Pycelle

"All I did, I did for House Lannister! Always! Your Lord father, ask him! I've always been his servant, since the days of the Mad King!"

- Grand Maester Pycelle, to Tyrion Lannister

Pycelle is a recurring character in the first and second seasons. He is played by guest star Julian Glover and debuts in "Lord Snow." Pycelle was the King's Grand Maester and a member of the small council. He was ousted by Tyrion Lannister for acting as a spy for queen regent Cersei Lannister but was later reinstated.

Background
Pycelle has been Grand Maester of the Seven Kingdoms for decades and has served under three kings when the series begins. The Grand Maester is the King's personal maester, a learned man wise in history, science and medicine who also provides counsel. The Grand Maester sits on the King's small council, which orders the realm in the name of the King. He served King Aerys II Targaryen prior to Robert's Rebellion. He remembers Aerys as a great man before his descent into madness. Following the rebellion he remained Grand Maester to King Robert Baratheon. He is joined on the small council by the Master of Coin Petyr Baelish, called Littefinger, the Master of Whisperers Varys, the Master of Ships Stannis Baratheon and the Master of Laws Renly Baratheon. He plays up his age to appear harmless but is actually mentally sharp and dangerous. He is loyal to Queen Cersei Lannister and was involved in the birth of all of her children, assisted by midwives.

Season 1
Pycelle calls a small council meeting to greet Lord Eddard Stark upon his arrival from Winterfell to take up the role of King's Hand. Eddard greets him cordially, but cannot help mentioning that Pycelle served under the Mad King. Eddard meets with Pycelle to discuss the death of his predecessor Lord Jon Arryn and suggests that he might have been killed by poison. Pycelle says he thinks it unlikely having treated Jon for a feverish illness. He still cautions Eddard to remember that poison is the weapon of a woman or a eunuch; making sure that Eddard understands that he is implicating Varys. Pycelle also lends to Eddard a book about the lineages of the Great Houses that Jon borrowed just before his death.

Pycelle supports the motion to assassinate Daenerys Targaryen before she can provide Khal Drogo with an heir. Pycelle elucidates that he bears her no ill will personally, but fears that a Dothraki invasion of Westeros would be devastating. He argues that though unpleasant, it is preferable to have her killed now rather than have thousands die later. His argument does not convince Eddard.

Pycelle is in court when Eddard dispatches Lord Beric Dondarrion to bring Ser Gregor Clegane to justice for his looting in the Riverlands. Stark also sends word to Casterly Rock, demanding that Lord Tywin Lannister explain his bannerman's actions. Littlefinger and Pycelle object, but Eddard insists on seeking justice.

Pycelle tends to King Robert Baratheon after he is gored by a boar while hunting. He predicts the king's imminent death and manages his pain using milk of the poppy. Following Robert's death Eddard claims that Joffrey is not his son and is arrested for treason. Cersei and Pycelle convince Sansa Stark to write to her brother Robb, imploring him to swear fealty to Joffrey.

Pycelle is present for the trial of Eddard on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor. He counsels mercy after Eddard's confession but Joffrey has Eddard executed. After sleeping with Ros, Pycell absentmindedly mutters about how King Aerys had begun his reign as a great man before slipping into insanity. He muses about Joffrey's potential for greatness, but his remarks peter out into mumbled nothings. Ros leaves and Pycelle does a series of vigorous exercises, then dresses and walks confidently to his door, before adopting the meek, fragile appearance he usually wears to court. He is much stronger in body and mind than he appears, but hides this from all.

Season 2
Grand Maester Pycelle reports to the small council that the Conclave in Oldtown has announced the end of the summer. He has the white raven they sent for this purpose shown to the group and notes that the summer is the longest in living memory. Lord Varys adds that the smallfolk say that a long summer will be followed by an even longer winter and Pycelle dismisses this as a peasant superstition. Petyr reports that they have stockpiled wheat to last through a five year winter. Lord Janos Slynt complains that the city is filled with refugees fleeing from the War in the Riverlands. Queen Regent Cersei Lannister questions his role and position and he states his gratitude for his elevation. Cersei orders him to do his job and bar the gates to peasants.

Tyrion whistles as he walks into the small council chamber alone. He kisses his sister and calls her ravishing. He asks the group to carry on and takes a seat at the table. Cersei asks what he is doing there and he relates his recent travels including his visit to the Wall and his imprisonment in the Sky Cells of the Eyrie. He looks pointedly at Petyr as he says that he has much to be thankful for. Cersei angrily clarifies that she wanted an explanation for his presence at the small council meeting. Tyrion counters that the Hand of the King is to be welcomed at their meetings. Cersei asserts that their father Tywin Lannister is Hand of the King. Tyrion elucidates that he has been appointed to act in Tywin’s absence and hands a scroll to Varys. Varys begins to read Tywin's orders but Cersei angrily cuts him off and orders the room cleared.

Stannis Baratheon sends copies of a letter detailing Cersei's incestuous relationship with Jaime and the illegitimacy of her children to high lords throughout the seven kingdoms. Later, several of King Robert's bastards are brutally murdered by the City Watch. Tyrion has Janos exiled for his part in the massacre and replaces him with the sellsword Bronn.

Cersei reads Robb Stark's peace terms aloud to the small council before tearing them up. Tyrion tells her that she has perfected the art of tearing up papers and suggests that they at least return Eddard's remains as a gesture of good faith. Cersei asks Alton Lannister to deliver their reply and he accepts. Cersei also asks him to tell Jaime that he has not been forgotten, to the consternation of the other council members. Tyrion wishes Alton a safe journey.

Pycelle reports a raven from Castle Black and gives its message to Tyrion. Varys interjects that the wildlings are becoming increasingly troublesome. Petyr is sarcastically dismissive. Varys goes on to say that the wildlings are organising behind the King beyond the Wall Mance Rayder. Cersei jokes that she has lost track of the number of kings. Tyrion says that the message is from Lord Commander Jeor Mormont and that he is asking for more men. Cersei says that they cannot spare any because they are fighting their own war. Tyrion reads a troublesome passage: “the cold winds are rising, and the dead rise with them.” Pycelle dismisses it as northern superstition and Cersei makes to leave. Tyrion relays Jeor's encounter with a wight and asserts his reliability. Varys wonders how you kill a dead man and Tyrion reports that Jeor burned the wights. Cersei mocks Tyrion as having become gullible, believing in 'grumpkins and snarks' after one trip to the Wall. He says that he is not sure what he believes but reminds Cersei that the Night's Watch is the only thing that separates them from what lies beyond the Wall. Cersei sarcastically claims that she has every confidence in the brave men of the Night's Watch.

Tyrion meets with Pycelle in his dining room. He has complained of constipation and Pycelle gives him a vial of laxatives. Tyrion compliments that Maester's knowledge and then asks him to keep a confidence. He tells him that he is hoping to make a marriage alliance with House Martell in Dorne by offering Myrcella Baratheon's hand to their heir Prince Trystane. Tyrion specifies that Pycelle should not speak to the Queen. Pycelle does so anyway and she later confronts Tyrion about the plans.

Tyrion, Bronn and Timett burst into Pycelle's chamber while he is in bed with the prostitute Daisy. Pycelle denies telling Cersei but Tyrion explains that he has implicated himself because he was the only one aware of the plan to approach the Dornish. Tyrion asks how long Pycelle has been spying for Cersei and Pycelle claims that he has been loyal to House Lannister since the days of the Mad King. Tyrion then tells Bronn to cut of Pycelle's beard because he doesn't like it. Tyrion brings up his betrayals of past Hands of the King and suggests that he poisoned Jon Arryn. Pycelle denies poisoning Arryn, but admits that he was aware that Arryn knew of Cersei's incest. Tyrion accuses him to letting Arryn die as a threat to Lannister and Pycelle does not deny this. Tyrion orders Pycelle confined to the black cells.

Cersei demands that Pycelle is released and reinstated via the newly knighted Lancel Lannister. Tyrion agrees to release Pycelle but refuses to let him take his seat at the small council. Prior to the Battle of the Blackwater Cersei requests a supply of the anxiolytic and poison Essence of Nightshade but will not say why she wants it. She almost uses it to poison her son Tommen when she believes the battle is lost. She is stopped just in time by the arrival of her father Lord Tywin Lannister, who announces that they have won.

Pycelle is reinstated to his position by Lord Tywin. During a court session in which King Joffrey announces his desire to marry Margaery Tyrell, Pycelle informs him that he spoke to the new High Septon and that the latter approves of breaking Joffrey's betrothal to Sansa Stark.

Quotes
"Now I serve his son, King Joffrey, may the gods bless his reign. He's a capable young man."

- Grand Maester Pycelle

Behind the scenes
It was originally announced that Pycelle would be played by Roy Dotrice. Dotrice had to withdraw due to health reasons just before production commenced and the role was recast with Julian Glover taking over. Dotrice recovered and was cast as the pyromancer Hallyne in the second season.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels Pycelle is in his eighties and has been Grand Maester for forty years, beginning his service in the closing months of King Aegon V Targaryen's reign and maintaining the post for the entirety of the reigns of King Jaehaerys II, King Aerys II and now King Robert. He was a colleague and supporter of Tywin Lannister during his tenure as Hand of the King. When Lord Tywin marched in full force to King's Landing following the Battle of the Trident, it was Pycelle who advised King Aerys to open the city gates, hoping that Tywin would seize the throne for himself.

Though he has no hair left on top of his freckled scalp with just a wispy ring of hair around the sides, he has a long white beard which he has been growing for decades and is very proud of. He strokes it when giving the impression that he is thinking or considering a weighty issue. When Tyrion had him arrested and had the beard shaved off Pycelle tried to regrow it. Unfortunately, only wispy strands grow back, which does nothing to hide his turkey neck.

The speech he gives in the TV series at the Sept of Baelor about showing mercy was given in the book by the High Septon.

When Tyrion asks him if loyalty to the Lannisters ran to the point of helping in the deaths of King Robert and Jon Arryn, Pycelle insists that Robert was mortally wounded and nothing could have saved him. However, Jon Arryn was being treated by another maester who was going to give him purges to get the poison out, but because Pycelle knew that Arryn knew the secret of Cersei's incest, he sent the man away and just gave Lord Arryn painkillers to ease his passing. In the TV series the emphasis is slightly different: Pycelle presents it as that he simply didn't intervene when he realized Lord Arryn was poisoned, though Tyrion points out that even his inaction when he could have saved Lord Arryn makes him an aid to the murder. In the TV series, Tyrion just vaguely asserts that Pycelle must have "made sure he succumbed", but in the book version he goes slightly beyond inaction, actively dismissing a maester who would have cured him. Even in the books, Pycelle didn't know who actually poisoned Jon Arryn, but it was convenient that someone else poisoned him before Pycelle had to deal with it.

Pycelle does not give Cersei shade of the evening, nor does she try to give it to Tommen. Tommen is not even in King's Landing during the Battle of the Blackwater, but was instead sent to Rosby for protection.