Gregor Clegane

"Elia Martell! I killed her children. Then I raped her. Then I smashed her head in. Like this!"

- Ser Gregor Clegane confesses his most infamous crime to Oberyn Martell as he kills him.

Gregor Clegane is a recurring character in the first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth seasons. He was originally played by guest star Conan Stevens and debuts in "Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things." Stevens was replaced by Ian Whyte, who had already appeared in the series in other roles, for the second season. In the fourth, fifth and sixth seasons he is portrayed by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. He is the head of House Clegane, minor vassals of House Lannister, the older brother of Sandor Clegane, and a notoriously fearsome warrior with a tendency toward extreme violence. Due to his freakishly huge size, he is called "The Mountain That Rides" or more often simply "The Mountain".

Background
Ser Gregor Clegane is the head of House Clegane, a knightly house from the Westerlands, and the elder brother of Sandor Clegane. When Sandor and Gregor were children Gregor held his brother's face in a fire for using his toys without permission, horrifically scarring him. Gregor is a landed knight rather than a full lord. Gregor is freakishly huge, said to be the largest man in Westeros, almost eight feet in height and heavily muscled. For this reason he is called "The Mountain That Rides" or, simply, "The Mountain". He is feared throughout Westeros with a reputation for ferocity and anger. He is a loyal retainer and servant of House Lannister, particularly to Lord Tywin.

Numerous servants have gone missing at the Clegane keep over the years, apparently killed by Gregor for minor slights in one of his infamous rages, and their deaths then hushed up. Gregor's own father and sister died under dubious circumstances as well, and Sandor half-suspects that Gregor may have killed them as well. Their sister died when Sandor was too young to remember her well, and their father died years later in what was said to be a "hunting accident". At the behest of Tywin Lannister, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen himself anointed Gregor as a knight, a great honor, even though Gregor was an infamously dishonorable man.

During Robert's Rebellion, one year after Prince Rhaegar knighted him, Gregor participated in the Sack of King's Landing. After entering the Red Keep he proceeded to kill Rhaegar's two children by Elia Martell: their daughter Rhaenys and baby Aegon. He killed baby Aegon by bashing his head against the wall, and then while still covered in the gore from her children proceeded to rape Elia, after which he killed her. It is rumored that he killed her by cutting her in half with a single swing of his massive sword, although he later claimed to have "smashed her head in".

Despite pleas by Ned Stark, neither Gregor nor Tywin were punished by King Robert for the murders of the royal family, leading to a rift in Ned and Robert's friendship.

Season 1
Ser Gregor takes part in the tournament to celebrate Eddard Stark's appointment as Hand of the King. He kills Ser Hugh of the Vale in a joust, horrifying the crowd. Littlefinger tells Sansa Stark that Gregor burned his brother Sandor's face over a naked flame when they were boys because Sandor borrowed one of his toys without asking. He tells her that few people know the story and not to let Sandor Clegane know that she does. When Gregor faces Ser Loras Tyrell, he loses the joust because Loras chose to ride a mare that was in heat to distract Gregor's stallion. Flying into a rage, Gregor demands his sword, then decapitates his own stallion with a single swing of his sword, before the entire horrified crowd. Ignoring his surroundings, he proceeds to knock the surprised Loras off his horse, and is on the verge of dishonorably killing him, when his brother Sandor intervenes, fighting him off to protect Loras. Gregor only stops when King Robert himself shouts a demand to end his folly, at which the fuming Ser Gregor relents and leaves.

Catelyn Stark takes Tyrion Lannister into custody on suspicion of the attempted assassination of her son Bran. In retaliation Gregor is dispatched to raid the Riverlands, her homeland. Refugees from the Riverlands attend court in King's Landing and report that a huge knight who could take the head of a horse in one blow led the attack and had sacked their villages. Littlefinger says "Remind you of someone?" Eddard Stark sends Ser Beric Dondarrion with a hundred men to bring Gregor to justice. Eddard declares him a false knight and strips him of all ranks and titles, lands and holdings, and sentences him to death. The ruling is made null by Eddard's arrest for treason and subsequent beheading.

The host led by Lord Beric clashes against Ser Gregor at the Mummer's Ford. Ser Gregor is victorious, and Lord Beric is reported dead.

However, when Robb Stark's victory against his son forces Lord Tywin to withdraw his forces to Harrenhal, he orders Ser Gregor to take five hundred men and "set the Riverlands on fire" from the Red Fork to Gods Eye.

Season 2
Gregor continues to raid the villages of the Riverlands from the Lannister army's base at Harrenhal. His men torture the prisoners they take for information about the Brotherhood and hidden valuables. He selects the prisoners for torture personally. Ser Amory Lorch adds a group of captured Night's Watch recruits to the captives. Lord Tywin Lannister arrives during the torture and asks Gregor what is going on. Gregor says that they were not expecting Tywin for another day. Tywin asks why the prisoners are not in their cells. Gregor says that their cells are overflowing. One of Lorch's men interjects that the prisoners will not be there long. Tywin asks if they are so well manned that they can afford to discard able and skilled prisoners. He asks a prisoner if he has a trade and learns that he is a smith. Tywin orders the prisoners put to work, sparing the young man.

Following the assassination of Ser Amory just outside Lord Tywin's chamber Ser Gregor is tasked with finding the culprit. Tywin fears that he was the intended target and has Ser Gregor hang dozens of their own men. Ser Gregor suggests that an infiltrator from the Brotherhood Without Banners was responsible and Lord Tywin dispatches him to pressure the smallfolk of the Riverlands into giving up the members of the Brotherhood. Tywin marches back to the Westerlands and leaves Gregor to serve as castellan at Harrenhal.

Season 3
Robb Stark and his army get to Harrenhal, finding that Gregor Clegane has left the castle with his men. To their horror, they discover that Ser Gregor has executed the remaining 200 Northmen and Rivermen prisoners at Harrenhal, leaving their bodies to rot.

Ser Gregor is later expelled from Stone Mill by a force led by Lord Edmure Tully, forcing him to flee south to Casterly Rock.

Season 4
Oberyn Martell discusses with Tyrion Lannister how the last time he was in King's Landing, it was for the wedding of his sister Elia to Rhaegar Targaryen. He also states that during the Sack of King's Landing, his sister was raped and murdered by Gregor. Oberyn believes that Tyrion's father, Tywin, was the one to give the order to the Mountain. He tells Tyrion that he intends to avenge her.

​Polliver tells Gregor's brother when meeting in a tavern further north, that while loyal to the Mountain and the Lannisters, Polliver wasn't in agreement with Gregor's torturous methods because they were repetitive and boring.

When Tyrion Lannister demands a trial by combat, Gregor is quickly appointed the Crown's champion by Queen Cersei Lannister in order to deter anyone from fighting for Tyrion. Tyrion first asks his brother Jaime to fight for him, but he declines, saying that he simply cannot fight like he used to with the loss of his sword hand. Tyrion then asks his friend Bronn to be his champion, but he too refuses, arguing that the Mountain is an incredibly dangerous fighter, one that would cost him his life if he makes a single mistake. Finally, Prince Oberyn Martell approaches Tyrion and volunteers to be his champion, as he wants to avenge his sister.

Gregor fights Oberyn at Tyrion's trial by combat, wielding heavy plated armor and a large broad sword with one arm. Despite his immense size and strength, he is no match for Oberyn's swift and agile fighting style. Oberyn manages to knock Gregor's helmet off early into the duel and proceeds ​to slowly cut The Mountain down, all the while taunting him and demanding him to admit to the rape and murder of Elia Martell and her children, chanting "you raped her; you murdered her; you killed her children". Oberyn eventually severs ​Clegane's hamstring, causing him to fall to his knees. Oberyn proceeds by jumping and thrusting his spear into Gregor's chest, severely injuring the gigantic man and seemingly sealing his defeat. Thinking his opponent is fully incapacitated, Oberyn removes his spear from Gregor's chest and circles him, refusing to initiate the killing blow until Gregor has admitted to Elia's death and revealed who orchestrated it, directing his gaze accusingly at Tywin. However, in his hubris Oberyn is unexpectedly caught off guard when Gregor trips and pulls him to the ground, grasping him around the neck and slamming his fist squarely into his face, instantly knocking out many of Oberyn's teeth. Berserk with fury at nearly being killed by his opponent, Gregor pins Oberyn to the ground and proceeds to gouge out his eyeballs, making him scream in agony, as he roars for all to hear, "Elia Martell! I killed her children! Then I raped her! Then I smashed her head...in like this!" He then crushes Oberyn's skull, making his paramour Ellaria Sand scream in horror. Gregor collapses beside his fallen opponent from the wounds he sustained as Tywin announces that, according the rules of trial by combat, Oberyn's death has officially sealed the fate of Tyrion Lannister and sentences him to death.

Secretly, Oberyn had his spears coated with manticore venom, one of the deadliest poisons in the known world. Gregor is left in agony and ultimately loses consciousness. The venom causes his wounds to start putrefying, emitting an overpowering stench, and with dead flesh sloughing off. Even Grand Maester Pycelle regretfully tells Queen Cersei that Ser Gregor is beyond any hope of healing. Qyburn, however, an expelled former maester with extensive medical knowledge gained from "repugnant" and "unnatural" experimentation on living people, suggests that he may be able to save him. Cersei dismisses Pycelle and gives Qyburn permission to do anything he can to save Ser Gregor (likely out of gratitude for sealing Tyrion's fate and her revenge on him for the death of Joffrey), though he says that his unorthodox methods may "change" him. She nervously asks if he means the process will weaken Gregor, but Qyburn knowingly assures her it will not.

Season 5
A moribund Gregor Clegane is being experimented on by Qyburn at his laboratory in the dungeons below the Red Keep. Queen Cersei visits Qyburn and asks him about the state of his work, while glancing at Gregor's covered body, and Qyburn assures her it is going very well, though there is still a way to go. Then, Gregor suddenly spasms, and Qyburn gently shushes him and tells him to go easy. During Cersei's imprisonment by the Faith, Qyburn reminds her that "the work continues."

After Cersei's walk of atonement, Qyburn covers her up and is pleased to introduce the "newest member" of the Kingsguard. The Mountain stands as tall as ever, fully covered in Kingsguard plate armor. Only his reddened eyes, surrounded by pale blueish flesh, are visible through his helmet. With Cersei's feet injured and bleeding, he is instructed to carry her. As he does so, Qyburn informs Cersei that he has taken a holy vow of silence to last until all of Tommen's enemies are dead and the evil has been driven from the world.

Season 6
Gregor is present standing guard over Cersei when Jaime returns with their daughter's body.

Later, Gregor continues to serve Cersei without question. He finds a man who boasts of having flashed his penis at Cersei during her walk and bashes his head against a wall, killing him.

Back at the Red Keep, he accompanies Cersei when she attempts to attend Myrcella's funeral, only to be stopped by a group of Lannister soldiers, who have arrived to prevent her from leaving on King Tommen's orders. Although Gregor intimidates the captain with his size, Cersei acquiesces, and he escorts her back to her room.

Gregor follows Cersei and Jaime into Qyburn's laboratory, where the former Maester is trying to win the service of the Little Birds by offering them candied plums from Dorne. Jaime asks what Qyburn has done to Gregor, to which the latter replies with "a number of things". Jaime wonders whether Gregor is able to understand complete sentences, to which the huge knight menacingly turns his head towards Jaime. Qyburn assures that Gregor understands well enough. Jaime suggests sending Ser Gregor to the High Septon to crush him and his Faith Militants. Cersei disagrees, saying they can't let Ser Gregor face them all and that he only needs to face one, implying the coming Trial by Combat.

At the Small Council, Pycelle expresses his disgusts about Qyburn's treatment of Ser Gregor, calling him an abomination. He attempts to suggest that it would be in everyone's best interest to have the "beast" destroyed, but he is cut short when he becomes aware of the presence of Cersei, Jaime and Gregor himself. Frightened by the huge man in shining armor, Pycelle cannot keep himself from passing gas. Kevan argues that Cersei and Jaime have no position on the Small Council, but Jaime replies by saying the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard has. Cersei suggests the Small Council gets on with urgent matters, as they cannot make them leave. Kevan replies that Cersei and Jaime cannot make them stay either, unless they set Gregor to kill them. As everyone except Cersei and Jaime leave, Pycelle cowers past Ser Gregor, who coldly looks back.

​Personality and traits​
Gregor is well-known for his brutal and savage nature, remorselessly killing unarmed opponents half his size or leading the torture of helpless villagers. Often referred to as "Tywin Lannister's mad dog", Gregor has an insatiable bloodlust that he releases through acts of extreme violence. He is quick to anger and never shows any fear of acting on it, since no one dares stop him. The only person he has ever shown any loyalty or respect toward is Tywin; when not actively obeying Tywin's orders he mostly acts of his own accord, showing even little respect toward King Robert Baratheon after he was told to stop his fit of rage at the Tourney Of The Hand. His violent personality had even manifested as a child, quickly becoming known for his strength, size, and brutality. Gregor even burned his own brother's face when they were children simply for playing with one of Gregor's toys. Gregor's short fuse and lack of conscience often showed his lack of honor, such as when he tried to murder Loras Tyrell after already losing a joust against him. In addition, Gregor does not appear to be very bright, relying solely on his physical instincts to get the job done without thinking of the long-term consequences, shown when he furiously bellows out for all to hear that he in fact did commit arguably his most infamous war crime while murdering Oberyn Martell, unaware that until then it was merely a rumor and will have severe consequences if the truth were to come out. Robb Stark describes Gregor as a "mad dog without a strategic thought in his head", while Jaime Lannister quips that Gregor had difficulties understanding complete sentences.

As a warrior, Gregor is feared for his imposing size and physical strength. In combat, his strength gives him a huge advantage over almost any opponent, which allows him to defeat men who have far more skill. His weapon of choice was an enormous great sword that most men would never be able to swing with even two hands, but which Gregor is strong enough to wield one-handed. He is strong enough to decapitate a horse with a single swing of his sword. Gregor also wears armor larger and thicker than normal knights would be able to wear, providing him almost impenetrable defense against his opponents. However, his brother Sandor Clegane (who is also very large and strong, though not to the same extent as Gregor) was shown to be able to duel him evenly. In addition, Gregor's lack of technical skill allowed Oberyn Martell to overwhelm him in their duel, as Oberyn's unique style of combat relied heavily on maneuverability and he used a spear to stay out of Gregor's reach.

Following being poisoned by Oberyn's Manticore venom, Gregor is experimented on by Qyburn to keep him from death. The process changes Gregor as was expected. It is unclear whether he is truly alive or not. The Mountain becomes a "new" man and now part of Cersei's guard. Other than his soulless eyes and pale flesh visible through his helmet, he can not be seen under his full body armor. Whatever he is now, he is completely in service to Cersei (and Qyburn), and serves them in silence. Qyburn claims that he has vowed not to speak until King Tommen's enemies and all evil are gone from the realm. It is at least as likely that he is no longer capable of speech.

Quotes

 * Spoken by Gregor

"Taller by a foot than any man I've ever met. Saw him cut the blacksmith in two, saw him take the head off a horse with a single swing of his sword."
 * Spoken about Gregor

- Joss describes Gregor.

"See that he doesn't get drunk in the evenings. He's poor company when he's sober, but he's better at his work."

- Tywin to Arya Stark about Gregor.

"Years after, servants started disappearing in our keep. And even a sister, I don't remember. But nobody could prove anything against Gregor, or dared if they caught him at it."

- Sandor Clegane talks about Gregor.

"I wanted to draw the Mountain into the West, into our country, where we could surround him and kill him. I wanted him to chase us, as he would have done because he is a mad dog without a strategic thought in his head. I could have had that head on a spike by now."

- Robb Stark emphasizes Gregor's lack of intelligence which could have been used against him to Edmure Tully.

"May I have the honor of presenting the newest member of the Kingsguard? If it please, Your Grace, he has taken a holy vow of silence. He has sworn that he will not speak until all His Grace's enemies are dead, and evil has been driven from the realm."

- Qyburn to Cersei about the new Gregor.

"Order your man to step aside or there'll be violence."

- Lancel threatens to unleash the Faith Militant on Gregor.

Behind the scenes

 * Gregor Clegane is the only character in the entire series who has been portrayed by more than two actors in different seasons. The second actor, Ian Whyte, was originally to continue portraying the character after the second season, but was instead cast as Dongo and later Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun. Whyte's replacement, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, is actually nineteen years younger than Rory McCann, who portrays Gregor's younger brother Sandor Clegane.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Ser Gregor Clegane is a savage brute of a man, freakishly tall at nearly 8 feet in height, and well over 30 stone in weight (420 lbs./190 kg), most of it muscle. Gregor is so strong that he can easily wield with one hand greatswords which are meant to be wielded with two hands, allowing him to carry a shield as well. He is so strong that he has been known to cleave men in two with a single blow of his sword.

Known as "the Mountain That Rides", Gregor is one of Tywin Lannister's chief enforcers. Gregor's knighthood is regarded as a hypocritical mockery of justice by many, as he is a thoroughly dishonorable and undisciplined butcher. While Gregor is so strong that he can easily fight the strongest knights in Westeros, his greatest enthusiasm in wartime is for burning out the homes of peasants who cannot possibly fight back, and torturing their women and children to death. Indeed, Gregor's immense size isn't really his main attribute to Tywin, so much as his utter enthusiasm for committing atrocities. With a "might makes right" mentality, Gregor feels that his immense bulk and strength gives him impunity to behave as he does, as few would dare to challenge him. While Gregor is incredibly dangerous in combat, he relies more on sheer strength than on speed or skill. Gregor has gone through multiple wives, who died from the extremely rough treatment they received from Gregor, though there are rumors that he killed them on purpose. His father and younger sister also died suspiciously. Sandor Clegane left when Gregor succeeded their father and never returned.

Gregor has a nearly uncontrollable temper, and is capable of very brutal violence for the slightest provocation. According to Sandor, he once killed one of his men for snoring. When he was in Harrenhal, a servant girl named Pia spoke when he wanted silence, so he smashed her face in with his mailed fist, breaking her nose and many of her teeth.

Gregor's men-at-arms are known as "The Mountain's men". His cruelty and brutality are clearly mirrored in them. The best thing that can be said about them is that they are less vile and violent than the Brave Companions, Vargo Hoat's sellsword company. Those who are mentioned specifically in the books are:
 * Joss Stilwood, his squire.
 * {Rafford} aka Raff the Sweetling, who killed Lommy. Killed by Arya Stark.
 * Dunsen, who took Gendry's bull helm.
 * {The Tickler}, a torturer. Killed by Arya Stark.
 * {Polliver}, who took Arya's sword. Killed by the Hound, in the same fight that Arya kills the Tickler.
 * {Chiswyck}, who assisted the Tickler with the torturing. Killed by Jaqen H'ghar.
 * Shitmouth, the most foul-mouthed of Gregor's soldiers, but less cruel than the rest. Gives extra food to captives if they ask him nicely.
 * Eggon
 * Tobbot
 * {Unnamed squire} of House Sarsfield. Killed by Arya Stark

When Sandor is told by Joffrey to escort Sansa back to the Red Keep after the tournament feast he tells her the story of how his face was burned (not Littlefinger as happens in the TV series). A wood carver gave toys to both of the Clegane children in order to gain their father's patronage. Sandor wanted the articulated jointed knight that Gregor got so he took it. Gregor was ten and already big enough to be training so he didn't even care about the toy, but when he found six year old Sandor playing with it without warning he pushed Sandor's head into a brazier and held him there. It took three men to get Sandor away from him and their father told people that Sandor's bed linens had caught fire. It was later when Gregor was anointed a knight that Sandor Clegane lost all respect for the institution of knighthood and has steadfastly refused to be knighted himself.

Sandor also tells Sansa that the death of Hugh of the Vale was not a tournament accident. Ser Hugh had obviously put on the armor himself and had not set the neck protector correctly. He says Gregor saw that, and thus could have sent the blow elsewhere, and that the lance didn't just accidentally deflect upward, as Gregor puts his lance exactly where he intends it to go every time. He meant to kill Ser Hugh, though it isn't clear if this was an assassination to silence Hugh, or just Gregor enjoying the carnage.

When treating Gregor Clegane, Qyburn theorizes that Oberyn had adulterated the manticore venom on his spear with sorcery; thickening it in order to slow its progress through the veins towards the heart, dragging out Gregor's agony. It is also not on Cersei's orders but Tywin's that Gregor is treated, though this is only to get him enough back to health so Ilyn Payne could execute him. After Gregor's public confession of his part in the murders of Elia Martell and her children, Tywin (who'd always dismissed such talk as malicious rumours) chose to execute Gregor to appease House Martell, rather than risk their outrage at Elia and Oberyn's death to cause them to support Stannis Baratheon.

A huge skull is later sent to the Martells, which the Lannisters claim is Gregor's, and they accept that Gregor has finally been punished for his crimes. However, in King's Landing, after Cersei's walk of penance, Qyburn introduces her to Ser Robert Strong, a man clad from head to toe in white armor (no part of him is visible) and matching Gregor's physique. According to Qyburn, Strong has taken a Holy vow of silence until all of King Tommen's enemies are defeated. Many people, including Kevan Lannister and Grand Maester Pycelle, theorize that Strong is actually Gregor, or maybe even a Frankenstein's monster assembled from Gregor's body as well as other bodies. In an earlier book, Bran Stark has a vision of Strong, and when his visor lifts, there is only darkness and black blood, leaving it ambiguous as to whether or not Strong even has a head. In the television series, Cersei's new Kingsguard is not given a name, and what is seen of his face through his helmet matches that of Gregor, somewhat confirming that Gregor and Strong are the same man. In the sixth season of the series, he remains to be called Gregor Clegane instead of Robert Strong.

While in the novels the murder of Rhaenys Targaryen is assigned to Ser Amory Lorch, another knight in the service of Tywin Lannister, the TV-series omitted this and Gregor is blamed for the death of Elia, Aegon and Rhaenys.