Tywin Lannister - Tumblr Posts
r/asoiaf: Tywin is a super genius and amazingly complex character and if you hate him you just are too dumb to understand his evolved sense of thinking he should be king he has never done anything wrong he has only ever done what he thinks is right-
also r/asoiaf: if you agree with anything Catelyn has ever done, you are a supporter of child abuse.
“Tyrion is a secret Targ” is like. the worst take. ever
I just read a reddit thread asking what the point was of marrying Sansa to Tyrion if Roose Bolton was already appointed as Lords Paramount of the North and lemme tell you every single comment is a completely random conspiracy theory that does not have any basis in cannon and every single one starts with the name “Tywin”.
its hating randyll tarly hours my dudes
I feel there’s a potential meta that could be written about tywin as this ideal figure of toxic traditional masculinity and brutality and the way people strive to imitate him results in a cycle of violence both for the people themselves and the people around them…… seen obviously in his children, but there’s a lot that could be talked about with regards to joncon too. like, he’s seen by westerosi lords as a cringe loser and a failure for losing the battle of stoney sept, and we know that the reason he lost is because he tried to show mercy and spare civilian lives….. and we also know that, as myles says, tywin would’ve burned the town to the ground. so joncon is seen as weak and lacking for not living up to tywin’s standard of brutality, and in twow he’s obviously going to try and fix that, resulting in some really awful things. it’s interesting that joncon and tyrion and cersei are a gay man and a disabled man and a woman, and inherently don’t live up to their society’s masculine standard, but it’s through their emulation of tywin AS that masculine standard that they commit some of their worst acts. it feels like a really interesting criticism of toxic masculinity to me
i hate tywin lannister but also i couldnt live without him
A man like Tywin Lannister comes but only once in a thousand years.'
They put the slay in kin(g)slaying
House Lannister. My fanart series for the Great Houses from the ASOIAF. I wanted to make this for the longest time.
the battle between the starks and the lannisters at the twins in got is actually a battle between the parenting of ned stark and tywin lannister.
this is the first battle to which tyrion brings his vale mountain clan soldiers and tywin places him in the left vanguard, essentially as a diversion/sacrifice. he does not share his strategy, as outlined above, with tyrion because he claims he doesn't 'trust' him. he assumes tyrion will fail and so when he succeeds, it upsets his plans.
he expects as little from robb stark, an untried boy. but what he doesn't understand is that ned has prepared his son for leadership. he hasn't hoarded his authority from him, desperate for dominance over everyone including his family. he's brought robb with him when he carried out his duties as a lord. he's educated him in battle strategy but more importantly, he has not glamorised war to him. robb is not eager to go plunging into battle and he's not battling for the sake of it. he knows the burden of his responsibility as a lord and he even knows when to delegate it: tywin's first shock was that the freys were in the stark host because robb trusted his mother to negotiate a hard bargain on his behalf. all of this contrasts tywin's neglect of tyrion and even his adulation of jaime's prowess - in the same chapter before the battle, he admonishes tyrion: "does the thought of facing the stark boy unman you, tyrion? your brother jamie would be eager to come to grips with him." ironically the kind of foolhardy behaviour he expects and criticises from robb, he encourages in jaime. this is because tywin doesn't actually want an heir to succeed his rule, he wants a shiny trophy to flatter it. only of course, tywin is not immortal. as this chapter foreshadows, his inability to parent or relinquish any power will be his undoing.
The big Robert Baratheon thoughts
There are several characters within the ASOIAF universe who could comfortably be the protagonist of their own book/series, and GRRM has spoken about how, when writing a character, he tries to see all the major events through their eyes and how it would have affected their lives. Dany and Oberyn are good examples of this, and a shorter book/series could comfortably have either one of them as the main character. If a fic writer is looking for any inspiration, I think a lot could be drawn from Dany in Vaes Toloro.
Another of them is a character who almost seems like a false protagonist in GOT: King Robert Baratheon. The people who don't know him think he's amazing, the people who do know him despise him. He has a fleshed-out backstory, character and the power to influence the plot in many different ways. Yet he's killed off quickly, and I think the fan community often overlooks him as a simple drunken idiot. So I'd like to dig a little deeper.
Robert's life can easily be sectioned into three parts: pre-rebellion era, the rebellion era and the post-rebellion era. Most of what we see comes from Ned Stark, and later we have flashbacks from Cersei which show a much darker and thoroughly rotten man.
To start: Robert is the first born son of House Baratheon, a clan with significant power and influence. He's exactly the kind of young man the Westerosi patriarchal "might makes right" system rewards -- the sort of son Randyl Tarly would love to have. He's an excellent fighter, charming, good looking ("muscled like a maiden's fantasy", oh Ned). There's also a kindness there. When he's fostered at the Eeire he sends for a gift of oranges for Jon Arryn, and although the fruit goes bad, he's not upset and instead plays with the other teenagers. It's silly and funny and the most childish we ever see him.
He isn't always lovely, of course. In Stannis' memory, Robert is unpleasant. He mocks Stannis' falcon and, therefore, Stannis himself. However, Stannis is a miserable shit, and this comment comes after they've spent years disliking each other, so there's obvious bias. Robert seemed to be happy to be away from his family, and so some alienation from his brothers does make sense. Robert and Stannis go through the ordeal of watching their parents die, and it's understandable that this would cause issues in their relationship. Perhaps that's why they pushed each other away. Having a walking, whining reminder of that trauma can't have been pleasant, and the desire to pretend that everything is ok and ignore problems gets more persistent as the years go on.
The third thing we hear about from Robert's pre-rebellion era is his relationship with Mya Stone. I'm not totally clear on the timeline, so I don't know if it's 1. parents' death > 2. Mya's birth > 3. the rebellion or if 1 and 2 are the other way around. Either way, Robert seems to adore his daughter. Ned thinks about how frequently they visited her, and how much Robert enjoyed spending time with her. In a kinder story, Robert would have always been close to Mya. Then the rebellion starts.
There are, of course, lots of things which lead to the rebellion. I don't think Tywin was going to put up with the Mad King for much longer, and Rhaegar felt the same way. Then you have the coalition between the Starks, Baratheons, Tullys and Arryns, and at some point Varys and "Young Griff" would have popped up. For Robert, though, things were straightforward: he wanted Lyanna, and Rhaegar took her away. He remarks to Ned that "Seven Kingdoms couldn't fill the whole she left". It's clear that he didn't actually know Lyanna that well, and it could easily be argued that the reason he worshipped her memory was a mix of affection for Ned and a desire to return to a time where he wasn't traumatised.
Obviously, war is traumatic. That's kind of the point of the series. Everyone who fought in Robert's Rebellion is changed in some way and the scars, literal and metaphorical, run deep. Stannis broods over his "rewards". Ned misses his sister, brother and father. Catelyn is aware of the loss of her betrothed, and Lady Dustin crystalises her rage. Jamie is ostracised and bitter. Jon Connington promises more violence. The list goes on. The things Robert sees during the campaign clearly change him, and this brings us back to Mya.
One of the key themes of the series, most prominently in the first book, is the idea that the innocent should not be sacrificed. That's why Ned works so hard to protect Jon and why he resigns his handship when Robert wants to kill Dany. Something happened to Robert during the rebellion, where his hatred of the Targaryens solidifies so much that it becomes the only thing he really wants. Other things, like his love of his daughter or the belief that children should be protected, all go and he's left with Tywin Lannister and the corpses of Rhaenys and Aegon.
Robert doesn't have to make peace with the Lannisters. In fact, lots of people (the Starks, the Dornish and the people of King's Landing) would be much happier if he didn't. Tywin ordered a horrific thing, and Robert rewarded him. For me, this is where Robert becomes the man we meet in Game of Thrones. He's so broken inside that he does nothing, and tries to pretend that he's still the person he was as a teenager.
After the rebellion, Robert goes on to have plenty more children. If he loved Mya and wanted to see her all the time, after the rebellion he forgets her. And she's the lucky one! Robert must know that Cersei has his twins drowned, he ignores Barra and Gendry, and he only acknowledges Edric Storm because he has to. Then there are the kids who are legally "his", even if biologically they're not. I don't think we ever see him interact with Tommen or Myrecella, and his relationship with Joffrey isn't good. Sure, Joffrey is a little shit, but you could argue that it's partially because of Robert's treatment. Stannis thinks, at one point, that Robert might have killed Joffrey because he hit him so hard.
Why does Robert detach? Well, there's the trauma, the general depression, the loneliness, the disconnect between *conceiving* children and *the actual children*. I think, as well, there's the knowledge that, by allowing Tywin to get away with the murder of the Targaryen children, he's set a precedent whereby the same thing could easily happen to his own kids. If someone needed to get rid of Robert -- and there are people who would like him gone -- they would come after Joffrey, Tommen and Myrecella, and perhaps his bastards, too. He can't protect them, and it shames his chivalric ideals, so he disconnects, doesn't care, and drinks excessively. It might be a way of dealing with guilt, or a way he protects himself from losing anyone else. Ultimately, Joffrey, Tommen and Myrecella are doomed; Edric only escaped sacrifice because of Pylos and Davos, and might well get mixed up in a Varys/"Young Griff" scheme; all of the bastards in King's Landing are killed; and if Gendry survives, it's because of plot armour. Nobody cares about Mya, really.
There's plenty to say about the Robert/Cersei match. Firstly, I'd like to mention how much I enjoy the show-only scene where the two discuss their marriage. It's heartbreaking, well written and beautifully acted, and gives some depth which makes the experience richer.
None of the Lannisters like Robert, with the exception of Tyrion. Tyrion likes Robert because Cersei doesn't, but their creepy and destructive bond is a whole other issue. Ned thinks that Robert was a man with "big appetites", and a clear desire to be loved. It probably means he wasn't ever going to be a good husband, which Lyanna points out (in a line which I cannot imagine a 14-year old ever saying, but I digress). Robert loved the thrill of the chase and the first few weeks of a relationship, but wasn't willing to really emotionally attach to anyone. Perhaps it's because, like with his children, he had to keep people away in case he lost them, like Lyanna.
Cersei is her own woman and, to be honest, not a very good wife. Robert thinks he would have been happy with Lyanna, Cersei thinks she would have been happy with Rhaegar: both are wrong. She starts her wedding day by having sex with her brother; she regularly cuckolds her husband, and then she finishes off by murdering her husband. You could argue that her behaviour is driven by Robert's physical and sexual abuse, and his emotional distance and obvious disdain. I don't think that's incorrect, per se, I just think there's a nasty mix with the two of them. They're bad alone and worse together. They're a toxic, unhappy, traumatised mix, and a solid argument for Westerosi divorce.
Finally, there's Robert's alcoholism and his love of food. There are a number of reasons for this -- the genre's enthusiasm for descriptions of feasts; parallels with Henry VIII of England; possibly GRRM simply likes adding his favourite meals, similar to how he created House Estermont so there could be turtles, because he had pet turtles. Obesity is the sort of thing that's pretty common in middle age men who used to be very physically active, because they had to eat lots to make up their calorie deficit, and when the exercise stopped, the food continued. As for alcohol, it gives Robert an opportunity to forget his (admittedly plentiful) responsibilities and woes, makes him feel like a hero, and gives him an excuse for his abuse of Cersei. He rapes her, and when she brings it up, he says "it was not me, but the wine", then REACHES FOR A BEER. I'm certainly not qualified to talk about addiction and trauma, so if anyone has thoughts on this, please add a comment.
In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the eponymous character snatches the crown at his wife's goading, and then finds that things disintegrate around him. There's a scene in the play where two servants talk about what's going on in Scotland, and one says that two horses fought, and one ate the other. When a monarch is usurped, in literature, nature goes against itself. In real life, revolutions are messy and complicated and difficult. Robert Baratheon fought a rebellion to get his fiance back, whilst others used him and worked alongside him for their own reasons. He was left holding a rotten crown. Abused and abuser, surrounded by toxicity and exuding his own hatred, one could easily create a novel about his disillusionment.
Game of Thrones — 2.07 "A Man Without Honor" House of the Dragon — 2.05 "Regent"
What would’ve Tywin have said if Cersei said ““Father, don’t make me do it again please.” like she did in the show, when Tywin was trying to force her to marry Willas Tyrell or anyone
"Anyway, the wedding's tomorrow."
The Lannisters | Circus AU, part ½
Astounding! Amazing! Scintillating! Sensational!
The Lannister Circus has long been celebrated as a Westerosi institution, an entertainment giant that combines the spectacle of live theatre, animal acts, and death-defying stunts in an unforgettable show that has been drawing audiences for over three decades.
Founder, patriarch and ringmaster Tywin Lannister is widely known to be a visionary within the industry, a consummate showman with a knack for scouting talent from the wilds of the far North to the sands of Dorne and beyond.
The Lannisters themselves are famed lion tamers, with both Tywin and his wife Joanna (since deceased), exhibiting an uncanny affinity with the beasts in question, a skill they have clearly passed on to their offspring, Jaime and Cersei.*
—–
* The Tyrion erasure is intentional, I’m afraid. While he is definitely a part of the show - with no small dose of irony, he himself chose to be a clown - it is not a fact that Tywin is particularly eager to advertise.
** In this AU, Tywin is, as in canon, a taskmaster who expects exemplary performances from his people, including his children. Jaime is Tywin’s golden child and heir, despite his general indifference towards the family legacy. Cersei, meanwhile, is much more ambitious than her twin, but is rarely offered the same opportunities to shine as her brother. Tyrion, who is more canny than his father gives him credit for, could be a valuable asset to the circus, if only Tywin would give him a chance…
Part 2 HERE
—–
A @gotsecretsanta gift for @newmidnightmayor…or at least the setup for one! This part is just meant to establish the AU your ship is set in. :)
—–
Check out my other stuff here: @flibbertigiblet-edits
aerys and tywin after terrorizing the civilian population during blackfyre rebellion 5.0
One of the best things to come put of the show was seeing how much more impressed Tywin was when Arya poured him a glass of water vs. his daughter being queen or his son saving King’s Landing.
Watching Game of Thrones and I just realized how funny it would be to see Tywin's reaction to Jaime's choices regarding women.
Here we have Tywin whose main concern in life is the reputation and prestige of his family and he has this son who is very handsome and a literal knight in shining armor and from one of the most prestigious families in Westeros which means he probably could have been with ANY woman he wanted. He obviously couldn't marry one but he could have enjoyed the company of many, many women.
And who does he choose out of all the women he could have been intimate with??? His twin sister (?!) and 6'3'', short-haired, gender nonconforming Brienne of Tarth who isn't even seen as a 'real woman' and is known for being considered ugly and a freak by Westerosi standards.
I OBVIOUSLY don't think that there is anything wrong with being attracted to Brienne (unlike being romantically involved with your sister) because imo she is a literal goddess and beautiful inside and out BUT I think it's pretty safe to say that Tywin would NOT think that way and that, like most other men in Westeros, he would see her as a freak and not a real woman and DEFINITELY not attractive.
So, imagine Tywin's reaction to Jaime's choices. Jaime could have been with any woman he wanted and he chooses
1. his sister and
2. *The-Hound-voice* Brienne of fucking Tarth.
Jaime: I only slept with two women in my life. Cersei and Brienne of Tarth.
Tywin:
