Difference between revisions of "Pycelle"

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| Played_by      = [[List of actors of the televised series#Julian Glover,Pycelle|Julian Glover]]
 
| Played_by      = [[List of actors of the televised series#Julian Glover,Pycelle|Julian Glover]]
| TV_series      = [[Game of Thrones - Season 1|Season 1]] {{!}} [[Game of Thrones - Season 2|Season 2]] {{!}} [[Game of Thrones - Season 3|Season 3]]
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| TV_series      = [[Game of Thrones - Season 1|Season 1]] {{!}} [[Game of Thrones - Season 2|Season 2]] {{!}} [[Game of Thrones - Season 3|Season 3]] {{!}} [[Game of Thrones - Season 4|Season 4]]  {{!}} [[Game of Thrones - Season 5|Season 5]]}}
{{!}} [[Game of Thrones - Season 4|Season 4]]}}
 
  
 
'''Pycelle''' is a [[Grand Maester]] of the [[Citadel]]{{ref|agot|appendix}} who has served in [[King's Landing]] and on the [[small council]] for over forty years. In the television adaptation ''[[Game of Thrones]]'', he is played by Julian Glover.
 
'''Pycelle''' is a [[Grand Maester]] of the [[Citadel]]{{ref|agot|appendix}} who has served in [[King's Landing]] and on the [[small council]] for over forty years. In the television adaptation ''[[Game of Thrones]]'', he is played by Julian Glover.

Revision as of 17:31, 30 March 2015

Pycelle
Grand Maester Pycelle.jpg

Title Grand Maester
Allegiances
Born 216 AC[1]
Died 300 AC
the Red Keep, King's Landing
Books

Played by Julian Glover
TV series Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5

Pycelle is a Grand Maester of the Citadel[2] who has served in King's Landing and on the small council for over forty years. In the television adaptation Game of Thrones, he is played by Julian Glover.

Appearance and Character

See also: Images of Pycelle

Pycelle has only sparse hair that runs around his bald, spotted head.[3][4] His maester's chain is two dozen heavy chains wound together that stretches from neck to breast.[3] He has a long, snowy beard that runs down to his chest.[4]

Pycelle bends the vows of his order to suit his needs, indulging the needs of the flesh and dabbling in poisons and politics with a skill few maesters dare approach.

History

Pycelle forged his maester's chain during the reign of King Maekar I Targaryen. He has been the Grand Maester of the Seven Kingdoms for forty years. Aegon V Targaryen was the first king Pycelle served.[5]

Despite his oath to serve the realm, Pycelle has more loyalty to House Lannister.[5] He convinced King Aerys II Targaryen to open his gates to his former Hand of the King, Lord Tywin Lannister, in the waning days of Robert's Rebellion, in the hope that Tywin would take the throne. This led to the Sack of King's Landing. Pycelle later allowed Lord Jon Arryn to die under his care, sending his maester away and withholding care, to keep the secret of Queen Cersei Lannister's incest, and he generally promoted the interests of House Lannister on the small council for years.[6]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Pycelle - by Tiziano Baracchi ©

Lysa Arryn reports to her sister Catelyn Stark that Pycelle was helpless in saving the life of Lord Jon Arryn.[7] Pycelle attends Lord Eddard Stark in the first meeting of the small council upon his arrival from Winterfell to take up the role of the King's Hand. When Eddard makes enquires about the death of Jon Arryn, Pycelle states that, from his experience, Jon's illness did not seem suspicious. When confronted with Lady Lysa's accusations that poison was the culprit, he points the finger of suspicion on Varys.[5]

After Eddard is injured in a street fight with Ser Jaime Lannister, Pycelle tasks himself with maintaining Eddard's healing.[8] When it is discovered Ser Gregor Clegane had led raids into the Riverlands, burning several villages, Pycelle tries to delay any action taken against Lord Tywin Lannister. Eddard becomes more and more convinced that Pycelle is the creature of Queen Cersei Lannister.[9]

Pycelle tends to King Robert Baratheon's wounds after he is injured by a boar in the kingswood, and he reports to Eddard upon Robert's death.[10] He is present when Eddard presents Robert's will and is arrested.[11] Under Cersei's direction, Pycelle visits the grief-stricken Sansa Stark after her father Eddard's death and examines her intrusively before giving her a potion to calm her.

A Clash of Kings

Grand Maester Pycelle – by Brittmartin ©

Tyrion Lannister, serving as Hand, is not sure whom he can trust, so he tells three secrets: one to Varys, one to Petyr Baelish, and one to Pycelle. To Pycelle, he goes to send letters to Prince Doran Martell.[12] Pycelle does send the letters, but reads them first. He shares the information with Cersei, who proceeds to confront Tyrion, inadvertently letting Tyrion realise he can trust Varys and Littlefinger. In the time it takes Pycelle to read the letter, Tyrion has time to help himself to a mild poison from the maester's cabinet, which he uses later on Cersei. Pycelle is present when Tyrion gives his terms for peace with the North.

At midnight, Tyrion takes Shagga and Timett and confronts Pycelle in his chambers, where he is found naked in bed with a servant girl. With help from Shagga, Tyrion intimidates Pycelle, who wets the bed in fear of the clansmen. While Shagga shaves off Pycelle's signature white beard using a sharp axe blade, Tyrion learns that Pycelle has betrayed the realm over and over in service to House Lannister. He allowed Jon Arryn to die when he could have easily saved him, convinced Aerys II Targaryen to open the gates to Tywin's forces during Robert's Rebellion and would have finished Robert off himself if the wounds from the boar had not been so fatal.

Pycelle justifies Jon Arryn's death, since he was getting close to the truth about Cersei's incest and Joffrey's parentage—admitting that Maester Colemon was treating Arryn properly but the queen needed him dead. He justifies Robert's death, since Renly had been plotting with the Tyrells to kill Cersei and wed Margaery to Robert. Tyrion has him thrown in one of the black cells.[6]

A Storm of Swords

Pycelle is restored to his position by Tywin Lannister after Tywin learns that the Citadel is planning on naming a member of House Tyrell as his replacement.[13] Tyrion Lannister when learning of this from Varys states:

Pycelle is a toad. But better a Lannister toad then a Tyrell toad, no? [13]

Pycelle, with his beard shaved off and weakened from his time in the black cells, appears to be a broken man. He falls asleep during the wedding of King Joffrey Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell and is unable to take any action to prevent Joffrey's death at the banquet from poison, something that sours Queen Cersei's opinion of him. During the trial of Tyrion Lannister for Joffrey's murder, Pycelle is called as a witness for the prosecution to discuss poisons and how Tyrion might have killed the King.[14]

Pycelle continues his service to the newly-crowned King Tommen Baratheon. He is ordered by Tywin Lannister to heal Ser Gregor Clegane, who was poisoned by Oberyn Martell in the trial by combat and is slowly agonizing. Tywin plans on having Gregor executed to appease House Martell but needs it to be seen to be the King's Justice who does the deed, not poison. Pycelle is unsuccessful and Tywin refuses his suggestion of confining the other Dornishmen till they reveal what poison Oberyn used as Tywin cannot risk further offending Dorne. Tywin fears they might join Stannis Baratheon which would prolong the war for years.[15]

A Feast for Crows

Following Joffrey's death, the relationship between Pycelle and Queen Regent Cersei Lannister becomes more strained. He opposes the naming of Qyburn, a disgraced maester, to the small council. Cersei blames him for the deplorable state of Lord Tywin Lannister's corpse.[16] Taena of Myr casts suspicion on Pycelle when she reports to Cersei that he is found often in the company of Queen Margaery Tyrell.[17] Pycelle objects to many of Cersei's edicts, such as her refusing to honour the debts the crown owes the Iron Bank of Braavos and her decision to allow the Faith of the Seven to re-institute the Faith Militant. After pressure from Cersei, Pycelle admits publicly to giving Margaery moon tea, a contraceptive. This discovery is crucial in Cersei's efforts to frame Margaery for adultery and treason, delivering her to the captivity of the High Septon.[18]

Cersei considers having him replaced, and Pycelle's future at court looks uncertain. However, when Cersei is arrested by the Faith, Pycelle successfully seizes control of the council, as Aurane Waters and Orton Merryweather have abandoned the capital. He removes Osfryd Kettleblack as commander of the gold cloaks so Osfyrd will not be able to use the Watch to try and free Cersei and his brother Osney, both of whom are prisoners of the Faith. He also raises Humfrey Waters of the Dragon Gate to command the Watch. Qyburn states to Cersei that the realm is effectively being ruled by Pycelle and Harys Swyft. Pycelle dispatches a message to Ser Kevan Lannister offering him the regency.

A Dance with Dragons

Pycelle continues his duty as Grand Maester but is wary of Lord Mace Tyrell, who is wroth with Pycelle at revealing Maergary's requests for moon tea. He requests guards from Ser Kevan Lannister out of fear for his personal safety. Pycelle's fears prove justified, as he is killed in his chambers, not by Tyrell men but by Lord Varys, who removes both him and Kevan to ensure they cannot repair the damage Cersei had done to the kingdom and the Lannister-Tyrell alliance.

Pycelle found his death just by the end of autumn. He served a total of six kings during his time as Grand Maester: Aegon V, Jaehaerys II, Aerys II, Robert I, Joffrey I and Tommen I.

References and Notes