Brienne of Tarth

Brienne was considered extremely unattractive by those around her, and she was accustomed to hearing comments about her ugliness. She had a flat, coarse-featured face, an overly wide mouth, crooked, protruding teeth, and a nose that had been broken more than once. The skin on her face and hands was covered in freckles, and her hair was straw-colored. Catelyn Stark, upon first seeing her, was filled with pity—"Is there a more unfortunate creature in the world than an ugly woman?"

Brienne is quite tall. She's large even for a man, and for a woman, she's simply enormous. When asked about Brienne's height, Martin said she's well over six feet tall, but under seven; she's taller than both Renly and Jaime, and much bulkier than both, but far shorter than Gregor Clegane, a true giant. She's shorter than Hodor and Greatjon Umber, slightly shorter than the Hound, and perhaps about the same height as Robert Baratheon. In the books, however, Brienne is mentioned to be a good four inches taller than Renly Baratheon, who was said to be as tall as Robert.

Brienne has a build that would do credit to many men—broad hips, steep, muscular shoulders, thick arms and legs, and a nearly flat chest. Her hands and feet are enormous; Jaime Lannister thought she had "hands as big as Gregor Clegane's," the largest man ever to appear in fiction; her shoulders are broader and her neck thicker than Jaime's own. In the baths at Harrenhal, Jaime was amused by Brienne's attempts to cover herself: "the buds [of breasts] she was so careful to hide would have seemed more at home on the frail figure of a teenage girl than on her thick, muscular body." These features—likely a hormonal imbalance—were evident in Brienne as a child; she had always been larger than other children. In 292 AC, when 18-year-old Ronnet Connington came to Tarth Castle to woo her, the "clumsy 20-year-old" Brienne was as tall as him; "Her breasts were too small, her arms and legs too large." Ronnet Connington himself, r

This is the core of her character. Brienne believes in chivalric ideals—loyalty, duty, protecting the weak—while most "true" knights in Westeros have long since forgotten them. Her honor is not ostentatious, but comes from the depths of her soul. She is willing to die for her word, even if that word is given not to her, but to her lord (as in the case of Catelyn Stark).

Brienne is the perfect vassal. Her loyalty is not blind, but boundless. She serves not for profit, but out of a sense of duty and respect for those who saw her as a person, not a monstrosity:

· Renly Baratheon: She truly loved him as a kind and noble ruler, and his death was a terrible trauma for her. · Catelyn Stark: Catelyn was the first to truly trust her with an important mission and appreciate her honor. · Sansa and Arya Stark: Her quest to find Catelyn's daughters becomes her main goal, almost an obsession, because it is her oath.

Beneath the armor and stern exterior lies a vulnerable girl who has suffered from ridicule and rejection all her life.

· Appearance Complex: She was constantly teased as "Brienne the Beauty" and mocked for her masculine appearance. This toughened her up, but left deep scars. She finds it hard to believe that anyone would see her as a woman or even just a friend. · Longing for acceptance: Her deep need to be needed, to be part of something noble, drives many of her actions.

Beneath the armor and stern exterior lies a vulnerable girl who has suffered from ridicule and rejection all her life.

· Appearance Complex: She was constantly teased as "Brienne the Beauty" and mocked for her masculine appearance. This toughened her up, but left deep scars. She finds it hard to believe that anyone would see her as a woman or even just a friend. · Longing for acceptance: Her deep need to be needed, to be part of something noble, drives many of her actions.

Brienne is a tragic figure because her greatest weapon—honor—often proves useless or even dangerous in the cynical and cruel world of Westeros. She is constantly deceived and exploited, but she refuses to become equally cynical. This makes her a symbol of hope and the preservation of humanity in the hell of war.

She doesn't know how or want to play political games, flatter, or intrigue. Her directness sometimes borders on naivety, but this is a consequence of her honest nature.