Melisandre
| House / Order | None (servant of R'hllor) |
|---|---|
| Race / Culture | Asshai'i |
| Status | Alive (as of A Dance with Dragons) |
| Origin | Asshai; Dragonstone; The Wall |
| Born | Unknown (apparently far older than she appears) |
| Died | |
| Weapon | Sorcery; shadow magic |
| Fate | At Castle Black, serving Stannis Baratheon's cause and watching the flames for Azor Ahai |
| Portrayed by | Carice van Houten |
Melisandre of Asshai, called the Red Woman, is a priestess of the fire god R'hllor, the Lord of Light, and a viewpoint character in a single chapter of A Dance with Dragons. A powerful and enigmatic sorceress, she attaches herself to Stannis Baratheon, whom she believes to be the prophesied savior Azor Ahai reborn, destined to wield the flaming sword Lightbringer against the coming darkness.
Melisandre's faith is absolute and her magic real but treacherous, and her certainty in her own visions leads her, and those who follow her, to terrible deeds in the name of the light.
Background
Melisandre comes from the distant, shadowed land of Asshai by the Shadow, where she was trained in the temple of R'hllor. She hints in her own chapter that she was once a slave child named Melony. She is far older than her youthful, beautiful appearance suggests, sustained by glamour and sorcery channeled through a ruby choker she wears at her throat. She crossed the world to find the champion of her prophecies and came to believe he was Stannis.
Biography
A Clash of Kings
Melisandre arrives at Dragonstone and converts Stannis's court to the worship of R'hllor, burning the idols of the Seven. She survives an attempt to poison her, the poison killing the old Maester Cressen instead while she is unharmed. She demonstrates her dark power most terribly by giving birth, in a sea cave, to a living shadow bearing Stannis's face, which murders his brother and rival Renly Baratheon.
A Storm of Swords
Convinced that king's blood holds great power, Melisandre uses leeches drawn from Robert Baratheon's bastard Gendry to curse three rival kings, Robb Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, and Balon Greyjoy, all of whom subsequently die. She presses Stannis to sacrifice Gendry's king's blood outright, but Davos Seaworth thwarts her by spiriting the boy away. She burns those who cling to the old gods.
A Dance with Dragons
Melisandre travels north with Stannis's cause to Castle Black. In her own viewpoint chapter, the reader learns her doubts: she sees true visions in the flames but constantly misreads them, searching for the face of Azor Ahai and instead seeing again and again the image of Jon Snow and "snow." She admits to herself that her glamours and "miracles" are often illusions, even as her genuine power is undeniable. She works to protect the wildling and Watch alliance and watches the fires for the war to come.
Character
Melisandre is a true believer, fanatically devoted to R'hllor and certain that she serves the light against an existential darkness. Her magic is real, shadowbinding, glamours, fire-visions, but her interpretations are fallible, and her zeal leads her to endorse murder and human sacrifice. She is one of the few characters whose private chapter reveals genuine doubt beneath the certainty: she fears her own errors even as she cannot stop acting on her visions.
Relationships
Melisandre's central relationship is her hold over Stannis Baratheon, whom she has cast as the hero of her prophecy. She is opposed at every turn by the skeptical, honest Davos Seaworth, who hates and fears her. By A Dance with Dragons, the flames increasingly turn her attention toward Jon Snow at the Wall.
Quotes
The night is dark and full of terrors.
There is power in king's blood.
In the television series
In HBO's Game of Thrones, Melisandre was portrayed by Carice van Houten. Her arc follows the novels, then continues beyond them: she removes her ruby choker to reveal her true ancient age, resurrects Jon Snow, pushes Stannis to burn Shireen alive, and finally dies at the Battle of Winterfell. None of these events have occurred in the books, where Melisandre remains at the Wall.