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| “ | The Red God has his due, sweet girl, and only death may pay for life. This girl took three that were his. This girl must give three in their places. Speak the names, and a man will do the rest. | „ |
| ~ Jaqen to Arya Stark. |
The unnamed Faceless Man, commonly known as Jaqen H'ghar of Lorath, is a major character in the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series and its television adaptation Game of Thrones. He is an assassin of the Faceless Men, a cult based in the House of Black and White that worships the various gods of death collectively known as the Many-Faced God. The assassin's real identity, physical features, and birthplace are unknown, as he only presents himself with identities and/or features of deceased men.
During the fifth and sixth seasons of Game of Thrones, he is used to replace the Faceless Man, known as the "kindly man" in A Song of Ice and Fire, a priest in charge of the House of Black and White in Braavos.
In Game of Thrones, he was portrayed by Tom Wlaschiha while wearing the "Jaqen" identity. He was also portrayed by an unidentified extra in Season 1, by Patrick O'Kane and Cedric Henderson while disguised in their respective unknown identities, and by Faye Marsay while disguised as the Waif.
Biography[]
A Song of Ice and Fire[]
At some unknown point, the assassin was arrested and placed in the black cells in the Red Keep in King's Landing. He was taken by Yoren to be a member of the Night's Watch. He was considered to be too dangerous to walk free and was kept in chains along with Rorge and Biter. Despite how insane and savage Rorge and Biter were, they were afraid of Jaqen.
When traveling, the man introduces himself to Arya as a Lorathi sellsword named Jaqen H'ghar and asks her (who was disguised as Arry) for ale while apologizing for how rude Rorge and Biter were. When Arya attacked Rorge, Jaqen made note that she had more courage than sense. When the Night's Watch was attacked by Ser Amory Lorch's raiding party in a deserted town in the Gods Eye, the trio was almost burned to death since they couldn't escape their chains. However, Arya tossed them an axe to help them escape.
After escaping, the three of them joined House Lannister's forces by working for Ser Amory. After Amory's foraging party returned to Harrenhal, Jaqen confronted Arya, knowing her true identity. Since Arya saved three lives, Jaqen told Arya he would kill three people for her. The first person Arya requested was Chiswyck, after hearing that he, along with the Mountain's men, participated in a gang rape. Chiswyck was killed by his own dog. The second person Arya requested was Weese, for beating her. Weese was thrown off a building.
The Brave Companions brought many northern prisoners to Harrenhal to join the northmen and rivermen that had already resided in the castle as captives since the Battle on the Green Fork. Arya requested that Jaqen help free them. Jaqen refused, saying he could only kill someone whom Arya named. Arya named Jaqen himself. Jaqen then agreed to help on the condition that Arya unname him. Jaqen had Arya, Rorge, and Biter take boiling onion soup to pour over the guards to help the northmen and rivermen escape. It turned out the Brave companions were working with Lord Roose Bolton the whole time to take Harrenhal, and that the captives, led by Robett Glover, were playing along in a plan to conquer Harrenhal. When asked by Glover, Rorge made it clear he and Jaqen took part in the plan and declared they were with the Brave Companions.
Afterwards, as the Brave Companions, the northmen, and the rivermen were killing the Lannister garrison, Jaqen changed his appearance, claiming Jaqen was dead. He then gave Arya an iron coin, telling her to give it to someone from Braavos if she ever wanted to be a Faceless assassin. He taught her the words "Valar Morghulis," which means "all men must die".
A year later, a man known as "The Alchemist"—whose description is identical to the appearance Jaqen changed into when he left Harrenhal—was in Oldtown. He approached a young novice from the Citadel named Pate, asking him to steal a key in exchange for a gold coin. Pate gave him the key, and the alchemist gave Pate the gold coin. However, the gold coin was poisoned, and when Pate bit into it, he died. Later, when Samwell Tarly arrived at the Citadel, he met someone with Pate's appearance—clearly the assassin using the appearance of the real Pate, who was killed. Sam feels there is something he does not like about the youth.
Game of Thrones[]
In Season two, Jaqen follows the same Night's Watch plot and Harrenhal plot as the books. However, the people he killed were different. The first person Arya requests is The Tickler. The Tickler is later found dead in the courtyard. Later, Amory Lorch saw Arya reading Lannister documents. Arya quickly ran to Jaqen and named him, and Jaqen killed Amory before he could reach Tywin Lannister.
Just like in the books, Arya blackmailed Jaqen by naming him. However, in the show, Arya demanded he help her escape along with Gendry and Hot Pie. Jaqen killed the guards, leaving a clear path for Arya and her friends. He then changed his appearance, gave her the iron coin, and taught her the words "Valar Morghulis".
In Season five, Arya arrived in Braavos. She went to the House of Black and White and met an old man. She requested Jaqen, but the old man said he didn't know anyone by that name. Later, the old man saved Arya and reverted to the appearance of Jaqen from Season two. He told her he was "no one".
Later, Arya saw him help a supplicant commit suicide. Arya wanted to train, but Jaqen refused. He then saw her playing the Lying Game with the Waif. He told Arya she must get rid of all her possessions, including Needle. Afterwards, Jaqen showed her where the dead bodies were cleaned. He then tested her by having her lie to him, and he hit her anytime she lied. When Arya kept claiming to hate Sandor Clegane, he kept hitting her. He eventually took her to the Hall of Faces and gave her a face.
Jaqen instructed Arya to kill an insurance agent and gave her a vial of poison. However, Arya instead killed Meryn Trant. Jaqen then drank the vial of poison and appeared to have died. The waif then appeared, wearing Jaqen's face. Arya continually removed faces from the body, but her vision eventually faded.
Arya then became a blind beggar on the street. The Waif would hit her while she tried to defend herself without seeing. Jaqen offered to return her sight; she said her name, but Arya refused. Jaqen took her back to the House of Black and White to have to continue to train fighting the Waif. He once again asked her for her name, but she claimed to not have one. Jaqen then gave her a cut of water that seemed to be poisoned. He told her no one should have any fears, so Arya drank it and regained her sight.
Jaqen explained how the Faceless Men originated from slaves in Valyria. He ordered her to assassinate Lady Crane. However, Arya ended up backing out of the assassination, so Jaqen gave the Waif permission to kill her. Later, Jaqen followed a trail of blood to the Hall of Faces, where he saw the Waif's face. Arya confronted him with Needle, but Jaqen walked through the sword. Arya refused to be no one and stated she was Arya of House Stark. Jaqen accepted that she succeeded in being no one and let her leave.
Notable Victims[]
Books only:[]
- Chiswyck - Pushed off a wall on Arya Stark's request.
- Weese - Throat torn out and got his face eaten by his own spotted dog, after Jaqen fed the animal meat spiced with basilisk blood, on Arya Stark's request.
- Pate - Collapsed after biting a poisoned coin.
TV Series only:[]
- The Tickler - Neck snapped on Arya Stark’s request.
- Ser Amory Lorch - Shot in the neck with a poisoned dart on Arya Stark’s request.
Gallery[]
External Links[]
- Jaqen H'ghar/Alchemist on the A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
- Jaqen H'ghar on the Game of Thrones Wiki
