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ladywinterNAME: Beth
JOURNAL:elfwannabe
EMAIL: emaj88@gmail.com
AIM: elfwannabe88
WIKI NAME: elf_wannabe88
CHARACTERS: Galadriel, Xena
CHARACTER NAME: Catelyn Stark
FANDOM: A Game of Thrones
CANON: End of Season 1
WHAT THEY LOST: Memories of her childhood; she will remember the people and the places, but no events. So, she can tell you that she grew up at Riverrunn with her sister and Peter Baelish and describe each of them, but if you ask her what games she played as a child or what happened on such and such birthday, she won’t know. She knows the characters and the setting, but not the plot, in other words.
ABOUT THE CHARACTER:
Catelyn Stark was born a Tully of Riverrun. Their House words, “Family, Duty, Honor,” define her motivations perfectly. Unlike many of the characters in the show and in the books, she has no desire whatsoever to play “the game of thrones.” She honestly doesn’t care who sits on the Iron Throne (although she has her opinions on who would make a better ruler); she doesn’t want power for herself. Above all else, she wants to do right by her family and those whom she cares about.
In the very beginning of the series, she’s seriously upset by her husband, Eddard (Ned) Stark leaving Winterfell to act as the Hand of the King in King’s Landing. This would not only involve him leaving (and taking their two daughters with him), but also places him in considerable danger since they have reason to believe that the last Hand of the King was murdered. He does leave and she understands and arguably respects his reasons, even if she doesn’t like it at all. Her devotion to family does not always lead to hesitancy and a tendency towards inaction, however. Her second youngest son, Bran, is thrown from a tower and this single incident, more than any other, spurs her into action for the rest of the first season. At first, she collapses into her grief, staying by Bran’s side constantly and even neglecting her duties as Lady of Winterfell. But when an assassin is sent to kill Bran, who is still unconscious, everything changes. She is in the room at the time and, although she is unarmed, she fights him off with an amazing ferocity. She grabs his dagger with her bare hands, cutting her down to the very bones and even bites his hands. Eventually, Summer, Bran’s direwolf kills the assassin, but had he not she undoubtedly would have continued to fight him until one of the two died. After this, she decides to ride into King’s Landing herself to warn her husband. This may seem like a simple task, but it must be understood that this is no short and safe ride and, if her suspicions are correct, she is riding into a city filled with the very people who plot to murder the king, murdered the last Hand, and attempted to murder her son.
Love for and dedication to her family is also always placed before her own personal desires. For instance, at one point, Robb, her oldest son, is leading an army against the Lannisters and the Baratheons and captures Jamie Lannister, the very man who pushed Bran out of a window (which left him crippled). Jamie taunts Catelyn, mocking her for her widowhood, making sexual remarks, and even admitting that he was the one who crippled Bran, saying that he intended to kill him. She has a rock and she strikes him with it, threatening to “pack his head in a box and send it to [his] sister.” And she wants to. She truly does. But she doesn’t because his sister, Cersi Lannister, still holds her daughters hostage at King’s Landing and killing Jamie would forfeit their safety. Her family is more important than the personal satisfaction that she would gain by killing him.
This extreme dedication also leads directly to what is, perhaps, Catelyn’s greatest fault; once her trust has been earned, it is extremely difficult to lose it, which leads to her making some less than wise decisions. For example, Lord Baelish (AKA Littlefinger) was a childhood friend, a ward of her father’s, and even once fought for her hand (he lost, obviously). However, he is also a sneaky, unscrupulous man who works towards his own ends. Despite the fact that she has not seen him in years, she believes him immediately when he tells her that the dagger the assassin used to attempt to kill Bran belonged to Tyrion Lannister. She goes so far as to capture him and take him to her sister’s fortress to face justice. She is blinded to the fact that Littlefinger’s suggestion really doesn’t make sense- as Tyrion points out “What sort of imbecile would arm an assassin with his own dagger?” Because, in her mind, Littlefinger is a friend and the Lannisters are enemies, Tyrion is obviously the less trustworthy one. Similarly, she is extremely shocked (and disgusted) to discover how her sister has deteriorated. She is slower to realize the full extent of the problem than she probably should have been, simply because it is difficult for her to imagine her sister being irresponsible, undutiful, and, frankly, a little mad. She has been able to trust her in the past, so it’s hard for Cat to see that she can no longer do so.
Which is not to say that she is stupid. Indeed, she makes several extremely important contributions to Robb (her oldest son’s) war effort. She advises him on tactical moves and makes an important negotiation with Lord Frey in order to allow her son’s troops to move across his lands. She also is able to see a message sent by Sansa (her oldest daughter) for what it truly is- a message from Cersei Lannister, the queen. She knows the ways of war and, although as a woman she cannot fully participate and make final decisions, she is a good person to consult and will give her opinions freely.
Despite being rather opinionated, she is careful to never undermine Robb’s authority in front of his men. She is respectful and restrained, careful to treat him as a lord until they are alone- then she will treat him as her son. For this reason, not many people see the emotional side of Cat. Even when she hears of Ned’s death, she manages to leave Robb’s war camp and find an empty spot in the woods before collapsing in tears- and even that does not last long because she comes across Robb and the focus shifts to comforting him. So, to an uninvolved party, Cat may appear polite, but emotionally distant. This is not exactly true. It is true that if you are not someone she cares for, she is largely indifferent; given the circumstances in Westros, it’s just not wise to become emotionally invested in a lot of people- it’s dangerous and probably will lead to nothing but pain. For her family and old friends however, Cat is extremely invested. As discussed above, her family drives her forward throughout the story. Conversely, she is also shown to hold grudges for any extremely long time and for reasons that are not exactly logical. Jon Snow is Ned’s bastard son, who Ned brought home from war around the same time Robb was born. Catelyn never stopped resenting Jon as a reminder of Ned’s infidelity. Unlike her children, with whom she is obviously and openly affectionate, she is nothing but cold and distant to Jon, sometimes descending into outright hostility, usually in moments of extreme emotional disturbance. While this is hardly an admirable trait, it does further demonstrate how deeply Cat actually feels things. She is a woman of strong emotions, but with a stronger sense of duty, obligation, and honor, especially when it comes to her family.
THIRD-PERSON WRITING SAMPLE:
After more explanations than she cared for, Catelyn found her way to the room that was to be hers while she was imprisoned in this new world. Wordlessly, she entered, shed her cloak, and examined the room. It was plain-simple- and that was just fine. This would not be home, any more than Robb’s war camp could be home. Oh, how she missed Winterfell, missed her own chambers and how Ned would open the windows at night to let the cool air into them, much to her dismay.
Would her Ned even recognize her now? She peered at her reflection in the mirror, marveling at the woman before her. Her hair was so much more grey, her face more pale and gaunt. And she had not had those dark circles before Ned left, had she? It suited her, this new face. A new face for the new Catelyn. This was the widow Catelyn, the mother of the King of the North, a woman who had seen one son crippled, another off to war, and her daughters held hostage.
She had been forced to be so strong. To support Robb, to see her girls rescued, her husband and son avenged- she could show no weakness. But there were no armies here, no eyes upon her, no one but her and her grief. She sat on the side of the bed, held her face in her hands, and, for the first time since she left Winterfell, Catelyn Stark wept to her heart’s content. Her whole body shook with each stifled sob, tears streaming down her face. She made no attempt to wipe them away, even as she rested her head against the pillow, and they continued to fall until, at last, she slept.
FIRST-PERSON WRITING SAMPLE:
When my husband first brought me north, I thought the land a cruel and bitter place. I longed for running streams, green meadows, and spring air. Now I find myself so glad to see the snow and the ice upon the pond. It comforts me. Perhaps I have become a Stark after all.
INTENT: I adore all of the characters in A Game of Thrones, but I’m particularly drawn to Cat’s quiet strength and her unexpected ferocity. I really don’t have quite as much of a plan for her, but I think it will be interesting to see what dynamics develop with her. And, frankly, I think it might be fun to give her time to reflect on and deal with the massive trauma she’s faced(which she doesn’t really have the opportunity to do in canon) and see how that affects her character growth.
JOURNAL:
elfwannabeEMAIL: emaj88@gmail.com
AIM: elfwannabe88
WIKI NAME: elf_wannabe88
CHARACTERS: Galadriel, Xena
CHARACTER NAME: Catelyn Stark
FANDOM: A Game of Thrones
CANON: End of Season 1
WHAT THEY LOST: Memories of her childhood; she will remember the people and the places, but no events. So, she can tell you that she grew up at Riverrunn with her sister and Peter Baelish and describe each of them, but if you ask her what games she played as a child or what happened on such and such birthday, she won’t know. She knows the characters and the setting, but not the plot, in other words.
ABOUT THE CHARACTER:
Catelyn Stark was born a Tully of Riverrun. Their House words, “Family, Duty, Honor,” define her motivations perfectly. Unlike many of the characters in the show and in the books, she has no desire whatsoever to play “the game of thrones.” She honestly doesn’t care who sits on the Iron Throne (although she has her opinions on who would make a better ruler); she doesn’t want power for herself. Above all else, she wants to do right by her family and those whom she cares about.
In the very beginning of the series, she’s seriously upset by her husband, Eddard (Ned) Stark leaving Winterfell to act as the Hand of the King in King’s Landing. This would not only involve him leaving (and taking their two daughters with him), but also places him in considerable danger since they have reason to believe that the last Hand of the King was murdered. He does leave and she understands and arguably respects his reasons, even if she doesn’t like it at all. Her devotion to family does not always lead to hesitancy and a tendency towards inaction, however. Her second youngest son, Bran, is thrown from a tower and this single incident, more than any other, spurs her into action for the rest of the first season. At first, she collapses into her grief, staying by Bran’s side constantly and even neglecting her duties as Lady of Winterfell. But when an assassin is sent to kill Bran, who is still unconscious, everything changes. She is in the room at the time and, although she is unarmed, she fights him off with an amazing ferocity. She grabs his dagger with her bare hands, cutting her down to the very bones and even bites his hands. Eventually, Summer, Bran’s direwolf kills the assassin, but had he not she undoubtedly would have continued to fight him until one of the two died. After this, she decides to ride into King’s Landing herself to warn her husband. This may seem like a simple task, but it must be understood that this is no short and safe ride and, if her suspicions are correct, she is riding into a city filled with the very people who plot to murder the king, murdered the last Hand, and attempted to murder her son.
Love for and dedication to her family is also always placed before her own personal desires. For instance, at one point, Robb, her oldest son, is leading an army against the Lannisters and the Baratheons and captures Jamie Lannister, the very man who pushed Bran out of a window (which left him crippled). Jamie taunts Catelyn, mocking her for her widowhood, making sexual remarks, and even admitting that he was the one who crippled Bran, saying that he intended to kill him. She has a rock and she strikes him with it, threatening to “pack his head in a box and send it to [his] sister.” And she wants to. She truly does. But she doesn’t because his sister, Cersi Lannister, still holds her daughters hostage at King’s Landing and killing Jamie would forfeit their safety. Her family is more important than the personal satisfaction that she would gain by killing him.
This extreme dedication also leads directly to what is, perhaps, Catelyn’s greatest fault; once her trust has been earned, it is extremely difficult to lose it, which leads to her making some less than wise decisions. For example, Lord Baelish (AKA Littlefinger) was a childhood friend, a ward of her father’s, and even once fought for her hand (he lost, obviously). However, he is also a sneaky, unscrupulous man who works towards his own ends. Despite the fact that she has not seen him in years, she believes him immediately when he tells her that the dagger the assassin used to attempt to kill Bran belonged to Tyrion Lannister. She goes so far as to capture him and take him to her sister’s fortress to face justice. She is blinded to the fact that Littlefinger’s suggestion really doesn’t make sense- as Tyrion points out “What sort of imbecile would arm an assassin with his own dagger?” Because, in her mind, Littlefinger is a friend and the Lannisters are enemies, Tyrion is obviously the less trustworthy one. Similarly, she is extremely shocked (and disgusted) to discover how her sister has deteriorated. She is slower to realize the full extent of the problem than she probably should have been, simply because it is difficult for her to imagine her sister being irresponsible, undutiful, and, frankly, a little mad. She has been able to trust her in the past, so it’s hard for Cat to see that she can no longer do so.
Which is not to say that she is stupid. Indeed, she makes several extremely important contributions to Robb (her oldest son’s) war effort. She advises him on tactical moves and makes an important negotiation with Lord Frey in order to allow her son’s troops to move across his lands. She also is able to see a message sent by Sansa (her oldest daughter) for what it truly is- a message from Cersei Lannister, the queen. She knows the ways of war and, although as a woman she cannot fully participate and make final decisions, she is a good person to consult and will give her opinions freely.
Despite being rather opinionated, she is careful to never undermine Robb’s authority in front of his men. She is respectful and restrained, careful to treat him as a lord until they are alone- then she will treat him as her son. For this reason, not many people see the emotional side of Cat. Even when she hears of Ned’s death, she manages to leave Robb’s war camp and find an empty spot in the woods before collapsing in tears- and even that does not last long because she comes across Robb and the focus shifts to comforting him. So, to an uninvolved party, Cat may appear polite, but emotionally distant. This is not exactly true. It is true that if you are not someone she cares for, she is largely indifferent; given the circumstances in Westros, it’s just not wise to become emotionally invested in a lot of people- it’s dangerous and probably will lead to nothing but pain. For her family and old friends however, Cat is extremely invested. As discussed above, her family drives her forward throughout the story. Conversely, she is also shown to hold grudges for any extremely long time and for reasons that are not exactly logical. Jon Snow is Ned’s bastard son, who Ned brought home from war around the same time Robb was born. Catelyn never stopped resenting Jon as a reminder of Ned’s infidelity. Unlike her children, with whom she is obviously and openly affectionate, she is nothing but cold and distant to Jon, sometimes descending into outright hostility, usually in moments of extreme emotional disturbance. While this is hardly an admirable trait, it does further demonstrate how deeply Cat actually feels things. She is a woman of strong emotions, but with a stronger sense of duty, obligation, and honor, especially when it comes to her family.
THIRD-PERSON WRITING SAMPLE:
After more explanations than she cared for, Catelyn found her way to the room that was to be hers while she was imprisoned in this new world. Wordlessly, she entered, shed her cloak, and examined the room. It was plain-simple- and that was just fine. This would not be home, any more than Robb’s war camp could be home. Oh, how she missed Winterfell, missed her own chambers and how Ned would open the windows at night to let the cool air into them, much to her dismay.
Would her Ned even recognize her now? She peered at her reflection in the mirror, marveling at the woman before her. Her hair was so much more grey, her face more pale and gaunt. And she had not had those dark circles before Ned left, had she? It suited her, this new face. A new face for the new Catelyn. This was the widow Catelyn, the mother of the King of the North, a woman who had seen one son crippled, another off to war, and her daughters held hostage.
She had been forced to be so strong. To support Robb, to see her girls rescued, her husband and son avenged- she could show no weakness. But there were no armies here, no eyes upon her, no one but her and her grief. She sat on the side of the bed, held her face in her hands, and, for the first time since she left Winterfell, Catelyn Stark wept to her heart’s content. Her whole body shook with each stifled sob, tears streaming down her face. She made no attempt to wipe them away, even as she rested her head against the pillow, and they continued to fall until, at last, she slept.
FIRST-PERSON WRITING SAMPLE:
When my husband first brought me north, I thought the land a cruel and bitter place. I longed for running streams, green meadows, and spring air. Now I find myself so glad to see the snow and the ice upon the pond. It comforts me. Perhaps I have become a Stark after all.
INTENT: I adore all of the characters in A Game of Thrones, but I’m particularly drawn to Cat’s quiet strength and her unexpected ferocity. I really don’t have quite as much of a plan for her, but I think it will be interesting to see what dynamics develop with her. And, frankly, I think it might be fun to give her time to reflect on and deal with the massive trauma she’s faced(which she doesn’t really have the opportunity to do in canon) and see how that affects her character growth.
