With the Battle of the Bastards and Tower of Joy, we saw clashes of warriors that would surely be a matter of ease for the bards to sing. In our 12000 year old history of Westeros, several great duels have taken place that, in all their bloodiness, are a spectacle for the eyes. Fights that inspired hundreds of songs, duels that created stories and legends of the knights’ splendor – Stories that boosted children’s morale when their muscles betrayed them at practice; knights whose names made the Ladies of Westeros blush as they heard their stories of valor.
Thanks to George R. R. Martin, we have had excellent lore. Here is a list of ten duels that you just have to know about and we need to see on the TV screens. Let’s hope Bran’s flashbacks of Game of Thrones’ spinoff series gives us some of these!

 

10. Bael the Bard vs Brandon Stark

“And she never sung you the song o’ the winter rose? The maid loved Bael so dearly she bore him a son, the song says… though if truth be told, all the maids love Bael in them songs he wrote. Be that as it may, what’s certain is that Bael left the child in payment for the rose he’d plucked unasked, and that the boy grew to be the next Lord Stark. So there it is—you have Bael’s blood in you, same as me.” – Ygrrite

As legendary as a tale can get. The old story of the King-beyond-the-Wall, Bael the Bard has been a matter of pride for the Free Folk since ages. The story goes – Brandon Stark of Winterfell called Bael a coward. In order to prove himself, Bael crossed the wall, and entered Winterfell under the guise of Sygerrick of Skagos. Impressed by his singing skills, Lord Brandon gave him a blue winter rose on his asking. Next morning, the virgin daughter of Lord Brandon was missing and her bed was decorated with those gifted blue winter roses, only to come back months later with an infant. This son, also named Brandon, the bastard of Bael was named Lord of Winterfell as House Stark would have been extinct otherwise. 30 years later, when Bael led his armies south of the wall, he encountered his son in a duel. Unable to kill his son, Bael let Brandon kill him in single combat. The old Brandon’s daughter, mother of the current Lord committed suicide on knowing about Bael’s death.

9. Donal Noye vs Mag the Mighty

“A one-armed smith slew Mag the Mighty? Har! That must o’ been a fight to see. Mance will make a song of it, see if he don’t … To Donal Noye, and Mag the Mighty.” – Tormund.

This duel was one of the greatest moments in the Battle for Castle Black in Book 3: A Storm of Swords. As Donal Noye is cut from the TV show Game of Thrones, it was replaced with six Night’s Watch members, including Grenn fighting Mag, the giant. However, Donal Noye, the one handed smith who had forged King Robert’s warhammer that breached the crowned Prince Rhaegar’s chest, duelling a 20 feet giant to death is surely a miracle for the modern world. He managed to impale the giant in his neck with his sword after getting his spine crushed and eventually dying as a result of it. Jon’s toast to Mance in Donal’s honor simply gives chills to the reader and certainly a big thing that the show missed.

8. Ser Barristan Selmy vs Maelys the Monstrous

“Slew Maelys the Monstrous, the last of the Blackfyre Pretenders, in the War of Ninepenny Kings.” – Written in the White Book about Ser Barristan Selmy.

A threat that lingered over the Targeryans for years… A family that waged war against the Iron Throne five times… Give it to Barristan Selmy, the most hardcore Kingsguard that ever lived, and he’ll end your worries for you. In the War of Ninepenny Kings (the fifth Blackfyre Rebellion), Ser Barristan Selmy, Kingsguard to King Jaeherys II, fought in single combat and slew Maelys the Monstrous, the last of the Blackfyre pretenders, finally putting an end to House Blackfyre, the family born out of the seed of Aegon IV, one of the worst kings that ever lived.

7. Prince Aemon the Dragonknight vs Ser Morgil Hastwyck

“Every child in Westeros knows how Prince Aemon the Dragonknight championed his sister Queen Naerys against Ser Morghil’s accusations.” – Cersei Lannister

A famous story that inspired many songs around Westeros, the tale of how Prince Aemon, alias the Dragonknight, defending his sister’s honor against the harsh accusations of adultery and treason put forth by Ser Morgil Hastwyck is a well known amongst the royalty and the commoners. Prince Aemon had slew Ser Morgil in the trial by combat. A sweet story of how a Knight of the Kingsguard protected his sister’s, his queen’s and his love’s honor against an evil that faced her is as iconic as it sounds.

6. Daemon Blackfyre vs Ser Gwayne Corbray

“The finest and greatest of the Blackfyre Pretenders was the natural son of Daena Targeryan, sister, betrothed and wife of Baelor the Blessed.” – George R. R. Martin on Daemon Blackfyre

As glorious and epic as a songs and stories can get. One knight, a sworn brother of the Kingsguard, bound by honor to protect his king. The second, the reincarnation of ‘The Warrior’ himself, the holy figure from the Faith of the Seven. Lord Corbray, the gallant knight held up his family’s ancestral Vayrian steel sword ‘Lady Forlon’. Daemon Blackfyre had to keep up the honor of the Targeryan ancestral sword ‘Blackfyre’, the sword in honor of which he named his family. In that Battle of the Redgrass Field, Ser Gwayne Corbray faced defeat. Daemon Blackfyre, after defeating him, protected the wounded Lord Corbray and let his men carry it off the field, an act of mercy and honor. HBO, you have to show us this fight!

5. Bittersteel vs Bloodraven

“He died defeated and alone, a broken man in a foreign land.” – Jon Connigton

“Bittersteel was half dragon and all bastard.” – Arianne Martell

“The mother marked Lord Rivers on the day he was born, and Bittersteel marked him again on the Redgrass Field.” Septon Sefton.

The Battle of the Great Bastards. Two baseborn, sprouted out of the seed of the same evil king Aegon IV, loved their half sister Shiera Seastar, causing animosity between them. This hatred took form of a fight in the Battle of the Redgrass Field, occuring soon after the death of Daemon Blackfyre and his sons under the hands of Bloodraven – Brynden Rivers (now the Three-Eyed Raven) and his company of bowmen – the Raven’s Teeth. Bittersteel – Aegor Rivers, furious over the deaths of his brother and nephews, charged right at Bloodraven and cost him his eye. Bittersteel then fled Westeros after the war was lost and founded the Golden Company and stayed a nuisance for the Crown for a long time. The tale of enmity of two bastard brothers over love, culminating into a battle is a horrific one. The wrath of Bittersteel was well acknowledged in the Seven Kingdoms and the Golden Company took his name in their motto – Beneath the Gold, the Bittersteel. Bloodraven, on the other hand, for killing his brother came to be known as a Kinslayer.

4. Lyonel Baratheon vs Ser Duncan the Tall

One of the most famous songs in Westeros – Jenny’s song – a song about Jenny of Oldstones gave us one of the most iconic duels of all time. Lord Lyonal Baratheon’s daughter was promised to Prince Duncan, son of Aegon V, however, when Prince Duncan chose to marry Jenny of Oldstones, Lyonel felt House Baratheon was insulted. In rage, he declared himself the Storm King and renounced his fealty to the Iron Throne. This led to a trial by combat where Lyonel Baratheon – The Laughing Storm fought the King’s Champion, Ser Duncan the Tall, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. The duel between the Laughing Storm and the Gallows Knight was a beauty rather than a horror. Two fine knights fought their best and the duel ended with Lyonel Baratheon yeilding to Ser Duncan. The result followed Prince Duncan renouncing his claim to the Throne and Aegon V’s youngest daughter was bethroded to the heir to Storm’s end, Ormund Baratheon. (Thus making Robert Baratheon cousin to Rhaegar, Viserys and Daenerys Targeryan).

3. Ser Arthur Dayne vs the Smiling Knight

“The Mountain of my childhood, half as big and twice as mad.” – Jaime Lannister

“I learned from Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, the man who could have slain the five of you with his left hand while he was taking a piss from his right.” – Jaime Lannister

A fairly modern tale which we read about in Jaime’s POV chapters. He remembers this incident as one of the fondest memories of his childhood. The deadliest Kingsguard and the finest knight that ever lived – Ser Arthur Dayne fought and slew the infamous Smiling Knight. After a brief duel with Jaime, the Smiling Knight fought Arthur Dayne. Thanks to the formidable sword ‘Dawn’ of House Dayne, forged out of a fallen star, the Smiling Knight’s sword had many notches. Ser Arthur simply stood back so that his foe can change his sword. The Smiling Knight said, “It’s that white sword of yours that I want.” Ser Arthur, cool as he always was, replied, “Then you shall have it Ser.” In the next hit, the Smiling Knight was slain.

2. Robert Baratheon vs Rhaegar Targeryan

“In my dreams, I kill him every night. A thousand deaths will be less than he deserves.” – Robert Baratheon.

The turning point of the War of the Usurper; the death of the Last Dragon; the moment that ensured the Fall of the Dragons; no words can ever do justice to this iconic duel. Rhaegar Targeryan, the crowned Prince, bound by honor to his Throne, bound by duty towards his love fought Robert Baratheon, whose rage was simply targetted at the Prince who stole his love from him. The clash of Rage and Love at the climax of the Battle of the Trident ended with Rage triumphant and the dragon fallen in the red river, his ribs broken by the punch of the massive warhammer of the Stormlord. The air around filled with the sweet voice of Rhaegar as he whispered, “Lyanna” and the roar of the stag as he stood high over his fallen foe.

1. Daemon Targeryan vs Aemond Targeryan (Battle above the God’s Eye)

“Over centuries, House Targeryan has produced great men and monsters. Daemon Targeryan was both.” – Archmaester Gyldayn

Daemon: Were I alone, you would not have come.
Aemond: Yet you are, and here I am. You have lived too long, uncle.
Daemon: On that much we agree.

The most iconic aerial duel that took place during the Dance of the Dragons. Aemond Targeryan, the one eyed Prince of the Seven Kingdoms had been causing havoc in the Riverlands, seated on his dragon Vhagar, who had been the second largest dragon to ever breathe. Daemon Targeryan, the Rogue Prince, his uncle was determined to finish the largest dragon in the war. For thirteen days, he waited at Harrenhal and at dusk of the fourteenth, the dragon’s roar filled the skies. He glared up the sky with his dragon Caraxes as Aemond circled the skies with his love Alys Rivers. As Aemond landed, he faced his uncle to exchange their last words. Soon, Daemon mounted Caraxes and Aemond, after a long passionate kiss to Alys, mounted Vhagar. The duel was a sight to see. A best gift the eyes could recieve. The skies had turned red as the sun began to set its warmth aside, but the skies still had fire in them, red as their color. The roars were heard from miles away. The flames were so bright that the smallfolk felt the sky was on fire. Caraxes, who was half the size of Vhagar quickly stirred up the skies and his foe, old and heavy followed with its own pace. Then a sudden blaze appeared and Caraxes swooped in, locking his jaws into Vhagar’s long neck. The mighty dragon tore Caraxes wings and cut its belly open. The death grip firmed and both dragons went circling down with huge velocities. Daemon, who had never fixed his saddle, in the moment of utmost desperation to kill his foe, jumped off his dragon and took a leap at Vhagar. Mid air, he drew his Valyrian steel sword – Dark Sister and plunged it into the empty eye socket of Prince Aemond. Blood rained over the God’s Eye lake and soon the dragons fell, like falling stars from the skies. The water shot up so high, it went uptil the Kingspyre Tower at Harrenhal. Thus ended the life of Vhagar, the last dragon from the War of Conquest.

 

Thank You for reading. Feel free to comment.

–N