As House of the Dragon Game of Thrones
Some went through huge changes across the seasons, such as Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), who went from annoying teenager to battle-worn ruler of Winterfell.
Others established themselves as some of the best villains to have ever been depicted on screen, the twisted King Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) perhaps being the best example.
Then there are those characters who were only around for one or two seasons, yet they still had a massive impact on the show. Perhaps the best example is Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal), who quickly became a fan-favourite before reaching a splattered demise.
There were over 40 main characters (those where the actors have “main” billing) and dozens more series regulars on Game of Thrones . The Independent has ranked all the main players from the show – along with a few others for good measure.
Flick through the below gallery to see the 70 best Game of Thrones characters, ranked.
Played by : Art Parkinson
Easily the most annoying Stark child − an impressive feat next to Bran − Rickon was at least handed one hell of a death scene: taken out by an arrow courtesy of Ramsay Bolton.
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Played by : Lino Facioli
Robin Arryn is remembered by most Thrones fans as being the 10-year-old breastfed by his mother (still weird). That’s about it.
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Played by : Gethin Anthony
The Rickon of the Baratheon brothers. His claim to the Iron Throne was tenuous, considering his older brother, Stannis, was still alive. When Stannis’s shadow monster came to kill him, it was only good news for the show.
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Played by : Kae Alexander
A lot of mystery may surround Leaf, one of the show’s mythical Children of the Forest, but her noble sacrifice to save Bran, Meera and Hodor from a horde of wights robbed her of any worth.
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Played by : Dean-Charles Chapman
Another boring younger brother. Whereas Joffrey was pure evil, Tommen was innocent and, inevitably, very boring. His cat, Ser Pounce, was an asset to the show.
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Played by : Kate Dickie
Lysa, the creepy sister to Catelyn Stark, was first seen with Robin Arryn, her 10-year-old son, latched to her breast. Her death − being pushed through the Moon Door − couldn’t have come sooner.
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Played by : Joseph Mawle/Matteo Elezi
Having gone missing in season one, Benjen returned during season six to save his nephew, Bran. The moment was a surprise to TV watchers − book readers, however, had long speculated that Coldhands was an undead version of the Stark.
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Played by : Miltos Yerolemou
The ill-fated Syrio’s appearance way back in season one was a formative experience for one Arya Stark (Maisie Williams); he’s the one who helped her on her way to becoming the vengeful assassin fans know and love today.
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Played by : James Cosmo
Father of Jorah Mormont, Jeor was an honourable leader of the Night’s Watch − perhaps to a fault. After giving Jon Snow the sword Longclaw, Mormont inadvertently showed the Stark bastard that Valerian steel can cut through White Walkers.
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Played by : Michael McElhatton
Let’s be honest: it’s hard to really like as scheming a character as Roose Bolton, the man who orchestrated the violent Red Wedding − the most infamous scene in the show’s six-year history that saw the death of Robb, Catelyn and Talisa.
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Played by : Indira Varma
Ellaria Sand may have been a more enticing creation on the page, but in the series, her screen time regrettably amounts to reacting to loved ones being killed off in increasingly awful ways.
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Played by : Julian Glover
The secretly sprightly Pycell had seen a lot of things in his time, but there’s an element of “unfulfilled potential” surrounding Glover’s character whose late betrayal of Cersei Lannister saw a grisly end to his life of luxury at King’s Landing.
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Played by : Max von Sydow
Perhaps it was the casting of Max von Sydow that heightened anticipation for the Three-Eyed Raven in the series, but the half-hearted story arc left a lot to be desired.
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Played by : Hannah Murray
Gilly’s long journey from Craster’s Keep to Winterfell sounds exciting on paper. But, unfortunately, she has been merely a passenger on Sam’s journey for far too long.
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Played by : Michael Huisman
The man who won the heart of Daenerys Targaryen, only to be left behind in Essos. Ed Skrein originally played the character, but was soon replaced after the actor landed a role in Deadpool.
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Played by : Sibel Kekilli
Oh Shea. Her ill-fated betrayal − sleeping with Tywin (Charles Dance) − was a slap in the face not just for lover Tyrion, but the viewer also.
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Played by : Jacob Anderson
Leader of the Usullied, Grey Worm remains unmoved at all times − unless around Missandei. While their romance can be heartwarming, it’s hard to invest in two characters who are so wooden.
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Played by : Oona Chaplin
To be fair to Robb Stark’s wife Talisa, should she have avoided being murdered in arguably the most horrific way during the Red Wedding, she would most likely have been higher on this list. Alas.
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Played by : Kerry Ingram
All the Greyscale-suffering Shireen ever wanted to do was read stories in her chamber, but due to her impressionable power-hungry father, Stannis, she was tragically reduced to ashes after being sacrificed to the Lord of Light.
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Played by : Harry Lloyd
Viserys wanted the Iron Throne at any cost, giving away his own sister in exchange for an army. Dany, though, had other plans. Her new husband, Khal Drogo, covering Viserys in molten gold made for one of the show’s most memorable death scenes.
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Played by : Donald Sumpter
The kindly Maester Luwin was one of the nicest characters in the first few seasons, becoming a stand-in father for Bran and Rickon while the Starks endured horrors elsewhere. He was eventually killed when Ramsay Bolton took over Winterfell.
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Played by : Paul Kaye
Thoros spent the majority of his time on the show resurrecting Beric and was most recently seen wielding his flaming sword alongside Jon Snow beyond the wall.
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Played by : Ciarán Hinds
Ciaran Hinds brought an intensity to Mance Rayder, a character who would otherwise have got lost in the crowd. As a result, his death at the hands of Melisandre was unexpectedly affecting.
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Played by : Daniel Portman
Ever loyal, Podrick Payne has become a fan favourite for being surprisingly brave in the face of adversity. He and Brienne of Tarth make an excellent duo.
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Played by : Pilou Asbæk
While Euron Greyjoy may have only joined the show in season six, his presence was immediately felt. A wildcard character, Greyjoy’s cut-throat, power-hungry nature has proven exciting to watch.
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Played by : Tom Wlaschiha
Jaqen H’ghar − one of the Faceless Men of Braavos − had such promise, but ultimately ended up being the one responsible for sapping Arya’s story of the energy she’d had seasons before, alongside The Hound (Rory McCann).
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Played by : Nathalie Emmanuel
Missandei has somehow managed to come up trumps within the new world order, being an advisor to Dany. However, her stilted nature can make for some awkward encounters − but at least she and Grey Worm are happy together.
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Played by : Rose Leslie
Ygritte − the Wildling lover of Jon Snow − will go down in Thrones lore for providing the series the with oft-quoted famous line: “You know nothing, Jon Snow.” Spoken with a northern accent, obviously.
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Played by : Ben Hawkey
Has an actor ever been more suited to a role? Ben Hawkey, after all, has gone on to run a bakery of his own, even selling Thrones-themed goods.
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Played by : David Bradley
One of the orchestrators of the Red Wedding, Walder Frey was a lurching, terrifying villain. When Arya unmasks herself and kills the old man, it’s a sweet, sweet moment of revenge.
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Played by : Joe Dempsie
The true heir to the Iron Throne. Gendry may have spent a few seasons rowing out at sea, but his return hints at big things to come for the Baratheon bastard.
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Played by : Mark Addy
Mark Addy brought a certain gravitas to Robert Baratheon, making him a believably world-weary king. Despite only having a few scenes, his character’s presence is still felt on the show thanks to Gendry.
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Played by : Ian McElhinney
After being fired by the Lannisters, Selmy pledged allegiance to Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), bridging the gap between two of the show’s key characters. He was also a bloody good warrior.
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Played by : Gemma Whelan
Lily Allen was initially wanted for the role of Theon’s sister. However, she declined: ‘I felt uncomfortable because I would have had to go on a horse and he would have touched me up and s***.’ Seeing as Allen’s brother, Alfie, had already been cast as Theon, it was probably for the best.
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Played by : Natalie Dormer
Margaery Tyrell was one of Game of Thrones’s biggest players, wheedling her way into the Lannister family politics and actually becoming Queen for a spell. Her number was up the moment she made an enemy of Cersei, and her fiery death, while underwhelming, was a huge moment.
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Played by : John Bradley
There’s a theory going around that Samwell Tarly, who trains as a maester, is actually the author of the Song of Ice and Fire − AKA the book series. In other words, Sam is George RR Martin. Go figure.
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Played by : Natalia Tena
The underused Osha was our very first wildling, an unpredictable knife-wielding danger to the characters we loved. Her subsequent evolution into Stark servant was interestingly played, which made the fact she was sidelined for multiple seasons, before being brought back just to be unceremoniously offed, a travesty.
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Played by : Iwan Rheon
Ramsey cut off Theon’s penis and sent it to the Greyjoy’s father. He imprisoned and raped Sansa Stark. He killed Rickon Stark in front of his brother. And Ramsay eventually died by being fed to his own dogs. A terrifying death for a terrible human.
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Played by : Richard Brake, Vladimír Furdík
The embodiment of evil. Why, exactly, the Night King marches South to destroy mankind remains somewhat a mystery. But, whatever the reason, he’s a terrifying foe. Winter has, as the Starks say, finally come.
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Played by : Richard Dormer
Beric danced on the outskirts of the series until its third season when he surfaced as the leader of the Brotherhood Without Banners. His introduction paved the way for the Lord of Light’s ability to resurrect the dead, a mystical sub-plot that would become very important for Jon Snow.
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Played by : Isaac Hempstead Wright
It says a lot that Bran Stark has become marginally more interesting since he sacrificed his personality in favour of becoming the spiritualistic heart of the series. His role in the final season looks set to be a huge one what with the long-standing theory that he could become the fearsome Night King.
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Played by : Alfie Allen
While Theon starts as a cocky kid, after being neutered by Ramsay he becomes the annoyingly weak Reek. Thankfully, Theon comes back around again in the later seasons, but not without us still hating his guts for not saving Sansa sooner.
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Played by : Jonathan Pryce
While at first a seemingly wise old man, the High Sparrow quickly becomes a tactical villain, using his newfound powers under King Tommen to turn King’s Landing into his own domain.
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Played by : Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
The hulking Clegane brother known as The Mountain − now a zombie-esque servant to Cersei − may not have come face-to-face with lots of characters in the series, but his presence is known by all in Westeros. His biggest moment? Battering poor Oberyn’s head into mush.
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Played by : Jason Momoa
To the world he’s now Aquaman, but for a brief time, Jason Momoa was Khal Drogo, the beloved Dothraki husband of his Khaleesi, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke).
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Played by : Kit Harington
Every show needs a hero, and they do not come more obvious than Jon Snow. Rising from discarded bastard to King of the North, his climb has been one of the show’s best storylines. A shame, then, that Snow can be such a bland person, doing only what is right and seemingly having no faults.
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Played by : Stephen Dillane
With his propensity to make tough decisions for the greater good, Stannis could have been a heroic warrior. However, the Baratheon brother’s continual fall from grace − including sacrificing his own daughter and murdering his own brother − were horrendous decisions that eventually doomed him.
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Played by : Kristian Nairn
Once you get over the fact that Kristian Nairn was essentially getting paid to repeat the word “Hodor” over and over, it’s hard to deny that Bran Stark’s protector was a heartwarming addition to the show. His death − the breathtaking “Hold the Door” sequence − will go down as one of the show’s most memorable moments.
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Played by : Charles Dance
Stannis was a horrible father. His two favourite children became incestuous lovers, and he blamed his youngest for the death of his wife. Without Tywin, though, the Lannister family would not be nearly as riveting as they are to watch.
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Played by : Kristofer Hivju
Tormund has some of the best lines in the series, particularly when expressing his admiration for Brienne. Here’s one of the least explicit: “I want to make babies with her. Think of it. Great big monsters. They’ll conquer the world!”
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Played by : Emilia Clarke
“Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons.” Every time Dany meets someone new, she forces Missandei to read out her entire CV. I guess everyone would if theirs was as impressive. Dany really has had a great journey to the top − a shame she could not have come to Westeros slightly earlier.
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Played by : Dianna Rigg
Olenna’s scenes were always ones to cherish. The Queen of Thorns was as cunning as the best of them and seemed like she could worm her way out of any situation, all from the comfort of her own chair.
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Played by : Iain Glen
Poor Ser Jorah. Dany may be 25 years younger than him, but that never stopped the disgraced warrior from loving her. He even fought off Grey Scale to fight by her side. If that’s not true love, then what is?
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Played by : Liam Cunningham
Liam Cunningham’s performance as the curt Davos Seaworth has quietly been one of the best things about the series since his introduction. As Jon Snow’s kingly advisor, he’s recently seen himself thrust into the heart of the series and, simply put, Game of Thrones would be a less enjoyable show without him.
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Played by : Carice van Houten
Lest we forget that Melisandre is actually a shrivelled old witch who has been manipulating men for hundreds of years. Her faith in the Lord of Light, though, could very well be misplaced.
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Played by : Pedro Pascal
Few shows can bring in characters midway through their run that have such an impact as Oberyn. The Viper quickly became a fan favourite, and his death remains one of the show’s most squirm-inducing moments.
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Played by : Sean Bean
Killing off a main character during a show’s first season was practically unheard of before Game of Thrones. Yet, as dictated by George RR Martin’s books, they cut off Sean Bean’s head without a second thought, setting the tone for everything to come. No death has impacted the Thrones quite as much since.
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Played by : Conleth Hill
Early on in the series, it was hard to pin down Varys, a slippery eel of a character who has “little birds” fluttering around Westeros, feeding back crucial information. Going into the final season, his true intentions are clear: he’s all for Daenerys taking the Iron Throne, even if he doesn’t live to see the day (“I have to die in this strange country, just like you,” Melisandre prophesied last season).
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Played by : Jerome Flynn
Perhaps the show’s best wise-cracking side-kick, Bronn only has one loyalty: money. Paired with either of the Lannister lads, Tyrion or Jaime, Bronn makes for excellent company.
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Played by : Richard Madden
Before Bodyguard, Richard Madden was the extremely temporary king of Westeros. Robb was a man of honour, trying to bring light to the Thrones universe. He was a likeable presence who ruled with his heart, an act that ultimately saw him die during the infamous Red Wedding in season three.
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Played by : Gwendoline Christie
Brienne is a reassuring force of good in a world filled with scheming layabouts. She’s also one of the most deadly. Her time on the series has been spent protecting the likes of Renly Baratheon, Catelyn Stark and Jaime Lannister, the latter of which made for an interesting turn as it put her at odds with her loyalty.
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Played by : Aidan Gillen
There would be no Game of Thrones without Littlefinger. The silver-tongued manipulator had Jon Arryn killed, setting off a snowball that turned into an avalanche. As smart as he may have been, Littlefinger was finally outplayed by his own pupil, Sansa Stark.
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Played by : Sophie Turner
Sansa has perhaps had the most interesting story arc of any character on Thrones. Beginning as a clichéd annoying teenager, she gradually became a stone-cold killer, capable of holding Winterfell and outsmarting even Littlefinger. With any luck, she could sit upon the Iron Throne when the war is over.
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Played by : Maisie Williams
Arya Stark, arguably the greatest character of the first few seasons, was one of the biggest victims of the series overtaking George RR Martin’s source material. Her limited screen time, due to being away from the central action, robbed us of classic moments that we’re grateful she’s been a part of in an otherwise lacklustre season eight.
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Played by : Rory McCann
From his regular delivery of the phrase”F** the king” to that chicken scene, The Hound is a reckless creation whose high ranking on this list can be attributed to the searing performance from Rory McCann. Most effective when paired with Arya Stark.
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Played by : Jack Gleeson
No character has been as hated by the fandom as Joffrey. His wicked ways and disgusting behaviour haunted the show’s first four seasons. You never knew what was going to come next: whether he was about to behead your favourite character or start crying to his mother. It made for thrilling television. But, as The Hound says, “F**k the King”.
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Played by : Michelle Fairley
The lady of Winterfell, Catelyn Stark, became the show’s honorary lead after the untimely beheading of her husband, Ned (Sean Bean) at the end of season one. As she tried to take control of spiralling events in the second and third run, Thrones was handed its most resilient character. Michelle Fairley’s guttural cry of anguish before meeting her tragic end during the Red Wedding will always be the show’s most horrific moment.
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Played by : Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
If the characters above Jaime in this list are the show’s greatest characters, Jaime is the show’s most disarming. The Lannister brother − the Kingslayer − started the series as a long-haired bad guy of the tallest order, but his humbling over the past few seasons have seen him inch his way into the hearts of viewers.
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Played by : Peter Dinklage
Blamed for the death of his mother and hated for being a dwarf, Tyrion turned to drink and prostitutes to numb the pain. However, Tyrion has a fierce intellect, capable of outsmarting the toughest enemies (and offering cutting lines that George RR Martin says often take weeks to write). More importantly, despite being betrayed and cast away time and time again, Tyrion selflessly only wants the best for the people of Westeros. A true hero.
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Played by : Lena Headey
The Mad Queen, alone on the Iron Throne. Cersei has, over the course of seven seasons, seen her three children die, driven her lover/brother away, blown up a church with a half dozen major characters inside, arranged the death of her husband (King Robert) and attempted to have her other brother (Tyrion) killed multiple times. Yet, thanks to Lena Headey’s empathetic performance, you still feel sorry for the terrifying Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. As one of the most complicated character to have ever reached television screens, there’s no denying her place as the best Thrones character to date.
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This article was originally published on 14 September 2019, ahead of the show’s eighth season
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