Originally posted by Selenial
I don't know why, but Kevan Lannister's single line "Both Baratheon brothers have taken up against us" made him more BAMF'ish than Tywin.Though he's a close second.
Personally I think Tyrion, Davos and Mormont were all/would all be superior hands to John Arryn and Ned Stark.
Book!Kevan is apparently a worthy administrator; we'll see if the show complies with that interpretation.
The showrunners said in the commentary for GoT's season 4 finale that Tywin was the best player of "the game of thrones" and, much as I love the character, I was skeptical of that proclamation until I went back for my rewatch. Tywin really is the best, all around.
I agree on Jorah & Tyrion.
Originally posted by The_Tempest
Book!Kevan is apparently a worthy administrator; we'll see if the show complies with that interpretation.The showrunners said in the commentary for GoT's season 4 finale that Tywin was the best player of "the game of thrones" and, much as I love the character, I was skeptical of that proclamation until I went back for my rewatch. Tywin really is the best, all around.
I agree on Jorah & Tyrion.
Yeh, as someone who read the books,
Spoiler:<--- not spoilers, but it gives away a bit of Kevans personality.
Kevan has all the cunning Tywin has, just far more subtle, at least from a character standpoint. He's like a serious version of Tyrion.
Tywin played it well, but he made too many enemies, even in his own family. Had he placed a more stark like balance on his family he'd be alive right now. Truly I think the balance between the two houses ethics is the perfect ruler.
Tywin was very open in his power and it got him in trouble a lot, a more subtle touch is often needed and that's what he lacked.
Take his actual authority away and what do you have? His attempt at controlling Joffrey is the perfect example. Had he been placed in the situation Tyrion (title stripped) was in I doubt he would have ever walked away from it.
Tywin's a master of Xanatos Speed Chess. Littlefinger is the schemer supreme, but his confrontation with Cersei in season 2 {who's one of the worst players} highlighted his weakness: for all his brains, he's relatively impotent. He mouthed off to her, she demonstrated her dominance by nearly having him killed right on the spot. For all his cunning, he's at the mercy of everyone more powerful than he is.
Tywin's just a BAMF. Managing the realm for the 20 year reign of the Mad King so well that the citizenry regard it as a time of prosperity?
To say nothing of his achievements in season 3 and 4. And while advantages were afforded to Tywin by virtue of his family, we know for a fact that the Lannisters weren't nearly as respected until Tywin succeeded Tytos.
I'm inclined to think the showrunners got it right. He's as smart as anyone else, quicker on his feet, and has his reputation as The Dreaded to exploit.
With regards to Joff, you have to remember that Tywin and Tyrion are both technically subordinate to the King. The reason Tywin succeeded at managing Joffrey where everyone else failed is because Tywin is the scariest mofo in Westeros whereas Tyrion, for all his talents, is considered a joke. It had nothing to do with wealth and titles and everything to do with sheer force of personality.