Lysa Arryn

"Family means everything to me."

- Lysa Arryn

Lysa Arryn née Tully is a recurring character in the first season. She is played by guest star Kate Dickie and debuts in "The Wolf and the Lion." Lysa is the Lady Regent of the Vale, ruling on behalf of her young son Robin Arryn. She dotes on her son and has pursued a policy of isolationism since the death of her husband Jon Arryn. She presides over the trial of Tyrion Lannister for the murder of Jon Arryn and the attempted murder of Bran Stark. He proves his innocence in a trial by combat. Lysa refuses to commit her forces to aid her sister Catelyn Stark in the War of the Five Kings.

Background
Lysa was born into House Tully and is the second child of Lord Hoster Tully. She has an older sister, Catelyn and a younger brother, Edmure. Petyr Baelish was fostered with the Tullys and Lysa grew up with him.

Lysa married Jon Arryn during Robert's Rebellion. Lord Jon was the head of House Arryn and a leader of the rebel faction fighting to overthrow the Mad King. The rebels forged an alliance with House Tully through marriage, with Lord Eddard Stark married to Catelyn and the then-elderly Jon to the still young Lysa.

After the rebel victory in the war, Robert Baratheon became King and appointed Jon as his Hand. Jon served the realm well for many years as Hand of the King. Lysa and Jon have a single son, Robin Arryn. Lysa and Jon spent the next seventeen years in the capital of King's Landing, never returning to the Eyrie in the Vale of Arryn.

Jon died immediately prior to the events of the series, sparking King Robert's search for a replacement. Lysa fled King's Landing for the safety of the Eyrie with Robin, then six-years old. Robin is the titular Lord Paramount of the Vale. However, Lysa will rule as the Lady Regent of the Vale until Robin comes of age. She dotes on her son. She is considered mentally unstable by Tyrion Lannister.

Season 1
Lysa's husband Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, dies of an apparent fever. Lysa flees the capital and returns to the Eyrie with her son Robin. She sends her sister Catelyn a letter claiming that the Lannisters murdered Jon Arryn for unknown reasons. This news convinces Catelyn's husband, Lord Eddard Stark, that he must accept King Robert's offer to become the new Hand so he may investigate further. During the king's visit to Winterfell Catelyn's own son Bran Stark is injured in suspicious circumstances.

Catelyn apprehends Tyrion Lannister on suspicion of trying to kill Bran. She brings him to the Eyrie to be questioned. Lysa is furious with Catelyn for exposing her to the wrath of House Lannister. She and Robin hold Tyrion in contempt, ignoring his threats that his house will repay them for any harm they visit upon him. Lysa orders Tyrion sent to Mord, the castle jailer. Tyrion and Catelyn are both disturbed by Lysa's excessive coddling of Robin, including still breast-feeding him despite him being several years too old for it.

Tyrion convinces Lysa to give him a trial, only to protest his innocence. He demands the right of trial by combat, supported by the mercenary Bronn. Bronn wins the battle, killing Lysa's champion, Ser Vardis Egen. Lysa reluctantly releases Tyrion.

Lysa receives a letter from King's Landing announcing that Robert has died and Eddard has been arrested as a traitor. She delays showing the letter to Catelyn, to Catelyn's annoyance. Catelyn asks that the knights of the Vale join House Tully and House Stark in fighting the Lannisters for his freedom, but Lysa refuses. Lysa insists that the Vale knights must remain at home to defend Robin. Catelyn leaves, frustrated and annoyed.

In the books
In A Song of Ice and Fire, Lysa is Catelyn's sister, who is distrustful of the Lannisters. She dotes on her son excessively. In the books her son's name is "Robert Arryn", but this was changed for the TV series to avoid confusion with Robert Baratheon and Robb Stark. Lysa married Lord Jon Arryn to tie three of the Houses involved in Robert's Rebellion - the Starks, Tullys, and Arryns - more closely together. Given the large age difference between her and Jon, their marriage was not a happy one.

She is noted as overweight in the books, as a result of suffering two stillbirths and four miscarriages. The stress from these many pregnancies which ended in tragedy, combined with her distant relationship with her elderly husband, wore heavily on Lysa's mental state. This is also why she dotes so excessively on Sweetrobin, her only surviving child.

According to the TV series official pronunciation guide developed for the cast and crew, "Lysa Arryn" is pronounced "LIE-ssa AIR-in", as opposed to "Liss-ah".