Highlights
- Wildfire in Game of Thrones is a highly flammable and volatile substance that is equivalent to modern weapons of mass destruction.
- The Alchemists' Guild is responsible for creating and possessing Wildfire, using it as a defense against enemies in King's Landing.
- The Mad King's obsession with Wildfire ultimately led to his demise, and the substance is capable of burning and destroying everything in its path.
In Game of Thrones season 2, acting Hand, Tyrion Lannister, and the new Commander of the City Watch, Bronn sit and plan the defense of King's Landing against Stannis Baratheon's attack. Joffrey's uncle, Stannis is about to land on the shores of the capital and an incompetent king sits the Iron Throne. Tyrion and Bronn use Wildfire to destroy half of Stannis' fleet. Tyrion himself is shocked at the spectacle of the Wildfire explosion, while the head of the Alchemists' Guild in King's Landing, Wisdom Hallyne, a Pyromancer smiles. Game of Thrones season 2, episode 9 "Blackwater" marks the first use of Wildfire in the show, and the attack on Stannis' fleet demonstrates that this volatile green substance is highly flammable.
Wildfire in the medieval fantasy drama, Game of Thrones is the equivalent of modern weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). The Lannister siblings, Cersei and Tyrion intentionally use it on their enemies in King's Landing. Jaime, however, has a close call with it during the Sack of King's Landing. During the Battle of King's Landing, Drogon's fire sets off the remaining caches of Wildfire which Daenerys' father, the Mad King had placed all over the city. Wildfire is easier to ignite, and once set off, it undergoes a violent implosion, thereby annihilating everything in its wake. It is referred to as "the substance" in Pyromancers' tongue, and here is how it works.
The Creation And Possession Of Wildfire
The distinguishing characteristic of Wildfire is the neon green color of its liquid state and the bright green color flames it produces when ignited. Tyrion who saw the explosion from a safe distance in Game of Thrones season 2 was horrified to see the people Wildfire burned and the wreckage the explosion left behind. This Wildfire explosion at Blackwater Bay occurred during the War of the Five Kings and it produced a brilliant flash of light, creating a huge cloud of smoke and spectacular green flames. Since the Wildfire is a hazardous substance, its possession, and creation are commissioned by the Alchemists' Guild, and not the Order of the Maesters. The Alchemists' Guild is an old order that's based in the capital city of King's Landing. In Game of Thrones season 2, episode 5 "The Ghost of Harrenhal," Tyrion investigates and learns through Lancel Lannister that Cersei is having Wildfire made to prepare for the siege. It's her only defense against Stannis' fleet and army, and the Alchemists' Guild is planning to launch thousands of pots from the city walls.
Game of Thrones says that Wildfire is the reason why the Mad King, Aerys II was killed by one of his own Kingsguard, Ser Jaime Lannister in the final hours of Robert's Rebellion. The last of the Targaryen kings, Aerys II's in his paranoia stockpiled Wildfire in his capital. The caches were kept at key places such as underneath the Great Sept of Baelor, and beneath the Red Keep itself. As Tywin led the Sack of King's Landing, the Mad King commanded a member of the Alchemists' Guild, Lord Rossart to carry out his Wildfire plot and burn the city to the ground. Jaime prevented it from happening and killed Rossart and the Mad King, both.
Wildfire Burns Hot
"I remember reading an old sailor's proverb... "Piss on wildfire and your c**k burns off," exclaims Tyrion upon inspecting a pot of Wildfire at the Guildhall of the Alchemists in Game of Thrones' "The Ghost of Harrenhal." He's informed that "the substance" can melt wood, stone, steel, and even flesh. Wisdom Hallyne who serves as the head of the Alchemists' Guild for quite a while tells Tyrion that Wildfire was the tangible source of Targaryens' hard power after the deaths of the dragons:
The substance is fire given form. And we have been perfecting it since the days of Maegor.
As for why the order creates Wildfire, Hallyne informs Tyrion that jars of Wildfire are put in catapults and flung at the enemies. Bronn has his reservations, the most basic one being their men aren't trained to handle the hazardous substance, and two, men deployed to man the catapults could miss their targets and end up burning themselves and the city. Hallyne takes offense at Bronn's comments and remarks that he wouldn't have insulted his order during the time of Aerys Targaryen as the late king developed an obsession with Wildfire and burning people. Tyrion is shocked to see that the order has enormous stockpiles of Wildfire, the present count clocks at 7811 in Game of Thrones "The Ghost of Harrenhal."
As explained by Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones season 3, episode 5 "Kissed by Fire," the Mad King was obsessed with Wildfire, and he loved burning his enemies. Jaime states that the victims suffered severe skin burns, blisters, and their skin melted off their bones. Consumption of Wildfire is also lethal, and Prince Aerion Targaryen who epitomized Targaryen madness died drinking it believing it would transmute him into a dragon. Early on in Game of Thrones, the destruction of Stannis' fleet demonstrated that, unlike fire, Wildfire results in fire burns that even water couldn't extinguish. The flames of Wildfire can only be put out by large quantities of sand, and that is why it has no match in Game of Thrones.