#textually she’s chained to Arya Stark but her actions and choices are Sansa

[maastrichtiana]

teen girl betting it all on forbidden star crossed romance with a white haired brooding bishonen prince is THE generic YA romantasy, he’s emo, he’s got dark dark secrets, he’s got daddy issues

Lyanna just didn’t know what series she was in

[selkiewife]

So I was wondering if you have any thoughts on Robb and Dany parallels?

Obviously there is a lot of stuff out there that considers Dany and Sansa and whether they are in opposition as characters or not. And people consider the parallels between Jon and Dany, or Arya and Dany, but in my mind the Stark who's arc she has most in common with is Robb, both thrust into positions of power and responsibility, both succeeding in conflicts which clearly leave devastation their wake and then having to learn how to rule (as a side note I would prefer if asoiaf young team were learning how to govern not rule but it's a feudal society so what can you do?)

Anyway have you ever thought about this (probably you have and have said something insightful and I've not noticed). Thanks.

Oh no. You know when you get an ask and you are suddenly like, oh shit, I have fooled people into thinking I know what I am talking about. I have really not explored their parallels in depth. Mostly because I have not been as obsessed about Robb’s ruling arc as much as I have about Daenerys’. And my obsession with her ruling arc was a direct result of Season 8 and me being like... if this was where it was all leading, where is the evidence in the books? And going back to reread and finding... well, no evidence lol. 

Thank you for this ask though @st-clements-steps! It is really interesting. Especially since you are right! It is strange that people don’t seem to focus a lot on Robb and Dany parallels compared to the other Starks, especially since they are both in ruling positions. I am going to post some of my thoughts but I’m also going to tag @rainhadaenerys who might have written or know of metas written about their parallels. I ramble a bit about the parallels I see in them under the cut, but it is not well researched or backed up with textual evidence. But hopefully this might start an interesting discussion at least. And please feel free to point out inaccuracies and such!

One of the cursory parallels between them off the top of my head is that they are both such young rulers. And yet, they are both incredibly introspective and strategic rulers that honestly don’t get enough credit for their intelligence or wisdom from the fandom. They are also both fantastic examples of how difficult ruling is. They are both often faced with horrible choices- where it is not a choice between a good thing and an evil think, but rather, two equally bad things. And they try to choose the thing that will do the least amount of damage. 

They both have a magical beasts (though I’ve never seen anyone say that Robb would be “nothing” without Greywind. lol sorry. My saltiness jumped out.) There also seems to be a parallel where they are both called upon to chain up their magical beasts (which again, leads to Robb’s death... but not Daenerys since she ends up being able to tame and ride Drogon.) I think there may be an inverse parallel there where Robb has wolf dreams, like all his siblings, but doesn’t completely understand what is happening, whereas Daenerys understands her dragon dreams and that is possibly what saves her from death. We see that with Jon again later- where he does not completely understand the dreams or their bond which leads him to ignoring Ghost’s warnings the night he is assassinated. 

Both Daenerys and Robb are idealistic and want to do the right thing to the detriment of their own rule at times. They also have parallels about duty vs desires. Though, I don’t really want to compare the inverse parallel of Daenerys putting aside her personal feelings to marry Hizdahr for peace vs. Robb marrying Jeyne Westerling instead of his Frey betrothed. Because in the books, Robb did not marry her for personal romantic feelings but because of his sense of duty towards her. Though interestingly, this action led to his death and Daenerys marrying Hizdahr almost led to her being poisoned by the honeyed locusts (though I know there are other theories that is was someone else who poisoned them).... hmm I mean, there might be something there but... I don’t know. Anyone else have any thoughts? 

I also think it is very interesting that Daenerys sees Robb at the Red Wedding in her visions in The House of the Undying: 

Farther on she came upon a feast of corpses. Savagely slaughtered, the feasters lay strewn across overturned chairs and hacked trestle tables, asprawl in pools of congealing blood. Some had lost limbs, even heads. Severed hands clutched bloody cups, wooden spoons, roast fowl, heels of bread. In a throne above them sat a dead man with the head of a wolf. He wore an iron crown and held a leg of lamb in one hand as a king might hold a scepter, and his eyes followed Dany with mute appeal.

The idea that his eyes are following her with mute appeal... that is so sad and  creepy- and what could it mean? Is it a silent cry of empathy towards her, echoing his, “Gods be good, why would any man ever want to be king?” Is it a warning that she could also be assassinated (but she definitely knows that- she has always been the victim of assassination attempts since birth.) Does it have something to do with Jon and the fight against the Others? I don’t know, but I think it’s interesting.

These are a few of the parallels that I thought of right away. But I am sure there are many more. I will definitely keep my eyes open as I reread and maybe at some point write an actual meta about it. But again, if anyone knows any metas or discussions about Daenerys and Robb’s parallels, please let us know!