HBO’s Game of Thrones quickly cemented itself as a powerhouse of a show, garnering acclaim from new fans and readers of A Song of Ice and Fire alike. At a certain point in the show’s progression, because of character adjustments or narrative shifts, things changed. Avid readers of George R. R. Martin’s books may look to season five of Game of Thrones as the point at which the quality of the interpretation declined. One of the prominent victims of the show’s dwindling loyalty to the source material was Ser Barristan Selmy. To many, the legendary knight was relegated to an underwhelming, nostalgic role of the aging warrior that undermines his importance in the book series.
Ser Barristan Selmy is One of the Most Decorated Knights in Westerosi History
HBO’s Game of Thrones Largely Dismisses Ser Barristan’s Deeds
Ser Barristan Selmy’s legendary status spans the reign of several kings. When viewers first see Selmy in HBO’s Game of Thrones, he is the aging Lord Commander of the Kingsguard under King Robert Baratheon. Before serving King Robert, he was in the Kingsguard of the Mad King Aerys II Targaryen and fought alongside Rhaegar Targaryen in the Battle of the Trident. After Robert cemented his victory, he was urged by Roose Bolton to kill Ser Barristan, but Robert refused. He recognized Selmy was simply fulfilling his duty as a member of the Kingsguard. Robert acknowledged Barristan was a fellow brother of the Stormlands, hailing from Harvest Hall, the seat of House Selmy. By pardoning him, Robert acquired a skilled and honorable knight to serve as his Lord Commander.
While Game of Thrones makes brief mentions of Barristan’s storied legacy, to fully understand the scope of his stature and why his fate in the show is scoffed at by many, his full history before the modern timeline must be explored. At only ten years of age, Barristan earned his nickname “Barristan the Bold” by entering the tournament in Blackhaven as a mystery knight and jousting against Prince Duncan Targaryen. When he was 16, Barristan earned his knighthood by defeating Ser Duncan the Tall, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, during a winter tournament in King’s Landing. Ser Duncan was much larger and more experienced than Selmy. King Aegon V Targaryen was so impressed by the young Selmy that he knighted him after the event.
At 23, Barristan’s crowning achievement that led to him becoming a member of the Kingsguard occurred during the War of the Ninepenny Kings. Also known as the Fifth Blackfyre Rebellion, the conflict focuses on a group of powerful individuals who referred to themselves as the Band of Nine, led by Maelys Blackfyre. The Blackfyres were an illegitimate branch of House Targaryen that started a series of wars, with the final iteration being the War of the Ninepenny Kings. Barristan met Maelys the Monstrous in single combat on the Stepstones where the Targaryen’s clashed with the Band of Nine. Barristan defeated Maelys and effectively ended the war and destroyed the Blackfyre line. This elevated Barristan’s reputation to legendary status in Westeros, as Maelys was known for his incredible size and strength.
Barristan the Bold. There has never been a living knight half so bold. – Tywin Lannister, A Storm of Swords
Barristan further enforced his legend during the Defiance of Duskendale. The Mad King was captured by Lord Denys Darklyn of Duskendale and held prisoner. Tywin Lannister, then Hand of the King, surrounded Duskendale and planned to siege the city, but this would put the King in harm’s way. Barristan volunteered to infiltrate the castle himself and save Aerys. Selmy fought his way to the King and could ultimately escape, though he would later regret this deed, as it marked the beginning of Aerys’ descent into madness. Several years later, Barristan, along with Ser Arthur Dayne, helped put an end to the Kingswood Brotherhood, a band of notorious outlaws that roamed the Kingswood near King’s Landing. Barristan killed the Brotherhood leader, Simon Toyne.
Ser Barristan Selmy Lives On In George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice And Fire
Ser Barristan’s Death in Game of Thrones Makes No Sense
Starting with season one, Game of Thrones slightly weakens Barristan’s political standing by not having him attend any of the small council meetings despite him being Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. The show explains this away with Barristan stating that Robert only sees him as a glorified bodyguard. While this may seem like a minor deviation initially, Barristan’s presence at the small council meetings in the books gives him access to valuable information that he uses in his later interactions with Jorah and Daenerys. In Game of Thrones, he learns this when given a scroll by a child in Mereen. Because of his time on the small council, he knows Jorah is a spy for the crown. He also stands with Ned Stark against the idea of assassinating Daenerys when the topic is raised.
Game of Thrones shares the famous scene of Ser Barristan Selmy being dismissed from the Kingsguard by King Joffrey with A Song of Ice and Fire. Though in the books, this event is just the beginning of Barristan’s exit from King’s Landing. After being dismissed by the King, Barristan goes to the White Sword Tower to record his dismissal in the White Book, where the deeds of members of the Kingsguard are recorded. In season 8 of Game of Thrones, Barristan’s section of the book can be seen briefly when Brienne of Tarth is thumbing through the tome. Before leaving King’s Landing, Barristan is attacked, but escapes. He sneaks back in to watch Ned Stark’s execution, and this further proves to him that the current leadership is not fit to rule.
The point in the story where Barristan joins Daenerys across the sea is where A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones split, but at least one aspect of the show’s decision makes sense. That being, in the books, when Barristan first meets Daenerys, his identity is hidden from her and the readers, as he wants to make sure she isn’t mad like her father. He goes by the name Arstan Whitebeard and positions himself as a mentor to Daenerys before truly revealing himself. This would not have worked well in Game of Thrones, as viewers would have been able to tell that Arstan Whitebeard was clearly Barristan Selmy. Arstan saves Daenerys from an attack, proving that he was much more than an old man. This forced him to come clean.
They say he can ride through a rain of arrows and not a one will touch him. – Daenerys Targaryen on Barristan Selmy, A Storm of Swords
The events in Meereen are the biggest deviation from the books to the show. In Game of Thrones, Barristan is killed in the streets of Meereen by the Sons of the Harpy. Not only is Barristan Selmy alive and well in A Song of Ice and Fire, but he is also the Hand of the Queen. He is Daenerys’s closest adviser and commands her forces during the Battle of Fire. After Daenerys leaves Meereen on the back of Drogon, Barristan is an essential part of stabilizing Meereen. In A Dance with Dragons, Barristan becomes a POV character, and readers are given insights into his internal conflicts and past failures regarding Ashara Dayne, the Mad King, and Robert’s Rebellion.
Ser Barristan Selmy Had A Lot Left To Offer in the Show
Ser Barristan’s Death Marks a Turning Point in the Writing of Game of Thrones
One of the major problems with the portrayal of Barristan Selmy in Game of Thrones is that the show largely relegates him to the role of a wise counselor, though he doesn’t seem to counsel much. While it is true that he becomes a mentor to Daenerys in A Song of Ice and Fire, he is much more than that. Barristan is still more than a capable warrior and military tactician, making him a vital asset to her long-term goals of obtaining the Iron Throne. The decision to kill him in the show was just to move the plot forward quicker, robbing readers of a fan-favorite arc.
Barristan was still alive at the time of the most recently released book, A Dance with Dragons. There are sample chapters that feature Barristan from The Winds of Winter, seeing him preparing for coming battles and leading troops. While fans do not yet know how the events will play out, considering Barristan’s legendary legacy, it is certain to be a fitting and meaningful conclusion for the old warrior.
