Samwell Tarly

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Samwell Tarly is the firstborn of House Tarly, bearing dark hair, pale eyes, and a large moon-shaped face. He stands as an obese young man, estimated by Jon Snow to weigh twenty stone (130 kg; 280 lb), making him the fattest boy Jon had ever seen. Through his mother Melessa Florent, he is second cousin to Shireen Baratheon and Edric Storm. While his father Randyll despised Sam for lacking physical vigor and showing contempt for violence, Sam proved himself highly intelligent and observant. After being bullied with nicknames like 'Ser Piggy' and 'Lord of Ham,' Sam secured the position of personal steward to Maester Aemon. He eventually became a point-of-view character in A Storm of Swords (2000) and A Feast for Crows (2005), serving as Jon Snow's most trusted sidekick despite his self-professed cowardice.

In Their Own Story

Upon arriving at the Wall, Sam faced immediate bullying from Ser Alliser Thorne until Jon Snow defended him. In A Game of Thrones, Sam was the first to notice that the recovered corpses of rangers Othor and Jafer Flowers were wights sent by the Others. During the Great Ranging in A Clash of Kings, he befriended Gilly at Craster's Keep and discovered a cache of dragonglass weapons with Ghost at the Fist of the First Men. In A Storm of Swords, after the camp was overrun, Sam killed an Other with a dragonglass dagger, earning the title 'Sam the Slayer.' He escaped with Gilly and her son, aided by Coldhands to the Nightfort. There, he manipulated rival candidates Mallister and Pyke into supporting Jon Snow, securing his election as the 998th Lord Commander. Later, in A Feast for Crows, Sam traveled to Oldtown with Gilly, Maester Aemon, and Dareon. After Aemon's death and Dareon's desertion, he became a novice trainee under Archmaester Marwyn and acolyte Alleras.

Reader's Guide

Samwell Tarly begins as an insecure youth fleeing his father's threats of death if he refused to join the Night's Watch. He transforms from a target of ridicule into a vital strategist for the Night's Watch. Though lacking combat skills, he excels in diplomacy and scholarship. His critical turning points include killing an Other with dragonglass at Craster's Keep, orchestrating Jon Snow's election as Lord Commander by exploiting political divisions, and journeying to Oldtown to become a maester trainee. He is supervised by Archmaester Marwyn and acolyte Alleras, tasked with keeping secrets regarding Daenerys Targaryen while studying alongside Leo Tyrell and the uncomfortable Pate. George R. R. Martin has stated that Sam is his most relatable character, citing their shared traits as 'fat kid[s] who like to read books' and troubled relationships with their fathers.

Did You Know?

• Samwell Tarly earned the nickname 'Sam the Slayer' after stabbing an Other with a dragonglass dagger, killing it instantly.
• George R. R. Martin considers Sam his most relatable character because both are 'fat kids who like to read books and don't like to go up a lot of stairs.'
• Jon Snow originally estimated Sam's weight at twenty stone (130 kg; 280 lb), calling him the fattest boy he had ever seen.
• Sam played a pivotal political role by convincing rival candidates Mallister and Pyke to support Jon Snow, leading to Jon's election as the 998th Lord Commander.
• In A Feast for Crows, Sam encounters a disguised Arya Stark in Braavos but fails to realize her true identity.