[SPOILERS] An interesting S3 Scene illustrates the false dichotomy between Robb/Tywin.

For the first 3 seasons Robb and Tywin are somewhat presented as opposites.
Robb is young, pure and just, spares the innocent, and his bannerman follow him out of respect.
Tywin is old, brutal, and harsh, many of his bannerman follow him out of fear.
But what led Tywin to become this way? Why is Robb not this way. [This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1uEdHna-ys) scene I believe illustrates Robb's first steps to **becoming Tywin**. The karstarks killed children yes, but more importantly *they disobeyed Robb's order*. The one who begs for mercy? **"Hang him last so he can watch" Robb says.** This is brutality that Tywin would nod and raise his cup to. Listen to the anger in Robb's voice and the rage in his eyes. Some of this is surely out of love for the dead, but this guy is angry at those who disobeyed him. How long until the stab him in his sleep?

Tywin is the way he is because in the harsh scarcity world of Ice and Fire, Brutal is often a synonym of Wise. Tywin has learned this through 35 years of ruling millions of men and women. Tywin has learned that brutality produces results, loyalty is good but when it doesn't work fear is all you have. Robb is only now starting to learn this, and he learned it too late.
I feel this scene illustrates that the primary difference between Tywin and Robb is experience. To quote Tywin himself "He is so young that he doesn't know enough to be afraid". If Robb had another 20 years of commanding millions of men and trying to balance their disdain for each other, he would be remember this moment, be paranoid of it happening again. He would be harsh, and firm, threatening, and stop the karstarks before the idea entered their head by any means necissary. Just like Tywin.

Submitted May 23, 2018 at 10:44PM by HEV_tux https://ift.tt/2J3vLXm