Game of Thrones’ Suicide Squad Have a Lot of Grudges

Wow – what a screwball crew Jon Snow (Kit Harington) ended up with at the end of the Game of Thrones episode “Eastwatch.” This rather unmagnificent seven (well, some of them are awesome) wound up on a Daenerys-sanctioned mission to capture a Wight and bring it to King’s Landing – to definitively prove once and for all that the White Walker threat is real and everybody needs to work together to stop them.

What could possibly go wrong?

Jon left after sharing some not-insignificant looks with Dany and bonding with Drogon — which probably should have tipped Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) off that there’s something different about him — and gathered his team. Fortunately for Jon, the group includes some of the fiercest warriors in all of Westeros, like the Hound, Tormund, and Ser Jorah Mormont, who barely stopped to clock-in before volunteering for probably the most dangerous mission of all time.

Anyway, there’s no denying that the writers contrived this roster of fighters, peppering the group with people who largely despise each other. But it’ll be a blast to watch. Because basically, what we have now is the Westeros version of Suicide Squad. Here’s a guide to who’s on the team.

Tormund Giantsbane

Tormund (Kristofer Hivju) has seemingly made peace with the Night’s Watch – or, as his people called them, the Crows. He’s become a valued and loyal friend to his former enemy Jon Snow (and a fan-favorite character). But namedrop “Mormont,” and all those old grudges come rushing right back to the surface. Jeor Mormont, the “great man” and Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch who preceded and mentored Jon Snow, was responsible for the deaths of many Free Folk north of the Wall.

Bygones may be both by and gone, but Tormund isn’t quite ready to forgive and forget the man who hunted down his people. And he appears to be more than willing to pass that grudge down to the deceased Lord Commander’s estranged son, Jorah.

Aside from Jon, Tormund’s never met any of the other members of the team before now, so there are no other conflicts brewing to speak of.

Ser Jorah Mormont

Having spent something like 99% of his time on Game of Thrones across the sea in Essos, Jorah (Iain Glen) has never met any of these folks before, aside from Thoros of Myr – a fellow former knight. How well they knew each other isn’t likely to be addressed, but it doesn’t matter. Face it: at this point, Jorah’s just happy to be here.

After falling out with Daenerys a while back because he’d been spying on her when they first met (a covert mission he quickly abandoned, but never confessed to) the Mother of Dragons banished him, only for Jorah to eventually return and save her life. It took a second rescue to finally get her to come around (those Targaryens aren’t exactly fast with forgiveness), but by then he’d been infected with Greyscale – a deadly and contagious disease with no known cure.

Back at the Citadel in Westeros, his life was saved via an excruciating operation performed by Samwell Tarly (John Bradley). He’d been ready to give up and end his life when he was given a second chance, and Dany welcomed him back with open arms, giving him a new lease on life.

Tormund may not be his biggest fan, but Jorah no personal beef with the big redhead. That said, he’s probably not super comfortable with all the comparisons he keeps getting to his old man, whom he’d disappointed by engaging in the dishonorable practice of selling slaves.

Gendry

He’s alive! Last seen rowing a boat way back in Game of Thrones‘ third season, Robert Baratheon’s only known surviving bastard son is still alive and well. And apparently, he’s been waiting for adventure to come calling. In this case, that adventure is delivered from Davos Seaworth, and his sworn leader, Jon Snow.

Unfortunately for Gendry (Joe Dempsie), who was awfully quick to sign up for some seriously hardcore danger, Jon Snow decides to let two members of the Brotherhood Without Banners join the mission as well – and Gendry has major bad blood with those guys. Back in season 3, he (and Arya Stark) were under the protection of the Brotherhood when Melisandre arrived and bought Gendry from them. She then took him back to Dragonstone and tortured and nearly killed him for one of her kooky rituals that required “king’s blood.”

Davos helped him escape, but being sold by people you trusted to someone who tries to kill you tends to leave a bad taste in your mouth.