Game Of Thrones: 10 Worst Things Catelyn Stark Did, Ranked

George R. R. Martin sure knows how to make interesting characters for his A Song of Ice and Fire book series. Each character takes on a life of their own, with their wants and goals oftentimes differing, making them have to choose between what they want and what they need.

Catelyn Tully Stark exemplifies this with her depiction in the books and TV series, as either someone fans truly revile or are truly inspired by. Let’s take a look at the worst things she’s ever done.

10 She Led Petyr Baelish On

Catelyn has always been a flirt, even if her intentions were mostly pure. Petyr Baelish was just a boy when he first fell in love with her but instead of just refusing him outright, she allowed him to fight her betrothed, Brandon Stark, which almost led to his death.

Even after all the years apart from each other, she still uses her charms to persuade Petyr to help her on her mission to find out who was the one behind Bran’s fall and the following assassination attempt.

9 Kills Merrett Frey

Not a lot of people have sympathy for the Freys and rightfully so. Walder Frey is a conniving and treacherous man who shows little love for his allies or children alike. That said, when it comes to the Red Wedding, many of the Freys that were involved in killing Rob Stark and his allies were just as much victims as the ones they murdered.

So, when Lady Stoneheart sought retribution for her son’s death at the hands of the Freys, Merrett was judged for the sins of his father.

8 She Arrests Tyrion

Catelyn did have a good reason to believe a Lannister was behind Bran’s fall and later failed assassination attempt. After all, she had the Lannister dagger to prove it.

That said, after being introduced to Jaime and Cersei Lannister, it is hard to understand why she would make the assumption that it was their overly friendly brother Tyrion Lannister to be the guilty party. While she was unsuccessful in obtaining the truth from Tyrion, she seemed content in murdering an innocent man anyway.

7 She Frees Jaime Lannister

Catelyn was well aware of what was needed to defeat the Lannister army. They would need every ally they could get. That said, she made a terrible mistake by letting her emotions for her daughters cloud her good sense. After Robb Stark defeated and captured Jaime, the Starks were in a position of power.

However, in her attempt to assure her daughters’ safety from Lannister’s custody, she released this asset, resulting in the beginning of the end for the Starks.

6 She Allowed Sansa To Marry Joffrey

The War of the Five Kings could have been avoided altogether if Catelyn would have just put her foot down and refused Robert’s proposal for Sansa to marry his son Joffrey. While she wasn’t in favor of the proposal, she did little to stand in its way.

Sadly, her perspective was too short-sighted to see the consequences that would result from such a union. If only she would have kept her girls back in Winterfell, Robb might have sat on the Iron Throne.

5 Tells Ned To Be Hand Of The King

Ned Stark was a man with ice in his veins as did all the Starks that come before him. He just wasn’t cut out for the politics in the south or Kings Landing.

Sadly, because of fear for the well-being of her sister Lysa after the death of her husband at the capital, Catelyn intended to use her husband’s position as Hand of the King to further investigate whether or not the Lannister’s wanted Lysa and her son dead. This miscalculation cost Ned his head.

4 She Wished Jon Snow Would Die

Jon Snow was a boy hated by Catelyn since she first glimpsed him in Ned Stark’s arms. Ned’s lie that Jon was his own and that during his time at war he had broken his vows to Catelyn proved to be the cardinal sin that led to Catelyn despising the boy for the rest of her life.

She admitted that her hatred for the boy wasn’t right but even though she was honest enough with herself to know this, she still wished him to die.

3 Gives Brienne Of Tarth A Terrible Choice

Catelyn has never been a forgiving person, especially after her death and later resurrection by the Brotherhood Without Banners. In life, she had entrusted Brienne of Tarth to bring Catelyn’s daughters back to her safely. This has been Brienne’s sole mission even after she learned of Catelyn’s death at the Red Wedding.

Though, after Catelyn was transformed into Lady Stoneheart, her patience with Brienne has come to a screeching halt. After capturing Brienne, she gives her two choices, either be hanged or kill Jaime Lannister.

2 She Never Gave Jon Snow A Chance

Not only did Catelyn hope that Jon Snow would die, but she also went completely went out of her way to make his life absolutely miserable when he was in Winterfell. She hated the fact that her children loved Jon as a brother. A fact, that irked her to her death.

When Bran was pushed from the tower, Jon Snow wished to say goodbye to the boy but Catelyn refused his request, demanding he get out of her sight before she had guards forcefully remove him.

1 She Was Indirectly Responsible For Ned Stark’s Death

Catelyn’s journey to find out who tried to murder her son placed all of her family at great peril. It was also what eventually contributed to Ned’s death at the hands of King Joffrey and the war that followed.

If she never took Tyrion, Jaime would never have gravely wounded him, forcing him to be sidelined from the king’s council. If Ned would have never been wounded, he could have had more time to present King Robert with evidence that Joffrey wasn’t his biological son.

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