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| “ | Men call me Darkstar, and I am of the night. | „ |
| ~ Gerold Dayne, to Myrcella Baratheon. |
Ser Gerold Dayne, also known as Darkstar, is a supporting antagonist in the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series.
He is a landed knight, the head of House Dayne of High Hermitage, a cadet branch of House Dayne of Starfall, and a former lover of Princess Arianne Martell. He serves as the primary antagonist from her point of view and the Dorne storyline as a whole in A Feast for Crows. According to Prince Doran Martell, Gerold is the most dangerous man in Dorne.
He is cut from the TV series adaptation Game of Thrones, and his antagonistic role is instead adopted by Ellaria Sand.
Appearance[]
Gerold Dayne was a handsome, clean-shaven man with high cheekbones, a strong jawline, an aquiline nose, and dark purple eyes. He had thick silver hair with a singular black streak in it, which reached down to his lower neck.
Biography[]
Gerold Dayne was born into House Dayne in between the years 170-174 AC, during the reign of King Aerys II Targaryen. His elder cousin, Ser Arthur Dayne, served as the Sword of the Morning and as the deadliest member of Aerys' Kingsguard. Because of his reputation, this made Gerold jealous, as Arthur is widely considered to be the most chivalrous knight in the Seven Kingdoms. Gerold trained in the use of the blade and was eventually named a Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Ser Gerold was a lover of Princess Arianne Martell, the daughter and heir of Dorne's ruler, Prince Doran Martell.
A Feast for Crows[]
Darkstar allied himself with Princess Arianne Martell during her conspiracy to crown Princess Myrcella Baratheon as a new queen of the Seven Kingdoms, using her betrothal to Trystane Martell and the Dornish law where the eldest child, whether male or female, should inherit. The idea is to put both Myrcella, Tommen, and their supporters against each other. Arianne, who thinks her father, Prince Doran, Martell hates her but is unaware of his real plans, hopes that the Dornishmen will rise to defend her claim for a chance to go to war against the Lannisters. Though Gerold Dayne is part of the conspiracy, Princess Arianne doesn't trust him, given his cruel nature and for being shrouded in mystery.
Myrcella's scar given by Gerold Dayne.
During their travels in the desert on their way to Hellholt, when Gerold complained that while House Dayne originated ten thousand years ago ever since the dawn of days, he wondered on why his cousin, Ser Arthur Dayne, is the only Dayne that is widely-remembered. Kingsguard Ser Arys Oakheart, who is Myrcella's sworn shield, tells Darkstar that Arthur was a great knight and he had a great heart before asking Arianne for a moment alone.
When the party arrived at the Greenblood, they were intercepted by Areo Hotah, who ordered them to surrender in the name of Prince Doran Martell. Arys Oakheart rebuffs this and, in his arrogance, declares to Areo that he won't let her take Myrcella while he continues to draw breath. This was met with scornful laughter from Darkstar, as he knew that attacking Areo and his men is suicide. He proceeded to ask Arys if he is blind or stupid and warns him that they are outnumbered before he and Drey urge him to surrender, which fell on deaf ears.
After Ser Arys was killed by Areo Hotah, Ser Gerold, in an attempt to force Doran Martell into going to war, tries to kill Myrcella but failed as the princess's horse had reared, and he only managed to slice off Myrcella's ear and scar her face. He then rides off into the deserts of Dorne, escaping from Areo's guards in the process. Maester Caleotte later saved Myrcella's life, but she permanently lost an ear and now has a hideous facial scar. When Arianne was summoned by her father, Prince Doran scolds his daughter for her conspiracy and for her foolish choice of making Darkstar a part of it, warning her that Darkstar is the most dangerous man in all of Dorne.
A Dance with Dragons[]
Arianne Martell instructs Myrcella to tell Ser Balon a partly-false story that while Darkstar was to blame for assaulting Myrcella he is also to be blamed for the death of Arys Oakheart, as Balon has been expected to meet the latter. House Martell's plan was successful as Balon Swann believes Myrcella's story and reports to House Lannister that Ser Gerold Dayne has attacked her and had killed Ser Arys. Once this was done, Balon was given the task of hunting down Darkstar at High Hermitage with Obara Sand.
In King's Landing, Ser Kevan Lannister tells Cersei Lannister, who was imprisoned by the Faith, of Darkstar's assault on Myrcella. In addition, the princess has blamed Gerold for attacking her and killing Ser Arys. Shocked and paranoid, Cersei believed that Gerold had been sent as a catspaw by her brother Tyrion Lannister, whom she blamed for the deaths of both her son, Joffrey I Baratheon, and her father, Tywin.
The Winds of Winter[]
While travelling in the Stormlands, Arianne Martell discusses Gerold Dayne with Daemon Sand, a former squire of the late Prince Oberyn Martell. Daemon is doubtful over Arianne's claim that both Obara Sand and Areo Hotah can kill Ser Gerold. Arianne Martell expressed regret for having trusted Darkstar as well as for not believing half of the stories told about him due to his handsome look. Both Arianne and Daemon agree he should have died a long time ago and consider him a traitor.
Gallery[]
External Link[]
- Gerold Dayne on the A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
