Sam may have successfully slain a White Walker, but that doesnt mean hes well-prepared to take on his fellow brothers of the Nights Watch. As Albus Dumbledore observed, in that other fantasy world full of magic and dragons: It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. Samwell Tarly goes full-on Neville Longbottom here, doing his best to protect Gilly from her attackers. He gets a bit of an ass-kicking for his efforts, at least until Ghost shows up, but its a scene that shows hes that rare thing in this world: a character who wants to do the right thing, even when theres nothing in it for him, and it brings to light his development since he first arrived at the Wall as a craven.
NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far.
A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.
