Most stories focus on the handful of characters that most influence the plot. That usually leaves the rest of the world suffering or thriving from the impact of a few people’s actions.Game of Thrones, a story about the endless downfalls of generational monarchy and the corrupting influence of power, feels especially cruel to its unnamed masses. Westeros calls its non-noble residents the smallfolk, and though they are individually ignored, they can make change as a movement.
So much ofGame of Thronesisdominated by heritage. Most people’s lives are dictated by their ancestors and the stories they star in. Lines of succession, nepotism, and the honor of a meaningful name decide whether a character enjoys the spotlight. Those whose great-grandparents were as poor as they are will spend most of their lives under the heel of the lucky few.
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Who are the Smallfolk?
They move in massive swarms, filling the background of certain shots. They don’t have names, money, or titles, but their presence is constant. They construct armor and grow food for wealthynobles who barely considerthem human. No one seems to make a difference, but their sheer numbers can overrule the powerful. They serve in no army, carry no banners, and fight no wars. The smallfolk are the ordinary, everyday butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers who keep Westeros running while the aristocrats drink wine and backstab each other. The nobles who ostensibly rule the continent are expected to protect the smallfolk, but most view them with open contempt. The feeling is mutual, as most smallfolk believe the worst of their lords. They are typically uneducated, trained only in whatever trade they’ve made their livelihood. They believe in absurd superstitions, as their parents couldn’t afford schooling. Though the life of a smallfolkvaries based on their location, all are on the lowest rung of their local social ladder. Jorah Mormont once described the life of smallfolk to Daenerys Targaryen like this:
The common people pray for rain, healthy children, and a summer that never ends. It is no matter to them if the high lords play their game of thrones, so long as they are left in peace. They never are.
How do the Smallfolk affect Game of Thrones?
Most nobles in or around the Iron Throne earn a brief summation of their public perception. The smallfolk lavished some kings with unceasing admiration while condemning others as irredeemable monsters. They offered the same reaction to the Lords and other nobles. The smallfolk rarely acted on their feelings, but that perception regularly contributed to the characters' memory. Maegor the Cruel earned his subjects' derision, leading to his nickname. During the Dance of the Dragons, the smallfolk loved King Viserys I Targaryen and his wife, Allicent Hightower. They initially supported Rhaenyra Targaryen, calling her the Realm’s Delight, but gradually hated her as she aged. Figures like one-timeMaster of Whisperers Brynden Riversterrified smallfolk. Smallfolk often choose sides in conflicts. They generally support Renly Baratheon over his brother Stannis. They prefer House Tyrell over House Lannister. Their preferences rarely pay off.
Some nobles work to earn the smallfolks' favor. King Aegon V Targaryen, known as Aegon the Unlikely, grew up among the commoners. His first position was as a squire toDuncan the Tall, a lowborn knight who grew to become Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Aegon V learned to care for the little people, but his compassion was always punished. He worked to reform laws and grant new rights to the smallfolk, but the nearby lords were reluctant to give up any power over their subjects. He became convinced he could only improve life for the ordinary people of his kingdom through the brute force of dragons. He died trying to hatch dragon eggs. Tywin Lannister, Hand of theKing to Aerys II, overturned almost all of his good works.
Can the Smallfolk rise up?
Some smallfolk can drag themselves from poverty through excellent work. Hedge Knights, for example, are wandering knights without masters who tend to be lowborn.Some Hedge Knights, like Duncan the Tall, can distinguish themselves and rise through the ranks. A few smallfolks earn knighthood through outstanding work, like Ser Davos Seaworth, who saved Stannis Baratheon’s army from starvation with his sailing skills. Smallfolk can sometimes join local city guards and become notable for keeping the peace, attaining station through policing their fellows. They could also take the black and join the Night’s Watch, where they might find their skills in wilderness survival, masonry, or combat more useful.
Outside of violence, some merchants forge their bloodlines into Noble Houses with the power of valuable goods or immense wealth. Those lucky enough to attain an education can travel to the Citadel in Oldtown and study to become a maester, eventually learning to teach the next generation. Particularly pious smallfolk can join theFaith of the Sevenand become a septon or septa, swearing their lives to the church as a priest or priestess. Smallfolk also had a branch of the Faith Militant called the Poor Fellows that followed the High Septon. These opportunities are available to some smallfolk and represent a rare opportunity for social mobility.
Smallfolk live like they’re swimming in the ocean. The turning tides control every aspect of their lives, letting them float safely or drowning them mercilessly. Evenwhen a noble strugglesto help them, the other higher-ups insist on keeping them under their heel. The life of a smallfolk is impossibly difficult, but some lucky few manage to grow beyond their birth. Their untold stories should inspire gratitude in us that we don’t live in these conditions anymore.
