I'm sure that you would have guessed by now, that I have just finished watching the The Game Of Thrones 309 - Rains Of Castamere episode. And yes, I am pissed and you should be too. From the day we were born, we have always seen the good triumphing over the bad, the heroes beating the villains and the angels stopping the demons. So naturally it was hard for me to digest when the Starks were slaughtered in the Wedding at the Twins. They bled left, right and center before biting the dust. They were one of the honourable houses of Westeros.
But the Starks are emotional and in no way do they have the temperament to protect their knigdom let alone win a war. Here are 5 mistakes made by the Starks of Winterfell which ultimately led to their downfall -
- Eddard "Ned" Stark had become the King's Hand to King Robert Baratheon. Soon with the help of Lord Varys and Peter Baelish's spies he gets to know that Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen were not King Robert's own but a product of the incestuous relationship between the Lannister twins - Jamie and Cersei. He goes to Robert with these findings but in the meantime the fat oaf has gotten himself severely injured during boar hunting. So the King writes him in his will stating him to be "Joffrey's Regent till he comes of age". Now a sane person would not go directly and confront the Queen with this, especially when her father is the most powerful man in Westeros, but unfortunately for us Ned Stark has below average brains and did exactly that. With hid head on the pike, he started the "Let the Starks be Killed" fiesta.
- When Bran Stark was almost assassinated, it took Catelyn only a moment to rally her father's banner men to capture Tyrion Lannister who possessed the assassin's weapon. I don't blame her for that, after all it is a mother's right to punish the people responsible for their children's life attempt though a little more research was in order. Next, she takes Tyrion to be punished and hands her over to Lysa Tully, her sister who has totally gone crazy. She orders one of her best knights to fight Tyrion who by that time has befriended a sellsword and wins him over with promises of riches and rewards. While Catelyn Stark looks on helplessly, Tyrion's sellsword beats the Tully knight and thus secures Tyrion's release. She lets them go as she has "honour".
- Theon Greyjoy was taken as a hostage by Ned Stark and was raised in Winterfell. Though he was not exactly a Stark, he had become quite close to Robb Stark the eldest of the Starks. Now when Robb was gathering an army for fighting the Lannnisters, the smart ass sent Theon back to his father Balon Greyjoy to convince him to lend him their troops. Now let us assume a situation where A has humiliated B, taken B's son away and raised him as one of A's own. Why in the world would B come to A's aid? It is a really stupid way to go and this is Robb's first instance of stupidity and defiance (his mom Catelyn warned him not to take the risk) which led to the burning of the Stark hometown Winterfell.
- Kar Starks have the blood of the Starks. They are the closest thing that the Starks can call cousins. Lord Rickard was the second man to proclaim Robb Stark as the King of The North. They had always been Starks' biggest supporters and well-wishers. When Jamie Lannister killed Lord Rickard's sons Eddard and Torrhen Karstark he swore revenge in their name. But when later Jamie Lannister was captured, Lord Rickard was denied justice by Robb. Still, he remained loyal to Robb only to see his loyalty go down the drain as Catelyn released Jamie with the hope that the Lannisters would release Sansa and Arya ( As if that was a possibility !! ) And so when Robb held captive the Lannister kids - Willem and Martyn Lannister, Lord Rickard went into the prisons and butchered the kids. While I am not debating his right to kill them or not, Robb should have let him go with a warning or so as Karstarks formed a third of his army. But no, Robb is an arrogant fool and against the advice of his mother and wife, he beheaded Lord Rickard. His second act of stupidity and defiance caused him half the troops and virtually gave the Lannisters an upper hand.
- Have you ever heard anyone say "He is thinking with his penis and not his brain". Well Robb Stark's third and final act of defiance was a little too costly for the Starks as they all ended up being slaughtered at the halls of William Frey. He was pledged to marry one of the Frey girls but unfortunately he fell in love and married some other random chick. Yes, love is all beautiful and blissful but it is wrong to betray the owners of the bridge who are helping you keep your enemies at bay.
- When you have got a hot girlfriend who stands up for you against her own people, you should really rescue her instead of running away on a horse chasing the hawk. At least call out to her, so that she doesn't feel bad.
