History Characters / ASongOfIceAndFireEssosSlaversBay

** In Meereen, though she exacts punishment on the Great Masters, it is mostly symbolic and only fuels the hatred to the aristocracy against her. Allowing them to keep their property--lands, pyramids, ships--leaves them with the means to fund the Sons of the Harpy; while allowing them to keep wearing their traditional symbols of power--such as the ''tokar'' or their hairstyles--provides the Sons with the means to identify the targets of their "shadow war"--as the masters have no racial distinctiveness.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: It's unclear if he was in Astapor when i fell, and what happened to him if he wasn't.

* WouldHurtAChild: He constantly insists Daenerys should execute the hostages she took from the noble families in Meereen to send a message to the Sons of the Harpy and is constantly frustrated when she refuses, pointing out constantly that her enemies now know her threats are worthless.

* CunningLinguist: He's fluent in four languages, including High Valyrian.
* CurtainsMatchTheWindows: He has both purple eyes and purple hair.
* HappinessInSlavery: Sweets is actually fond of his gargantuan master.

* BringMyBrownPants: Soils himself when Drogan sets his tokar on fire.

* FauxAffablyEvil: Acts polite and reasonable when first talking with Daenerys, but quickly drops the act after she has Drogan set his tokar on fire.

* OnlyKnownByHisNickname: His real name is unknown.

* OnlyKnownByHerNickname: And it's a damn unflattering one; she's known as Queen Whore.

* OnlyKnownByHisNickname: His true name is never mentioned.

* AwesomeButImpractical: His long lance makes it easy for Belwas to evade his charges.

* HonorBeforeReason: Other characters mention he could easily have ridden Belwas down if he wasn't so obsessed with using his lance.

* TheHero: To the Meereenese that oppose Daenerys' regime.

* TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard: King of Meereen, Scion of Ghis, Octarch of the Old Empire, Master of the Skahazadhan, Consort to Dragons, and Blood of the Harpy.

* ImAHumanitarian: Devours the hearts of the men he kills. He believes it gives him their strength. [[spoiler: Barristan kills him with [[DeathByIrony a sword thrust to the heart]].]

* WidowWoman: Most of the House of Pahl who remain in Meereen are widows who lost their husbands when Daenerys attacked the city and now have naught to do but plot revenge.

* FantasyCounterpartCulture: They are reminiscent of other ancient Phoenician city-states, particularly Tyre and Sidon at least in architectural style.

* WeaponOfChoice: A Dothraki ''arakh''. This hurts him during his duel with Barristan, as it is too long for use indoors and isn't meant to pierce armour.

* FantasyConflictCounterpart: Dany's attempts to institute abolition while facing revolt internally within Slaver's Bay is similar to Reconstruction after UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar, complete with a new class of former ruling class who cast off all trappings of their old culture, earning a derisive nickname ("Shavepate" // "Scalywag"), freedmen choosing new names and identities, and terrosist attacks by Old Regime loyalists ("Sons of the Harpy" // "Ku Klux Klan"), while Dany tries her best to mediate and compromise between both sides and rolling back her initial radicalism to appease both groups, falling into a GoldenMeanFallacy.

* PoisonousFriend: He's probably loyal to Daenerys, but ruthless tactics have only served to give the Harpy more Sons.

* PatrioticFervor: His reason not to sell half-trained Unsullied is because he fears they would bring shame to Astapor. Daenerys offering a dragon quickly ends his objections.

* ArmorIsUseless: Learns that this is very much not the case in this series. [[In fact, Barristan's armor is all that allows him to take down the younger, faster, stronger pit fighter.]]

* NiceShoes: Through his messenger, he gifts Daenerys a pair of gilded leather slippers decorated with green freshwater pearls.

* {{Foil}}: He is essentially the Littlefinger of Slaver's Bay, having an experience with intrigue that Ser Barristan compares to the former denizens of King's Landing.
** He's also the Slaver's Bay equivalent of Tywin Lannister -- an unsmiling, bald politician who is noted for his brutally pragmatic approach to political problems (aka: Heads. Spikes. Walls.)