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

Life And Death:

Once the Lord of Bear Island, Jeor Mormont abdicated his position so that his son Jorah could rule and left his home to take the black. He rose quickly through the ranks of the Night’s Watch and was named their 997th Lord Commander, but, in a moment of Jon Snow foreshadowing, Lord Commander Mormont was stabbed to death by his supposed-brothers of the Night’s Watch.

As Mormont and his troops retreated from the Fist of the First Men in season 3 they sought refuge in Craster’s Keep, though an argument over the wildling’s daughter-wives ended with Jeor being stabbed in the back by traitorous crow and rapist, Rast.

Why He Was Important:

When Jorah Mormont was exiled for selling slaves, he took everything he had apart from the sword his father had given him, which he was too ashamed to call his own. Longclaw, a Mormont family heirloom, was a Valyrian steel sword, and, having no other sons to leave it to, Jeor gave it to Jon Snow after he saved him from a wight.

Without his Valyrian steel, Jon’s life – along with the lives of the thousands of Free Folk he was fighting to evacuate – would have been lost at Hardhome. Snow was able to slay a White Walker during the battle, and you can guarantee that Longclaw will come in handy for the recently reanimated Jon as he leaves the Wall and begins to adjust to life outside of the Watch.