History Characters / ASongOfIceAndFireTheGoldenCompany

%%* OurFounder: See the oath of the Golden Company.

* ArcherArchetype: In addition to commanding the Golden Company's archers, he is a skilled one himself, wielding a goldenheart bow.

* BadassArmy: Not only due to their discipline and experience, but because they're a proper "combined arms" company with infantry, archers and crossbowmen, fully equipped and horses knights, scouts, miners and siege engineers as well as mounted ''elephant'' elements all trained to fight as a single strategic whole -- and, all have training to work with navy when available (see their various campaigns with pirates/ Ironborn elements). This avoids the CripplingOverSpecialization of other [[BadassArmy Badass Armies]] like the Unsullied or a [[ProudWarriorRace Dothraki]] ''[[TheHorde khalasar]]''.

* JerkassHasAPoint: He's not wrong when he counters Connington's [[NeverMyFault insistence that he did all he could to catch Robert]] by pointing out Tywin would have just burned Stony Sept (where Robert had gone to ground after his defeat at Ashford) to the ground to end Robert's Rebellion at a stroke.

* FightingForAHomeland: The ultimate goal of many of them. [[spoiler:One of the counterpoints to the "Blackfyre theory" of Aegon VI's origins, though admittedly a weak one, is that at this point they'll support any claimant that will let them go home to Westeros again, regardless of their colors or legitimacy.]]

%%* TheChick: By design.

PosthumousCharacter: long dead by the time the main series started.

* BlingOfWar: The members of the company, particularly the officers, keep their worldly wealth upon their person: jeweled swords, inlaid armour, heavy torcs, and fine silks. Officers also wear golden arm rings, one for each year of service. By Westerosi standards, this is exceptionally blingy for battle, although useful in ID-ing veterans either in combat or afterwards: wearing your potential ransom also speeds things up and ensures either a quick death for looting purposes or good treatment as a temporary prisoner rather than that afforded to an automatic new slave. By Essossi standards, the company aesthetic leans more towards "tastefully restrained and downright practical for all occasions". Which says an awful lot about Essos.

* {{Jerkass}}: Comes across this way, yes. It's hardly NiceGuy behaviour to continue to sacrifice your own relatives by the handful, when other options were available to make a living after the first losses should have made it clear how uphill a straight-up fight actually was.

* MeaningfulName: Bittersteel was a quite... bitter. Also, handy with a sword. And, wound up not getting what he wanted when he used might.

* PerpetualFrowner: By repute, he could have given Tywin Lannister decent competition in the flat-face department. Ironically, after having his skull dipped in gold, his expression is a permanent smile leading Jon Connington to make the folder quote about why Bittersteel is smiling.

%%* PosthumousCharacter: In the main series.

* ToxicFriendInfluence: It is rumoured both he and Ser Quentyn Ball convinced Daemon to claim the throne. And, more than just that one Blackfyre rose against the Iron Throne with his encouragement. Most died as a result.

* WarriorPrince: Was legitimised by his father, so became a prince ''after'' learning to be a warrior. Which... [[LoveRuinsTheRealm didn't exactly help matters]].
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: So, he (a legitimized, exiled Targaryen prince even without the surname, lest we forget) and Calla Blackfyre (exiled, rebel princess... ditto) were married decades before he died. Were they happy? Any kids? Grandkids? Great-grandkids? Boys? Dunno. Could prove to be somewhat important, though... [[spoiler: If anybody in Westeros wants to doubt Aegon "VI"'s identity and/or legitimacy, the mere ''possibility'' of him coming from Bittersteel's line of maybe-Blackfyre Dragons is ''certainly'' a very specific place they can point to to cast aspersions from, particularly as he ''does'' have both the Golden Company behind him and the classic Targaryen looks a little more incidental inbreeding and/or some Lyseni or Volantine mixing could certainly produce.]]

* DragonWithAnAgenda: [[spoiler:There is a faction of the Golden Company that wants to marry Aegon to Daenerys and invade Westeros as they originally intended because, first, he would be thought to be just a pretender otherwise; second, he might be a Blackfyre pretender and they are trying to hide this; and third, he is almost entirely unknown in Westeros and an alliance with Daenerys might bring some notoriety to his cause. Of course, the other faction is sick and tired of waiting for Daenerys and Ilyrio, so they start the invasion, regardless.]]

* {{Jerkass}}: Viserys once held a feast for the captains of the Golden Company in the hopes of winning their support in taking back the Iron Throne. Not only did they refuse his request, they laughed at him over it, something even Daenerys found incredibly cruel. [[spoiler:Neither Viserys or Daenerys were aware that the company were planning to put Aegon VI on the throne, although this might come back to bite them since it's another one of the many reasons why Daenerys wouldn't support Aegon's claim.]]

* BlingOfWar: The members of the company, particularly the officers, keep their worldly wealth upon their person: jeweled swords, inlaid armour, heavy torcs, and fine silks. Officers also wear golden arm rings, one for each year of service. By Westerosi standards, this is exceptionally blingy for battle, although useful in ID-ing veterans either in combat or afterwards: wearing your potential ransom also speeds things up and ensures either a quick death for looting purposes or good treatment as a temporary prisoner rather than than that afforded an automatic new slave. By Essossi standards, the company aesthetic leans more towards "tastefully restrained and downright practical for all occasions". Which says an awful lot about Essos.

* ConflictingLoyalty: [[spoiler:To Aegon Targaryen in ''ADWD'' and what it implies concerning his status; considering the fact that they spent a great deal of time trying to undermine the Targaryens to crown the Blackfyres in their stead casts a large enough shadow of a doubt as of the legitimacy of Aegon himself. Their allegiance to him can't help but carry strong overtones of him actually being a Blackfyre brand of Dragon in disguise.]]

* PoisonousFriend: It is rumoured both he and Ser Quentyn Ball convinced Daemon to claim the throne. And, more than just that one Blackfyre rose against the Iron Throne with his encouragement. Most died as a result.
-->''"Bitter his steel may have been, but worse was his tongue."''

[[folder:General]]

!!The Halfmaester

!!Duck

!!The Bastard of Cider Hall, the Brown Apple

-->-- '''thoughts of Jon Connington'''