charismatic or Robert being invincible. It was down to his enemies being weak and unprepared. The Targaryens had no dragons, FAegon was still a boy, Dorne just reeled from a war in which they lost most of their fighters. It was not about him. The proof to it is that once the pieces were in place for his enemies to strike he was the first piece of the Baratheon chessboard to fall and everything about House Baratheon collapsed like a deck of cards.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE REALM

In all the books read, there is nothing that shows proof of his competence. He renovated no roads, didnt fill the treasury, promulgated no new laws and erected no new structures. Even a commoner like Septon Barth did more to improve the realm than him. If anything it is under him that the crown is bankrupted, corruption festers like a plague, he empowers incompetent and vicious people who scheme against his regime and basically changes nothing from the era of the Mad King other than the name of the dynasty. Basically it is the same rotten system under a different name

THE DORNISH QUESTION

Jon Arryn did nothing to solve the Dornish question. He made a half arsed trip with the bones of Lewyn Martell to speak to the Lords there who accepted peace not out of respect for him but due to the fact that they are too weak to do anything. For 15 years he allows the Dornish grudge against Robert to grow and goes as far as making sure that the histories lie on what happened. He doesn't work to mend the broken ties with them, he gives them no justice and basically allows them to seethe and brood creating a potential base of operation for the Targaryens. Compare that to Tyrion who gives Dorne a seat in the council, arranges a bethrotal and goes as far as promising the heads of Gregor and Amory. Something that the competent Jon couldnt do in 15 years.

THE LANNISTER PROBLEM

Jon Arryn was poor in handling the Lannister problem. He allowed them to fill the court and rewarded them far beyond what they deserved. Eddard was right to demand the expulsion of Jamie from the KG and though it may have not been to the Night's Watch, sending him to Casterly Rock would have gone a long way. He didn't. He rewarded a child murdering house like the Lannisters with a royal marriage and more offices than what they deserve only for him to realise the mistake that he made once he discovers that the children of Robert are all bastards. He allows his adopted son and King to be surrounded by lions who killed him and Robert. He would have lived had it not been for the Lannister Pycelle.

In essence Jon Arryn killed Robert. He is one of the reasons why Robert's reign was so corrupt and inefficient. Eddard couldnt have done much even if he wanted to because Jon had made sure that whoever succeeded him will stand no chance as long as they were non-Lannister. Jon Arryn is overrated. He is not that competent. At best he is a mid hand of the king, at worst he is down there with the likes of Septon Murmison as one of the worst hands of the king.