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| “ | All sinners are equal before the Gods. | „ |
| ~ High Sparrow's view on divine judgment. |
| “ | To die in the service of the gods would please each and everyone of us. We yearn for it. | „ |
| ~ The High Sparrow showing Ser Jaime that he doesn't fear death. |
The High Sparrow, mostly known as the High Septon, is a major antagonist in the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series and its television adaptation Game of Thrones. He is introduced as a common septon and leading member of the Sparrows, a newly founded sect of the Faith of the Seven, until he became the new High Septon of the Seven Kingdoms. He is responsible for the restoration of the Faith Militant, the military arm of the Faith.
He is described to be truly devoted to the Faith of the Seven and has an iron will, being immune to every temptation or weakness. Prior to the death of Lord Tywin Lannister, he was a traveling septon, who lived all over the realm and walked upon villages that were too small to have their own septs and performed the traditional duties of his job, such as naming newborn children, absolving sins and performing marriages. He is extremely devout and fanatical to the Seven, and joined the Sparrows, a new order that rose as a result of the atrocities of the War of the Five Kings.
He was appointed as the new High Septon by the Sparrows, who forced the Most Devout to name him over Septon Luceon (born Frey). The High Sparrow restores much of the Faith's old authority over the capital of King's Landing (with also the unintentional help of Queen Cersei Lannister).
His plans however doesn't stop in King's Landing, however, as he wants to deal with the foreign religion/faith of R'hllor, the Lord of Light, a deity that he and many Westerosi condemn as a demon.
He was portrayed by Jonathan Pryce, who also portrayed General Vavarin Delatombe in The Brothers Grimm, Elliot Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies, Mr. Dark in Something Wicked This Way Comes, and Paul Dellenbach in Renaissance.
Biography[]
A Feast for Crows[]
On the Rosby road, Brienne of Tarth spots a group of sparrows led by a septon with feet that are "bare and black, gnarled and hard as tree roots", a lean face, and grey-and-brown hair. He is going to King's Landing with bones of septons killed in the Riverlands. After the previous High Septon is slain, the Most Devout begin the selection process to see who of them will become the new High Septon. According to Qyburn, the sparrows forcibly took over the selection process by bursting into the chambers with axes in hand and with their leader, the small septon, on their shoulders. The Most Devout relent in fear and they name the sparrows' septon as the new High Septon.
The new High Septon begins his term by selling all of the golden crowns, including his own, and unique robes of cloth and gold. The money earned from this is used to buy food for the sparrows and the poor. He then clads himself in a humble wool robe and other Most Devout are forced to follow suit. Cersei Lannister, in order to secure the Faith's blessing for her son and cancel the near one million dragons the crown owed to the Faith, foolishly allows the High Septon to restore the Faith Militant, oblivious to its history. This military arm of the Faith has not existed in the realm since it was disbanded by Jaehaerys I Targaryen. His army of sparrows soon became Poor Fellows of old and over a hundred knights immediately joined the Warrior's Sons. The new High Septon becomes commonly known as the High Sparrow after a jape by court fool Moon Boy.
The Faith, emboldened by their new power, arrests Margaery Tyrell and her cousins when Osney Kettleblack falsely confesses to bedding the girls. The High Sparrow is suspicious of Osney's confession, as he had never heard a confession from a man so pleased and enthusiastic to be guilty. He has Osney scourged, and the knight confesses the actual truth; Cersei had him lie and kill the previous High Septon under her orders. When Cersei Lannister visits the Great Sept of Baelor, the High Sparrow has her arrested and imprisoned on similar, but accurate, charges.
A Dance with Dragons[]
Since the evidence against Margaery and her cousins is quite weak, the High Sparrow releases them into the custody of Randyll Tarly. He makes Lord Tarly swear a holy oath to return them to King's Landing for trial. The High Sparrow then sees Cersei when she says she wishes to confess. To try and gain access to visitors, Cersei decides to confess many of her crimes to him. She confessed that she did have relations with her cousin Lancel and the Kettleblack brothers. She knows such sins would not earn her an execution, but denies the sins that would earn her death such as ordering Ser Osney Kettleback to kill the previous High Septon and her involvement in the death of her husband Robert I Baratheon. Accepting her confessions, the High Sparrow agrees to allow her one visitor a day.
He further agrees to release Cersei on the condition that she perform a walk of atonement through the streets of King's Landing to which she reluctantly agrees. Even after she completed the walk,Cersei and Margaery, who is still under house arrest, are to still to be put on trial. While Cersei chose trial by combat with the mysterious Kingsguard Ser Robert Strong as her champion, Margaery chose trial by the Faith. Lord Regent Kevan Lannister, Randyll Tarly, who is Master of Laws, and Hand of the King Mace Tyrell are frustrated of having to give in to the demands of the "High Sparrow". With so many rebellious subjects in the Seven Kingdoms, however, they dare not be seen to go against the Faith, lest it drive the pious into the arms of another claimant to the Iron Throne. The High Sparrow disapproves of Stannis Baratheon's new faith in R'hllor, the Lord of Light, believing that Stannis himself has turned from the truth of the Seven to worshipping a red demon and that his false faith has no place in the Seven Kingdoms.
Game of Thrones[]
After talking with her cousin Lancel and hearing about the Sparrows, Cersei pays a visit to the High Sparrow. His sect had already seized the High Septon in a brothel owned by Petyr Baelish and forced him to do a walk of atonement, showing the power they had amassed in the area. Cersei sees the kind old man feeding the poor, and notices the influence he has on the community. Instead of jailing him for what he did to the High Septon, she uses her influence to raise him as the new High Septon and outlaws Maegor's law to allow him to restore the Faith Militant, giving more power to the Faith as an authority in King's Landing. Although the purpose of the Faith Militant is ostensibly to protect the various orders of the Faith, its clergy, and the faithful from attacks and abuses, they quickly begin to impose their puritanical views upon the capital, raiding markets with alcohol, destroying figures of other religions, and raiding and destroying brothels, including the most renowned one belonging to Baelish.
Seeking vengeance against house Tyrell, Cersei reveals that Ser Loras Tyrell is a homosexual and the Faith has him arrested. At his inquest, he denies being gay, and his sister Margaery claims this as well. Then, to Loras' horror, members of the Faith Militant bring in one of Loras' lovers, who says that he is indeed gay and that his sister walked in on them once. Because of this, the Faith has both Loras and her sister locked up (Margaery for lying under oath). Their grandmother Lady Olenna Tyrell confronts the High Sparrow and offers him various things in exchange for their freedom. However, the High Sparrow refuses, as he only cared about delivering what he views as justice. Olenna threatens that she will cease giving the capitol crops, and the High Sparrow warns her that she is one of the few and not the many. Later, Cersei runs into him and the two discuss the upcoming trial for the Tyrell siblings. The High Sparrow begins dropping hints that Cersei herself isn't innocent at all, and after Lancel appears (who Cersei had an incestuous affair with in season 1) she knows she is in trouble. The former queen cannot escape though, and is thrown into a cell by Septa Unella. The High Sparrow having imprisoned both queen Margaery and Cersei, now had total power over even the royal family. No one in King's Landing was safe any more from his crusade.
After Cersei confessed some of her sins, though she denied the ones that would earn her an execution, the High Sparrow has her go through a walk of atonement. Outside the Great Sept of Baelor, he declares to a crowd of smallfolk of Cersei's penance for her sins. Near the end of Season 6, the High Sparrow and his followers were killed when Cersei destroyed the Sept of Baelor by igniting a cache of wildfire, killing everyone inside and anyone else within a three block radius.
Quotes[]
| “ | Septon: Join us, friends. Westeros has need of every sword. Creighton: We were bound for Duskendale, but mayhaps we could see you safely to King's Landing. Illifer: If you have the coin to pay us for this escort. Septon: Sparrows need no gold. Creighton: Sparrows? Septon: The sparrow is the humblest and most common of birds, as we are the humblest and most common of men. |
„ |
| ~ The High Sparrow as a traveling septon, speaking to Brienne Tarth, Ser Creighton Longbough and Ser Illifer the Penniless, while on his way to King's Landing with other Sparrows. |
| “ | These are the bones of holy men, murdered for their faith. They served the Seven even unto death. Some starved, some were tortured. Septs have been despoiled, maidens and mothers raped by godless men and demon worshipers. Even silent sisters have been molested. Our Mother Above cries out in her anguish. It is time for all anointed knights to forsake their worldly masters and defend our Holy Faith. Come with us to the city, if you love the Seven. | „ |
| ~ The traveling septon, to Ser Creighton Longbough, Ser Illifer the Penniless, and Brienne of Tarth. |
| “ | I seldom feel so close to God as when I am being whipped for mine own wickedness, though my darkest sins are no wise near as black as his. | „ |
| ~ The High Sparrow, as the High Septon, about Ser Osney Kettleblack. |
| “ | Cersei: Once I have confessed, will I be permitted to— High Sparrow: Your Grace shall be dealt with according to your sins. Cersei: [thinking to herself] This man is implacable. |
„ |
| ~ Cersei Lannister and the High Septon. |
| “ | The wickedness of widows is well-known, and all women are wantons at heart, given to using their wiles and their beauty to work their wills on men. | „ |
| ~ The High Septon to Cersei Lannister. |
| “ | Lord Stannis has turned from the truth of the Seven to worship a red demon, and his false faith has no place in these Seven Kingdoms. | „ |
| ~ The High Septon. |
| “ | What have we become, when kings and high lords must dance to the twittering of sparrows? | „ |
| ~ Randyll Tarly to Kevan Lannister, expressing contempt for the High Sparrow, his sect, and his low birth. |
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Trivia[]
- His mocking nickname "High Sparrow" was given by the Red Keep's court fool, Moon Boy, shortly after he was forcibly elected by the Most Devout.
- In the novels, the High Sparrow is met for the first time as the "traveling septon", a common poor septon without a church and following of his own, who is found in the countryside in the Crownlands by Brienne of Tarth, while he's on his way to King's Landing with a group of fellow Sparrows.
- The High Sparrow might be from the Riverlands, or even the Crownlands, although not necessarily, as he could've been born elsewhere. He was possibly living in the Riverlands or the Crownlands during the War of the Five Kings, as he mentioned he was taking care of villages and small towns that were destroyed during the war.
- The High Sparrow shares some similarities to Melisandre. Both are priests willing to do extreme things to advance their respective religions.
- In the TV series, both of them were given great power by royalty as well, with Cersei Lannister and Stannis Baratheon. In the novels, the Crown has nothing to do with the High Sparrow's ascension, as it was the Sparrows who gave him power by forcing the Most Devout of the Faith to vote him for the next High Septon. In the novels, Cersei never even heard of him until he ascended to power, and the first time she meets him is in the Great Sept of Baelor.
- However, in the novels Cersei is still responsible for making the High Sparrow more powerful, as in both novels and TV series she is the one who legally let the Faith restore the military orders of the Faith Militant. The big difference is that the Faith Militant is loyal only to the Faith itself and obeys the High Sparrow, resulting in them arresting Queen Cersei, while Melisandre's loyal armed force, the Queen's Men are fiercely and fanatically devoted to King Stannis, and view him as their messiah figure.
- The big difference between the High Sparrow and Melisandre is that the latter is in favor of sex (as her religion promotes sex) and is not as pious. High Sparrow on the other hand gives all accused trials, and does not burn prisoners or non-believers alive.
- In the TV series, both of them were given great power by royalty as well, with Cersei Lannister and Stannis Baratheon. In the novels, the Crown has nothing to do with the High Sparrow's ascension, as it was the Sparrows who gave him power by forcing the Most Devout of the Faith to vote him for the next High Septon. In the novels, Cersei never even heard of him until he ascended to power, and the first time she meets him is in the Great Sept of Baelor.
- The High Sparrow also has multiple similarities to Baelor I Targaryen the Blessed. Both are initially presented as being kind-hearted and benevolent individuals, but are later recess to be fanatical zealots who make many questionable decisions for their faith.
- Aside for Melisandre and Baelor the Blessed, other notable fanatical characters on the Wiki who are similar to the High Sparrow are Aeron "Damphair" Greyjoy and the Shrike, two aggressive priests of the Drowned God who promote the brutal Old Way of the Ironborn, and the red priest Moqorro, who is also very devoted and burns non-believers alive.
- Neither the High Sparrow nor the other aforementioned devoted priests are as extreme and violent about their religions as the Shrike, who led multiple wars, revolts, and brutal tortures against greenlanders, the Faith of the Seven, and even against Ironborn who sided with them.
- The High Sparrow's actor, Jonathan Pryce, looks very close to the late Pope, Francis (Pryce would later portray Pope Francis in The Two Popes). Both are the head of their respective religions as well. Whether or not this casting was intentional or a coincidence is unknown.
- While he is still quite misogynistic in the books, the Sparrow is in some ways less villainous. Unlike the usual corrupt septons and nobility, the High Sparrow seems to genuinely want to help the poor, even selling much of the Faith's wealth to buy food for the poor.
- Furthermore, in the books, the High Sparrow never starts to impose puritanical views upon King's Landing. No alcohol or sex establishments have ever been raided and vandalized by the Faith Militant nor the Sparrows. No one has been arrested for being gay. The Faith Militant are simply functioning to defend the various orders of the Faith from abuses and defend the smallfolk of their rights (being based on real life's Crusading Orders), while the High Sparrow has been dealing with the Most Devout's corruption and lack of support for the commoners. The realm itself lived for centuries with the rules of the Faith and Faith Militant as their military forces, before the reigns of Kings Maegor I and Jaehaerys I.
- The only reasons why Cersei and Margaery ended up in trouble with the High Sparrow are because the Crown itself involved the Faith in their games and accusations and because of crimes Cersei actually did (regicide and deicide, being the murders of King Robert I and the previous High Septon), also including the incest allegations claimed by Stannis Baratheon, and for alleged perjuries.
- Furthermore, in the books, the High Sparrow never starts to impose puritanical views upon King's Landing. No alcohol or sex establishments have ever been raided and vandalized by the Faith Militant nor the Sparrows. No one has been arrested for being gay. The Faith Militant are simply functioning to defend the various orders of the Faith from abuses and defend the smallfolk of their rights (being based on real life's Crusading Orders), while the High Sparrow has been dealing with the Most Devout's corruption and lack of support for the commoners. The realm itself lived for centuries with the rules of the Faith and Faith Militant as their military forces, before the reigns of Kings Maegor I and Jaehaerys I.
- In the novels the readers feel more satisfied at seeing the High Sparrow and the Faith humbling the characters actually guilty of their actions, while in the TV series watchers only saw religious fanatics tormenting other characters. It is unknown if the Faith or the Faith Militant will end up getting worse over the time. Historically, the Faith Militant already had trouble and wars with the rest of the Faith and the Most Devout, in which members rebelled against High Septons for align themselves with House Targaryen and their blasphemous Valyrian customs.
- In the books the Sparrow movement grew out of the suffering of the smallfolk in the war and the abuses of power by the nobility, such as the burning of the Riverlands by Rorge and the Red Wedding, causing a group including the High Sparrow to come to King's Landing and gather support.
- This High Septon is not appointed by Cersei in the books. During an election for the new High Septon, Septon Luceon, a son of Walder Frey, is almost elected but a crowd of Sparrows get into the Great Sept of Baelor with the High Sparrow and force the Most Devout to elect him High Septon. Cersei has nothing to do with the High Septon's appointment.
- Instead it was the High Sparrow's predecessor High Septon who was appointed through the Crown's influence, as he was a man associated with Tyrion Lannister. In the novels, this High Septon's affiliation with Tyrion, the fact that he didn't say anything about Tyrion's committed murders and alleged regicide, and that Lancel Lannister had spoken to him about private affairs, are what got him murdered by Ser Osney Kettleblack on Cersei's order.
- He judges all the worst-reputed combatants of the War of the Five Kings as nothing but godless men or demon worshippers, mostly referring to the crimes of Vargo Hoat, the Hound and their fellow Brave Companions, Stannis and his vassal worshippers of R'hllor, House Clegane and its warband, the most brutal vassal northerners of Robb's army, and House Lannister's most brutal vassal soldiers. While speaking to the High Septon, Cersei only names Stannis and his army "demon worshippers".
