Samwell Tarly, or simply Sam, is a
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
in the ''
A Song of Ice and Fire
''A Song of Ice and Fire'' is a series of epic fantasy novels by the American novelist and screenwriter George R. R. Martin. He began the first volume of the series, ''A Game of Thrones'', in 1991, and it was published in 1996. Martin, who init ...
'' series of
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
novels by American author
George R. R. Martin
George Raymond Richard Martin (born George Raymond Martin; September 20, 1948), also known as GRRM, is an American novelist, screenwriter, television producer and short story writer. He is the author of the series of epic fantasy novels ''A Song ...
, and its television adaptation, ''
Game of Thrones
''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...
''.
Introduced in 1996's ''
A Game of Thrones
''A Game of Thrones'' is the first novel in ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin. It was first published on August 1, 1996. The novel won the 1997 Locus Award and was nominated for both ...
'', Samwell is the elder son of Lord
Randyll Tarly
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others (A So ...
of Horn Hill and his wife Lady
Melessa Florent. A self-professed coward with a love for books and songs, Samwell was forced by his father to abandon his birthright and join the
Night's Watch
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others beyon ...
so that his younger brother could become heir to Horn Hill. While at
the Wall
''The Wall'' is the eleventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released on 30 November 1979 by Harvest/EMI and Columbia/CBS Records. It is a rock opera that explores Pink, a jaded rock star whose eventual self-imp ...
, he meets
Jon Snow and quickly becomes his closest friend and ally. He subsequently appeared in 1998's ''
A Clash of Kings
''A Clash of Kings'' is the second of seven planned novels in ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', an epic fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. It was first published on November 16, 1998 in the United Kingdom; the first United States e ...
'' before becoming a
point-of-view character in 2000's ''
A Storm of Swords
''A Storm of Swords'' is the third of seven planned novels in '' A Song of Ice and Fire'', a fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. It was first published on August 8, 2000, in the United Kingdom, with a United States edition fol ...
'' and 2005's ''
A Feast for Crows
''A Feast for Crows'' is the fourth of seven planned novels in the epic fantasy series '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' by American author George R. R. Martin. The novel was first published on October 17, 2005, in the United Kingdom, with a United ...
''.
Samwell is portrayed by English actor
John Bradley in the
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
television adaptation.
Character
Description
Samwell Tarly is the elder son and
firstborn
A firstborn (also known as an eldest child or sometimes firstling) is the first child born to in the birth order of a couple through childbirth. Historically, the role of the firstborn child has been socially significant, particularly for a firstb ...
child of Lord Randyll Tarly of Horn Hill and his wife Lady Melessa Florent, and has four siblings — younger sister Talla, two other unnamed sisters, and a younger brother Dickon. Through his mother, Samwell is also
second cousin
Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, " ...
to
Shireen Baratheon
George R. R. Martin's '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others bey ...
and
Edric Storm
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others beyon ...
, who were born to Melessa's
first cousin
Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, " ...
s
Selyse and Delena. He has dark hair, pale eyes and a large moon-shaped face, and is very obese.
Jon Snow originally comments that Sam is the fattest boy he has ever seen, and estimates him to weigh .
A gentle young man, Samwell is fond of music and songs, and prefers books over weapons, and is afraid of blood and violence, which earned his father's intense contempt. After being frustrated at Samwell for years, Randyll's attentions turned to grooming his more promising younger son Dickon, who showed all of the physical vigor that Samwell lacked, and decided to have Dickon inherit the Tarly title. On Samwell's fifteenth birthday, Randyll force him to join the
Night's Watch
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others beyon ...
and renounce his birthright of heir to Horn Hill, threatening death if he was to refuse. After arriving at Castle Black, Samwell was bullied for being overweight and unskilled in combat, and was often called "Ser Piggy" and "Lord of Ham". However, his new-found friendship with a sympathetic Jon Snow allows his character to start unfolding positively, and earns him the position as the personal steward of
Maester Aemon
George R. R. Martin's '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others bey ...
. While lacking his friends' fighting abilities and having self-professed cowardice, Samwell is highly intelligent, observant, resourceful and loyal, and eventually becomes Jon Snow's most trusted
sidekick
A sidekick is a slang expression for a close companion or colleague (not necessarily in fiction) who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to the one they accompany.
Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, ...
. In the
fourth book, Sam is sent by Jon to the Citadel at
Oldtown and becomes accepted as a novice trainee supervised by Archmaester Marvyn and acolyte
Alleras.
According to
George R. R. Martin
George Raymond Richard Martin (born George Raymond Martin; September 20, 1948), also known as GRRM, is an American novelist, screenwriter, television producer and short story writer. He is the author of the series of epic fantasy novels ''A Song ...
, the character Samwell Tarly is the most relatable to him. When asked why, Martin said in a 2014 interview: because Sam's "the fat kid who likes to read books and doesn't like to go up a lot of stairs." Just like Tarly, George R. R. Martin both “had trouble relationship with their fathers and neither is a fighter at heart” (Brranes). George R. R. Martin refused to go to the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, because he “believed it was stupid — a sentiment that is reflected throughout the entire Song of Ice and Fire oeuvre.” (Cian) Samwell Tarly would choose not to fight, just like George R.R., but in his case he had to, to survive.
Storylines
In the books
Samwell Tarly is a background character in the first two novels of the series, and his actions and thoughts are interpreted through the eyes of
Jon Snow. He then becomes a
point of view
Point of view or Points of View may refer to:
Concept and technique
* Point of view (philosophy), an attitude how one sees or thinks of something
* Point of view (literature) or narrative mode, the perspective of the narrative voice; the pronou ...
character in the third novel ''
A Storm of Swords
''A Storm of Swords'' is the third of seven planned novels in '' A Song of Ice and Fire'', a fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. It was first published on August 8, 2000, in the United Kingdom, with a United States edition fol ...
'' and the fourth novel ''
A Feast for Crows
''A Feast for Crows'' is the fourth of seven planned novels in the epic fantasy series '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' by American author George R. R. Martin. The novel was first published on October 17, 2005, in the United Kingdom, with a United ...
'', with total of ten chapters told from his point of view.
''A Game of Thrones''
Upon arriving at the Wall, Sam is soon bullied by Ser Alliser Thorne and the fellow recruits for his weight, shyness and clumsiness in training.
Jon Snow takes pity on Sam and defends him in arms training. Later on, Sam confesses his life story to Jon, who sympathizes with Sam and secretly uses his influence among the recruits (making violent threats when necessary) to protect Sam from harm. When Sam fails to progress in fight training and is not deemed worthy to join the Night's Watch, Jon persuades Maester Aemon take in Sam as a personal steward assigned to help Aemon in the rookery and library.
Sam is the first person to notice something strange about the corpse of rangers Othor and Jafer Flowers (who are actually
wight
A wight (Old English: ''wiht'') is a mythical sentient being, often undead.
In its original use the word ''wight'' described a living human being, but has come to be used in fictional works in the fantasy genre to describe certain immortal bein ...
s
sent to assassinate Lord Commander
Jeor Mormont
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others bey ...
). When Jon tries to abandon the Night's Watch to join
Robb Stark
Robert Stark is a fictional character in the '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation '' Game of Thrones'', where he is portrayed by Scottish actor Richard Mad ...
's army and avenge the death of his father
Eddard Stark
Eddard "Ned" Stark is a fictional character in the 1996 fantasy novel ''A Game of Thrones'' by George R. R. Martin, and ''Game of Thrones'', HBO's adaptation of Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series. In the storyline, Ned is the lord of Wint ...
, Sam alerts their fellow recruits, who catch up to Jon and convince him to not break his vows to the Night's Watch.
''A Clash of Kings''
Sam takes part in the Great Ranging beyond the Wall, to take care of the ravens as Lord Commander Jeor Mormont's aide. While stopping at Craster's Keep, Sam befriends one of Craster's daughter-wives, Gilly. Gilly is pregnant and fears that, if her child is a boy, Craster will sacrifice him to the Others. Sam is horrified, but unable to help. Later, at camp at the Fist of the First Men, Sam and Jon's direwolf Ghost discover a cache of dragonglass daggers buried underground.
''A Storm of Swords''
The Night's Watch's camp at the Fist of the First Men comes under attack and is overrun by an army of wights sent by the Others, with Sam one of the survivors who manage to break out. The survivors then flee to Craster's Keep, but Sam and two other brothers, Small Paul and Grenn, become separated from the group. They are attacked by an Other that kills Paul before Sam stabs it with a dragonglass dagger in desperation, killing it instantly. Sam and Grenn then regroup with the other survivors at Craster's Keep, where Gilly gives birth to a son. Soon after, a violent
mutiny
Mutiny is a revolt among a group of people (typically of a military, of a crew or of a crew of pirates) to oppose, change, or overthrow an organization to which they were previously loyal. The term is commonly used for a rebellion among member ...
breaks out, and Mormont and Craster are among those killed in the fight. Sam flees with Gilly and her son, and are accosted by wights before being rescued by a mysterious man, Coldhands, who looks like a wight but is friendly and supposedly a fellow Night's Watchman. Coldhands takes them to the Nightfort and asks them to escort
Bran Stark
Brandon Stark, known as Bran, is a fictional character in the '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation '' Game of Thrones'', where he is portrayed by English ...
and his party through the Wall.
Sam and Gilly then encounter a group of Night's Watchmen led by Denys Mallister and Bowen Marsh and join them on the march to Castle Black. They arrive to find that
Stannis Baratheon
Stannis Baratheon is a fictional character in the ''A Song of Ice and Fire
''A Song of Ice and Fire'' is a series of epic fantasy novels by the American novelist and screenwriter George R. R. Martin. He began the first volume of the series, ...
has arrived to the Night's Watch's aid and defeated
Mance Rayder
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others bey ...
's Wildling army besieging Castle Black. Due to Lord Commander Mormont's death, the Night's Watch undergoes an election for a new Lord Commander. Mallister and Cotter Pyke are the leading candidates, but Janos Slynt, who Sam believes will be a corrupt and disastrous leader, is gaining popularity. When Stannis, frustrated by the Night's Watch's messy politics, threatens to dictate a Lord Commander himself if the Watch cannot decide on a leader within the next few days, Sam decides to approach Mallister and Pyke (who despise each other) independently, claiming that Stannis plans to name the other as Lord Commander, and suggesting that they both support Jon as compromise candidate instead. Thanks to Sam's machinations, both Mallister and Pyke offer their support and Jon is elected the 998th Lord Commander with an overwhelming majority vote.
''A Feast for Crows''
Jon sends Sam to Oldtown to become a Maester, accompanied by another brother, Dareon (who is appointed as a recruiter), Maester Aemon (who Jon fears will be sacrificed by
Melisandre
Melisandre of Asshai is a fictional character in the ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin and its television adaptation ''Game of Thrones''. She is a priestess of the god R'hllor (also called ...
for his royal blood) and Gilly and her baby. During the voyage to Braavos, Gilly grows despondent, and Sam realises that Jon had swapped Gilly's baby with Mance Rayder's newborn son lest he be sacrificed as well. Aemon falls ill during the voyage and they are forced to spend their money on a healer and lodging in Braavos. In Braavos, Sam also encounters a disguised
Arya Stark
Arya Stark is a fictional character in American author George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' epic fantasy novel series, and its television adaptation ''Game of Thrones'', where she is portrayed by English actress Maisie Williams. She ...
, though he does not realise her identity. Aemon hears of his great-grandniece
Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys Targaryen ( ) is a fictional character in the series of epic fantasy novels ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' by American author George R. R. Martin. She is a prominent Narrative mode#Third-person view, point of view character, and is one of ...
and her dragons, and comes to believe that she fulfills the prophecy of a "prince that was promised", asking them to inform the Citadel. Dareon decides to desert and Sam fights him, before being thrown into a canal. He is rescued by a Summer Islander, Xhondo, who offers Sam and Gilly passage to Oldtown. Aemon ultimately passes away early in the journey, and Sam and Gilly briefly become lovers in their grief.
Sam plans to have Gilly sent to Horn Hill, with the baby passed off as Sam's bastard. Meanwhile, Sam arrives at Oldtown to meet with Archmaester Marwyn, telling him of Aemon's request. Marwyn resolves to travel to Slaver's Bay to meet with Daenerys, ordering Sam to keep his story secret from the other maesters, and left Sam's care in the hand of acolyte
Alleras.
In the show
Season 1
Sam is quickly identified as being soft and weak by Castle Black's master-at-arms Ser Alliser Thorne, and suffers in sword-training until
Jon Snow convinces the other new recruits to go easy on him. Sam is assigned to the order of stewards, to serve Maester Aemon. When Jon tries to abandon the Night's Watch after hearing of his father's execution, Sam follows with Pyp and Grenn. They convince Jon to remain loyal to the Night's Watch.
Season 2
Sam joins the Night's Watch in the Great Ranging. Along the journey, the party rests at Craster's Keep, where Sam encounters and falls in love with Craster's pregnant daughter-wife Gilly. While camping at the Fist of the First Men, Sam discovers a cache of weapons made from dragonglass. While Sam is out collecting dung for fires, the White Walkers march on the Fist of the First Men. Sam is unable to outrun the army of the dead, but for unknown reasons their leader spares Sam.
Season 3
Sam and the survivors of the resulting massacre flee back to Craster's Keep. Sam witnesses Gilly give birth to a baby boy, whose gender Sam and Gilly realize they must keep secret to prevent Craster from giving the baby to the White Walkers. A brawl later breaks out among Craster and the Night's Watch, and Sam flees with Gilly and the baby. They are followed by a White Walker who tries to take the baby, but Sam kills it by stabbing it with a dragonglass dagger. Sam and Gilly pass through the Wall at the Nightfort, where they discover Jon's half-brother
Bran Stark
Brandon Stark, known as Bran, is a fictional character in the '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation '' Game of Thrones'', where he is portrayed by English ...
and his party, headed beyond the Wall. Sam is unable to persuade them to come to Castle Black instead but promises not to tell Jon their destination.
Arriving back at Castle Black, Sam warns Aemon of the advancing White Walkers, and Aemon has Sam send the warning throughout the Seven Kingdoms. Later, Jon returns to Castle Black, gravely wounded and disguised as a Wildling. Sam recognises Jon and orders him to be attended to.
Season 4
Sam reveals to Jon that Bran is alive and headed beyond the Wall. Sam decides to send Gilly to Mole's Town to work as a maid in the brothel, as he fears for her safety at Castle Black. Mole's Town is attacked by the Wildlings, who slaughter the entire populace of the town. Sam is distraught, unaware that Gilly and her baby had been spared by
Ygritte
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others (A So ...
. Gilly later makes it to Castle Black moments before the Wildlings attack. Sam participates in the battle and manages to kill the Thenn warg.
Season 5
When the Night's Watch convenes to choose their new Lord Commander, Sam speaks up to nominate Jon, who is ultimately elected. Sam spends his time researching the White Walkers' weaknesses and tending to the dying Maester Aemon, and he comforts Aemon in his final moments as he dies of old age. Later, Sam is beaten while defending Gilly from two Night's Watchmen who attempt to rape her, but he and Gilly are saved by Jon's direwolf Ghost. Gilly tends to Sam's wounds, and the couple finally consummates their relationship. After Jon returns from Hardhome, Sam entreats him to send him to the Citadel in Oldtown in order to train as a Maester, while also taking Gilly and her baby to safety.
Season 6
As women are banned from the Citadel, Sam intends to leave Gilly and Little Sam at the Tarly seat, Horn Hill, although he warns Gilly to hide her Wildling heritage due to his father's bigotry towards the Wildlings. At dinner with Sam's family, Randyll insults Sam's lack of fighting prowess. Gilly defends Sam by revealing that he killed a White Walker while traveling south toward the Wall, in doing so accidentally revealing that she is a Wildling. Although disgusted, Randyll acquiesces to Sam and Lady Tarly's request to let Gilly and Little Sam stay at Horn Hill, but he says Gilly will be a servant, and he forbids Sam from ever returning to Horn Hill. Sam decides to take Gilly and Little Sam with him to the Citadel, and he steals House Tarly's Valyrian steel sword Heartsbane. They travel on to Oldtown, where Sam is scheduled to explain events at Castle Black to the Archmaester. While Sam waits, he is permitted to peruse the Citadel's library and is awestruck by the library's expanse.
Season 7
During Sam's early days at the Citadel, he is assigned to menial tasks. The only person who believes his account of the White Walkers' return is Archmaester Ebrose. However, Ebrose refuses to let Sam access forbidden textbooks to learn more about the White Walkers, as Ebrose does not consider them a threat serious enough to break with protocol. However, Sam steals a key to take the books back to his and Gilly's quarters. In reading the books, he discovers the location of a large deposit of dragonglass in a map of Dragonstone and sends word to Jon, now King in the North, of its existence.
Sam encounters Jeor Mormont's son
Jorah, who is infected by the terminal disease greyscale. Sam discovers a cure for greyscale in an old medical text. Although Ebrose forbids him from attempting it, Sam treats Jorah anyway, out of gratitude for Jeor's saving his life. Sam is successful in curing Jorah, who is discharged from the Citadel. Ebrose is grudgingly impressed, but as punishment for Sam's disobedience tasks him to transcribe papers in danger of decomposing.
Sam overhears Ebrose and several other maesters discussing a warning sent by Bran about the White Walkers' march on the Wall, and is dismayed by the maesters' skepticism. While reading the papers in Sam's quarters, Gilly discovers from a recently-deceased High Septon's journal that
Rhaegar Targaryen
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others (A So ...
had his marriage to
Elia Martell
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others beyon ...
annulled and married
Lyanna Stark
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others bey ...
in secret, but Sam does not realize the significance of this information due to Gilly's having mispronounced Rhaegar. Annoyed at being unable to help in the battle against the White Walkers from the Citadel, Sam steals scrolls pertaining to the White Walkers and leaves Oldtown with Gilly and Little Sam.
Sam and his family arrive at Winterfell in the season finale, where Sam is reunited with Bran. When Bran tells Sam that Jon is the bastard son of his aunt Lyanna Stark with Rhaegar Targaryen, Sam recalls the record detailing the annulment Rhaegar received in order to marry another woman and tells Bran of his discovery. Bran uses his greenseeing abilities to witness the wedding, and discovers that Jon is the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, heir to the Iron Throne.
Season 8
Sam is approached by
Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys Targaryen ( ) is a fictional character in the series of epic fantasy novels ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' by American author George R. R. Martin. She is a prominent Narrative mode#Third-person view, point of view character, and is one of ...
, who thanks him for saving Jorah's life. However, Sam is grief-stricken when Daenerys reveals that she executed Randyll and Dickon for refusing to pledge fealty to her. Bran tells Sam to reveal to Jon his true parentage. As the preparations are being made for battle against the approaching army of White Walkers, Sam presents the Valyrian Steel sword of House Tarly, Heartsbane, to Jorah. Sam participates in the battle against the undead and is saved by Edd. After witnessing Edd being killed by a wight, Sam flees back into Winterfell. He ultimately survives the Long Night and participates in the funeral ceremony afterwards. When Jon travels south with Daenerys' army, Sam bids him farewell; it is revealed that Gilly is pregnant with Sam's son.
Westeros is left without a ruler when, after Daenerys wrests control of King's Landing from
Cersei Lannister
Cersei Lannister is a fictional character in the '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation '' Game of Thrones'', where she is portrayed by Bermudan-English act ...
, she burns the surrendered populace of the city, during which Cersei is also killed. Jon fails to dissuade Daenerys from further destruction and ultimately assassinates her. Following
Tyrion Lannister
Lord Tyrion Lannister, also known by the nicknames the Halfman or the Imp and the alias Hugor Hill, is a fictional character in the ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its televisi ...
's arrest and Jon's imprisonment, Sam journeys south to participate in the council to determine the future of the Seven Kingdoms. Sam suggests holding an election where all the people of Westeros are permitted to vote for the next ruler, but the idea is mocked and dismissed. Tyrion suggests Bran as King and Sam is the first to agree to Bran's crowning. Sam is appointed as Grand Maester in Bran's Small Council.
Family tree of House Tarly
TV adaptation
![John Bradley by Gage Skidmore 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/John_Bradley_by_Gage_Skidmore_3.jpg)
Samwell Tarly is played by
John Bradley in the television adaption of the book series. Samwell Tarly appeared for the first time in season 1 episode 4, as a new recruit of the Night's Watch and a self-described coward. It was Bradley's first professional appearance after graduating from
The Manchester Metropolitan School of Theatre
The Manchester School of Theatre (originally the Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre) is a tertiary school of theatre, drama and performance situated in the city of Manchester, founded in 1970. It is a part of Manchester Metropolitan Univer ...
. The scene used in the auditions belonged to "
Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things
"Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things" is the fourth episode of the first season of the HBO medieval fantasy television series '' Game of Thrones'', which first aired on May 8, 2011. It was written by Bryan Cogman and directed by Brian Kirk. I ...
," with Sam explaining to Jon how Sam's father forced him to "take the black" (meaning join the Night's Watch). According to author and executive producer George R. R. Martin, Bradley delivered "a heartbreaking performance." When asked which character he personally would be on the show, Martin said of Samwell Tarly, "I love Sam, too. He's a great character - Tyrion might be who I want to be, but Sam is probably closer to who I actually am. The fat kid who likes to read books and doesn't like to go up a lot of stairs."
Remarking on the character's sex life with Gilly, Bradley said:
I think Sam would just happily accept more of the same. He's not one of the people that tries to inject exotica into his sex life; Sam thinks about sex the way that most people think about space. It goes on. He has nothing to do with it. He's fascinated by it in a childlike way.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tarly, Samwell
A Song of Ice and Fire characters
Literary characters introduced in 1996
Fictional surgeons
Fictional government officials
Fictional nobility
Male characters in literature
Male characters in television