Gendry
Gendry is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its HBO television adaptation Game of Thrones, where the character is portrayed by English actor Joe Dempsie.
First appearing in A Game of Thrones, Gendry is a blacksmith apprentice in King's Landing, and an unacknowledged bastard of King Robert Baratheon. He subsequently appeared in A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords and A Feast for Crows. After Queen Cersei Lannister orders the execution of all of King Robert's bastards, Gendry is forced to flee King's Landing alongside Arya Stark under the protection of Yoren, a recruiter for the Night's Watch. He later joins the outlaw group Brotherhood Without Banners and is knighted by its leader Beric Dondarrion, and becomes a follower of the foreign religion R'hllor.
Character description
Gendry was born in the slums of King's Landing after Robert Baratheon overthrew the Targaryen Dynasty, and is one of the sixteen bastard children fathered by the new king after Robert's Rebellion ended. Through Robert, he is a biological nephew to King Stannis and Renly Baratheon, and a first cousin to Stannis' daughter Princess Shireen, the heiress of House Baratheon on Dragonstone and Stannis' claim to the Iron Throne. Through Robert's grandmother Princess Rhaelle Targaryen, King Aegon V's youngest daughter, Gendry is actually also a second cousin to Rhaegar, Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen.Gendry is 14 years old when introduced in the first book. He is portrayed as tall and very muscled, with blue eyes and thick black hair, very similar to his biological father Robert in youth, and Eddard Stark recognized him as Robert's son immediately upon meeting the boy. Gendry also looks hauntingly like a younger version of Renly Baratheon, though with a squarer jaw, bushier brows and tangled hair, but resembles his biological uncle enough that for a moment Brienne of Tarth almost mistook him for the deceased Renly. Gendry is an intelligent boy despite being born into poverty, but is also stubborn, sullen, suspicious, easily confused and shy around women, and Arya Stark commented that he looks "pained" when he tries to think.
Despite being one of the only four surviving biological children of King Robert at the end of the second book, Gendry never knew who his father was, though he did see Robert from afar multiple times and was once nearly trampled by a drunken Robert's horse while playing near the city gate. His mother was reported to have been an alehouse worker who died when Gendry was still a young boy, and all he remembers of her was that she had blonde hair. Later on, Tobho Mott, a master armourer from Qohor working in King's Landing, was offered double the customary fee by a "lord" with concealed identity to take Gendry in as a smith apprentice, but accepted him for free after being impressed by the boy's physique. Gendry turns out to be a talented blacksmith, and likes to spend time polishing a bull head helmet that he proudly made for himself, which earned him the nickname "Bull" by fellow orphan boy Lommy Greenhands.
Storylines
Gendry is not a point of view character in the novels, and his actions are witnessed and interpreted primarily through the eyes of Arya Stark, as well as some descriptions from Eddard Stark and Brienne of Tarth. He has by far the most story arc out of King Robert's children.''A Game of Thrones''
In his investigation about the death of Jon Arryn, Eddard Stark meets several people who had met with Arryn shortly before his death. One of them is Gendry, who was sought by both Jon Arryn and Stannis Baratheon. Eddard immediately recognizes Gendry as a bastard child of King Robert Baratheon, and tells Tobho Mott that if Gendry ever shows interest in military service, he is to be sent directly to Eddard. Gendry has shown promise as a blacksmith and made a helmet in the shape of a bull head. Eddard compliments the helmet, offering to purchase it, but Gendry refuses, to the embarrassment of his master.''A Clash of Kings''
After King Robert's death and Eddard Stark's political fall and eventual public execution, Varys makes arrangements for the Night's Watch recruiter Yoren to take Gendry to the Wall in order to protect him from Queen Cersei's purge. Gendry travels north with Yoren and thirty other recruits including Lommy Greenhands, Hot Pie and a disguised Arya Stark. Not far from King's Landing they are stopped by several Gold Cloaks from the City Watch, who demand that Yoren give up Gendry as he is wanted by Queen Cersei. Yoren refuses, and threatens off the Gold Cloaks with his recruits.Later, near an abandoned holdfast by the God's Eye lake, the recruits are attacked by Lannister soldiers led by Ser Amory Lorch. Yoren is killed in the fight, and Gendry along with Arya, Lommy and Hot Pie escape the burning holdfast through a secret tunnel. Whilst on a reconnaissance run with Arya, Gendry confronts her about her true gender and identity. He eventually has the truth out of her and is subsequently embarrassed by how crass he had spoken to her when she was in fact a highborn lady. Gendry is later captured by Ser Gregor Clegane's soldiers, but is spared from death since his metalworking skill is useful as a slave laborer. After Lannister man-at-arms Rafford kills the injured Lommy, they are taken to Harrenhal, where Gendry works as a smith. When Arya decides to escape from Harrenhal, however, she persuades Gendry and Hot Pie to join her.
''A Storm of Swords''
While wandering around the Riverlands looking for the direction of Riverrun, Arya, Gendry and Hot Pie are captured by the Brotherhood without Banners, led by a resurrected Beric Dondarrion. At the Peach brothel in Stoney Sept, Gendry declines the seductive advance by Bella, but later argues with Arya out of jealousy because she was talking to Beric's squire Edric Dayne, who claims to be Jon Snow's milk brother. Gendry is later impressed with Thoros of Myr's description of the ideals of the brotherhood, and decides to join them. He is knighted by Beric, thus becoming Ser Gendry, knight of the hollow hill.''A Feast for Crows''
While questing to find Sansa Stark, Brienne of Tarth encounters Gendry working as a smith at the Inn at the Crossroads along with a group of orphans, and is struck by his resemblance to the late Renly Baratheon. At the inn, Brienne encounters and duels with Rorge, killing him, only to be savaged by Biter; Gendry saves Brienne's life by driving a spear through Biter's neck. He then takes Brienne and her squire Podrick Payne to the Brotherhood's new leader, the resurrected Catelyn Stark, now known as Lady Stoneheart.Family tree of House Baratheon
TV adaptation
Gendry is played by Joe Dempsie in the television adaption of the series of books. Explaining how he got cast for the role:When I was cast as Gendry, I didn't have any of the physical attributes the part required. I was astounded that I got the role, to be honest. But David and Dan said, "We need to dye his hair black... and it'd be great you hit the gym before we start filming." So I was told to get in shape.
Dempsie has received positive reviews for his performance as Gendry in the television series. He and the rest of the cast were nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2014.