Robert Baratheon may have died in season one of Game of Thrones, but his short-lived screen time apparently meant more than we thought. Sure, he was the fat friend of Ned Stark who wouldn’t keep it in his pants and, who was pretending that his three children were actually his children and not Jamie Lannister’s – but, behind the bastard children and annoyingly dirty beard – Robbie B knew some things.
We brought up this speech from season one, episode five last week after we discovered Robbie knew that the Targaryens would be a threat to the Iron Throne – but, he had a whole different person in mind. He speaks of Viserys Targaryen, Dany’s brother who Khal Drogo melts with gold and kills, not knowing Dany would be the ultimate power and heir of the Targaryen empire.
But, what’s even more eye-opening in this speech is not just his belief on power and the Targaryens – but his storyline of how he believes things will go down.
Let’s say Viserys Targaryen lands with 40,000 Dothraki screamers at his back. We hole up in our castles. A wise move. Only a fool would meet the Dothraki in an open field. They leave us in our castles. They go from town to town, looting and burning, killing every man who can’t hide behind a stone wall, stealing all our crops and livestock, enslaving all our women and children. How long do the people of the Seven Kingdoms stand behind their absentee king, their cowardly king hiding behind high walls? When do the people decide that Viserys Targaryen is the rightful monarch after all?
While the Dothraki didn’t meet them on King’s Landing with 40,000 soldiers, they did meet the Lannister army in an open field and they did burn that sh*t down. They killed all the crops – thanks to Dany and her wild fire – and, most of their army.
So – basically – Robbie is calling Jamie a complete and utter fool for staying to fight and thinking he had any chance against the Dothraki. Now, granted, Jamie didn’t predict the Dothraki would come for them in an open field, but, he did stay and try and fight them. Plus which – who could have predicted dragons? I don’t think even Robbie did.
Plus – seeing Robbie call Jamie, the guy who’s f*cking his wife, a fool is quite satisfying – even seven seasons later.
Twitter, of course, had a field day calling Jamie Lannister out because – we love to shame, shame, shame.
https://twitter.com/CitadelInsider/status/894408145753309188
"Only a fool would meet the dothraki in an open field." @GameOfThrones #GameOfThrones #GoT
— Analfabeta (@Sikter_) August 7, 2017
Remember what Robert said?
"Only a fool would meet the Dorthraki in an open field."Jamie, you've always been a fool. #GameOfThrones
— klara 🖤 🏳🌈 (@klode_stark182) August 7, 2017
"Only a fool would meet The Dothraki in an open field" – Robert Baratheon #GameOfThrone
— Shira (@ShiraKost) August 7, 2017
Robert Baratheon once warned, "Only a fool would meet the Dothraki on an open field."
Having a 🐲 with them didn't hurt #GameOfThrones— Kris Lee (@kalike_lee) August 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/kingofsavages/status/894382382782046208
“Only a fool would meet the Dothraki in an open field” Robert Baratheon laughing at Jaime from the afterlife. #GameOfThrones
— Bastard of Flea Bottom (@ZombieBryce) August 7, 2017
Robert Baratheon did say only a fool would meet The Dothraki in an open field #GameOfThones
— a princess diana stan account (@seabethree) August 7, 2017
"Only a fool would ride out and meet the dothraki in open battle" wiser words were never spoken #GameofThrones
— Gem (@im__a__gem) August 7, 2017
Can't wait to watch episode 4 #GameOfThrones I hear it's action packed. Robert did say only a fool would meet the dothraki in an open field
— TGL (@Mrliks) August 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/jmielannistre/status/893912408342843393
@netw3rk How much of Rob Baratheon's "Only a fool would meet the dothraki on open field" was foreshadowing for these next few episodes?
— Michael Collins (@collo50) July 31, 2017
https://twitter.com/brombble/status/862729065429651456