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r/asoiaf•
rabdi

Spoilers [ADWD] Why was Sam sent to the NW and not the Citadel?

ADWD

One thing I noticed which hit me as strange was Randyll Tarly decision to send Sam to the wall. We understand this was to relinquish his claim to Horn Hill and the great sword Heartsbane.

Would it not have made more sense to send Sam to the Citadel? A place that fits Sam's interests whilst also keeping him away from Hornhill. It would appear that his sending to the NW was to get rid of him completely. This will be very interesting for when Sam heads back to Horn Hill to deliver the Cresta's wife and babe.

Posted Aug 23, 2014, 6:43 PM UTC

225
ImpossibleArrowEdd, fetch me a book!•

I need you to become my new maester.” The word made him flinch. No, Father, please, I won’t speak of it again, I swear it by the Seven. Let me out, please let me out.

...

They make you wear a chain about your neck. If it is chains you want, come with me. For three days and three nights Sam had sobbed himself to sleep, manacled hand and foot to a wall. The chain around his throat was so tight it broke the skin, and whenever he rolled the wrong way in his sleep it would cut off his breath. “I cannot wear a chain.”

...

“My lord,” Sam said, “my f-f-f-father, Lord Randyll, he, he, he, he, he . . . the life of a maester is a life of servitude.” He was babbling, he knew. “No son of House Tarly will ever wear a chain. The men of Horn Hill do not bow and scrape to petty lords.” If it is chains you want, come with me. “Jon, I cannot disobey my father.”

He asked his father and Randyll refused thinking it to be shameful. He taught Sam a lesson by manacling him to a wall in a way that hurt him and choked him.

22
Pixelenemy1•

Christ, poor guy :(

3
ImpossibleArrowEdd, fetch me a book!•

We meet Randyll Tarly in AFFC and he lives up to his reputation.

5
Pixelenemy1•

Yeah, fuck Randyll. Sam's a boss who killed an Other. He didn't deserve that abuse from his father.

6
ImpossibleArrowEdd, fetch me a book!•

People who call Sam sissy are weird. Dude's a badass but lacks confidence. I hope he stops seeking his father's approval and finds some self-worth, dude pulled a political scheme and won. He killed an Other when anointed knight was butchered. His father rejected him and has no authority over Sam anymore.

10
NeedsToShutUpSer? My Lady?•

Sam even mentions why. His father would not have him serve others as it would demean the family.

20
Aubear11885Samwell-Samwise, Goonies Forever!•

Because his dad hated Sam. He couldn't have his true heir go into the service. He wanted to pretty much have him disappear and probably die

4
tomatomacI have lemon cakes•

I always thought this from my first time reading the books and I was really happy when he talks about why he wasnt aloud in AFFC

3
aeoncs•

Doesn't he tell the story about his father putting chains on him to Jon in AGOT? I know he goes over it again in AFFC but I swear I read it before as well.

1
tomatomacI have lemon cakes•

Wow I cant believe I missed that and now seeing the passage its pretty screwed up

1
Dr_Medic345Straight out of Gin Alley! •

I want to see the epilogue where Randyll is Master of Laws and Sam is the Grand Maester.

1
ImpossibleArrowEdd, fetch me a book!•

You wish for the Wall to be destroyed?

1
Dr_Medic345Straight out of Gin Alley! •

Eh, that thing claims more lives than it saves.

1
GregPatrick•

Tarly feels Maesters are servants and having Sam somewhere in the seven kingdoms(not hidden on the wall) would be an embarrassment to him.

1
idreamofpikasBeware of my Sea Snake!•

No, it wouldn't. Sam has become a stronger person thanks to the Watch* but there was nothing in his life before he became the 'slayer' to suggest that he would become a Maester. Just because he liked reading and is smart compared to the mostly uneducated men of the Watch does not mean he would have got his chains. He more than likely would have returned home from another failure (like when he was sent home from the Arbor as a page) and took his place as heir.

Horn Hill is near the Dornish marches. They are the defense between Oldtown, Highgarden and Dorne. It needs a strong leader. Sam was named after the 'Savage Sam Tarly' Who helped take down the first Vulture King. Tarlys are expected to fight and lead battles, Sam was not up to the job.

*clearly Randyll did the right thing.

0
therenegadeofficerUnbowed, Unbent, Unbroken•

I love that the overarching geography, history, and politics makes this so logical and understandable, rather than just Randyll being a crappy dad.

2
SatanicUnicorn•

Hey no one likes politicians. Most of then are probably crappy dads.

1
d3r3k1449Old Man of the River•

Hey how did you know about Savage Sam Tarley two months ago? I thought this was new info in TWOIAF.

1
idreamofpikasBeware of my Sea Snake!•

It was a lucky guess.

1
d3r3k1449Old Man of the River•

Hmm looking into the fires eh? Well I guess that kind of answers my question without actually answering it.

1
AlanCrowkillertoo bleak too stark•

The Citadel is just down the street from Horn Hill, Lord Tarly knows plenty of people there. It's closeness also means Samwell be running home with his tail between his legs crying for his mommy the minute he realized the Citadel actually expected him to earn his way just like everyone else.

Also fuck Butterball. Why should his lazy and shiftless ways be rewarded by giving him what he though he wanted(it really wasn't as it involved effort beyond eating brother ham). He wanted all the privilege of nobility while avoiding all the responsibility that came with it. He was a medieval trust fund baby and it was his luck to have a father not willing to put up with that shit.

-10
TheStarkGuyColonel Sandor•

You forget his father abused him

1
idreamofpikasBeware of my Sea Snake!•

He was trying to train him to become a decent heir to Horn Hill.

  • Sam was sent as a Page to the Arbor, a very common custom, and yet he was sent back because he was too weak, a less common occurance.
  • A dozen Master at Arms attempted to teach and train him and none could.
  • Randyl was so desperate for his son to succeed him that he brought Walocks from Essos in a hope that some foreign magic would work.

Sam was supposed to be the next Lord of Horn Hill. How is he expected to protect his people from harm when he cries over dead chickens? How is he supposed to protect his people when he is bullied by the Redwyne Twins(themselves hardly the toughest of opposition). How is he supposed to defend his family and people when he'd rather allow himself to be dressed in his mothers clothes than show a bit of passion.

Randyll had no choice. He gave him time, offered more teachers and Sam failed to progress. Weak Lords get replaced and their families pay the consequences.

1