Jorah Mormont

"There is a beast in every man and it stirs when you put a sword in his hand."

- Jorah Mormont

Jorah Mormont is a major character in the first, second and third seasons. He is played by starring cast member Iain Glen and debuts in the series premiere. Ser Jorah is an exiled Northern lord living in Essos. He has sworn fealty to his fellow exile Daenerys Targaryen and helps her adapt to life as a Khaleesi of the Dothraki.

Originally, Jorah was acting as a spy for Varys, King Robert's spymaster in King's Landing, sending him information about the Targaryen exiles. However, Jorah ultimately came to respect and admire Daenerys, and began serving her in earnest: he has ignored an official letter of royal pardon he received which would allow him to simply leave Daenerys and return home to Westeros, and he even saved her life from an assassination attempt. Jorah has developed strong and unrequited feelings for Daenerys.

Background
Jorah Mormont is a knight from Westeros who has fled from his homeland and is living in exile in the Free Cities. He is the son of Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. He is the former Lord of Bear Island of House Mormont (a vassal of House Stark), losing his status as a lord for disgracing his House by trying to sell poachers into slavery to pay his debts. Slavery is illegal in the Seven Kingdoms, and poachers are supposed to be handed over to the Night's Watch as punishment. Jorah was trying to raise money to satisfy the expensive tastes of his wife Lynesse Hightower. After Jorah's exile, his wife left him for a richer man.

Mormont earned his knighthood fighting in the Siege of Pyke during the Greyjoy Rebellion.

He is called Jorah the Andal by the Dothraki, as they assume that all people from Westeros are Andals. However, Jorah Mormont is a Northman, descended from the First Men.

Besides the Common Tongue of Westeros, Ser Jorah is fluent in the Dothraki language.

Season 1
Whilst living in Pentos, Ser Jorah Mormont becomes known to Magister Illyrio Mopatis and he is invited to the wedding of Princess Daenerys Targaryen to Khal Drogo of the Dothraki. Jorah's ability to speak the Dothraki language is deemed of value to Daenerys, Drogo and Viserys. Jorah offers his fealty to Viserys, calling him 'the true king', and this is accepted. He also gives Daenerys several books of stories and histories about Westeros, for which Daenerys is thankful. Ser Jorah then accompanies Viserys and Daenerys on their way to Vaes Dothrak.

Whilst traveling to Vaes Dothrak, Ser Jorah tells Viserys that he lost his home because he sold some poachers to slavers (which is illegal in the Seven Kingdoms). Eddard Stark wanted to execute him for breaking the law. He fled instead. Viserys dismisses this as foolishness, saying such things will be tolerated under his rule. Mormont is less certain that this will happen.

Ser Jorah is impressed by Daenerys's growing ability to command. When Viserys tries to hit Daenerys, she orders his horse taken so he has to walk, a disgrace for a Dothraki. Viserys orders Ser Jorah to kill Daenerys' men, a suicidal order that Jorah pointedly ignores. From this point on he is in Daenerys's command. Jorah talks to Daenerys's bodyguard Rakharo and helps him learn some Westerosi words to better serve her. Jorah and Rakharo also swap their opinions on the value of swords and armors versus the arakh and some personal information: Jorah states that his father is a man of great honor and integrity, and that Jorah's disgrace betrayed him. When Jorah learns that Daenerys is pregnant, he orders a goat slaughtered and prepared as a meal to celebrate and rides to the nearby Free City of Qohor. It is later revealed that he sent information to Lord Varys in King's Landing about Daenerys's pregnancy.

Arriving at Vaes Dothrak, Daenerys asks Jorah if he thinks the Dothraki could retake the Seven Kingdoms for her House. Jorah points out the difficulties of persuading them to cross the Narrow Sea, but believes success possible if that could be accomplished and if King Robert was foolish enough to meet them in open battle. He says that if their opponents retreated behind stone walls, the Dothraki would not be able to root them out. They move to discussing Jorah's background and he admits to selling the poachers as slaves to raise money for his expensive wife. When Daenerys asks him where his wife is, Jorah replies that she is with another man in another place.

In King's Landing, Eddard Stark learns that Jorah Mormont is Varys's agent and spy in Daenerys's retinue. He puts little faith in Jorah's information that Daenerys is pregnant, considering him a traitor who will say anything for a royal pardon. However, King Robert and his council are adamant that his information can be relied on and order the assassination of Daenerys.

Jorah translates for the benefit of Viserys during the ceremony where Daenerys eats a stallion's heart so that the Dosh khaleen can prophesize about her baby. Viserys thinks it is digusting, but when he realizes that the Dothraki love Daenerys he slips away, Jorah follows and finds him trying to steal Daenerys's three dragon eggs. He is tired of waiting, and he wants to sell the eggs to buy an army. Viserys accuses Jorah of having desires for his sister, but Jorah still stops him from leaving, using a variation of the motto of his house, "Yet here I stand." Viserys backs down and leaves without the eggs. Later, when Viserys threatens Daenerys, Jorah tries to stop him as drawing blood in the sacred city is punishable by death. When Drogo executes Viserys with a pot of molten gold, he urges Daenerys to look away, but she refuses.

Jorah accompanies Daenerys and her handmaidens to the market. He receives a message from a lad (one of Varys' informers that he calls his Little Birds), who says "the Spider sends his regards", and hands him a parchment which he says is his pardon and he can go home now. Ser Jorah clutches it and looks at it with longing, but realizes it means that if they don't need anyone to spy on Daenerys anymore, she is likely in danger. He goes back to the market and seeing a wineseller is trying to give Daenerys a cask as a gift, he intervenes and prevents the assassination as the wine is poisoned, thus saving Daenerys. Drogo rewards his loyalty with a fine horse before vowing to invade and seize the Seven Kingdoms in vengeance.

Ser Jorah accompanies Daenerys as the khalasar raids the lands of Lhazar. When Daenerys orders that Dothraki warriors are to be prevented from raping the local women, Ser Jorah helps carry out the order, upsetting the Dothraki. He witnesses the fight between Drogo and Mago, Drogo wins but takes a small wound.

As Drogo's condition worsens, Ser Jorah fears for the chaos that will be unleashed if he dies. Daenerys is shocked to learn that her unborn son will be killed in the resulting power struggle as different bloodriders fight to succeed Drogo. Jorah suggests they leave quietly and try to get to Asshai, where there is a port, but Daenerys refuses. She begs the Lhazareen witch, Mirri Maz Duur, to help Drogo with blood magic and tells Ser Jorah that he should put on his armor. When Drogo's bloodrider Qotho tries to halt the ceremony, Ser Jorah stops him with his sword. They fight and the younger Dothraki swiftly gains the upper hand through his superior agility, but his arakh is unable to penetrate Jorah's heavy armor, allowing Jorah to kill him. Daenerys goes into labor and the midwives are too afraid to help her (thinking she is cursed because of the maegi), Jorah takes her into Drogo's tent to seek Duur's aid.

Jorah is with Daenerys when she wakes the next morning. He tells her to rest, but she insists on being taken to Drogo and her child. She learns that her son was stillborn, badly malformed, and that Drogo is alive but comatose, while the khalasar has scattered to the winds. Duur admits that she orchestrated Drogo's condition and the death of Daenerys's son as vengeance for the destruction of her village. Daenerys ends Drogo's suffering by smothering him with a pillow. She builds a funeral pyre for Drogo, burns Duur alive and puts her dragon eggs in the flames. Ser Jorah tries and fails to stop Daenerys burning the dragons eggs as they can be sold to buy her a life of travel to exotic places. He tells her he knows she is planning on stepping onto the pyre as well and says she must not. She strokes his cheek and gives a speech to her people saying that they may go, but if they stay she will lead them to a great destiny.

Jorah and Daenerys's remaining khalasar stand vigil all night until the fire finally burns out. In the ashes they find Daenerys unhurt with three newly-hatched dragons. A stunned Jorah drops to his knees and proclaims Daenerys his queen and liege, using the Dothraki declaration of undying loyalty, "Blood of my blood."

Season 2

 * Main: Jorah Mormont Season 2

Ser Jorah crosses the Red Waste with Daenerys and her khalassar. After Dany's mare, Drogo's first gift to her, dies of exhaustion, she wonders where should they go and what can she do against starvation. Jorah reminds her that returning either to Lhazar or to the Dothraki sea would mean their death and the loss of her dragons at the hands of either the Lhazareen or another khalassar. He also reminds her that she must remain strong for her people's sake. She tells him that he is her strength and then sends her bloodriders to scout ahead on their three remaining horses.



The khalasar sit amidst the heat as they wait for the scouts. Jorah notices a horse approaching and rouses Daenerys. The mount is riderless and covered in bright red war paint. Jorah notices blood dripping from a saddlebag and opens it to find the head of Rakharo and his severed braid inside. Jorah warns Daenerys not to look, but she insists. She asks Jorah who killed Rakharo and he speculates it might have been another khalasar, possibly Khal Pono or Khal Jhaqo, who are opposed to a woman leading a khalasar. Daenerys vows that they will like it less when she is done with them.

Kovarro returns to the camp. Daenerys notices that he has changed mounts and he reveals that he was given a new horse by the Thirteen, the elders of Qarth. He reports that on hearing of her dragons the Thirteen have invited Daenerys to the city. Daenerys asks Jorah what he knows of Qarth and he tells her that the desert around it is known as the Garden of Bones because it is littered with the remains of travellers who have been refused entry to the city.

Jorah and the rest of the khalasar reach Qarth. The khalasar is met by the Thirteen with distrust and are denied entry, to which Daenerys reacts in anger, despite Jorah's warning her to be careful. Nevertheless, Xaro Xhoan Daxos, one of the Thirteen, intervenes on behalf of Daenerys and her people, who are admitted into the city.

Xaro holds a reception for Daenerys and her people in the gardens of his home. Jorah prevents the dothraki from stealing from their host. Daenerys and Jorah are perturbed by the tricks of the warlock Pyat Pree, who invites Daenerys to visit the House of the Undying. The masked woman Quaithe delivers an enigmatic warning to Jorah about Daenerys's need for protection from those who lust after her dragons. Xaro offers to fund Daenerys's invasion of Westeros in exchange for her hand in marriage. Later, she seeks Jorah's advice about the proposal and he cautions against accepting financial aid. He suggests that she will be able to win her throne should she reach Westeros with just a single ship. He reveals his depth of feeling for her and while she accepts his counsel she does not reciprocate.

While Jorah is away seeking a ship Daenerys appeals to members of the Thirteen for aid. She is refuted and returns to Xaro's home to find that Irri and several of her guards have been murdered and the dragons stolen. Jorah rushes back to her when he hears the news and she asks him to help find them. He speaks with Quaithe, who warns him that Daenerys is with the thief. He finds her being confronted by Pyat Pree who has taken the dragons to the House of the Undying. Jorah tries to kill him but only succeeds in dispelling one of his many magical copies. Xaro has proclaimed himself king of Qarth and worked with Pree to steal the dragons. Jorah finds Daenerys refuge in a disused square. He counsels fleeing the city on the ship that he has found but Daenerys insists on reclaiming her dragons, saying that they are her children. She reminds Jorah that she has magic of her own and he agrees to help her despite knowing they will be walking into a trap.

They are separated on arriving at the tower. Daenerys is able to hear a distraught Jorah calling for her outside. Daenerys overcomes the warlock's spells and reunites with her dragons. Once they are together she commands them to breathe flame at the sorceror, killing him and allowing them to escape. They return to Xaro's home to confront him for his treachery and find him in bed with Doreah. They go to his vault, which proves to be empty, and lock Xaro and Doreah inside to die. Following Daenerys' wishes, Jorah orders the members of the khalasar to take all the gold and jewels of Xaro's manse.

Season 3
Jorah is on Daenerys' ship that sailed from Qarth to Astapor. He is also with her when Kraznys mo Nakloz demonstrates the level of obedience of his Unsullied soldiers by slicing off one of their nipples and urges her to purchase them. During the conversation, Daenerys finds herself distracted by a young girl playing with a ball. A cloaked stranger appears from behind them to knock the ball out of her hands and Jorah engages himself in a struggle with him. The ball hits the floor and cracks open to reveal a manticore which the stranger promptly stabs with his dagger. When he removes his hood, Jorah recognizes him as Ser Barristan Selmy.

Jorah is next seen on the Walk of Punishment with Daenerys and Ser Barristan. Him and Ser Barristan have opposing views on the nature of the Unsullied, with Barristan advising her that no honour will be won by fighting with an army that is paid to fight for her while Jorah counters him by telling her that honour doesn't win battles and that the Unsullied pose a moral advantage in that they will only kill exactly who she wants dead unlike a regular army who would rape, torture and kill several innocent people. Daenerys eventually decides to offer one of her dragons to Krazyns in return for all 8,000 of his Unsullied, a deal that Jorah and Barristan both strongly advise her against. Nevertheless, Daenerys stands her ground and scolds her two advisors about contradicting her in public.

Jorah is present at the Sack of Astapor where Daenerys manages to win both the army and their trust in her as a queen and not as a mistress, effectively getting the best out of both Jorah and Barristan's prior arguments.

On the road north to Yunkai, Jorah reminisces to Barristan about the day he got knighted by King Robert for his part in the Siege of Pyke in the Greyjoy Rebellion but could only think about how badly he needed to piss after being sealed in armour for sixteen hours straight. Barristan then starts to prod Jorah about his past when he sold a number of poachers to slavers and warns him that his presence alongside Daenerys may taint the people's reception of her. Jorah then questions Barristan about the advisors on King Robert's Small Council, subtly trying to figure out whether he was aware of his original position as a spy for Varys. However, Barristan explains that his former position as a former Kingsguard member under Aerys Targaryen Him and Barristan briefly bicker about the fact that Barristan only just came to them, while Jorah was defending Daenerys from Robert Baratheon's assassins for months, and Jorah tells Barristan that he isn't Lord Commander here and that he only takes orders from Daenerys.

Upon arriving at Yunkai's gates, Jorah is dismissive of Daenerys and Barristan's claims that its reputation for training bed slaves rather than soldiers will give them a clear advantage and explains that Yunkai will in all likelihood just shut its gates and chip away at Daenerys' army using guerilla tactics. He also advises Dany that conquering Yunkai is irrelevant in their quest to return to Westeros but she is adamant on freeing the hundreds of thousands of slaves within the city walls.

Jorah is present in Daenerys' tent when the Yunkish slave-trader Razdal mo Eraz  arrives bearing gifts. Following her orders he spies on the mercenary group, the Second Sons, and is again present in her tent when she is hosting the two mercenary captain Mero and Prendahl na Ghezn, and their lieutenant Daario Naharis. Mero is sexually vulgar towards Daenerys which prompts Ser Jorah to threaten him to "mind his tongue".

With Daario's help, Jorah and Grey Worm enter Yunkai from one of its posterior tunnels and the three of them successfully fight off a number of guards and open the gates of Yunkai from the inside, allowing the Unsullied to sweep in and win the city for Daenerys. Jorah though is noticably distraught when all of Daenerys' post-victory attention is centred on Daario Naharis.

Quotes
"You have a gentle heart. There are times when I look at you and I still can’t believe you are real."

- Jorah Mormont to Daenerys Targaryen

"No-one can survive in this world without help."

- Jorah Mormont to Daenerys Targaryen

Behind the scenes

 * On the Season 2 Blu-ray, Jorah narrates a Histories & Lore video on "The Free Cities".

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Jorah is the son of Lord Jeor Mormont of Bear Island. He won honor in the Greyjoy Rebellion when he was one of the first through the breach during the storming of Pyke. For his valor, he won praise from King Robert Baratheon and a knighthood. With a strong, vigorous son ready to take over the lordship, Jeor decided to join the Night's Watch, where he rapidly rose to the rank of Lord Commander; leaving Jorah as Lord of Bear Island.

Jorah married Lynesse Hightower, of the extremely powerful House Hightower of Oldtown, after winning a tournament to celebrate the victory of King Robert against the Greyjoy Rebellion in which Jorah wore Lynesse's favor. Lynesse was used to the riches and luxury of the second-largest city in Westeros, and found Bear Island primitive and rude. Jorah's attempts to please his wife led to him spending all of his money. He disgraced himself through behavior unbefitting a lord, by arresting poachers and selling them to slavers. Slavery is illegal in the Seven Kingdoms and has been for millennia. When Eddard Stark came to arrest Jorah, he and Lynesse fled across the Narrow Sea to the Free City of Lys, leaving his aunt Maege to become the ruling Lady of Bear Island. Jorah attempted to make his living as a sellsword, but was unable to provide an income acceptable to Lynesse. She left him and became a concubine to the merchant lord Tregar Oromollen.

He is described as bald and "not a handsome man".

According to the TV series official pronunciation guide developed for the cast and crew, "Jorah Mormont" is pronounced "JOR-uh MORE-mont".