Boaz
Happy Easter!
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2005
- Messages
- 6,588
I think my favorite chapter from ASOIAF so far is Tyrion’s third chapter that starts on page 254 of my US paperback. There are not any battles, kisses, duels, executions, or marriages. No, the excitement here is in all of the information of being given to us.
Tyrion returns to the the Small Council as Master of Coin; Littlefinger leaves for the Vale; the Martells are coming to KL; Robb seems isolated; Cersei may be murdering Lancel next; Balon wants an alliance; the Tyrells expand their lands; Cersei and Tyrion both are going to get engaged; Tarly defeats Glover at Duskendale.
Yet there is even more under the surface.
I’m going to post a number of my observations in new threads. I thought about combining them under the banner of this particular chapter, but I think there’s too much for one thread.
The top of this thread is the possible alliance between Lannister and Greyjoy. In the second full paragraph on 260, we see Tyrion’s thoughts. First he remembers Tywin’s words, then he ponders the ramifications of his father’s words.
Some battles are won with swords and spears, aothers with quills and ravens…
He wondered who the “better option” was and what sort of price he was demanding.
Tywin is publicly refusing Balon’s offer and Tyrion assumes this is because Tywin has something better up his sleeve. We know that Balon died soon after this and was replaced as King of the Iron Islands by his brother Euron. Euron had been gone for years and years, yet showed up the day after Balon died. I had always assumed that Euron had Balon assassinated by a Faceless Man, but mayhaps Tywin had a hand in it.
After Euron consolidated the Ironborn under his rule, what did he do? He went plundering.
Where? Did he plunder his helpless enemies, the Starks? No. He bypassed the undefended Lannister, Stark and Tully coasts and went straight at the Tyrells. When Euron went plundering he did not attack his secret ally, the Lannisters… i.e. in addition to the Westerlands, the Lannisters were the de facto rulers of the Riverlands (Tully) and the overlords of the North (Bolton).
Tywin needed the Martells, but he did not want them stronger than the Lannisters. He may have been using the Greyjoys to take the Tyrells down a notch. If Loras, Garlan, or Mace died fighting the Greyjoys, then the Lannister power surrounding Margaery increases. It appears that Loras was horribly disfigured attacking Stannis. Also, if Tywin could get Mace to sacrifice thousands of his own men against Euron, then the Lannisters gain military power. I guess I think that a Greyjoy kingdom can stand against a divided Westeros, but not against a united one. Robert proved this in Balon’s Rebellion. So I figure that after letting Euron bleed Mace for a while, Tywin would gather a mighty army and assault Pyke. Of course, he’d put the Arryns and Tullys in the front ranks…
Of course I’m assuming that Tywin’s contact was Euron. But it could have been Asha or Theon. I doubt Theon since there was no overt mention of this in his ACOK chapters… but he does send birds from Winterfell in his last chapter. Maybe he sent one to Tywin…
It could be Asha, but why would she have her father killed at such a critical time? She knew his wish was that she inherit after him and she knew that this was not common knowledge yet.
Also any of the men who attended the moot might have contacted Tywin about helping them take the throne from Balon, but somehow I doubt this.
I think it’s Euron.
Now what was the price for Balon’s head? Hamstringing the Martells? Sacking Oldtown?
Does hurting the Tyrells, Tywin’s biggest ally, really benefit the Lannisters? Or is it merely the pressure of of raids that takes Mace and most of the Tyrells away from KL? No, I think the price is too cheap for Euron.
The price for Tywin to let Walder Frey join the winning side was for Walder to betray Robb. I imagine the price for Euron’s crown would be higher than that.
Mayhaps Dany is the price.
Tyrion returns to the the Small Council as Master of Coin; Littlefinger leaves for the Vale; the Martells are coming to KL; Robb seems isolated; Cersei may be murdering Lancel next; Balon wants an alliance; the Tyrells expand their lands; Cersei and Tyrion both are going to get engaged; Tarly defeats Glover at Duskendale.
Yet there is even more under the surface.
I’m going to post a number of my observations in new threads. I thought about combining them under the banner of this particular chapter, but I think there’s too much for one thread.
The top of this thread is the possible alliance between Lannister and Greyjoy. In the second full paragraph on 260, we see Tyrion’s thoughts. First he remembers Tywin’s words, then he ponders the ramifications of his father’s words.
Some battles are won with swords and spears, aothers with quills and ravens…
He wondered who the “better option” was and what sort of price he was demanding.
Tywin is publicly refusing Balon’s offer and Tyrion assumes this is because Tywin has something better up his sleeve. We know that Balon died soon after this and was replaced as King of the Iron Islands by his brother Euron. Euron had been gone for years and years, yet showed up the day after Balon died. I had always assumed that Euron had Balon assassinated by a Faceless Man, but mayhaps Tywin had a hand in it.
After Euron consolidated the Ironborn under his rule, what did he do? He went plundering.
Where? Did he plunder his helpless enemies, the Starks? No. He bypassed the undefended Lannister, Stark and Tully coasts and went straight at the Tyrells. When Euron went plundering he did not attack his secret ally, the Lannisters… i.e. in addition to the Westerlands, the Lannisters were the de facto rulers of the Riverlands (Tully) and the overlords of the North (Bolton).
Tywin needed the Martells, but he did not want them stronger than the Lannisters. He may have been using the Greyjoys to take the Tyrells down a notch. If Loras, Garlan, or Mace died fighting the Greyjoys, then the Lannister power surrounding Margaery increases. It appears that Loras was horribly disfigured attacking Stannis. Also, if Tywin could get Mace to sacrifice thousands of his own men against Euron, then the Lannisters gain military power. I guess I think that a Greyjoy kingdom can stand against a divided Westeros, but not against a united one. Robert proved this in Balon’s Rebellion. So I figure that after letting Euron bleed Mace for a while, Tywin would gather a mighty army and assault Pyke. Of course, he’d put the Arryns and Tullys in the front ranks…
Of course I’m assuming that Tywin’s contact was Euron. But it could have been Asha or Theon. I doubt Theon since there was no overt mention of this in his ACOK chapters… but he does send birds from Winterfell in his last chapter. Maybe he sent one to Tywin…
It could be Asha, but why would she have her father killed at such a critical time? She knew his wish was that she inherit after him and she knew that this was not common knowledge yet.
Also any of the men who attended the moot might have contacted Tywin about helping them take the throne from Balon, but somehow I doubt this.
I think it’s Euron.
Now what was the price for Balon’s head? Hamstringing the Martells? Sacking Oldtown?
Does hurting the Tyrells, Tywin’s biggest ally, really benefit the Lannisters? Or is it merely the pressure of of raids that takes Mace and most of the Tyrells away from KL? No, I think the price is too cheap for Euron.
The price for Tywin to let Walder Frey join the winning side was for Walder to betray Robb. I imagine the price for Euron’s crown would be higher than that.
Mayhaps Dany is the price.
I've looked at your other 2 posts as well, but honestly I'm far to tired to add anything. I will reread in the morning. Promise !!
