8 Dead Game Of Thrones Characters You Forgot Existed (And Why They're Important)

Life And Death:

Yoren joined the Night’s Watch to avoid arrest after killing a man and was given the job of wandering crow, a travelling recruiter who scours the Seven Kingdoms looking for those that are either willing to defend the Wall out of honour or are simply in need of a way to escape persecution.

After travelling to King’s Landing to search the dungeons for new recruits, Yoren’s caravan is confronted by Ser Amory Lorch and a number of Lannister men looking for a bastard boy named Gendry. Despite their numbers, Yoren tells the men that his recruits belong to the Night’s Watch now and is ultimately killed for his defiance, but not before taking out a number of his attackers single-handedly.

Why He Was Important:

Yoren's years stationed in the North clearly gave him a soft spot for House Stark, as the recruiter went out of his way to help members of the family out in the first two seasons of the show. It was Yoren who warned Eddard Stark that his wife had arrested Tyrion Lannister for an attempt on Bran's life, allowing the Hand of the King to get his story straight before the knowledge became public.

When tensions between the Lannisters and the Starks ended up with Ned losing his head, Yoren was again there for a member of the latter family. As Ilyn Payne readied his sword, Arya Stark drew her own and attempted to rush to her father's aid, and it was Yoren who stopped her and smuggled her out of King's Landing as Arry the orphan boy. On the road, Yoren gave Arya the idea of reciting a kill list every night before he was slain defending her and his other recruits.