Robb Stark's Will Explained

Can I just say I adore the idea of all the various supporters gearing up for a Stark succession crisis, drawing battle lines and preparing for war… only for Ned’s kids to play hot potato with the crown, each insisting they don’t want it and it belongs to someone else. 😂 “We have five heirs, how do NONE of them want it????”

A lot depends on exactly what is written. "I legitimize Jon and make him my heir" is different to "Due to the rest of my family being dead, or married to the enemy, I name Jon my heir as he is all that is left." The former being an absolute statement, while the latter is conditional.

The unnamed captain is actually surprisingly important. Not only does he, in all likelihood, have a copy of Robb's Will, his daughter is probably pregnant with Theon's last and only kid, which would partially invalidate the Kingsmoot of the Iron Islands.

i love how martin has set up this predicament. the irony of the will creating confusion, all the different factions with their own fairly legitimate reasons, the doubt of jon's parentage... it's complexities like this which make the books so fun to theorize about and to reread!

It’s so nice to have discussions related to the books and NOT the show. Between these videos/comments, and rereading the series, there is always something new to discover.

“Wyman Manderly knows that Rickon is alive and throws his considerable weight behind him” Neat 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

I think Jon denying Stannis was more out of personal and familial pride. He would not want to be legitimized by Stannis. The regard of his family was important to him. He would be more apt to accept the decree from his brother Robb, who he sincerely saw as his closest kin. As Eddard is dead, recognition from him would be paramount in his heart. As far as the northern lords, the north respects the wall more than any other region in Westeros. If not as highly as the Starks do, and so woth the knowledge that Jon was named Lord Commander, even without knowing Jon personally, his designation as leader would hold weight in the lord's minds.

Robb made the best decission according to what he knew. Also I think that, in a different scenario, Jon could have been a good adviser and a great supporter of Bran and Rickon.

I love how the blackfyre rebellion is always used ny cat to warn against bastards: she forgets that brynden remained loyal .

The captain of the miraham could be one of the most important ppl in the books. From this will to the potential Greyjoy heir being his grandchild, he could be the absolute difference in the plot

Rob may have wanted Jon to succeed even if his brothers and sisters may be alive. It is war and all his siblings are young. Only Jon will be able to lead armies.

Love this video. Robb’s death was gut wrenching for so many readers and fans and the idea of his will legitimizing and naming John as his successor and that uniting the north to defeat the others feels like a very stark appropriate final legacy and tribute to Robb as a strategist and a Stark lord of Winterfell.

it would be utterly insane if somehow they reached the wall with the will only to find that Jon is dead…. then witness him being resurrected. i think that would solidify the wildlings’ and northerners’ loyalty to him

Never really considered it but depending on the wording I wonder if Robb could have inadvertently legitimized Jon as a true born Targaryen rather than a true born stark…

LSH crowning Jon would be darkly hilarious.

The fact that Lady Stoneheart has Robbs Crown.

That stuff about the parallels between both Robs wills is why I love this franchise.

Well done vid IDG & HoW with a comprehensive breakdown of a somewhat complex and super interesting facet of the narrative. Given Robb's knowledge at the time with Sansa with the enemy / married to a Lannister , Bran & Rickon presumed dead (missing at best) & same with Arya ; Jon is the obvious choice (despite Cat's predictable objections there). That dynamic with Jon i find very fascinating because we have seen these oath releasing offers - Vaegon (son of Jaehaerys I) long ago , more recently Maester Aemon and again Jon via Stannis and likely Robb's will regarding JS as well. So given these attempts must be a valid approach. But an underrated interesting aspect of all this for me is unless i am forgetting obvious examples ; don't believe we have seen any of these decrees of breaking oaths from the NW or the maesters etc actually come to fruition beyond these offers. That would be narratively unique past and present when that likely comes to pass via Jon. Though how this all shakes out and all the particulars are equally intriguing ; between claimants , general nobility and general narrative heavy hitters each having their own opinion of how the will should be interpreted and who they each have in mind. Even more complicated when the Stark children resurface and return to Wf and if Jon's true parentage revealed beyond intimate circles ; yes a Stark but not Ned's son (biologically anyway). Though unlike the generations after Cregan and as the vid suggests should not be a very contentious Stark situation to resolve. None of the Stark children are particularly power hungry , there is mutual love & respect there and most have other priorities to pursue anyway. Should make for a fascinating part of the narrative the will reveal / its particulars , how everything shakes out and the potential narrative twists and turns as a result.

1:55 "Sisters come...before otherkin" is what I heard. A very interesting sentence when talking about a family of skinchangers.

It'll be interesting to see how Arya reacts to all this when she comes back from Essos, especially of supporters of each faction are getting out of hand...