Greatjon Umber

"Why shouldn't we rule ourselves again? It was the dragons we bowed to. And now the dragons are dead. There sits the only king I'll bend my knee to: the King in the North!"

- Greatjon Umber

Jon Umber, commonly called "the Greatjon" due to his large size, is a recurring character in the first season. He is played by guest star Clive Mantle and debuts in "The Pointy End." The Greatjon is the Lord of Last Hearth and a formidable and proud bannerman of House Stark. He is fighting for Robb Stark in the War of the Five Kings. He is not present in the second season, as he is leading northern forces fighting in the Riverlands, nor in the third and fourth seasons. His role as Robb's chief northern advisor is taken up by Lord Roose Bolton.

Background
Jon Umber is the Lord of Last Hearth and the head of House Umber, a loyal vassal family to House Stark of Winterfell. He is a large, proud, and formidable warrior.

Season 1
Robb Stark sends ravens to the bannermen of House Stark instructing them to assemble for a march south to King's Landing to free Eddard Stark. The Greatjon leads a contingent of Umber troops to join the Stark army assembling at Winterfell. He is furious when Robb appoints Galbart Glover to lead the vanguard of the army during a feast at Winterfell. The Greatjon demands the honor for himself and refuses to follow a Glover into battle, threatening to take his troops home. Robb challenges him by saying that he will arrest him as a traitor on his return from the South. The Greatjon draws his knife and Robb's direwolf Grey Wind barrels down the table and knocks him off his feet. Grey Wind bites off two of the Greatjon's fingers. Robb mercifully offers that The Greatjon drew his knife in order to cut his meat for him and the Greatjon laughs off the incident calling Robb's meat tough.

Catelyn Stark joins the army at Moat Cailin. The Greatjon vows that they will smash the Lannisters and march on to King's Landing to rescue Lord Eddard. He objects to Robb releasing a Lannister scout from custody, but Robb exercises his authority and the Greatjon reluctantly accepts his decision. The scout had overestimated the size of Robb's forces.

After hearing of the execution of Lord Eddard, the Greatjon declares that he will never accept any king of House Baratheon as his ruler again, and leads the bannermen of House Stark as well as the Riverlords in proclaiming Robb the King in the North.

Season 2
While King Robb Stark invades the Westerlands, Greatjon Umber is tasked with liberating the Riverlands from Lannister occupation. Lord Umber expels the Lannisters from Raventree Hall, then restoring the ancient castle of House Blackwood, and then wins another victory at Stone Hedge, which is then reclaimed by its rightful lord, Jonos of House Bracken.

Season 3
The Greatjon is not present at the Twins during the events of the Red Wedding, making him one of the few bannermen of House Stark that remains alive and free.

Quotes
"Your meat...is bloody tough!"

- Jon Umber to Robb Stark, laughing off that Robb's direwolf just bit off two of his fingers.

"Don't worry, lad. He won't be leaving here with his head."

- Jon Umber to Theon Greyjoy about a Lannister spy.

Behind the scenes

 * On 9 July 2012 it was revealed that Mantle was not able to return for the second season due to a scheduling clash. He was not asked to return for the third season either, with much of the Greatjon's scenes given to Brynden Tully. It is not known if the role will be recast or if Mantle will be able to return as the Greatjon in later seasons.


 * Nevertheless, Bryan Cogman confirmed in his Twitter account that the Greatjon was not present at the Red Wedding and remains alive and free.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Jon Umber, dubbed "the Greatjon," is a huge bear of a man, standing slightly under seven feet tall, who makes for a fierce, loyal friend but a savage and dangerous enemy. He is the Lord of Last Hearth, the northern-most castle of the North, barred only the lands held by the Night's Watch. After his initial defiance of Robb in which he loses two of his fingers to Robb's direwolf, he becomes respectful to Robb for standing up to him, and he becomes one of the King in the North's greatest champions and supporters. As in the TV series, it is the Greatjon who first declares that Robb should be crowned king of an independent North, rather than submit to southern kings again. The Greatjon has a son, also named Jon and nicknamed "Smalljon,", and two uncles, Mors and Hother (nicknamed "Crowfood" and "Whoresbane," respectively). "Smalljon" is nicknamed to denote his younger age, not a reference to his size; he is, in fact, almost as large as his father and is noted to still be growing and may even end up larger than his father.

In A Clash of Kings, the Greatjon remains in Robb Stark's army when the King in the North invades the Westerlands, while each Riverlord is given leave to reclaim their own lands from Lannister occupation.

In A Storm of Swords, the Greatjon attends the Red Wedding. Merrett Frey was given the task of getting the Greatjon too drunk to fight by engaging him in a drinking contest. Despite consuming a vast quantity of wine and outdrinking his competitors, when the massacre begins, the Greatjon still grabs a sword and fights valiantly. It takes eight men to overcome him, and he kills one and injures two. Even when he can no longer fight with his hands, he fights with his teeth, and bites off half the ear of one of the assailants. The Greatjon is among the few guests who are taken alive by the Freys, whereas his son, the Smalljon, is killed by Dreadfort men while defending Robb. He remains a hostage at the Twins to ensure House Umber doesn't rise against the House Bolton or the Iron Throne.