The Regrettable Death of a Great Hero

[KraytKing]

Rereading Game of Thrones, and came up with this. When Arya Stark is at Harrenhal, Jaqen H'ghar promises her three lives as payment for the three she saved. She makes some dumbass, petty choices, and regrets it at one point, wishing she'd chosen Tywin Lannister. What if she did? Tywin Lannister and the Mountain both die the day before they were each to ride out. Amory Lorch is the final one to fall. How does this affect the rest of the story?


Book only, if you don't mind. I have yet to watch the show, and I'd hate to spoil it.

[Crazedwraith]

Likely it means no Tyrell-Lannister alliance and Stannis wins the Battle of Kings Landing, executing Joffery, Tyrion and Cersei. That pretty much puts paid to the Lannister dynasty. No-one's going to rise for Tommen at that point.

Possibly Stannis and Robb then come to blows, hard to figure who'll win out there but Stannis won't be authorising the Red Wedding, so Frey will likely rejoin Robb for real. They might actually be able to arraign peace between them since Robb's motivation was anti-lannister.

That it's all over until Daenerys and/or the others arrive, neither of which has happened yet in the bookverse.


eta: I am overlooking the Tyrells, Dorne and the Vale here. The Tyrells are the most troublesome. As they hate Stannis for killing Renly. Even though they have Myrcella at this point, I think Dorne will remain neutral until Dany returns. Likewise the Vale will probably remain isolationist.

There's also the chance that the Tyrell would be able to enact the canon reversal at the Battle Of king's Landing without Tywin's help. They might then install Tommen as a puppet and carry on. They do have still have one of the best soldiers of the Realm Randyll Tarly on their side.

[Solauren]

I don't recall if the Freys and Starks had an alliance yet at this point.

If not, we might see the Tyrell's get involved in a potiental alliance between Rob Stark and Stannis. say, Margery marries Rob.

That kind of force behind them, Fray may agree to just one marriage between Sansa and one of his sons (to get ride of one of them).

[LaCroix]

Robb wasn't averse to bending the knee. He would never do so for Geoffrey, but he did state that Stannis had a better claim than Renly. If Stannis were to win the Throne, Robb most likely would fall in line. Without Tywin, the battles would be much more one-sided, and Cat might not have gone and seek out Renly. Also, she might not have tried to trade the Kingslayer, for she'd not have faith in Cercei being willing to barter hostages(and keep her word), while Tywin might exchange his only "valuable" child for some girls.