Game Of Thrones: 18 Terrible Ideas That Were Great To Watch

4. Executing Lord Karstark And we're back to Robb. I don't hate Robb. If things had transpired differently, he could have been Ned. If he hadn't made that one fatal mistake by marrying Talisa, he might have kept Lord Karstark in check. He had a good heart and just wanted justice for his family. Unfortunately, with faith in Robb's good judgment waning among his men, Rickard Karstark found himself compelled to murder two Lannister captives to avenge his own fallen sons. He might have even gotten away with it had it not been for two factors: his open antagonism of Robb, and that the two murdered Lannister captives happened to be young boys serving only as squires. Immediately, Robb orders the executions of the participating Karstark bannermen. The question that remained was of what to do with the Lord of the Karhold. Robb has justice on his side, arguing that any man who slaughters children should pay with his life. Everybody else, however, argues that Robb needs Karstark and his men in order to win the war. He would make a valuable hostage, allowing Robb to enact some of his justice without losing the considerable Karstark presence in his army. Catelyn says to spare him. Talisa says to spare him. Edmure says to spare him. The Blackfish doesn't say anything, but he's awesome and would probably have said to spare him. Naturally, King Robb decides that he should definitely execute him. Proving himself the true son of Ned Stark as well as capable of beheading a man in a single stroke, Robb removes Lord Karstark's head and loses a good chunk of his military forces. Robb wasn't wrong when he beheaded Lord Karstark. He just wasn't very smart about it.