RobbReturns / Tropes S to Z

Tropes for Robb Returns
Tropes A to F | Tropes G to L | Tropes M to R | Tropes S To Z

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Sadistic Choice: Robert finds himself in one when he learns of his Great Matter—that he has been cuckolded by the Lannister twins and he actually has no trueborn children. See Succession Crisis below for details.
Samus Is a Girl: Short lived version. The man Brynden Tully meets on his way south ends up revealing himself as Brienne of Tarth a few moments later.
Saying Too Much: The first Green Man Brynden and Brienne meet accidentally reveals the two will marry in the future.
Schmuck Bait:
- Jon Arryn suckers Littlefinger into wearing as much heavy armor as possible and then hands him a heavy axe (with a strap) for his Trial by Combat, before dropping him into the sea.
- Ned lays a trap for the Lannister twins by making it look like the Broken Tower is still in disrepair and is going to be empty of people and thus perfect for a secret rendezvous... while also secretly rigging and disguising it to allow a group of men to silently approach and catch them in the act. They bite.
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When it becomes obvious that the assault on Raventree Hall by the septon-led mob is going to fail miserably at the hands of Lords Blackwood and Bracken, most of it starts to put their torches out and scramble.
Sdrawkcab Name:
- The Krats, the leader of the Company of the Rose, takes his name of Stark back when he declares that the Company of the Rose will be coming back to Westeros.
- While on her father's mission to the North, Sarella Sand disguises herself as a Maester's apprentice named Alleras.
Sealed Evil in a Can: It's revealed that the Drowned God, an Old God gone mad and patron of the Ironborn, was sealed behind a door beneath the Hightower, and with the return of magic, is trying to break free.
Secret Art: In place of a First Man Ancestral Weapon, the Vale has knowledge of inscribing magical runes that can deter Others. Sadly, in the modern day, only House Royce has limited knowledge of how to carve such runes, and even the current blacksmiths can only carve runes that glow part of the time. Chapter 159 has Gendry work out the secret: using bronze tools with weirwood handles and praying to the Old Gods during the carving.
Secret-Keeper: There are several notable secrets to be kept in this fic, although the two most notable are Robb's return from the past and Jon's true parentage. Ned, Cat, Jon Snow/Stark, Aemon Targaryen and King Robert are aware of both, while Luwin, Benjen, Theon, Jeor, Gerion, Stannis and Tyrion are only aware of the former and Robb, Alliser Thorne and Barristan are aware of the latter.
Secret Secret-Keeper:
- Ever since the tourney in Harrenhall, Robert knew that Lyanna Stark was the Knight of the Laughing Tree from the identical way they held their horse tack. He had planned to tell her that he knew when they were married, but that never came to pass.
- Jon Snow has a sneaking suspicion that Stannis Baratheon has figured out Jon's parentage because Jon is wielding Dark Sister, a Valyrian Steel weapon belonging to the Targaryens and therefore unlikely to be wielded by a bastard.
Security Cling: Sarella Sand tries to watch Gerold Dayne being burned alive in a folly attempt to claim Dawn to be brave in front of her father, but eventually can't bear the sight and hides her face in Allarion Lannister's shoulder, letting him watch for the both of them.
Senseless Sacrifice: Mace Tyrell gets too close to the Door of Doom in an attempt to rescue a septon. Both of them die due to the power of the creature on the other side. On the other hand, Mace holds on long enough to pass on vital information to Willas, so it wasn't completely in vain.
Serial Killer: Cersei is implied to be one, having had dozens murdered because they figured out her affair with Jaime, killed her catspaws to cover up the crimes, and if Tyrion's musing about servants disappearing at Casterly Rock is correct, she's done this for years.
Set Right What Once Went Wrong: The Old Gods' purpose in sending Robb back in time.
Shaming the Mob: Lords Bracken and Blackwood do this to a crowd at Raventree Hall who are following a septon to burn down a weirwood tree inside, challenging them to listen to the Call and stand together like they have.
Shared Family Quirks:
- Shireen Baratheon seems to be inheriting her father's stern, commanding nature, being able to keep the aforementioned Terrible Trio in line. After Ned Umber joined them and turned the trio into a foursome, he was quick to fall in line as well.
- Edric Dayne has a habit of setting his jaw in a specific way when agitated. As Robert points out, he got this trait from his father- Ned Stark.
Shed the Family Name:
- In the past, when Lann Casterly overthrew his father and brother to take control of Casterly Rock, he renounced his family name and simply became known as "the Lann". Eventually, it evolved into the name of his descendants: Lannister.
- Theon is planning to do this, to leave the Iron Isles behind and embrace the North. As of Chapter 121, he has changed his name to "Greymist" with permission from Robert, and is now sworn to the North.
Shipper on Deck: Robert admits to Ned that he's hoping that Jon and Ygritte get together, since Ygritte amuses him and the thought of Aerys's shade screaming at his sole living grandson marrying a wildling amuses him even more.
Ship Tease:
- Quite a lot between Jory Cassel and Annah (Robert Arryn's nurse/caretaker), which is resolved during one of his chapters in Winterfell. By Chapter 94, they are wed.
- Increasingly between Tyrion and Dacey Surestone, after he rescues her from a crooked inn-owner. In Chapter 134, he finally gets up the nerve to propose to her, and she accepts.
- Brynden Tully and Brienne of Tarth are getting some hints of this.
- As do Bronn and Ursula Stone, especially after she is legitimized into a Cawlish. They are wed in Chapter 159.
- After their first meeting, Sarella Sand privately thinks that Allarion, son of Gerion Lannister, is cute, while he seems to be trying to avoid looking at her, a fact that she tries to deny she cares about.
- Ygritte is quite pleased to learn that Ned isn't planning to marry Jon to a Southern lady anytime soon. Robb and Theon both find it hilarious. [[spoiler:The two later get married during their trip to the Iron Islands.
- Robb Stark and Val Umber , especially after she saved him from a drunk Joffrey’s assassination attempt and him saving her from a possessed-by-Others!Gregor Clegane. Eventually, she accepts his marriage proposal.
- Hinted between Gerion Lannister's son Allarion and Sarella Sand, with a pinch of Star-Crossed Lovers since Sarella's father Oberyn Martell has a raging grudge against all Lannisters. That said, Oberyn can see that Gerion is eminently more reasonable than his ruthless brother Tywin, so he gives his permission to Sarella after a while.
- Sandor Clegane falls for Beth, a serving girl at Winterfell.
- Increasingly between Theon formerly Greyjoy now Greymist and Ros, with Theon making plans to propose to her.
- Brans first meeting with Quicksilver, a Child of the Forest ends with a betrothal.
- Jamie gets some with Leaf.
Shoot the Messenger: Varys recalls that when Aerys's paranoia got really bad after the Trident, he started killing messengers that brought him bad news. Then he tried to burn the ravens deeming them traitors as well, but Pycelle convinced him the birds were still loyal. It was a very surreal conversation to overhear.
Shoot the Shaggy Dog: Subverted. After all the efforts made to prevent it, it seemed like Jon Arryn would still get killed by Lysa, but the Maesters manage to pull him through.
Shout-Out:
- The four Maesters mentioned in the glass candles chapter are Archmaester Tudyk and Maesters Fillion, Baldwin and Maher (Firefly, anyone?).
- During his exploration of the Hardhome caves, Horas Redwyne quotes a part of a ghost tale his father once told him and his brother Hobber: "The way is shut. It was made by those who were dead. And the dead keep it. The way is shut."
  - Two of the three skymetal weapons belonging to the Casterlys/Lannisters are a pair of daggers known as the Warnings. They glow whenever the Others are near. Now, where else have you heard of a dagger that glows when a non-human threat is nearby?
  - Yet another shows up after Robert finally catches Lyanna in his dream, and he tells her to go while he holds off the Others allies.
    Robert: Right, you cunts. (Robert summons a sword) Go back to the shadow that awaits you!(a light burst forth from his sword) You Shall Not Pass!!
Side Bet:
- Gerion Lannister bets Kevan a silver stag that his brother Tywin's first words upon seeing him will be to say that he is alive, followed by a query about if he found Brightroar. He wins.
- When Jon and Ygritte appear in the morning holding hands, after a reminder from Theon, Asha throws her brother a silver stag.
Sinister Minister: Blackfeet, the septon that incites the Faith Militant's reappearance in the Riverlands. Heavily implied (later confirmed) to be the High Sparrow.
Skeptic No Longer:
- Tyrion slowly starts to become convinced about the Others after hearing about the Call, and becomes fully convinced after speaking to the Old Gods via Jon Snow.
- Invoking this in everyone is the purpose of all the wight heads being sent south, a la We Need to Get Proof.
Skewed Priorities: Jon Connington is still focused on his plans to instill Young Griff on the Iron Throne despite the threat of the Others being widespread and Westeros preparing itself for an ancient invasion not seen for centuries, viewing it as "Northern superstition" despite having heard the Call himself. This was why Varys assassinates him.
Slavery Is a Special Kind of Evil: Even Varys can't hide his shock and disgust when Renly reveals that Baelish had dealings with Slaver's Bay. On a similar note, when Renly comments that he can liquidate Baelish's holdings to make the crown more money, he stresses they won't profit from the slave trade in doing so.
Slowly Slipping Into Evil: The last Gold Cloak executed by Robert took his first bribe when his wife and son were sick, then took more bribes as time went on even after his family recovered.
Smash the Symbol: Monford Velaryon informs Jon Arryn that ever since the news about Aerys's mad wildfire plot was revealed, certain families with certain past loyalties had taken out certain banners and burned them.
Sour Supporter: Alliser Thorne. He was a Targaryen loyalist who took the black after Robert's Rebellion, thus harbouring a grudge for Robert and Ned alike, but after Ned began sending support for the much-beleaguered Wall, the Call being sent out, and seeing the threat with his own two eyes, his allegiance to the Starks has more or less solidified, but his opinion of them has grown... complicated. Especially after Ned decides to tell him Jon's true parentage and finding out about the wildfire plot of Mad King Aerys II Targaryen.
Spanner in the Works:
- Littlefinger might have been able to escape to Essos... if it were not for Bronn, who not only found out where Baelish was set to meet the men that would escort him out of the city, but also found his secret books with all of his dirty deeds and all of his money caches written in them.
  - By that same reason, Ned's letter to Jon Arryn, which not only leads to him avoiding his canon death, but also to Jon sending his son Robert to foster in Winterfell. This leads Littlefinger to attempt to have Robert kidnapped, an attempt that fails and leads to his downfall.
- The Septon mob trying to attack Raventree Hall might have been able to redirect Lord Blackwood's ire towards his old rival Lord Bracken... if not for the fact that the two lords had recently buried the hatchet and Lord Bracken is present as well.
Spared, but Not Forgiven: Played straight and subverted. Ned decides to lift the curse his sister put on Oswell Whent and Gerold Hightower's souls because, while he cannot forgive and forget their actions, he takes no pleasure in leaving them to suffer. However, he refuses to do the same for Rhaegar Targaryen (whose soul is suffering the worst of the curse's effects at the Ruby Ford), because not even he can bring himself to show the Silver Prince mercy after all the suffering he caused Ned's family.
Spared by the Adaptation: Jon Arryn, Domeric Bolton, Ser Waymar Royce, the direwolf mother, Will, Gared, one of Craster's boys, many Wildlings.
Spotting the Thread: Stannis is very curious about the fact that Jon Stark, who is a bastard, is wielding a Valyrian Steel sword. Jon makes a note that someone will have to tell Stannis about Jon's parentage.
Stable Time Loop: Sometimes when people are projected into the past and make changes that had already happened, mentions are made about "circles being closed".
- When Barristan Selmy is taken back to the Targaryen camp before the Battle of the Ruby Ford, his past self walks through his present self's invisible apparition and then freezes and looks around in confusion. Barristan himself remembers that moment, when he had felt like someone had walked over his grave.
- When Ned comes to a hidden godswood in Starfall, he sees a heart tree with an odd handprint on it that can only be seen by a few people. Thorn, a Child of the Forest, later takes him into the past to make that handprint on that tree, to assure Bran the Builder that his descendants will eventually answer the Call to fight the Others once again.
Staking the Loved One: "Loved one" is a stretch, but Theon personally puts down his wighted uncle Aeron.
Staring Down Cthulhu: When the Eldritch Abomination on the other side of the Door of Doom beneath the Hightower looks through for a moment, Willas Tyrell, bearing Otherbane, looks it right in the face and orders it back. It does.
The Starscream: Euron happily kills his brothers during the parlay he convinced them to arrange with Harlaw. He also intends to betray the White Walkers themselves and take their power, and his entire Godhood Seeker plan is to supplant the Drowned God.
A Storm Is Coming: It is becoming clearer to the characters in the South that the incoming winter will be a Long Winter.
Stout Strength:
- Illyrio Mopatis may be one of the series' resident Adipose Rex... but remember that underneath all that blubber is still the man that survived for years as a member of a sellsword company, and was able to retire as a rich man. Which he aptly demonstrates by almost killing Viserys, scruffing him like a puppy, and tanking through the Targaryen's mad stabbing, as a fire rages around them.
- Similarly, Robert, the man that uses a warhammer with one hand that most men would be hard pressed to just lift with both. Then the Call starts him on the path to lose his weight; by Chapter 89, he's still heavyset, but not even Jaime can call him fat any longer.
Strange Minds Think Alike: Both Oberyn Martell and Tywin Lannister think the exact same thing about magic returning: that some fool will attempt to bring dragons back, and thus risk another Summerhall^note. Then, in the same chapter as Tywin, Viserys tells Daenerys he intends to find a way to awaken a dragon. Which ends up killing him, destroying part of the home he is living in... and giving birth to three dragons that follow Daenerys.
Stress Vomit:
- Theon is so shocked to learn he betrayed the North in the first timeline he pukes his guts out in the Godswood. Then Robb confesses he was captured by Ramsay Snow and sends him back to dry-heaving.
- Daenerys does not take Jorah Mormont's revelations about her father and Robert's Rebellion very well.
- Jaime after realizing that by not speaking up about the wildfire barrels hidden under King's Landing, he put the entire city at risk of blowing up.
Strong Family Resemblance:
- Both Gendry and Edric Storm are noted as looking almost identical to Robert when he was their age. Meanwhile, Arya's resemblance to Lyanna (both in looks and personality) is noted more than once. Robert comments that Sansa looks almost exactly like her mother did at her age, and that Jon looks almost exactly like Ned did.
- Incidentally, Stannis reveals that the Baratheons have another near-universal hereditary trait besides the canonical blue eyes and black hair - Morton's toe.
- King Robert tells Edric Dayne, the new Sword of the Morning, to not set his jaw when he is serious, since it makes him look too much like Eddard Stark, which is surely a complete coincidence. By now, Edric Dayne has told Eddard that he is his son with Ashara Dayne.
Stunned Silence:
- After Robert tells Ned about Lyanna revealing Jon's true parentage to him in a dream, a startled Ned does what Robert calls his "Ned Stark, Statue of the North" thing.
- Tywin goes through a lot of things that would be worthy of this reaction, but the one thing that actually leaves him flabbergasted is his dwarf son Tyrion showing him all three of Lann the Clever's Ancestral Weapons.
Succession Crisis: With Cersei's infidelity exposed and her children being proven as not being Robert's, Westeros is in one. The immediate options are to name Stannis as heir presumptive (which has the problem of him only having one heir himself at the moment, who is female), Robert remarrying (which has political implications no matter who he picks, and it would take at least a year to get a new heir, and years more to see if said heir is suitable), or legitimize one of Robert's bastards (who are presently untrained for leadership, and only one of whom has a noble-born mother). In the immediate term, Robert has declared Stannis as heir presumptive, while reserving the right to name a new heir should one of his bastards prove fit for the job or he ends up remarrying and siring an actual heir.
Suddenly Shouting: Tywin indulges in this twice, the first time while revealing to Kevan that Littlefinger was executed for, among other things, stealing money from Tywin and buying up half the Westerlands right under his nose and the second time ranting to Cersei that if Aerys can see the disaster inflicted upon House Lannister by her incest with Jaime, he'd be laughing at his erstwhile Hand instead of envying him. It's actually quite terrifying since Tywin is not known for such outbursts.
Suddenly Suitable Suitor: Catelyn discovers that Val may be a cadet member of House Umber, which would make Robb's attraction to her politically acceptable. When she is later revealed to be Mors Umber's granddaughter, Robb almost immediately proposes to her. She says yes.
Sunken City: Pyke appears to be heading this route, as the castle was originally built on a headland that has now been reduced to a bunch of islands.
Superpowerful Genetics: Through his research, Tyrion finds that some First Men families had had the greensight passed through their family lines - one of which is the Casterlys, and therefore potentially the Lannisters. Indeed, his ancestor Tyrek Lannister turned out to have it, as does Gerion Lannister and his son Allarion, and Tyrion is starting to find his dreams a little more vivid than he's used to. Later, while beyond The Wall, its revealed that Jaime (utter Agent Scully that he has been for most of the story) also has has the gift and his Green Dreams might actually be even more powerful than Tyrion's ironically enough.
Survival Mantra: In the Overlook, Benjen finds a book filled with the same quote written over and over again: "Name Rickon Stark. Hands cold. Coldhands." Over time, that quote eventually evolved as its writer's mind adapted, until it became: "My name is Rickon Stark. My hands are cold, but my heart is still mine."
Suspiciously Specific Denial: Sarella Sand stresses in her thoughts that she does not care at all whether Allarion Lannister is looking at her or not.
Swiss-Army Appendage: Loros, the Dothraki who speaks with Jorah, has an artificial hand with many implements. It was originally a Hook Hand.
Sword Sparks: Euron Greyjoy's shadowy blades emit black sparks every time they clash with the Fist of Winter and Otherbane.
Sympathy for the Devil: In his endeavour to let go of his hate of the Targaryens, Robert, with the help of the Green Man, travels back in time to a vision of Rhaegar the night before his final battle. After understanding how Rhaegar's blind pursuit of prophecy has led to ruin, Robert appears to him as an Ominous Message from the Future, informs him of the consequences of his folly, and tells him that he will die tomorrow at his past self's hand, with Rhaegar's last request for Robert asking him to save the realm. When Robert returns to the present, all he can do is cry for his tragic nemesis.

Tampering with Food and Drink: Varys poisons Jon Connington and Young Griff with a concentrated dose of Slumberberries in their stew.
Take Up My Sword: When Harras Harlaw falls against the Others, Jon manages to retrieve his Valyrian steel sword Nightfall and throw it to Rodrik Harlaw, who proceeds to avenge his nephew.
Tap on the Head:
- Played straight with Daenerys when she is knocked out by her brother; she wakes up with a headache but is fully capable of escaping if she wasn't Bound and Gagged after. Illyrio also takes a piece of pottery to the head, but recovers quickly.
- Subverted with Jon Arryn. Despite living through his wife's stabbing, he is put into a coma from a kick to the head, and stays there for quite some time after.
  - Grand Maester Pycelle, while treating Arryn, specifically points out to Robert just how dangerous and unpredictable blows to the head can be. He mentions two nobles that took blows to the head during the Battle of the Trident; one seemed to shrug it off only to drop dead during the victory party, while the other was put into a coma but woke up two weeks later.
- Also subverted with Sandor Clegane. He is knocked out with a bottle by a drunken Joffrey who then goes after Robb, and when he appears shortly after, he is staggering, bloody-headed, and still spitting mad.
Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Virtually the only reason the people south of the Wall are allying with the Wildlings is because the alternative is outright extermination for the latter and a horde of undead Wildling wights bearing down on them for the former.
Terrible Trio: A mild example and a popular nickname for the three boys now growing up at Winterfell - Brandon Stark, Robert Arryn and Edric Storm. After Ned Umber arrives and befriends the group, they become refered to as the Fearsome Foursome and the Terrible Foursome.
That Came Out Wrong: Arya gives us this gem upon asked what does she plan to do once she awakens and controls her latent Warg abilities:
Arya: I could warg into [Nymeria]! And then I could bite Sansa in the arse!
(Beat, as Arya realizes what she just said)
Arya: That sounded wrong, didn't it?
Tyrion: Very likely.
That Liar Lies:
- Jon Arryn rebutting Janos Slynt's frantic denials of corruption.
- Jonos Bracken announcing his identity to the men who were sent to burn down Raventree Hall, and that they are most certainly not sent by him.
That Was Not a Dream: Ned realizes that the dream of Ashara Dayne sleeping with him while he was drunk, drugged, exhausted and grieving from the events of the Tower of Joy wasn't just a dream - not when he has a letter from Alster Dayne confirming everything and his apparent bastard son Edric Dayne standing in front of him.
Theory Tunnel Vision: The Green Man relates the time when Rhaegar Targaryen came to the Isle of Faces (sometime before Harrenhal), wanting the seer to confirm his theory about the prophecies he is trying to follow. Instead, the Green Man, recognizing that Rhaegar could not be convinced otherwise, merely gave him an ominous warning and sent him on his way.
There Is Another: Between mercenary companies like the Company of the Rose and the Golden Company, there are members of houses that were long thought endangered or extinct in Westeros, such as the Dustins, Ryders and Mudds.
- Turns out that this is the exact reason the Company of the Rose was founded in the first place: when Torrhen Stark was told of the Targaryens' eventual downfall, he sent members of all the Northern houses abroad to form the Company, so that in the event of a Northern house dying out in Westeros, there would still be other members to keep that house alive.
There Is No Kill Like Overkill:
- What Viserys intends to do once his fake dragon egg hatches.
"I shall call him Balerion the Greater Black Dread, because he will be greater and more dreadful than the dragon flown by our ancestors. And when he has hatched and grown enough I shall fly him on black wings. First to Storm's End and burn out the fortress of the Usurper. And then on to Casterly Rock, to find and eat the traitor Lannister. The Eyrie next, to snuff out the Arryns and then the hovel that is Winterfell, killing all the barbarian Starks. Only then shall I fly on wings of vengeance to King's Landing- and then I'll hunt the Usurper through the halls of our ancestors and find him and have Balerion the Greater Black Dread eat him!"
- When the people of Winterfell find out that the Mountain was possessed by dark magic, they go to extra lengths to make sure that all traces of him are properly burned, going so far as to soak up the spilled blood with sawdust and throwing the sawdust on the pyre as well.
This Cannot Be!:
- The High Sparrow's reaction when one of the people confronting his crusade reveals himself as the Green Man.
- Craster's reaction when the Night's Watch brothers tell him they have just killed an Other - the one he had just tried to sacrifice his latest son to.
- Walder Frey's reaction when the Green Man presents the token to cross the Twins, and then again when he reveals himself as Ser Duncan the Tall.
- While Tywin doesn't let her verbalize it, Cersei is horrified to learn that now, with her and Jaime's affair and her children's true parentage exposed, resulting in Jaime and Joffrey being exiled to the Wall and Tommen choosing to become a Maester, Tyrion is the new heir to the Lannister family.
This Is Gonna Suck:
- Tyrion's increased reaction when supernatural signs, including a message from the Old Gods themselves through Jon Snow and a letter left by a Lannister ancestor specifically addressed to him, constantly urge him to go to the Night Fort, which he finds terrifying.
Tyrion: This all makes it sound dreadfully obvious that very thick underwear and lots of furs lie in my immediate future.
- When Duncan the Tall helped Rhaella deliver Prince Rhaegar at the Tragedy of Summerhall, he took one look at the infant and knew that life would not be kind to the little prince.
- All members of House Lannister with at least half a brain in their head feel this way once Jaime and Cersei's affair is exposed for the whole realm to see, realising what it means for their family's reputation and future.
- Robert Baratheon and Oberyn Martell when Gerold Dayne arrives from the Nightfort and declares that Dawn should be his because Edric is a bastard.
Thousand-Yard Stare: Even though Robb is back in his younger body, he still has the countless experiences of a hardened veteran from the old timeline. Many people have commented that his eyes are older than his face, and has had the experiences of a soldier that has killed.
Throwing Off the Disability: By means of the Old Gods' Divine Intervention:
- When Willas Tyrell found the Gardener's Rest inside Highgarden, his lamed, crooked leg is miraculously straightened out.
- When the blind Maester Aemon talks to the Old Gods via a proxy, they restore his sight for his devotion to the truth.
Throw the Dog a Bone:
- On Ned's first visit to Castle Black, he notices a woman Wildling and her children entering the castle and notes that the father is nowhere to be seen. Several chapters later, Jaime sees a limping Wildling enter the castle and is tearfully reunited with his family.
- A lot of things have gone pretty well for Sandor "the Hound" Clegane lately. Even if getting his burn scars healed by the Green Man was more confusing than not, he also finally was rid of Joffrey, got the chance to kill his hated brother, and found a maid that is more than eager to get into bed with him.
- Robb's return to the past unsurprisingly causes many a great thing for the Starks. Ned has lived past the point of his canon death, Jon has been legitimized, Catelyn no longer holds a grudge against Jon and seeks to repair their relationship. Sansa is happily betrothed to Domeric Bolton, who is the opposite of his father in any ways. Arya doesn't need to be on the run due to Winterfell staying intact and all the Starks, including Ned, have direwolves of their own with none of them dying this time.
- Tyrion's trip to Winterfell also did wonders for his future as his rescue of Dacey Surestone caused them to fall in love and marry due to being Birds of a Feather by virtue of having a mutual interest in books, having earned the approval of the Starks for his valor in assisting them against the Others and most of all, being the heir to Casterley Rock and earning Tywin's approval in his marriage, even receiving his praise if begrudgingly.
Thunderbolt Iron: There are several weapons of the First Men around Westeros, made of metal extracted from different meteorites, with a number of... interesting qualities.
Time-Travel Tense Trouble: Robb runs into this when he reveals every Stark child will have a direwolf of their own.
Robb: Mine is Grey Wind. Will be Grey Wind. This is confusing.
Token Good Teammate: Relatively speaking, this is Rodrik Harlaw's opinion on Victarion Greyjoy, compared to his brothers, considering Balon an idiot, Aeron a religious lunatic, and Euron a "twisted creature".
Too Clever by Half: Littlefinger, used to conspiring against nobles who are blind to his stratagems, gets tripped at the worst moment by veteran Street Smart Bronn.
Too Dumb to Live:
- The Septon at Storm's End saw fit to insult the North to the face of King Robert, whose best friend and lost love both came from the North. Then, after being told not to destroy the weirwood sapling, he proceeds to try and do just that and is stopped, quite violently, by his sovereign.
- One of Asha Greyjoy's men thought he was better with a knife than the others, that he was more religious than the others, and that he could lecture them on taking orders from a woman. As explained by Asha's second, he died of stupidity.
- Damphair's men sent to attack Harlaw attempt to use Ironborn tactics. On Ironborn. Naturally, Damphair's men didn't realize how foolish it was.
- Gerion Lannister recounts an encounter with a Volantene whose captain laughed at his trying to map a safe way through the Smoking Sea and said he'd find Valryia first. Said Volantene's smoking wreckage was sighted some time after.
- Jaime and Cersei still decide to have sex in the Broken Tower, even though it is obvious that there's more traffic going around it. Granted, they couldn't have expected that Ned Stark had deliberately set it up as a trap, but still.
- Septon Alyston of the Starry Sept. When he decided to go and "cleanse" the otherworldly gate beneath the Hightower, he ended up dying of fright and his body used as a proxy that could have opened the gate, had Willas not stopped him. Leyton Hightower, who allowed him to do so after a lot of badgering on Alyston's part, even said that he fully expected that Alyston would try and get close to it and then flee in fear like all the rest, not that his piety would walk him straight to his doom.
  - Perhaps more tragically, Mace Tyrell, in a foolish attempt to regain his prestige, supported Septon Alyston in his foray, got too close to the entity behind the gate, and finally passed away hours later, though not before accepting the folly of his pride.
- In the aftermath of being disinherited and named a bastard, Joffrey gets drunk and decides to attack Robb, thinking that killing him will somehow return him to his position as Prince, but not before knocking out Sandor Clegane with a bottle.
- Varys says as much about the Pentoshi Magisters after their intentions to use Daenerys's dragons against Braavos got to the point that the Braavosi decided to make a preemptive strike against the city, causing Varys to help Daenerys and her dragons escape. He says that once the Magisters find their so-called weapons gone, they would surrender if they were sensible and fight if they were stupid.
  Varys: (seeing Pentos burning in the distance) Ah. They were stupid then.
- Lord Derkin, the more snobbish of Bronn's new neighbors as Lord of Foxhold. A Call-denier despite hearing it first-hand, he foolishly prodded a traveling wight's head to prove it was fake and it bit his finger off, and the wound got infected since he didn't clean it and had sent his own Maester away for believing in the Call. Short while later, he's deceased.
- Gerold Dayne, the Darkstar, dismissed all of his family legends surrounding their Ancestral Weapon Dawn as grumpkin and snark tales, only seeing the weapon as a symbol for prestige. When his cousin Edric Dayne lets him try to hold the sword and submit himself to its judgment, Gerold doesn't listen to his warning, grabs Dawn, and dies screaming as it burns him alive.
Too Good for This Sinful Earth: The late Lord Torgen Surestone. Not a single person who ever met him has anything to say about him except for praise, not even Roose Bolton or Tywin Lannister. Too bad idiot lordling Ser Willem Bootle killed him and tried to steal his legacy.
Tragic Keepsake:
- Maester Aemon has two: Bloodraven entrusted him with Dark Sister before leaving Beyond the Wall, and his dragon egg, which he hadn't looked at since the Tragedy of Summerhall. He entrusts both to Jon Snow in Chapter 99.
- Renly has his father's signet ring, which he received before his parents' ill-fated voyage to Essos to find a wife for Rhaegar. He wears it on a chain around his neck.
Training Montage: After the Call shakes him out of his dudgeon, almost every subsequent segment involving Robert Baratheon involves him either taking his kingly duties more seriously or sweating every ounce of fat off him, be it by sparring with others or his new favorite exercise of walking laps with a huge log on his shoulders. Even on the ship from King's Landing to White Harbour, he spends it challenging the bosun to climbing races up and down the rigging.
Tranquil Fury: Tywin's entire state of mind as he spells out to Cersei, who has been caught being intimate with her twin brother, how utterly disastrous her actions have been for their family. The only thing leashing his rage is his firm grip on the dagger he has embedded in the table between them.
Troubling Unchildlike Behaviour: One of the big reasons Tywin is able to believe the reports that Cersei and Jaime were caught fornicating, is that Joanna had caught them being intimate and had demanded that Cersei be moved to a room on the other side of Casterly Rock before Tyrion was born, at age 7.

U - V

Ultimate Blacksmith:
- This seems to be what Gendry is destined to become, after the Green Man entrusts him (and only him) to be the one to replace a set of runic armor, and rediscover the Secret Art of the Vale's runic magic. By Chapter 159, he works out the secret and creates a pair of runic bracers for King Robert.
- Bran the Builder is a partial example; though he wasn't seen personally crafting and forging the First Men Ancestral Weapons, he was seen in a vision enchanting Dawn with magic and then giving it to his brother Idris Dayne.
The Unapologetic: Tywin Lannister is perfectly capable of admitting his mistakes, but not as capable of accepting responsibility for them.
- Even as he congratulates Tyrion for all the work he has done in the North, finally recognizing him as the heir to Casterly Rock, and accuses Cersei for slandering Tyrion, he never apologizes to Tyrion for treating him badly or for what he did to Tysha, nor does he acknowledge his own bias against Tyrion (for the death of his wife Joanna in childbirth).
- Even as he chews out Cersei for committing treason by fornicating with her own brother and staining the entire Lannister legacy, he never acknowledges his own harsh parenting towards her nor his decision to marry her off to a philandering, boorish drunkard of a king, which may have played a factor to do what she did.
- Even as he acknowledges his error in exterminating the Reynes and Tarbecks and painting his own house as a ruthless terror in the process, he chalks his error up to youth, only learning that power is more than just force, and never considers that slaughtering two noble families right down to the last child is wrong.
Underestimating Badassery: Jaime goes into his first practice sword-fight with Robert thinking it will be easy. He is very, very wrong.
Undignified Death:
- Janos Slynt being dragged to his execution, on account of him soiling himself in both manners. Also one of his lieutenants who is a blubbering, embarrassing mess when executed. Robert lampshades this for the former:
  "Gods man, can't you even die in a clean fashion?"
- Walder Frey may have died in his bed, but it started when he first laid eyes on the head of a wight, which caused him to piss himself and suffer a deadly stroke.
Undying Loyalty:
- Quill, one of Jon Arryn's men, towards the Lord of the Eyrie himself. When Robert notices him vainly fending off sleep to guard a comatose Lord Arryn, he muses that loyalty like that has a different cost, as men like that will discard their own health without thinking for their lord.
- The North in general to Eddard Stark, particularly now that it is obvious that it will fall upon him the task of leading Westeros in the fight against the Others.
Unfortunate Names: Bronn thinks this about Haster, the maester of Foxhold.
Ungrateful Bastard: It rankles Stannis that Renly chose to attempt to have himself crowned in the original timeline, ignoring him as his elder brother and their shared experience in the siege of Storm's End.
Unskilled, but Strong: Mance's rival Torgett is clearly a powerful wildling since he uses a great axe as his weapon. Unfortunately his big weapon means he's a lot slower than Mance, who cuts him several times and guts him.
The Un-Smile: Jon Arryn describes Stannis' smile as looking like a death-rictus. It's so frightening that it causes Janos Slynt to soil himself.
Unspoken Plan Guarantee: The only mention of Ned's scheme to catch the Lannister twins and fix the King's Great Matter are oblique mentions about the Broken Tower being repaired. Come Chapter 116, and we see that those repairs include setting up the seemingly perfect location for a secret rendezvous, and secretly fixing up the surroundings such that a group of men can approach without the occupants hearing.
Unstoppable Rage:
- Ser Barristan Selmy nearly throttles Jaime Lannister to death after catching him and Cersei in the act.
- Everyone fearing that this will be Robert's reaction is the main reason they have to be extremely careful when dealing with his Great Matter (i.e. the fact that he'd been cuckolded and that he has no trueborn children), as it could lead to him killing both Lannister twins (and possibly their children) and a very-much-unwanted civil war from their father Tywin. Ultimately, it's subverted; by the time Robert is informed, he's undergone enough Character Development that he manages to keep his temper, allowing Ned and the others to reason with him.
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: According to Ser Duncan the Tall, the tragedy of Summerhall was caused by an over-helpful pyromancer who, in his eagerness to help his king in the ritual to try and rebirth dragons, made wildfire that was too strong and caused the whole thing to go terribly awry.
- Summerhall hits on multiple levels: Varys was assigned to investigate Summerhall, but because of the length of time that had passed and his unfamiliarity with pyromancy, all he could report to Aerys was that what should have been a routine procedure to make wildfire went wrong. This fed into Aerys' paranoia, and Varys fears that his report was a tipping point in Aerys becoming the Mad King who saw plots everywhere.
Verbal Backspace: Pycelle doesn't like the fact Jon Arryn has elevated Bronn, a sellsword, to nobility, and begins expounding on the topic. However, Jon then mentions it was Bronn who found Baelish, his books, his secret books, and was key in his execution, and Pycelle immediately changes his mind, welcoming a bit of fresh blood.
Villainous Breakdown:
- Seeing the head of Petyr Baelish on a spike is the last straw for Lysa Arryn, and her next action is the attack on her husband Jon.
  - And then she has another one when Bronn tells her, in captivity, that she failed and that Jon Arryn is still alive, meaning she's effectively powerless and alone.
- Let's just say that Viserys does not take being told his dragon egg is a fake well.
- The High Sparrow after the Old Gods blind him. See Go Mad from the Revelation above.
- Craster completely loses it when he hears that his son that was to be sacrificed to the Others was rescued and an Other killed.
- For a value of "villain": sick of Robb and everyone else judging him for being both The Kingslayer and The Oath-Breaker, Jaime snaps and goes into a Motive Rant about why he broke his oath - for doing otherwise would leave a madman to send an entire city up in flames.
- Cersei undergoes a slow breakdown after she is discovered fornicating with Jaime, divorced, and sentenced to exile on a remote isle. By the time Tyrion comes in to announce her fate, she is convinced (due to Maggy the Frog's prophecy) that he has come to kill her and demands he stop sounding like Tywin.
- Rhaegar Targaryen, already buckling under the weight of his folly after his attempts to follow the prophecy of ice and fire threw the realm into war, breaks down in tears when the Robert Baratheon of the future appears to him and tells him that Lyanna had died at the Tower of Joy. After that, however, he agrees to the price that has to be paid and prepares to meet his death the next day.
Villainous BSoD:
- After her infidelity is exposed, Cersei refuses to accept her divorce from Robert nor the proof that her children are all bastards to the crown, taunting that Joffrey will be king and goading Robert to strike her. But when Robert actually keeps his temper and recognizes her Wounded Gazelle Gambit for what it is, it leaves her speechless.
- For a value of "villain": Jaime is left in shock when he realizes that, in his attempts to save King's Landing from Aerys and his wildfire, he left the city still sitting on a very big, very active, very unstable powderkeg.
Villain Respect: Tywin finds himself very much approving of Jon Arryn's method of execution for Littlefinger, namely by suckering him into wearing as much heavy armour as possible before dropping him through a trapdoor into Blackwater Bay. He even Lampshades it by admitting that he didn't think the oh-so honourable and just Lord of the Vale had it in him to be so creative.
Villain Team-Up: It's been implied several times that the Drowned God has allied with the Others. Whether this is true or not, we do later find out that Euron has his own alliance of convenience with them and that Euron intends to exploit it for his own ends.
Villain Teleportation: Chapter 158 reveals that Euron Greyjoy has picked this power up from his time in Valyria, using it to escape Pyke after killing Aeron and Balon Greyjoy. He's also the only character with this ability so far.
Villainous Valour: For a given term of "villain": despite being outnumbered 7-to-3 and wielding a sword that rejected him and was throwing him off, Arthur Dayne fought his hardest against Ned Stark and his companions.

W - Z

Wacky Cravings: In Chapter 185, Garlan Tyrell bemusedly comments that his pregnant wife Leonette is craving anchovies and blue cheese, eaten together. His mother Alerie and grandmother Olenna share their own pregnancy cravings (pickled onions and sardines respectively).
Weirdness Magnet: Bronn often makes jokes that "trouble tends to seek him out and tweak his nose for a dare". Indeed, ever since being hired by Jon Arryn, he has captured Petyr Baelish, become the Lord of Foxhold, intercepted Lysa Arryn after she tried to kill her husband, discovered proof of the Queen's treachery, and found the Shield of the Riverlands in the Foxhold's crypts.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: Rhaegar Targaryen. In taking and then raping Lyanna Stark, he thought he would be fulfilling the prophecy of the Prince Who Was Promised, unite the Realm, and save Westeros. As one flashback reveals, he becomes acutely aware of the horrific nature of his actions and accepts their price.
We Need to Get Proof: The whole purpose of Benjen Stark's foray beyond the Wall: to acquire proof that the Others and the wights are real.
- No matter how feared and respected he is, Tywin knows that he needs evidence of the Others first before he can call his banners, as many of his nobles either didn't hear the Call or else heard it but now claim it was a trick. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, after all.
We Used to Be Friends:
- Jorah Mormont was knighted by Robert Baratheon, and close to the Manderlys before his attempted slaving and his escape to Essos. When he finally returns with his pardon, the Manderlys keep a polite but firm distance from him, and Robert flatly asks him if Lynesse was worth everything that he had done.
- Alek and Rodrik Harlaw used to work together before the Greyjoy Rebellion. Because of this former friendship, Rodrik agrees to give Alek a Mercy Kill when the latter tries to attack Harlaw.
What Could Have Been: Tywin points this out In-Universe in regards to Myrcella's former prospects as a princess.
What Were You Thinking?: Many of Jorah Mormont's friends and family ask this of him upon his return to Westeros, regarding his marriage to Lynesse Hightower and his slave-selling to keep her lifestyle up.
Wham Episode: Seriously, this fanfic is so full of them that it has its own page.
Wham Line: Chapter 23. The Others come. The Stark calls for aid. You are needed. They also act as this In-Universe.
- Chapter 45. "My champion," Arryn said with a savage smile. "The sea."
Who's Laughing Now?: As word spreads of Jaime and Cersei's incest, the other Lannisters know that overnight, they will be the laughingstock of Westeros with their various enemies mocking them.
- Tywin openly imagines that, somewhere in the various Hells, Aerys Targaryen is looking up and laughing at him.
- As Cersei is dragged off to her exile, she sees the Hound and screechingly commands him to rescue her. All Clegane does is laugh in her face and call her "the Queen of Nothing".
Why Are You Not My Son?: After Gendry helps him in Chapter 107, Tommen is heard whispering "Why couldn't he be my brother?"
Wicked Stepmother: Cersei is this per canon, but more directly to Gendry as it's indicated that she's had caltrops placed in his horse's saddle.
Wise Beyond Their Years: Shireen, as per canon. For example, upon meeting her bastard cousin Gendry, she tells Maester Cressen that she does not care about what her mother may say, and takes charge of showing Gendry around Dragonstone.
Women Are Wiser: Robert finds it amusing that, between his bastard children and the three kids he supposedly had with Cersei, it's the girls that are (or appear to be) smarter than the boys.
Worf Had the Flu:
- While it isn't established whether he would have been able to win otherwise, it's revealed that Dawn had rejected Ser Arthur Dayne by the time of the fight at the Tower of Joy. It's later shown that Dawn was actually burning Arthur Dayne's hand throughout the whole fight, right through his armor, and yet he still managed to fight off Ned Stark and his fellows, up until he wounded Ned with Dawn and could not hold the sword any longer.
- Similarly, it is unclear if Jamie Lannister could have defeated "the Demon of the Trident", but he certainly would have stood more of a chance if his opponent's sword didn't cause his own sword, shield, all replacement swords, and finally even armor to rust apart. Really, he didn't stand a chance like that.
Worthy Opponent: The Vale Clan leader that speaks with the Blackfish considers him such.
Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Cersei attempts to goad Robert into slapping her so she can paint herself as the victim after her incestuous relationship with Jaime is discovered. Robert sees through it, thankfully, but it's an extremely close call.
You All Share My Story: As of Chapter 109, many different groups have arrived/are converging on Winterfell, from the King's party (including Jaime, Cersei, their children, Stannis, Shireen, Gendry and Jorah Mormont) and the Company of the Rose (which includes members of long-thought-lost Northern houses), to the Hill Tribes of the Vale and the party returning from the Wall (including Ned, his sons and wards, Mance Rayder and some wildlings, the Magnar of the Thenns, Jeor Mormont, Tyrion and Gerion Lannister and a disguised Sarella Sand), with Robert Arryn, Edric Storm, Edric Dayne and Domeric Bolton already in attendance. And Randyll Tarly, Tywin Lannister, and an envoy from the Harlaw Ironborn rebels (including Asha Greyjoy) are all heading there as well for their own reasons. Suffice to say, things are going to get very crowded and very complicated.
You Are Better Than You Think You Are: After the truth of his siblings' relationship is revealed, Tyrion feels down in the dumps and thinks that with his family's reputation in ruins, he'd no longer be able to court Dacey Surestone. When he tries to be noble and tell her goodbye, she has none of it and tells him that he's not his siblings, he fought the Others beyond the Wall, he helped save her from being whored out, and that she is expecting a proposal from him soon. Later, Ned and Robb give him similar talks.
You Are in Command Now: Septon Greenstone gets put in charge of the Great Sept of Baelor after the previous High Septon is killed by a faction who denies the Call.
You Are Not Alone:
- Maester Aemon, who thought his only living relatives were on the other side of the Narrow Sea (Viserys and Daenerys), suddenly discovers that Jon Snow is his great-great-grand nephew (via Rhaegar Targaryen).
- King Robert delivers a Rousing Speech to this effect during the welcoming feast when he arrives to Winterfell.
  Robert: The North must know this - you are not alone. We will stand and fight with you. There is only one war ahead of us - the great war and it is here, now. We will fight on the Wall and beat back the Others. From now until the end of time, I pledge this here and now. We will fight and some will die, but we will win. Ours is the fury! Because Winter is coming!.
"You!" Exclamation: Tywin's reaction when he recognizes the Green Man as Ser Duncan the Tall, who gives the usual "Me" in response. Pretty justified since said Green Man was supposed to have died over half a century ago and was no spring chicken when he did.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness:
- A more pragmatic example than most. Varys recognizes that the advent of the Call and the upcoming war against the Others has upended all his plans for the future, but the Revenge Before Reason-driven Jon Connington would never be able to accept that, thus turning him and the fake Aegon from potential assets into liabilities that have to be removed from the game board. He at least makes their passing gentle.
- Bloodraven shows Jaime a flashback to Cersei murdering a Lannister guard after he killed a witness to her affair with Jaime.
You Killed My Father: Asha promises to kill Euron for killing her father Balon on his deathbed.
You Remind Me of X:
- After learning Jon Snow is related to him, Maester Aemon compares him to his beloved younger brother Egg (Aegon the Unlikely) because both of them are gentle-natured, compassionate youths.
- Barbrey Dustin notes that Brandon Dustin, a member of the Company of the Rose from Essos, has the same eyes, smile and handsome features as her late husband Willam Dustin, and her conflicting attraction and anguish at his face means that she can barely even look at him, and in fact chased him out when he tried to help with the problem at Barrowtown.
You Shall Not Pass!:
- Quoted by Robert, when he, in his recurring dream, keeps an Other and a wraith from taking Lyanna's spirit with a sword of light.
- With Euron Greyjoy about to reach the Hightower Gate and everyone who could stop him downed or worse, Samwell Tarly grabs Otherbane and plants himself in front of Euron, determined not to let him by.
- Ned declares this word for word when stopping the Drowned God from emerging out of the Gate.
You Were Trying Too Hard: Arya and warging. She had been trying to force it so much while awake - not that she knew how to do it - that she did not realize she was doing it while asleep.
You Wouldn't Believe Me If I Told You: Subverted. When Ned discusses the King's Great Matter with Stannis Baratheon, Stannis asks how he knows of it, and Ned replies with the trope quote because he found out via Robb's return to the past. Stannis makes clear that with everything he's seen so far, he would believe Ned if he told him.
Stannis: Lord Stark, the dead are marching on the Wall, led by the Others and my daughter has been healed by the Old Gods themselves. Now – what intelligence?
0% Approval Rating: With the exception of Lysa Arryn, everyone views Baelish with contempt and aren't surprised once the extent of his crimes are revealed.

Tropes S to Z

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