Jaqen H'ghar

Jaqen H'ghar is a character in the second season. He is played by Tom Wlaschiha and debuts in "The Night Lands." Jaqen H'ghar is a mysterious Lorathi criminal who has been recruited by the Night's Watch. He is in Yoren's party as the latter smuggles Arya Stark out of King's Landing.

Background
Jaqen is a criminal from the Free Cities, arrested by the City Watch and thrown into the dungeons of the Red Keep in King's Landing. When looking for fresh recruits for the Night's Watch, Yoren chose H'ghar as a potential candidate.

Jaqen is surprisingly calm in the face of danger, yet courteous. He uses an odd speech pattern in which he refers to both himself and others using the third person indefinite, e.g. saying "a man thanks a girl" when he is directly addressing Arya and expressing his own thanks.

Season 1
Jaqen H'ghar is in the party led by Yoren that leaves King's Landing for the Wall, along with Hot Pie, Lommy Greenhands and Gendry. Jaqen is not identified, as the actor had not been cast at this point. A cloaked and hooded figure is seen in the wagon.

Season 2
Jaqen calls over Arry, one of the young recruits. He asks her to fill a tankard with water and tells her that he has not drunk for a day and a night, always referring to himself as “a man” and her as “a boy”. Rorge, one of the other prisoners, rattles the cage and threatens Arya. Jaqen tells her that he has not chosen his companions and asks Arya's forgiveness. He confirms her identity as Arry and introduces himself, saying that he comes from Lorath. Rorge demands beer and insults Arya. She says that he should have asked nicely, drops all but one of her sticks and uses it to hit his hand. He recoils and then tries to grab her through the cage. Biter moves up behind Rorge and hisses as Rorge threatens Arya again. Jaqen smiles and tells Arya that she has more courage than sense as she walks away.

The group is resting in a barn when they are roused to arms by Yoren and told they are being attacked. As they rush outside one man trips and drops his torch, setting a fire near the prisoner wagon. They are met by Ser Amory Lorch and a force of men loyal to House Lannister. Lorch points out the Gold Cloaks with him and says that they have come for Gendry, a royal bastard. Lorch orders Yoren and the recruits to drop their weapons. Yoren remains defiant and Lorch orders him shot.

Seeing their leader killed, Gendry and many of the other recruits join the fight. Arya is distracted by Jaqen calling for help as the flames lick the bars of his cage. She hands him an axe before rushing to join the fray. Gendry is overwhelmed and knocked down. As Arya runs round a corner she is knocked over and taken prisoner along with the other survivors.

After being told to fetch water by Tywin Lannister, Arya meets Jaqen again, however, he is dressed in a Lannister uniform. She accuses him of being "one of them now", but he counters her, questioning for whom it was she was fetching water. Jaqen then informs her of the debts he, Rorge and Biter owe her. Because she saved three lives, she has taken three lives from the Red God, they must be given back, she is to name three and those named will be killed to repay the debt. Arya names the man who tortured the other prisoners, known as The Tickler. Later, The Tickler drops dead without warning, Arya goes to the body and looks up to see Jaqen staring down, he touches his cheek with one finger, presumingly indicating the first death has been paid.

Appearances
* - played by an uncredited extra, face not shown.

In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels Jaqen claims to be a citizen of the remote Free City of Lorath. However, whether this is true or not is unknown.