Salladhor Saan

Salladhor Saan
World of Westeros
Season(s)	2, 3
First seen in	"The Night Lands"
Last seen in	"Valar Dohaeris"
Portrayed by	Lucian Msamati

"You think I'm insulted? I am a pirate. I'm an excellent pirate."

―Sallador Saan to Matthos Seaworth

Salladhor Saan is a minor character in the second and third seasons. He is played by guest star Lucian Msamati and debuts in "The Night Lands." Salladhor Saan is the commander of a fleet of mercenary warships. He is a supporter of King Stannis Baratheon.

Biography

Background

Salladhor Saan, the self-styled Prince of the Narrow Sea, is a pirate-lord from Lys. He commands a fleet of thirty ships that frequently prey on merchant ships traveling between Westeros and the Free Cities to the east. Sometimes in pursuit of extra wealth, he shifts from pure piracy to being a sellsail: hiring out the services of his ships and crews to the highest bidder, to act as mercenaries in various conflicts.

Season 2

Davos Seaworth and his son Matthos meet with the Lysene pirate Salladhor Saan on a beach nearby Dragonstone. Davos promises that Salladhor will be paid a fortune in gold when they take King's Landing. Salladhor points out that Stannis Baratheon has the smallest army of the claimants to the Iron Throne and wonders why he should fight for him. Davos answers that Stannis is a proven battle commander unlike Renly or Joffrey, who have never fought before and adds that Stannis has just begun the fight and expects more of his bannerman to join his cause because he is the most honorable man in the Seven Kingdoms. Salladhor notes the irony of a smuggler vouching for the honor of a king.

Matthos warns Salladhor to mind his words, calling him a pirate. Davos silences his son and Salladhor says that he is not insulted, asserts being not only a pirate but an excellent one and that he does not sail for promises. Davos challenges this, explaining that Salladhor sails on a promise of ships to plunder every time he leaves port. Salladhor says that promise always comes true and Davos says that his promise is the same. Davos points out that Salladhor is not a young man and that pirate's lives are short. Salladhor jokes that only the clever pirates grow old. Davos suggests that Salladhor could continue to steal from cargo ships and live an easy life while it lasts but that he is offering a harder alternative with greater rewards. He promises riches and fame. Salladhor says that he has a good name for songs and then tells Davos that he wants Queen Cersei.

He says that he will lend his thirty ships provided he can get Cersei when they take King's Landing. Matthos is annoyed by Salladhor's selfishness and says they are not fighting for Salladhor to rape the Queen. Salladhor makes the distinction that he does not intend to rape her and jokes that Matthos has not experienced his persuasiveness. Matthos insists that Stannis has a divine right to rule and that the Lord of Light is the only god. However, Salladhor is dismissive of religion. Matthos turns away and Davos says that he cannot promise the Queen, only the gold and glory. Salladhor asks if Davos believes that Stannis can win and Davos replies that Stannis is the “one true king.” Salladhor contrasts Davos's loyalty to Stannis against their history together; Stannis chopped off Davos's fingers for smuggling. Salladhor says that he will sail with Davos because Davos is the most honest smuggler he has ever met and asks Davos to make him rich. They shake hands and Salladhor leaves.

Later that night Davos informs Stannis that Salladhor has agreed to join his forces. Stannis asks Davos if they can trust Salladhor, and he responds that he has known Salladhor for thirty years but has never "trusted" him. However, Davos is certain that Salladhor has been tantalized by his promise of vast wealth.

Season 3

Salladhor's ship rescues Davos, who was thrown overboard by the wildfire blast in the Battle of Blackwater, from the sea. Salladhor, who abandoned Stannis' cause after the battle, takes Davos back to Dragonstone. He tries to dissuade Davos from trying to kill the red priestess Melisandre since she has sacrificed any man who speaks against her since the Battle of the Blackwater.

Appearance

Template:Season Two Appearances Template:Season Three Appearances

In the books

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Salladhor Saan is a flamboyant and colorful figure, a respected ship captain and leader of men. While he sells his skills to the highest bidder, he has some genuine loyalty to his friends and allies. His personal flagship is the Valyrian, a great war galley that dips three hundred oars and is a famous - and sometimes feared - sight on the Narrow Sea.

In the books, the inhabitants of Lys distinctively have fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. Salladhor himself is not said to be an exception, and possesses long white hair. Some of the other Free Cities have populations that have distinctive dark features, such as the olive-skinned inhabitants of Myr, Lys' great rival. The TV series changed this, as Salladhor is played by a dark-skinned actor of Tanzanian descent. However, it actually isn't that unusual to encounter dark-skinned people throughout the continent of Essos. The cities of Slaver's Bay routinely conduct slaving raids on the coast of Sothoryos, the continent south of Essos. Sothoryos is loosely analogous to Africa, as Essos is loosely analogous to Eurasia, and the inhabitants of Sothoryos are distinctively dark-skinned. Slaves are also often sold to the southern Free Cities such as Volantis, Lys, and Myr. Over the centuries, slaves have often won their freedom or escaped, and they or their descendants have gone on to become powerful merchants or risen through the social ranks to become powerful lords. Others are commonly encountered as pirates and mercenaries. The simple explanation within the show would be that Salladhor is still "from Lys" and he may even have been born there, but he is not ethnically a "Lysene".

During the Battle of the Blackwater, Imry Florent places Salladhor and his crew at the rear of the fleet. Davos thiks it is a mistake, for Salladhor and his men are experienced sailors and warriors, and were wasted at the rear. Salladhor and his fleet stay outside of Blackwater Bay to keep watch for any hidden fleets that may sneak up from behind. After Stannis' army is smashed by the combined Lannister - Tyrell force, Saan orders his ships to pick up the remnants along the shore.

In "Valar Dohaeris", Salladhor says that he has been married four times, and that he had a son who died. This information has not been given in the books.

See also

• Salladhor Saan at A Wiki of Ice and Fire (MAJOR spoilers from the books)