Sam Cortland
​
Male | Human
​
Loyal to Assassin's Guild
​
Lived in the Assassin's Keep, Rifthold
Born in Rifthold
​
17-18 | Deceased
Died in The Assassin and the Empire
Family
Unnamed Mother
Unknown Father
Love Interests
Celaena Sardothien (The Assassin's Blade)
​
Physical Description
Sam is described as very handsome and physically fit. He had chestnut colored, longish hair and brown eyes. He had a broad, muscular chest.
Personality
Sam was compassionate and a loyal friend. Celaena, who didn't have friends, thought Sam would make a good friend. Due to his birth mother, who was a famous courtesan, he is very sympathetic to courtesan's, and is always polite to them.
Skills
Sam was a very skilled fighter, as he grew up along with Celaena, training as an assassin.
Weapons
Before Book Events
The Assassin's Blade
For Book Walkthrough, click here.
When we first meet Sam in The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, he see that he is loyal to Arobynn and the assassin's, but is combative with Celaena, due to his jealousy over Celaena being chosen as Arobynn's heir. As Celaena gets to know him more, though, we learn that he isn't as loyal to Arobynn as he first appeared to be. He, like Celaena, is disgusted by Arobynn wanting to get into the slave trade, and offers his help in freeing the slaves. He tells Celaena that he thinks Arobynn sent them to Skull's Bay to get them out of Rifthold, because he was hiding something from them, and that he knew more about Ben's death than he was letting on, but Celaena didn't want to believe that. He suggests they run away after freeing the slaves, but Celaena doesn't want to spend her life hiding from Arobynn.
Sam tries to share the blame of what happens in Skull's Bay, but Arobynn blames the planning on Celaena, and says Sam only involved himself because she was the one who planned it, and it was either help her or let her die. Arobynn had his other favored assassins hold Sam back while he beat Celaena. Celaena doesn't remember what Sam was screaming at Arobynn until later during the beating, but when she does, she remembers that he was telling Arobynn he would kill him for this.
When Sam and Celaena reunite after she returns from the desert, it takes some time for Celaena to bring her guard down around him. Not only because she is jealous of the time he is spending with Lysandra, but because after Ansel's betrayal, she is weary or being hurt again. She ultimately decides to let Sam in, when she remembers that Sam stood by her, supported her, and didn't betray her.
When he tells Celaena he has feelings for her -
DEATH