Stark Legacy After The Red Wedding

The Red Wedding was a massacre that took place during the War of the Five Kings, orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey.

The event resulted in the deaths of Robb Stark, his pregnant wife Talisa, Robb's mother Catelyn, and most of his soldiers, fracturing the Stark family and allowing the Lannisters to win the war.

The survivors of the Red Wedding include Edmure Tully, who became a captive of the Freys; Brynden Blackfish Tully, who escaped; and Arya Stark, who later avenged her family by poisoning all surviving male members of House Frey.

Robb Stark's demise

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. 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.

Robb's demise 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. Robb's death fractures the Stark family to a catastrophic degree as their one hope for safety and vengeance is killed. 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.

The ramifications of Robb’s death are spread throughout Westeros. The Freys and 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. Robb's death was a cause for celebration in King's Landing, as Joffrey openly mocks Robb and the way in which he died, taking credit for defeating the Young Wolf.

The survivors of the Red Wedding include Edmure Tully, who becomes a captive of the Freys, Brynden "Blackfish" Tully who escapes, and Arya Stark who later avenges her family by poisoning all surviving male members of House Frey.

Catelyn Stark's tragic end

Catelyn is the wife of Ned Stark and mother to Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. She is a proud, honourable, and intelligent woman, fiercely protective of her family. She is also resentful of Ned's illegitimate son, Jon Snow, and is jealous of his mother, whose identity is unknown to her.

At the Red Wedding, Catelyn is the first to realise that the Freys and Boltons are plotting a massacre when she notices chainmail under Roose Bolton's wedding clothes. Before she can warn Robb, she is shot with multiple crossbow bolts. Robb is then stabbed multiple times and dies. Mad with grief, Catelyn slashes the throat of Walder Frey's wife, before having her own throat cut by Black Walder Rivers.

Catelyn's death is one of the grimmest in the show. Her corpse is thrown naked into the river in a mockery of House Tully funeral customs.

Edmure Tully's captivity

Edmure Tully, the Lord of Riverrun and Lord Paramount of the Trident, was taken captive by the Freys after the Red Wedding. Edmure was Robb Stark's uncle and had agreed to marry one of Lord Frey's daughters to make amends for Robb's broken marriage pact with House Frey. Edmure was initially reluctant to agree to the marriage but was pressured by Robb, his mother Catelyn, and his uncle Brynden.

Edmure was nervous about meeting his bride but was relieved when her veil was lifted, revealing her to be beautiful. Edmure enjoyed himself at the wedding feast and was led away by the other Frey girls for the bedding ceremony. It was only after his departure that the Red Wedding began. Edmure was taken prisoner and remained a hostage of Lord Frey, who remarked to Lord Roose Bolton that Edmure spent his wedding night in a dungeon.

After the Red Wedding, Edmure was still a captive at the Twins when Brynden raised what remained of the Tully army and retook Riverrun. Edmure was brought up from the dungeons and ordered to be used as leverage to force Brynden to surrender Riverrun. Edmure was threatened with hanging, and the Freys also threatened to cut his throat, but Brynden called their bluff. When Jaime Lannister arrived to take command of the siege, Edmure was bathed and fed, and Jaime attempted to persuade him to surrender Riverrun. Edmure refused, asking Jaime how he could stand to live with himself after all the crimes he had committed. Jaime threatened to catapult Edmure's infant son at the castle walls, and Edmure reluctantly agreed to his terms. Edmure approached Riverrun's gates and requested entry, and his men were forced to comply with his demand as he was the head of House Tully. Edmure's surrender of Riverrun allowed the Lannister-Frey army to enter the castle, although no lives were lost.

Edmure was returned to his cell after the surrender of Riverrun, but he was eventually released and took part in the trial of Tyrion. Edmure re-acquired his lordship over the Riverlands at an unknown point in time after Arya Stark poisoned the males of House Frey.

Brynden Blackfish 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.

During the Red Wedding, Brynden was present at the wedding but left the keep to relieve himself outside before the massacre in the main hall began. He 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 ruefully noted to Lord Walder Frey that Brynden had escaped. Lord Walder was dismissive and said he wouldn't get far, but Bolton was clearly concerned that Brynden would reach the safety of Riverrun before he could be found.

Brynden was able to take back Riverrun, but House Frey, with the aid of House Lannister, took Riverrun back in the second siege. The Blackfish was killed during the siege.

Arya Stark's revenge

The Red Wedding saw the brutal murder of Robb Stark, his pregnant wife Talisa, Robb's mother Catelyn, and many Northern and Riverlander soldiers. The massacre was orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey, as revenge for Robb breaking a marriage pact with House Frey.

Arya Stark, who witnessed the slaughter of her family, later exacted her revenge on those responsible. After training with the Faceless Men, she returned to Westeros and killed Walder Frey and his sons Black Walder and Lothar. She then poisoned the surviving male members of House Frey, avenging her family in one of the most satisfying moments of the series.

Arya's revenge was personal and cathartic, and it fulfilled the role of Lady Stoneheart, a character from the books who is resurrected after the Red Wedding and seeks revenge. However, unlike Lady Stoneheart, Arya did not lose her humanity and was able to make decisions based on what was right and wrong.

Arya's single-handed victory was impressive in its scale and stands as a testament to her years of training as an assassin. Her actions also served as a reminder that personal triumphs are still possible, even amidst larger, world-changing events.

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