Game Of Thrones: Who Is Randyll Tarly?

Tonight’s episode of Game of Thrones, titled “Blood of My Blood,” will introduce audiences to the family of Samwell Tarly. On his way to Oldtown, Sam will make a stop to drop Gilly and baby Sam off at Horn Hill, Samwell’s childhood home and the seat of House Tarly. The head of House Tarly is Samwell’s father, Randyll Tarly.

Randyll Tarly (who can be glimpsed in the preview video for “Blood of My Blood,” as portrayed by James Faulkner), the Lord Horn Hill, is a well known and well respected name. He has a severe demeanor and a calculating mind, both of which make him a brilliant tactician and intimidating presence on the battlefield. House Tarly is sworn to House Tyrell, and Randyll Tarly fought for Lord Mace Tyrell alongside the other Targaryen loyalists during Robert’s Rebellion. At the Battle of Ashford, Randyll Tarly managed to deliver Robert Baratheon his only defeat of the entire war. Tarly is considered to possess possibly the greatest mind for warfare in all of Westeros.

Randyll was disappointed in his firstborn son, Samwell. As audiences know, Sam is a bookish and gentle soul, which makes him an unfit heir to Horn Hill in the eyes of his father. For years, Randyll attempted to bully his son into more manly pursuits, but was never successful. Eventually, Randyll’s wife, Melessa, gave birth to a second son. Named Dickon, the younger Tarly boy displayed a disposition much more to Randyll’s liking. With a more strapping lad to focus on, Randyll left Sam to his own devices until he came of age. At that point, wanting to ensure that Dickon would be the one to inherit Horn Hill and the title that came with it, Randyll threatened Sam with death unless he took the black, which is how Sam ended up at the Wall when Jon Snow arrived.

While he hasn’t appeared on screen, Tarly was mentioned in Season 2 of Game of Thrones as having declared for Renly Baratheon in the War of the Five Kings, as did most of House Tyrell’s bannermen, as Margaery Tyrell was to be Renly’s queen.

Another interesting note is that Randyll Tarly possesses a sword called Heartsbane. Heartsbane is one of the rare ancestral swords that have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries within the great houses of Westeros, like Ice and Longclaw. Heartsbane is a two-handed greatsword and, like the other ancestral blades, is made of Valyrian steel. As we learned at the Battle of Hardhome, Valyrian steel can kill a White Walker, which may make this sword vital to the future of Westeros.

POTENTIAL SPOILER WARNING FOR “BLOOD OF MY BLOOD”

We learned earlier in Season 6 that the Lannisters and the Tyrells plan on summoning Tyrell forces to stop the High Sparrow from forcing Margaery to make a walk of shame. According to the preview materials for “Blood of My Blood,” the High Sparrow will make that play in this episode. In the books, Randyll Tarly himself, upon learning of Margaery Tyrell’s situation, leads the Tyrell bannermen to King’s Landing. However, given that “Blood of My Blood” is also the episode where Sam and Gilly arrive at Horn Hill and meet Randyll, it seems that Randyll will be absent from the proceedings in King’s Landing in the Game of Thrones version of the tale.

Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.