16. What If Catelyn Had Noticed Roose Bolton's Chainmail Earlier?
HBOAfter Robb beheaded Rickard Karstark he was left in a tough position, his men were beginning to doubt him, morale was low and half of his army had just marched home. In order to replenish his ranks, Robb sought an alliance with Walter Frey, agreeing to wed his uncle to one of Frey's daughters, in apology for failing to do so himself. As we know, the alliance and wedding were a set up, a rouse arranged by Tywin Lannister so he could easily dispatch Robb, his mother and most of the northern lords in one fell swoop. Seconds before her throat was slit, Catelyn noticed Roose Bolton was wearing chainmail under his clothes, what would have happened if she'd noticed earlier? Had Roose Bolton's wardrobe malfunction occurred a little earlier, Catelyn would have been able to warn her son and perhaps even prepare some kind of defence against the assassinations. Had Catelyn spotted this minor detail before they'd been lulled into a false sense of security with booze and entertainment, the northern lords could have perhaps beaten Walter Frey and Roose Bolton to the punch. Although, even if Robb and Catelyn Stark had survived the red wedding, their armies would have been in ill-repair and in no shape to continue fighting the Lannisters.