A Game of Fools: Foolish Things the Starks Have Done in Song of Ice and Fire Books I to III

A Song of Ice and Fire

On the weekend, I managed to finish A Clash of Kings and promptly started A Storm of Swords. I’m  about a third of the way through A Storm of Swords. The POVs are an interesting of reading this story, but they do have their faults as well. George RR Martin isn’t afraid of killing off main characters in order to forward the plot, which is something that not many writers will do. However, it served him well. I’ll be ordering A Dance with Dragons this week.

Warning: spoilers ahead.

Another thing that Martin isn’t afraid of doing is making his characters make grievous mistakes. Here are some that I’ve noted over the last few thousand pages that I’ve read. All of them, except Lord Varys, have underestimated Littlefinger. Lord Tywin has named his Lord of Harrenhall and Littlefinger has the blessing of the Small Council and the Hand to marry Lady Lysa Arryn. I still have to find out where he went while King’s Landing was under siege by Lord Stannis.

The character that I dislike the most is Sansa Stark. I honestly don’t care much for her.

Three dragons were born to Daenerys when her Khal Drogo died. This awakening was a sort of quickening of magic, like magic has returned to the realms. In A Clash of Kings, we see some magic for the first time, which is nice. Renly’s death by Melissandre and her shadow children, pyromancers, warlocks, etc. Magic has been reawakened. As the alchemists have said, the spells that were harder to perform before are now easier and more productive. They don’t know why, but we know that it’s due to the fact that dragons have returned.

Only Jon Snow and Bran Sark understand their connection to their direwolves. Since magic is back in the kingdoms, this connection is getting stronger. Both Jon and Bran have almost become skinchangers, but only Bran is seeking out more training so that he can master this ability. I suspected that Arya was going to be reunite with Nymeria, but until now, she hasn’t.

Lady Catelyn Stark:

• Left her crippled son and toddler alone for over a year
• Now, she believes that both Rickon and Bran are dead, executed by Theon Greyjoy when he sacked Winterfell (they aren’t)
• Captured the Imp, Tyrion Lannister but didn’t get anything out of it except getting Lord Stark a broken leg and accelerating the pace of the impending wars
• Freed Jaime Lannister in the vain hope to get Arya and Sansa back
• She’s the main reason why Winterfell was sacked. Had she come back or stayed behind, it wouldn’t have happened

Lord Robb Stark:

• Married below his station to some maid (Jeyne Westerling) that he screwed at Crag after being wounded
• Thus removed the Frey’s support since he was promised to one of them
• Spurned the instincts of his direwolf, Grey Wind, whom he leaves chained up or away from him

Lord Eddeard Stark:

• Trusted Littlefinger
• Believes in honor to a fault, which was his downfall
• Took people in King’s Landing at their face value