Barristan Selmy

"I am a knight! I shall die a knight!"

- Ser Barristan Selmy

Barristan Selmy is a recurring character in the first season. He is played by guest star Ian McElhinney and debuts in "Lord Snow." Ser Barristan Selmy served in the Kingsguard with honor and distinction for almost forty years before being dismissed on the orders of King Joffrey Baratheon shortly after he came to power.

Background
Ser Barristan Selmy is the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, the elite bodyguard of the King on the Iron Throne. Barristan is the only known member of House Selmy, a minor house that serves House Baratheon. Barristan Selmy is noted as an extremely capable warrior, even in his old age, and has a reputation for honor and chivalry that is second to none. He served in the Kingsguard of Aerys II Targaryen. He fought in the battle against the Kingswood Brotherhood and slew their leader Simon Toyne. Jaime Lannister, then aged 15, squired for Selmy during the battle and greatly admired his skill.

He never wavered in his loyalty to House Targaryen during Robert's Rebellion, in accordance with the vows he swore when he joined the Kingsguard. Both Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark held Ser Barristan in very high esteem. Upon assuming the throne, Robert pardoned him and made him Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.

Season 1
King Robert Baratheon, Ser Barristan Selmy and Ser Jaime Lannister swap war stories in the Red Keep. Barristan recalls his first kill as being a Tyroshi soldier whose name he never knew. He killed him with a lance to the heart. Barristan and Jaime also discuss their campaign against the Kingswood Brotherhood, when Barristan slew Simon Toyne in single combat whilst Jaime scored his own first kill - an outlaw he decapitated - as a squire of fifteen. Selmy attends the King at the tournament thrown in honor of Lord Eddard Stark's appointment as Hand of the King.



Barristan stands vigil for Ser Hugh of the Vale after his death in a tournament accident. Eddard quizzes him over Hugh's death and how the lots are drawn to determine which knight will face another in the contests. Eddard states that, in his father's opinion, Barristan was the finest knight in the Seven Kingdoms. Barristan acknowledges that the Mad King's murder of Eddard's father was a grave crime and he is glad they did not cross swords at the Battle of the Trident.

Barristan later accompanies Robert, his squire Lancel Lannister and Lord Renly Baratheon on a hunt in the Kingswood. The king reflects on how much better things used to be, but Renly angrily accuses him of nostalgic self-delusion before stomping off. Barristan is bemused by the exchange, as well as Lancel's constant refilling of Robert's wineskin. Robert tracks a boar and attempts to kill it singlehanded. He takes a grievous wound but finishes the boar off with his dirk. Barristan bitterly claims to have failed the king as Robert lies on his deathbed, but Eddard counsels him that no one could protect Robert from himself

Barristan accompanies the wounded king's return trip to King's Landing and stands guard outside his chambers. After Robert's death, he stands guard in the throne room as King Joffrey Baratheon commands his counsellors to swear fealty to him. Barristan is shocked when Queen Cersei destroys Robert's proclamation announcing that Eddard is to become the Protector of the Realm, but even more so when Eddard says that Joffrey has no claim to the Iron Throne. During the ensuing melee, Eddard orders that Barristan is not to be harmed, but the City Watch betrays and murders Eddard's men and takes Eddard prisoner instead. Joffrey later enrages Barristan by dismissing him from the Kingsguard, usually a lifelong position, on the grounds of old age and the fact he failed to protect Robert. Barristan rejects the council's offer of a keep to live in and servants to tend his needs, considering it an insult and tears off his cloak. When Littlefinger makes a joke at his expense that results in the whole court laughing mockingly at him, Selmy draws his sword in fury, sneers that he could kill the rest of the Kingsguard as easily as 'carving a cake' and throws his sword at Joffrey's feet, telling him to melt it down and add it to the others that make up the Iron Throne, before storming out in disgust. He was replaced as Lord Commander by Ser Jaime Lannister, and the six remaining Kingsguard knights were joined by Sandor Clegane.

Season 2
In the pen in Robb Starks camp as a prisoner, Jaime Lannister tells Alton Lannister what it was like being a squire to Ser Barristan Selmy. When asked how good a swordsman he was Ser Jaime said, "He was a painter...a painter who only used red."

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Barristan Selmy is one of the most skilled and respected knights in the Seven Kingdoms. He started learning the art of combat as a small child and was taking part in tourneys whilst barely a teenager. He was made a member of the Kingsguard whilst very young and proved his valor in the War of the Ninepenny Kings, where he slew Maelys the Monstrous, the last of the Blackfyre Pretenders, in combat on the Stepstones. He also rescued King Aerys II Targaryen from the rebellious Darklyns during the Defiance of Duskendale. During Robert's Rebellion Ser Barristan remained true to King Aerys and fought alongside his son Prince Rhaegar Targaryen at the Battle of the Trident. Barristan took grievous wounds, but unexpectedly lived. By the time he had recovered, Rhaegar and King Aerys were dead and Robert enthroned. Barristan was convinced to remain in the Kingsguard to provide continuity on the basis of his reputation for honor and steadfastness.

In the novels Selmy also sits on the King's small council and advises the King, particularly on military matters, he takes Ned Starks side that a contract should not be taken out on the now pregnant Daenerys Targaryen. He does not appear to be a member of the council in the TV series. A second difference is that Joffrey and Janos Slynt sent Gold Cloaks to arrest Barristan for his outburst in the throne room (when he not only threw the sword on the ground before Joffrey, but also said that Stannis would take the Iron Throne from Joffrey with ease). Joffrey saw this as a threat and sent gold cloaks to find Selmy who had already departed. They caught him at one of the gates, but Selmy killed two of his attackers and fled King's Landing.

When Catlyn stark visits Renly he asks her if Ser Barristan rides with Robb Stark. He says that the rainbow cloak of his guard that he had bestowed on Brienne was the one he had been saving for Barristan Selmy as he had expected him to show up to support him after his words to Joffrey, but that no one knows where he has gone.

According to the TV series official pronunciation guide developed for the cast and crew, "Barristan Selmy" is pronounced "BAIR-iss-tin SELL-mee", as opposed to "BARR-iss-stan", etc.