Meryn Trant

[JustRay]

Hey guys, long time reader of westeros.org, first post. I was curious to learn everyones thoughts on Meryn Trant's role in the TV series.He seems to be the annointed face and voice of the kingsguard. Almost everytime the kingsguard is needed for a scene Ser Meryn Trant is used. Season 1 there was of course Ser Barristan and Jaime but since their absence the only other KG given a line has been Mandon Moore telling Cersei about the smallfolk in the Blackwater episode. I love the actor playing Trant, he kills it and has a cool voice. I was hoping they'd include Arys Oakheart in season 2.

Im doing my first Re-read of the series and I notive Sansa is quite complimentry of Ser Ary's in the beginning of COK. Also where are the kettlebacks? Do you think they will just be cut out? DO you think Ser Meryn will perhaps play a bigger role than in the books?

[Godfrey]

Guessing him and boros will both die whenever the city is sacked. Has Boros even been in the series so far?

Excluding Jaime he's in the kingsguard the longest now without being dismissed hasn't he?

All I can remember him doing in the next few books to come (for the show) is guarding kevan & tywins corpses. And greeting Jaime on his returning to kingslanding, that might be his biggest scene yet.

I do like the actor who plays him in the show, though. Seems the same as Jaime described him "cruel" And he may be the only one in the Kingsguard who is doing most of the talking from now, because of Boros being a foodtaster for the king, Robert strong swore an oath of silence and the kettleblack in a dungeon.

[Ferrum Aeternum]

Ser Meryn is present throughout all the books thus far (I think) and the other KG positions were so fluid that it made sense to make him the long-term "face" of the KG on the show. And as you mention, the actor does a great job of playing a menacing, cruel character which also jives with the text.

Ser Boros was mentioned in "Blackwater" as one of the two KG addressed by Joffrey before he deserted the battlefield and ran back to the Keep (the other being Ser Mandon, who tried to kill Tyrion). Both Boros and Mandon were played by anonymous extras with no lines and helms to cover their faces. This leaves the opportunity open for Boros to be cast in the future if needed.

Ser Arys wasn't cast in S2, but we do see a KG departing with Myrcella. Again this KG was anonymous, but we can assume it may be Arys and that he can be cast later for the Dornish stuff. There was no point in casting him last season for a glorified extra's role only to bring him back 2 or 3 seasons later for an expanded one.

I thought that perhaps Osmund Kettleblack might be cast this season (I think they'll condense the 3 Kettleblacks to one), but it looks like they'll hold off to next year, assuming the Kettleblacks' roles are retained for the show at all. The showrunners could go a different direction here.

Surely Robert Strong will be included in the series when appropriate (why cast Qyburn, otherwise?) and that the ubiquitous Ian Whyte will likely do the honors in the role.

[TerpsPwn_387]

I love the character of Meryn on the show. I like how last season Tyrion and Bronn made him look like a punk in front of the entire court and his king. In episode 1 of this season, I almost sensed that he had something to prove to his brothers when he had the face off with Bronn when he talked down to him. I think the actor is doing a great job.

Since we are talking of spotting certain KG members in the show. Did anyone else notice during the Hand's Tourney that when the Mountain stormed off one of the KG was noticably shorter than the other. It must of been ser Preston, who is described as being short in the books.

[Shadow on the Wall]

Dunno who you're talking about. Perhaps you are referring to 'Sir Taryn Mant' of the Kingsguard. I believe Ser Bronn of Blackwater has made his acquaintance.

[Arrogant Bastard]

I think David and Dan are just combining all the shitty Kingsguard's into Meryn, which makes sense to me (except Ser Mandon, who appeared once and then dies). There are too many characters already for them to include Boros or the Kettleblacks and expect anybody who hasn't read the books to remember them, or even bother naming them. Pretty similar to what they did with Jory in season one, who also took over for Fat Tom and any other Winterfell guards I can no longer remember.

[The Dragon has three heads]

Dunno who you're talking about. Perhaps you are referring to 'Sir Taryn Mant' of the Kingsguard. I believe Ser Bronn of Blackwater has made his acquaintance.

This haha

[Igziabeher]

I assume Loras Tyrell will be added to the kingsguard this season to replace the late Mandon Moore, also to stop him from marrying Sansa. So with him and Jamie coming back the KG should be more colorful.

[Razha]

I am not sure Loras will become KG on the show - not that this is impossible but it might become unnecessary - given that they might cut his elder brothers from the show and possibly even Mace will be just mentioned as being somewhere doing something, actions of Garlan and Mace can be divided between the 3 tyrrels that are already in the show - and Loras is only male tyrrel present. I aslo expect they might alter the reasons of absence of Loras from KL during the important events at the end of AFFC.

As to other Kingsuards:

I guess they will keep Merryn as an amalgam of all the "evil kingsuards", but they can always cast extras when they need an additional kingsuard (just as they did in the Blackwater episode.

Only Kingsuards that still have chances to be cast are Arys and Kettleback (and even that is not guaranteed) - both of them solely for Season 5.

Actions of all other kingsuards we have seen so far in the books can be easily given to Merryn (even Balon Swann's actions)

[boojam]

Ian Beattie , who plays Meryn Trant has been in each season. Except for Barristan Selmy and Jamie* seems to be the only Kingsgurad with a speaking role.

In fact Trant is an odd character he is still alive by the end of book five.

Never seen an interview or feature on Beattie ....in now the three years the program has been on. Beattlie has had a fair amount of TV work but even with that distinctive face I don't recognize him.

One sometimes thing they grab the biggest extra standing about and put that enormous helm on him and that's a King's Guard.

None seem to have speaking parts or to even be identified.

*I don't think, can't remember, when Selmy was dismissed it was ever mentioned that Jamie had been raised to Lord Commander of the KG.

[vectner]

Watching the first episode again it seems there are too many kingsguards. When the royal train stops in Flea Bottom I counted five. We should be down to three at this point. Arys is in Dorne, Jaime is a captor, Gregor walked off, and Ser Mandon is dead. Loras and Kettleblack should fill the empty spots, but that wouldn't have happend yet.