‘Game of Thrones’: Why Jaqen H’Ghar Could Have Possibly Been in King’s Landing
In the Game of Thrones universe, Jaqen H’Ghar (Tom Wlaschiha) is a mystery. Though Jaqen’s real reason for showing up in King’s Landing is unknown, some fans have theorized the possibilities.
Most people think Jaqen was hired by Robert Baratheon
Jaqen is a Lorathi criminal and member of the mysterious group called the Faceless Men — a troupe of assassins who disguise themselves with the faces of the dead. During season 1, Jaqen is taken prisoner in King’s Landing, but no one really knows why he’s in the south in the first place.
Many fans think he was there on behalf of King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy), awaiting assassination orders. At the time, Ned Stark (Sean Bean) was serving as the Hand of the King. He didn’t want anything to do with Robert’s plans to have Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) — the true heir to the Iron Throne — killed.
Some fans picked up on Robert’s small council’s mention of the Faceless Men, leading many to think Robert was the one who called on Jaqen to kill Daenerys, and then, when he didn’t want to listen, Ned. “When [Jaqen] finally got [to King’s Landing], he was probably given different orders to possibly kill somebody else (Ned Stark),” one fan shared on Reddit. “That could be the reason he waits in the Night’s Watch caravan. Ned was originally supposed to be in that caravan until Joffrey decided to change his mind.”
Other fans think Cersei hired Jaqen
After Ned discovered Cersei’s (Lena Headey) secret, she wanted him killed so that her relationship with her brother and her children’s illegitimate claim to the throne remained private. Some fans think Cersei rewrote Jaquen’s contract to make Ned the new target. This would explain how Jaqen ends up as part of the caravan heading toward The Wall, as he would have crossed paths with Ned if he were pardoned instead of executed.
Still, other fans think Cersei and Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) were responsible for bringing Jaqen to King’s Landing. “Jaime and Cersei would’ve sparked the discussion to get rid of Ned cleanly [and] hire a Faceless Man [to do it],” one Reddit user shared. “When [Jaqen] finally [arrives] and set[s] himself up to kill Ned (the reason he got himself captured and given to the Night’s Watch), his contract was brought to a swift and unexpected end by Joffrey, who, unaware of the plan, [had Ned executed].” Joffrey’s (Jack Gleeson) actions ultimately set the war in motion and relinquished Jaqen’s contract.
One fan thinks Jaqen was hired to kill Syrio
Some fans think Jaqen was in King’s Landing to kill the master sword fighter Syrio Forel (Miltos Yerolemou). Though Syrio’s reasons for being in the south are unknown, Ned puts him to use and hires him to train Arya (Maisie Williams). “Syrio was the head ‘royal’ guard of Braavos, so he probably made some enemies,” a Reddit user claims, adding: “[Jaqen] is in Kings Landing for some unexplained reason (100% sure it’s a contract). Syrio dies, and suddenly [Jaqen] has no reason to be there anymore gets captured despite his skill.”
Will we ever find out Jaqen’s role in all of this?
Fans are eager for clarity from George R.R. Martin’s The Winds of Winter. According to Inverse, Jaqen’s last appearance in the books was in A Feast for Crows, where he meets Samwell Tarly as Pate, a novice at the Citadel Sam is staying.
Unfortunately, it’s unclear when the final book will be released — or when fans will understand the origins of Jaqen H’Ghar.
