Meryn Trant

Meryn Trant is a recurring character in the first, second, and third season. He is played by guest star, Ian Beattie, and debuts in "The Pointy End." Ser Meryn Trant is a knight of the Kingsguard under King Robert Baratheon and subsequently King Joffrey Baratheon.

Biography
Meryn is a casually cruel man who takes great pride in obeying orders without hesitation, no matter how ridiculous. He is also quite proud of his status as a knight of the Kingsguard, even though he routinely follows orders which break a knight's sworn duty to defend the weak and the innocent.

Background
Ser Meryn Trant is from House Trant, a vassal house to House Baratheon. He becomes a knight of the Kingsguard of Robert Baratheon after Robert's Rebellion. He is a successful tourney knight.

Season 1
Ser Meryn Trant is sent with a group of Lannister guardsmen to apprehend Arya Stark. Syrio Forel defends her, armed only with a wooden practice sword. He disables the Lannister guardsmen, to Trant's fury and disbelief. Syrio tells Arya to run as he faces down the heavily-armored knight. Later, Ser Meryn stands amongst the other Kingsguard in the throne room. Syrio's fate is not mentioned.



Ser Meryn is present when Joffrey shows Sansa her father’s head on a spike, and she tells Joffrey that someday Robb may bring her Joffrey's head. As Joffrey says his mother has told him that a king should not strike a woman, he orders Ser Meryn to hit Sansa. Meryn Trant shows no emotion as he does so.

Season 2
Ser Meryn guards King Joffrey Baratheon during his Name Day Tournament in the Red Keep. When Ser Dontos Hollard arrives drunk for his bout Joffrey orders Meryn to drown him with wine. Joffrey relents when he is told it is bad luck to kill on your name day and Sansa Stark convinces him to make Dontos his court fool.

Following the victory of Robb Stark at the Battle of Oxcross over Stafford Lannister, King Joffrey has Sansa Stark brought to court and after a few threats orders Ser Meryn to beat Sansa but spare her face. Meryn punches Sansa and then knocks her over using the flat of his sword. Joffrey orders Sansa stripped and Meryn tears her dress from her shoulders.

Tyrion Lannister interrupts the assault on Sansa and asks Meryn what kind of knight beats a helpless girl; he answers, the kind that follows their king. Bronn sarcastically warns Meryn to be careful of getting blood on his white cloak. Tyrion orders Sansa covered and reminds Joffrey that she is his betrothed. Joffrey says that he was punishing her. Tyrion wonders what crimes she committed and elucidates that she did not fight in Robb’s battle, calling Joffrey a half wit. Joffrey asserts that he can do as he likes as king. Tyrion reminds Joffrey of the fate of the Mad King, who also 'did as he liked' and was killed by the King's uncle. Meryn warns Tyrion not to threaten the King in the presence of the Kingsguard and Tyrion counters that he is educating his nephew. He orders Bronn to kill Meryn if he speaks again and tells Meryn that he has now made a threat. Tyrion helps Sansa up and walks her out of the throne room.



Ser Meryn, along the rest of the Kingsguard, is present when Princess Myrcella Baratheon is sent to Dorne alongside her sworn shield and Meryn's sworn brother, Ser Arys Oakheart. In the subsequent riot, Ser Meryn cuts down several enraged smallfolk before bringing his King to safety. When Tyrion orders Ser Meryn to gather men to help rescue the missing Sansa Stark, he angrily replies that he takes his orders from the king and refuses to go, as Joffrey is too busy sulking and doesn't care if Sansa dies.

Season 3
Ser Meryn and one of his sworn brothers accompany Cersei Lannister to her brother Tyrion's new chambers, but waits outside at Tyrion's insistence. When Ser Bronn of the Blackwater and Podrick Payne appear to see Tyrion, the two knights exchange barbs; Meryn sneers that Bronn is an upjumped cutthroat, while Bronn, more amused than offended by Meryn's comment, disdains Meryn for being better at beating little girls instead of fighting real men, infuriating Meryn. Bronn tries to push past for his meeting with Tyrion, but Ser Meryn stops him, telling him that he will lose the hand he places on the door. The two Kingsguard begin to slowly draw their swords, unaware that Bronn also has the knife on his back half drawn. Before they can fight, Cersei defuses the situation by departing, taking Ser Meryn with her.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Ser Meryn Trant is described as having red hair, red beard, and deep circles under his eyes. He is a skilled warrior and is seen several times in the books as having success in tournaments, particularly at jousting. He went far in the Hand's Tourney, before being unhorsed by Ser Loras. He is considered to have a sly and cruel streak. Even though the Trants are sworn to Storm's End and House Baratheon, Ser Meryn is regarded by Varys as "Cersei's creature".

Meryn, along with the other five Kingsguard members present, openly laughs when his Lord Commander Barristan Selmy is unlawfully dismissed from service.

Ser Meryn in the TV series is something of a condensation of Meryn and Boros Blount in the books; while Boros is in the TV series most of his lines and actions have been given to Meryn. In the books, Meryn and Boros often appear together, acting as Joffrey's leading enforcers, carrying out his orders to have Sansa beaten in public, or to attack commoners.

At the riot started by Joffrey, Ser Meryn was riding next to Sansa but quickly abandoned her, saying he needed to focus on protecting the King. Tyrion thinks that the sight of two other Kingsguard members being downed by the rioters made Meryn panic, and that he simply used protecting Joffrey as an excuse.