"People work together when it suits 'em. They're loyal when it suits 'em. Love each other when it suits 'em. And they kill each other when it suits 'em." ―Orell [src]

Orell was a wildling warg, who could assume the consciousness of an eagle that he used for reconnaissance.

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Biography

While the massive host of the Free Folk marches out of Skirling Pass through the Frostfangs, Orell scouts the Fist of the First Men by warging into his pet eagle. He discovers dead "crows" - the result of the Battle of the Fist of the First Men.[1]

Orell is among the party that reaches the Fist of the First Men alongside Jon Snow and Mance Rayder. Here they encounter the bloody aftermath of assault on the Night's Watch by the White Walkers and their army of undead wights. Except for corpses of horses, there is no sign of any human corpses - which Orell had seen when he scouted ahead earlier by warging into his eagle.[2]

While climbing the Wall, a crack within the ice causes an avalanche. Losing their footing, Orell yells to Tormund they must cut Jon and Ygritte's rope. Orell eventually cuts the rope, and Jon is able to swing Ygritte and himself to safety before it snaps.[3]

The wildling party, consisting of Ygritte, Tormund, Jon, and others, captures a horse breeder . As Tormund is about to kill him, Orell intervenes and says that the "crow" should do it. Jon walks forward and presses his sword against the man's jugular, but cannot bring himself to kill him; the man is shot by Ygritte.

Orell shouts and claims that Jon always was a "crow" and a battle ensues. After a few moments of sword fighting, Jon shoves his sword into Orell's chest and whispers "You were right the whole time", before pulling it out and leaving Orell on the ground to die. Orell manages to cheat death, however, warging into the mind of his eagle with his dying breath. As Jon stands over Orell's dead human body, Orell's consciousness controlling the eagle's body attempts to exact revenge by clawing at Jon's face with his beak and talons, but Jon is able to fight him off.[4]

Jojen Reed mentions to Bran Stark that if one wargs into an animal for too long, they will forget what it was like to be human. As Orell must now stay inside the eagle for the rest of his life, this is presumably what will happen to him.[5]

Abilities

Warg: Orell was a wildling warg. Before he died, he warged into his eagle and attacked Jon Snow. Before that, he used his eagle for reconnaissance.

Quotes

"You won't love him so much when you find out what he really is." ―Orell to Ygritte about Jon Snow [src]

Appearances

Image gallery

In the books

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Orell is a wildling raider in the same band as Ygritte. He has an affinity for animals including his pet eagle.

Orell is killed in the confrontation with Qhorin Halfhand's scouting party, during which Orell is inhabiting his eagle. A portion of Orell's consciousness remains within the eagle, and develops a deep hatred of Jon. The eagle then aids Rattleshirt in tracking and capturing Jon and Qhorin. Later, shortly before the wildlings arrive at the Fist of the First Men, the eagle attacks Jon, scars his face and attempts to claw his eyes out before Ygritte drives it away.

Another wildling skinchanger, Varamyr Sixskins, takes control of Orell's eagle, using it to scout Castle Black and spots Stannis's arrival at the Wall. During the battle Melisandre destroys the eagle with her fire magic, driving Varamyr insane and supposedly destroying also the remnants of Orell inside the eagle.

See also