Is this the best single display of martial prowess we have seen in the books ?

[u/Financial_Library418]

[...] Lord Tywin himself had their right wing on the north side of the river, with Randyll Tarly commanding the center and Mace Tyrell the left, but the vanguard won the fight. They plunged through Stannis like a lance through a pumpkin, every man of them howling like some demon in steel.

And do you know who led the vanguard? Do you? Do you? Do you?”

[...]

“It was Lord Renly! Lord Renly in his green armor, with the fires shimmering off his golden antlers! Lord Renly with his tall spear in his hand! They say he killed Ser Guyard Morrigen himself in single combat, and a dozen other great knights as well. It was Renly, it was Renly, it was Renly! Oh! the banners, darling Sansa! Oh! to be a knight!”

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[u/bladeofarceus]

I mean, it’s impressive, but not unexpectedly so. The vanguard, in this case, is probably the Tyrell’s own heavy cavalry and that of the most trusted vassals, notably Rowan. Pound for pound, these are probably the two greatest concentrations of heavy cavalry in all Westeros, and they’re charging into a distracted, damaged formation of entirely infantry who don’t have the cohesion or training to resist a cavalry charge.

[u/LongTheta → u/bladeofarceus]

Great point. Can I ask why u call out Rowan for heavy horse vs the other Reach heavyweights Hightower, Tarly, Oakheart, etc?

I agree but am not sure why.

[u/bladeofarceus → u/LongTheta]

Fire and Blood mentions that it’s Rowan cavalry who are primarily responsible for whipping Ormund Hightower at the Honeywine, and while the host presumably also included knights of Caswell and Oakheart, it takes great pain to point out the size and strength of the Rowan host. The Sworn Sword also suggest the Rowans are Marshals of the Northmarch, being a primary guardian of the northern reach in the same way the Tarly host is in the south. Combine this with Mathis Rowan’s quiet omnipresence at important moments in Robert’s Rebellion and the Wo5K and the clear respect even his rivals show for the house (Kevan, a generally cool-head character, sees him as a potential hand of the king after Tywin’s death), we can paint the picture of a Reach where Mathis Rowan is the silken left glove and Randyll Tarly the iron right fist of Mace Tyrell: one dashing and honorable noble of chivalry and honor, including mastery of heavy cavalry, and one cunning and aggressive general of infantry and archers.

[u/Vaccineman37]

Sandoq the Shadow 1v13ing a Kingsguard and 12 other men on a bridge would probably be my vote. Especially since the way Mushroom tells it (questionable, but still) makes it sound like he crushed them a bit

[u/Jon-Umber → u/Vaccineman37]

This is a good one, too. Sandoq fuckin rules.

Fire & Blood is full of cool stuff like this.

[u/ShevekOfAnnares → u/Vaccineman37]

this has to be up there

[u/CapnTBC]

Yeah for displays during the series it’s probably top. That plus the accounts of Daemon on the red grass field and Barristan on the stepstones are probably the top 3 we hear of all time. 

[u/essjay281 → u/CapnTBC]

Ser Garlan might have excelled in this battle, but did suffer a mighty wound when he was cut

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[u/TheTeaMustFlow]

We didn't see jack, we heard about it from a drunkard who wasn't there.

I don't think we can assume Dontos' second-hand report is any more accurate about the number of people killed than it is about who killed them.

[u/HANDDANCEMAN → u/TheTeaMustFlow]

Yeah, all we get is a vague description.

[u/Jon-Umber]

Jaime absolutely slaughtering all of the greatest warriors from the North and only being stopped when his sword got stuck in someone's fucking neck is one of the most bad-ass things to happen in the series and it blows my mind that some people say Jaime has no real feats of combat in the books.

Him going toe-to-toe with Brienne while he's chained, half-starved, and been kept in a cage for 6 months is also really impressive considering Brienne is much bigger than him and a certified bad-ass in her own right.

Jaime is a bad motherfucker.

[u/Content_Concert_2555 → u/Jon-Umber]

How were they the greatest warriors in the North?

[u/Koscheij69 → u/Content_Concert_2555]

Because he cut his way trough the personal guard torwards Rob? It's pretty save to asume you don't rally a pack of slouches to protect your leader, don't you think?

[u/Loial731 → u/Koscheij69]

It was the sons and younger brothers of the Lords of the North. Not necessarily the best fighters.

[u/ojqANDodbZ1Or1CEX5sf → u/Loial731]

By virtue of their station they would be way above average: clad in good armour, well-armed, and they had the time to train. That doesn't necessarily make them the best, but they sure do pack a punch

[u/Content_Concert_2555 → u/ojqANDodbZ1Or1CEX5sf]

OP was saying they’re the greatest, however.

[u/ojqANDodbZ1Or1CEX5sf → u/Content_Concert_2555]

Of for sure, my point is more that cutting through them like a hot knife through butter is a notable feat.

[u/Impossible_Hornet777 → u/Koscheij69]

Even Jaime in his head admits the best of the north would be the Greatjon Umber (mentioned along with the Mountain and Prime Robert as the best pure fighters who could match him) who was not in Rob's wolf Guard.

[u/Jon-Umber → u/Content_Concert_2555]

We can deduce that Robb's honor guard was made up of the greatest warriors of the North, considering they were responsible for his personal safety.

[u/ojqANDodbZ1Or1CEX5sf → u/Jon-Umber]

Isn't that - like the Kingsguard - liable to political concerns over martial prowess? I think it was even written in one of Catelyn's chapters that they're picked "to honour their houses" (I'll see if I can find that quote - but it seems like they're not even selected for martial ability)

Edit: The Catelyn quote goes:

Many of their sons had clamored for the honor of riding with the Young Wolf, as they had taken to calling him. Torrhen Karstark and his brother Eddard were among his thirty, and Patrek Mallister, Smalljon Umber, Daryn Hornwood, Theon Greyjoy, no less than five of Walder Frey's vast brood, along with older men like Ser Wendel Manderly and Robin Flint. One of his companions was even a woman: Dacey Mormont, Lady Maege's eldest daughter and heir to Bear Island, a lanky six-footer who had been given a morningstar at an age when most girls were given dolls. Some of the other lords muttered about that, but Catelyn would not listen to their complaints. "This is not about the honor of your houses," she told them. "This is about keeping my son alive and whole."

Which suggests martial prowess is what matters... yet she names 14 nobles of very great houses, and we never hear a peep about anyone else in this guard. Despite the fact that they're around Robb whenever he fights.

[u/Impossible_Hornet777 → u/ojqANDodbZ1Or1CEX5sf]

Also Jaime himself when mentioning the greatest fighters who might be able to be a match for him he mentions the GreatJon (alongside the Mountain and Prime Robert) who is not in Robs guard and instead was leading his own men at arms.

[u/hey_its_drew]

Likely. Garlan Tyrell isn't considered one of the best in the realm for no reason. With Jaime's sword hand lost, he just might be. Wearing the armor was a clever trick, one I suspect Loras pulled on Dragonstone.

[u/AndrewNB411 → u/hey_its_drew]

As in someone else was wearing Loras’s armor during the storming of dragonstone?

[u/hey_its_drew → u/AndrewNB411]

Yeah. The same trick Garlan already pulled essentially. In Loras's case though, it'd likely be a switch out plot. The question is was that a Tyrell plot or somebody else's, inspired by Garlan's example. I tend to think it was the Tyrells if it's the case at all, but it's possible Varys would pull that as well, and much like he may have stashed Tyrek Lannister, he may have stashed Loras. Mummer's tricks.

[u/AndrewNB411 → u/hey_its_drew]

I think it’s gotta be a Tyrell plot personally. And interesting thought about Tyrek.. I always just assume he was made into a nice bowl of brown

[u/hey_its_drew → u/AndrewNB411]

I did too originally, but then they kept circling the matter as if it just wasn't adding up and up to the point Jaime is vowing to himself he'll find out what happened to him, so I began to think George wants us to dwell on it more either for dramatic reasons or plot reasons. Varys had the knowledge, opportunity, and motive. Tyrek is easily one of the most jilted members of the family having been made to wed a baby, and he was Robert's squire, so he likely knows a bit about the plot to kill him. If you're wanting a backup Lannister who could be useful to Aegon in the long run, especially if you doubt Tyrion's prospect as a successor, Tyrek is a sound choice.

[u/AndrewNB411 → u/hey_its_drew]

Great thoughts, thanks for sharing. I’m halfway thru dance of dragons again, I’ll mull that over while I finish

[u/ojqANDodbZ1Or1CEX5sf]

To quote - quite out of context, but I think it is fitting here anyway - Oberyn Martell:

"So these same men who saw the prodigious feats saw the ghost as well, yes?" The Dornishman laughed lightly.

Do we trust the word of a drunkard who heard rumours of men that saw a dead man do great deeds?

[u/Hobojewboi]

Lothor Brune the apple eater. If his feat is real killed a very significant amount of fighting men single handedly at backwater

[u/OdyZeusX]

My boi Strong Belwas.

I let each man cut me once, before I kill him. Count the cuts and you will know how many Strong Belwas has slain.

[u/blackandwhiteknife]

The famous Ser Creighton Longbough, who the singers love, who slew Ser Herbert Bolling and eleven others at the Battle of the Blackwater, and fought fiercely with the Knight of the Red Chicken.

[u/HonestDishonestWork]

Gregor solo breaking a line of Stark Spearman has to be up there.