People and their illogical reasons for saving *****...
If you saved Asher for reasons along the lines of:
- I connected to / liked him as a character more than Rodrik
- I love the idea of a sellsword northern lord, whose fought dragons, and met Daenerys Targaryen
- I really want to see him return to Ironrath, and get involved in the narrative that's unfolding there
Then cool! 
That's fair enough, that's fine, and perfectly valid. However, if you saved Asher because:
- He's stronger than Rodrik
- It's the lord's duty to stay behind
- He can't die just when he returns home
- I can't split up Asher and Beskha
Then well, that's pretty illogical. 
Sorry. Because, firstly, he's not stronger than Rodrik. It's established in the codex and multiple lines of dialogue, Rodrik was "House Forrester's best fighter by far." And by the events of the ending of episode 5, he's fully recovered. Plus, Asher got a crossbow bolt in the leg that everyone loves to forget about. So, as of the choice in A Nest of Vipers, both brothers are on even terms for fighting ability--if not Rodrik having the edge, in the long term. Sure, Asher's been fighting Sellswords in Essos for years, but what was Rodrik doing, during that time? Oh yes, leading soldiers into battle against armies of well-trained Lannister soldiers, and as we're informed in the codex, winning decisively. Plus, Rodrik makes no screams when he's getting stabbed by the Whitehills, unlike Asher--and he survives an extra few seconds at the end. So saying Asher had to survive because he's stronger than Rodrik is a false notion.
Secondly, NO IT IS NOT THE LORDS DUTY TO STAY BEHIND! Do these people, sprouting this nonsense understand nothing of succession laws, and medieval duty? The lord is the last person whose duty it is to stay behind. It's his subjects, people like Royland, Duncan, well anyone really, Asher, Talia, to put their lord's life ahead of their own, at any cost. So this reason is invalid.
Thirdly, I think Rodrik dying just as he recovers and gets with Eleana, and is about to fight the Whitehills, is just as abrupt a demise as Asher's. So, another reason that doesn't hold up.
And fourth and lastly, this reason makes little sense either. You won't split up Asher and Beskha, but you will split up Rodrik and Eleana, plus his Sentinel, Talia, his Mother and all the rest whose come to rely on his leadership, and be accustom to Asher's absence?
Anyway, I just had to get this off my chest. I love both these characters, though as you've probably gathered, I prefer Rodrik a fair bit more. I believe they are both valid choices, however, I keep seeing SO MANY people having invalid and illogical reasons for saving Asher. And I just wanted to debunk them. Because, it must count in the three-digits now, how many comments I've read of people saying "herp derp derp saving rodrick is so fucking stupid bcus asher is the bestest fighter and rodrick is a cripple its such easy decision anyone saved rodrick is stupid". Urgh.
Feel free to discuss 
Comments
I believe that Asher has potential to be the Lord of Ironrath and I will gladly play him as Lord. But it is puzzling me that people who favor saving Asher doesn't come with some stronger arguments besides he is stronger and having the Pit Fighter's loyalty.
In my playthough, I had Asher stay behind not just because Rodrik is the lord and experienced leader, but because his elder brother was in danger and there was nothing else Asher needed to know except saving him. It fits his personality and what his mother said about him in episode 1.
And in my "alternative" head-canon, if Rodrik stays behind, he isn't just doing this because he is the Lord and Asher has the most potential, but because Asher is his little brother and he will die to save him. Which also fits his personality considering how protective and caring Rodrik are toward Talia and Ryon (And clearly Ethan too.)
I didn't leave him because it's the lord's duty. I did it because it's the older brother's duty.
I'd agree with all of that, and that's why I had Asher stay behind too. "Asher doesn't hesitate. He acts!" compiled with the story you referenced from Lady Forrester, the fact this was his chance to redeem himself in the eyes of his family... and of course, Rodrik has to be the one, at least for me, who destroys House Whitehill root and stem.
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And here we have someone who saved Asher because he's stronger than Rodrik, it's the lords duty to stay behind, he can't die just when he returns home, and to keep Asher and Beskha together...
LOL
Rodrik Lover detected.
You remind me of this whole Kenny vs Jane-Thing. People who were upset about other peoples opinion and HAVE to say that the other team did the wrong choice. And srsly, u really blame Team Asher here. U said it in a nice way, but the point were u said "your idiots" explains everything. So let me give u an advice: Dont give two shits about people who say something like "Saving Rodrik is so stupid" because u will probably not changing there mind. You will just upset them more, because they are stupid monkys. Dont try to talk sense into those kind of people, its really not ur job. They will probably learn that they are wrong on theyre own someday.
Clearly you've misunderstood my point. I explicitly state they are both valid choices. Because, well, they are. However, so many people saved Asher for invalid reasoning and logic. Hence why I made this topic. I never implied or said saving Asher was the wrong choice.
And what does "my job" have to do with anything. This is a forum to talk about Telltale's Game of Thrones, and so here I am, talking about--in particular, the one topic that was annoying me at the time of posting.
Well I think we are both annoyed of those people. But I'm annoyed from both sides^^ Sry if I was so harsch. But believe me. There are not so many Rodrik hater than u might think.
That's a bit judgemental of you.
I saved him simply because his storyline is pretty much pointless if he dies there and it would have felt like a wasted time seeing his struggles in Essos. If that makes me an idiot then alright ¯_(ツ)_/¯
But, by that logic, Rodrik storyline is also pretty much pointless if he dies there. Because that, therefore, must make it wasted time seeing his struggles in Ironrath?
That's one of my reasons.
No it's not, but is something that Rodrik would definetly do for his little brother.
Nope, Rodrik has been the one to rule and keep the Forresters up, he has been at the center of the story, the main protagonist, going through this war against the Whitehills. Asher's meaning so far has been "he brings us army", and if he dies now what was his meaning to the story: to bring couple pitfighters and die.
This is just going to turn into I-say-you-say logic now, I can feel it... But how has Rodrik been at the center of the story? The main protagonist? He wasn't even playable until the second episode. And by "going through this war against the Whitehills" I think you mean being constantly humiliated and oppressed by them, while being unable to fight back?
If he dies now's what was his meaning to the story: he got humiliated for being crippled, and then recovered and died.
They're both just as anti-climatic.
Ugh, yes of course he wasn't the main protagonist in ep. 1 -.- But after he returned I'd say he can be considered the main protagonist. Why? Well what would you say this story is about? The Forrester's trying to survive, right? And Rodrik (after ep. 1) is the head of the Forresters. The other characters try to help the Forresters from other places, going through their side stories. Mira plays the game in KL to help Rodrik, Asher tries to find army to help Rodrik, Gared tries to find the North Grove to help Rodrik. So to me it's pretty clear that Ironrath and the playable character there is the center of the story.
They are both anti-climatic? Maybe, blame telltale for that, but at least Rodrik has been his anti-climatic storyline at the center of the story, whereas Asher has been on the other side of the world doing something that hardly has had any impact to the main story.
I don't think it's fair to be calling people idiots due to any of those choices, logically sure you can spout off most but this was a choice needing to be made quickly, not thoroughly and tactfully. If this choice had no limit like deciding what to do with the traitor, I could agree more, but due to the fact that you had to decide fast, it didn't leave much time to really mull things over like with the traitor. It's a heat of the moment situations and I won't fault anyone for their reasons, when I played through it, I didn't even know why I picked Asher then but I did.
It's easy to look back now and criticize people for their decisions but again, due to the circumstances of the choice, it's not fair at all for you to be saying to them, "You're wrong and an idiot". You can take several events from your own life and reflect now that you either made a good or bad decision then, and as you should know well too if you've lived enough years, not every choice in real life gives you the opportunity to wait, some choices need to be made very soon and you don't always have the luxury of thinking things through.
Your thread just feels like it's going to be another thread where it'll regurgitate some hate, especially since you're insulting people.
Once again, I'm not criticising anyone's decision. Yawn.
I'm criticising people's illogical justification of their decision. If anyone said, "It was a split, heat of the moment decision, and I just went for Asher."
I'd say fair enough. Because it is. If, however, they said, "It was an easy choice, Rodrick is a cripple and Asher is the strongest fighter so I saved him."
I'd say they were stupid.
I've already said, and stand by the fact, saving either Asher or Rodrik are perfectly valid and sensible choices. After all, they're both great characters, who'd make great lords. All my point was, all this topic is trying to do--despite people keep thinking the contrary-- is shed some light on some stupid reasoning I keep coming across, on behalf of some (though it feels like more) of the people who chose to save Asher.
I've played this game through the fifth episode three times now and hate making that decision every time! I adore both brothers and am sad that one of them has to die. I so desperately want Rodrick to get his revenge against the Whitehills, especially Gryff, that I need him to live. On the other hand, it was really wrenching to hear Beskha plead with Asher to not sacrifice his life. Then I think about Elaena and what Rodrick's death will mean for her. And then I think about how cute and funny Asher is. I love them both but I think I love Asher just a tiny bit more. Plus I'd like to have a scene where Asher and Gwynn interact. So what won out? Of the three saves I have, Rodrick lived in two of them.
But Asher is trying to find an army "to help Rodrik" before he even knows Rodrik is alive.
Gared, to our knowledge, still thinks Rodrik is dead.
And Mira, just like Asher and Gared, was trying to secure advantages for House Forrester, even before she learnt Rodrik survived. So saying, they're whole arcs are justified by Rodrik doesn't really add up.
And again, finally, we return to the I-say-you-say logic. Neither of us can win here. So...
Actually you kind of did :P
You can also have 2 playthroughs ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
No, I didn't. I'm criticising some people's justification of their decision, not the decision itself. If people read what I said properly, they'd have realized that.
Yawn all you like but when you're thread is calling someone's decision stupid and calling them idiots too, you are criticizing and belittling them.
Well you'd probably be getting more types of the discussions you were looking for if you weren't insulting people right out of the gate and immediately creating a bias for anyone who looks at your thread's title. And if you really did believe in what you said that both are valid choices, simply do a better job next time with your words, because regardless of what you say I've already got you pegged as someone who thinks just as little like the people you're so upset about and their reasons.
Oh. I should have made it clear. I have three saved playthroughs. I still hate that one of them has to die.
But only one "canon" playthrough
Actually no. In my canon save I picked Asher to stay behind and Rodrik to survive. Godamn this forum section is toxic.
I have tried my utmost to have Rodrik stay behind. But every time, I just couldn't bring myself to DO IT!.
It is not just because I love playing as Rodrik, but because I have an elder brother and his personality resembles Rodrik's and I highly respect and love my elder brother. So...Yeah, very difficult for me.
^ This.
It's a choice game. There's no 'right' choice. I'm not angry, but this reminds me an awful lot of what happened with the Telltale Forums after The Walking Dead: Season 2 finale. I saved Asher for a number of reasons, but I've never thought of it as the 'right' choice because I see many reasons to save Rodrik too. People can save Asher for any reason they please. It isn't a job. It's a game.
How many times, must I remind you, I've NEVER called anyone's decision stupid. I've called some of their reasoning stupid.
But yes, I should have worded my title better. You're right there.
Says the person calling people judgemental pricks...
You clearly missed the point. Well, I could have phrased that better I guess. But when I am talking about them doing what they do to help Rodrik I mean they are doing it to help the Forresters = head of the Forresters since ep.2 is Rodrik. He has been the POV of Ironrath, the main location, after Ethan's death.
For example when Asher tries to find army he doesn't know Rodrik is now the head of the house, but he is still de facto trying to help Rodrik by trying to find army for the Forresters to beat Whitehills. Same goes for Gared with the NG. This can't be so hard to understand.
Anyway, this all turned into a shit-show rather quick. Ultimately, you are right in all you've said (though due to the way you got the point across, you've angered people, instead of bringing them around to your actual point. Which I agree with)
Eh, any reason is logical to whoever made it. I saved Asher because I never really liked Rodrick too much.
Regardless, it's still uncouth in my eyes to insult someone else due to the reasons given the situation, I'm sure you can find plenty of people who only have those simple replies that you hate so much but I've got a good feeling that if you talked to them now, they'd have a much more fleshed out opinion since the majority of users here are mainly on right before/after release of w/e episode and series to discuss/hear other opinions.
Naturally, we'll see a swell of users at those times who don't give the best reasons and very possibly have only made a few comments in the forums at all. So unless you were to personally ask everyone who gave the reasons you find so stupid now and get the same answer they gave then, this whole thing just feels pointless.
I could ask you the same question.
You keep flip-flopping on what point you're trying to get across. First, you were trying to say all the characters do, they do on behalf of Rodrik. Now you're saying, they're doing it for the Forresters, and therefore Rodrik. But either way, that entire point is, well, pointless. Baseless.
As is this back-and-forth.
God damnit. They help Forresters, guess who represents the Forresters AS THE LORD AND HEAD OF THE HOUSE? Rod-fucking-rik.
They try to help Forresters (the gang of the Ironrath) = They try to help Rodrik.
Ironrath is center of story = Rodrik is the POV of the center of the story.
Was I clear enough now?
Stop effing twisting my words.
Well, no. Because, if they were doing all they were doing, before Rodrik was the lord, and will continue doing it, after he's dead--how can your point of everything revolving and being instrumental to Rodrik's character have any validity whatsoever?
It can't. So calm down, move on.
You literally just called OP a judgmental prick and told him to shut the fuck up, this forum section is toxic?
Three reasons I chose Asher over Rodrik
1(illogical): Couldnt do it to Beskha
2(completely logical): Asher and Gwynn are the only true way to peace between the houses. Rodrik would just be the leader to take them to war.
3(emotional): The Rodrik in my playthrough was made into a warrior who kept his house afloat while the true heirs (Ryon, Talia, Asher) figured their paths out. Rodrik was there to lead by example, but he was destined to fall in a battle like this. Even before I spoiled episode 5 for myself, I hoped for an ending like this for Rodrik.