Anyone who has seen even a few episodes of the hit HBO series Game of Thrones knows that there are quite a few unsavory characters in this world, men and women who are really out for their own benefit and nothing else. Even in such cynical company, however, Gregor Clegane is exceptional in all the wrong ways. He’s a character who doesn’t seem to have a lot of depth (though he has slightly more in the books), and yet he comes to play a pretty major role in the events of the kingdom.
Known as “The Mountain,” he’s a terror to both his allies and his enemies, but even so, there are still quite a few things about him that just don’t make sense.
Why None Of The Lords Tried To Stop His Behavior Before
The lords of Westeros are, it has to be said, not always very concerned with the well-being of their tenants and vassals, and the poor and the common often bear the brunt of their lord’s misdeeds.
Even so, one can’t help but wonder why it is that the many other lords of Westeros didn’t do more to rein Gregor in, especially considering the fact that he threatened to destabilize their own realms and, for that matter, Westeros as a whole with his unhinged and brutal antics.
Why All Of His Men Were So Willing To Follow Him
Even in a cynical place like the Seven Kingdoms, where literally everyone just seems to be out for their own benefit, it’s still a little confounding how the Mountain managed to find so many men to follow him as he wreaked havoc everywhere he went.
If nothing else, surely these men would have realized that it was very possible, and in fact very likely, that he would one day turn against them and perpetrate one of his infamous acts of brutality against them.
Why Did Robert Pardon Him For Murdering Elia
One of Gregor’s most horrendous acts actually occurs before the events of the series, when he raped and murdered Elia Martell, the wife of Rhaegar Targaryen. Even by the medieval standards of this world, that seems excessive.
What’s truly puzzling, however, is why Robert would be willing to pardon such a man, when he had to know that it would continue to sow discord, particularly since the royal family of Dorne wasn’t likely to forget or forgive this particular injustice.
What Was The Entire Point Of Zombie Mountain
After Gregor is wounded in a duel with Oberyn Martell, he seems to succumb to his terrible wounds. In reality, however, he’s subjected to experiments by Qyburn that turn him into a shadow of his former self. However, even though he becomes Cersei’s hulking protector, it’s unclear what purpose, exactly, this entire storyline was intended to serve.
It would have made more sense, perhaps, to have at least one of the characters explain why making him into basically a zombie made any sort of practical sense.
What Exactly Did Qyburn Do To Him
Relatedly, it remains frustratingly unclear what, exactly, Qyburn did to Gregor to make him into the creature that he became. No doubt, the writers thought that keeping this information secret from the viewers helped to heighten the horrifying aspect of that, and that’s no doubt true.
However, it probably would have also made sense to have a character, probably either Cersei or Qyburn, make it a little more clear what he was doing.
Why Did No One Hold Him Accountable For Killing Ser Hugh In The Tourney
Gregor is not known for being a very sophisticated person, and he’s especially known for his brutal ability in tournaments. Unfortunately, this means that people who joust with him have a bad habit of turning up dead, which is what happened to Ser Hugh.
To make matters worse, Gregor is never held accountable in any way for what happened, and it’s hard not to wonder why no one thought to impose at least some sort of penalty on him.
Why Tywin Lannister Harmed His Reputation By Keeping Him Around
One of the most enduring mysteries surrounding Gregor Clegane involves his continued presence in the service of Lord Tywin. Say what one will about the head of House Lannister, but he does at least have a semblance of honor, even if he is willing to put the welfare of his family above any other considerations (earning himself some hatred in the process).
Even so, it doesn’t make a lot of sense that Tywin would continue employing a brute like Gregor, especially knowing the toll such a thing must take on his own reputation.
Why Is He Just…So Bad?
From the moment that he appears, Gregor makes it clear that he’s just pretty terrible (like a lot of other characters). Time and again, the audience hears of the monstrous things that he does or might have done.
Frustratingly, however, the series never really provides any sort of motivation for why he’s such a monster. It’s simply taken for a given, and this can grow frustrating, especially since most of the other evil characters at least have some motivation.
Why Didn’t He Rebel Against Qyburn Before
In the penultimate episode of the series, the twisted Gregor finally breaks free of Qyburn and, with a vicious shove, ends up braining his erstwhile master.
While this seems to be a result of his irresistible desire to kill his brother Sandor, it doesn’t really make a lot of sense once it’s examined more closely. If he’s so easily able to break the hold that Qyburn has over him, why didn’t he do it earlier, especially since it seems like his existence was pretty horrible?
Why Did He Hate His Brother So Much?
Perhaps the most frustrating unknowable thing about Gregor is why he bears his brother Sandor such implacable hatred. It’s easy to see why Sandor would hate his elder brother, considering the fact that he’s the one who burned his face (and considering Sandor isn't a very pleasant person in general).
However, it’s hard to really understand why the Mountain hates his brother so much. Considering the fact that the feud between the two brothers was so hyped up, one would have thought they would at least provide this crucial piece of explanation.