Sandor Clegane

Sandor Clegane
A Song of Ice and Fire character

Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane
First appearance Novel:
A Game of Thrones (1996)
Television:
"Winter Is Coming" (2011)
Last appearance Novel:
A Feast for Crows (2005)
Television:
"The Children" (2014)
Created by George R. R. Martin
Portrayed by Rory McCann
Game of Thrones
Information
Aliases The Hound
Dog
Family House Clegane
Relatives Gregor Clegane (brother)
Nationality Westeros

Sandor Clegane, nicknamed The Hound, is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation Game of Thrones.

Introduced in 1996's A Game of Thrones, Sandor is the younger brother of Ser Gregor Clegane, from the fictional kingdom of Westeros. He subsequently appeared in Martin's A Clash of Kings (1998), A Storm of Swords (2000) and A Feast for Crows (2005).

Sandor Clegane is portrayed by Rory McCann in the HBO television adaptation.[1]

Character description

Sandor Clegane, known as the Hound, is a retainer to House Lannister and the younger brother of Gregor Clegane. He is regarded as one of the most dangerous and skilled fighters in Westeros. His face is distinguished by gruesome burn scars, which he received as a child when his brother pushed his head into a brazier. Consequently, he fears fire and hates his brother. He is also scornful of knight's vows, as his brother is a knight. He is described as a tormented man driven by anger and hate, aspiring only to kill his brother.

Overview

Sandor Clegane is not a point of view character in the novels, so his actions are witnessed and interpreted through the eyes of other people, such as Arya Stark. Sandor is mostly a background character in the novels.[2]

Reception

The Scottish actor Rory McCann has received positive reviews for his role as Sandor Clegane in the tv-series.[3]

Storylines

In the books

In A Game of Thrones, he acts as bodyguard and servant to Prince Joffrey Baratheon, who calls him Dog. He is named a knight of Joffrey's Kingsguard in A Clash of Kings and is often assigned to guard Sansa, trying to protect her from Joffrey's abuse. He flees King's Landing during the Battle of the Blackwater, due to the widespread use of wildfire, a fictional substance similar to Greek fire.

In A Storm of Swords, he is captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners which sentences him to trial by combat. Sandor prevails and is set free. He later kidnaps Arya to ransom her to her brother Robb Stark and hopes to earn a place in Robb's service. He takes her to the Twins, where Robb is attending a wedding. However, just as they arrive, the Freys are slaughtering the Starks. Sandor and Arya escape. They encounter three of Gregor's men at an inn, and Sandor is seriously injured in the ensuing fight. Arya abandons him to his apparent death.[4] He is mentioned a few times in A Feast for Crows (2005), where the Elder Brother mentions to Brienne of Tarth that he found Sandor, who is now "at rest". However, the appearance of a mute gravedigger who matches Sandor physically and the Elder Brother's refusal to confirm if Sandor is dead imply that he may still be alive. He is also mentioned in A Dance with Dragons (2011).

In the show

In Season 1, Clegane served as the personal bodyguard of Joffrey Baratheon for many years, frequently chafing under Joffrey's sadistic whims yet always following orders. The Hound is taciturn, brutal, and frequently callous, but not completely without compassion. In Season 2, he joined the Kingsguard when Joffrey took the Iron Throne, but deserted his post during the Battle of the Blackwater.

In Season 3, Clegane leaves King's Landing only to be captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners. He wins his freedom after a trial by combat against Beric Dondarrion. Upon his release, he captures Arya Stark, intending to ransom her to a wealthy relative.

In Season 4, Sandor and Arya meet Brienne of Tarth and her squire, Podrick Payne, who have been on a quest to find the Stark sisters. After successfully hiding from Brienne and Podrick, Arya found The Hound beaten and with his leg broken, suffering from his infected neck and the fall from the cliff. Arya takes his coins from him before walking away, leaving him to die. After that, his fate is unknown.[5]

TV adaptation

Sandor Clegane is played by Rory McCann in the television adaption of the series of books.[6]

References

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