re: Is Ned Stark the biggest idiot ever

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She's been totally outplayed by everyone other than Ned Stark.

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Ned had her dead to rights too. He was really only taken down b/c he didn't want her children to get slaughtered by Rob.

She may currently be on the throne for the time being but all of her moves have backfired badly in the long run. If she had accepted banishment to Casterly Rock like Ned wanted her to do her kids would likely still be alive and the prophecy she got when she was young wouldn't have occurred.

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She may currently be on the throne for the time being but all of her moves have backfired badly in the long run.

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Cersei is incredibly short sighted and only think of the immediate effects rather than the long term ramifications of the effects. Regardless, blowing up the Sept was an incredibly stupid move on her part. Now only the Westerlands will remain loyal and all of the other 6 will declare war on her. She already knew that the North was in open rebellion, and the Freys were a keg waiting to explode the second Walder Frey croaks. She has essentially damned her entire household by blowing the Sept. It would be like if Trump was going to be impeached, and instead bombs the Capitol when his hearing is supposed to occur.

The dumbest move of all was King Robert giving Ned the throne with literally no one else in the room

Should've had the entire kingdom in that room

What choice did she have?

She doesn't know about Dany. North is reduced from years of civil wars. Ironborn no threat. Tarly's are allies. Frees are weak and Blackfish is dead.

Look at her side w info available to her.

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She doesn't know about Dany.

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She should. It's an open secret by Season 3 that she has dragons.

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North is reduced from years of civil wars.

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But they have close ties to the Riverlands and Vale, and as soon as Walder dies, the Riverlands are back with Northern households, especially due to Sansa who she knows is there.

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Ironborn no threat.

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Tell that to the North and Lannisport.

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Tarly's are allies.

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Not when you kill the entire liege lord's family. They're now on Dany's side.

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Frees are weak and Blackfish is dead.

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The Freys being weak is a significant weakness to her plan. They're the only family outside of the Westerlands she could rely on staying loyal due to needing the King's Protection from being killed at a whim by all the Great Houses. The Blackfish isn't essential since the Riverlands are good and pissed at the Lannisters and will side with just about anyone that isn't them.

The Vale also refused to answer the call in the War of the Five Kings, and are lead by professional backstabber Littlefinger, so they can't be relied on either.

Plus I couldn't see myself murdering 5000+ people just to save my own selfish crazy arse.

Cersei was entirely in the wrong and was lucky she had an evil mad scientist to do her bidding for her.

Only a true idiot would think Ned Stark is the biggest idiot ever since they are watching/reading from an omniscient position and therefore can see the signs/perspectives/thoughts that make what happened to him possible.


Lord, some people are truly unable to use their brains.

Ned was pretty foolish and too honorable for his own good. It's the theme of his character.

Cersai doesn't know that Dany has an army of Dothraki, Unsullied and three dragons. She doesn't know Tyrion and Varys are helping her. She doesn't know Dorne and Tyrells are helping her as well. She has no clue this coalition is sailing against her. Period. She also has a short-sighted contempt for them all as well, individually.

The North is decimated through civil war. Robb's men were wiped out or substantially reduced at the Red Wedding. The Boltons are no more. The Karstarks and Umbers just got annihlated. Rob marched with 20,000 men. I seriously doubt there are half that number available to fight but for the Knights of the Vale. It looks like keeping out of the whole fray for years paid off for them as they are tanned, rested, and ready.

Baratheon forces are no more.

The Ironborn are somewhat of a force but they have never been a force on land. Their rebellion was put down and they took Winterfell. Cersai isn't worrying about them allying with the resurgent Starks. If anything, she looks down on them.

The Riverlands were put back under Frey/Lannister domination. The Blackfish is gone. Frey is dead BUT she doesn't known that the Frey leadership just got wiped out. She thinks they still control them and why shouldn't she?

Tarlys. I got that from the spoilers. They apparently will fight with Lannisters in upcoming war. She has no reason to doubt their loyalty.

So right now the way Cersai sees it, she can go down with the trial, which is a punishment and humiliation she will NEVER suffer again OR she can blow it up and decapitate a large portion of her enemies.

She sees the board as: Tyrells reduced. Dorne is no match for Lannisters. Starks can be dealt with later and are in no shape to march South. Baratheons no more. Freys are allies (even though they are like the Austro-Hungarians or Italians). Greyjoys might be allies but are not foes right now. Danny is across the sea and staying there.

Why shouldn't Cersai blow them up in this world? That is the board as she sees it when she blows them up.


Additional note: It's a shame the series doesn't show how Cersai caused the collapse of the Westeros economy by stiffing the Iron Bank.

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Watched the last few eps of S1 today and was reminded why it and S2 were the best. Such good writing

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S4 was more consistent than both IMO


S5 was not good, outside of like 2 episodes. FInal 2 episodes of S6 are fricking incredible. S6 Finale is my favorite ep, and Battle of the Bastards is easily top 5.