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Nov 11, 2022 · ROBERT KING: Episode 8 was going to end with a 10-15 minute satire of an HBO behind-the-scenes segment, and it was going to be all musical. It was a funny concept …
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"Honor?! I've got Seven Kingdoms to rule! One king, Seven Kingdoms! Do you think honor keeps them in line? Do you think it's honor that's keeping the peace? It's fear! Fear and blood!"
―Robert Baratheon
King Robert I Baratheon was the seventeenth ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and the first king of the Baratheon dynasty.
Robert, a great warrior and charismatic man in his youth, took the throne through conquest in the war known as Robert's Rebellion, which began when the Prince of Dragonstone, Rhaegar Targaryen, allegedly abducted Robert's betrothed, Lyanna Stark. Killing Rhaegar at the Battle of the Trident, his climactic duel turned the tides of the war in his favor. After the war and following Lyanna's death, Robert married Cersei Lannister to cement an alliance with House Lannister to hold the kingdoms together, but he mistreated her and the marriage was loveless.
Background
Robert was the first son of Steffon Baratheon and Cassana Baratheon, and had two younger brothers, Renly and Stannis. His parents died in his youth when their ship was caught in a storm; Robert, standing on the walls of Storm's End with Stannis, witnessed his parents ship that was returning from Essos break up on the rocks. He inherited the lordship, and was fostered by Jon Arryn, the head of House Arryn, another Great House. Eddard Stark, the second son of House Stark, was also fostered by Jon Arryn and Robert and Eddard became as close as brothers. Robert served King Aerys II Targaryen (known as the Mad King) as the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. Robert was betrothed to Lyanna Stark, Eddard's sister. At the time of their betrothal, Robert beat Richard Lonmouth during the tourney at Harrenhal. However, Lyanna was allegedly kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen. The Mad King had Eddard's father and brother killed for protesting against the kidnapping. Their deaths sparked a massive uprising against Aerys led by Robert, Eddard and Jon Arryn. Lyanna and Aerys died during the civil war that followed. Robert claimed the Iron Throne because he started the war and killed Prince Rhaegar personally. Robert also had the best claim to the throne among the rebels, being of Targaryen descent through both his father (Steffon being the son of Rhaelle Targaryen) and mother. The other leaders of the rebels, Jon Arryn and Eddard Stark, believed that Robert, with his claim and charismatic personality, should be king and both stood aside. However, due to Tywin Lannister brutally sacking King's Landing and Gregor Clegane murdering Elia Martell and her two children with Rhaegar in cold blood, Robert and Eddard briefly fell out over the former's refusal to make Tywin and Gregor answer for their war crimes. Robert was devastated by Lyanna's death, but was urged by Jon Arryn to marry Cersei of House Lannister, making an alliance with her father Tywin Lannister, who had joined his cause late in the conflict and delivered the capital of King's Landing to him. He named Jon Arryn as his Hand while Eddard took his father's role as Warden of the North. Stannis fought for Robert through the war though the two brothers never loved each other. Robert tells Eddard Stark "You were the brother I chose." Despite Stannis's service during the war, Robert made Renly the Lord of Storm's End following his victory. Renly was only a child during the war, so he did not fight. Stannis was given Dragonstone and served on Robert's Small Council as Master of Ships. Renly later joined the Small Council as Master of Laws. Robert has been the King of the Andals and the First Men and the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros since the end of the civil war. However, he was more interested in drinking, whoring and hunting than ruling his kingdom. He revels in the glory days of the rebellion. He leaves running the kingdom largely to his Small Council, led by Jon Arryn. King Robert also loves to throw events such as tournaments at which he spares no expense. Unfortunately, after seventeen years Robert's excesses have left the realm deeply in debt for a shocking six million gold dragons, half to House Lannister. He apparently has three children with Cersei: Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen. Unbeknownst to Robert, all three were actually fathered by Cersei's twin brother Jaime. Robert has also fathered several illegitimate bastards, to whom he pays no attention. He has an unacknowledged bastard son named Gendry fathered on a tavern wench. He has an unacknowledged bastard daughter named Barra fathered on the prostitute Mhaegen. He has at least four other unacknowledged bastards fathered with various women in the city of King's Landing alone. Jon Arryn began investigating the lineage of Cersei's children, comparing their appearance to Robert's bastard offspring. He died under mysterious circumstances shortly after beginning his investigation. Robert has decided to ride north to Eddard's keep Winterfell to name him as Jon Arryn's replacement.
Game of Thrones: Season 1
The royal party arrives in Winterfell and Eddard presents his household to Robert. After initial greetings, Robert demands to see the crypts and pay his respects, stoking Cersei's impatience. In the crypts, Robert places a feather in the hand of a statue of Lyanna. He tells Eddard that in his dreams he kills Rhaegar every night anew, but Eddard replies that House Targaryen is destroyed. "Not all of them," Robert counters. Robert formally offers Eddard the role of Hand of the King, telling him that he needs someone to run the kingdom and revealing that he feared betrayal from within his court. Eddard asks for time to think about it. Robert agrees but offers a sweetener: the hand of his son Joffrey in marriage to Eddard's daughter Sansa. A great feast is held in honor of the king's visit to Winterfell. The next morning Eddard and Robert go hunting and Eddard accepts Robert's offer, with Robert stating that Ned is a loyal friend, the last one he's got. The parties depart Winterfell. Days later, on the Kingsroad south to the capital, Robert calls a halt to discuss some newly-arrived dire news with Eddard. Robert's spies have learned of Daenerys Targaryen's marriage to Khal Drogo whose khalasar is reported to number over one hundred thousand people. Eddard points out that the Dothraki cannot cross the Narrow Sea, as they have no ships, but Robert is concerned that the Seven Kingdoms will soon face another war. A curious Robert asks Eddard about Wylla, the alleged mother of his bastard son, Jon Snow, but Eddard refuses to talk about her. On the Kingsroad, the royal party reaches the Inn at the Crossroads, a noted stop on the way south to the capital. Joffrey was injured by Nymeria, a direwolf belonging to Ned's younger daughter Arya during the halt. Arya is brought before Robert and truthfully blames Joffrey for instigating the incident but Joffrey's falsified version of events is supported by Sansa. Robert appears to sense what is going on and becomes furious that a minor fracas has become a major incident with his wife and his new Hand accusing one another's children; he also appears to exhibit disdain towards Joffrey over the fact his son was beaten and disarmed by a girl several years his junior. He decides to let Ned discipline Arya whilst he will do the same to Joffrey, but to appease his Queen he agrees that a direwolf must be executed. When Nymeria cannot be found, Robert acquiesces to Cersei when she demands that Sansa's wolf Lady be killed instead, infuriating Ned, who carries out the deed himself. On his return to King's Landing Robert orders a tournament to celebrate Eddard's appointment as King's Hand. He avoids the Small Council meetings where discussion of the kingdom's mounting debts and the difficulty of paying for the tournament are raised. Robert swaps old war stories with Ser Barristan Selmy and Jaime, whilst also humiliating his 'useless' squire, Lancel Lannister. Robert enjoys the attentions of at least four women in his chambers. Jaime Lannister, left guarding his room outside, is (hypocritically) infuriated by the insult done to his sister by this, and vents about it to Jory Cassel. Robert learns that Daenerys is pregnant and orders that she and her brother Viserys Targaryen be assassinated. Eddard disagrees with the decision, and resigns as Hand, enraging Robert. Later, Cersei asks the King if it was wise to lose Eddard in this way and they, with surprising civility, discuss their marriage. Robert admits that he never loved her because of Lyanna, although she died so long ago that he can no longer remember her face. Cersei asks why Robert is so worried about the prospect of a Targaryen-aligned Dothraki army. Robert explains that should the Dothraki cross the Narrow Sea, the nobles can retreat to their castles, but the smallfolk would be slaughtered, and the nobles in the castles will starve while the Dothraki rove outside the gates. Robert's brother Renly reports that Robert is planning a big hunt and has asked Renly to accompany him, a prospect Renly dreads. Robert and Cersei visit Eddard as he recovers at the Tower of the Hand, from wounds sustained fighting Jaime and his guards. Cersei is furious with Eddard for having her brother Tyrion arrested and for fighting with Jaime, but Eddard is unrepentant. She wants Robert to take action against him, but Robert refuses to condemn him, without hearing Eddard's side, and tells her to be silent. When Cersei protests further, and calls Robert a woman, he hits her. She says that she will wear the bruise with honor. Robert tells her to be silent, or he will honor her again, and Cersei leaves in anger. Afterward, Robert restores Eddard to his position as King's Hand, and tells him not to resign again or he will give the position to Jaime. He tells Ned to end the animosity between House Stark and House Lannister, as strife between the two houses could lead them into war, and that he is leaving on a hunt in the Kingswood and wants the realm at peace by the time he returns. Robert goes hunting, taking Selmy, Lancel and Renly with him. Being supplied with wine by Lancel, Robert becomes drunk and nostalgic, and Renly becomes annoyed with Robert for glorifying the "good old days" and leaves the hunt to return to the castle. Robert is badly wounded whilst trying to kill a boar while hunting. He is taken back to the capital and on his deathbed tells Joffrey that he wishes he could have been a better father to him. After Robert commands everyone to leave, he names Ned as Lord Regent and Protector of the Realm. Eddard has learned that Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen are not Robert's children, but are instead the product of incest between Cersei and her twin brother Jaime, a fact he is unable to tell the dying Robert. Robert also asks him to cancel the attempt on Daenerys's life but it comes too late to stop it. After Robert's death, Cersei destroys the proclamation of Eddard as Regent and Protector of the Realm and has Eddard arrested. Renly also flees the city, after telling Eddard that he would make a better king than his and Robert's other brother (and the rightful heir), Stannis. Robert's death and Eddard's subsequent execution sparks the War of the Five Kings with both of his brothers, Joffrey, Balon Greyjoy, and Robb Stark each crowning themselves as kings.
Game of Thrones: Season 2
After learning the true parentage of Joffrey and his siblings, Stannis has his scribe Matthos Seaworth prepare a letter to be distributed to the Seven Kingdoms. As Matthos is reading a rough draft of this letter to Stannis, the latter orders the reference to Robert as his "beloved brother" be taken out since he and Robert never loved each other. When Joffrey hears the "rumors" about his parentage as well as the fact that Robert had other children, he realizes that his enemies may think that Robert's bastards have a better claim to the throne than he does. In response to this threat, he orders the City Watch of King's Landing to hunt down and kill all of the bastards. Under the leadership of Lord Commander Janos Slynt, the Watch carry out a city-wide massacre of Robert's bastards, including the infant Barra. The only bastard known to have escaped this slaughter was Gendry.
"Robert was neither mad or cruel, he simply had no interest in being king."
―Varys about King Robert Baratheon
Robert Baratheon, as a young man, possessed the typical talent for warfare and leadership as his brothers, as expected of Baratheon men, gentler than his brother, Stannis, and less intelligent than Renly. He was a charismatic and fearsome military commander and a formidable warrior, shown by his famous defeat of Rhaegar Targaryen on the Trident, pending the death of Aerys Targaryen. His command of his armies at Summerhall showed his strong ability to command and forge relationships with others through war and battle.
Robert was considered a very good man at heart, and he ultimately was, but people often couldn't see this because externally he appeared to be a brutal, heavy-drinking party animal. He had a fondness for strong drinks, women, tourneys, and extravagant parties, which he heavily immersed himself in after the end of his Rebellion against the Mad King- perhaps to drown his grief over having lost Lyanna. People often commented derogatorily that he was a drunken fool (which was true to an extent), and failed sometimes to see past his powerful temper. The death of Lyanna and no battles to fight left him with a profound loss of purpose, causing him to lose his fighting form and grow fat from the excess the crown provided him. He did however mention that the only reason he never abdicated the throne was because he never wanted Joffrey or Cersei to have control of the realm when he was gone, likely realizing his heir and wife would be more ruthless and just as incompetent as he was.
Admittedly, however, Robert proved to be a poor peacetime ruler; a soldier more than anything else, he understood nothing about administration nor cared to learn about it, and frequently ignored the sound advice his Small Council gave him. His behavior in "A Golden Crown" underscores his incompetence as a king: he should have used his authority to put an end to the mutual hostilities between the Starks and Lannisters, before the situation got out of control; instead, he just ordered Ned - not very firmly - to have Tyrion released and to make peace with Jaime, then left the capital for his entertainments. When the Greyjoys rebelled early on in his rule he actually showed brilliance in putting down the rebellion and was rather happy there were battles to fight and win rather than ruling. This indicates he likely would have made a very good Master of War rather than a king.
Robert's greatest strength lay in his ability to win himself allies after battle and his charismatic leadership. Stannis recounts that men who he had fought with during the day would often be drinking, feasting, and laughing with him the same evening. He did have a good sense of humor and took slights well openly on most occasions unless they were towards people he loved, and his temper was fearsome when roused - he resorted to striking Cersei across the face when she insulted his masculinity, but verbally regretted this in private. His charisma also made him loved by many women, and he was noted for his womanizing even while he was betrothed to Lyanna Stark. It was said Lyanna did not appreciate this nor did she expect him to change with marriage to her, which may have pushed her away from him to a degree. His charisma made him an excellent leader of soldiers, but betrayed his incompetence and lack of patience when it came to the actual necessity of detailed planning to rule the realm effectively.
Spoken by Robert
"You've got fat." ―Robert greeting Eddard Stark for the first time in nine years; Ned raises an eyebrow and nods at Robert's own massive gut, prompting the latter to burst out laughing. "I'm not trying to honor you. I'm trying to get you to run my kingdom while I eat, drink, and whore my way to an early grave." ―Robert to Eddard "There's a war coming, Ned. I don't know when, I don't know who we'll be fighting, but it's coming." ―King Robert to Eddard Stark, foreshadowing the War of the Five Kings (and possibly worse) in a moment of clarity. "Tell me what happened. Tell it all, and tell it true. It's a great crime to lie to a king." ―Robert questions Sansa Stark as to how his son Joffrey Baratheon was injured. Eddard Stark: "You're too fat for your armor." Robert Baratheon: "Fat? Fat, is it?! Is that how you speak to your King?!" — Eddard Stark to Robert Baratheon on his inability to wear his own armor. "Stop this madness in the name of your king!" ―Robert furiously ends the showdown between Sandor Clegane and his brother Gregor Robert Baratheon: "Backstabbing doesn't prepare you for a fight and that's all the realm is now: backstabbing and scheming and arse-licking and money-grubbing. Sometimes I don't know what holds it together." Cersei Lannister: "Our marriage?" — Cersei Lannister and Robert Baratheon Cersei Lannister: "What harm could Lyanna Stark's ghost do to either of us that we haven't done to each other a hundred times over?" Robert Baratheon: "You want to know the horrible truth? I can't even remember what she looked like. I only know she was the one thing I ever wanted. Someone took her away from me, and seven kingdoms couldn't fill the hole she left behind." — Robert tells Cersei about Lyanna. Cersei: "I shall wear this as a badge of honor." Robert: "Wear it in silence or I'll honor you again." — Cersei Lannister and Robert Baratheon "Killing things clears my head." ―Robert telling Eddard Stark he is going on a hunt. "I never loved my brothers. Sad thing for a man to admit, but it's true. You were the brother I chose." ―Robert Baratheon to Eddard Stark "Put on the badge, and if you ever take it off again, I swear to the Mother, I'll pin the damn thing on Jaime Lannister." ―Robert reinstates Eddard as his Hand. "I think you'd remember. Back in our day, you weren't a real man until you'd fucked one girl from each of the Seven Kingdoms and the Riverlands. We used to call it 'making the eight'." ―Robert to Renly Baratheon "I should have spent more time with you. Shown you how to be a man. I was never meant to be a father." ―King Robert to Joffrey Baratheon Robert Baratheon: "Give it to the council after I'm dead. At least they'll say I did this right, this one thing. You'll rule, now. You'll hate it worse than I did, but you'll do it well. The girl...Daenerys. You were right. Varys, Littlefinger, my brother, worthless. No one to tell me "no" but you. Only you. Let her live. Stop it, if it's not too late." Eddard Stark: "I will." Robert Baratheon: "And my son...help him, Ned. Make him better than me." — Robert's last conversation with Eddard. "King Robert Baratheon, murdered by a pig." ―Robert Baratheon
Spoken about Robert
Eddard Stark: "I will not believe Jon Arryn allowed Robert to bankrupt the Realm." Grand Master Pycelle: "Lord Arryn gave wise and prudent advice. But I fear His Grace doesn't always listen." Renly Baratheon: "Counting coppers, he calls it." — The Small Council discuss the adverse effects of King Robert's reckless spending. Barristan Selmy: "I hear the King wants to joust today." Eddard Stark: "Yes. That will never happen." Barristan Selmy: "Robert tends to do what he wants." Eddard Stark: "If the King got what he wanted all the time, we'd still be fighting a damned rebellion." — Exchange between Ser Barristan Selmy and Eddard Stark. Eddard Stark: "You've always hated him!" Cersei Lannister: "Hated him?! I worshiped him! Every girl in the Seven Kingdoms dreamed of him, but he was mine by oath. And when I finally saw him on our wedding day in the Sept of Baelor, lean and fierce and black-bearded, it was the happiest moment of my life. And that night, he crawled on top of me, stinking of wine, and did what he did what little he could do and whispered in my ear, "Lyanna." Your sister was a corpse, I was a living girl, and he loved her more than me!" — Cersei claims she once loved Robert. Matthos Seaworth: "And I declare on the honor of my House that my beloved brother Robert left..." Stannis Baratheon: "He wasn't my beloved brother. I didn't love him. He didn't love me." — Matthos Seaworth prepares a letter for Stannis Baratheon. "Tell me, was my brother's body even cold before you secured your newest patron?" ―Renly Baratheon Jorah Mormont: "I was very nearly the first man knighted to piss on the king's boots. Robert would have laughed." Barristan Selmy: "He was a good man, a great warrior. And a terrible king." — Ser Jorah Mormont and Ser Barristan Selmy discuss Robert. Tommen Baratheon: "What about strength?" Tywin Lannister: "Yes, strength. King Robert was strong; he won the rebellion and crushed the Targaryen dynasty. And he attended three Small Council meetings in seventeen years of ruling, and he spent his time whoring, hunting, and drinking until the last two killed him. So, we have a man who starves himself to death, a man who lets his own brother murder him, and a man who thinks winning and ruling are the same thing." — Tywin Lannister lectures Tommen Baratheon about the failings of past kings including his "father", King Robert. "I know you don't like him. I didn't like your husband. Used to pat me on the back a lot. I didn't trust him." ―Tywin and Cersei Lannister about Robert. "If Robert Baratheon had dared set foot in Dorne during his reign, he would have lost the foot, and it is not even him we blame for Elia." ―Oberyn Martell Lancel: "And of course there was the king...his boar hunt...his wine." Cersei Lannister: "I don't know what you're talking about." — Lancel and Cersei discuss Robert's death. "His sins do not pardon your own." ―High Sparrow to Cersei about Robert. "My sister married someone she loathed as well, though not by choice and certainly not for the greater good, gods forbid. She ended up having him killed." ―Tyrion to Daenerys about Cersei's marriage to Robert. "If Robert finds out, he'll kill him. You know he will. You have to protect him. Promise me, Ned. Promise me." ―A dying Lyanna Stark begs her brother to protect her son by Rhaegar Targaryen from Robert. "Robert was an improvement on your father to be sure. There have been few rulers in history as cruel as the Mad King. Robert was neither mad or cruel, he simply had no interest in being king." ―Varys explains why he chose to serve Robert Baratheon to Daenerys Targaryen.
Bastards
Robert Baratheon is rumored to have fathered over a dozen bastard children over the years. In her youth Cersei visited a woods witch who foretold that she would have three children (Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen), while Robert would have "twenty" (though it isn't clear if she meant exactly, or was using the number broadly). Those bastards who have been introduced in the TV series so far include: •Gendry - adolescent armorer's apprentice in King's Landing. Mother was a tavern wench. •{Barra} - infant in King's Landing. Mother was Mhaegen, a prostitute. Killed in Joffrey's purge. •Several other bastard children killed in Joffrey's purge, including a second infant, two brothers, and one child.
Nov 10, 2022 · That came together in the final episode. Robert King: When we were building the final episode in the writers’ room, we were worried about a tonal shift where there are suddenly guns going off...
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After returning to King's Landing with the knowledge of his true parentage, Gendry seems now to take some pride in his Baratheon blood, hating the Lannisters for killing his father Robert and immediately informing Jon Snow that he is Robert's bastard son, knowing his father and Jon's (adoptive) father were best friends.
• 9 yr. ago. neutraliser1. [S01E08 Spoilers] What happens in Season 1 Episode 8? Can anyone patch me on what happened in Episode 8 of Season One? I was left at the point where Joffrey has made himself King, after Robert's death, and Ned tries to fight him and fails.
May 21, 2019 · After all, he was the man tasked with arming Winterfell ahead of the epic war against the Night King and his White Walker army in Episode 4 of Season 8, " The Long Night ." Once all was said and ...
May 28, 2020 · We had shot four days into Episode 8 when the plug got pulled. It wasn’t enough material to do a [complete] Episode 8, but what we did have was the [footage of] Julius Kane getting...
