Mandon Moore

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House Moore.svg Ser
Mandon Moore
Kingsguard.svg
Alexandre Dainche Ser Mandon Moore.jpg

Title Ser
Allegiances
Culture Valemen
Born Vale of Arryn[1]
Died In 299 AC, the Blackwater Rush[2]
Books

Played by James Doran
TV series Game of Thrones:
Season 1 | 2

Mandon Moore is a knight from House Moore. He is a member of King Robert I Baratheon's Kingsguard. In the television adaptation Game of Thrones, he is played by James Doran.

Appearance and Character

See also: Images of Mandon Moore

Mandon has pale grey eyes, oddly flat and lifeless,[3] which unnerve Sansa Stark.[4] Bronn thinks Mandon has the eyes of a fish, and Sansa thinks he has a curiously dead face.[5]

Mandon is a skilled warrior,[6][7] but he is not loved by the smallfolk and he is not close to his fellow brothers of the Kingsguard.[7] Jaime Lannister considers Mandon dangerous, as his face does not give away his intentions.[3] Tyrion Lannister notes that Mandon is a man others would not follow.[6]

Mandon wields a sword, lance, white shield, and enameled white steel plate.[8][6] Wearing the white raiment of the Kingsguard makes him look like a corpse in a shroud.[3] Mandon rides a coal-black stallion barded in white.[6]

History

Ser Mandon came from the Vale of Arryn[7] and is familiar with Ser Vardis Egen.[3] He was brought to King's Landing by the Hand of the King, Lord Jon Arryn, and King Robert I Baratheon named Mandon to the Kingsguard. Neither of the two are particularly fond of Mandon, however.[7]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

After the arrest of Lord Eddard Stark, Ser Mandon guards the doors of the council chamber when his daughter, Sansa Stark, is brought before the small council by Ser Boros Blount. Mandon later escorts Sansa back to the high tower of Maegor's Holdfast.[5]

Mandon is present in the throne room when Ser Barristan Selmy, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, is dismissed. Mandon and the other members of the Kingsguard laughs at their former Sworn Brother's shame.[9]

A Clash of Kings

Mandon is one of the Kingsguard that King Joffrey I Baratheon commands to beat Sansa, and obeys without question.[4]

Mandon is on guard outside the council chambers when Tyrion Lannister arrives with Bronn and Timett, carrying a message from his lord father, Tywin Lannister. Because Queen Regent Cersei Lannister had ordered for the meeting to not be disturbed, Mandon refuses to admit the newcomers. The white cloak eventually allows only Tyrion to pass.[3]

Mandon is among the escort for the party that sees Princess Myrcella Baratheon off to Dorne, serving as Sansa bodyguard. When the riot of King's Landing breaks out, Mandon guards King Joffrey after Sandor Clegane is mobbed, abandoning Sansa in the chaos. Someone grabs the king's leg, but Mandon severs the rioter's hand from the wrist. After the royal party reaches the safety of the Red Keep, Cersei defends Mandon from Tyrion for having protected Joffrey instead of Sansa. Sandor returns Sansa safely to the castle.[10]

During the Battle of the Blackwater, Mandon is assigned to guard King Joffrey and Tyrion, the acting Hand of the King. When the king leaves for the Three Whores, Mandon stays with Tyrion, however. After information has been received that Stannis Baratheon's men intend to batter down the King's Gate with a ram, Mandon, Tyrion, and the Hand's squire, Podrick Payne, ride from the Mud Gate to the King's Gate. Tyrion tries to talk Sandor, who is in charge at the King's Gate, into leading his men in a sortie against the enemies, but Sandor refuses, having been frightened by wildfire.[8]

Tyrion decides to lead the charge to the riverfront, with Mandon carrying Joffrey's banner. The knight's lance breaks off in an opponent, and his shield is destroyed. Mandon and his Sworn Brother Ser Balon Swann skillfully fend off Velaryon spearmen. While fighting on a ship, Tyrion is in danger of falling into the Blackwater Rush. Mandon first offers his hand to save Tyrion, but the knight then slashes at the Hand,[6] cutting off part of Tyrion's nose. Tyrion pulls himself onto the deck, but Mandon prepares to stab him in the throat. However, Podrick pushes Mandon into the Blackwater, where he sinks under the weight of his armor[6] and drowns.[11]

While recuperating from his wounds, a fevered Tyrion has a nightmare of the wildfire and Mandon's assassination attempt. After waking, Tyrion thinks that Mandon was bribed by Cersei to kill him during the battle. Podrick is ashamed to have caused Mandon's death, but Tyrion praises Pod and instructs his squire to keep silent about Mandon.[11]

A Storm of Swords

With Mandon dead and Sandor Clegane having fled, Ser Loras Tyrell is named to the Kingsguard[12] and Ser Boros Blount is restored to the white cloaks.[7]

Hoping that proof will be found that Mandon was working for his sister, Queen Regent Cersei, Tyrion Lannister asks his friend and sellsword, Ser Bronn of the Blackwater, to investigate Mandon.[13] Lord Varys later tells some of Mandon's history to Tyrion, although it is much the same that Bronn has already uncovered.[7]

When Ser Jaime Lannister assumes his duties as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, he notices that in his absence the White Book has not been updated, as that is the Lord Commander's duty, and that the death of Ser Mandon has yet to be recorded.[14]

Theories

Readers have widely speculated about the possible reasons and instigators that pushed Ser Mandon to attempt to kill Tyrion Lannister.

Quotes about Mandon

Jaime had once told him that Moore was the most dangerous of the Kingsguard—excepting himself, always—because his face gave no hint as what he might do next.[3]

—thoughts of Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion rode down an archer, opened a spearman from shoulder to armpit, glanced a blow off a swordfish-crested helm. At the ram his big red reared but the black stallion leapt the obstacle smoothly and Ser Mandon flashed past him, death in snow-white silk. His sword sheared off limbs, cracked heads, broke shields asunder—though few enough of the enemy had made it across the river with shields intact.[2]

—thoughts of Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion: What do you know of Ser Mandon Moore?
Bronn: I know he's bloody well drowned.[13]

Ser Barristan was once heard to say that the man had no friend but his sword and no life but duty ... but you know, I do not think Selmy meant it altogether as praise. Which is queer when you consider it, is it not?[7]

References