(To read the first part, please click
here.)
- Robb Stark: Be true to your word
Robb’s death was one of the most heart-breaking deaths on the show. The Red Wedding saw the deaths of three Starks; Robb Stark, Talisa Stark and Catelyn Stark. All of them died because Robb Stark made promises that he couldn’t keep.
Robb, the Young Wolf, had made a commitment to marry one of Frey’s daughters to win the allegiance of House Frey. He soon abandons this commitment for a night of passion with Talisa despite repeated warnings from his mother Catelyn against betraying the faith of House Frey. He refused to marry the Frey girl and ended up marrying Talisa. And look how they all ended up. Remember, mother knows best.
The important thing here is to remember that to be trusted at your workplace, your word has to be gold. Many a times verbal commitments are made and if you go back on your word, your staff and teammates might lose faith in you and your work.
- High Sparrow: Underestimate your rival and you’ll be blown away (literally)
The High Sparrow was one of the most powerful and influential person in the last couple of season. The ultimate saviour of poor provided faith and religion to some and a chance at atonement to others. The man of god ultimately was killed due to his arrogance and the reluctance to agree that Cersei can outsmart him.
High Sparrow made Cersei atone for her sins publicly and really thought there would be no consequences. He didn’t understand the politics of the royals which Queen Margaery understood quite well and even told the High Sparrow that something is wrong. He, in his overconfidence ignored the warning signs and was responsible not only for his death but also of others who were present at the Sept.
Often we overestimate our resources and ourselves while underestimating the ones whom we call our competitors. The true power lies not under the illusion of authority but in how much you know of your capabilities and your competitor’s ability. At your workplace, or in a business, make sure you know where you stand and don’t let power reach your head. Also listen to what others have to say about your rivals; it could come in handy.
- Stannis Baratheon: Trust the right one
Stannis is the man of war who stood by his brother Robert Baratheon during Robert’s Rebellion. He is one of the major characters from season 2-5 and in many ways he is the rightful ruler of Westeros (Robert’s children wouldn’t be the rightful heirs as they weren’t really his children and Renly Baratheon was the fourth in line of succession).
He was adamant on fighting for the Iron Throne and was ready to do anything to acquire it. he puts his faith into the Lord of Light under the influence of the priestess Melisandre and everything goes downhill from there. She makes him believe that he is the prophesied hero and the true king of the seven kingdoms. He has a faithful and experienced knight by his side, Ser Davos, who encourages him to make peace with either his younger brother Renly Baratheon or Robb Stark. Stannis denies to do either. He is later seduced by Melisandre and is promised a son. She also convinces Stannis to sacrifice the life of his daughter, Shireen Baratheon, who is burned alive to improve his chances at winning the war with the Boltons. His wife later commits suicide out of guilt of letting her daughter die.
He died because of his blind faith and trust in the Red Woman. He refused to listen to Ser Davos who knows the ways of war, who pleaded to not kill the innocent and who always was a loyal companion to him. Having faith is important for us to live but having blind faith is what kills in the end. At a workplace, it is important to follow the experienced and not only what is intuitive in nature. Trust your colleagues to guide you well and don’t burn them alive, no matter how much you think it may help you move ahead in life.
They all died because of the errors they made. They failed and failure for them meant losing their life. It may not mean the same for us; we may not lose our head, be poisoned, stabbed or crushed, but we may fail if we don’t pay close attention to our errors. To our faults. These fictional characters died a painful death. But their death doesn’t have to go in vain. Learn from their mistakes and be a step closer to achieving your goal.
