Top Game of Thrones Characters

The Lady Crane was only on Game of Thrones for a short time, during Arya's stint as an assassin in Braavos. But she left a major mark on the show: It was Arya's refusal to assassinate Crane for the Faceless Men that led to the Stark girl's ultimate return to Westeros. Lady Crane was a kind woman with her own tough upbringing, and she took pity on Arya, tending to the girl's wounds after her falling out with the House of Black and White. It led to her death, but the effects of Lady Crane's kindness will be felt throughout the rest of the series.

Robin "Sweetrobin" Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, head of House Arryn, Warden of the East, and Lord Paramount of the Vale of Arryn, is one of the most pitiful characters on Game of Thrones. That doesn't stop him from being one of the most detestable, too, as his petulant and sulky behavior are honestly hard to watch. He may not be a villain on Joffrey or Ramsay's level, but audiences will probably cheer when he finally snuffs it. Here's hoping Sansa gets to push him out the Moon Door.

Lysa Arryn was Lady Catelyn's sister, but showed her no love when the Lady of Winterfell arrived at the Vale with the captive Tyrion Lannister in tow during Season 1. More importantly, she was still visibly breastfeeding her clearly too old son Sweetrobin, which was pretty awkward to watch. Lady Lysa remained a menacing wild card on the show, only getting crazier as time went on. Her unfortunate arc culminated in a tense scene with Sansa and, blessedly, her death at Littlefinger's hands.

Hot Pie is one of Game of Thrones' most lovable characters. That's not necessarily saying much, since most of those still standing on the show are ruthless, shrewd and hardened to one degree or another. But Hot Pie -- named for his ever-improving skills in the kitchen -- has remained pure and good throughout his tenure on the show, which continued through a brief appearance in Season 4. If his direwolf-shaped loaves of bread ever get any more realistic, they might come to life and start attacking Lannisters, which, to be fair, wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

Meryn Trant was a brave knight of the Kingsguard who stoically performed his duty of murdering unarmed swordplay instructors and beating the snot out of highborn northern girls up to the point of his tragic death during Season 5. His sycophantic, blindly obedient, and ruthlessly cruel nature made him a favorite of the Lannisters, especially Cersei, who kept him by her side throughout her noble hijinks in King's Landing. If his life hadn't been cut so tragically short by Arya, he would have no doubt continued serving faithfully as a proud Kingsguard knight to this day.

Rickon Stark definitely got the short end of the spear when it comes to the Stark family's arcs on Game of Thrones. Robb led a rebellion and was briefly king, Jon led the Night's Watch and now holds Winterfell, Sansa went from meek victim to confident game-player, Arya is a kick-butt assassin, and Bran is literally a wizard. But all Rickon ever got to do was disappear with his direwolf for three seasons and then get brutally killed. The mystery of his whereabouts -- and what he'd do when he returned -- was a lot more fun than the reality.

Jeor "The Old Bear" Mormont was fierce, shrewd and loyal, an ideal commander who led the Night's Watch for years before being betrayed and butchered by a group of underlings at Craster's Keep. Before then, though, he ingratiated himself with viewers by treating everyone, including the dwarf Tyrion Lannister, the coward Samwell Tarley, and the bastard Jon Snow, with respect and fairness. He also proved he could still swing a sword on more than one occasion, including when the wights attacked at the Fist of the First Men. Hopefully his son, Jorah, does his daddy proud for once by the series' end.

Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun, affectionately known simply as "Wun Wun" among the Night's Watch men under Jon's command, may have been the last of his kind. He may also have been the most awesome of his kind, though that's harder to prove. The giant proved his worth over and over, first at Hardhome, then during the Night's Watch rebellion that temporarily killed Jon Snow, and finally during the Battle of the Bastards, where he singlehandedly stormed the gates of Winterfell, giving Jon and his forces the opening they needed.

Besides the White Walkers glimpsed in the show's first episode, Pyat Pree was one of the first overtly magical characters we met on Game of Thrones. And oh how magical he was! Capable of creating duplicates of himself apparently without any limitations, the heights of Pyat's sorcerous villainy were matched only by how lame his outfit was. Maybe if he hadn't dressed like the villain in a Saturday morning cartoon he wouldn't have died by dragon fire, a scene that was, admittedly, cathartic to watch.

Eddison Tollett, aptly dubbed "Dolorous" Edd by his brothers in the Night's Watch, is one of the most steadfast and consistent characters on the show. For one thing, he remained by Jon's side all the way through the end, making for some emotional moments, especially during season 6. And his sense of humor never wavered: Edd is always ready with a morbid crack or a fart joke, whether patrolling the Wall with his brothers or facing imminent death. He's one of few characters still standing as Game of Thrones enters its seventh season, and here's hoping he stays that way.

The Three-Eyed Raven was one of the most mysterious characters looming over Game of Thrones, starting from his first appearances as an actual raven in Bran's season 1 visions. That lasted right up until he was revealed to be simply an old guy sitting on a tree branch at the end of season 4. Luckily he was recast and reconsidered for season 6, where he took on the important role of explaining a lot of backstory that the show had no other way to portray. It's unclear if we'll ever learn more about the great grey magic man in the show like book readers have, but at least he served his narrative purpose well.

Tommen Baratheon, bastard son of Cersei and Jaime's gross incest, was a much nicer guy than his brother Joffrey. He actually might have made a decent king if not for the competing influences of his mother and the High Sparrow, who each tried to use him for their own purposes. He had many redeeming qualities, from his adorable cat, Ser Pounce, to his love of having sex with Queen Margaery, to which many viewers felt they could relate. Despite his being a Lannister, it's really a shame what happened to Good King Tommen.

Balon Greyjoy was a sour and crotchety old man whose pride and stupidity caused him to lead the Ironborn to the brink of ruin time and time again. That's not necessarily a bad thing, from the perspective both of viewers and of Westeros's other inhabitants, so Balon's really OK in the end. If it hadn't been for Euron's showing up to ruin Balon's general incompetence, the king of the Iron Islands would probably still be brooding in some salty tower while the rest of the realm fought on without him.

Craster wasn't a good father, a kind husband, a staunch ally to the Night's Watch, a decent friend to the Old Bear, or in general a very nice person no matter how you look at it. But he did serve to demonstrate just how harsh life beyond the Wall can be, and the unfortunately alliances you're forced to make when you're as desperate for help as the Night's Watch clearly was. When even your own beloved daughter-wives aren't sad to see you go, you know you've probably lived a rotten life.

Leave it to Game of Thrones to gradually turn a kindly, old, blind bookworm into one of the show's most fascinating characters. The show established early that Viserys and Daenerys were the last remaining Targaryens before revealing later in season 1 that Aemon himself was also of the dragon's blood, and he served an important role at Castle Black throughout seasons 1, 3, 4, and 5, being instrumental in events like Jon's absolvement after his escape from the wildlings and his election to the rank of lord commander. If only Aemon had lived long enough to witness the second Targaryen conquest that's no doubt coming in season 7.

Pycelle served as Grand Maester to several kings, going back to the rule of the Targaryens, but claimed he was always loyal to the Lannisters. Of course, that became more difficult as the Lannisters began to fight among themselves, and the conflicts between Tyrion and Cersei proved too thorny for him to navigate. It's a poorly kept secret that Pycelle was more spry than he let on, but for better or worse we'll never learn just what he might have been capable of.

Lancel Lannister underwent one of the most shocking transformations on the show when, after spending two seasons being manipulated by his cousins Cersei and Tyrion, he re-emerged in season 5 as a devout member of the new faith known as the Sparrows. With his newfound religious fervor he wasn't taking any more guff from the queen, and he helped the High Sparrow with what was very nearly a total takeover of the King's Landing government. If only Cersei wasn't such a psycho.

Osha served as our introduction to the wildlings in Game of Thrones when she was captured in the Wolfswood toward the beginning of season 1. Despite her people's less than stellar reputation south of the wall, she proved to be a shrewd and loyal servant, especially when the crap started hitting the fan after Theon sacked the castle in season 2. She deserved better than her fate at Ramsay's hands, especially considering it had been three full seasons since we'd seen her.

Alliser Thorne is one of those Game of Thrones characters who you want to grudgingly respect, but you just can't because he's such a butthole. As Castle Black's master-at-arms, Thorne relentlessly berates Jon Snow and any other recruits he for whatever reason deems unworthy, sowing discord among his brothers and just generally mouthing off at every opportunity. Whatever redeeming qualities he may have had, watching Thorne hang in the show's most recent season was more satisfying than anything the jerk did while alive.

In a world where many fall and few rise, Qyburn went from being a disgraced and exiled former maester to being Cersei’s go-to guy for all things inhumane and unethical. With a penchant for secret human experiments that involve a lot of screaming, Qyburn -- first discovered among the refuse of Harrenhal -- completed his masterpiece with his “treatment” of the mortally wounded Ser Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane while also helping usher in the big, bold return of wildfire to King’s Landing.

Gendry first bubbled to the surface during Ned Stark’s investigation of Jon Arryn’s death, where Ned discovered that the late Lord Arryn was seeking out Robert Baratheon’s bastards. Gendry would then later become very important during Arya’s dangerous flight from King’s Landing and her subsequent adventures on the road - even, at one point, seeming like someone who could eventually be a love interest for the Young Wolf. In that regard, we’re still hoping he returns and crosses paths with Arya once more. Or even, possibly, becoming a larger cog in the battle for the Throne.

One of the best fighters in all the realm, the renowned Ser Barristan Selmy was fired by King Joffrey (well, Cersei, really) for being too old and possibly disloyal. It was all the disrespect the tenured knight needed to head out west and swear a life-oath to Daenerys Targaryen. It was in her service though that he both pushed out ex-knight/Dany-lover Jorah and died in combat during a Sons of the Harpy ambush. Selmy is also notable for being one of the first major bridges between the Westeros stories and Daenerys.

Catelyn’s not-all-that-impressive brother, and head of House Tully, is famous for failing, three times, to land a flaming arrow on the drifting funeral dingy carrying his late father, Hoster, and also actually surviving the Red Wedding. In fact, it wasn’t until the most recent season that the mystery of what happened to Edmure, whose marriage into the Frey family was the “wedding” part of the fiasco, was revealed. Weak-willed, and often emasculated by his uncle, The Blackfish, Edmure became a defeated pawn in Jaime’s plan to retake Riverrun.

As a slave who served the Masters of Astapor, Missandei had a front row seat for Daenerys’ feisty fiery dragon attack and subsequent commandeering of the Unsullied army. Sticking with the winning team -- and with the Queen who promised to end all slavery in the region -- Missandei actually found her way into Daenerys’ inner circle and developed an unexpected friendship with the admirable and maternal Breaker of Chains. She’s also got a slow burn romance going with the rather unromatically named Grey Worm.

Jojen and his sister Meera showed up at the top of the third season as Stark loyalists from a swampy region known as the Neck to escort Bran north of the Wall so that he could begin psychic training with the Three-Eyed Raven. As a fellow “Greenseer,” Jojen was able to explain to Bran, somewhat, the powers the young Stark seemed to develop after he lost the use of his legs. Like Bran, Jojen wasn’t also the strongest of physical specimens, finally falling the the dark skeletal forces of in an attempt to get Bran to safety.

Catelyn’s grizzled and gruff Uncle Brynden is a hard man to please or impress, acting first as Robb Stark’s advisor in Season 3. He returned, surprisingly alive and well after the Red Wedding, in Season 6 in an attempt to reclaim House Tully’s keep at Riverrun. The Blackfish, as he’s known, is one of the last remaining old timers and Lannister haters, and is reported to have died off-screen resisting capture.

Emboldened prostitute Shae met Tyrion at the Battle of the Green Fork, creating a bond that would carry her all the way to the Red Keep during Tyrion’s short tenure as Hand of the King. Resenting both the fact that she had to remain a secret as well as Tyrion’s forced marriage to Sansa, Shae would eventually act as a “final straw” in a long string of betrayals that would drive Tyrion to murder his father, Tywin, and flee Westeros altogether. Shae stands as a symbol of the love and grace that Tyrion’s family would often take from him.

As a Dothraki warlord who struck a bargain with conniving Viserys Targaryen and Illyrio Mopatis, the mighty Khal Drogo married young Daenerys as part of a pact, making her his Khaleesi. Surprisingly though, Drogo and Daenerys wound up forming a loving bond as husband and wife, and his sentiments shifted toward making her ruler of Westeros instead of her brother. Drogo, who died tragically due Daenerys mistakenly trusting a resentful witch, represents the Mother of Dragons’ first big step in her ascension, along with a lost love and a son that never was.

Dashing knight Ser Loras was our first introduction to House Tyrell, and the first person to put a bug in his lover Renly’s ear about becoming king if anything ever happened to his older brother Robert - despite Really being fourth in line. Later on, after Renly was assassinated and his family aligned themselves with the Lannisters, Loras, because of his homosexuality, found himself the victim of a feud between Cersei and sister Margaery that saw him imprisoned... and then exploded.

Perhaps most famous for her screaming reaction to the sight of her lover Oberyn’s head getting squeezed to a pulp by Gregor Clegane, Ellaria has been filled with the need for revenge for a while now as one of the sole voices shouting “Death to the Lannisters” down in Dorne. After Prince Doran refused to retaliate, Ellaria and her Sand Snakes seized control by bloody force, serving as one more major headache Cersei and Jaime will have to contend with heading into the final two seasons.

A major player over the past two seasons, High Sparrow was the ragged and seemingly selfless leader of a religious flock called the Sparrows. Armed by Cersei in an attempt to take down Margaery, the High Sparrow’s “Faith Militant” wound up running roughshod over all of King’s Landing. Cersei’s playfully pious plan backfired on her big time while the High Sparrow rose to such heights that she literally had to blow the Sept of Balor sky high in order to reset the game. At times, he was humble and humanitarian in his efforts, while other moments revealed a more deviously devout schemer.

The youngest of the three Baratheon brothers, Renly made a big bid for the Iron Throne in Season 2 during the aftermath of his brother Robert’s death. After having added to the chaos of the realm, Renly — despite probably having made a decent ruler — fell quickly at the hands of dark sorcery during one of the show’s first big displays of Melisandre’s powers. (She birthed a shadowy smoke assassin clone of his brother Stannis, it was weird.) It was through Renly that we were first introduced to Brienne of Tarth and Margaery Tyrell.

What began with Stannis killing his own brother in his delusional quest to be king ended with him savagely burning his own innocent daughter, Shireen, alive in an attempt to cast a spell that would put him over the top. Shireen was a sweet, disfigured (by Greyscale) young girl who represented, at time, Stannis’ softer side, as she was the only thing he seemed to care for, despite locking her away most of the time. Shireen would also become good friends with Ser Davos, whom she taught to read.

As a lowly squire, Podrick’s pretty much seen it all - from rescuing his boss, Tyrion, during the Battle of the Blackwater to trying to track down Catelyn’s daughters with Brienne. Oh, and let’s not forget his vague, mysterious ability to pleasure a brothel full of women, who then refused his attempt at payment. Pod’s usually good for a chuckle (which is welcome on a fairly bleak show) and a nice representation of a character who began as background noise and slowly evolved into something more meaningful.

When Balon Greyjoy lost his sons during an ill-conceived rebellion against King Robert (including Theon, who was given to Winterfell), daughter Yara became a salty, marauding son of sorts. Mostly holding Theon in contempt, like her father, Yara revealed a hidden soft spot for her once-cocky brother, even risking her life to try and free him from the Dreadfort at one point. Now, years on, she and Theon have fled their home and allied themselves with Daenerys. Yara, like Dany, is looking for a ruling seat in Westeros as a woman as the rightful Queen of the Iron Isles.

Tormund, a massive (and massively confident) Wildling, has been an instrumental part of Jon Snow’s journey from undercover steward to Lord Commander to, er, ex-dead Lord Commander. First bonding with Jon over his love for Ygritte, Tormund became the default leader of the Free Folk after Mance Rayder was executed, trusting his gut and forming a truce with Jon for the sake of battling their common enemy, the White Walkers. This tough warrior has survived the Battle for the Wall, Hardhome, and the Battle of the Bastards. He can be found these days making eyes at Lady Brienne.

As one of gross old Craster’s daughter-wives, Gilly catches the eye of Samwell Tarly when the Night’s Watch crashes at her dad’s Keep for a spell. At first pregnant with her own brother-son, Gilly gives birth to baby “Sam” right before fleeing her home during a Watch mutiny, soon after witnessing Sam kill a White Walker with a shard of Dragonglass. Gilly’s been through a lot and seen more than most and currently she’s arrived at the Citadel in Oldtown with Sam. Gilly is smart, proud and often the voice of following one’s heart and doing what’s right.

The larger of the two Clegane brothers, Ser Gregor, dubbed “The Mountain,” is as feared for his size as he is for his temper and cruelty. Routinely present wherever there’s misery and war, Gregor faithfully and angrily,serves House Lannister, whether it’s torturing poor folk at Harrenhal or lumbering around as a half-dead ogre doing Cersei’s violent bidding. Probably most famous for popping Oberyn Martell’s head like a balloon, Gregor is a basically a soulless force of pain on the series.

As the first ever White Walker created by the Children of the Forest to defend them against the First Men’s invasion, The Night King (or Night’s King) is the apparent leader of the frozen hordes of undead demons that reside north of the Wall, carrying with him the ability to create White Walkers with a single touch. His full abilities and powers are unknown, but his encroaching legion of zombies is the “winter” that’s been coming all these years, creating an epic evil that overshadows all the petty squabbles of man.

The rotund and soft-hearted Sam Tarly may have been banished to the Wall by his psychotically macho dad, but the avid book-lover managed to find himself a sweet position among the Crow ranks as the guy willing to read all the tomes that no one else wanted to touch. Best friend to Jon Snow, Sam “The Slayer” has been through it all, from White Walker attacks to Wildling invasions. Possessing a nonviolent “everyman” quality, Sam has now made his way around Westeros, from Castle Black to Oldtown, in order to do further studying.

As a craven, petty, and resentful Riverlands lord, Walder Frey was disliked by everyone in the realm even before he played an instrumental role in the show’s biggest shock-and-awe massacre. Deemed sadly crucial due to the strategic location of his hold, the oft-married (and oft-procreating) Walder was a scheming, disloyal miscreant who didn’t even fully know the names of his many wives or offspring. Joining ranks with the Lannisters because Robb Stark broke an oath to marry his daughter, the wretched Walder -- representing perhaps the last of the old, vile guard -- was recently put down by Arya.

In any other story, the eldest son of a betrayed and murdered lord would surely rise up and claim vengeance. But that’s not the case in the world of Westeros as Ned Stark’s oldest, the gallant Robb Stark, found his path to redemption violently and horrifyingly cut short thanks to the Red Wedding. Robb, like his father, was undone by his own honor after the beheading of Lord Karstark for war crimes caused a rift in his ranks - one that grew into full-blown mutiny. As honorable as Robb was too, it was his oath-breaking that ultimately got him killed.

Selfish and scheming, and yet also the most even keeled and sometimes reasonable of House Stark’s betrayers, Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort was the architect of the dreaded Red Wedding and the infamous deliverer of “The Lannisters send their regards.” Claiming Winterfell and the title of Warden of the North for himself, Roose would fall victim, like so many other others, to the whimsical madness of his bastard boy Ramsay - an entitled and psychotic nuisance who Roose turned a blind eye towards for years. Roose acted as one of the show’s main antagonists, yet was more of an opportunist than a true monster.

The aptly called “Queen of Thorns” for her sharp tongue is a constant high point in Game of Thrones thanks to her penchant for saying what’s on her mind, usually at the expense of whomever she’s backhandedly insulting. Even before the events of the the Great Sept of Baelor, Olenna Tyrell was the true head of House Tyrell, serving as the brains and chief strategist for the powerful family to further their goals from behind her ineffective son, Lord Mace Tyrell. Though her contributions to the events of Westeros primarily unfold during hushed strolls through the royals gardens or over quiet meals, her plainly spoken exchanges with key characters in the show are as cutting as any battle between armies. Watching Olenna square off against Tywin, Cersei, or the High Sparrow in wars of precisely chosen words showcase Olenna’s engaging wit and intelligence as she leverages her interests from a place of economic superiority. In a dangerous society where appearances are rarely synonymous with motives, Olenna plays the game, pushes her interests, and outlasts her competition from behind the scenes, all while getting in her fair share of zingers in the process.

An older man in love with a much younger woman, Jorah Mormont is an exile and a spy, a servant and a soldier. Although we first met him spying on Daenerys Targaryen for Varys under the guise of serving as her mentor, Jorah grew to admire and then love Khaleesi, seeing in her the makings of a true monarch. Alas, his love for Daenerys remains unrequited and she ultimately banished him after his subterfuge was exposed. Jorah then went to extreme lengths in his quest to redeem himself in Dany's eyes. He's not only a complex character -- an intensely loyal advisor and wise mentor who was nevertheless complicit in a treacherous plot against the woman he loves and had served -- but also, it now seems, he's a tragic character as well, thanks to the greyscale which threatens to kill him. This poor old guy has lived and will likely die in "the friend zone." At least he can say he saw the ruler Daenerys was born to be before anyone else did (or at least anyone else still alive).

Many of the other characters on this list matter to the plot or the politics of Westeros, but Bronn earns his place on this list based almost entirely on what his character says about the nature of the world. Like Davos or Varys or Brienne, he’s one of the few non-nobles to have a voice in the affairs of the great and powerful houses of Westeros, and he’s an unapologetic mercenary, which is a welcome antidote to the scheming pretense the rest of the characters are known for. It’s the one quality that makes him in many ways, one of the most loyal and honest characters in the entire series. Add in his time as Tyrion’s bodyguard and his buddy-cop stint with Jaime and he’s easily one of the most entertaining characters around.

The Red Woman’s role as a shadowbinder, priestess and influencer of Stannis Boratheon has proven to be one of the most crucial in all of Game of Thrones. Whether it’s her agelessness and admiration for magical jewelry, or her creating a shadow demon to assassinate Stannis’ enemies, Melisandre begins the series with unwavering faith that she has identified the messiah of Westeros. That makes it all the more powerful when those she has placed the utmost faith in start dying around her, forcing her to come to the realization that her religion has failed her -- or at least not been as easily interpretated as she originally believed. The night is dark and full of terrors, indeed.

He may not be the most lovable character, and there have definitely been times we’ve hated him, but Sandor “The Hound” Clegane ranks up there on our list. He is one of the most dangerous and feared men in Westeros, but his character arc is one of the most interesting. Sandor grew up in the shadows of his older brother, Gregor Clegane, until he was eventually appointed to be the guard for Joffrey Baratheon. But while being in that shadow gave him a dark streak, it also gave him empathy for underlings that has translated into soft spots for both Sansa and Arya Stark. The Hound's journey toward redemption is one of the most compelling narratives of the series -- and it only helps that Rory McCann can steal every scene he's in. The way he is able to subtly bring out Sandor's goodness makes us like the character even more.

It’s a credit to actor Jack Gleeson that most of the world hates his face. The sneery, whiny, sadistic former boy-king of Westeros went on a many-year rampage during his tenure on the Iron Throne. His slow transformation from privileged brat to torture-loving, self-righteous monster was like watching a train wreck unfold in slow motion - becoming more destructive and hard to fathom with each passing moment. But his importance to the show and events unfolding can’t be understated. Joffrey was ultimately responsible for the execution of Ned Stark – deciding at the last moment the “traitor” should lose his head rather than take the black. Outside his direct contributions to the destabilization of the kingdom, his wild unpredictability and apathy toward the good of his people forced those around him to elevate themselves. Characters like Tywin, Tyrion, Cersei, and Sansa all had to step into new roles to either try and repair the damage that followed him, or just learn to survive him. Whether we like him or not, Joffrey was a catalyst of incredible change in Game of Thrones, and for that we have to acknowledge his importance, even if he is, without a doubt, just the absolute worst.

Lord Petyr Baelish, aka Littlefinger, orchestrated the entire conspiracy that kicked off the events of Game of Thrones by plotting the death of Ned Stark’s good friend Jon Arryn and using that to gain power in King’s Landing. The former Master of Coin and current Lord Protector of the Eyrie and the Vale of Arryn has a shrewd, calculating mind and rivals Varys for character with the most secrets and schemes. Everything Littlefinger has done in the series has been part of a master plan that allows him to climb the ladder of chaos all the way to the top, yet despite his backstabbing ways, his unrequited love for Catelyn and then her daughter Sansa adds a pitiful vulnerability to his otherwise slimy personality.

In the Game of Thrones world there aren’t many characters that are consistently likable, and genuine, without suffering a quick and terrible fate. Davos Seaworth, as of now, is one of those characters, though he’s no stranger to heartache and loss. Liam Cunningham’s gruff but lovable portrayal of Davos lends the show an element of humanity that’s often missing in the conniving machinations of the realm’s would-be kings, and supernatural high-stakes threats. It’s hard not to respect Davos, the smuggler turned kingly advisor serves as the shows de facto moral compass. He’s a humble man with a code who understands that the smart course of action is rarely the right the to do, and struggles to promote those beliefs and an internal sense of justice amid so many characters who are willing to lose themselves in the face of their own ambition. Whether he’s pushing those he believes in to believe in themselves, or delivering genuine, heartfelt pleas when all other options fail, Davos has time again proven that sacrifice in order to do what’s right for the good of the many is as kingly a goal as any claim to the throne.

To say Sansa began Game of Thrones as the least likable member of the Stark family is an understatement. The polar opposite of her sister Arya, Sansa felt she deserved a life of luxury, as a Princess – and eventually a Queen. But as fate would have it, Sansa would instead learn some incredibly harsh and cruel lessons about how things really worked in Westeros, enduring unthinkable loses and pain along the way. What makes her stand out is that she did endure, though, not giving up where others would, and slowly but surely adapting to survive in this environment. She began to actually “play” the Game of Thrones, using Littlefinger’s unhealthy interest in her to her advantage when it counted the most, and eventually getting her well-deserved revenge on the loathsome Ramsay Bolton. She’s might never be a Cersei-level mastermind or run into battle like Arya, but Sansa’s transformation over the course of the series is one of the show’s most impressive.

Also known as the Spider and Master of Whisperers, Varys is a spymaster is a key power player on Game of Thrones thanks to the secrets and information given to him by his informants, who he affectionately calls his “little birds.” He often finds himself at odds with Littlefinger, the only other character who can compete with him when it comes to secretly manipulating events to reach a larger goal. It was Varys who put Daenerys on the path to power and allowed Tyrion to escape execution to join her in an effort to return the Targaryens to the throne, which he claims he’s doing “for the good of the realm,” yet his true intentions are never quite certain. The calm and soft-spoken, Varys can be counted among the most dangerous and influential characters in the series.

There are few characters in Game of Thrones that are more singularly responsible for the political climate and power standing than Tywin Lannister. The influential and rightly feared head of House Lannister was responsible for the sacking of King’s Landing during Robert’s Rebellion, effectively ending the war, setting in motion the union between his house and the crown, and planting the seeds for nearly every major plotline to follow in the capitol. On the show, Charles Dance steals nearly every scene he’s in, commanding respect with his unnerving, contemplative mood. It’s a joy to watch otherwise powerful, formidable characters pause in reverence or fear in his presence, perfectly illustrated when Tyrion exclaimed, "You just sent the most powerful man in Westeros to bed without his supper." As a force of change, he consistently drove other characters to evolve since his introduction on the show – challenging Jaime to become his true heir, forcing Cersei to put her house before herself, and reminding Tyrion of his lack of worth. Tywin is perhaps the best example, and practitioner, of the political players in Westeros.

Forever known as the infamous Kingslayer for his treacherous assassination of the Mad King, who he was sworn to protect, Jaime Lannister was once arguably the most formidable swordsman in Westeros and a character who seemed irredeemable. His passionate love for his twin sister Cersei (yep), his soft spot for his black sheep brother Tyrion, the loss of his sword hand and subsequent humbling, the deaths of his children and father, his bonds with Brienne and Bronn -- all of these relationships and events have revealed Jaime Lannister to be a far more complicated and significant character than his earlier "Prince Charming from Shrek" persona indicated. While Jaime might not be as throughly rotten as he once seemed, he's still not a man to let one's guard down around.

Arya’s journey has had a few rough patches, both in terms of what the character has been through, and the stretches where the writers seemed to struggled to give her something interesting. But what makes her undeniably awesome is that she is the least powerful of the series’ principals, but has managed to keep her head while other stronger, smarter, and better connected Starks have lost theirs. She’s reinvented herself multiple times – a water dancer, Arry, a blind assassin, just to name a few – but her hard traveling twosome with the Hound is arguably one of the series’ best arcs.

It’s no question why Jon Snow is one of the most important characters in Game of Thrones. Jon has all the traits of a classic hero - honor, kindness, intelligence, persistence, and selflessness. Jon proves time and time again that his duty comes before his own desires. When Jon is eventually stabbed to death in a mutiny by some of his own men, his allies desperately turn to magic in the unlikely hope they can resurrect their fallen friend, because he’s a good man and the leader they need. Outside of his life in the Night’s Watch, one of the most intriguing aspects of Jon Snow’s character is his mysterious parentage. Accepted as the illegitimate son of Ned Stark for years, Jon has never expressed interest in ruling Westeros. But if he were to have a legitimate claim to the Throne, plus the support of his Northerners as "King in the North" ... well, let's just say we can’t wait to see what happens when he meets Danaerys and her “children.”

Whether Daenerys Targaryen proves to be a savior out of legend or a conquerer who is bad news for Westeros, there's no denying she is one of the most monumental characters on Game of Thrones. This series has been charting her rise to power as the character who seemingly is meant to sit on the Iron Throne since the very beginning, and her removed storyline is arguably just as important as anything happening to the West. It's strongly suggested she helped bring magic back into the world with the birth of her three dragons, which is no small feat to say the least. Though her ultimate role in this story remains unclear, it's clear Daenerys Targaryen is going to be one of the most significant players in this story through its conclusion.