Hello, welcome to this week’s edition of ASOIAF/GOT Talk. This week, we’ll be exploring a theory of mine that I believe has a lot of merit. I’ve seen other people bring this up, so it’s not just me that thinks. The theory is that Petyr Baelish (a.k.a. Littlefinger) inadvertently caused Robert’s Rebellion.

Here’s how it goes: Littlefinger is recuperating from getting his ass handed to him by Brandon Stark, betrothed to his love Catelyn Stark. He’s angry and frustrated that the stories he heard as a child of heroes “rescuing” their great love from brutes was proven wrong. What sight does he see but Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark riding along. Rhaegar is married to Elia Martell of Dorne and Lyanna is betrothed to Robert Baratheon of the Stormlands but they’re clearly in love.

This sparks an idea in Littlefinger’s head: he’ll send a note to Brandon saying that Rhaegar has kidnapped Lyanna. He’ll then send a note to Rhaegar’s mad father, Aerys to tell him that Brandon Stark was coming to kill Rhaegar. He then sends a note to Catelyn, which she never reads and burns.

This leads to Brandon, his father Rickard, and his army marching down to King’s Landing where they wind up getting killed. Aerys, in a mad furor, demands the heads of Brandon’s brother Ned and Robert Baratheon too, despite them not attacking him. This sparks the fuse that leads to Robert’s Rebellion. One of the bloodiest wars in Westerosi history that topples the ruling family of the last 300 years.

Littlefinger’s little revenge scheme winds up causing all this. This makes him wonder what would happen if he actually tried to do topple a ruling regime… which leads to the War of the Five Kings, which he explicitly caused.

Thanks for reading my nerdy treatise, here’s some topics I had in mind for future editions of ASOIAF/GOT Talk:

Favorite/best changes between A Song Of Ice And Fire and Game Of Thrones

Least favorite/worst changes between A Song Of Ice And Fire and Game Of Thrones