<Mod Hat>
Oh for cripes’ sake.
I’m going to attempt something radical here. I’ve made a new thread in ATMB and moved the non-topic posts there. Anyone else wants to join them, here it is.
I’ve also edited my OP to include the clarification I posted earlier as well as my own on-topic question. Any further hijacks of this thread will result in Warnings.
Do we know when HBO plans on airing season 2?
Since production begins at the end of this month, I imagine the same time next year i.e. April.
Is there any explanation or context given for why Cersei wishes to maintain the betrothal of Sansa to Joffrey? It was Robert who offered the engagement. He’s dead. And the father of the bride admitted to treason and was ordered killed by the groom. What’s Cersei’s calculus?
Don’t think it’s ever actually mentioned. I suspect it’s primarily Sansa’s worth as a hostage right now, and the lack of more advantageous marriage possibilities for Joff.
Cersei may, in some bizarre and not entirely politically-smart way, hope that a marital union of Lannister and Stark will unify the country and quell, or at least help discourage, any rebellion.
Personally, I don’t believe that Cersei really cares, beyond being able to use Sansa as leverage against the Starks. If the Starks are eliminated as a significant center of power in the Seven Kingdoms, I think Cersei wouldn’t hesitate to dump Sansa if a more politically advantageous match for Joffrey came along.
I SAID it would be ridiculously stupid for Joffrey to have Tyrion killed, but unless you have been watching a different Game of Thrones than me, everybody was surprised and upset that Joffrey had Ned beheaded, and it wasn’t because they were a bunch of goody two-shoes whose hearts bled at unnecessary violence. They were upset because Ned’s beheading made the prospect of war with the Starks almost inevitable. The Lannisters may be comfortable that they can beat the Starks, but they seem to think it will not be a fun or easy task.
Joffrey is a kid, and does not have the brains to figure out that just because he is king, he can’t do anything he likes. Au contraire! And he would almost certainly like very much to see Tyrion’s head on a pike. Cersei and all his advisors know better, but that didn’t keep NED’S head on his shoulders.
I think Cersei is just playing good politics here, rather than actually wanting a marriage between Sansa and Joffrey, she is keeping Sansa close. An implied threat to kill a noble – because he or she is in your power – is a more powerful political lever than a dead noble. That is why Robert is still alive “Put him in chains … he’ll be more use to us alive.”
Exactly. At this point, Sansa’s nothing more than a pawn. The wedding will happen only if the Lannisters consider it advantageous for it to happen at whatever point in time Sansa reaches physical maturity.
Do you mean Jamie Lannister?
Plus, the rebellion will likely end with Robb dead. Bran and Rickon end up either ‘accidentally’ dead or sent to The Wall.
At that point, the true heir to Winterfel would be…whichever heir pops out of Sansa first. And now the Lannisters effectively control 3/8ths of the Seven Kingdoms - Baratheon lands, Lannister lands, and Stark lands.
It’s entirely possible I’m giving Cersei far too much credit for thinking ahead, however.
-Joe
Right, Jamie. A slip of the keyboard.
Nitpick: It’s Jaime.
If I had been a book reader prior to watching the series, I would have assumed that “Jaime” was meant to be pronounced as in Spanish. Senyor Hymay Lannister, at your service.
The Brat King’s inability to grasp the concept of politics and diplomacy does not mean that the Hound, or Ser Ilyn, or whatever other thug in the royal employ he decides to ask, will suddenly lose all sense of self preservation, and decide that killing the son of the most powerful man in the kingdom - who would not admit to treason, even if he actually committed it, quite contrary to Ned - is a good idea.
Executing an admitted traitor (even if it was a forced false confession to trumped up charges), even when it’s a politically ill-conceived move, is a far cry from murdering the Hand of the King just because the King doesn’t like his advice. Especially when the ‘traitor’ is a lord of minor power, with an untried boy as heir (and a rather minuscule army), and the Hand is the son of the richest man in the kingdom, from a house with a reputation of always paying debts - both positive and negative. The former chances a war which will be costly, but they should be able to win - if the fact that they had a hostage (and claimed a second) didn’t prevent the war from happening in the first place. The latter brings the wrath of a damned dangerous man down upon a single person.
Might Joff do it himself? He might be stupid enough to try. End result would be Joff dead at the hands of Bronn, Shagga son of Dolf, or Cheyk of the Blackears (and whichever of them actually acted to defend Tyrion legitimately killed for treason - probably before the corpse hit the ground), and King Tommen on the throne. I wouldn’t give even odds on his actually managing to off Tyrion before the bodyguard of choice managed to cleave the brat in two, though it’s certainly possible.
If Sansa is forced to marry Joffrey and every other Stark is eliminated that would give Joffrey and the Lannisters defacto control over all the Stark lands.
Assuming Joffrey had the stones to do his own dirty work (he doesn’t), Tyrion would wipe the floor with the brat, no bodyguards’ assistance necessary.
Well, with a little bit of Dutch courage, he looked willing enough to kill the butcher’s boy himself.
I dunno, they’re pretty much going to have to take it by force, anyway - even if they can take out Robb, Bran, and Rickon fairly quietly, the bannermen won’t bow and will have to be subdued to keep them from ‘liberating’ Winterfell, and bring their own lands back under royal control - so I’m not sure any legitimate claim they have to the lands through Sansa will really come into play.
The inbred little shit may be an idiot, but if there’s one rule ALL Lannisters know it’s that Daddy/Granddaddy Tywin is not someone you cross.
-Joe