Brynden Tully

Season(s)

3

First seen

"Walk of Punishment"

Last seen

"The Bear and the Maiden Fair"

Appeared in

3 episodes

Mentioned in

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Titles

Ser

Also known as

The Blackfish

Status

Alive

Age

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Date of birth

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Death

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Origin

Riverrun

Allegiance

House Tully

Family

Hoster Tully - brother (deceased)
Edmure Tully - nephew
Catelyn Stark - niece
Lysa Tully - niece
Robin Arryn - great nephew
Robb Stark - great nephew
Sansa Stark - great niece
Arya Stark - great niece
Bran Stark - great nephew
Rickon Stark - great nephew

Portrayed by

Clive Russell

[[:Category:{{{Images}}}|Images]]

Ser Brynden Tully, popularly called the Blackfish, is a recurrimg character in the third season. He is played by Clive Russell.

BiographyEdit

BackgroundEdit

Brynden Tully is the younger brother of Hoster Tully. Hoster is the Lord of Riverrun and the head of House Tully. Brynden is a respected knight and formidable battle commander. He is the uncle of Catelyn Stark, Edmure Tully and Lysa Arryn.

Brynden has often argued with his older brother Hoster, particularly over the fact that Brynden has never married, turning down several potential marriage alliances which may have aided House Tully. Despite his disagreements with his brother because he never married, Brynden is very devoted to his family, and a revered battlefield commander. He distinguished himself in the War of the Ninepenny Kings.

Season 3Edit

During the funeral of Hoster Tully, an annoyed Bryden takes the place of his nephew, Lord Edmure, after the latter fails several times to hit the funeral boat with flaming arrows. Later on he also chides Edmure for calling Robb "nephew" instead of treating him as his King as Edmure defends his course of action that led to the Battle of Stone Mill. He also consoles Catelyn when she muses about her father's funeral and whether she will ever see Bran and Rickon, whose whereabouts are unknown following the Sack of Winterfell^[1]

Family treeEdit

Hoster Tully Deceased

Minisa Tully née Whent Deceased

Brynden Tully

Eddard Stark Deceased

Catelyn Tully

Jon Arryn Deceased

Lysa Tully

Edmure Tully

Robb Stark

Talisa Stark née Maegyr

Tyrion Lannister

Sansa Stark

Arya Stark

Bran Stark

Rickon Stark

Robin Arryn

AppearancesEdit

Behind the scenesEdit

He was announced as appearing in Game of Thrones and was expected to debut in the second season based on comments by George R.R. Martin. He was not cast for the first and second seasons, however, a press release confirmed he would be cast in Season 3.^[2] He is played by Clive Russell.^[3]

In the booksEdit

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the Blackfish is a canny and respected warrior. He is tall and clean-shaven, and dons a red and blue Tully cape, like his nephew Edmure. Brynden possessed the distinctive auburn hair of the Tully family in his youth, but it has now gone mostly grey.

Brynden is an experienced battlefield commander. He rose to particular distinction during the War of the Ninepenny Kings which was fought over the Stepstones, in which he fought alongside Ser Barristan Selmy. The young Jaime Lannister highly revered him and was eager to hear of his exploits in the war.

Brynden took up the nickname "the Blackfish", after he refused to marry Bethany Redwyne, which would have advanced the family's fortunes. This led to years of bitter quarrels and estrangement with his brother Hoster. After one such quarrel with his elder brother, when Lord Hoster called him the "black goat of the Tully herd", Ser Brynden pointed out that their sigil was a fish, so he took the name "Blackfish", and changed the color scheme of his personal sigil to a jumping black trout (which is normally silver in the Tully sigil).

So far, the books have never made exactly clear why Brynden has never married, i.e. if he loved a woman who did not return his attraction, or if his brother refused to allow him to marry anyone else if he wouldn't go through with the arranged marriage to Bethany Redwyne. As the younger brother of Hoster, Lord Paramount of the Riverlands, Brynden was certainly one of the more eligible bachelors in Westeros. This has led to some fan speculation that Brynden may be a homosexual, and that this in-part caused the rift with his older brother when he refused to take part in a marriage-alliance he had brokered, but so far the books have given no particular hint that this is the case.

In the novels he is first encountered serving in the Vale of Arryn, where he serves his niece, the Lady Lysa, following the death of her husband, as the Knight of the Gate, who commands the Bloody Gate. After Catelyn asks for his assistance, he agrees to return to the Riverlands and help in the growing struggle against the Lannisters. In the TV series, some of Brynden's activities in the Vale have been taken over by Ser Vardis Egen.

Along with Edmure, he becomes one of King Robb Stark's most trusted lieutenants, "eyes and ears". Theon Greyjoy references the Blackfish's capacity for battle.

See alsoEdit

• Brynden Tully at A Wiki of Ice and Fire (MAJOR spoilers from the books)

ReferencesEdit

v • d • e House Tully
Lord:	Edmure Tully	Heir:	Catelyn Stark
Seat:	Riverrun	Lands:	The Riverlands
Title(s):	Lords Paramount of the Riverlands · Lords Paramount of the Trident · Lord of Riverrun
Ancestors:	Edmyn Tully
Current members:	Lysa Arryn · Brynden Tully
Deceased members:	Minisa Tully · Hoster Tully
Household:	Brienne of Tarth
Overlord:	House Stark