3. Why Did Catelyn Release Jaime Before Learning About Bran And Rickon?
What Happened? Towards the end of the first season, Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), the twin (and incestuous lover) of the Queen Dowager Cersei (Lena Headey), is taken captive by Robb Stark (Richard Madden) following a battle. He remains Robbs prisoner throughout much of season two, whilst Cersei allegedly holds Robbs sisters Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Arya (Maisie Williams) as captives in Kings Landing in return, though the latter has actually escaped. In an escape attempt, Jaime kills minor relative Alton Lannister (Karl Davies), who had been placed in his cell due to a lack of space elsewhere. This attracts the attention of Torrhen Karstark (Tyrone McElhennon), the man tasked with guarding the pair, who Jaime then kills and takes the keys of. Torrhen is the son of Lord Rickard (John Stahl), one of Robbs bannermen, who demands retribution when Jaime is recaptured. Robbs mother Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) stops him from carrying out a revenge killing, before she makes the decision to free Jaime in the middle of the night and send him back to Kings Landing in the company of her companion Brienne (Gwendoline Christie), with the objective of trading him for Sansa and Arya before he becomes a useless corpse at Lord Rickards hand.
Why Doesnt It Make Sense? Unlike the other three entries on this list, this can actually be somewhat justified by Catelyns belief that Rickard Karstark would kill Jaime to avenge the death of his son, therefore eliminating the best chance she has at eventually getting her daughters back. However, her character is weakened greatly by the fact that she frees him willingly without becoming overwhelmed with motherly grief and concern for her remaining children by the (albeit false) knowledge of Bran and Rickons deaths at the hands of Theon, as she does in the books. The decision to give Jaime more to do in season two by bringing forward elements of his storyline from the third book was a justified one, but the manner in which it was handled was a complete mess, as it has served to make the strong character of Catelyn seem idiotic.