Oathkeeper

Oathkeeper is a Valyrian steel sword made from the generational greatsword of House Stark, Ice. Ice got reforged by Tobho Mott to create two swords. Widow’s Wail was the second blade crafted from the reforging process. After Brienne of Tarth arrives at King’s Landing with Ser Jaime Lannister, she receives a sword and gets tasked with finding and returning the Stark girls Arya Stark and Sansa Stark to Winterfell. However, she comes across the Brotherhood without Banners and realizes their new leader is the reanimated corpse of the woman she swore to serve.

Appearance

Oathkeeper is a blade with greyish-black and red ripples throughout its steel frame. The sword’s scabbard glitters gold and has red rubies, with a row of lion heads adorning it. The pommel is a golden lion’s head with ruby eyes that shine like red stars.

Relevance in A Song of Ice and Fire

A Storm of Swords

After Lord Tywin Lannister returns to King’s Landing, he gives Tobho Mott Eddard Stark’s Valyrian sword Ice to create a new greatsword for House Lannister. Tobho makes two swords, one being a longsword. He tries tinting the blade red, but the Valyrian steel absorbs the color, creating red and greyish ripples within the steel. 

When Jaime arrives at King’s Landing, his father presents the longsword to him as his eldest son. However, Jaime sees it as an insult as his sword hand is gone. Ser Kevan Lannister tells Jaime that his father meant well. Instead of using the weapon, Jaime, the new Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, gives it to the female knight Brienne of Tarth and tasks her with finding and protecting Eddard Stark’s daughter Sansa.

Brienne names the blade Oathkeeper and sets out to find Sansa. After Tyrion Lannister escapes from King’s Landing, his squire Podrick Payne begins following Brienne of Tarth. He then joins her search, believing that finding Sansa will lead him to Tyrion. Brienne searches for the Hound, Sandor Clegane, as she learns he has Sansa.

A Feast for Crows

While searching for Sansa, Brienne keeps Oathkeeper hidden and refuses to use the sword because she deems it magical. However, she gets forced to use it in combat against Timeon and Pyg at the Whispers and Biter and Rorge in the Inn at the Crossroads. Though she wins the fight against her aggressors, she passes out from an infected wound. 

On waking up, Brienne finds herself at the camp of the Brotherhood without Banners. She meets the new leader of the Brotherhood, Lady Stoneheart, and discovers she is the reanimated corpse of Lady Catelyn Stark. Lady Stoneheart accuses Brienne of working for the Lannisters and uses the red tint of Oathkeeper as evidence.

Stoneheart remarks the blade should be better called Oathbreaker, and she tasks Brienne with finding and killing Jaime Lannister. Brienne refuses to follow the orders given to her, and she gets hanged. When she sees Podrick dying, she screams the word ‘sword.’

A Dance with Dragons

After Cersei sends Jaime to the Riverlands to curb all rebellion, he arrives at Pennytree. Brienne meets him there, asking for help. She tells him she found Sansa Stark, but Jaime must come with her to rescue the girl.

Relevance in Adaptation

Oathkeeper got featured in HBO’s hit tv series Game of Thrones. It is a Valyrian steel longsword forged by Tobho Mott and given to Jaime by his father. On getting the weapon, Jaime gives it to Brienne, a highborn lady who chose to be a knight and worked as Catelyn Stark’s envoy after Lord Renly Baratheon’s death. With mutual respect, Brienne collects the sword and names it Oathkeeper. She also gets new armor as a parting gift and begins the mission of finding Sansa Stark.

Oathkeeper: A Blade of Honor and Dishonor

Oathkeeper is a sword with a bloody past. It for reforged from Ice, House Stark’s Valyrian steel sword. However, though its creation came from unworthy circumstances, it got used for the noble cause of finding Arya and her sister Sansa.

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