Jorah Mormont beginsGame of Thronesin exile, only returning to Westeros when he’s ordered by Daenerys Targaryen to find a cure for greyscale. However, could he instead have been at the Wall when the show started? While his father was Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, Jorah (played by Iain Glen inGame of Thrones' cast) was leagues away, trying to reclaim his place in Westeros by serving as a spy on Daenerys Targaryen for Varys, before switching allegiances to Dany herself.
Jorah’s story is thus defined by his unwavering loyalty to (and love for) Khaleesi, even dying for her inGame of Thrones' ending. He tries to be a man of honor, and that’s in part as redemption for his past. His crimes were bad enough to draw the attention of Ned Stark, and force him to Essos. That was lucky for Daenerys, in the end, even if it initially brought great shame upon Jorah’s family.
The Full Story Behind Jorah Mormont’s Exile In Game Of Thrones
Game Of Thrones Left Out Several Details About Jorah’s Backstory
Jorah’s exile is because he was caught selling poachers to Tyroshi slavers, rather than sending them to the Night’s Watch. TheSeven Kingdoms of Westerosbe a land filled with murder, but even there slavery is considered one of the most terrible crimes a person can commit.Rather than face justice from Ned, Jorah chooses to flee into exile in Essos, heading to Lys. However, the decision wasn’tjustinfluenced by a desire to save his own neck.
The backstory to Jorah selling slavers is that he had married a much younger, more beautiful woman, Lynesse Hightower…
The backstory to Jorah selling slavers is that he had married a much younger, more beautiful woman, Lynesse Hightower, whom he had met at a tourney at Lannisport. When they returned to Bear Island, the Mormonts’ ancestral home, things turned sour as Lynesse, used to the climate and finery of the south, struggled to adapt to the harsh North. Thus, Jorah spent and spentand spenttrying to please his wife with gifts, food, and journeys to the south, but achieved financial ruin in the process.
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Him selling the poachers into slavery was a desperate attempt at making money to settle the debts he had accrued, andgoing into exile was an equally desperate attempt to hang on to his life with Lynesse. The pair went to Lys together because that’s where she wanted to go, but eventually she found a new lover, and Jorah was forced by him to leave her behind, venturing more across Essos and spending time with the Dothraki. However, all the show reveals is that"he had no money and an expensive wife,“who left him for another man.
Ned Stark Wanted To Kill Jorah Mormont
It Doesn’t Seem Like The Night’s Watch Was An Option
Ned Stark was a man bound by duty and honor. As the Warden of the North, it was upon him to carry out the king’s justice to the people of the region. Typically, criminals are given the option to take the black, where their crimes will be forgotten as they enter a life of servitude to the Night’s Watch.Ned knows better than anyone the importance of the Watch, with his own brother, Benjen, serving there, so it’s possible this would have been an option for Jorah. However, there are a few lines inA Game of Thronesthat suggest otherwise. Firstly, from Daenerys’ point-of-view:
“‘The Usurper wanted his head,’ Illyrio told them. ‘Some trifling affront. He sold some poachers to a Tyroshi slaver instead of giving them to the Night’s Watch. Absurd law. A man should be able to do as he likes with his own chattel.'”
Then, from Ned’s POV, in conversation with Varys:
“‘Do you remember Ser Jorah Mormont?’
‘Would that I might forget him,’ Ned said bluntly. The Mormonts of Bear Island were an old house, proud and honorable, but their lands were cold and distant and poor. Ser Jorah had tried to swell the family coffers by selling some poachers to a Tyroshi slaver. As the Mormonts were bannermen to the Starks, his crime had dishonored the north. Ned had made the long journey west to Bear Island, only to find when he arrived that Jorah had taken ship beyond the reach of Ice and the king’s justice. Five years had passed since then.
‘Ser Jorah is now in Pentos, anxious to earn a royal pardon that would allow him toreturn from exile,’ Robert explained. ‘Lord Varys makes good use of him.’
‘So the slaver has become a spy,’ Ned said with distaste. He handed the letter back. ‘I would rather he become a corpse.'”
That would certainly imply Ned’s decision was to execute Jorah, similar to how he had to kill Will, the Night’s Watch deserter. InGame of Thronesseason 1, Jorah himself says:“Ned Stark wants my head.”
There’s also no guarantee Jorah would’ve taken the black: his father was at the Wall, and he would’ve had to go there and face him having disgraced and shamed his family, a reunion he no doubt would rather avoid (albeit perhaps still preferable to losing one’s head, but maybe that’s just me).
Jorah Did Almost Join The Night’s Watch - In Game Of Thrones’ Ending
He Could Have Been Reunited With Jon Snow
Jorah may not have taken the black beforeGame of Thrones, but there were discussions about him doing so at the very end of the show. Ahead of season 8, the writers looked at ways to haveJorah surviveGame of Thronesand end up at the Wall, with writer Dave Hill saying:
“For a long time we wanted Ser Jorah to be there at the Wall in the end.The three coming out of the tunnel would be Jon and Jorah and Tormund. But the amount of logic we’d have to bend to get Jorah up to The Wall and get him to leave Dany’s side right before [the events in the finale] … there’s no way to do that blithely. And Jorah should have the noble death he craves defending the woman he loves.”
There would have been a sense of symmetry with Jorah at the Wall: Jon went there at the beginning of the series and was greeted by one Mormont, and then returned to find his son. But it’s also impossible to imagine how that could’ve worked with the events ofGame of Thronesseason 8: even if Jorah had survived the Battle of Winterfell, he’d never have sided with Jon over Daenerys. Ultimately, the writers made the right choice, as Jorah dying for Dany was the most fitting fate possible for him.
Game Of Thrones
Cast
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
