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| “ | I take my orders from the king! | „ |
| ~ Ser Meryn to Tyrion, refusing to save Sansa during a city riot. |
Ser Meryn Trant is a supporting antagonist in A Song of Ice and Fire novel series and its television adaptation, Game of Thrones.
He is a remorseless knight of House Trant from the Stormlands who served as one of the Kingsguard to Kings Robert I, Joffrey I, and Tommen I Baratheon. Unlike other Kingsguards in the past, Meryn and most of his fellow sworn brothers, including Jaime Lannister, are considered to be the worst Kinsguard in Westeros, due to them being less chivalrous and valiant and having a disregard to their knighthood vows and oaths as Kingsguard.
In the TV series, he was portrayed by Ian Beattie.
Personality[]
Novels[]
Ser Meryn Trant is a proud man and a successful tourney knight. However, he's not a friendly person, and he is constantly sour, immoral, and always breaks a knight's sworn duty to defend the weak and the innocent without hesitance or question. Sansa says he's not concerned about it, indicating his lack of morality and compassion, and she thought to herself that Meryn sees others as nothing but mere objects.
Because of his actions and attitude, he is not well-liked by several major characters in the series, with Jaime considering him to be sly and cruel while Varys calls him of one of Cersei Lannister's "creatures", as both him and Tyrion Lannister consider him to be loyal to Cersei. Sansa sees Meryn as an uncaring and cold-hearted man. Despite his negative opinion of the latter, Jaime judges him a decent fighter, but at least in present day, as he is considered by Margaery Tyrell and Taena Merryweather to be too old and slow.
Like his fellow sworn brothers Boros Blount, Preston Greenfield, and Mandon Moore, Ser Meryn obediently follows royal commands, even if they can be ridiculous and can go against their knightly oaths. This was evident when he would follow Joffrey's unthinkable orders on beating Sansa in a brutal and callous manner.
TV Series[]
In the television series, he is portrayed as being slightly more darker and villainous; while he is pompous and cruel, Meryn is a blind follower of both Joffrey and Cersei and is even willing to obey the orders that are considered to be unnecessary and ridiculous, such as brutally beating Sansa Stark in full view of everyone. Meryn Trant is also a sychophant, as he would praise King Joffrey. Though Jaime Lannister is the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Meryn has little respect for him. Tyrion Lannister, who despises Ser Meryn, describes him as a 'child-beater', which is evident as the latter, being outright sadistic, took great pleasure in beating anyone who were unable to retaliate; this includes not only Sansa but also other children and even the young prostitutes whom he paid in a brothel in Braavos.
Because of his vile behavior and his cruel actions, Ser Meryn Trant became a superb example of what the Kingsguard should not embody: a knight who dons a white cloak as a privilege to do whatever he wants, refusing to take important matters into their own hands and would rather victimize the weak.
Biography[]
Ser Meryn Trant is a member of House Trant, a family of the Stormlands and vassal house to House Baratheon. After Robert's Rebellion, he was anointed to the Kingsguard by the newly-crowned King Robert I Baratheon. He is allegedly responsible for the death of Syrio Forel, a Braavosi master swordsman and trainer who was last seen dueling Meryn in the Red Keep. When Joffrey Baratheon ascends to the Iron Throne, Ser Meryn acts as his enforcer.
In season 5, Meryn Trant takes the place of a removed character from the books: Rafford "Raff the Sweetling", and takes Raff's liking for little girls as well. Rafford was one of Gregor Clegane's men and the murderer of Lommy Greenhands (Polliver is still the one who takes Arya's sword). Later, Rafford accompanies the Master of Coin, Harys Swyft, to Braavos. In the show, Harys appeared only in season 1, and Mace Tyrell goes to Braavos instead of Storm's End to deal with Stannis Baratheon's garrison. Meryn Trant accompanies him. It is then revealed on this trip that Trant is a sadistic pedophile after he picks a child prostitute over three adult ones at the Braavosi brothel.
In the show version, Trant soon meets his end graphically during one of his brutal sessions at the brothel. After beating three little girls for his own pleasure, he notices one of them is not reacting to the beatings he gives her. It is then revealed that this girl is in fact Arya Stark in disguise, who then brutally murders him by stabbing his eyes and chest before slitting his throat in order to avenge the death of her mentor, Syrio. In the book version, Raff is killed by Arya in the same way he killed Lommy, while the Tickler got a similar death as Meryn's in the third book, but with a much more emotional Arya, who never forgot the trauma of the Tickler's interrogations. Trant is alive and well in the capital in the books.
Quotes[]
| “ | Meryn: Put down the stick, girl. I am a Sworn Brother of the Kingsguard, the White Swords. Arya: So was the Kingslayer when he killed the old king- I don't have to go with you if I don't want. |
„ |
| ~ Meryn fails to convince Arya Stark that she can trust him. |
| “ | He did not hate her, Sansa realized; neither did he love her. He felt nothing for her at all. She was only a ... a thing to him. | „ |
| ~ Thoughts of Sansa Stark about Meryn. |
| “ | Sansa: I shall do whatever His Grace commands. Meryn: As I do. Sansa: Yes... but you are no true knight, Ser Meryn. Thoughts of Sansa about Meryn's reaction: [ Sandor Clegane would have laughed at that, Sansa knew. Other men might have cursed her, warned her to keep silent, even begged for her forgiveness. Ser Meryn Trant did none of these. Ser Meryn Trant simply did not care.] |
„ |
| ~ Meryn and Sansa Stark. |
| “ | Jaime: Ser Meryn. I have heard it said that Joffrey made use of you to chastise Sansa Stark. Here, show me where it is in our vows that we swear to beat women and children. Meryn: I did as His Grace commanded me. We are sworn to obey. Jaime: Henceforth you will temper that obedience. My sister is Queen Regent. My father is the King's Hand. I am Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Obey us. None other. |
„ |
| ~ Meryn and Jaime Lannister. |
Gallery[]
Victims[]
- Syrio Forel (assumed) - Presumably killed in a duel.
Books only:[]
- Florent bastard knight - Beheaded on King Joffrey I Baratheon's orders; either carried out or assisted Ser Ilyn Payne to do it.
Trivia[]
- Much of his character and role in the television series are a condensation between his original novel counterpart and Boros Blount, who instead was reduced to a voiceless background character.
- He would later also replace Rafford "Raff the Sweetling" in season 5, who is completely absent from the television series. However, Raff's manner of death in the upcoming book The Winds of Winter was given to Polliver in season 4, while Meryn's death is more brutal than Raff's.
External Links[]
- Meryn Trant on the A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
- Meryn Trant on the Wiki of Westeros.
