Samwell Tarly

A gentle soul who traded a sword for a quill to save the world from darkness.

Samwell Tarly, known simply as Sam, is a fictional character in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series and its television adaptation, Game of Thrones, portrayed by John Bradley. Introduced in the 1996 novel A Game of Thrones, he is the elder son of Lord Randyll Tarly and Lady Melessa Florent. A self-professed coward who prefers books over weapons, Sam was forced at age fifteen to renounce his birthright and join the Night's Watch so his younger brother Dickon could inherit Horn Hill. At the Wall, he becomes Jon Snow's closest friend and ally, evolving from a bullied recruit into a loyal, intelligent, and resourceful steward.

Quick Facts

Series

A Song of Ice and Fire character; Game of Thrones

Portrayed by

John Bradley

Creator

George R. R. Martin

First

Novel:
A Game of Thrones (1996)
Television:
"Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things" (2011)

Last

Television:; "The Iron Throne" (2019)

Also known as

Sam
Ser Piggy
Lady Piggy
Lord of Ham
Sam the Slayer
Black Sam

Gender

Male

Family

House Tarly

Lore & Background

Samwell Tarly is the firstborn of House Tarly, bearing dark hair, pale eyes, and a large moon-shaped face. He stands as an obese young man, estimated by Jon Snow to weigh twenty stone (130 kg; 280 lb), making him the fattest boy Jon had ever seen. Through his mother Melessa Florent, he is second cousin to Shireen Baratheon and Edric Storm. While his father Randyll despised Sam for lacking physical vigor and showing contempt for violence, Sam proved himself highly intelligent and observant. After being bullied with nicknames like 'Ser Piggy' and 'Lord of Ham,' Sam secured the position of personal steward to Maester Aemon. He eventually became a point-of-view character in A Storm of Swords (2000) and A Feast for Crows (2005), serving as Jon Snow's most trusted sidekick despite his self-professed cowardice.

Reader's Guide

Samwell Tarly begins as an insecure youth fleeing his father's threats of death if he refused to join the Night's Watch. He transforms from a target of ridicule into a vital strategist for the Night's Watch. Though lacking combat skills, he excels in diplomacy and scholarship. His critical turning points include killing an Other with a dragonglass dagger, orchestrating Jon Snow's election as Lord Commander by exploiting political divisions, and journeying to Oldtown to become a maester trainee. He is supervised by Archmaester Marwyn and acolyte Alleras, tasked with keeping secrets regarding Daenerys Targaryen while studying alongside Leo Tyrell and the uncomfortable Pate. George R. R. Martin has stated that Sam is his most relatable character, citing their shared traits as 'fat kid[s] who like to read books' and troubled relationships with their fathers.

Did You Know?

Samwell Tarly earned the nickname 'Sam the Slayer' after stabbing an Other with a dragonglass dagger, killing it instantly.
Jon Snow originally estimated Sam's weight at twenty stone (130 kg; 280 lb), calling him the fattest boy he had ever seen.
Sam played a pivotal political role by convincing rival candidates Mallister and Pyke to support Jon Snow, leading to Jon's election as the 998th Lord Commander.
In A Feast for Crows, Sam encounters a disguised Arya Stark in Braavos but fails to realize her true identity.