I will preface this analysis by pointing out that I don't hate the character of Tywin Lannister.
Tywin is a very effective and well written antagonist. He is enjoyable to read in the books and Charles Dance did a great job of portraying the character in the first four seasons of Game of Thrones. But I noticed that a lot of fans take their enjoyment of the character too far. Tywin is clearly written with the same deconstructive eye that Martin applies to all of his characters. Yet, people miss the point and not only say that Tywin was a character who deserved to win, but that he did nothing wrong. Even though he clearly did.
There is an aspect to Tywin's character that people miss. The "hype" and reputation surrounding the greatness of Tywin Lannister. A reputation that Tywin is more than happy to feed. Tywin Lannister presents himself to his family, subjects and people as an indomitable and intelligent leader. A man who is willing to use brute force and ruthlessness, but only for the greater good of the realm and his family.
He merely claims to be a well-intentioned extremist and people accept it because it seems logical and truthful. But while Tywin's stated reasons seem or are truthful, they are not the TRUTH of why he did them. And the truth is what exposes the core of Tywin's main flaws as a ruler, a father and as a man.
In truth, all that he does is done in service towards a well-hidden inferiority complex rooted in lingering hate over his father's weakness and the constant disrespect he got from the Mad King. While he is truly formidable and intelligent as a leader, most of his actions are solely motivated by personal, hypocritical and even petty reasons.
Psychology defines an Inferiority Complex as a mental condition where an individual suffers from constant emotional bouts of inadequacy, doubt and an utter lack of self-esteem. This can be obvious, but also subconscious and as a result, people with an inferiority complex will act to compensate for it. One is to seek for a spectacular achievement to earn the attention, praise and vindication of their peers, even engaging in high-risk behaviors. Another is to become extremely withdrawn and minimize contact with other people to the point of outright avoiding them.
However, some who suffer from an inferiority complex will begin to outwardly act as though they were better than others. Actively putting others down and posturing over them. This is known as the Superiority Complex or the Superior-Inferior Complex due to its nature of acting better to hide feelings of low self-esteem. Austrian Psychotherapist Alfred Adler studied the superiority and inferiority complexes as part of his individual psychology. Adler concluded that the two complexes were intrinsically tied together with person acting with superiority to compensate for an innate insecurity and sense of inferiority. Their posturing can be verbal, emotional or physical, but its all to hide their own inner feelings of worthlessness. They feel they they're in a pit, so they push or pull down others to lift themselves up and keep them down or else they'll fall back into the pit.
Tywin Lannister's mental state reflects that of the Inferiority-Superiority Complex. He has a constant and persistent need to prove that not only is he great, but that he's better than any other among his peers. He boasts that "The lion cares nothing for the opinion of sheep", but much of what he does is because the lion is concerned about the sheep laughing at him like they did his father. He even went as far as to shave his own head because he was starting to go bald, a sign of not wanting to look unhealthy or weak despite balding being a random, but otherwise perfectly normal event in healthy men. He went to war just to keep from looking weak. He cared more about protecting his personal holdings in the West than he did securing his daughter and grandson, the queen-mother and the "king". When an adversary does something that seemingly undermines Tywin's aura of power and authority, he retaliates in an excessively cruel manner so no one ever believes that Tywin was ever vulnerable. He acts very tyrannical and controlling in his own family affairs even by medieval patriarchal standards and punishes any deviation from his plans in ways that antagonize his family towards him to demonstrate his control.
At the end of the day, those suffering from a inferiority or superiority complex do so because trauma from their past. They experienced something that mentally and emotionally hurt them by stripping them of their self-worth and power. This pain manifests in the relevant complex as the individual acts as they do to avoid ever being put into that vulnerable and powerless position again. Let's determine the source of Tywin's pain, shall we?
For Record, this essay is going to be longer than the previous ASOIAF essays for a few reasons:
1) The previous characters were younger and so didn't live as long or do as much as Tywin did (Tywin was born in the reign of Aegon V for example).
2) Sansa doesn't have much impact on the story so there wasn't much to say; Renly had died in the 2nd book; and Ned died in the 1st Book. Meanwhile, Tywin dies at the end of the 3rd book.
3) Lastly is that Tywin's actions are so far reaching that they impact the lives of multiple POVs and the different plotlines in the story.
Additionally, I'm going to try to give Tywin an honest shake-up and point any good that he actually did. Though that won't be a very long section as any good that Tywin had in him died when his wife did. But keep in mind this famous quote by King Stannis Baratheon when I talk about good, the bad and the ugly deeds of Tywin's life: "A Good Act does not wash out the Bad. Nor the Bad the good. Each should have its own Reward." Tywin was not evil in the beginning of his life and for much of it, he could almost be called good. But later as the toll of heavy traumatic influences weighed on his soul, Tywin changed and not for the better.
But first, I'm going to address an inevitable response:
The Nature of Morality in ASOIAF
Often times, fans of the series will turn to quotes by the writer George RR Martin and these to imply that no one in the series is good or evil and therefore, judging them as such is invalid.
As George's words are interesting to think over, I'll some of George's on good vs evil in fantasy here:
"Much as I admire Tolkien, and I do admire Tolkien — he’s been a huge influence on me, and his Lord of the Rings is the mountain that leans over every other fantasy written since and shaped all of modern fantasy — there are things about it, the whole concept of the Dark Lord, and good guys battling bad guys, Good versus Evil, while brilliantly handled in Tolkien, in the hands of many Tolkien successors, it has become kind of a cartoon. We don’t need any more Dark Lords, we don’t need any more, ‘Here are the good guys, they’re in white, there are the bad guys, they’re in black. And also, they’re really ugly, the bad guys."
"It is certainly a genuine, legitimate topic as the core of fantasy, but I think the battle between Good and Evil is waged within the individual human hearts and not necessarily between an army of people dressed in white and an army of people dressed in black. When I look at the world, I see that most real living breathing human beings are grey.
We all have good in us and we all have evil in us, and we may do a wonderful good act on Tuesday and a horrible, selfish, bad act on Wednesday, and to me, that’s the great human drama of fiction. I believe in gray characters, as I’ve said before. We all have good and evil in us and there are very few pure paragons and there are very few orcs. A villain is a hero of the other side, as someone said once, and I think there’s a great deal of truth to that, and that’s the interesting thing. In the case of war, that kind of situation, so I think some of that is definitely what I’m aiming at."
George RR Martin has gone on record as being firmly anti-war and it seems like his thoughts on morality reflect this. He criticizes the notion in both reality and fiction of dehumanizing the other side so that your side is unquestionably the right one. He wants to show that in war, both sides are full of living, breathing human beings and that they are all capable of good or evil. They all see themselves in a struggle against adversity, they all have their own hopes, dreams and desires, and they all have someone they love who will miss them when they die.
However, one should not mistake George RR Martin for a Moral Relativist. I never once found any quote denying or negating the actual existence of good and evil, good people or bad people or good and bad acts. Martin asserts that everyone has the capacity for good and evil and therefore, its simplistic to label someone as simply evil or good. But even in his own works, Martin shows many clearly good and evil characters by virtue of their beliefs, motivations, and choices. I've never heard him try to apologize for the evil acts of his characters or defend those who hate those characters or want them to face some sort of retribution. Other characters may love the bad guys or hate the good guys depending on their perspective, but one has to kid themselves to believe that they're not good.
Let's put out a quick list of all of the characters who can be clearly defined as good, evil or grey. Though I won't pretend that I got everyone, the character list in ASOIAF is very long. Also note that if I consider a character good, that does not mean that I'm saying they're perfect, flawless or incapable of mistakes or moral failings. Just they're overall doing better than everyone else by effort, merit and even results at times.
The Good Characters list, kept cautiously short:
All of the Starks (including Sansa, for now)
Daenarys Targaryen (ignoring the show for now)
Brienne of Tarth
Davos
Gendry
Samwell
Edmure Tully
Brynden "Blackfish" Tully
Tommen and Myrcella
Aemon Targaryen
The Grey Characters list is longer, per George's beliefs:
Tyrion Lannister
Jamie Lannister
Lancel Lannister
Theon Greyjoy
Asha Greyjoy
Aeron Greyjoy (tentatively)
Most of the Freefolk/Wildlings
Robert, Stannis and Renly Baratheon
Melisandre
Jorah Mormont
Sandor Clegane
The Tyrells
Hoster Tully
Lysa Tully (tentatively)
The Sparrows/Faith Militant
House Dorne (in general)
The Golden Company
Varys?
Pycelle
Alistair Thorne
Bowen Marsh
The Freys who had no part in the Red Wedding
Now for the clearly/mostly evil characters:
Walder Frey and other Frey who partook in the Red Wedding
Joffrey
The Masters of Slavers Bay
The Ironborn - seriously, there is no redeeming quality in these guys...I tried and couldn't find anything.
Petyr Baelish - He forced a 13 year old girl into prostitution and later into a horrifically abusive and torturous marriage with a serial rapist, flayer and murderer.
Janos Slynt
Gregor Clegane
Ramsey Bolton
All of the older Greyjoys
Viserys Targaryen - threatened and abused his sister even when she was pregnant.
Cersei Lannister
Tywin Lannister
Now even with the evidence in the books that demonstrate these evil characters doing cruel and horrible things, George wants us to accept and acknowledge that these characters are still human. And by acknowledging their humanity, we also must confront that we too could commit such acts. We too must see the shadow that follows our light and that it is not impossible for the shadow to consume that light if we let it. The Evil characters in the story are those had their own internal struggles, but lost their battle and thus they press the pain of their loss onto others around them. In these acts of malice, they spread the seeds for others to potentially fall as well or for others to struggle against evil both in others, within those they love and admire and within themselves.
A quote that floats around is one that says the following: "Nobody is a villain in their own story. We're all the heroes of our own stories." And that can pertain to Tywin Lannister himself. Due to the situation that he was growing up in, he took it upon himself to right the wrongs of his home and his family. A notion that could be seen as heroic and then after fixing the Westerlands, he loyally served the Realm and helped to prosper. But at some point between becoming Hand of the King and the current story, Tywin Lannister lost his eternal struggle between good and evil. He did just succumb to evil, he actively fed it because he thought it made him powerful. And in his pride and pursuit of power, Tywin failed to understand how his actions were digging a deep grave for the House that he wished to raise up above all others.
And now, let's discuss the life and journey of Tywin Lannister and the pain that turned him evil.
Background
There are three main influential events that shaped Tywin into who he became. To fully understand why Tywin does what he does and the truth behind his motives, you have to see the three influences that drove him to become the monster he became. After all, even the worst of villains don't wake one morning and decide to be evil. Everyone has a catalyst, a bad day that makes them snap and fall to the darkness of their own souls, never to return.
Tywin had the misfortune of having three bad days with many lesser bad days in between them. We'll start with his father...
Tytos the Toothless Lion
Tywin's father was a disaster as Lord-Paramount and no one within the fanbase or the story disputes this.
Tytos was the third son and was never expected to rule Casterly Rock. Granted, his father Gerold the Golden inherited Casterly Rock after the unexpected death of his older brother and daughter. Something which made many lords and smallfolk suspect Gerold of murdering his brother and niece and was secretly regarded as a kinslayer. Tytos on the other hand had two older twin brothers with the oldest Tywald being promised to Lady Ellyn of House Reyne. So Tytos was not regarded as much by his father, Tytos served as a squire, but he lacked the skill or ambition to be a knight, so was never knighted. He enjoyed watching Tourneys, but never participated in one.
However, Tytos was thrust into the role of heir by the unexpected deaths of his older brothers. Tywald died in the Peake Uprising while Tion would perish in the 4th Blackfyre Rebellion. Gerold did all in his power to groom his son for lordship, but the aging Lord-Paramount eventually accepted that Tytos did not have the aptitude to rule House Lannister. Nonetheless, Gerold would die of a bad bladder two years after the birth of Tytos eldest son Tywin and the reign of the Toothless Lion began.
Tytos was an amiable man and loving towards his wife and children. But Tytos was weak of will, body and courage. Vassals and subjects mocked Tytos to his face and he laughed, not wanting to be hated and wishing to be loved. House Lannister's strength lessened while the power of other houses increased. All of House Lannister's bannermen and ambitious merchants borrowed high amounts of gold from House Lannister without any thought of paying their liege back. Security and peace in the Westerlands became increasingly fleeting. The chaos and damage caused by highwaymen and bandits was so great that King Aegon V had to directly intervene and thrice sent royal forces to stabilize the region. But soon after the king's men and knights departed, chaos would reign over the West once more.
Up until he was ten years old, this was the life that Tywin grew up in. He had to watch the men who were meant to serve his father mock and take advantage of him. He saw his father laugh and smile while the West crumbled from his weakness. He heard high and small folk alike jape about how toothless the lions of Casterly Rock had become. He likely witnessed the aftermath of the attacks and raids by the many bands of raiders and bandits plundering his homeland. He watched the Reynes and Tarbecks undermine his family's position and power, effectively styling themselves as the true rulers of the Westerlands.
When his father betrothed his sister Genna to Emmon, second son of Walder Frey of the Twins, Tywin loudly spoke against the match. He despised how his father was sending his daughter to a house whose prestige was naught compared to the Lions of Lannister. He was offended when Ellyn nee Reyne Tarbeck laughed in the presence of other bannermen. But his words did nothing, Tywin was shortly afterwards sent to King's Landing to serve page and cupbearer in King Aegon's court. Technically, this was a prestigious position worthy of honor, but this could also have been seen as a quiet way of silencing Tywin.
However, Tywin was well at home in the Court of the King of the Seven Kingdoms. He soon became a squire after much training and was eventually knighted. He befriended Prince Aerys and Lord Steffon, heir to the Stormlands. He also grew closer with his cousin Joanna Lannister who was a companion and lady-in-waiting to Aerys sister-wife, Princess Rhaella. His friendship with Aerys and the love between him and Joanna would become the most influential aspects of his life. Later, it would be influential for the worst, but in the beginning, Tywin was happy.
His part in Fifth Blackfyre Rebellion or the War of the Ninepenny Kings was small and insignificant. His uncle Jason Lannister led the host of eleven thousand in support of King Jaehaerys II against Maelys the Monstrous. Steffon's father Ormund was slain by the misshapen Blackfyre and a grieved Steffon become Lord of the Stormlands. When Barristen the Bold slew Maelys in single combat, the war ended in victory for the Iron Throne and Tywin even had the honor of knighting Prince Aerys. Tywin's brothers Kevan and Tygett also partook in the war with Kevan earning his knighthood while Tygett won renown for slaying a grown man-at arms despite being a boy of 8.
But despite their minor roles, Tywin and his brothers were steeled and hardened by their experience. Most importantly, they were filled with anger fueled by a full realization of how far their house had fallen. Exposed to multiple lords and knights from across the 7 Kingdoms, Tywin and his brothers heard them speak about how weak House Lannister had become. They heard them jape or point out how one of the Great Houses, a House that is de facto uncrowned Royalty, had become a laughing stock of the Westerlands. Some perhaps stated that the Lannisters only ruled the Westerlands in name and that others such as the Reynes were the true rulers.
Having taken all of this to heart and remembering what they themselves had seen in their childhood, the sons of Tytos returned to the Westerlands with a purpose. They returned to restore their house to its rightful place and demonstrate that the Lions of Casterly Rock had both teeth and claws. If any stood against them, there would be no mercy and no compromise. At first, Tywin merely took command from his feeble and meek father and demanded for House Lannister's vassals to repay their debts. Those who could not would have to surrender a hostage and to enforce this, Kevan was sent throughout the Westerlands with a company of 500 veteran knights to carry out Tywin's wishes and drive out the highwaymen who'd plagued its roads and hills.
However, House Tarbeck underestimated Tywin's resolve and the Lord of Tarbeck Hall rode to Casterly Rock to bully Tytos into reigning in his son. Instead, Tywin had the defiant lord imprisoned and in retaliation, Tywin's future brother-in-law/cousin Stafford and 2 kinsmen from Lannisport were captured. Tywin suggested sending Lord Tarbeck back in three pieces, but Tytos overruled his son and released Lord Tarbeck and even forgave the Tarbeck debt to House Lannister.
But Tywin was not done.
Rains of Castamere
Everyone's already talked about this event immortalized by the popular song: Rains of Castamere. So I'll be brief somewhat on the event itself. Eventually, the Reynes and Tarbecks were called to court by Tywin to answer for their crimes. But the two houses raised their banners in revolt and Tywin gathered a host which systematically defeated and destroyed both houses down to the last child. Tarbeck hall was broken in siege warfare and everyone within was put to the sword. The last Tarbeck child was said to have been killed by a young Sir Amory Lorch when the latter threw the 3 year old child down a well.
The Reynes took shelter in the mines beneath Castamere. Despite being beaten in battle, the Lord of House Reyne boldly tried to present peace terms favorable to House Reyne, confident in the strength of his subterranean defenses. Tywin turned their underground fortress into a watery grave by flooding it with water diverted from a nearby stream. The empty hall of Castamere was burned and both the ruins of Castamere and Tarbeck hall were left forlorn and empty as a constant example of what happened to those who defied Tywin Lannister.
I honestly can't fault Tywin for his actions during the Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion. The Reynes and Tarbecks had been trampling over House Lannister for decades due to Tytos' weakness. When Tywin started asserting Lannister power, the rebellious houses didn't take kindly to someone who wouldn't let them have their way. Appeasement was something Tywin would never do and he had run out of tolerance or patience for them to change. Thus, he had to not only deal with their rebellion, but also deal with it in a way that deterred anyone from repeating their actions. Tywin had to demonstrate the price for defying House Lannister to show that the days of toothless lions were over. Furthemore, if any Reynes or Tarbecks did survive, they might one day return and wage a war of vengeance against the Lannisters which would further destabilize the West.
There is one problem with what Tywin did during the Rebellion. It's not so much in regards to the Westerlands, as the West had many decades of peace, security and stability until it was briefly interrupted by Greyjoy's Rebellion and was ended permanently by the War of the 5 Kings. The other lords of the West got the message from the Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion and no one ever openly opposed the Lannisters. The only lord who came close was Lord Farman of Faircastle who acted uncooperative with Tywin in some unknown manner. Tywin sent a musician as an envoy to play "Rains of Castamere" and that troubled ended quickly.
It was a personality issue for Lord Tywin. He learned 2 lessons in 1 during this entire situation. He learned that vassals who did not fear their liege would not obey him and would not be loyal to him. No one feared his father and they laughed at him. Even kind and benevolent rulers like Aegon V and Eddard Stark were feared by their vassals. They were feared enough to where their vassals knew that they would be punished certainly and decisively if they defied the law or made trouble.
Aegon would have executed his great-uncle if Bloodraven hadn't agreed to take the Black. Aegon personally led the defense against the 4th Blackfyre and dealt the Blackfyres what is inferred to be their greatest one-sided defeat. Aegon even put down the Laughing Storm's Rebellion in swift order. Eddard takes no joy in beheading Night's Watch deserters, but he will do so without pause. Jorah Mormont fled into exile knowing that he'd be executed for selling poachers into slavery. And even Roose Bolton feared Ned enough to hide his actions such as murder and rape knowing that he would be killed if Ned was informed.
What Tywin missed is that a ruler can be both feared and loved. Though people feared to tread on Ned and Aegon, people also loved them and thus, they obeyed and followed them more out of respect born from love rather than fear alone. People loved Aegon the Unlikely, not just because he was a just and strong ruler, but also because he cared about the common people and enacted laws to improve the quality of their lives. Aegon's vassals weren't happy about these reforms and Aegon had to reluctantly compromise in unspecified places, but no one could say that Aegon earned no respect. When a terrible famine hit the North, Aegon gave so much food and aid that the grateful Northmen apparently said that the aid was overgenerous. Remember also that Aegon sent men to aid House Lannister and protect the people of the Westerlands during Tytos' terrible rule.
Tywin never moved to that point. The Rains of Castamere as well as the disastrous rule of his father convinced Tywin that the only thing that makes a leader strong is ruthlessness and force.
Not to say that he couldn't be diplomatic or merciful in a limited capacity. Tywin himself advised Joffrey that when your enemy is beaten and on their knees, you raise them back up so that they can continue to serve you. He also would not have been a good Hand of the King if he put a hammer to every problem. Tywin was also correct when he advised Tommen that wisdom and experience were key to being a good king. Baelor was pious and he was a disaster. Robert was strong, but bored as a ruler and that led to disaster. Aegon IV and Aerys II thought they could do whatever they wanted and that was disastrous. Aenys was weak and indecisive and that nearly tore the realm apart. Maegor was powerful and won every battle, but still lost the realm and his reign.
Speaking of whom.
An Aside about Maegor the Cruel
The 3rd king on the Iron Throne, the second son of Aegon the Conqueror was a brutal and cruel man who used violence and destruction to solve all of his problems. Some will defend Maegor by pointing out how weak and indecisive his older brother and predecessor Aenys had been. They'll even say that the Faith Militant needed to be dealt with by matching their uncompromising zeal with immovable strength. That Maegor was the king that Westeros needed to solidify the rule of the Targaryens and everything that his father and mother had built.
While I could understand where they come from, Maegor took things far too far. He had no temperance and his malicious and bloody campaign merely pushed more people to join the Faith Militant and continue fighting him despite the high death tool. He killed his own nephews to secure his throne as he'd basically stolen it from them and all this did was encourage his remaining kin to revolt against him rather than unite behind him. He killed lords and stole their wives as his own, but he could not successfully have any children, he took his rage out on his wives and murdered them.
He burned the Sept of Rememberance which his father had built to honor his aunt Rhaenys when she died in the 1st Dornish War. He murdered multiple Septons, Maestars and even a Grandmaester just for trying to advise him or speak against his more questionable actions. After he'd built the Red Keep, he murdered all of those who had built it to keep its many passages a secret. He heavily taxed the realm and suppressed the Faith, burning the seats of many lords in the Westerlands, Reach and likely the Crownlands and Riverlands if they defied him.
For all of his power, Maegor's growing list of atrocities turned more and more of the realm against him. When his last nephew Jahaerys staked his claim for the Iron Throne, over half of the great houses of the realm supported him. Maegor could barely raise an army of 4 thousand and was later found dead on the Iron Throne with his wrists slit. The jury is unclear as to whether he killed himself or if one of his kingsguard, wives or courtiers did the deed. It doesn't matter in the end, Maegor brought his death upon himself.
I'll stop here, but I will advise readers to remember Maegor.
Because Maegor's story is VERY relevant to both Aerys II and our friend Tywin.
Hand of King Aerys the Mad
What follows the Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion is perhaps the happiest period in Tywin Lannister's life. Seeing how well he'd restored the Westerlands and put down rebellious vassals, the newly crowned King Aerys II contacted his friend and appointed him as his New Hand of the King. And as the second most powerful man in the realm, Tywin was actually a capable and gifted Hand for Aerys. As Aerys had not yet shown any signs of Targaryen madness, Aerys and Tywin were actually a good team.
The realm was in high spirits at this point in history. Despite the tragic death of Aegon V at Summerhall, Aerys' father Jaehaerys had been a smart and capable ruler in his short reign despite his weak constitution and low health. The last of the Blackfyres were killed in the War of the Ninepenny Kings. Jaehaerys had spent his realm restoring order to the realm and making amends with the Houses who had been offended by his father. Jaehaerys perished, his son Aerys inherited a thriving realm and all he had to do was not screw up the good deal he'd gotten.
We all know that he eventually fucked it up.
But in the beginning, things were good especially for Tywin. Tywin managed to cover the debts of the Iron Throne to the Iron Bank of Braavos. He supported trade and economic relations with merchants in King's Landing, Lannisport and Oldtown by lowering tariffs. He repaired old roads and built new ones, placed a stringent quality control over bread and meat and held many popular tourneys.
Controversially, Tywin also repealed all of the reforms enacted by Aegon the Unlikely intended to help the smallfolk. While this move gained the loyalty of many lords, many common people were not happy with the removal of laws, rights and protections Aegon had bestowed upon them to improve their lives and thus Tywin was never loved by the commoners or those sympathetic to them. It is also insulting considering that Aegon had helped the Lannisters when they were at their weakest, but Tywin turns around and trashes Aegon's legacy.
Not that Tywin cared. He was the second most powerful man in the Seven Kings. He married his beloved cousin Joanna Lannister in a lavish ceremony. She would give birth to twins, a daughter Cersei and a son Jamie. He inherited Casterly Rock and Rule of the West after his father died from a burst heart. When Tywin caught Tytos' mistress looking through his late mother's dresses and jewels, Tywin had the presumptive lowborn lover stripped naked and put through the walk of shame before banishing her. In doing so, Tywin had finished removing the last trace of shame that his father had brought to the Westerlands.
However, Tywin's happiness would not last very long. Aerys grew increasinly unstable, arbitrary, proud and paranoid as time passed. This by itself put a strong strain on their friendship and their professional relationship. But Aerys further lusted over Tywin's wife Joanna and that situation was so bad that Aerys' wife Rhaella dismissed Joanna as a handmaiden to protect her from further harassment. Things worsened during a Tourney in 272 meant to celebrate 10 years of Aerys' rule and the King insulted Joanna by asking if breastfeeding twins had ruined her breasts. Tywin tried to resign over the insult, but Aerys refused the resignation. A year later, Joanna died giving birth to Tywin's dwarf son Tyrion and with Joanna died any humanity that Tywin still had. Aerys added insult to injury by suggesting that Joanna's death and the birth of Tyrion was a punishment for Tywin's pride in order to teach him humility. Any lingering friendship between them died as well.
Still, Tywin continued to serve well as Hand of the King. A feat made more impressive considering how Aerys could constantly go behind Tywin's back and undo all of his appointments and decisions. At one point, Aerys raised taxes and when people complained about, Aerys lied and said it was Tywin who'd raised taxes before lowering the taxes. When Tywin advised in staying neutral in foreign wars, Aerys would do the opposite just out of spite. When Tywin's Captain of his household guard Ilyn Payne jested that Tywin was the true ruler of the realm, Aerys had his tongue taken out with a hot poker.
Things got so bad that they escalated into the Defiance of Duskendale. House Darklyn wanted a charter to improve trade and better their standing after being overshadowed by King's Landing for generations. Tywin refused, but Lord Darklyn appealed directly to the king for a private meeting. Tywin advised Aerys against it, but Aerys refused out of spite and went to Duskendale with a small guard. There, Aerys' guards were killed and the King was held captive for half of a year. Tywin besieged the city and continually demanded for the king to be returned.
After many refusals, Tywin warned the rebels one last time and prepared to attack the city, arguing that if Aerys was killed, Rhaegar would become the new king. Though some would be ok with Aerys "tragically dying" and letting Rhaegar take the throne, Ser Barristen the Bold persuaded Tywin to let the Kingsguard launch a daring rescue of Aerys. Barristen's actions were the stuff of legends and he singlehandledly rescued the king and fought his way through guards and knights to bring Aerys to safety. Aerys then had everyone in the city put to the sword save for Dontos Hollard who was spared as a personal favor to Barristen for saving the King's life.
Two key events occurred which would sour Tywin's loyalty to Aerys. During a tourney meant to celebrate the birth of Prince Viserys, Tywin suggested a marriage between his daughter Cersei and the King's son Rhaegar. Aerys didn't just refuse, he refused in the most insulting and rude manner possible. "You are my most able servant, Tywin. But a man does not marry his heir to his servant's daughter." Comparing Tywin to a mere servant was not only an insult, not only offensive considering the years of good work Tywin had provided, but it also triggered Tywin's superiority-inferiority complex. Aerys was telling Tywin that he was nothing and worth nothing, just like the Reynes did to his father Tytos.
Years later, just as Tywin was trying to arrange a marriage between his son Jamie and Hoster Tully's daughter Lysa, Aerys appointed Jamie to the Kingsguard. One of his older kingsguard, Harlen Grandison died of old age in his sleep and Aerys decided to make Jamie his replacement. Though the young Jamie saw this as a great honor at first as the Kingsguard is among the highest honors that a knight could achieve, it quickly dawned on him as to why he was picked. Despite being a skilled and talented fighter and knight at the age of 15, Aerys only picked Tywin to deprive him of his golden heir and to use as a hostage.
Tywin picked up on this intent soon enough and the insult was enough for him to finally resign pretending to be ill. He publicly thanked the King for the appointment when it was announced and swiftly left back to the West taking his guards, entourage and daughter with him. He returned to Casterly Rock in a quiet fury, deprived of his preferred son, left with an ugly and ill-made spiteful little creature as his de facto heir. Tywin did all in his power to let Tyrion know just how much he did not love or want him around while mentally refusing to acknowledge Tyrion as his heir despite the law saying otherwise.
Tywin fumed in his office, imagining his former friend Aerys laughing on his throne of a thousand swords. Aerys laughed and mocked him when his beloved wife died. Aerys mocked him and put him down as a mere servant when Tywin offered his daughter in marriage. Aerys took away Tywin's golden son and left him with the ugly imp as an heir. Tywin ran the man's realm and even saved his life and all the Mad King did was ever insult him, disrespect him and laugh at him. As Aerys laughed, Tywin thought of the lickboots and loyalists who laughed with their King. Just like those who had laughed at his father, laughed at his house...and laughed at him.
A Lannister always repays their debts and Tywin likely intended to do the same to Aerys one way or another. But Tywin was no fool and so he waited, the Golden Lion waited for a chance to make the Red Dragon bleed like he did the Red Lion. To ensure that the last thing the Dragon would hear was the Roar of a Lion.
That chance would come when the Stag, the Wolf and the Falcon were pushed by the Dragon.
Continued in Part 2...
Disclaimer: A Song of Ice and Fire is the property of George RR Martin
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