Sunday, June 21, 2015

The 50 Best Characters from "Game of Thrones" (PART ONE)

Game of Thrones is a fantastic television show. I would even go as far as to say it's hands down the best show on T.V. right now. Us fans only get ten episodes a year because the show takes so long to film, but those ten episodes always feel extremely special. There are hardly ever any "boring" parts due to the absolutely phenomenal world that author George R.R. Martin has created. There is so much stuff going on in the world of "GoT" that it's almost impossible to keep track of all of it. Sometimes you need to watch an episode three separate times just to make sure you didn't miss anything.

While the show is mainly known for it's violence, nudity, cruelty, and battles, it's also known for the crazy amount of interesting characters in it. There are so many interesting characters in this world that the show creators have had to cut some of them out because there's no way they could fit them all into the show. My job here is to rank all the characters we've actually seen on the show and how interesting they are. It's not an easy job, but someone's gotta do it. That someone is me.....

First though? A few quick notes:

-I'm ranking characters mainly based on what they've done on the show, but since I've actually read the books, it's hard for me to separate them sometimes. Therefore I will be taking what that person has done in the books into consideration when I rank them.

-Since "GoT" is a show based on books, I decided to post pictures of what the character is supposed to look like if you go by the books. It's just a fun little experiment to see how well the casting people have done as far as it pertains to a certain character.

-This is not a list of my PERSONAL favorite characters. If it was, King Joffrey would probably be #1 (insert smiley face emoji). Instead, this is a combination of how much I like the character and how interesting the character is. If the character is boring as hell, you won't see them ranked here.

-If you've never seen the show or have any intentions on reading the book, DO NOT READ THIS! This is filled with spoilers from the books and the T.V. shows. Consider this your warning.......




Top 50 Characters from "Game of Thrones"


Part One



50. Balon Greyjoy




House: Greyjoy

From: The Iron Islands

Alive/Dead: Presumed alive on the show/Died of a fall in "A Storm of Swords"

Brief Synopsis: Balon Greyjoy (father of Theon and Asha) doesn't do much of anything in either the television series or the actual books, but as far as the history of Westeros goes....he was pretty important. He declares himself "King of the Iron Islands" during the "War of the Five Kings" and dies (at least in the book) soon after. Like I said, he's not that important to the actual "Song of Ice & Fire" series, but his history (Greyjoy's Rebellion) is somewhat interesting if you ever decide to look that up.




49. Oleanna Tyrell 



House: Tyrell

From: Highgarden

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: The "Queen of Thornes" is known for two things. Her wisecracks and her loyalty to her family. Other than that....not much to see here.



48. Viserys Targaryen



House: Targaryen

From: King's Landing

Alive/Dead: Dead (Khal Drogo "crowned" him in season one)

Brief Synopsis: There honestly wasn't a whole lot to like about Viserys. The only reason he's on this list at all was because of how important he was to the story in season one. Before Daenerys became the most important person on the show, that role was supposed to be Viserys', but the guy couldn't keep his emotions in check long enough and that ended up costing him his life. His death scene in season one where Khal Drogo "crowned" him is still one of my favorites on the show....





47. Grey Worm



House: The Unsullied (allegiance to House Targaryen)

From: Summer Islands

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: Grey Worm is Daenerys Targaryen's main protector in the Unsullied. His only job is to make sure nothing happens to the "Dragon Queen" and so far, he's been pretty good at his job minus a hiccup against the Sons of Harpy which resulted in him getting stabbed.




46. Tommen Baratheon



House: Baratheon (although we all know he's actually a Lannister)

From: King's Landing

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: How can you hate Tommen? The guy is the nicest king ever and he wouldn't harm a fly. Of course, that's what happens when you become king at the ripe age of 10 or whatever the hell he is. The guy's obsessed with cats and is the farthest thing from his older brother Joffrey. That's not necessarily a good thing in my book though.



45. Aemon Targaryen



House: Targaryen (allegiance to the Night's Watch)

From: King's Landing

Alive/Dead: Dead (old age)

Brief Synopsis: Maester Aemon wasn't the best character on the show, but he was a pivotal one for Jon Snow and the Night's Watch. He was the last surviving Targaryen in Westeros before his death and that alone made him an interesting character. There wasn't much after that though.



44. Ellaria Sand



House: Uller (allegiance to House Martell)

From: Dorne

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: There's a lot to like about Ellaria. She's beautiful. She's interesting. She's dangerous. And she seems like a lot of fun. I say "seems" because she actually doesn't get a lot of television time. Hey, look at that! She has a lot in common with the rest of Dorne.



43. Margarey Tyrell



House: Tyrell (currently married to King Tommen Baratheon)

From: Highgarden

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: Poor Margarey. She can just never catch a break. First she's supposed to marry Renly Baratheon when the "War of the Five Kings" starts and BOOM....Renly is taken out by a mysterious figure sent by Melisandre. Then she's all set to marry King Joffrey and have a lifetime of happiness (lol), but Joffrey gets taken out at their wedding and once again, Margarey is left alone. That didn't last long though as Margarey then got her hooks set in Joffrey's little brother (and new king of Westeros) Tommen. The two actually had a wedding (SCORE ONE FOR MARGAREY!), but then everything went to shit. Margarey was imprisoned by the Faith (thanks to Cersei) and Tommen sits in his room acting like a little bitch while his queen rots away in a prison cell. See. She can't catch a break.


42. Jeor Mormont



House: Mormont (allegiance to the Night's Watch)

From: Bear Island

Alive/Dead: Dead

Brief Synopsis: Jeor Mormont was the 997th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and he was great at his job while he was alive. He helped turn Jon Snow into the Lord Commander he is today and he also has a son running around who's pretty good in combat as well (Jorah Mormont). Unfortunately Jeor was taken out by his own men when they formed a mutiny against him at Craster's Keep. The good news is, those sons of bitches eventually got what was coming to them. Score one for the good guys.



41. Benjen Stark



House: Stark (allegiance to the Night's Watch)

From: Winterfell

Alive/Dead: ????????

Brief Synopsis: Benjen Stark is a mystery to Game of Thrones fans. He appeared in season one when he arrived in Winterfell and he ended up taking Jon Snow back to the Wall with him in a move that really paid off for the Night's Watch. Then, he went on a ranging beyond the wall....and no one knows what happened to him. Is he alive? Is he dead? No one knows, but everyone is guessing. There has to be a reason the show has never finalized anything with his character, right? WHERE ARE YOU BENJEN?!?!?!



40. Ramsay Bolton



House: Bolton

From: The Dreadfort

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: One of the most hated characters on the show. There is absolutely no good qualities that Ramsay Bolton possesses. His main storyline on the show so far has basically been to capture and torture Theon Greyjoy (Reek) and this guy's so evil, that you actually end up felling sorry for Theon eventually. Unfortunately for viewers of the show, Ramsay's power is only growing. Right now he's in a prime position to become "Warden of the North" should anything happen to his father Roose Bolton and ladies and gentlemen....that's a scary thought.




39. Renly Baratheon



House: Baratheon

From: Stormlands

Alive/Dead: Dead (killed by a spirit sent by Melisandre and Stannis Baratheon)

Brief Synopsis: No one ever really thought Renly Baratheon had a claim to the throne, right? Stannis' claim to the throne made much more sense, which is why no one shed a tear when Renly ended up dying at the hands of his older brother and his "companion". Renly was a nice guy, but we all know nice guys finish last....especially in "Game of Thrones".




38. Bran Stark



House: Stark

From: Winterfell

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: The character and story of Bran Stark is one of the most boring things about "Game of Thrones" in my opinion. However, the thing that keeps me semi-invested in his character is that there HAS to be a really cool end game. I mean, we aren't spending all this time on Bran and company finding the Children of the Forest and the Three-eyed Crow just to do nothing with it....right? Bran is important to the story, it's just a matter of finding out how important. Maybe he'll be able to control one of Daenerys' dragons with his mind? Imagine how fun that would be. 



37. Theon Greyjoy/Reek






House: Greyjoy (allegiance to House Stark)

From: The Iron Islands

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: Poor Theon. The guy never had a chance. When we first see Theon, he's in Winterfell as Ned Stark's squire (a price that the Greyjoy's had to pay for Balon's Rebellion) and you actually kind of like the guy. Then shit falls apart. After Ned Stark (Theon's "second" dad) is executed, Theon heads back to the Iron Islands where he finds out his father Balon has named himself "King of the Iron Islands" once again and he gets Theon to come back and fight on his side. Theon does exactly that and goes and ransacks Winterfell where he presumably kills Bran and Rickon Stark. Except, he lies about killing the Stark boys and his own men end up turning against him and then IT happens. Theon is captured by Ramsay Bolton where he's castrated, flayed, and tortured to the brink of death. He's also given the new name "Reek", because frankly....who wouldn't want that name? Things are finally looking up for Theon though as him and Sansa Stark were able to finally escape the wrath of Ramsay in the season 5 finale. What happens next with these two? We'll find out in about a year (DAMN YOU HBO!). 




36. Ygritte



House: Wildlings

From: Beyond the Wall

Alive/Dead: Dead (dies during battle)

Brief Synopsis: Jon Snow's wildling girlfriend. What more can be said? She was a warrior. She was tough as nails. She took Jon Snow's virginity in a cave. And she ended up paying the ultimate price for freedom when she died after the wildling's scaled the Wall. Oh, and she also helped coin the phrase "You know nothing Jon Snow". 




35. Ilyn Payne



House: Payne (allegiance to the King of Westeros)

From: Unknown

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis:  A lot of regular show viewers probably have no idea who this guy is, but Ser Illyn Payne is more important than you think. He's the "King's Justice", which means whenever the King orders someone to die.....Illyn Payne is the guy to do it. He's the one who chopped off Ned Stark's head and that alone makes him one of the worst guys on the show. He doesn't talk (mainly because the "Mad King" had his tongue ripped out years ago) and that just adds to his mystique. This is another character who hasn't done much on the show outside of a few scenes, but has more roles in the book. Remember when Bronn taught Jaime Lannister how to fight using only his one hand on the show? In the books, Bronn is replaced by one of the best swordsmen in the land.....Ser Illyn Payne.



34. Hodor



House: Unknown (allegiance to House Stark)

From: Winterfell

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: Hodor is....Hodor. He only say's one word (his name). He's only on the show so far to help protect Bran Stark and he doesn't do much outside of that. He gets some bonus points for turning into a killing machine when you piss him off though. Don't make Hodor use that giant strength!



33. Samwell Tarly



House: Tarly (allegiance to the Night's Watch)

From: Horn Hill

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: A lot of people don't like Samwell Tarly because they feel like he's "too soft" for the GoT world. They're absolutely right, but then again....how many of those people can say that they've killed a White Walker? Samwell is far from the most interesting person on the show (truth be told....a lot of his scenes are pretty boring), but his intentions are always good (not a lot of people on the show can say that) and that has to mean something. Who knows how Samwell is going to take the news of Jon Snow's "death", but if the rumors are true and Samwell's father (Randyll Tarly) appears on the show next season, Samwell is in for a lllllllllllllllloooooonnnnnnnngggggg season. 





32. Davos Seaworth



House: Seaworth (allegiance to House Baratheon)

From: King's Landing

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: Stannis Baratheon's "Hand of the King", Davos Seaworth is a good man. Throughout the entire show, it seems like Davos and Stannis' are constantly on the opposite sides of the fence, and it makes you wonder why Davos even sticks around, but it's probably for the best. Davos is not a fan of Melisandre's and her arrival in Stannis' camp actually causes him to grow unhappier and things escalate from there. Who really knows where Davos goes from here though? Now that Stannis is presumably dead....what's left for the "Onion Knight" to accomplish on the show? Something tells me we are far from done with his story however. 



31. Mance Rayder



House: Wildlings

From: Beyond the Wall

Alive/Dead: Dead on the show/Alive in the books (Mance is killed by Melisandre and Jon Snow on the show. In the books, it's later revealed that Melisandre didn't actually kill Mance and he's sent to Winterfell to rescue Jeyne Poole who's hiding under the alias "Arya Stark". He's supposedly captured by Ramsey Bolton.)

Brief Synopsis: The "King Beyond The Wall" is a misunderstood soul. Mance Rayder doesn't conform to the rest of Westeros' rules (he lives beyond the Wall....he can do that) and you have to admire him for that. His intentions are usually good (he's trying to bring his people South to avoid the invasion of White Walkers) and he ends up paying the ultimate price for his loyalty to them (on the show at least). Guy got a raw deal. 



30. Tormund Giantsbane



House: Wildlings

From: Beyond the Wall

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: Tormund Giantsbane is arguably the best soldier the Wildlings have to offer. Not much else to say about him, other than....you don't want to cross him. 



29. Robb Stark



House: Stark

From: Winterfell

Alive/Dead: Dead (killed by Roose Bolton at the "Red Wedding")

Brief Synopsis: Poor ol' Robb Stark. The poor kid just never had a chance. After his father is murdered at the hands of the King, Robb's men declare him "King of the North" and it's officially ON LIKE DONKEY KONG! Robb has one mission in life and that's to avenge the life of his father and he does a pretty damn good job....until that one wedding at the Twins where he's set up by some of his own people and murdered in horrible fashion. No one said the life of a king was an easy one. 




28. Jorah Mormont



House: Mormont

From: Bear Island

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: Ser Jorah Mormont is one of those guys that's hard to get a read on when you first start watching the show. You have no idea what his true intentions are, but over time...you start to like the guy. He's been exiled from Westeros and in an order to return to favor with the rulers of Westeros, he becomes a "spy" in the camp of Daenerys Targaryen. As time goes on though, Mormont becomes infatuated with Daenerys and loses his desire to return to his homeland and instead is hell bent on helping Dany re-claim the throne that her family lost years ago. The only problem with that is, Dany wants nothing to do with him now and the guy is dying from a case of "greyscale". Season six could be a loooooong one for ol' Jorah Mormont. 



27. Roose Bolton



House: Bolton

From: Dreadfort

Alive/Dead: Alive

Brief Synopsis: The father of Ramsey Bolton. The current "Warden of the North". The guy who was responsible for Robb Stark's murder at the "Red Wedding". An overall cruel bastard. You get the point yet? Roose Bolton is one of the scariest guys on "Game of Thrones" and that says a lot when you have Thenn's, Clegane's, giant's, White Walkers, & Lannister's running around. Would anyone really complain if Roose Bolton died a slow and painful death? No? Didn't think so. 



26. Tywin Lannister



House: Lannister

From: Casterly Rock

Alive/Dead: Dead (killed by his son Tyrion Lannister)

Brief Synopsis: Speaking of "asshole fathers". Ladies and gentlemen....meet Tywin Lannister. Regardless of how you feel about Tywin, you have to admire what he was able to accomplish in the "GoT" world while he was alive. His name alone made him one of the most feared individuals in Westeros. How feared was he? He was named "Hand of the King" on two separate occasions and once Robert Baratheon was taken out, Tywin arguably became the most powerful man on the show. That was until he crossed the wrong person. His own son Tyrion. Whatever you do, don't make a dwarf angry....especially while you're taking a dump. He might shoot you with an arrow through the heart and that's never a good look. For anyone.


(PART TWO WILL BE POSTED TOMORROW!!!!!)

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