Gate of the Gods

The Gate of the Gods was one of the seven gates of King's Landing, a fortified passage through the city's walls. It gained particular significance during the War of the Five Kings as the point through which Ser Barristan Selmy, the former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, re-entered the capital in disguise after his escape from the Red Keep.

Location and Description

The Gate of the Gods was located on the western side of King's Landing, one of the principal entrances to the city. Like the other gates, it was a fortified structure with heavy doors, a portcullis, and guardhouses, manned by gold cloaks of the City Watch. The gate served as a major thoroughfare for smallfolk and traders entering and leaving the city, particularly those coming from the west along the river road.

Barristan Selmy's Escape and Return

After being dismissed from the Kingsguard by King Joffrey Baratheon, Selmy fled the Red Keep. He escaped through the Mud Gate, riding down a guard and seizing a spear to fight his way past the gatekeepers. That night, he traded his horse for rags and a handful of pennies, and the next morning he joined the stream of smallfolk making their way back to King's Landing. He re-entered through the Gate of the Gods, with dirt on his face, stubble on his cheeks, and no weapon but a wooden staff. In roughspun clothes and mud-caked boots, he was just one more old man fleeing the war. The gold cloaks took a stag from him and waved him through. King's Landing was crowded with smallfolk who had come seeking refuge from the fighting, and Selmy lost himself amongst them.

Narrative Significance

The Gate of the Gods served as the threshold of Selmy's transformation from a disgraced knight into a fugitive seeking the true king. His passage through the gate marked his successful evasion of the Lannister regime's pursuit and his entry into the underworld of King's Landing, where he would hide until he could secure passage across the narrow sea to find Daenerys Targaryen. The gate thus represents the point of no return in Selmy's journey from a servant of the Usurper to a servant of the dragon queen.