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One thing bothering me is how nonchalant Lady Brienne was upon meeting the Red Woman in Castle Black this season in the show. She travelled across the world and risked death to finally kill the man who had ordered the unholy hit on her beloved Renly.

Why would she be OK at all with being near or working alongside the woman whose shadow magic had enabled this hit and who had advised it in the first place?

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  • Because Brienne is honorable. She understands whatever Mel did was on command of Stannis Baratheon. The tool is not to be blamed, the man who uses the tool is to be blamed.
    – Aegon
    Commented Jun 9, 2016 at 8:30
  • I'd not go as far as saying that Brienne would like Mel but I suppose she would understand
    – Aegon
    Commented Jun 9, 2016 at 8:30
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    If She had actually said that, I would have posted this as answer. But there are other characters who display such attitude. E.g. Prince Oberyn tells Tyrion that Even if Gregor killed his sister, orders still came from Tywin Lannister. Which is why he wants him. Tyrion however says that in the end all Orders came from Robert, which was Tywin's position as well.
    – Aegon
    Commented Jun 9, 2016 at 8:34
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    Also I recall when Renly died, Brienne said this "It was Stannis. I will kill him. I swear it. I swear it. I swear it". So from the beginning, Stannis was the culprit in her mind.
    – Aegon
    Commented Jun 9, 2016 at 12:41
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    From the looks that were exchanged, I got the distinct impression that as soon as they met, Brienne put Melissandre on her "list", and Melissandre knew it. Remember the dig and pointed look about "blood magic"? Speculating: A) Brienne isn't sure Melissandre was involved. B) The moment was not appropriate for combat/vengeance/justice. C) Brienne wasn't sure she even could kill a powerful sorceress. Compare with Ser Davos who clearly doesn't yet know how Stannis' daughter died (can't remember her name) because that would involve some angry words at least if and when he finds out.
    – Todd Wilcox
    Commented Jun 9, 2016 at 12:42

3 Answers 3

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I would think the main reason is that, unlike Stannis, who she already swore to kill and she encountered in opportune fashion in the chaos of a battlefield, where smiting people is considered accepted behavior, she encounters the Red Woman at Castle Black, as a guest/companion/advisor of the Lord Commander who just opened the gates to her and Lady Sansa. Very different situation. I think she implied that if the honorable opportunity arose for her to deal with the Red Woman as Stannis was dealt with, she'd take it, but Brienne is nothing, if not honorable.

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I think she was waiting for an excuse to do just that. If you watch the episode closely, you'll notice she had her sword in her hand when she told Melissandre and Ser Davos that she was the one that executed Stannis.

It's a very deliberate action on her part, she wanted to provoke them so she can kill them. She is sworn to Sansa, and they are guests of Sansa's brother Jon Snow - killing them would have brought dishonor to Sansa and Jon. If they were to attack her on the other hand... well, obviously, cutting them down would have been perfectly acceptable.

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Jon is Sansa's savior, Melisandre is Jon's guest (and savior), Brienne is Sansa's sworn sword and has promised to obey her. I don't think she'd dishonor Sansa by killing her brother's guest and someone who is serving him in a capacity unknown fully to Brienne. There are unknown consequences. Besides, she may even be thinking that the Red Woman may extend her quite useful brand of protection to Sansa, putting them on the same side, however tenuously. Also, I'm not sure what Brienne thinks of killing a woman.

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