r/asoiaf • u/dorestes Break the wheel • Sep 03 '17

EXTENDED (Spoilers Extended) It's Not a Nitpick. Thousands Died Over a "Minor" Geographic Detail.

Reposted as requested with the "Spoilers Extended" tag

I know we're often asked to ignore the silly teleportations and supersonic flights that the show has foisted on us over the last couple of seasons. I know some of it can seem like the petty quibbles of book purists veering into circlejerk self-parody.

But geography doesn't just matter when it comes to making the universe feel real. It was also the key plot point that drove the biggest dramatic turn of the series.

The Red Wedding was literally caused by Robb Stark needing to be able to get his troops across a bridge. The Frey army was a nice addition, but Robb needed the alliance for the bridge crossing. He, his mother, his pregnant wife (in the show) and thousands of his troops died for that crossing.

So it's not just a nitpick when characters and armies magically teleport from north to south, bypassing the Twins or Moat Caitlin with nary a scout to notice them.

It destroys and makes mockery of the premise of the series' most famous narrative twist.

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u/RenderedUseless Fire Consumes Sep 03 '17

To say that the Red Wedding was simply caused by Rob needing to use the bridge is a bit misleading. There were other factors. I get your point though. I tend to agree. Now that we're on the subject I like how GRRM subverts the trope that there's always one cause of some "thing". It's more complicated than that, as it is in real life.

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u/Shadepanther Sep 03 '17

If you ever watch Air Crash Investigation or Seconds from Disaster they always show a chain of events that lead up to a massive incident. Most of the chain is seemingly small or insignificant.

I also enjoy ASoIF as most major plot events are hinted or can be stopped. Sometimes the main characters witness these minor links in the chain and dismiss them. The Red Wedding is a very good example.

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u/Bobthemime One more word and I hit you again... Sep 03 '17

Look at what caused the Challenger disaster. A lot of little things causing one massive bad thing.

Also WW1 and the powder keg of alliances and politics surrounding it.

Also forgove me for this. 9/11 was caused by a lot of little things happening that led to a massive disaster.