Tommen Baratheon
Tommen Baratheon, the First of His Name, is the boy king of the Seven Kingdoms, a child of eight years who sits the Iron Throne after the deaths of his father, Robert Baratheon, and his older brother, Joffrey Baratheon. Unlike his cruel and capricious brother, Tommen is a gentle, sweet-natured boy, more interested in his kittens—Ser Pounce, Lady Whiskers, and Boots—than in the brutal politics of the court. His reign is defined not by his own will but by the competing forces that seek to control him: his mother, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister; his wife, Queen Margaery Tyrell and her powerful family; and the newly empowered Faith of the Seven under the High Sparrow. Tommen is a pawn, a figurehead whose innocence and good nature make him a sympathetic but ultimately powerless figure in the wars and intrigues that engulf the realm.
Life and Reign
Tommen's ascension to the throne is a direct consequence of the Red Wedding and the death of his brother Joffrey. He is crowned king at a young age, and his rule is immediately contested by Stannis Baratheon, who claims the throne as Robert's true heir. Tommen's reign is formally managed by a regency, first under his mother Cersei, and later under his great-uncle, Ser Kevan Lannister. The boy king is a passive figure in his own court, often seen playing with his kittens or being led by the hand by his mother or his wife. He is described as a "good boy" who loves his mother and wants to please everyone, a stark contrast to the sadistic Joffrey. His primary function in the narrative is as a symbol of the Lannister-Tyrell alliance and a target for the ambitions of those around him.
Relationships and Conflict
Tommen's most significant relationship is with his mother, Cersei, who is fiercely protective of him but also manipulative. He is deeply attached to her, and her imprisonment and walk of atonement cause him great distress. His marriage to Margaery Tyrell is a political alliance, but Tommen seems genuinely fond of her. Margaery, in turn, is kind to him, treating him with a gentleness that contrasts with Cersei's smothering control. The central conflict of Tommen's reign is the power struggle between the Lannisters and the Tyrells, a struggle that is exacerbated by the religious fervor of the High Sparrow. The Faith accuses both Cersei and Margaery of treason and adultery, and Tommen is powerless to intervene, forced to watch as the two most important women in his life are put on trial. He is also caught between the demands of his mother and the authority of the High Septon, who has become a powerful force in King's Landing.
Change and Ending
Tommen undergoes little personal change throughout the narrative; he remains a gentle, passive child. His story is one of increasing isolation and powerlessness. The death of his great-uncle Kevan Lannister, who had been acting as a stabilizing regent, leaves him even more vulnerable. The final image of Tommen in the book is of a boy who has lost all agency, a king in name only, surrounded by the corpses of his protectors and the machinations of his enemies. His fate is left uncertain, but it is clear that he is a tragic figure, a good-hearted child crushed by the weight of a crown he never wanted and the ruthless ambitions of the adults around him.
Thematic Significance
Tommen Baratheon embodies the theme of the corrupting and destructive nature of power, particularly when it falls on the innocent. He is a living symbol of the failure of the hereditary monarchy, a system that places absolute authority in the hands of a child who is utterly unprepared for it. His story highlights the brutal reality that in the game of thrones, even the most innocent are not spared. Tommen's gentle nature and love for his pets serve as a poignant counterpoint to the violence and cynicism of the court, making his inevitable victimhood all the more tragic. He represents the realm itself—a child caught in a war of adults, a kingdom bleeding from the wounds of its rulers' ambitions.
