Rast

"Run fast, Piggy! And sleep well! I'll be cutting your throat one of these nights."

- Rast

Rast is a recurring character in the first, third, and fourth seasons. He is played by guest star Luke McEwan - who changed his acting name to Luke Barnes at the start of the third season - and debuts in "The Kingsroad." Rast is a ranger in the Night's Watch, a raper and an enemy of Jon Snow. He later takes part in the Great Ranging beyond the Wall.

Background
Rast was forced to join the Night's Watch after being arrested for rape. He chose to take the black over castration.

Season 1
Rast and another new forced recruit join Benjen Stark and Tyrion Lannister's party as it travels to the Wall, escorted by Night's Watch recruiter Yoren. Tyrion talks to Jon Snow about them being rapers, and how Jon had expected the Night's Watch to be made of honorable men, like his uncle Benjen. Jon Snow beats Rast and two other recruits, Grenn and Pypar, in the training yard at Castle Black, leading to Rast, Grenn and Pypar threatening Jon in the armory. He, along with the other two, is encouraged to leave by Tyrion. Jon later begins training the Night's Watch recruits in the art of combat, earning Pypar and Grenn's respect, but not Rast's.

Rast is happy to fulfil Ser Alliser Thorne's commands to humiliate Samwell Tarly on his arrival at Castle Black. Jon convinces Pypar and Grenn to go easy on Samwell, but Rast refuses to go along. He says if Ser Alliser puts him up to fight Ser Piggy, he will slice himself off a side of bacon. Jon has his direwolf Ghost threaten him. Rast wakes to find Ghost sitting on his chest with teeth bared, while Jon reminds him that they know where he sleeps. Afterwards, he refuses to beat Samwell, despite Ser Alliser's commands. Rast is assigned to serve in the rangers.

Jon comes into the dining hall having just been given Longclaw by Jeor Mormont. All of the recruits are excited and asking to see it, chanting the word "sword". Rast watches from the back table looking unhappy.

Season 3
Rast survives the White Walkers' attack on the Fist of the First Men, and regroups with the remaining survivors as the ranging attempts to pull back to the Wall. As the Night's Watch survivors march back south, Rast taunts an exhausted and demoralized Sam, causing him to collapse. Angry at being held back by them, Lord Commander Mormont commands Sam not to die and Rast to keep him alive, under penalty of death.

After reaching Craster's Keep, Rast urges Grenn and Dolorous Edd that they are not safe here, and that Craster is not to be trusted. Following the funeral of their brother Bannen, tensions are starting to run high among the Night's Watch, as Craster starts berating them. When Craster openly suggests that they should kill their wounded or simply let them be killed by Craster himself, an aggravated brother of the Night's Watch, Karl, steps forward stating that they're being fed with nothing but bread cut with sawdust, and demands to know where he keeps his hidden larder. Rast joins in on the accusations, hence calling him a bastard. Enraged, Craster picks up an axe and threaten to chop the hands off the next man to call him a "Bastard ". Lord Commander Mormont grabs Rast by the shoulder to lead him out the doorway, when Karl, strictly states that Craster is a bastard: daughter-fucking, wildling bastard. Drunk and enraged, Craster leaps towards Karl with his axe. Karl manages to grab Craster's axe with his left arm before Craster manages to swing it. Karl then uses his right arm to shove a dagger up Craster's throat, killing him. Lord Commander Mormont bellows that the gods will curse him for this, as Karl just broke one of the most the ancient and sacred traditions in all of the seven kingdoms: the guest right.

When Karl proceeds to threaten one of Craster's daughters, Commander Mormont draws his sword. Karl drops the girl, but out of nowhere, Rast stabs the Lord Commander in the back, hence making him drop his sword. Grenn tackles Karl, and hence, a mutiny  has begun. Mortally wounded but alive, the enraged Lord Commander lifts Rast off the ground with his bare right hand. He hurls him up towards a wall, nearly succeeding in choking him to death before he starts to choke on his own blood. As the Lord Commander falls to the ground, Rast catches his breath before picking up a knife and repeatedly starts stabbing the Lord Commander until he is dead.

As Sam runs away with Gilly, Rast shouts that he may run for now, but that he will eventually find him and cut his throat.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Rast was sent to the Wall after being accused of rape. He chose to take the black rather than face execution. Whilst being trained as a ranger, he becomes an acquaintance of Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly. In contrast to the TV series, Rast doesn't take part in the Great Ranging beyond the Wall. While the books make no mention of his origin, the show apparently showcases him as a northman.

In the books, it was not Rast but Ollo Lophand who stabs Mormont in the stomach when the mutiny breaks out.