Bowen Marsh is a recurring character in the first season. He is played by guest star Brian Fortune and debuts in "You Win or You Die". Bowen Marsh is the First Steward of the Night's Watch.
Biography
Background
Bowen Marsh is the First Steward of the Night's Watch, based at Castle Black. He is in charge of the day-to-day running of the Night's Watch, dealing with issues of supplies, funding, logistics and communications.
Season 1
Bowen Marsh accompanies Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly into the Haunted Forest to witness them saying their oaths of loyalty to the Watch in front of a heart tree. He is among the first to congratulate them on entering the Watch, and is also present when Ghost returns with a corpse's hand in his mouth.[1] The party discover the corpses of Othor and Jafer Flowers and return them to Castle Black. He confirms Sam's discovery that the corpses do not smell, which is odd since they appear to have been dead for weeks.[2]
Appearances
Template:Season One Appearances
Behind the scenes
HBO announced Fortune as playing "Night's Watch Officer", but according to the actor and other sources this is the same role as Bowen Marsh in the books.
In the fourth season Fortune took over the role of Othell Yarwyck, which had been played by Dennis McKeever in the previous seasons. The reason for this sudden change has not yet been explained; or if the characters themselves have been merged.
In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Marsh, nicknamed "the Old Pomegranate," is an important and senior figure in the Watch, reporting directly to Lord Commander Jeor Mormont and is just below him in the command hierarchy of the Watch. When Mormont and the rest of the Night's Watch ride out to investigate the wildling menace in the so-called "Great Ranging", he remains in command at Castle Black. Bowen Marsh hails from House Marsh, a noble house from the Neck sworn to House Reed.
As the Wildlings advance to Castle Black, Mance Rayder sends raiding parties the to attack several areas of the Wall, in order to draw attention away from the main host and to draw away the defenders. Unfortunately, Marsh falls for the trick and takes most of the garrison from Castle Black. When Jon Snow returns, he finds that only forty-one men are left in the castle, most of them old, cripple and inexperienced.
See also
Bowen Marsh on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (MAJOR spoilers from the books)
References
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