Gendry

Biodata

Appearance

Gendry is a tall, muscular youth with a burly build and a face combining boyishness with toughness 18.

• Eyes: Clear blue 18.
• Hair: Thick and black 18.
• Height: Half a head taller than Davion 23.
• Work clothes: Coarse garments covered in coal dust when first introduced 18.

Personality

Davion considers Gendry honest, straightforward, and dependable. He is respectful toward customers and readily accepts responsibility for mistakes: believing he has ruined Davion’s commission, he apologizes and offers to work day and night to replace the armor before the tournament 18 23 24.

Despite his exceptional craftsmanship, Gendry dislikes smithing and longs for battlefield glory. He initially regards knighthood as the highest honor and Barristan Selmy as a living legend. Davion’s criticism of celebrated knights eventually makes him question whether his heroes deserve their reputations 25 43.

Gendry is inexperienced outside the smithy. He becomes visibly embarrassed during his first visit to a brothel and initially handles negotiations with hedge knights too cautiously. However, he follows instructions and adopts a firmer approach after Davion corrects him 25 27.

Abilities & Skills

Smithing and Armor Design

Tobho Mott describes Gendry’s craftsmanship as almost equal to his own. Gendry has mastered forging, shaping, and polishing, surpassing the master smiths of ordinary smithies 23 24.

• Full armor construction: Makes Davion’s custom silver-colored armor, incorporating overlapping pauldrons, articulated arm protection, reinforced gauntlets, and House Whent bat designs 23.
• Mobility-conscious design: Uses separate front-facing thigh plates and a short mail surcoat to avoid unnecessarily restricting movement 23 24.
• Limitation — weight judgment: Uses too much refined iron in Davion’s armor. Gendry can barely stand or walk while wearing it, though Davion’s extraordinary strength makes the weight manageable 22 23 24.

Armor Handling and Attendant Work

Gendry’s familiarity with armor and weapons is a principal reason Davion chooses him as an attendant 24.

• Assembles, fastens, removes, and carefully packs Davion’s complicated plate armor 24 25.
• Carries the armor chest and shield and leads Davion’s horse 25 26.
• Purchases camp accommodation, supplies a jousting lance, and collects a captured horse and lances 27 36 38.
• Provides ale and a towel after Davion’s match against Jaime Lannister 42.

History

Apprenticeship in King’s Landing

Gendry has worked under Tobho Mott since childhood. Although Mott values and sometimes praises his talent, Gendry grows weary of the repetitive, grueling work. When Davion visits the Street of Steel to commission tournament armor, Gendry greets him, brings him to Mott, and receives the four Gold Dragons paid for the order. Davion immediately recognizes him as one of Robert Baratheon’s bastards 18 23 25.

Mott entrusts the commission to Gendry, whose finished armor proves far heavier than intended. Gendry expects an angry response and offers to replace it, but Davion admires its appearance and insists on trying it. After Gendry and Mott help him dress, Davion demonstrates that he can fight and sprint in the armor without difficulty 22 23 24.

Becoming Davion’s Attendant

Impressed by Gendry’s deft handling of the armor, Davion offers him paid employment as an attendant. Gendry eagerly accepts, seeing service to an earl as an opportunity to pursue knighthood. Mott reluctantly agrees after Davion specifies that the arrangement will end when the Hand’s Tourney is over 24 25.

Davion’s interest is not purely practical: he also recognizes the future value of bringing Robert’s son into his service. After leaving the smithy, he takes Gendry to Shataya’s brothel and arranges his first encounter with a prostitute, Janna 24 25 26.

The Hand’s Tourney

Gendry accompanies Davion to the tournament grounds beside the Blackwater Rush. Tasked with finding a tent for one Gold Dragon, he first brings back Ser Koby, who uses the proposed sale to petition for employment. Davion refuses and reprimands Gendry. On his second attempt, Gendry adopts a more forceful manner and purchases a clean tent from an elderly hedge knight 26 27.

During the jousts, Gendry supplies Davion’s lance, retrieves the horse and lances won from Kalen Leygood, and attends him between matches. He is particularly excited by Davion’s victory over Jaime 36 38 42.

His admiration for Barristan leads him to challenge Davion’s refusal of knighthood. Davion responds by questioning Barristan’s successive allegiances, leaving Gendry doubting the perfection of the knights he idolizes. After Davion wins the championship, Gendry returns toward Shataya’s establishment with Tyrion and the women who attended the finals; Janna remains close beside him 43 44 45.

Relationships

• Davion Whent — Employer who recruits him for his practical skills while also recognizing the significance of his parentage. Gendry views his service as a possible route to knighthood 24 25.
• Tobho Mott — Master since childhood. Mott prizes Gendry’s craftsmanship but resents his eagerness to leave the smithy 23 24 25.
• Robert Baratheon — Biological father. Davion recognizes the connection, but no meeting or acknowledgment between father and son is shown in these chapters 18 25.
• Janna — Prostitute at Shataya’s establishment and Gendry’s first sexual partner; subsequently described as his sweetheart 26 45.
• Barristan Selmy — Knightly idol whose reputation Gendry defends before Davion challenges his understanding of loyalty 43.

Notable Quotes

“I’m willing! Young Lord Davion, I’m willing to be your attendant! Even without pay!” 25

“My lord, what’s wrong with that? Serving three kings proves his loyalty. Isn’t that something glorious?” 43