Boros Blount

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House Blount.svg Ser
Boros Blount
Kingsguard.svg
Boros Blount.jpg
Boros Blount, by Henning Ludvigsen © Fantasy Flight Games

Alias Boros the Belly[1]
Title Ser
Allegiances
Culture Crownlands
Born In 249260 AC[2]Crownlands[3]
Books

Played by Unidentified
TV series Game of Thrones: Season 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8

Boros Blount is a knight from House Blount, who serves in the Kingsguard of Robert I Baratheon.

Appearance and Character

Boros is an ugly man, with a broad chest, and short, bandy legs. He has a flat nose, and jowls.[4] Bran Stark considers him bald[5] while Sansa Stark notices brittle grey hair.[4] Boros is shorter and heavier than his fellow Kingsguard, Ser Jaime Lannister.[6]

Boros is short-tempered.[7] Jaime thinks of him as an adequate fighter, but never more than an ordinary knight.[8] Lord Varys considers Boros to be loyal to Queen Cersei Lannister.[9] Many characters think of Boros with contempt due to the man's cowardice.[10][11][12][13][14][8][15] Boros visits prostitutes on the Street of Silk.[16]

The knight usually wears the long white cloak[17] and white steel[18] plate[19] of the Kingsguard. He wields a sword[11] and white shield[20] and has a high white helm.[21] Boros is sometimes attired in white velvet, with a snowy cloak fastened with a golden lion brooch with tiny ruby eyes.[4]

History

Boros appears to have joined the Kingsguard in the aftermath of Robert's Rebellion, when the White Swords had several vacancies.[22]

Boros took part in the tourney at Lannisport in 289 AC, during which he was defeated by the eventual champion, Ser Jorah Mormont, Lord of Bear Island.[23]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Boros, by Alexandre Dainche © Fantasy Flight Games

With his sworn brothers Ser Meryn Trant and Ser Jaime Lannister, Boros escorts King Robert I Baratheon to Winterfell.[5] According to Lord Varys, Boros and Meryn, despite their oaths to Robert, are Queen Cersei Lannister's creatures.[9]

After the death of Robert and the arrest of Lord Eddard Stark, Boros escorts Ned's daughter, Sansa Stark, from Maegor's Holdfast to the small council chambers to meet with Cersei. The queen tasks Boros with delivering Jeyne Poole to Lord Petyr Baelish.[4]

Boros is present in the throne room of the Red Keep when Ser Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, is dismissed by Cersei, and he laughs at his former Sworn Brother's shame.[10]

A Clash of Kings

Boros does not hesitate to hit Sansa Stark on order of King Joffrey I Baratheon, including after learning that Robb Stark has been declared King in the North.[7] Sansa considers him the worst member of the Kingsguard.[21] Tyrion Lannister intervenes when Joffrey orders Boros to strip Sansa naked and beat her bloody after hearing of the Battle of Oxcross.[11]

Boros survives the riots in King's Landing, when the royal procession is attacked on its return to the Red Keep after seeing Princess Myrcella Baratheon off to Dorne. Boros is reluctant to follow Cersei's command to find Sansa in the turmoil, but Sandor Clegane ends up returning the girl to the castle.[12]

Concerned for the safety of her younger son, Prince Tommen Baratheon, during the War of the Five Kings, Cersei tasks Boros and Lord Gyles Rosby with secretly bringing Tommen from the unruly capital to the safety of Rosby. Ser Lancel Lannister informs Tyrion, however, and the acting Hand of the King orders Ser Jacelyn Bywater, Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing, to take Tommen into custody before the boy reaches Rosby.[24] When Jacelyn's gold cloaks stop Gyles's retinue on the road, Boros surrenders Tommen without a fight.[13] Tommen is watched over at Rosby by men loyal to Tyrion, and Boros is imprisoned in the castle's dungeon.[13] Livid at Boros's cowardice, Cersei has King Joffrey strip him of his white cloak. Ser Osmund Kettleblack replaces Boros on the Kingsguard.[13]

A Storm of Swords

After Ser Jacelyn Bywater dies in the the Battle of the Blackwater, Cersei sends the Kettleblacks to recover Tommen from Rosby.[25] Lord Tywin Lannister, the Hand of the King, reinstates Boros to the Kingsguard upon his return, to fill the vacancy left by Sandor Clegane when the Hound deserted during the Blackwater.[14]

During the trial of Tyrion for the poisoning of King Joffrey I Baratheon, Boros recounts the tale of Tyrion beating Joffrey after the riot, and Tyrion's threat against Joffrey's life.[26] He also laughs when Shae testifies that Tyrion made her call him "my giant of Lannister".[27]

Ser Jaime Lannister, the one-handed Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, makes Boros the official food taster of the new king, Tommen I, during a meeting in White Sword Tower. Boros is enraged at this, and states that Jaime should be the food taster since he has lost his sword hand. When Jaime states they can duel if Boros is unhappy, Boros spits at Jaime's feet and leave the room angrily.[8]

Boros and the other Kingsguard stand guard to keep the crowd away when Ser Gregor Clegane duels Prince Oberyn Martell in Tyrion's trial by combat. Boros becomes distracted by the duel, however, and Gregor kills a stableboy who stands too close to the fighting.[27][15]

A Feast for Crows

Boros and Ser Osmund Kettleblack bring the news of Lord Tywin Lannister's death to Queen Cersei Lannister, the regent for King Tommen I Baratheon. Boros learns from the gaolers that Tyrion Lannister disappeared from the black cells. Boros and Osmund are ordered by Cersei to murder the two turnkeys who fell asleep during Tyrion's escape;[28] they are later reprimanded by their Lord Commander, Ser Jaime Lannister, for mindlessly killing the only two leads to the mystery.[6]

In Dorne, Ser Arys Oakheart thinks of Boros and his familiarity with the Street of Silk in King's Landing.[16]

Cersei thinks Boros looks grey when he stands guard outside the small council's chambers.[29] When Tommen objects to Cersei speaking ill of his new bride, Queen Margaery Tyrell, Cersei tasks Boros with having Tommen bloody his whipping boy, Pate.[1]

Cersei, when she frames Margaery for treason, plans on Boros being the only Kingsguard available if Margaery asks for trial by combat, as Cersei believes Boros would be no match for any champion named by the Faith of the Seven.[30] When Cersei inquires Osmund about Boros's fighting skill, Osmund assures her that Boros is an inept fighter.[1]

Boros and ten House Lannister guards escort Cersei to the Great Sept of Baelor. While they wait outside unaware, Cersei is arrested by the Faith.[30]

A Dance with Dragons

Boros stands guard at the Red Keep during Cersei's walk of atonement.[19]

Boros guards Tommen when Ser Kevan Lannister, the Lord Regent, has dinner with Cersei and the young king. Boros appears heavier and in poor health. He has a difficult time standing for the duration of the meal, and he has to lean on a wall for support. Boros escorts Tommen and his kittens to the royal bedchamber.[31]

Quotes by Boros

Sansa: You look very handsome and splendid this morning, Ser Boros.
Boros: And you, my lady.[4]

Sansa Stark and Boros

Boros: The Sworn Brothers of the Kingsguard have always been knights.
Sandor: Until now.[10]

—Boros and Sandor Clegane

Tyrion: Is this your notion of chivalry, Ser Boros? What sort of knight beats helpless maids?
Boros: The sort who serves his king, Imp.[11]

Tyrion Lannister and Boros

Jaime: Ser Boros, you look like a man who enjoys his food. Henceforth you'll taste everything Tommen eats or drinks.

Boros: I am no food taster! I am a knight of the Kingsguard!

Jaime: Sad to say, you are. My sister has told me how readily you yielded my nephew to Tyrion's sellswords. You will find carrots and pease less threatening, I hope. When your Sworn Brothers are training in the yard with sword and shield, you may train with spoon and trencher. Tommen loves applecakes. Try not to let any sellswords make off with them.[8]

Jaime Lannister and Boros

Quotes about Boros

Ser Boros was the worst of the Kingsguard, an ugly man with a foul temper, all scowls and jowls.[21]

—thoughts of Sansa Stark

That one is nothing to fear, girl. Paint stripes on a toad, he does not become a tiger.[21]

Tyrion: Blount is a blustering coward.

Varys: Is he? Oh dear. Still, the knights of the Kingsguard do serve for life, traditionally. Perhaps Ser Boros will prove braver in future. He will no doubt remain very loyal.

Tyrion: To my father.[14]

Father should never have restored him to the white. The man had proved himself a craven.[28]

—thoughts of Cersei Lannister

Boros the Belly? He's what, forty? Fifty? Half-drunk half the time, fat even when he's sober. If he ever had a taste for battle, he's lost it. Aye, Your Grace, if Ser Boros wants for killing, Osney could do it easy enough.[1]

Ser Boros tasted every dish that was set before the king. A humiliating duty for a knight of the Kingsguard, but perhaps all Blount was capable of these days ... and wise, after the way Tommen's brother had died.[31]

—thoughts of Kevan Lannister

Behind the Scences

In an early draft of A Feast for Crows written by 2004, Boros was supposed to die, and Ser Arys Oakheart, another Kingsguard, was supposed to survive his encounter with Areo Hotah. George R. R. Martin later changed his mind, as Boros is still alive by the end of A Dance with Dragons, and Arys dies in the published version of A Feast for Crows.[32]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 36, Cersei VIII.
  2. See the Boros Blount calculation.
  3. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Boros Blount.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 51, Sansa IV.
  5. 5.0 5.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 8, Bran II.
  6. 6.0 6.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 8, Jaime I.
  7. 7.0 7.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 2, Sansa I.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 67, Jaime VIII.
  9. 9.0 9.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 30, Eddard VII.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 57, Sansa V.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 32, Sansa III.
  12. 12.0 12.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 41, Tyrion IX.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 49, Tyrion XI.
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 12, Tyrion II.
  15. 15.0 15.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 72, Jaime IX.
  16. 16.0 16.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 13, The Soiled Knight.
  17. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 33, Eddard VIII.
  18. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 47, Eddard XIII.
  19. 19.0 19.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 65, Cersei II.
  20. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 49, Eddard XIV.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 18, Sansa II.
  22. So Spake Martin: The Kingsguard, May 22, 1999
  23. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 12, Daenerys I.
  24. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 44, Tyrion X.
  25. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 4, Tyrion I.
  26. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 66, Tyrion IX.
  27. 27.0 27.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 70, Tyrion X.
  28. 28.0 28.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 3, Cersei I.
  29. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 17, Cersei IV.
  30. 30.0 30.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 43, Cersei X.
  31. 31.0 31.1 A Dance with Dragons, Epilogue.
  32. Reddit: Comment from Elio Garcia, April 26, 2020