Red Wedding Betrayal

The Red Wedding is the name given to the shocking massacre of the Starks at the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey in the ninth episode of season three of Game of Thrones. The event was orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge for Robb Stark breaking a marriage pact he had made with House Frey.

Lord Frey, with the help of Roose Bolton and Tywin Lannister, slaughtered Robb Stark, his pregnant wife Talisa, Robb's mother Catelyn, and most of his soldiers.

Robb Stark's death

By *Game of Thrones* season 3, Robb has spent over one and a half seasons below the Neck. The Kings in the War of the Five Kings have died, been beaten, or like Robb have experienced a number of setbacks. His mother releases Jaime much to his bannermen’s dismay, he executes the head of House Karstark for insubordination, and he dishonors the Freys by breaking his marriage pact and eloping with Talisa Maegyr. Seeing the war effort lost, the Freys and Robb’s bannermen, the Boltons, throw a wedding party for Edmure Tully, and it’s there they exact their coup, with the grisly murders giving it the name the Red Wedding.

Before the Red Wedding, Robb pleads for forgiveness from Walder Frey in order to retain his honour after breaking his pact. It appears that Walder has forgiven him and all is well when Edmure Tully agrees to marry the old man's daughter. After Ned Stark’s death in *Game of Thrones* season 1, Robb rises to the fore as the new main character of the Stark family. It would appear that despite his mistake, he and his family are safe now, and he has both the support of the Freys and the North, as well as a blessed marriage to Talisa, whom he loves. It’s a fairytale ending.

Unfortunately, *Game of Thrones* does not do fairytale endings. The Red Wedding begins with the stabbing of Talisa, an act so shocking that Robb freezes and is shot multiple times by crossbow fire. He finally dies after Roose Bolton stabs him in the stomach, betrayed by his own bannermen. The ramifications of Robb’s death are spread throughout Westeros. The Lannisters are finally able to win the war they started, the War of the Five Kings after the two most powerful leaders are removed. This death fractures the Stark family to a catastrophic degree as their one hope for safety and vengeance is killed.

Talisa Stark's death

Talisa Stark, formerly Talisa Maegyr, was the wife of Robb Stark, the King in the North. She was born in the Free City of Volantis and trained as a healer. She met Robb on the battlefield of the Westerlands, where she tended to a wounded Lannister soldier. Robb aided her by holding the man down and giving him a gag to bite on.

Talisa and Robb fell in love and were married in secret before a septon. Robb's mother, Catelyn, was initially wary of Talisa, reminding Robb that he was "not free to love where he will". However, Talisa eventually won Catelyn over, and the two women bonded over their shared experience of motherhood. Talisa was pregnant with Robb's child when they travelled to the Twins for the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey.

At the wedding, Talisa was stabbed repeatedly in the abdomen by Lothar Frey, on the orders of Lord Walder Frey, as revenge for Robb breaking his marriage pact with House Frey. Talisa's unborn child was killed instantly, and she herself quickly succumbed to her wounds. Robb, wounded with several crossbow bolts, crawled towards Talisa and embraced her, devastated over the loss of his beloved wife and child.

Catelyn Stark's death

Catelyn Stark, wife of Eddard Stark and mother of Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon, was among those killed at the Red Wedding. The Red Wedding was a massacre that took place during the War of the Five Kings, arranged by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey.

During the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, Robb Stark and his bannermen were massacred. Catelyn, who had taken refuge under a table, noticed that Walder Frey's eighth wife, Joyeuse Frey, was hiding under Walder's table and rushed forward, dragging her out and putting a table knife to her throat. She offered Walder Frey her life in exchange for Robb's, but he refused. Robb was then killed by Roose Bolton, who thrust a dagger through his heart.

Catelyn, driven mad with grief, then slit Joyeuse's throat. She was then herself killed by "Black" Walder Rivers, who cut her throat. Catelyn's corpse was then flung naked from the battlements of the Twins into the river, in mockery of the traditional House Tully funeral customs.

Edmure Tully's capture

Edmure Tully is the Lord of Riverrun and Lord Paramount of the Trident. He is the son and heir of the late Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun and the younger brother of Catelyn and Lysa. Edmure is a knight and the heir of House Tully of Riverrun, the liege lords of the riverlands.

Edmure is first mentioned in a conversation between Robb and Rickard Karstark. Rickard states that the march to Hoster's funeral is a distraction, but Robb tells him that Edmure has his forces garrisoned there. Edmure is also present at the funeral of his father, per the custom of House Tully, in which the departed is placed on a funeral boat and set on flames with a flaming arrow. Edmure fails at hitting the boat three times in a row. Just as the boat is about to disappear around a bend in the river, Edmure's uncle Brynden pushes his nephew out of the way and skillfully makes the shot.

After the funeral, Brynden chides Edmure for attacking Stone Mill. Edmure proudly asserts that his "blunder" sent Gregor Clegane scurrying back to Casterly Rock with his tail between his legs. Edmure tells Robb that they took hostages, including Martyn and Willem Lannister, but Robb knows that Tywin would not care as they are not his immediate family. Edmure apologises for his mistakes, but subtly tells Robb that it would not have happened had he known of his plan from the beginning.

Edmure is pressured by Robb, Brynden and Catelyn to take Robb's place in his previously arranged marriage to one of Lord Frey's daughters. Edmure initially refuses, stating that no man can compel another man to marry. Edmure eventually agrees to marry Roslin Frey.

Upon arriving at the Twins, Edmure nervously eyes Walder Frey's brood, trying to figure out which of the unattractive bunch is to be his wife. At the ceremony, Walder lifts Roslin's veil, revealing her to be a beauty, much to Edmure's relief. At the wedding feast, Edmure enjoys himself immensely and, when Walder and Robb call for the bedding ceremony, eagerly allows himself to be led away. It is only after his departure that the Red Wedding begins. Edmure is taken prisoner and remains a hostage of Lord Frey, who remarks to Lord Roose Bolton that Edmure spent his wedding night in a dungeon.

Edmure is still a captive at the Twins when Brynden raises what remains of the Tully army and retakes Riverrun. When Walder Frey learns of this, he summons Edmure into the main hall. The disheveled Edmure is brought up from the dungeons in chains, and Lord Walder orders Lothar Frey and Walder Rivers to use him in taking back Riverrun. Edmure stands beside Lothar Frey and Walder Rivers with a noose around his neck. They threaten to hang him if Brynden doesn't surrender Riverrun, but Brynden calls their bluff and dares them to do it. Edmure is later threatened by Jaime Lannister, who tells him that if he declines his offer, he will bring his infant son to the siege and hurl him at the castle walls with a catapult. Edmure reluctantly agrees to his terms.

Edmure is taken prisoner by the Freys and remains a hostage. He is in a cell in the Freys' dungeon for years since the massacre.

Brynden Tully's escape

Ser Brynden Tully, also known as the Blackfish, was a knight and member of House Tully. He was the younger brother of Lord Hoster Tully and the uncle of Catelyn, Lysa, and Edmure Tully.

Brynden was present at the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, which became known as the Red Wedding. However, he fortuitously escaped the massacre that followed.

Before the massacre began in the main hall, Brynden excused himself to relieve himself outside. He then fought his way out of the assault on the camps and slipped away from the Twins during the confusion of the night-time ambush.

Roose Bolton and Lord Walder Frey later discovered that Brynden had escaped. Although Walder was unconcerned, Roose was worried that Brynden would reach the safety of Riverrun before being found.

Brynden did indeed make it back to Riverrun, where he reunited the remnants of the Tully army and successfully took back Riverrun from House Frey.

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