#apparently i’m doing a defense squad bc this reread has made me re fall in love

[atopvisenyashill]

another day another shit take on catelyn

this one was “catelyn is classist for calling the smallfolk edmure is bringing into riverrun useless mouths” and my main thought is “do you guys read with your eyes closed or what.”

let’s look at the passage:

“My people,” Edmure answered. “They were afraid.” Only my sweet brother would crowd all these useless mouths into a castle that might soon be under siege. Catelyn knew that Edmure had a soft heart; sometimes she thought his head was even softer.

now let’s look at catelyn’s other disapproving thoughts throughout the chapter:

Her brother’s voice was full of brusque confidence, but Catelyn found herself wishing that Robb had not taken her uncle Brynden west with him. The Blackfish was the veteran of half a hundred battles; Edmure was the veteran of one, and that one lost.

She was suddenly weary. Perhaps she was wrong to oppose him. Perhaps it was a splendid plan, and her misgivings only a woman’s fears. She wished Ned were here, or her uncle Brynden, or …

and later, when edmure puts his plan into action:

Her brother had taken every able-bodied man for the fords, leaving Ser Desmond Grell to command a garrison made up of the wounded, the old, and the sick, along with a few squires and some untrained peasant boys still shy of manhood. This, to defend a castle crammed full of women and children.

Do you see what happens when you actually read instead of simply deciding that Cat is a huge bitch who hates all Northerners, smallfolk, bastards, tomboys, and all things good and great? You see what she’s actually upset about, which is that Edmure’s plan hinges on luring a man with 3 times his host into battle while leaving Riverrun full of women and children and no one to protect them but old and wounded soldiers. She’s judgemental because she doesn’t think the plan will work and as far as she knows, Robb doesn’t approve of the plan.

And she’s RIGHT - Robb is pissed at Edmure in a storm of swords because he had wanted Edmure to hold Riverrun and that’s it, to lure Twyin deeper into the Riverlands where he’s cut off from refreshing his host, and cut off from King’s Landing, which is tearing itself apart unbeknownst to Tywin. Catelyn was right to question Edmure’s call here because it was a super risky plan with absolutely zero pay off and only serves in prolonging the war.

And Catelyn is right to fear a siege! The most famous siege we’ve had mentioned on page, stannis’ holdout against the reach lords at storm’s end was brutal, and a siege of Riverrun would be no different if it were to last overly long:

Ned found it hard to imagine what could frighten Stannis Baratheon, who had once held Storm's End through a year of siege, surviving on rats and boot leather while the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne sat outside with their hosts, banqueting in sight of his walls.

she calls them “useless mouths” because she’s worried they’re about to enter a siege and she knows a siege can get real desperate when you have a lot of people who need to eat. she’s not making a comment on the uselessness of the smallfolk, she is pointing out the flaws in edmure’s battle plans, which she thinks have a small chance of working - and once again, she is proven to be right! when robb shows up he’s livid about edmure’s blunder! it’s one of the key missteps during robb’s war against the lannisters!

like yeah, a lot of these characters are classist and one of edmure’s defining traits as a lord - his care for the smallfolk - is one of the main positives about him, and also why so many are still willing to flock to the Tully banner! but crowding a bunch of scared and starving people into a castle that is about to be brutally attacked by a man known for the brutality of his armies is not the smartest move!

that’s it!!! that’s all she’s thinking!!!!!!