Balon Swann

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Revision as of 16:37, 29 December 2015 by Gonzalo (talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search
House Swann.PNG
Balon Swann
Kingsguard.PNG
Ser Balon Swann TheMico.jpg

Title Ser
Allegiances
Culture Stormlander
Books

Ser Balon Swann is a knight of House Swann. The second son of Gulian Swann, the current lord of Stonehelm. He is a member of King Joffrey I Baratheon's Kingsguard.

Appearance and Character

He is big across the chest, and has arms thick with muscle.[1] He is young, brave, courteous and a skilled fighter.[2]

Many people consider Balon to be a good and valiant knight, well suited to the White Cloak.[2][3]

History

He is a renowned tourney knight and melee fighter, good with a lance, better with a morningstar and exceptional with a bow.[4][2]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Ser Balon attends the Hand's Tourney in King's Landing. He defeats Alyn, but is later beaten by Ser Gregor Clegane.[5] He also takes part in the archery tourney where he finishes second, failing to beat Anguy.

Balon participates in the boar hunt that killed King Robert I Baratheon.[6] He is named by Petyr Baelish as a possible ally for Eddard Stark in a power struggle against Queen Cersei Lannister, but Ned chooses to recruit the gold cloaks instead. He remains at court after the death of the king.[7]

A Clash of Kings

Ser Balon takes part in the Tourney for King Joffrey's 13th Name Day, unhorsing Morros Slynt in the second tilt of the day.[8] He continues to support King Joffrey I in King's Landing, whereas his brother successively serves the Kings Renly I and Stannis I, and his father pleads illness while remaining at Stonehelm.[2]

During a dinner given by Lady Tanda Stokeworth, Lord Gyles Rosby raises his glass "to the health of the king," and Ser Balon replies that four glasses would be needed (King Joffrey and his two uncles, Stannis and Renly, and Robb Stark). The joke was meant to raise the spirits of the guests, but Varys reports it to Tyrion Lannister, the current acting Hand of the King. Tyrion decides not to follow up on it as he believes Ser Balon just made a harmless jest.[9]

Ser Balon is among the party that sees Princess Myrcella off to Dorne, watching the ceremony in the company of Queen Cersei, and bearing the king's banners alongside Ser Aron Santagar. He survives the riot when the party is attacked by a raging mob.[10] He is later chosen for the Kingsguard by Cersei to replace Ser Preston Greenfield, who dies in the riot. Tyrion approves of the choice, believing Ser Balon to be a courtly and honorable knight.[2]

Ser Balon is one of the three Kingsguard who fights during the Battle of the Blackwater. He leads Lannister forces alongside Tyrion Lannister and Ser Mandon Moore.[11] He is the only one of the three to make it back inside the city walls once Stannis's forces overwhelm them temporarily.[11] After the battle, Ser Balon and the other remaining Kingsguard spend hours knighting more than six hundred men.[12]

A Storm of Swords

Ser Balon is called as the first witness against Tyrion Lannister in the death of King Joffrey I. Although Ser Balon does not believe Tyrion had killed King Joffrey, he tells the court how Tyrion hit the king after the crowd attacked them on the day Myrcella Baratheon left for Dorne.[13]

When Ser Jaime Lannister returns to the city, he notes that Ser Balon is well suited to the white cloak and regards him as a good and valiant knight, and perhaps the only honorable member among them. When Lord Commander Jaime holds a meeting of the Kingsguard, he asks Ser Balon what he would do if his brother Ser Donnel Swann attacked King Tommen I Baratheon; Balon promises not to do as the Kingslayer did.[4]

A Feast for Crows

Ser Balon stands vigil with Lord Commander Jaime Lannister over the corpse of Lord Tywin Lannister.[14] He is later assigned by Ser Jaime as King Tommen's primary Kingsguard, and dutifully guards Tommen every morning.[3] He is abruptly re-assigned by Queen Regent Cersei Lannister to bring Prince Doran Martell the head of Ser Gregor Clegane, though Cersei also commands him to carry out another secret assignment.[15]

In order to hide the fate of Ser Arys Oakheart and Princess Myrcella, Prince Doran Martell orders the noble houses of Dorne to delay Ser Balon's arrival. The Wyls keep him hunting and hawking for eight days on one end of the Boneway, and he is feasted for a fortnight by the Yronwoods at Yronwood on the other. Lady Jordayne arranged games in his honor at the Tor, with Lady Nymella Toland intent on outdoing her at Ghost Hill.[16]

A Dance with Dragons

Ser Balon arrives at Sunspear and presents Ser Gregor's skull to Prince Doran at a feast held in his honor. Present at the feast alongside Prince Doran are Princess Arianne Martell, Obara Sand, Ellaria Sand, Tyene Sand, Nymeria Sand, Areo Hotah and a dozen lords. Arianne Martell attempts to flirt with Ser Balon, though he resists her advances. Hotah notes that Ser Balon is a more formidable man and a more physically capable fighter than his sworn brother Ser Arys Oakheart.[1]

Ser Balon was previously ordered by Queen Cersei to bring Myrcella back to King's Landing under the guise of visiting her brother. As part of the plan, Prince Doran or a retainer will accompany them to fill the vacant Dornish seat on the small council left by Prince Oberyn Martell. Prince Trystane is invited as well to see the city. Doran states that traveling by ship might be easier, but this unnerves Ser Balon who states that a voyage by sea would be too dangerous.[1]

In a private chamber, Doran Martell reveals to Arianne, Tyene, Obara, Nymeria, Ellaria, and Areo Hotah that his friends in King's Landing have informed him that Queen Cersei plans to have the party ambushed during the journey to King's Landing. The attack will be led by brigands shouting "halfman," and Trystane is to be killed in the fighting. Ser Balon is to falsely claim that he saw Tyrion Lannister during the ambush, placing the blame for Trystane's death on Tyrion. Ser Balon's aversion to Prince Doran's suggestion of a trip by sea proves Doran's suspicions. Doran states that though Ser Balon does not like his orders, he is compelled to obey.[1]

To stop this scheme from coming to fruition, Ser Balon is brought to Princess Myrcella and finds out about her injuries by Ser Gerold Dayne. Myrcella lies under Arianne's direction, and claims that Ser Gerold also killed Ser Arys Oakheart, who was actually killed by Areo Hotah. Myrcella begs Ser Balon to bring Dayne to justice. Ser Balon writes all of this to King's Landing, and is now currently hunting for Ser Gerold.[17]

Quotes about Ser Balon

This one is not so easily seduced as was his Sworn Brother. Ser Arys was a boy, despite his years. This one is a man, and wary.[1]

- thoughts of Areo Hotah

Family

Gulian
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
Walder
Frey
 
Cyrenna
 
Corenna
 
Stevron
Frey
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Donnel
 
Balon
 
Jared
Frey
 
Alys
Frey
 
Luceon
Frey
 
Ryman
Frey
 
Theomar
Smallwood
 
Ravella
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Frey.svg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Frey.svg
 
Son
 
Carellen
Smallwood
 


References and Notes