{{Infobox character | series = A Song of Ice and Fire ''character'' <br> Game of Thrones | name = Myrcella Baratheon | image = MyrcellaBaratheonGoT.jpg | caption = Nell Tiger Free as Myrcella Baratheon | first = {{Plainlist| * '''Literature''': * ''A Game of Thrones'' (1996) * '''Television''': * "Winter Is Coming" (2011) }} | last = {{Plainlist| * '''Television''': * "Home" (2016) }} | portrayer = {{Plainlist| * Aimee Richardson (child) * Nell Tiger Free (adolescent) }} | creator = George R. R. Martin | adapted_by = David Benioff <br> D. B. Weiss | title = | alias = | gender = Female | family = {{Unbulleted list|House Lannister|House Baratheon (false)}} | spouse = | relatives = {{Plainlist| * Cersei Lannister (mother) * Jaime Lannister (uncle and biological father) * Robert Baratheon (legal father) * Joffrey Baratheon (brother) * Tommen Baratheon (brother) * Tywin Lannister (grandfather) * Joanna Lannister (grandmother) * Tyrion Lannister (uncle) * Kevan Lannister (granduncle) }} }} '''Myrcella Baratheon''' is a fictional character in the ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation ''Game of Thrones''. Myrcella's character, development and her interactions and impact differ greatly between the two media.<ref name="Wigler"/>
Introduced in 1996's ''A Game of Thrones'', Myrcella is the only daughter of Cersei Lannister from the kingdom of Westeros. She subsequently appeared in Martin's ''A Clash of Kings'' (1998) and ''A Feast for Crows'' (2005).
Myrcella is portrayed by Irish actress Aimee Richardson in the first two seasons of the HBO television adaptation, while English actress Nell Tiger Free portrays her in the show's fifth and sixth seasons.
==Character== Since Myrcella Baratheon is not a point of view character in ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', the reader learns about her through other characters' perspectives, such as her uncle Tyrion Lannister. She is a background character in the books.
==Storylines== ===''A Game of Thrones''=== upright|thumb|alt=A coat of arms showing a black stag on a yellow field.|Coat of arms of House BaratheonMyrcella is introduced in ''A Game of Thrones'' (1996) as the only daughter of Queen Cersei Lannister and King Robert Baratheon. In her first appearance, she accompanies her parents, her two brothers (Joffrey and Tommen Baratheon), her uncle Tyrion and her "uncle" Jaime Lannister to Winterfell, where Robert asks Eddard Stark to be appointed as Hand of the King. She is later shown attending the tournament to celebrate Eddard's inauguration into his position. While investigating Jon Arryn's death, Eddard discovers that Myrcella and her brothers are the products of an incestuous affair between Cersei and Jaime.
===''A Clash of Kings''=== In 1998's ''A Clash of Kings'', Myrcella attends Joffrey's nameday as King. She greets her uncle Tyrion and tells him that she is glad that the rumors of his death were false. During the War of the Five Kings, Tyrion makes plans to forge an alliance with House Martell of Dorne by having Myrcella wed to Trystane Martell, the youngest son of the current ruler of Dorne, Doran Martell, but part of the arrangement involved sending her to Dorne to live in the Martell household.
===''A Feast for Crows''=== During ''A Storm of Swords'' (2000), Trystane's sister Arianne Martell plans to crown Myrcella as Robert's heir instead of Tommen, hoping to incite the Dornishmen to rebel against the Lannisters to seat her on the Iron Throne. However, Doran Martell has been tipped off to the conspiracy and his men ambush Arianne's party as they attempt to sail up the Greenblood. In the ensuing confrontation, one of Arianne's co-conspirators, Ser Gerold "Darkstar" Dayne, attempts to kill Myrcella; although unsuccessful, he cuts off one of her ears and leaves her scarred.
===''A Dance with Dragons''=== In ''A Dance with Dragons'' (2011), Myrcella travels back to King's Landing with Nymeria Sand.
==TV adaptation==
=== Overview === [[File:Aimee Richardson (35531388192) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Aimee Richardson]]
In the HBO television adaptation, Aimee Richardson portrayed Myrcella for the first two seasons.<ref name="Renfro">{{cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/game-of-thrones-characters-recast-2015-10|title=These 5 'Game of Thrones' characters were recast — and you probably didn't even notice|last1=Renfro|first1=Kim|date=October 25, 2015|work=Business Insider}}</ref> Initially cast as a stand-in, Richardson impressed the crew enough to be kept as a full cast member; she appeared in eight episodes.<ref name="Hedash">{{cite news|url=https://screenrant.com/game-thrones-myrcella-actor-recast-reason/|title=Game Of Thrones: Why Myrcella Baratheon Was Recast|last1=Hedash|first1=Kara|date=July 2, 2019|work=Screen Rant|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref> Nell Tiger Free played Myrcella for the seasons five and six.<ref name="Renfro" /><ref name="Hedash" /> Prior to her audition, Free had never seen the show; when talking about the role, she said: "I mean, it's every kids dream to play a princess and the dresses were fantastic."<ref name="W">{{cite news|url=https://www.wmagazine.com/story/nell-tiger-free|title=Nell Tiger Free, Game of Thrones Princess, Rises to Be Crowned in Hollywood|last1=Comita|first1=Jenny|date=June 14, 2019|work=W|access-date=July 18, 2019}}</ref> Richardson learned about the recasting at San Diego Comic-Con;<ref name="Hedash" /> in response, she posted a Vine video in which she wore a crown and held a sign saying "Princess for Hire".<ref name="Richardson">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-former-game-of-thrones-actress-makes-princess-for-hire-video-20140731-story.html|title=Former 'Game of Thrones' actress makes 'Princess for Hire' video|last1=Richardson|first1=Aimee|date=July 31, 2014|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|last2=Day|first2=Patrick Kevin|format=Video|quote=The actress who played Myrcella Baratheon on the HBO series “Game of Thrones” makes a joke out of her character's recent recasting.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/game-of-thrones-actress-begs-for-other-princess-work-after-myrcella-baratheon-part-is-recast-9640029.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/game-of-thrones-actress-begs-for-other-princess-work-after-myrcella-baratheon-part-is-recast-9640029.html |archive-date=2022-06-18 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=''Game of Thrones'' actress Aimee Richardson begs for 'other princess work' after Myrcella Baratheon part is re-cast|last=Hooton|first=Christopher|date=31 July 2014|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=1 August 2014}}</ref> An explanation was not given for the change in actors.<ref name="Hedash" />
Myrcella's fate was one of several differences between how the television show and the novels represented the Sand Snakes and Dorne.<ref name="Wigler">{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/game-thrones-how-dorne-story-887665|title='Game of Thrones': How Dorne Story Completely Diverges From the Books|last1=Wigler|first1=Josh|date=April 26, 2016|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> Her death scene was originally longer with parallels to Joffrey's death; it would have involved her head exploding and gore splattered throughout the set. Discussing these changes, Free said: "[<nowiki/>David Benioff and D. B. Weiss] wanted Myrcella's death to reflect her life, and wanted it to be sweet – which is rare for [Game of] Thrones."<ref name="Griffiths">{{cite news|url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/2017061339752/game-of-thrones-myrcella-baratheon-death-scene/|title=This Game of Thrones death was meant to be MUCH more gruesome|last1=Griffiths|first1=Emmy|date=June 13, 2017|work=Hello Magazine|quote=Myrcella Baratheon's death originally involved mashed up bananas!}}</ref> ''Esquire'''s Matt Miller wrote that the final version was tamer in comparison to other characters' deaths.<ref name="Miller">{{cite news|url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/news/a55588/game-of-thrones-myrcella-baratheon-death/|title=Why Game of Thrones Actually Made This Key Death Less Violent|last1=Miller|first1=Matt|work=Esquire|date=June 12, 2017|access-date=July 20, 2019}}</ref> Free appeared in six episodes of the show.<ref name="W" />
===Storylines===
==== Season 1 and 2 ==== Myrcella's storyline in the first two seasons follows the books. Myrcella makes her debut, looking "like a Disney Princess" as she arrives with the Lannisters at Winterfell in the series premiere.<ref name="Alter">{{cite web |url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/05/game-of-thrones-characters-first-last-appearances-deaths.html |title=WHAT IS DEAD MAY NEVER DIE: The First and Last Appearances of Game of Thrones' Most Memorable Characters |first1=Rebecca |last1=Alter |first2=Milan |last2=Polk |date=May 22, 2010 |work=New York |publisher=vulture.com |access-date=July 19, 2019}}</ref> She is later seen along with her brother Tommen at Joffrey's nameday. Tyrion later sends her off to Dorne to marry into House Martell, so that House Lannister can gain an alliance with them.
====Season 5 and 6==== Myrcella (now much older) is seen walking through the Water Gardens with Trystane, with whom she has fallen in love, while being watched by Ellaria Sand and Prince Doran Martell. Ellaria, furious about Oberyn's death, offers to torture Myrcella and send pieces of her back to take revenge on Cersei, who she feels is responsible for orchestrating Tyrion's show trial which led to the trial by combat that took Oberyn's life, but Doran refuses to harm her. Myrcella is surprised when her "uncle" Jaime Lannister and Bronn finally meet her as she is with Trystane in the gardens. She is upset after Bronn is forced to knock Trystane unconscious, and resists Jaime's urging to leave with him. The Sand Snakes make a sudden ambush in order to kidnap her. She is nearly taken hostage by Nymeria, but the conflict is interrupted after Areo Hotah arrives with a dozen Dornish guards, imprisoning Jaime, Bronn, the Sand Snakes and Ellaria. Myrcella visits Jaime while he is in custody. Jaime tells her that about the situation with Ellaria. He tells her that he needs to take her home to King's Landing. Myrcella, failing to understand, assures him that Dorne is her home now, and that she will stay and marry Trystane. However, her marriage to Trystane never happens as she is poisoned by Ellaria and the Sand Snakes just before she leaves Dorne with Jaime and Bronn. As she is sailing away towards King's Landing, she dies in Jaime's arms moments after acknowledging him as her father.{{efn-ua|At least one writer opines that Myrcella's relationship with Jaime abruptly failed, like so many other match-ups in the television series, was because of a lack of good writing.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://theweek.com/articles/836494/why-game-thrones-lovers-are-hard-love |date=April 22, 2019 |work=The Week |title=Why Game of Thrones' lovers are so hard to love |first1=Jeva |last1=Lange |access-date=July 18, 2019}}</ref> Others say that in Game of Thrones, Myrcella's loving relationship, like many others, seem doomed to fall victim to political grudges of other characters.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/05/game-of-thrones-season-8-family-romance.html |date=May 8, 2019 |title=The Essential Question for Game of Thrones' Endgame |first1=Nina Shen |last1=Rastogi |work=New York |publisher=vulture.com |access-date=July 19, 2019}}</ref> Although her "star crossed" dalliance with Trystane is viewed as "passionate" but "boring", both are murdered "to keep the plot moving."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zimbio.com/Ranking+'Game+Of+Thrones'+Romances+From+Worst+To+Best/articles/1E9NDv6Lrh1/Myrcella+Baratheon+Trystane+MartellZimbio |title=Ranking 'Game Of Thrones' Romances From Worst To Best |work=Zimbio |access-date=July 19, 2019}}</ref>}}<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/06/12/gruesome-game-thrones-death-viewers-never-shown/ |title=The gruesome Game of Thrones death viewers were never shown |date=June 12, 2017 |author=Telegraph staff |newspaper=The Telegraph |publisher=Telegraph Media Group Limited |access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Prahl">{{cite web |url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/photo-gallery/45997167/image/45997169/Myrcella-Baratheon |title=Game of Thrones: How, When, and Why Each 1 of Cersei's Children Died |first1=Amanda |last1=Prahl |date=April 13, 2019 |publisher=PopSugar |access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref><ref name="thomas">{{cite news|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/156232-how-did-myrcella-die-on-game-of-thrones-cersei-is-due-for-a-rude-awakening-when |title=How Did Myrcella Die On 'Game of Thrones'? Cersei Is Due For A Rude Awakening When Jaime Returns |first1=Leah Marilla |last1=Thomas |work=Bustle |date=April 24, 2016 |access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref>
In Season 6, Episode 2, her body returns home to King's Landing shortly after her death, and her corpse, complete with stones over her eyes, is later seen in the Great Sept of Baelor.<ref name="Alter"/> Myrcella is later avenged by Euron Greyjoy, who kills Obara and Nymeria in combat, and delivers Ellaria and Tyene to Cersei to exact her revenge.
=== Family tree of House Lannister === {{Family tree of Tytos Lannister}}
==Notes== {{reflist|group=upper-alpha}}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
{{ASOIAF}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baratheon, Myrcella}} Category:A Song of Ice and Fire characters Category:Child characters in literature Category:Female characters in literature Category:Female characters in drama television series Category:Fictional amputees <!-- Her missing ear --> Category:Fictional murdered people Category:Fictional princesses Category:Literary characters introduced in 1996 Category:Teenage characters in television Category:Television characters introduced in 2011 Category:Deceased fictional characters