What if Robb Stark Shed His Ideals of Honor After Ned Stark’s Execution

[Music] The night is dark and full of theories. [Music] What if Rob Stark shed his ideals of honor after Ned Stark's execution? Let's explore the depths of it in the video. >> You've ruined your sword. I'll >> kill them all. >> They have your sisters. >> We have to get the girls back and then we will kill them all. >> Those words were like a punch in the gut to the young ruler of Winterfell. He understood what his mother intended to remind him of what they were fighting for and what was still at risk. And yet, it felt more like it was a reminder of how helpless the situation was. They killed his father for no reason. They had nothing to gain from doing that, nothing that would benefit them to satisfy their bloodlust and take some sheen off his victory. And yet, Rob still had to fight to save his sisters who were still captives. But how could he save them when Joffrey could so easily kill them? This war is unlike anything you've ever encountered before. Make no mistake, this is not some idle dispute between Banamin, where your word is law. This is a war against the Iron Throne, and they will stop at nothing to destroy you. They have the armies, the gold, and the authority to do so. >> My father faced a similar threat with the mad king. >> Aries was a mad man who could barely even trust his own advisers. And your father had King Robert M. John Aaron by his side. This is different. You were facing off against Tywin Lannister. Honor is a poor shield against him. >> Father acted honorably. He did everything right and they murdered him anyway. >> They did. So what does that tell you? >> Rob doesn't like the answer he gets. But as he takes a deep breath and returns to his bannermanmen like her mother, they would mirror her words, speaking of how the Lannisters were evil and this action was an act of cruelty and dishonor. They urge Rob not to make peace or heed their words because there is nothing they can say that could make this right. Though he tries to keep a level head, the young lord is very much inclined to agree with them after everything that happened. He does not say anything even as they proclaim him king. As they retake Riverrun, Rob also receives word from Bruce Bolton, who retreated back up the Green Fork close to the twins. It is primarily a report on the situation of his army, his battle plan, casualties, and those who are captured. But in the end, there is a note to him. I have heard they now call you king in the north. If that is the case, you can expect me and my men to serve you loyally. And in that respect, I offer you my counsel. Being a king and a lord are two different things. You must learn to make the difficult decisions, things that will compromise your honor if your kingdom hopes to survive. There is no sovereign to hide behind any longer. All the responsibility and all the blame fall on you. I am certain you can rise to the occasion. So, I hope you take heed of what I say. Rob says nothing, but fears the tears stinging his eyes as he reads. He glances around at the men surrounding him. Many had proclaimed him king. And as he looks around, he can see in their eyes the hope and respect, the awe. It was not done on a whim. It was done because they believed in him. Instead, he clenches his fists and takes a deep breath. He must become worthy of them. But although the Lannisters might have the numbers and the power, they are not looking so strong now. They were badly mauled in the whispering woods and the camps, with Tywin Lannister being the only army that can challenge them. And even now they sit in Harrenhal and are deprived of any supplies or reinforcements. Many suggest simply waiting for them to succumb to starvation and fatigue. But Rob knows that is not an ideal course of action. The war continues to drag on as the Baratheians both intend to press their claims and he must determine whether they will become allies or not. So Rob decides to instead add more pressure on Tywin Lannister by attacking the Westerlands. Before he departs, he sends a letter back to Roose Bolton, urging him to keep the pressure on Tywin, but also requesting some reinforcements. He knows the Boltons are famed for their ferocity and ruthlessness. They would make the ideal forces to deal with the Lannisters. Roose is inclined to agree and sends 500 of his men under the command of one of his trusted households, Timis Lockach, to advise him. While they prepare to march out, he sends a raven to the other kings, offering an alliance with them, provided they recognize his claim to independence. However, this comes with a warning that if they do not support his claim, he will be prepared to defend his newfound kingdom. He also sends word to Lord Tywin to negotiate the release of captives. Rob offers two Westermen for every Northmen, seemingly as a gesture of goodwill. However, this also highlights the extent of the Lannister defeat as soon as all the prisoners are sent back. But Rob still has close to 30 Westmen, prominent knights and lords. That is when Timus comes up with a bold suggestion to have them sent to the wall in exchange for Jon Snow. After Rob mentions how much he misses his brother. The wall. For what crime? The crime of being on the losing side. Surely Lord Tywin would agree after how many men he sent to Castle Black for a similar crime. Perhaps. But what would that accomplish? Tell me what would happen if you sent all your prisoners to the wall. Aside from them killing ours in retaliation. Nothing. You would have united these people against you, hardened their resolve, and bound them in suffering. But you send them back and condemn others. Well, that changes things. Different treatment bruise resentment. Those lords might start looking at Lord Tywin and question why their brother was sent to the Night's Watch while his neighbor got his father back. And what is Tywin to tell them? That he did not think of them when he had to make his deal. You plan on sewing division. This war can only be won by destroying Tywin inside and out. That means turning his people against him, too. Soon, Rob sends the letter telling Lord Commander Mormont that he will exchange Jon for 30 highborn lords and knights. Such an offer is too good to be true, as these men are just the sort that the Night Watch needs, trained with experienced leading men and the education to rule. The only man he refuses to trade is Jaime Lannister. This is twofold, but both because Jaime is too valuable to lose, but it can also so descent as lords grumble over losing their kin while Tywin is able to ransom Jaime back. Despite his bold words against the Baratheians, Rob does not act on them right away, and sends Catelyn to treat with Renley. His gaze is firmly locked on Tywin, who has caused nothing but trouble since the start of this war. Taking his 6,000 men and the newly arrived Bolton men, they rides out to the Westerlands to force the Lannisters to act. Their first target is the Golden Tooth, which serves as the first line of defense. The castle itself proves to be welldefended and heavily fortified. An assault, especially with so few soldiers, would be suicide. Thankfully, Rob does not have to worry about that as Grey Wind finds a path around it, allowing his soldiers to ride through the defenses. There, he ambushes the Lannister army being amassed by Sir Stafford and scatters them in a nighttime strike. This was their primary defense force in the region, and without it, Rob has free reign. They initially plan to just seize castles and force the Lannisters to send troops back and hopefully link up with the Greyjoys when they decide to join their army. However, Sir Timos takes the lead and organizes an attack. He requests permission to begin raiding while they wait for word from Theon Greyjoy. Rob initially wants to go with the young warrior, but the knight shakes his head. >> It's not that I don't appreciate the help you, Grace. But this kind of business is best left for less reputable men like me. After all, a king can't be caught doing what we do, lest his peers mistake him for a brigant. Do I need even ask what you're about to do? Best you don't. Just know we're going to be paying the Lannisters back for all they did. That is enough for Rob, who permits him. The Northmen and his soldiers ride off. Soon the reports begin to arrive. Just as the Lannisters order a scorched earth campaign in the Riverlands as punishment for Jaime<unk>s capture, the North pays them back in kind. Timus and his 500 act as raiders, chasing down pockets of survivors from Oxcross and hunting them down. These men are beheaded or simply impaled, their bodies left in the husks of villages they burn down. Meanwhile, the surrounding mines and towns come under attack as Timus orders them to lay waste to the countryside. Soon, the lush fields and quiet hills of the Westerlands are a wash with blood and fire as they burn everything they cannot take. Mines are converted converted into refugee camps, while lords are forced to hide in their castles and hold back their levies. These attacks go beyond simple destruction, but are a military strategy as Rob aims to isolate each feudal lord from the others as they focus on defending their settlements. If they are honorable, they will heed the pleas of their small folk and ride out to some ambush or attack. If they aren't, then they remain isolated and must watch as their lands go up in flames as the main army tortures them. Not everyone approves of these tactics, as few more honorable men like Galbert Glover and Patrick Mallister are disturbed by it, but others at at least recognize the necessity of war. Soon enough, the Westerlands begin to suffer. However, while Rob's military success is undeniable, he has had far less luck on the diplomatic front. His ravens are met with disinterest, and Catelyn's diplomatic mission to the Baratheians is equally unsuccessful. She writes that while both Stannis and Renley acknowledge the wrongs done to Rob, neither is keen on having half their kingdom declaring independence and expects some form of submission. Even worse is Balon Greyjoy. He does not answer Rob Stark's invitation with a letter, but with iron and salt. The Lord of Pike sees an opportunity to declare independence yet again and begins a campaign against the North. He orders his long ships to attack the coastal castles and worse still, Theon Greyjoy leads the attack. Rob curses his luck and curses his old friend for betraying him like this. He realizes that he cannot allow them to remain there uncontested, but also cannot send men back home. Instead, he begins to reformulate his strategy and redoubles his efforts to reach out to the Baratheonss. But he is interrupted by the news of Renley Baratheon's death. The newly crowned king died in Storm's End from an assassin on the eve of battle against Stannis. How could something like that happened? It would seem that Stannis realized this was a battle he could not win and sent an assassin. Given how everything happened, he might have hired a faceless man for all we know. My mother speaks of how this being looked to be made entirely of shadows, like a creature made of dark mists while bearing the face of King Stannis. I never took you for a poet, you grace. She might be well exaggerating, but she might not. Whoever attacked, it is clear that Remley is dead, and that means there was little need for a battle. So, what happened to his soldiers? Scared and defective, it would seem. Many crossed over to Stannis and pledged their swords to him instead of fighting for a dead man. Others simply returned home. A large position under the command of Solores and Randall Tali appears to be marching back to High Garden. To do what is unknown? So much chaos from one death. Rob shakes his head but considers what all of this can mean. It was hardly the most honorable strategy and something that his father would never have approved of. But seeing how this one death brought down the largest army in the war, Rob cannot deny its effectiveness. He suddenly thinks back to his own predicament in Winterfell and feels the itchings of a new strategy forming in his mind. He thanks Timus for his advice and calls for ravens to be sent again. He sends one to Lord Tyrell who remains in his seat. Rob offers an alliance as though he might no longer be wed to the Baratheians. Rob still offers to forge an alliance with them. He suggests wetting Sansa to Loris Tyrell or even presenting himself as a potential husband for the late Marjgery. He reminds them that the Lannisters might not look favorably at the Tyrells given their recent betrayals. However, with Rob, they have the chance to control the Reach, Riverlands, and the North. They may even seize the Westerlands if they aid in the conquest. Aside from that, Rob also sends word to Jon, who arrives in White Harbor, preparing to sail to the Riverlands to join him. The letter that arrives countermands those orders, instead ordering the bastard to lead the reconquest of Winterfell. As by now, word has reached them that the Ironborn have seized it and murdered Bran and Rickon after they attempted to escape. Jon, burning with anger and wishing to avenge his brothers, agrees to that plan. He has given the remaining forces in the north and special orders from Rob, instructing him on how to recapture the castle and to execute all the Ironborn. Jon reads the instructions and is surprised by their ruthlessness, but cannot blame Rob given what just happened. For this task, Lord Wyman places close to a thousand men under J's command as they begin marching towards the castle. As they travel, more and more lords join him with their men. These soldiers bring supplies and siege engines. But when they are a day's march from the castle, Jon announces that he will ride on ahead to scout with a handful of men. They make an appearance of moving through the open ground, examining the landscape and staying just out of arrow range. Once nightfalls, Jon leads them towards the gate. While Theon managed to break in due to his knowledge of the castle, Jon has lived there even longer and knows places Theon cannot reach. He knows which areas of the castle Bran used to climb. These are places where there are vines and moss, adding just enough handholds for an experienced climber to use. As the patrols disappear, Jon takes a deep breath and leaps into the moat. He wads through the shallows carefully, avoiding any light as he emerges against the castle wall. Jon predicts that Theon would have the different posturing gates guarded or blocked off, but he doesn't think Theon would know about this. However, Jon has seen Bran climb up this place hundreds of times, aided by the sicky moss that grows from it, and the young warrior hauls himself up. Despite its help, the climb is difficult. By the time he reaches the top, a guard is returning. He looks around in surprise, but Jon is already upon him. He sweeps his sword and cuts the man down before he can raise the alarm. The rest of his party arrive shortly after. Together, they rush through the castle and begin attacking the Ironborn, cutting them down while they sleep. Although brutal, Rob's orders are clear. The Ironborn are to be given no quarter for their betrayal. They shall not even be given the pleasure of a warrior's death. Jon is happy to carry out these orders as he hears what they did to his brother. The desire for vengeance overcomes any uncertainty he has as he cuts through these warriors in their sleep. The only one they spare is Theon, whom they have imprisoned in the deepest dungeons of Winterfell. That is only because Rob intends for him to be personally executed at the end of the war. Yet, as Jon patrols the great halls, his guards report something inside the crypts. He gathers his men, thinking that some of the Ironborn might have hidden there. Yet, to his surprise, Jon finds his two youngest brothers hiding there. He drops the sword and runs up to them, pulling Bran and Rickon into a hug, lifting them off the ground. His breath catches in his throat as he holds the two close. He feels tears stinging his eyes as he looks at the two. The thought of never seeing them again had burned his heart like a furnace, but seeing them here helps quell the anger. >> Brandon, Rickon, I thought I'd lost the two of you. What are you doing here? >> We knew we couldn't escape the Ironborn, so we hid in the crypts instead. >> Clever lads. Damn, you two are too much for me. But I'm glad to see the two of you safe and sound. Yes, but what are you doing here? You left the wall. >> Well, I guess Rob missed me too much. He called me back. Good thing, too, it would appear. >> He strokes their heads and sends word to the rest of his army, which soon arrives and rearr Winterfell. Lord Wyman's cousin, Sir Marlon Manderly, is charged with protecting the castle as the rest of the army begins scouring the rest of the Stony Shore to secure it from the Ironborn. Rob knows that although the Ironborn attack took him off guard, the Iron Islands can field the least number of men. And without a field army, they cannot hold their conquests for long. So long as they don't challenge the Ironborn by sea, they have the advantage. Soon, Deepwood Mod is placed under siege as Sir Rodri now turns his attention towards the Wolveswood and raises the mountain clans to help him. Torren Square is also liberated as Dagmar's Cleft Jaw outnumbered garrison is surrounded and stormed. He barely manages to escape, not due to his cunning, but due to Jon ordering Marlin to leave an opening for the Ironborn to slip out. These men lead them right to the Ironborn long ships where the Northmen attack in earnest before they can even set sail. This leaves these ships to fall into the Stark's hands. Though not a large force, it can give them the means of striking at the Iron Fleet. While the coastal castles are retaken, Mo Kalin proves to be a tougher nut to crack as the Iron Fleet is concentrated there. With Stony Shore is retaken. Jon finally feels comfortable enough to leave Winterfell and leads the army south to confront the Ironborn. They do not attack right away, allowing the Kraigmen to continue harassing Victarion's force and letting it attrition take its toll. Jon sends the Reed siblings back down south to coordinate their strikes as as the eight long ships and other fishing skiffs that the Northmen have recaptured creep across the neck and round the landscape until they reach the causeway. Once they approach, the attacks on the Ironborn pick up as Jon's army from the north coordinates their strikes with the Cranic, hitting them from the north and south as the ships set sail from the west. These ships are not heavily manned, but only bear a skeleton crew. All the extra space is packed with pitch and other flammable materials that are ignited as the ships draw close to the docked iron fleet. By the time Victarion realizes what has happened, the flames have already hit the lead long ship, which remains docked along the shore. He shouts from the causeway, urging the crew to rush back to the ships and save them from going up in flames. From Mo Kalin, archers fire upon the trees, trying to take out the Krenagman and provide cover fire for them while the reaction crews try to put out the flames. Thankfully, the Iron Fleet is far enough apart that the the flames do not spread quickly, and those ships that are taken by fire are extinguished. But they are no longer in the castle, which is what Jon needs. While Victarion and his men keep their northern force arriving, they do not expect the third army that arrives from the east. Lord Wyman had already begun the construction of several long ships, and these same ships deposited more warriors to attack the Ironborn from their unprotected eastern flank, routing their army. Victarion fights fiercely, roaring and cutting down anyone who dares to get in his path. However, by the end, this fighting is futile as he's overwhelmed by the advancing Northmen until a cranicman takes aim with a poisoned arrow and strikes him in the chunk of his armor. This weakens him enough for the rest of the Northmen to surround him and slaughter the garrison. By the end of the day, Mo Kalin is theirs again. The news of its recapture and his brother's survival causes Rob to smile. His flank is secure and while he intends to punish Balon Greyjoy, his attention is focused on the south where he continues to dominate. Alongside Timus, they recapture more than a dozen castles in the Westerlands, and those they do not capture are left to burn by the Flade men and Ricard Karstark, whose blood burns for vengeance. Their destruction of the Westerlands has the intended effect as Tywin's bannerman can no longer ignore this, and their warriors threaten to mutiny unless their lord marches them home. Seeing no other choice, Tywin abandons his campaign in the Riverlands and prepares to defend his home. This is just as Rob intends, and he's already preparing to end an ambush for him, but fails to tell Edmure, who manages to decimate the Lannister army as it crosses the Red Fork, preventing it from ever reaching the Westerlands, but spoils his chance to defeat them decisively. However, their success does catch the attention of the Tyrells, who sees that these victories are enough for them to see that Rob was not some lucky youth, but a tested and talented commander. Because of that, they send an embassy to treat with him and seriously consider his proposal. Mace Tyrell ventures from High Garden and is accompanied by his mother, Oena Tyrell, where they meet with the boy in the recently captured Ashmark. Rob Stark is waiting for them in the great hall, his hands steepled as he regards them wearily. Lords Umber, Karst Stark, and Timos stand behind him. If you are here, I take it you have considered my proposal and recognize its merits. We have. And while we agree that there is much merit to it, that does not mean we are ready to agree to it right away. What you propose will make us enemies of the crown, rebels against the Iron Throne. That is not something that should be taken lightly. You say that as if you are not already enemies. Tell me, what do you think Lord Stannis considers you since you refused to join his army twice? UFOs and we share the same opponent as Stannis refuses to recognize the king in the north. In that regard, there is nothing to discuss. There is much to discuss. Though you claim to be king, it is another matter to enforce that claim. >> You doubt my victories? Not at all. But we must consider this. Your victories only make you king in the north. But I wish to have my family on the Iron Throne. Marjgerie was this close to achieving that. Begging your pardon. But your offer is a downgrade. We will have to contend with both the Lannisters and Stannis Baratheon. You already had to contend with them regardless of whether you allied with us. >> Not quite. It is true that an alliance with Stannis is appearing unlikely, but we may yet still be able to forge ties with Lord Tywin. He has proven shrewd enough to create alliances when necessary. >> And what would that alliance get you? A battered army? A contested Westerlands that cannot even claim full control over the reach overland. An angry boy king who executes prisoners on a whim. You know how he treated my father, a man who had surrendered and confessed and who was promised mercy but was served cold steel. Do you think he would treat you any better? How will any of that forward the interest of House Tyrell? >> He has one thing though, a claim. And should we join him, we will have the right to claim over the entire Seven Kingdoms, including your domains. >> Yes, and that would be a claim you would have to enforce. Neither Stannis nor Tywin's army are large, and they cannot call upon anyone beyond their home territories. On the other hand, if you were to ally with me, you would have the North and the Rivers marching beside you and the Westerlands once we finish capturing it. You may seize Casterly Rock for yourself or marry into it. As for the claims of the Seven Kingdoms, what claim did King Robert have to the Iron Throne? Oh, we spoke of his lineage to the Targaryenss to be sure. But what did that claim truly compare to the one that mattered? The lands won by the sword. Me that it may, my family shall not have the entire. And that is why I offer a marriage alliance. So that we may resolve this problem peacefully. And you can have some influence in the north because make no mistake, I will fight for my independence. And if you try to fight us, you will fight four kings instead of three. spoken like a true wolf indeed. Very well, young wolf. Answer me this. You speak of marriages and alliances, but are you not already promised to a frager? >> A promise? No close to a demand. >> Still, you agreed to it. What would they say if they saw you breaking your word? >> They would say I will not be played a fool. The phrase forced that agreement from me after they threatened to block the path of my army. That was made under juress. And I will not reward such treacherous bananamin like that. I ask you this. Whose word will people believe more? A stark or afraid? >> My you are not like your father. Something is different about you. Fierce, more cunning. >> Honor got my father killed. I will not offer such treatment to those who don't deserve it. As for your family, I suppose that will depend on what we agree to. The Queen of Thorns smiles as she now begins the negotiations. Though her son is the one who presents the terms, both she and the young wolf know it is she who is handling the negotiations. She leverages the Tyrell's fertile lands and wealth, knowing the the North needs both to survive the winter. She reminds him that they will provide most of the troops. Rob reminds them that he has already won most of the world in winning this war and that he has his own hostages like Theon Greyjoy and Jaime Lannister. In the end, a deal is struck as the Reach agrees to attack Stannis's holdings in the Stormlands while Rob deals with Tywin. They do not immediately join forces and do not indicate that they have signed this agreement. The only reachman who goes to Rob's army is not a knight, but Marjorie Tyrell, so Rob may meet his new wife while preparations are made. Secret letters are sent out to Northmen and Riverlords telling them to prepare for the coming battle. However, neither of their foes is interested in dealing with them yet. Stannis and Tywin's forces are focused on each other as the middle Baratheon aims to capture King's Landing and marches through the Blackwater. The Reach arrests Littlefinger when he arrives, proposing his alliance with the Lannisters, and he is quietly executed. This leaves Tywin as the only commander able to oppose his march along the Blackwater. Still, Stannis does not have an easy time of it as Tyrion prepares the city's defenses. Using the wildfire that Cersei has amassed in the last few months, he stages a trap and loads them onto the ships or fires them from the towers when Stannis's fleet attempts to land. This sets the entire river on fire and devastates his fleet, temporarily, leaving him stranded on the other side of the river. While this does buy them time, it does not stop the advancing Baratheon army, as their numbers are still too few to make a difference. Stannis rallies his men and urges them forward as they advance over the ruins of their fleet to confront Tyrion's outnumbered forces. Although the Goldcloaks and Lannister's men at arms fight bravely, they do not have the means of stopping them a second time, especially after Tyrion is wounded. Once the imp falls, morale collapses and men begin to hit the city itself. Ladders are placed on the walls and the outnumbered Goldcloaks now must contend with the Stormlanders up close. But before they even capture the walls, many of the defenders simply break, preferring to save themselves instead of fighting for an unpopular king. This creates a chain reaction as many of those soldiers simply abandon their posts amid the protests of their officers, letting the Baratheons swarm the walls and open the gates. From a distance, Tywin Lannister watches this, having arrived too slow to reach the city and without hope of reinforcements. He cannot recapture it. Instead, all he can do is turn back and regroup somewhere else. However, Rob Stark does not give him a chance. With the Lannister retreat, he has all the remaining castles recaptured and their garrisons imprisoned. Not only that, he has Roose Bolton arrest and disarm all the Freys, whom they know will try to leave after Rob's agreement with the Tyrells becomes public. Once these are finished, they begin marching towards the Crownlands, aiming to intercept Tywin's army. The morning breaks gray and bitter over the Crownlands as Rob Stark's host spreads across the rolling fields, anchored along the nearby hill where they have chased Tywin down. At its crest is a makeshift gallows with a single prisoner, Jaime Lannister, a noose tied around his neck. His wrists are shackled and his hair matted. Across the field, Lannister soldiers spread out and both armies numbered roughly 60,000 men. Between them, shouts ripple through the ranks, pointing, cursing, and trembling. Rob raises his sword. At his signal, a row of bound Lannister prisoners, 100 men captured throughout the Riverlands, is hauled forward. Timos chuckles and signals his men to draw their swords and slit their throats, painting the grass before them red with blood. The screams carry across the valley. Tywin watches from a top his destri. He goes silent as a stone. A muscle in his jaw twitches. The part of him flinches as he's surprised the young wolf actually has it in him to do this. around him. Some of his men shout in rage, others in horror. Many look ready to break ranks and charge on their own. And all the while, Jaime stands on the hill. The rope caks. Rob meets Tywin's gaze across the field and lifts his sword again, this time pointing directly at the warden of the west. Tywin nods to his single bear, and the Lannister center thunders forward. But at the center of Rob's formation stands the phrase, pale, shaking, terrified, exactly where the first impact will fall. The Northmen and the Riverlords surround them, blades at their backs, ensuring not a single Frey can flee. Jon remains directly behind in the second line with orders to kill any Frey soldier who tries to run. The Lannister charge smashes into the Frey line with horrifying force. The Frey men crumple as they try to blunt the charge. Spears break, shields shatter, men shriek as they are trampled underfoot. The bastard of Winterfell allows this to carry on a few more minutes, allowing the Lannisters to tire themselves before sending his Northmen forward. They brace and ram their own spears forward, impaling the first wave of Lannisters. Rob's plan works. Frey blood softens the Lannister vanguard, blunting their momentum. For a moment, the lines stabilize. Steel screams against Steel. Shields buckle. Men die in heaps, but the Lannisters cannot break through the line. Press them. Left flank advance. car stocks with me. >> Grey Wind lunges into the frey, ripping a man from his saddle as he joins the cavalry trying to sweep against them. Rob rides with them, shouting for all his rivermen and Northmen horse riders to stick close by. Still, they are outnumbered and underequipped by Tywin's elite nightly force. The Lannister left wing grinds into Rob's riverlords. The right wing begins to push the Northmen back a step at a time. Dust rises and choking clouds. They are holding, but barely. Yet Tywin senses weakness and presses his forces further, aiming to hem them in and crush the Stark army. His knights scream in fury over the executed prisoners. The entire Lannister host fights like men possessed. The field turns crimson. Bodies pile. The Freys die by the dozens. But they are not alone. The Starks and Karstarks and umbers bleed beside them. Brackens and Blackwoods are forced to fight back to back while Dair's Malisters and Pipers have their screams drowned out by the steady advance of Lannister men. Tywin sees the North line bending like a bow string under too much strain. He orders his reserves to forward to redouble their efforts. One more push, he thinks. One more and then the horn sound, not from the Stark line, but behind. From the river behind Tywin's army comes a spray of long ships, small, fast, riverlands built. Brendan Tully stands at their prow, wet hair plastered to his skull, armor slick with river water and determination. The Blackfish has sailed his men down Ritter River with 2,000 men, and crashed into the Lannister's rear guard. And now they crash directly into the rear of Tywin's host. The first volley of arrows tears through the unprotected backs. Men scream, shields turned to too late. A second volley lands, cutting deeper into the Lannister rear ranks. >> Tully, Tully with me. >> Chaos rips through the Lannister host as soldiers break formation to face the new threat, but this allows them to be picked off with ease. Rob sees the Lannisters faltering and orders his men forward. The North surges forward like a crashing wave. The Riverlords rally with renewed fury. Grey Wind tears into disoriented men. It is Jon and Timos who lead their army forward. They rally whatever men they can and barrel into the faltering lines. Timos roars, swinging his poleax while Jon hacks through the defenders, battering them until a gap opens. Caught between two armies. Men throw down their arms. Some flee into the trees. Others collapse to their knees, begging for mercy. Jon ignores them as he and Timos rush forward. Tywin's banner staggers, retreats, and sees Jon's small force running after him. The warden of the west tries to escape, dragged away by his guards as his army disintegrates around him, but the northmen are hot on their heels. Timma splits off with 10 men and rides around to circle their guards and draw their attention, allowing Jon to catch up. He drives his sword into his back, and the lord of Casterly Rock crumples to the ground. Jaime Lannister. Rob turns toward the Gallows Hill and then snaps his head down. The floor gives way before Jaime, and there is a snap that echoes through the battlefield. It is followed by Rickard Karstark's throaty laugh. >> Now, ain't that a pretty sight? Indeed, it is. Far to the south, Ma Tyrell's banners flutter outside the Stormlands marches, having seized Black Haven and Night. But the progress is glacial. He expected villages to roll over, castles to surrender, a swift march through lightly defended lands. Many of the men here had been his allies not months ago. They feasted and laughed except that they were no longer there. Instead, he finds walls rebuilt, garrisons doubled. Trebuchets newly raised. Stannis Baratheon has replaced Renley's officers with hard iron willed veterans chosen for merit, not birth, and those who had no loyalty to his brother. Progress slows to a crawl. Every hill becomes a battlefield as they are turned into fortresses. Every forest hides ambushers. every cliffside has a as longbow men. Stannis has turned the Stormlands into a fortress. As he knew the Tyrells would attack, but rather than meet them in the field where their numbers can overwhelm them, he lets them grind themselves against his defenses. The cost of Rob's victory becomes clear within hours. Thousands of Northmen lie dead. The riverlords bleed heavily. Half the Freys are corpses, the rest limping wrecks. And then there is news that Stannis is marching out to face them. In their state, they're in no position to fight. Even Timos says nothing to that. So, Rob gives the orders he hates more than any other to retreat back to the Riverlands. They withdraw south, leaving the Crownlands smoldering behind them, avoiding Stannis's scouts. Rather than give up the war, he instead begins to gather more troops and sends most of the heavily wounded back, instead turning his attention to the Stormlands. He knows he will need Mace Tyrell's men to end this war, so he decides to reinforce them. They cross at Bitterbridgeidge and begin advancing to join with them, sending ravens so they can coordinate their next strikes. However, Stannis knows that they will try this, so he moves the bulk of his forces south. The area east of Bitterbridge has been equally fortified, though the Starks begin to advance further than Mace due to Rob's natural talent in war. Several minor minor castles fall and Greywind and Ghost seem unusually good at sniffing out ambushes, able to track down hidden soldiers so they can avoid them entirely. It goes slower than Rob would like, but it is progress. Soon they advance deep enough that they can begin sending soldiers to reinforce Mace, whose own men might begin to advance yet again. But Stannis Baratheon is waiting. In the very hearts of the Stormlands rises a lone mass of hill, broad, steep, crowned with granite stands between these two armies. It is a place where old kings once built watchtowers. Now Stannis turns it into a fortress. Ditches, stakes, earthworks, scorpions, palisades, and ramparts are reinforced daily. Ladders are used to connect the high points, and ramps are dug into the rock itself to move men and knights. Rob surveys the hill from a distance and feels the sting of dread. Timos whistles softly. >> He knew we'd come this way. It's the easiest way to reach Lord Tarel. No doubt other passes are crawling with ambushes. >> My husband, that is not a hill to be taken in a day. >> No, but I will take it however long it takes. The north hits the western slope at dawn. Karstarks charge uphill, shields raised, advancing under scorpion fire. From the south, the Tyrells attack. Reach. Pikemen slam into the center only to be driven into trenches hidden with sharpened stakes. The umbers attempt to scale the northern ridge, but are met by stormlanders rolling boulders down the slopes. Every step uphill is paid for in blood, and most of them are not permanent. Rob's banner nearly reaches the first palisade, only for a rain of flaming pitch to send the Northmen reeling back. After hours of slaughter, Rob calls the retreat. Warhorns echo as armored knights thunder up the eastern slope. Their lances lower, their shields interlock, but Stannis's men are disciplined. And then hundreds of arrows fall like rain. Horses scream, knights topple, bodies roll down the hillside. Sir Garland leads the retreat. Armor dented, blood streaking his tavern. By the fifth day, their camp reeks of exhaustion and doubt. Supplies are stretched thin. Wounded men moan intense. Rumors spread. Stannis has sorcerers, shadow spawn, and demons in the dark. That and he is gathering even more men. At the war council, even Mace Tyrell refuses to bluster. >> We cannot stay here. If we linger, we starve. If we attack again, we die. Then we do neither. We break him in the same way he broke Tarwin. Tarwin was different. A butcher. Stannis. Stannis is not that. He's an honorable man. I And that honor is the very thing keeping his army together. My king Stannis has no warmth, no charm, no friendships. His only loyalty comes from the belief that he protects his people, that he fights for them. Strip that away and the people have no reason to follow him. >> I don't like this. It feels wrong. War is wrong, Snow, but losing is worse. We send raiders. We burn Stormland villages. We hit the lords that remain loyal to the king. We target their storehouses, their food, their holdings, >> and leave Baratheon lands untouched. Make the people ask why their homes burn and not Stannis. >> Now, this is a lady who has a taste for war, but I wouldn't have thought of that. The tent goes quiet. Rob feels sick. He thinks of Ned. He thinks of what his father would say, but he also sees the burning villages of the Westerlands, the corpses Tywin hanged, the children orphaned, the broken riverlands ravaged by Lannister cruelty. He thinks of the north depending on him. Slowly, grimly, he nods. Timos and Jon ride with 300picked men into the Stormlands. Marjorie provides the list herself. Houses fiercely loyal to Stannis. Houses that turned their backs on Renley. Houses that openly declared for the true king. Timus hits them all. Villages burn. Graineries torched. Livestock are scattered and slaughtered. Bannermen flee to their keeps, screaming for protection. Jon hates every moment of it, but he carries out the orders with grim precision. Meanwhile, not a single farm, village, or mill belonging to House Baratheon is touched. The message spreads like wildfire. Stannis cannot protect his own people. Stormlanders begin marching home, abandoning the hill, abandoning their king. Some do it openly, others sneak away in the night. These are fueled by Marjgery and Alennena, who send secret letters to these men, promising safe passage and a cessation of hostilities and raids if they stay away from the battlefield. Stannis hangs deserters in rows along the palisades, warning any man who even considers this. Yet, it only makes things worse. Rather than uniting his army and keeping it together, this only fuels their resentment. Instead of a protector, he appears as a tyrant, a man who refuses to let them defend their own for the sake of his interests. Soon, more and more soldiers slip out until half of the army is gone. By the time Rob and the Tyrells launch their third assault, the difference is night and day. The defenders are fewer with gaps in their vaunted fortifications, and those who remain are demoralized. Many Stormlanders fight with tears burning down their cheeks, knowing their homes burn behind them, and many die without seeing them. The first palisade collapses within the hour. The second by midday. Jon and Tim's by his side along with their direwolves. Though arrows fall upon them like rain, he can hardly feel it and continues to advance. Grey wind leaping ahead and scattering a group of archers. From that gap, his men pour through. Stannis's banner falls at dusk. The king by its feet as he is amongst the last to fall. He takes two men down who try to arrest him. Rob stares down at the smoke wreathed valley below. He shakes his head, but thanks the old gods that this is all over. As promised, Rob weds Marjgery and returns north with an alliance from House Tyrell, claiming the Iron Throne for themselves. To strengthen their claim, Sir Loris is married to Shireen, and one of their younger cousins is married to Tommen, ensuring they have claims to all the royal families as well as Casterly Rock. Rob is happy to leave them to rule. As with the Redwin fleet, he leads an invasion of the Iron Islands, ending the rebellion and executing Theon within Captured Pike. Only then does Rob finally disband his army and return to Winterfell. That's our theory. Westeros is a land filled with exciting stories and possibilities, and we love exploring them. If you want to accompany us on this journey across the Seven Kingdoms and beyond, then please like, share, and subscribe to our channel.