Bronn

Bronn is a major character in the second and third seasons, initially appeared as a recurring character in the first season and debuted in "Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things." Bronn is played by starring cast member Jerome Flynn. He is a skilled and dangerous sellsword who is employed as a bodyguard by Tyrion Lannister.

Bronn is rewarded with a knighthood for the vital role he performed during the Battle of the Blackwater, and takes the formal name "Ser Bronn of the Blackwater". While he possesses no lands, wealth, or lordly title, this drastically elevates his social standing.

Background
Bronn is a sellsword; a mercenary soldier whose service as a warrior is for hire. Not much is known about his past; When Tyrion Lannister introduced him to Tywin Lannister, Bronn said that his father is no one Lord Tywin would know. During a drinking game with Tyrion and Shae, Bronn claims that he killed a woman before he was 12 years old, though it was in self-defense as she was attacking him with an axe. Bronn also confirmed Tyrion's claim that Bronn has been beyond the Wall. When asked why he was there, he bluntly said he was "working". Despite Bronn's avaricious nature, which is sneered at by more honorable knights, he is a skilled and dangerous fighter. His combat style centers around speed, dodging enemy attacks instead of blocking them, for this reason, he does not wear heavy armor or use shields, but instead relies on just his sword and knives. He is also a skilled archer and is apparently literate.

Season 1
Bronn is staying at the Crossroads Inn when Tyrion Lannister arrives. He volunteers to give up his room to Tyrion in return for gold. Catelyn Stark and Ser Rodrik Cassel take Tyrion prisoner before he can fulfil the promise. Bronn accompanies Catelyn and Tyrion's party to the Vale of Arryn and listens to Tyrion promising a handsome reward to any man who helps him. Along the way they are attacked by hill tribesmen, and Bronn acquits himself well in the battle, killing several opponents. Tyrion notes his prowess in combat.

In the Eyrie Tyrion attempts to prove his innocence and demands a trial by combat. He desperately asks for someone to fight for him and, to the surprise of all, Bronn steps forward to accept. Bronn kills Lady Lysa Arryn's champion, Ser Vardis Egen, proving Tyrion's innocence according to Westerosi custom. Bronn defeats Vardis by relying on his speed against the armored but slow knight, and uses dirty tactics such as throwing obstacles in the way. Once Bronn has exhausted Vardis, he moves in for the kill, then throws his corpse out the Moon Door. Bronn then departs the Eyrie with Tyrion. During their crossing of the mountains, Bronn attempts to establish some ground rules with Tyrion, stating that he is not Tyrion's friend or his sworn sword, and is only working for him for the money. Tyrion accepts the situation and promises to beat any attempt to buy Bronn's loyalty. Bronn and Tyrion camp in the Vale and are caught by Shagga and his Stone Crows. Bronn is prepared to fight but Tyrion wins over Shagga and the other hill tribes to his cause with promises of weapons and autonomy from the Eyrie.

Tyrion takes his growing entourage to the Lannister army's camp in the Riverlands. Tyrion's father Tywin invaded the Riverlands following Tyrion's capture because they are Catelyn's homeland. When Bronn is introduced to Tywin he quips that Tywin wouldn't have met his father, which Ser Kevan Lannister seems to find amusing but Tywin does not. Shagga demands that Tyrion fight alongside the hill tribes until his debt is paid and Tywin agrees.

Bronn finds Tyrion a whore named Shae amongst the camp-followers. The three of them play drinking games on the eve of the Battle of the Green Fork. Bronn reveals that his parents beat him, that he killed for the first time before the age of twelve (a woman who attacked him with an axe), and that he has been beyond the Wall. Bronn awakens to find the opposing army almost upon them. Bronn rouses Tyrion and advises him on how to survive. This proves unnecessary when Tyrion is accidentally knocked unconscious by his own men during the rush to the fight. When Tyrion awakens after the battle, Bronn glibly tells him that they won. Bronn later accompanies Tyrion to King's Landing when he is named acting Hand of the King.

Season 2
Bronn remains the personal bodyguard of Tyrion Lannister when he takes up his position as acting Hand of the King to Joffrey Baratheon. Tyrion rewards the sellswords' loyalty by making him commander of the City Watch, having ousted his treacherous predecessor by sending him to The Wall. Tyrion tests the loyalty of the small council by feeding them different versions of a planned marriage alliance involving his niece Myrcella Baratheon. Grand Maester Pycelle proves untrustworthy by revealing the specifics of his version to Queen Regent Cersei Lannister. Tyrion has Bronn and Timett arrest Pycelle and orders Bronn to cut off the old man's beard, which he does.

Tyrion clashes with King Joffrey when his nephew orders the public beating of Sansa Stark following the defeat of House Lannister of the Battle of Oxcross. When Ser Meryn Trant of the Kingsguard, accuses Tyrion of threatening the King, Tyrion orders Bronn to kill Ser Meryn should he speak again. After the ordeal, Bronn suggests that Joffrey is so spiteful because he is "all backed up" and would benefit from sexual release. Tyrion sends him two prostitutes as a gift but the plan backfires when Joffrey forces one to viciously beat the other with his stag head scepter and then show Tyrion what she has done. Tyrion learns about Cersei's plans to use wildfire against King Stannis Baratheon from his newest pawn, Ser Lancel Lannister, and humiliates Lancel by ordering him to tell Bronn to kill him should anything happen to Tyrion. Bronn accompanies Tyrion to the Alchemists' Guild and criticizes Cersei's plan to use wildfire as catapult ammunition because of the risk of accidentally burning down the city, clashing with Wisdom Hallyne in the process. Bronn also informs Tyrion that the smallfolk believe that he is manipulating Joffrey and blame him for the ills of the city. King Joffrey triggers a citywide riot when protestors throw excrement at him by demanding that his guards kill them all. Bronn's men are hard pressed to restore order and several goldcloaks and the High Septon are killed.

Bronn achieves a marked reduction in crime by culling the city's known thieves but clashes with Tyrion over the brutality of his methods. Tyrion enlists Bronn to help plan the defence of King's Landing against an impending attack by King Stannis Baratheon. Bronn is dismissive of Tyrion's reliance on books and warns that food is the most important commodity in a siege, speaking from personal experience, hence why he rounded up all the known thieves to prevent them stealing all the food.

Just before the Battle of the Blackwater, Bronn is drinking and singing "The Rains of Castamere" with the Lannister troops. Bronn tells the prostitute Armeca about the several times he has broken his nose. Sandor Clegane's entrance silences the men. Sandor begins to challenge Bronn joking that he believes he is a "hard man." Sandor tries to degrade Bronn and he retaliates with light humour. Just as it seems a fight may break out between Bronn and Sandor the bells ring out to announce the arrival of Stannis' fleet.

Bronn meets Tyrion in the Throne Room to say farewell and then goes out of the city to the shores of the Blackwater Bay. When Tyrion signals him from the city walls he fires a flaming arrow into the wildfire they have leaked into the bay. His shot triggers a devastating explosion that destroys much of Stannis' fleet. Bronn returns to the city walls, arriving in time to save Sandor with a well shot arrow when Sandor freezes from the sight of a soldier on fire during the fighting. Bronn is left outside the walls when Sandor and his men retreat.

After the battle, Bronn is dismissed from his post as commander of the City Watch, as part of Lord Tywin "setting things back to order" as he sees it.

Season 3
Bronn is knighted as a reward for the vital role he played in the Battle of the Blackwater. He now styles himself as "Ser Bronn of the Blackwater", and while possessing no lands, wealth, or title, this drastically elevates his social standing - and in his mind, his pay. He tells Tyrion that he still thinks of him a friend, but he is still a sellsword, and as a knight Tyrion should pay him double what he used to.

After he finishes recuperating, Tyrion sends Podrick Payne to summon Bronn so he can continue to provide him with protection, fearing that whoever ordered Ser Mandon Moore to try to kill him will try to finish the job. Podrick interupts Bronn as he is celebrating his promotion to knighthood - by enjoying the services of the prostitute Mirelle. Annoyed, Bronn comes with Podrick to Tyrion's chambers. By chance, Queen Cersei had come to pay Tyrion a visit shortly before Bronn arrived, and brought two Kingsguard in tow. Bronn finds them guarding the door to Tyrion's chamber and flippantly mocks them. When Ser Meryn Trant insists that Bronn is insulting a knight, Bronn reveals that he is himself now a knight. Trant is incredulous, so Bronn has Podrick confirm that "Ser Bronn of the Blackwater" was just knighted by the king himself. Trant dismissively says that Bronn is an up-jumped cut-throat and nothing more. Bronn nonchalantly admits this is exactly what he is, but returns the insult by calling out Meryn for what he really is: a "Grub in fancy armor" with more experience at beating up little girls (Sansa Stark) than at fighting men. Bronn then insists that they let him enter the room, but Meryn warns that if he puts a hand on the door, he'll lose the hand. As they are about to fight Cersei emerges from Tyrion's chambers and takes Trant with her.

Bronn accompanies Tyrion and Podrick back to the brothel owned by Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish after Tyrion is promoted to Master of Coin, to retrieve the financial record books which Littlefinger keeps there. While there, Tyrion rewards Podrick for saving his life during the Battle of the Blackwater, by hiring the services of not one but three prostitutes for him, each of which boast some special skill. Bronn advises Podrick to pace himself.

Later, Tyrion reviews the records, and explains to Bronn that not all is as Baelish would like the court to think. Bronn asks if he thinks Littlefinger has been embezzling money, but Tyrion says the problem is more that he's been borrowing all of it from anywhere he can. Littlefinger always acted like he was a financial genius who could raise money seemingly out of nowhere, but in reality the Iron Throne is heavily in debt, and Littlefinger procured enough money to balance the books every year by borrowing massive sums of money from his father Tywin and from foreign banks to whom the crown owes millions. Bronn points out that Tywin's own grandson Joffrey is now sitting on the throne, so he might be willing to forgive the debts that the crown owes House Lannister (seeing as, for all practical purposes, Joffrey is a puppet of House Lannister). Tyrion says that Bronn is naive if he thinks Tywin will simply forget a debt. Bronn says he isn't used to borrowing money and he isn't familiar with the rules, so Tyrion explains that basically, you lend someone money, and after an agreed upon amount of time, they pay it back with interest. Bronn asks what happens if you don't pay the loan back, but Tyrion says you have to. Bronn pointedly asks again what happens if you don't pay the money back, to which Tyrion explains that no one will give you loans again. Regardless, Tyrion isn't worried about the debts to his father, so much as he's worried about the debts to foreign banks, particularly the Iron Bank of Braavos, the largest bank in the Free Cities. Tyrion warns Bronn that when debtors to the Iron Bank cannot repay their loans, the Iron Bank will first refuse to give out new loans, and ultimately support rebellions against them. Tyrion fears that if they can't repay the debt, the Iron Bank will eventually cut them off and start supporting Robb Stark or Stannis Baratheon. Podrick then returns, with the money Tyrion gave him to pay the prostitutes. Tyrion is concerned that he lost heart and fled, but Pod innocently says he did "all sorts of things" with the prostitutes - they simply refused his offer of payment. Impressed that not one, but three prostitutes enjoyed Pod so much they would provide their services for free, Tyrion and Bronn ask Pod to explain in detail what transpired, so they can take "copious details".

Tyrion is not at all amused when his father announces that he plans to force him to marry Sansa Stark, in order to secure the Lannisters' control over the North when they eventually win the war. Bronn points out to Tyrion that he can easily wed Sansa and get a son and heir from her to placate his father, then just continue to have sex with Shae in private, thereby getting two women and a kingdom to rule for himself. However, Tyrion is concerned his mistress isn't going to be so willing to go along with that plan and is less than enthusiastic about having a wife, a mistress, and the entire North despising him. Bronn points out that Tyrion is wasting his time trying to be universally loved. Tyrion's fears prove accurate as Shae bluntly tells him that she will no longer sleep with him after he weds Sansa.

Bronn attends Tyrion's wedding to Sansa Stark, as well as the subsequent feast. Unable or unwilling to spend the money to obtain better clothing, Bronn simply wears his regular badly-worn leather jerkin.

Behind the scenes
Actor Jerome Flynn portrays Bronn with a Northern English accent (Yorkshire or Rotherham), but this is not how he actually speaks in real life. Flynn is from Kent, and Bronn's accent a deliberate choice for his performance.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Bronn is a sellsword chance-met at the Crossroads Inn by Tyrion Lannister. He is primarily motivated by money and the possibility of personal power, but has a rough loyalty to those who stand next to him in battle. Despite himself, he develops a grudging admiration and liking for Tyrion's craftiness and cunning, not to mention the gold it gets him. He has a black sense of humor, and a pragmatic, thoroughly amoral philosophy. Tyrion describes Bronn as "an insolent black-hearted rogue".

Not much is known about Bronn's past before Tyrion encountered him at the Crossroads Inn. So far in the books, Bronn has made no mention the he has ever been north of the Wall, which he briefly mentioned in the TV series. When asked why he was there, he bluntly said that he was "working". Bronn may have been hired as a guard for a smuggling ship, as illicit trade is actually fairly common between the wildlings and smugglers who circumvent the Wall by sailing around it. Wildlings don't possess the technological sophistication to forge their own iron weapons, and thus are eager to trade with smugglers from the Seven Kingdoms or the Free Cities who are willing to provide them. The wildlings don't have much in the way of wealth but can usually offer rare animal furs for trade, which they obtain from densely furred animals from north of the Wall which have adapted to the cold climate. In past centuries the Night's Watch tried to stop the fur-for-iron trade along the coasts, but in recent centuries as their numbers dwindled they abandoned any attempts to prevent passage around the Wall by sea. This smuggling is still dangerous and a good smuggling crew would probably hire a few extra sellswords for protection.

Bronn is not named Commander of the City Watch in the novels, but Jacelyn Bywater instead. Bronn was made the captain of Tyrion's guard, which is composed of sellswords chosen by Bronn himself.

Bronn is knighted after the Battle of the Blackwater for the vital role he played in destroying Stannis' fleet. Bronn was responsible for pulling a large chain across the entrance of the bay after Stannis' fleet entered, trapping them inside once the wildfire trap was sprung, leading to their destruction. The TV series condensed the battle so the chain subplot was removed, but it did still have Bronn play a vital role in the wildfire trap, by having him personally fire a flaming arrow which ignited the leaking fire ship filled with thousands of jars of wildfire. Following his knighting, Bronn is permitted to claim his own knightly sigil. He chooses a flaming green chain on a smoking grey field to commemorate the battle in which he earned his knighthood. Given that the chain was removed from the TV series, it isn't clear what Bronn's personal sigil would be in the TV-continuity.