River Gate

The River Gate is one of the principal gates of King's Landing, situated on the southwestern side of the city where the Blackwater Rush flows into Blackwater Bay. It serves as the primary point of entry and exit for maritime traffic, connecting the capital to the riverlands and the wider realm. In the narrative of A Dance with Dragons, the gate is most memorably the site of Ser Barristan Selmy's flight from the city after his dismissal from the Kingsguard by King Joffrey Baratheon.

Location and Strategic Importance

The River Gate stands at the confluence of the Blackwater Rush and the sea, making it a vital chokepoint for both trade and military movement. It is the gate through which ships from the narrow sea and the riverlands must pass to enter King's Landing, and its control is essential for any force seeking to besiege or defend the city. The gate is flanked by strong walls and towers, and its position on the water allows for the rapid movement of troops and supplies between the capital and the surrounding regions.

Barristan Selmy's Escape

After being stripped of his white cloak by Joffrey, Barristan Selmy resolved to find the true king, Viserys Targaryen, and redeem his honor. He made his way to the stables, where gold cloaks attempted to seize him. The commander of the City Watch confronted him with three men, but Selmy, though unarmed, slashed one man's face open and rode through the others. Spurring for the gates, he found the streets congested, and his pursuers caught him at the River Gate. The gold cloaks there crossed their spears to bar his way, but Selmy rode one down, wrenched away his spear, and drove it through the throat of his closest pursuer. Once through the gate, he spurred his horse to a gallop and rode along the river until the city was lost to sight. 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 into King's Landing through the Gate of the Gods, disguised as an old man.

Narrative Significance

The River Gate episode crystallizes Selmy's transition from a disgraced knight of a corrupt court to a man on a quest for redemption. His escape is not merely a physical flight but a symbolic rejection of the Lannister regime and a declaration of his allegiance to the Targaryen cause. The gate itself, as a liminal space between the city and the outside world, marks the threshold of his new journey. The episode also highlights the gate's role as a point of vulnerability and opportunity: it is a place where the city's defenses can be breached by a determined individual, and where the fate of those who pass through it can change irrevocably.