Is Gryff really Ludd’s son?
Something about their relationship is odd. In ep1 Ludd calls Gryff somebody he trusts, in ep4 he is outraged when hearing about Gryff being imprisoned, yet seconds later he declares he doesn't give a crap about his fourthborn son. It appeared to me he wasn't outraged due to Gryff being in danger but because his personal pride was wounded.
Then we have Gryff's elder brothers who bullied him a lot. As his mother wasn't alive at this point of time it was in Ludd's hands to stop this. He obviously didn't, as we can see on Gryff's refined manners. Maybe he even supported the bullying of Gryff unconsciously.
Also the status as a "fourthborn" gets a lot of attention, in a negative way, yet when you look at his other children - one is female, one is dead, one is studying at the Citadel and therefore giving up his name and titles, one is exposed to the dangers of war - Gryff could easily remain as the only heir of house Whitehill and is actually really really important ... unless he isn't his son.
Maybe Lady Whitehill never gave birth to the baby? Or it was the child of another man?
Please support this sophisticated theory.
Comments
You do know that Ludd said that because he was bluffing, right?
I dont see any reason to believe he's not his son. Maybe he just doesnt like him or value him as much because he's the fourth borne, but he still loves him as his son.
As pointed out by GoldenPaladin, Gryff was bluffing when he tells Rodrik he doesn't care about his fourthborn son. He was trying to force Rodrik into agreeing to Ludd's terms without giving up anything. The only option he had for that is to convince Rodrik that Gryff being held prisoner isn't really leverage against Ludd. (when it fact it was, as shown by Ludd backing down if you have Rodrik call that bluff)
You're right, I even reacted this way at the dinner. But Ludd uses Gryff more like a tool to provoke the Forresters than treating him like an actual son and possible heir, don't you think? Gryff's anger and his low position in his family, the fact that people like Duncan or Royland don't have any respect for him, calling him "boy" in front of others, and Gwyn having no resemblance to him at all... I just felt there's some story behind it. Probably I'm seeing ghosts.