Catelyn Stark

Catelyn Stark, formerly Catelyn Tully, is a major character in Game of Thrones. She was played in the unaired pilot by Jennifer Ehle and in the series itself by Michelle Fairley. She debuts in the first episode of the series.

Catelyn was born into House Tully as the eldest daughter and child of Lord Hoster Tully. She has a younger brother, Edmure, and a younger sister, Lysa. She was betrothed to marry Brandon Stark of Winterfell, but he was brutally murdered by the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen after Prince Rhaegar had kidnapped Brandon's sister Lyanna. Catelyn instead married Brandon's brother, Eddard.

Catelyn has five children: Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon. She is unhappy with Eddard's bastard son Jon Snow living in Winterfell, the only source of friction between her and her husband.

Catelyn has some independent political influence. A former ward of her father's, Petyr Baelish, known as 'Littlefinger', is the king's master of coin and one of his closest advisers in King's Landing.

Season 1
A raven bears news of Jon Arryn's death to Winterfell, where Catelyn tells Eddard the bad news. She also tells him that King Robert Baratheon, and much of the royal court rides for Winterfell. Eddard realises that Robert means to name him Hand of the King in Arryn's place, a prospect that does not thrill him.

Catelyn joins her husband in welcoming King Robert and his family to Winterfell. At the feast, she and Queen Cersei Lannister exchange cordial words once they learn that Robert means to marry Prince Joffrey to Sansa. Cersei approves of Sansa and thinks she will thrive at court in the capital. Later that night, Eddard and Catelyn receive a letter, delivered to Maester Luwin by a messenger from the Eyrie. The letter is from Catelyn's sister, Lady Lysa Arryn, the widow of Jon Arryn. In the letter Lysa says that Jon Arryn was murdered at the order of the Queen, and the Lannisters conspire against King Robert. Luwin counsels that Eddard should accept Robert's offer so he can investigate the truth of the matter and protect the King, whilst Catelyn prefers that he remain in Winterfell. Eddard agrees with Luwin and accepts the offer. Catelyn tends to Bran after he falls from a tower, and prays for his recovery. Cersei visits Catelyn, sitting by her son's side, and tells her that her first child, a beautiful, black-haired boy, was stillborn. She and Robert were grief-stricken and her prayers and tears were for naught. She offers to pray for Bran's survival, hoping that this time the gods will listen. Jon Snow gives his farewell wishes to Bran, to Catelyn's disgust. Eddard also says his goodbyes to his son and to Catelyn, who is angered at his departure whilst Bran remains ill.

Catelyn's refusal to leave Bran's side starts to cause problems for the smooth running of the castle. Robb offers to work with Maester Luwin to put the castle to rights. There is then a fire in part of the castle, but this proves to be a distraction to allow an assassin to attempt to finish off Bran. Catelyn holds the assassin off long enough for Bran's direwolf to enter the chamber and tear out the assassin's throat. The next day, Catelyn goes to the tower from where Bran fell and finds a blonde strand of hair on the floor. She summons Robb, Theon Greyjoy, Luwin and the castle master at arms, Ser Rodrik Cassel and tells that that she suspects that the Lannisters tried to kill Bran and that maybe he saw something in the tower. Robb and Theon are all for making war, but Luwin schools them to caution. Catelyn decides that Ned must know the truth and resolves to travel south to King's Landing and meet him there. Ser Rodrik will go as escort, whilst Robb will take charge of the castle in her absence.

Catelyn and Ser Rodrik Cassel arrive at King's Landing and attempt to sneak into the city, but are spotted by an agent of Lord Petyr Baelish (also called 'Littlefinger'), a childhood friend of Cat's. They are taken to meet Littlefinger at a brothel he owns, where Lord Varys, the king's spymaster, is also waiting: one of his 'little birds' told him they were coming. Catelyn is angered by the way she's been treated, but asks Littlefinger for aid in finding the people who tried to have Bran killed. Littlefinger is able to answer this quickly: the elaborate dagger wielded by the assassin used to be his, but he lost it in a gamble with Tyrion Lannister. Littlefinger fetches Eddard to meet his wife, but Eddard suspects a trick and pushes Littlefinger up against a wall outside the brothel wanting to know what his game is. Catelyn then appears and Eddard is pacified. After hearing her news, he vows to find the truth and expose the Lannisters to Robert and Littlefinger agrees to be his ally in this, for the affection he once bore Catelyn as a youngster.

Returning to Winterfell, Catelyn and Ser Rodrik stop at the Crossroads Inn, planning to stay overnight. However, they are surprised by the arrival of Tyrion Lannister. Catelyn calls on several knights present who are sworn to her father's bannermen to help her take Tyrion into custody, to his considerable surprise. Catelyn announces they are travelling northwards to Winterfell, but instead takes Tyrion eastwards into the Vale of Arryn. In the hills they are attacked by warriors of the hill tribes, and Catelyn agrees to let Tyrion go unbound to defend himself. Tyrion saves Catelyn's life, but this doesn't win him much more trust in her eyes. Tyrion warns Catelyn that her sister Lysa has gone insane following her husband's death. Reaching the Eyrie, this seems to be proven when Lysa and her hysterical son, Lord Robin Arryn, order Tyrion thrown into a sky call, a prison with a wall that opens onto a sheer drop. Tyrion protests his innocence against Catelyn's accusations and then demands a trial by battle. The sellsword Bronn, who accompanied the party from the Crossroads Inn, agrees to stand for Tyrion and defeats Ser Vardis Egen, who takes Lady Lysa's part. Tyrion's victory means he must be innocent in the eyes of the gods and is allowed to depart.

Catelyn lingers at the Eyrie for a while, trying to convince Lysa to commit the Vale's knights to oppose the Lannisters, but Lysa is unwilling to take any action which might endanger her son. Catelyn finally decides to leave after Lysa takes too long to tell her about Eddard's arrest in King's Landing following King Robert's death. Catelyn and Ser Rodrik ride north and meet Robb's army as he marches south, and they join his war council, though Catelyn is careful to not embarrass her son or make him appear indecisive. Catelyn points out that to confront the two Lannister armies that have invaded the Riverlands, her father's lands, Robb's army must cross the Green Fork of the River Trident at the Twins, which means negotiating with the famously unreliable and prickly Lord Walder Frey. To Robb's discontent, Catelyn goes into the Twins alone and wins Walder to their cause by agreeing that Robb will marry one of his daughters, along with a number of other, minor concessions. Once across the river Robb divides his forces, sending a small force to delay Lord Tywin Lannister's army whilst Robb force-marches his main force to confront Jaime Lannister near Riverrun. Robb wins a great victory and takes Jaime Lannister prisoner, to Catelyn's pride. Word reaches the camp that Lord Eddard has been executed in King's Landing. Catelyn and Robb are devastated, but press on to try to secure the release of Arya and Sansa. They are joined by many of the river lords loyal to Catelyn's father, and word arrives that both Stannis and Renly Baratheon have claimed the Iron Throne, severely outnumering the Lannisters. The northmen and river lords debate on which king to support, until Lord Greatjon Umber suggests that they secure independence for themselves. He names Robb as King in the North, and the other lords join him.

Catelyn visits the captive Jaime Lannister, who admits to pushing Bran from the tower. He doesn't reveal why, however. He taunts her, saying widowhood suits her and suggests that the gods aren't real as they don't care about justice. Catelyn strikes him, but Jaime knows that the Starks won't kill him as long as his sister holds Sansa and Arya hostage.

In the books
In the novels, Catelyn is proud, strong, kind and generous, but has a severe disregard for Jon Snow, whose very presence drives her to anger. She loves her five children very much and dotes on them, but also knows they need to be strong if they are to inherit leadership positions in the North. A letter received by Catelyn from her sister Lysa sets in motion the events of the novels.