Walder Frey

"Stark, Tully, Lannister, Baratheon... Give me one good reason why I should waste a single thought on any of you."

- Lord Frey expressing his disinterest and neutrality in the War of the Five Kings.

Lord Walder Frey is a recurring character and a main antagonist in the Game of Thrones series and A Song of Ice and Fire novels. He is the leader of House Frey and lives in the Twins, a castle in a strategic position.

Frey is portrayed by David Bradley, who also notably portrayed Argus Filch in the Harry Potter films, Solomon in the Doctor Who episode "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship", and Brother Joseph in World Without End.

History
Walder Frey is ninety years old and rather infirm, but maintains direct power and influence on his lands and family. He has had eight wives and outlived them all.

His descendants are always trying to win his favor and approval by naming their own children after him since he always has a strong belief in family loyalty.

Throughout the War of the Five Kings, he initially remains neutral, not wanting to get involved. When Robb Stark and his bannermen come across the Twins, needing to cross, Catelyn Stark strikes a deal with Lord Frey: her daughter Arya will marry his son Elmar when they come of age, and Robb will marry a daughter of Frey's, thus uniting the Houses of Stark and Frey.

He is not seen again for sometime. Near the climax of the war, Robb Stark receives an invitation from Frey to come back to the Twins to make another marriage pact to forgive his breaking of the first one. However, it is revealed that Frey, Roose Bolton, and Tywin Lannister made a deal in secret; Frey would eliminate Stark and his men, Tywin would give him protection from other rebels, and Bolton would be named Warden of the North. This betrayal towards Stark would be known as the "Red Wedding".

The Red Wedding in the TV series
Frey orchestrated the massacre of Robb Stark, but in the process broken the sacred rule of Guest Right.

During the entire onslaught, Lord Frey simply observed while he drank wine and sat in his throne.

The fiasco began when one of Frey's sons repeatedly stabbed Robb's pregnant wife in the stomach. From there, several other House Frey men in the chamber took to slaughtering Stark men. Robb, in the confusion, got shot in the chest by a crossbow, but this wound didn't kill him.



Robb's mother, Catelyn Stark dragged Lord Frey's fifteen-year-old wife from beneath a table and held a knife to her throat, threatening to slit it. She said she wouldn't kill Frey's wife if he allowed Robb to walk away and live. Frey said he would simply find another wife and Roose Bolton stabbed Robb through the heart, killing him. This leaves Catelyn distraught and she kills Frey's wife, only to be killed in the exact same manner.

Personality
Walder Frey can be seen as a pervert. He gropes his teenage wife in front of others without a second thought, and even tells Catelyn Stark that his wife's "honey is all mine."

He has a very strict code of honor and loyalty. He made a pact with the Lannisters to murder Robb Stark just for breaking a promise of marriage. This aspect of him is also seen where his sons and daughters constantly try to win his favor.

It is said by others that he is a coward. He would not have done something as massive as The Red Wedding on his own accord; it is implied that he only took part in it because Tywin Lannister offered him vast protection.

Trivia

 * Frey is one of the most hated characters in Game of Thrones for his orchestration of the Red Wedding and killing Robb Stark, one of the most loved characters in Game of Thrones. Even David Bradley called Frey irredeemable despite enjoying the role.