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We do not stand alone. There are those who will fight for us. Those who hold House Forrester above all other loyalties. Those who will not stop until Ethan is avenged. Until Ryon is home again. Our House will not fall. We will be ready.
— Elissa


Elissa Forrester (born Elissa Branfield) was a major secondary character and the lady of House Forrester in Game Of Thrones. She was married to Lord Gregor Forrester and had six children; Rodrik, Asher, Mira, Talia, Ethan and Ryon.

Character[]

Elissa Forrester was born to House Branfield, a minor Southron House that was destroyed when the Targaryen dynasty fell. Escaping her family's cruel fate (along with her brother, Malcolm) on the merit that she was wed to a northern lord, Lady Elissa was married to Lord Gregor Forrester. She at first saw herself as a prisoner at Ironrath, but Gregor was kind to his young wife and she quickly grew to love him. Once their children were born, Lady Elissa embraced her role as the Forrester matriarch and silently swore she’d never see her family destroyed again.

Elissa's vow to protect her new house led her down something of a dark path. Over the course of the Forresters' story she became increasingly drastic in her actions, from attempting to ensure a marriage pact with the Glenmores without her Lord-son's consent, killing ravens with her bare hands to prevent word of Gryff Whitehill's capture travelling to Highpoint, and finally exhibiting suicidal tendencies to defend the lives of her eldest surviving sons. In doing so she saved them, but at the cost of her own life.

Game Of Thrones[]

"Iron From Ice"[]

Lady Elissa Forrester is first seen when Gared arrives at Ironrath after the Red Wedding. Elissa is shown to be upset at the death of her husband and her son Rodrik. She stays strong for her children, however. After Ethan is pronounced the Lord of House Forrester, she is shown to be very supportive of him and helps him through his time as the lord. She warns him that he has to be brave when Ramsey Snow comes to House Forrester. Due to the recent deaths of some of the family members, she tells Ethan to let Malcolm go to Essos and bring their exiled brother, Asher back to House Forrester. Later on, he is seen a bit frightened of Ramsey Snow. She is horrified when Ramsey stabs Ethan in the throat, she clutchers her dead son, "My son..." She trembles.

"The Lost Lords"[]

Elissa walks in and sees Rodrik laying on a bed being healed by the Maester. She asks what the Freys did to him and then Rodrik blacks out. Elissa is seen again when Rodrik and Talia are brought to the Great Hall. Elissa tells her son that the Glenmores may be an ally if Rodrik will be married to Elaena. Elissa asks Lord Whitehill if Ryon could come to the funeral. When Lord Whitehill orders him to kiss the ring, Elissa begs Rodrik to do so so Ryon could attend the funeral. She will be angry if you chose to refuse. She is seen later on the wedding, worried that House Forrester will see the same fate the Branfield family did. She says a few words at the funeral and cries and hugs Rodrik as Talia sings the song she prepared for the funeral.

"The Sword in the Darkness"[]

Elissa first appears when Gryff arrives at Ironrath. Like the rest of the Forresters she is distraught and tries to stop him from overtaking the Great Hall to no avail. Later on she talks with the council about expelling Gryff or saving Ryon from Highpoint, acting as the council member most in favour of saving the youngest Forrester child while Ortengryn and Royland are more vocal about smashing the figurehead of House Whitehill.

When Rodrik returns from his meeting with Gwyn, he has the opportunity to discuss Lord Whitehill's plans with Elissa, who is clearing up the great hall. If he reveals that there is a traitor and names a suspect, Elissa will point the finger at whoever Ethan did not elect as Sentinel. When Rodrik faces off with the Whitehill soldiers that arrive in the hall, Harys instructs Elissa to get her son out alive before things get ugly.

Elissa is last seen when Gryff confronts Rodrik in the courtyard. She is relatively quiet during the seen, but helps Rodrik up and comments on the choices he made before leading him away.

"Sons of Winter"[]

When Rodrik, Elaena, Arthur and the Elite Guard arrive in the courtyard, Elissa appears and tells Rodrik that Gryff Whitehill is harming Maester Ortengryn. They all head for the Great Hall, Elissa helping Ortengryn up and watching as Gryff is captured. She says that they need to keep Gryff alive so he can be traded for Ryon, and stops Rodrik if he takes things too far when punishing Gryff. She says that word of his capture cannot reach Highpoint and orders the death of the ravens.

She later appears when Talia and Rodrik speak at the tower. She discusses the issue of the traitor if she was told about it, and speaks about the invitation to Highpoint when Duncan and Royland show up. She accompanies Rodrik to Highpoint and says that his Sentinel should come too.

At Highpoint, Elissa takes a step back and allows Rodrik to handle most of the negotiations. When Ryon is brought out and Ludd threatens to kill him, however, she begins to panic until a trade - a son for a son - is proposed.

Royland/Duncan, The Elite Guard(depending on if you brought them with to Highpoint), Elissa and Rodrik return from Ironrath to find it pretty much deserted. Rodrik hears laughter coming from the Great Hall. He enters it and sees Ramsay Snow talking with Talia Forrester. Ramsay stands up and tells Rodrik that men have said he's a man that can't be broken, and that he's decided to come see for himself.

"A Nest of Vipers"[]

Elissa first appears when Talia fetches the guards as ordered by Rodrik after speaking to the traitor. She asks the traitor how they could have betrayed the House after what they've been through, She is also a part of the discussion after Rodrik makes the choice to kill or imprison the traitor, speaking of how Asher's safety will be compromised when he lands in Westeros.

"The Ice Dragon"[]

If Rodrik survived the ambush[]

Rodrik informs Elissa that Asher was killed upon arrival in Westeros to which she shouts 'No!' and collapses in Elaena Glenmore's arms. She remains in shock for much of the rest of the scene, distraught at the loss of another child.

Later, when Ludd arrives, Elissa joins Rodrik, Beskha and the Sentinel atop Ironrath's walls. She is furious when Ludd forces Ryon to hold up Asher's head on a pike and questions whether the rival House Lord is without limits.

When Rodrik returns from Ludd's camp, he encounters Talia who questions where Elissa is. Elissa appears midway through the Siege of Ironrath, saving Rodrik's life by stabbing Harys in the back. Unfortunately, this costs Elissa her life, as Harys stabs her with his sword in retaliation. She dies soon after.

If Asher survived the ambush[]

Asher informs Elissa of Rodrik sacrifice but warns her that there isn't enough time to mourn, because the Whitehills are on the move. Elissa is somewhat doubtful that the pit fighters who have travelled with Asher will be sufficient to fight against the Whitehills, but the Sentinel reassures her that with their skill and Asher's leadership, they will be a match for the rival army.

Elissa witnesses Ludd's arrival and his attempts into talking Asher into marrying Gwyn, which she is firmly against doing. However, she or Asher suggests that they pretend to feign agreement to the offer in order to take out Ludd while his guard is down. Elissa is against the Sentinel's idea to ambush the Whitehills using the pit fighters, arguing that Ludd could escape in the ensuing chaos, but supports Beskha's idea to use poisoned wine. It is up to Asher which method to use. Elissa is present in the Great Hall when Gwyn arrives to speak to Asher. When the rest of the Whitehill family arrives, Lord Ludd Whitehill offers an empty apology to her for the grief his family has caused to her own, but then she immediately demands to see Ryon and is briefly reunited with him before he is moved to the opposite end of the room. Elissa then seats herself at the head table. What happens next is determined by Asher's choice on how (if at all) to deal with Ludd.

If Asher chose to poison Ludd[]

The Forresters suggest a toast to celebrate Asher and Gwyn's betrothal. Just as Ludd is about to drink the poisoned wine, however, he suggests he and Asher drink from the same cup, in the way of the North, with Asher drinking first. As Asher reaches for the cup, Elissa takes it first and suggests she drinks the wine with Ludd instead, as she and Ludd are the surviving parents of their respective Houses. As Elissa makes to drink from the cup, Asher is faced with a choice.

Let Elissa drink the poisoned wine[]

Elissa solemnly utters the House words, "Iron From Ice", and takes a sip of the wine. Without hesitation, she passes the poisoned goblet to Ludd, who unsuspectingly follows suit and drinks as well. As the effects of the poison gradually take hold, Elissa succumbs to the poison and Ludd quickly follows suit. They both fall to the ground and begin to die.

Stop Elissa from drinking the poisoned wine[]

Asher bats the cup out of Elissa's hand, exposing the poison plot to a furious Ludd. A fight breaks out, Ludd escapes, and Elissa is escorted to safety.

If Asher chose to ambush Ludd[]

Ludd becomes suspicious by Talia's absence and the tense behaviour of the Forrester soldiers, shortly after provoking Asher by mentioning Rodrik's death, a fight breaks out between the Forrester men and the pit fighters against the Whitehills. Elissa is escorted to safety along with Talia by the Sentinel.

If Asher chose to marry Gwyn[]

Elissa notices that events are not progressing as planned and decides to go to the sentinel to ask what was going on. Gwyn Whitehill looked at Asher and wondered what was going on. But Asher waved his head and raised his arms letting Gwyn know that he doesn't know what Elissa might do. When she learns that Asher intends to marry Gwyn, she is shocked and disappointed, she refuses to stand by and watch Asher throw away all the sacrifices made to defeat the Whitehills, including the death of Rodrik, who still hasn't been avenged. Ludd sees the two Forresters quietly arguing and starts to get suspicious and annoyed, Gwyn attemps to calm Ludd down and asks Asher if everything's alright. But whatever Asher says, Elissa will always cry out that their union will bring ruin to their house, a statement that further angers Ludd. Asher looks at Elissa and tells her "That's enough, mother!". Elissa runs over to Ludd and cuts his face with a dagger, making him fall on the ground with a surprised face. A fight then breaks out and Elissa is escorted to safety.

The Siege of Ironrath begins, and though Elissa wishes to stand by her son's side, she is told to flee to safety. However, when Asher is about to be burned by Harys, she stabs Harys in his back, making the large warrior lose his grip on her son. Harys then angrily retaliates by stabbing her in the stomach. Elissa immediately falls to the ground. Asher manages to kills Harys but gets severely wounded in the process, in pain and in shock, Asher crawls to his mother and held her hand. Elissa's last words were "My son..." before succumbing to her wound.

Death[]

Rodrik's Story[]

Killed by:

Asher's Story[]

Killed by:

  • Herself[1] (Directly caused, determinant)
  • Asher Forrester[2] (Indirectly caused, determinant)
  • Talia Forrester [3](Indirectly caused, determinant)
  • Ludd Whitehill[4] (Indirectly caused, determinant)
  • Harys (Directly caused)

Relationships[]

It is assumed that Elissa has strong positive relationships with all of her family and house members.


Lord Gregor Forrester[]

Lady Elissa didn't like Lord Gregor when they first married, because she felt imprisioned in Ironrath, but after some time she started trusting him and their relationship became much closer.

Ethan Forrester[]

Lady Elissa always tried to advise Ethan about what he had to do, his jobs, and his choices. She always trusted Ethan, and also believed that he was going to be a good Lord. Lady Elissa and Ethan had a close relationship.

Talia Forrester[]

Lady Elissa Forrester is Talia's mother. When Ramsay Snow arrived at Ironrath, Elissa protected her children, including Talia. Elissa seems to be a bit insensitive towards Talia, reminding her that she should be writing a song for the funeral but somewhat disregarding Talia's emotions at the time.

Ryon Forrester[]

Lady Elissa is Ryon's mother. She always tried to protect her children including Ryon, as seen when Ramsay Snow arrived at Ironrath.

Asher Forrester[]

There isn't any interaction shown between the two yet, even though Elissa is Asher's mother. Asher is currently in Essos being the exiled son of House Forrester. It is revealed that he was not exiled, that he exiled himself. It is obvious that Elissa cares for Asher, but maybe they've had some differences which resulted into Asher leaving.

Rodrik Forrester[]

Elissa admires her firstborn son and has a much more hands-off approach in regards to his leadership. While she was much more of a crutch for Ethan she has taken a step back and lets Rodrik converse with the other council members.

Mira Forrester[]

Mira and her mother obviously get along, but they have not been seen interacting yet since Mira is in King's Landing.

Quotes[]

Lord Whitehill: What kind of fucking House is this? Lady Forrester: A House of honorable men. Lord Whitehill: Lady Forrester? Lady Forrester: You bellow like a wounded boar, Lord Whitehill, Have you forgotten your manners?
―Elissa to Ludd Whitehill.[src]

Appearances[]

Season One appearances
Iron From Ice The Lost Lords The Sword in the Darkness Sons of Winter A Nest of Vipers The Ice Dragon

Family Tree[]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GregorIFI
Gregor Forrester
 
Elissa106
Elissa Forrester
 
Malcolm105
Malcolm Branfield
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rodrik106
Rodrik Forrester
 
Asher106
Asher Forrester
 
Mira106
Mira Forrester
 
EthanIFI
Ethan Forrester
 
Talia106
Talia Forrester
 
Ryon106
Ryon Forrester

Trivia[]

  • Elissa's appearance was leaked in a screenshot that was found without being released officially.
  • In Sons of Winter, during the Highpoint visit, Rodrik can order an attack on Ludd, which kills him. However, this also results in Elissa's death, along with all the others Forresters present by crossbow and forces a game over after Rodrik utters "Mother".
  • Ludd appeared to be intimidated by Elissa's presence in "Iron From Ice", the reasons for this were never known.

Character Gallery[]


For more images, visit Elissa's complete character gallery.

References[]

Game Of Thrones Characters
House Forrester Gregor †Elissa †RodrikAsherMiraEthan †TaliaRyon Forrester
Ironrath GaredDuncanGared's Father †Gared's Sister †RoylandOrtengryn †MalcolmErikBowenNorrenThermund †Errold
House Whitehill LuddLady Whitehill †Karl †EbbertTorrhenGwynGryffHarys †Britt †
House Glenmore ElaenaArthur †
The North Ramsay
King's Landing Margaery TyrellSera FlowersTomCersei LannisterTyrion LannisterLyman LannisterAndros †Rickard MorgrynGaribald TarwickLucanDamien
The Wall Jon SnowDenner "Frostfinger"Cotter †Finn
Beyond The Wall SylviElseraJoseraShadow
Essos BeskhaTazalDrogonViserion
Meereen Daenerys TargaryenCroftAmaya †BloodsongBeast †
  1. Elissa chooses to drink the poisoned wine.
  2. Asher chooses to poison Ludd, thereby forcing Elissa to drink it.
  3. Talia pours the wine that kills her mother.
  4. Ludd tells Asher to drink the poisoned wine, prompting Elissa to drink it instead.
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