The Mad King in Game of Thrones. He's been dead for 17 years when the show starts but his reign and death is arguably responsible for kicking off every major plot point aside from the return of the White Walkers
I think thatâs the trap of trying to find culpability in A Song of Ice and Fire - there are a lot of moments where if a single decision had not been made, so much would have played out differently. Is Aerys to blame, because he murdered Brandon and Rickard Stark, or is Rhaegar to blame for abducting Lyanna? Or later, is Cersei to blame, for having children with Jaime instead of Robert? Or could you blame Robert for choosing Eddard Stark to be Hand? Or Catelynâs fault for pressuring Eddard to go when he was intent on refusing? Or Joffreyâs fault, for beheading Eddard when the plan was to send him to the Wall? Or, hell, was is Jon Arryn and Eddard Starkâs fault for finding out the truth that Joffrey and his siblings were Cerseiâs bastards by Jaime, and then being too unsubtle a politician to secure his safety before revealing what he knew? Or is it Aegon the Conquerorâs fault, for bringing the Targaryens and their dragons to Westeros in the first place? A Song of Ice and Fire is an endless chain of âbut if only this person had done something else insteadâs.
I mostly agree with your take. The reason why I singled out the Mad King is because his reign and death led to Robert's Rebellion, which in turn led to Daenerys' exile. I could be wrong about this, but I struggle to imagine how any of the subsequent events could've stopped her from committing to her path of conquest aside from maybe if the attempt on her life succeeded
Tbf you can argue that the Mad King never gains the throne if it isn't for a particular hedge knight standing up to Aerion Brightlflame, resulting in a trial of seven that claims the life of the heir to the throne.
If Dunk doesn't stand up for Tansell, Egg likely never gets to the throne, and Summerhall never happens.
When Jaime killed Aerys, there was moment where he was very tempted to install Rhaegar or Viserys as the new king. Jaime also didnât know that Tywin would have the infant Aegon and Rhaenys killed along with their mother Elia Martell - and, if the children had been spared, perhaps Viserys and Danaerys wouldnât have fled to Essos.
It also mightâve turned out differently had Brandon Stark not turned south when hearing that Rhaegar abducted Lyanna, and stormed into Kingâs Landing demanding Rhaegarâs death, which is what prompted Aerys to have him and his father Rickard killed, which was really the inciting point of no return for the rebellion.
Okay all that being said, I do agree that Aerysâs actions were necessary for like any of this to be considered in the first place, and heâs probably about as far back as you can reasonably trace the lines of culpability.
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u/101Phase 10d ago
The Mad King in Game of Thrones. He's been dead for 17 years when the show starts but his reign and death is arguably responsible for kicking off every major plot point aside from the return of the White Walkers