Not the sharpest swords in the armory

[Lubbock]

Kind of Tragic, all us cynical people consider love a stupidity

[cape_royds]

I vote for the Astapori slavers, who made the single biggest blunder of any of those listed.

But Robb Stark is a case study in political folly, which is worth examining in some detail. The breaking of the Frey alliance, and sending Theon as an envoy to Pyke, are well understood errors.

But perhaps Robb's worst mistake was in letting the Greatjon bellow, "King in the North!"

There is more than one way to lose control of your bannermen. The most obvious way is through their insubordination, but Robb's crowning showed us another way of bannermen usurping authority from their liege.

By letting his lords crown him while in their cups, Robb lost any control over his war aims, and thus enormously complicated his own strategic predicament.

How could he ally with any of the Baratheon claimants, or with the Tyrells, after repudiating the Iron Throne?

This momentous decision--a transition from limited to total war, meanwhile forsaking any allies--was made without a minute's reflection on Robb's part.

[Young stormlord]

I thought of ressurecting this thread, just because of our new members sake. So, have fun voting for the bigest dummy in Westeros.

[viZion]

Thanks for bringing this one back. I voted for Robb. "I will sacrifice my entire Kingdom, my war, all of my alliances, and the lives of thousands, including my closest friends and family, because I got laid. Yes, that sounds like a noble idea."

n00b.

[Thalador]

I'd choose Robb Stark, for his lack of common sense. He neglected his kingdom to wage war while failing to practice sound diplomacy. Although Robb shares Eddard's idealism and nobility, his mistakes were serious and easily avoided. Eddard, on the other hand, was dealing with forces beyond his control.

Edmure failed as a general, but can hardly be blamed for upsetting Robb's plans. It reflects on Robb, because he should have told Edmure not engage Tywin's army. Theon's plan wasn't bad, simply too ambitious. He did, after all, gain control of Winterfell, although that reflects more on Ser Rodrik's stupidity (castles have garrisons for a reason).

[LyannaWolfBlood]

I'd have to go for Edmure. Going off on your own without consulting any of your fellow leaders, particularly your direct liege-lord, is just asking for trouble. Didn't it occur to him that there was a reason he got precisely the orders he did? Or that if the others were unaware of his plans it was just possible that he might not know all of theirs???

That being said, Robb didn't exactly cover himself in glory either.

[Rainswept]

Is it too late to vote for Hodor?

My vote goes to Theon. He had nothing but poor reasons and poor reasoning. I can't think of a way to defend him.

[TK-421]

I have sympathy for Theon. Although, my sweet Asha sure put him in his place. Now I suspect she will be the one to rescue him.

[Simian]

I'm going to throw a spanner in the works and say Eddard Stark. Of the four options listed, three can be chalked off to a combination of youth, plain stupidity, bad advice or circumstances beyond their control, and the slavers of Astapor paid the price for grossly under-estimating their opponent. Eddard, on the other hand, was old enough, experienced enough (and should have been savvy enough) to exploit the situation he found himself in to his benefit. Instead, he let his blind commitment to honour get him killed, and more than anyone else damned Westeros to the war that followed.

[cape_royds]

Just re-reading Clash of Kings again.

Theon Greyjoy: what a dipstick!

I mean, he captures Winterfell in a coup de main. But then he's actually dismayed to find the people there no longer like him very much. Duh.

He has valuable Stark, Frey, and Reed hostages but doesn't put a guard on them. Of course he has too few men to guard them. So then why didn't he lock them up? Duh.

And then, after he finds the Bastard of Bolton inside his gates with a force much larger than his own, he argues with him over a tavern wench.

Question: will the repeated loss of digits, combined with a diet of raw ratmeat, improve Theon's brain? I guess we'll find out.

[Boaz]

Simian, I don't know how I missed your last post (#39), but I'd like to refer you to "promise me, Ned" and the "value of Howland Reed" thread... specifically page 4 where Aegon and I go back and forth on Eddard's qualities of wisdom and honor. I tend to see things like you, but Aegon puts up a good argument.

Probably the most painful thing about Eddard and Catelyn is that they do things the same way I do. I hate to admit this... In the end, I'm not a sociopath like Oberyn, a cold blooded killer like Bronn, an avaricious bitch like Cersei, nor an amoral manipulator like Littlefinger. Most likely I'd have survived less than a tenth of what the Starks endured at the hands of their enemies.

[Ursa major]

As in my post during "The Time the Chrons Forgot", I voted for the Slavetraders. I can't recall my original reasons, but I expect it was along the lines of: there were many of them; they were men of the world (unlike Robb - and I still think there could have been was some magic involved in Robb's betrothal and subsequent behaviour); and they were so stupid, they didn't see a consequence that even I could.


(And Ned was foolish and negligent - or at the very least, a very inexperienced player once thinking and plotting were the main attributes required to stay alive.)

[Rider]

Am I the only one to think that the Lord Frey would have killed Robb even if he hadn't married Jeyne Westerling? During the wedding with one of his daughters...

He had too many ties to Lannisters to remain helping the Stark-Tully Realm, compared to what ties he had with others.

It would have been exactly the same, albeit with likely more Stark-Tully men dying under the Twins.

[TK-421]

Good old Walder did get a plum political position out of the deal, so there is a chance he would of went through with the Red Wedding, Jeyne Westerling or not. He seems the power-hungry sort. She may have been simply the tipping point.