Winter Came and Left
With Game of Thrones' glory days behind it, it’s always fun to look back on the show in retrospect. Known predominantly for its incredible character work, here are 10 of the best and worst examples it has left on us.
1. Tyrion Lannister
Considered the best and most popular character in the show, Peter Dinklage’s portrayal of the Lannister brother has netted him four Emmy Awards. Born as a dwarf into the affluent Lannister family, Tyrion has to work his way against adversity and still manages to steal the show with his wit.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America on Wikimedia
2. Daenerys Targaryen
Before the unfortunate ending arc, Daenerys’s story was that of an underdog and a hero. She went from an exile to freeing slaves and commanding dragons, and her heart was almost always in the right place until that unfortunate end.
3. Arya Stark
Arya was played by Maisie Williams, who gave her quite the zest for life in her pursuit of justice. Starting as nothing more than a little girl split from her family, Arya goes through an impressive journey where she trains with the Faceless Men and even lands the finishing blow on the Night King.
4. Brienne of Tarth
Partly thanks to Gwendoline Christie’s impressive performance as well as the character’s aptitude, Brienne is known as one of the most honorable characters around. In a show full of shady characters, that’s quite an accomplishment, and she goes on to serve many of the noblest causes in the show.
5. Jon Snow
One of the show’s titular characters is none other than everyone’s favorite noble hero who may or may not know nothing. Played by Kit Harington, Jon joins the Night Watch and struggles to carve out a place for himself, only for his arc to come to fruition when his lineage is revealed.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America on Wikimedia
6. Ned Stark
Although his screentime is short-lived, Ned’s honorable characterization and ingenuity made him an icon that pulled so many people into the show. His portrayal set the tone for the entire series and unraveled the beginnings of a major mystery that had fans hooked.
7. Sandor Clegane
Better known as the Hound, this character is as complex as he is strangely lovable. His mortality is shown through his relationship with Arya, and his troubled past and search for redemption make his story one to follow.
8. Oberyn Martell
Oberyn, played by the pragmatic Pedro Pascal, had a very short stint on the show. But despite his brief appearance, fans absolutely adored him, and his passing serves as a stark reminder of how little it takes to fall in love with a character, and how even less is needed to take them away.
9. Samwell Tarly
Not everyone needs to be big and strong, and Samwell got plenty of love for simply being loyal and kind. One of the few genuinely good people in the show, he becomes Jon’s best friend and continues to evolve into a significant hero as the story progresses.
10. Jorah Mormont
While fans make fun of Jorah’s crush on Dany, it’s clear to see he is a loyal and albeit tragic character. He never lets his unrequited love hinder his sense of duty, and as he searches for redemption through the story, it’s clear to see he achieved it by the end.
Now that we have talked about characters people loved, there are plenty of villains to consider when deciding who people hate.
1. Joffrey Baratheon
Played by Jack Gleeson, the actor had to take a brief retirement from acting afterward due to the sheer hate he got from fans. This is because he was just so fantastic at playing a sadistic, cruel, and entitled prince. He caused the suffering of many adored characters, and fans are still bummed it took so long for someone to take that character out.
2. Ramsay Bolton
Considered Joffrey 2.0, many fans argue over which one of these was worse. Not only did he take great pleasure in tormenting people and beloved characters, but he would cause major conflict for both Sansa, Theon, and Jon. Arguably, this character met a more fitting and satisfying end.
3. The High Sparrow
Played by phenomenal actor Jonathan Pryce, this character portrays how extreme religious fanaticism leads to tyranny. Not only does he humiliate Cersei and Margaery, but he uses militant faith to control and torment the people.
PunkToad from oakland, us on Wikimedia
4. Petyr Baelish
Also known as Littlefinger, Baelish is a master manipulator through and through. The way he toys with the Stark sisters and even betrays Ned Stark cements him as a villain, despite how interesting his rise to power was.
5. Cersei Lannister
Cersei undergoes a lot of character development throughout the show. Her manipulative and power-hungry nature is what makes her so villainous as she schemes for the throne and lets her children get away with terrible things in order to hold power.
pinguino k from North Hollywood, USA on Wikimedia
6. Viserys Targaryen
While Viserys was certainly a terrible person, his short stint in the show makes him seem less intense than some of the other characters. Despite this, he did essentially sell his sister off to secure a crown, and even then he continued to abuse her till the end.
7. Melisandre
Played by the talented Carice van Houten, Melisandre is a red priestess who manipulates Stannis Baratheon into doing terrible things. She’s similar to the High Sparrow and uses fanaticism to justify horrifying acts.
8. Walder Frey
Played by David Bradley, Walder Frey was the one who orchestrated the Red Wedding. Considered one of the most shocking turns in the show, it led to the end of multiple beloved characters and proved that truly no one was safe.
9. Shae
Shae is hated for what she did to Tyrion. Seeming like the one person he could love and trust, Shae shocked fans when it was revealed that she was lying to him and would go on to betray him.
10. Lysa Arryn
Clearly unhinged when it comes to taking care of her son Robin, Lysa went after her own husband and was a piece in starting the war. Her betrayal and creepy behavior just made her one of the most unsettling characters around.
