The Consequences of the Trials by Wildfire - More than just House Stark and Arryn
An ASOIAF meta that no one has truly asked for, but here we are. I was recently listening to History of Westeros' episode on Aerys' executions of Brandon and Rickard Stark, whose deaths set off Robert's Rebellion. While their gruesome deaths by wildifire and strangulation undoubtedly caused some major dominoes to fall, I cannot help but think about the fallout the execution of Brandon Stark and his party of four, specifically for their Houses.
The fallout for House Arryn is clear based on the fact that Elbert Arryn was Jon Arryn's heir as his nephew. Aerys' executed two heirs to major Houses, proper justification to go apeshit. While Jon refused to send Robert and Ned and that is cited as the reason for the Rebellion, Elbert's death was no doubt a major catalyst for House Arryn.
Ethan Glover is a bit more tricky. He makes it out of what must have been the Black Cells and rides with Ned to the Tower of Joy, and immediately gets killed by three of the most legendary members of the Kingsguard. This poor man's life was one doomed scenario to another. But why is he kept alive in the first place? No one knows but it was likely presumed he was dead given the state of the rest of his party before Ned found him when he arrived to the Red Keep. Did his father Glover ride down with Rickard Stark and be burned? We are not sure either, and it is neither of the current Glovers. However, the fact is that House Glover would go with their liege lords, especially at their disdainful deaths. While they are so many ifs with the case of Ethan Glover and his father, I believe that his House would have stood with House Stark no matter who or who was not burned.
But here we come to my scrambled ponderances, Kyle Royce and Jeffory Mallister. They rode down with Brandon, the heir to the North and not the heir of their own respective regions. Whatever the reason they decided to ride down into the Red Keep, their deaths are more important that I think many have acknowledged.
(damn tumblr, blurry ass text i guess)
Catelyn and Jaime (by implication) state that both Kyle and Jeffory and their fathers are killed by Aerys, a blowback on their houses over two successive generations. They were 'lord's sons' according to Jaime, elite members of their houses to go down with Brandon Stark.
Kyle Royce is a wildcard in relation to the current Royces, not the son of either Bronze Yohn or Nestor Royce as they are currently up and kicking (but for who knows how long given the twow Vale plots). All that we can say is that Kyle came to the Riverlands with his Royce father (for reasons I am unsure of since this is pre Jon-Lysa marriage). And they both died as representatives of House Royce. And given what we know of Bronze Yohn and his level of beef with Littlefinger, I doubt that he would let go of what Aerys, and by extension House Targaryen, did to his relatives whether they be brother and nephew, or cousins. Another point of no return for the Vale in entering into the Rebellion when one of the strongest Houses looses their own to wildfire.
This applies to Jeffory Mallister as well. I initially thought that perhaps Jeffory and his father's death caused Jason Mallister to become Lord of Seagard (death of brother and father) but it doesn't quite fit into the wack ass timeline, given Jason was Lord Mallister about a few years earlier. While this would be a narrative perfection point, the consequences remain similiar nonetheless. No doubt House Mallister would come to action at members of their being brazenly murdered, especially since at this time, Jeffory and his father may have been Jason's only heirs, or secondary to a very young Patrek. Given House Mallister's power in the Riverlands is only second to House Tully, Jeffory and his father's death sent a message to Hoster Tully but also all the Riverlords. All would burn under Aerys Targaryen, no matter if they were Brandon Stark or the son of perhaps a second son, Jeffory Mallister.
Aerys' fateful decision to execute the sons of lords by either the sword, or more likely, wildfire, did more than just alienate House Stark and House Arryn. It broke the so-called feudal contract with lesser but major houses from the North, the Vale, and the Riverlands. Aerys struck at the major Houses, but their vassals as well. Alienation down scale of power to lesser houses, turning not only the major Lords but their supporters from three out of the seven Kingdoms, soon to be four with calling for Robert Baratheon's head. While I am sure Jon Arryn, Hoster Tully, and Ned Stark could have rose in rebellion without the support all of their vassals, it would have been a more difficult task. But with the deaths of the representatives and heirs of Houses Royce, Mallister, and Glover, the Vale, the Riverlands, and the North would answer in force for the burning of their own. With the Trials by Wildfire, Aerys killed more than just the leaders, but their swords as well. This would not be a Blackfyre Rebellion with vassals and lords disjointed in insurrection, Aerys wronged them both in a manner unsual (and perhaps unprecendented) for Targaryen kings.
It is easy to say that the deaths of Elbert, Ethan, Kyle, and Jeffory are of the past but I can't help but wonder if their deaths will have consequences when/if Aegon (Young Griff) and Dany come to Westeros. While this may be reach, I wonder if Bronze Yohn and Jason Mallister (despite their ongoing troubles with Lannisters/Freys and well, one Baelish) will remember the last time their Houses met with a Targaryen and the wildfire that brought their kin to an end.
