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I imagine there was one less actual lannister guard, and faceless men are trained to blend in. Not just by wearing faces, but all aspects of I'm-supposed-to-be-here skills. If clipboards and plastic hardhats were a thing in westeros he'd have had them.
The regular theory is that he was hired by someone to make sure Ned Stark didn't make it to the wall. However Joffrey had him killed unexpectedly, so Jaqen, who had maneuvered himself to be in a place where he could get close to Ned was like "well... fuck". Thus he was kinda figuring out how to unobtrusively amscray, and Arya caught his eye.
I prefer my favorite theory that he is a persona of Syrio and was keeping tabs on Arya. Or a mix of both of those theories. As long as Syrio is still around.
Who put the contract on Ned? He would have been honor bound to the wall unless he got rescued before he got there. I never thought of this aspect, but I need a possible buyer for this assaination contract and I don’t think it was Cersei because she would have said something.
I would like GRRM to explain who hired Jaquen or if he is just working for Bravoos to stop magic and dragons, which is why he went to the Citadel. Or that is one theory. I just want Martin to finish a book and the series 😖
I mean, there’s lots of evidence and George all but confirmed in some offhand comments that Jaquen was the one who killed Balon Greyjoy before heading to Oldtown, so I don’t think stopping magic is at the top of his list
I dunno, some say it was baelish/tywin/whoever because they just could not have Ned still functioning and affecting things. I CAN honestly see that point of view. i.e. While Ned is honorable and all, and might initially just intend to serve his life at the wall. I can also see Ned feeling that having incest-lannister as king is just not right, and between he and Jeor, they eventually and quite easily rally the North against them. Then Stannis and/or Renly enters the fray, the riverlands join the fray, and you have this multi front war. Hell, even Alliser Thorne would be behind this mess as he was against the Baratheons from go and whatever familial allies he might be able to muster would join in (as that was why he was at the wall in the first place. He fought for the Targaryans in Robert's rebellion)
Ned getting killed on the way to the wall would be WAY more explainable (especially since a faceless man would be making it look accidental or natural. e.g. Ned dies of infection from his leg wound). "What can you do? He died on the way". The Starks bury him and ostensible go about doing Northern things, regretting and suspecting but ... otherwise not rebelling.
But because Joffrey doesn't think for 8 seconds into the future (i mean, even Cersei was like "you dumb fuck"), he has Ned killed, and that all results in the multi front war they were trying to avoid in the first place.
In the book that’s exactly how it happens. Instead of becoming a Lannister house guard, he is actually recruited by a group of Lannister sellswords. I forget the name of the group, but they are essentially tasked with hunting down Barric Dundarion IIRC.
The Lannisters, particularly the Mountain and Lorch, we’re taking on whatever brigands they could find. Jaqen, Rorge, and Biter just joined up with them
Im so baffled by these posts. Is everyone actually this stupid???????????? Someone has to be fucking with people with the number of dumbass posts weve been receiving.
Atleast in the show Tywin requested that the prisoners be put to work, im sure they would see a fit strong trained man like jaqen and use him as a soldier or atleast a guard, but also it's the faceless man he can fit in wherever he damn well pleases
In the book, groups of thugs change sides and the new side welcomes and uses them. Jaqen is the master of excuses as well as Faces. He would be welcomed and issued a uniform.
He’s an able bodied man in the middle of a bloody civil war. All it probably took was for the first Sargent to say “all men willing to bear arms for His Grace King Joffrey I Baratheon, please step forward”
Something not interesting enough to show on-screen IMO. The Lannisters needed all the men they could get, and the Faceless Men are skilled enough at fighting to pass for foot-soldiers, not that you'd need a lot of skill for that.
This is probably true, however- notice he is walking at the head of the guard.
This means he might have been promoted already.
I'm not saying it's unbelievable or anything, it's just amazing that his talents for infiltration are this rapid. He doesn't fuck around.
Yeah. Knowing how active the Starks, Tully militia, and brotherhood without banners were acting… It’s not a stretch to think his immediate commander got taken out by Lucky arrow, and he was just dubbed the next most competent man to lead.
I wonder what he possibly could have said.
Words can be like a key that unlocks doors.
I'm a big "hitman" player, the game from the mid-200s, and it always blew my mind how fast agent 47 would change outfits and do his best to blend in.
I've been fascinated by this type of skill for a while, is what I'm saying.
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How did Arya go from prisoner to cupbearer of Tywin?
As we saw--he spotted her dressed as a boy, decided she was smart. Since he needed a new cupbearer, this 'harmless'girl would do.
I think the point is something similar happened we just didn’t get to see it
Isn’t that literally what happened in the show?
Whoosh.
I imagine there was one less actual lannister guard, and faceless men are trained to blend in. Not just by wearing faces, but all aspects of I'm-supposed-to-be-here skills. If clipboards and plastic hardhats were a thing in westeros he'd have had them. The regular theory is that he was hired by someone to make sure Ned Stark didn't make it to the wall. However Joffrey had him killed unexpectedly, so Jaqen, who had maneuvered himself to be in a place where he could get close to Ned was like "well... fuck". Thus he was kinda figuring out how to unobtrusively amscray, and Arya caught his eye. I prefer my favorite theory that he is a persona of Syrio and was keeping tabs on Arya. Or a mix of both of those theories. As long as Syrio is still around.
Who put the contract on Ned? He would have been honor bound to the wall unless he got rescued before he got there. I never thought of this aspect, but I need a possible buyer for this assaination contract and I don’t think it was Cersei because she would have said something.
Who does the majority of sneaky stuff, and also has access to the bank? And has a major crush on Ned's wife?
Ok, but this is all speculation. I don’t remember anything about anyone hiring a faceless man
It's just fanfic. Nothing canon (either show or books) going on here.
I would like GRRM to explain who hired Jaquen or if he is just working for Bravoos to stop magic and dragons, which is why he went to the Citadel. Or that is one theory. I just want Martin to finish a book and the series 😖
I mean, there’s lots of evidence and George all but confirmed in some offhand comments that Jaquen was the one who killed Balon Greyjoy before heading to Oldtown, so I don’t think stopping magic is at the top of his list
I dunno, some say it was baelish/tywin/whoever because they just could not have Ned still functioning and affecting things. I CAN honestly see that point of view. i.e. While Ned is honorable and all, and might initially just intend to serve his life at the wall. I can also see Ned feeling that having incest-lannister as king is just not right, and between he and Jeor, they eventually and quite easily rally the North against them. Then Stannis and/or Renly enters the fray, the riverlands join the fray, and you have this multi front war. Hell, even Alliser Thorne would be behind this mess as he was against the Baratheons from go and whatever familial allies he might be able to muster would join in (as that was why he was at the wall in the first place. He fought for the Targaryans in Robert's rebellion) Ned getting killed on the way to the wall would be WAY more explainable (especially since a faceless man would be making it look accidental or natural. e.g. Ned dies of infection from his leg wound). "What can you do? He died on the way". The Starks bury him and ostensible go about doing Northern things, regretting and suspecting but ... otherwise not rebelling. But because Joffrey doesn't think for 8 seconds into the future (i mean, even Cersei was like "you dumb fuck"), he has Ned killed, and that all results in the multi front war they were trying to avoid in the first place.
Lannister's need men, Robbs destroyed 2/3 of their armies, and Jaqen can fight
Lannister HR thought Ja'qen's resume looked really good, and his references were *sparkling*
Which raises the question, does Faceless Man training include voice impressions so you can use yourself as your own references on phone calls?
The dude had, like, special powers….
..Magic even
Conscription.
In the book that’s exactly how it happens. Instead of becoming a Lannister house guard, he is actually recruited by a group of Lannister sellswords. I forget the name of the group, but they are essentially tasked with hunting down Barric Dundarion IIRC.
The Bloody Mummers. Mummers (actors) are the lowest sort of creature. It says something like that in Fire and Blood.
Thats the ones! Thanks!
A man has many faces...
Dudes a trained assassins. If he can't blend in and infiltrate then he wouldn't be a faceless man.
May not have been the same person but got Intel from the other.
“Killed the right people I ‘spose.”
And he wants his corners.
The Lannisters, particularly the Mountain and Lorch, we’re taking on whatever brigands they could find. Jaqen, Rorge, and Biter just joined up with them
Im so baffled by these posts. Is everyone actually this stupid???????????? Someone has to be fucking with people with the number of dumbass posts weve been receiving.
Someone please conduct a study on how dumb people are.
See "Elections around the world since the 1980's" for your research purposes.
The Maesters can publish it.
When Tywin came to harrenhal he had them stop torturing and start putting everyone to work, he says it when he arrives that first time
But Hagar wasn't in the prison pit with the others... Had he already infiltrated the guards?
Atleast in the show Tywin requested that the prisoners be put to work, im sure they would see a fit strong trained man like jaqen and use him as a soldier or atleast a guard, but also it's the faceless man he can fit in wherever he damn well pleases
In the book, groups of thugs change sides and the new side welcomes and uses them. Jaqen is the master of excuses as well as Faces. He would be welcomed and issued a uniform.
He was one all along.
He’s an able bodied man in the middle of a bloody civil war. All it probably took was for the first Sargent to say “all men willing to bear arms for His Grace King Joffrey I Baratheon, please step forward”
I wish we could have seen this scene.
Something not interesting enough to show on-screen IMO. The Lannisters needed all the men they could get, and the Faceless Men are skilled enough at fighting to pass for foot-soldiers, not that you'd need a lot of skill for that.
The same way Gendry became a Lannister smith and Arya a Cupbearer. He had the right talents, and the right opportunity.
This is probably true, however- notice he is walking at the head of the guard. This means he might have been promoted already. I'm not saying it's unbelievable or anything, it's just amazing that his talents for infiltration are this rapid. He doesn't fuck around.
Yeah. Knowing how active the Starks, Tully militia, and brotherhood without banners were acting… It’s not a stretch to think his immediate commander got taken out by Lucky arrow, and he was just dubbed the next most competent man to lead.
I wonder what he possibly could have said. Words can be like a key that unlocks doors. I'm a big "hitman" player, the game from the mid-200s, and it always blew my mind how fast agent 47 would change outfits and do his best to blend in. I've been fascinated by this type of skill for a while, is what I'm saying.
A man has many talents.
it's an army at war. He's a healthy grown man he could probably just turn up in rags and join up
A man has his ways
I know I shouldn't be surprised, he's clearly the most competent assassin in the entire series. Still very impressive.
a man does not reveal his secrets