| Maester Aemon |
Peter Vaughan |
The long-serving Maester of the Night’s Watch was born Aemon Targaryen – the last known Targaryen in Westeros. His casting vote saw Jon Snow elected Lord Commander of the Watch. Master Aemon died as Snow fought Walkers north of the Wall. |
| Lord Petyr Baelish |
Aidan Gillen |
Brothel keeper and political dabbler, Baelish is among the best connected men in Westeros. He was introduced to viewers as Master of Coin on King Robert Baratheon’s Small Council and later conspired to assassinate horrid King Joffrey. Catelyn Stark was his one true love. He would later wed her sister Lysa Tully and push her to her death as she turned on Catelyn’s daughter Sansa. By dint of the marriage he is now Lord Protector of the Vale and regards Sansa as an ally he can woo. |
| Joffrey Baratheon |
Jack Gleeson |
A product of the incestuous relationship between Queen Cersei and Kingsguard warrior Jaime Lannister and, even by Game of Thrones standards, irredeemably unpleasant. A bully and a braggart, Joffrey crumpled into a snivelling wreck when Stannis Baratheon’s forces surrounded King’s Landing. His marriage to Margaery Tyrell was short-lasting, with dreadful Joffrey dispatched by poison before the wedding feast was completed. |
| Myrcella Baratheon |
Nell Tiger Free |
Joffrey’s sweet and naive younger sibling, Myrcella was a rare carrier of Lannister blood who seemed not to possess a calculating side. Not that it did her any good. Shipped off to Dorne by her uncle Tyrion for an arranged marriage into House Martell she was poisoned by Ellaria Sand and the Sand Snakes as retribution for the death of Oberyn Martell. |
| Renly Baratheon |
Gethin Anthony |
The younger brother of King Robert and Stannis Baratheon, Renly was also the secret lover of Ser Loras Tyrell. He could be cunning and, with Robert dead, wisely urged Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell to kidnap Joffrey and rule the Seven Kingdoms. A political marriage to Margaery of House Tyrell was intended to boost his claim to the throne – an ambition that came undone when Stannis and Melisandre send a shadow demon to kill him. |
| Robert Baratheon |
Mark Addy |
The once dashing leader of House Baratheon who toppled the Mad King Aerys II Targaryen and claimed the Iron Throne. In his later years Robert sank into gluttony and lechery and endured a heartless political marriage to Cersei Lannister. He never stopped pining for his true love, Ned’s sister Lyanna Stark. Robert died in a stag hunt, having been fed super-potent wine by Cersei. |
| Stannis Baratheon |
Stephen Dillane |
Robert’s younger sibling was a man of principle – but one also fatally seduced by Red Witch Melisandre and her prophecy that the Lord Of Light had marked him for greatness. He demonstrated courage and strategic skill in almost defeating the Lannisters at the Battle of the Blackwater and later toppled the Wildling King Beyond the Wall Mance Rayder. But burning his daughter Shireen was a sacrifice too far and, with his forces deserting him, he was defeated by the Boltons at Winterfell. |
| Tommen Baratheon |
Dean-Charles Chapman |
As short-lived boy King of Westeros, wide-eyed Tommen was easily manipulated by both his wife Margaery and scheming mother Cersei. His indecision allowed the conflict between Cersei and the Sparrows spiral out of control. With Margery perishing in Cersei’s destruction of the Great Sept, he calmly jumped from his window. |
| Ramsay Bolton |
Iwan Rheon |
The utterly loathsome Ramsay was the illegitimate product of a union between Roose Bolton (not very likeable either) and a peasant woman raped by Roose after she wed without his permission (the husband he had hanged). A rotten apple that didn’t fall very far from the tree, Ramsay tortured Theon Greyjoy with sociopathic glee and similarly mistreated arranged bride Sansa Stark. After killing his father, step mother and half-brother, he lost the Battle of the Bastards to Jon Snow and was fed by Sansa to his own, peckish hounds. |
| Roose Bolton |
Michael McElhatton |
Having owed fealty to House Stark, Bolton enjoyed his moment of betrayal. "The Lannisters send their regards," he cackled, plunging a dagger into pregnant Talisa Stark. But as Lord of Winterfell he failed to install loyalty and few grumbled when he was cut down by heir Ramsay. |
| Brienne of Tarth |
Gwendoline Christie |
Brienne was introduced as a member of Renly Baratheon’s Kingsguard. She was haunted by his slaying at the hand of the smoke demon, holding herself responsible. Blamed for Renly’s death she fled the camp, having sworn loyalty to Catelyn Stark. She subsequently escorted Jaime Lannister back to King’s Landing, their antagonism developing into an unexpected friendship. When Catelyn perished at the Red Wedding, Brienne considered her oath of protection transferred to the dead woman’s children. She would finally avenge Renly, killing Stannis after his defeat by Ramsay. |
| Bronn |
Jerome Flynn |
The foul-mouthed mercenary saved Tyrion Lannister’s life by defeat Lysa’s champion in trial by combat at the Eyrie. His expertise would prove vital during the Battle of the Blackwater and he was knighted by Joffrey. Bronn later accompanied Jaime on his mission to rescue Myrcella in Dorne and fought at his side at Riverrun. |
| Gregor Clegane |
Thor Björnsson |
The Mountain is a freakishly tall knight, fiercely loyal to House Lannister. When Tyrion Lannister demanded justice by trial by combat upon being accused of killing King Joffrey, Cersei nominated Gregor as her champion. This made the fight personal for Tyrion’s representative, Oberyn Tyrell, as the Mountain had brutally slain Oberyn’s sister during Robert’s Rebellion. The Viper died in the tussle, with The Mountain sustaining fatal injuries. However he was re-animated by the necromancer Qyburn and continues to serve Cersei. |
| Sandor Clegane |
Rory McCann |
The Hound is younger brother of "The Mountain". As Prince Joffrey’s bodyguard he was cruel and ruthless. But he demonstrated a human side, offering to protect Sansa Stark during the Battle of the Blackwater and later becoming a traveling companion of Arya Stark. He was seemingly killed by Brienne of Tarth but survived and, having sworn off violence, was last seen accompanying the Brotherhood Without Banners as they rally to the side of Jon Snow. |
| Khal Drogo |
Jason Momoa |
A warlord of the Dothraki, Drogo was introduced as Daenerys Targaryen’s brutish husband-to-be. Yet their marriage blossomed into genuine loveand she was devastated when he was killed by a minor wound turned septic. Dragon the dragon is named in his memory. |
| Balon Greyjoy |
Patrick Malahide |
The embittered ruler of the Iron Islands who turned his son Theon against his adoptive Stark family. He himself came to a sticky end with the return of younger brother Euron, who flung his older sibling to his doom. |
| Euron Greyjoy |
Pilou Asbæk |
Game of Throne’s latest villain, Euron has declared himself the living manifestation of the Drowned God. Crowned leader of the Ironborn in Balon’s place his ambition is to travel to Slaver’s Bay, furnish Daenerys Targaryen with boats and take her, forcibly, as his wife. However, his plans are temporarily frustrated as Balon’s children, Theon and Yara, flee with the fleet and strike an alliance with the Mother of Dragons. |
| Theon Greyjoy |
Alfie Allen |
Theon was raised at Winterfell and considered a brother to the ruling Starks in all but name. But his father Balon turned him against his adoptive family and he staged a botched invasion of Winterfell. He later fell into the clutches of Ramsay, who tortured and castrated Theon and forced him to take the name Reek. Fleeing with Sansa, he at last earned the respect of sister Yara and struck an alliance with Daenerys. |
| Yara Greyjoy |
Gemma Whelan |
Theon’s older sister is a natural leader and was on the brink of claiming the Salt Throne until silver-tongued Euron intervened. Crossing the Narrow Sea with the Iron Fleet, she has entered a coalition with Daenerys – with whom she also appears to share a romantic spark. |
| Grey Worm |
Jacob Anderson |
The leader of the Unsullied, a legion of warrior eunuchs commanded by Daenerys Targaryen. He has become one of the Mother of Dragons’s closest advisor though Tyrion is fazed by his complete absence of any sense of humour. |
| Gendry |
Joe Dempsie |
The sole surviving illegitimate son of King Robert Baratheon. A blacksmith by trade he fled Joffrey’s purge of Robert’s "bastards" and took up with Arya. He was later handed over to Melisandre who leeched his royal blood, believing it possessed magical properties. He passed out of the Game of Thrones timeline when Ser Davos sprung him from Dragonstone and he set off for King’s Landing in a rowing boat. |
| Gilly |
Hannah Murray |
A Wildling and one of the cursed "wives" of Craster. Gilly fled Craster’s Keep with Sam when members of the Night’s Watch mutinied, bringing with her a newborn son. At Castle Black, she named the baby Sam. She and Tarly become romantically involved and she accompanied him as he travelled to the Citadel to study as a Maester. |
| Tormund Giantsbane |
Kristofer Hivju |
With the killing of Mance Rayder, the hulking Giantsbane became de facto leader of the Wildings. Though he has misgivings about working with "Crows" south of the Wall he is a firm ally of Jon Snow – and has been throwing significant looks toward Brienne of Tarth. |
| Jaqen H’ghar |
Tom Wlaschiha |
A deeply mysterious member of the Faceless Men. Imprisoned at Harrenhal he helped Arya escape and invited her to join his organisation in Braavos. But when Arya took up the offer she was initially reluctant to leave behind her own identity and "become no one". After her defeat of the Waif, Jaqen seemed pleased and declares Arya had indeed achieved a state of "no one"-ness. |
| High Sparrow |
Jonathan Pryce |
Though assuming the persona of a humble, unworldly man the leader of the Sparrows was soon revealed as deeply Machiavellian. He allowed Cersei believe she was using him but turned the tables and had her cast into prison when her affair with cousin Lancel was revealed. The Sparrow was in turn outsmarted as Cersei destroyed the Great Sept with Wildfire. |
| Hodor |
Kristian Nairn |
Hold the door…hold the door screamed Meera Reed as the Walkers rampaged through the Three-Eyed Raven’s hideout. Thus was revealed the dreadful truth behind this gentle giant’s simple-mindedness. Hodor became Hodor when time-travelling Bran Stark "warged" into the adolescent then known as Wylis. He echoed Reed’s future demand that he "hold the door" – which became the monosyllabic grunt "hodor". Across the world, millions of jaws were scraped from the floor in shock. |
| Hot Pie |
Ben Hawkey |
An orphan from King’s Landing who became a travelling companion of Arya Stark. Along with the Stark princess, he was taken prisoner at Harrenhal and subsequently escaped with her. In a rare example of a Game of Thrones character having a happy ending, he retired from adventuring to become a baker’s apprentice at a roadside inn – but not before presenting Arya with a loaf in the shape of a dire wolf. |
| Cersei Lannister |
Lena Headey |
The only daughter of Tywin Lannister and twin of Jaime. Cersei is cruel and vain – but her love of her children was genuine. As a young woman she was told by a witch that all her offspring would eventually wear "golden shrouds" – a prophecy which proved bloodily accurate. She endured an empty marriage with Robert Baratheon while romantically involved with Jaime, father of her children. Having eliminated her enemies when destroying the Great Sept, she sits upon the Iron Throne. But for how long? |
| Jaime Lannister |
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau |
Kingslayer Jaime cut down Aerys II Targaryen before he could destroy King’s Landing with Wildfire. Jaime is mercurial and self regarding though with a sense of honour, as demonstrated when rescuing Brienne of Tarth from a bear fight. He was much diminished when he lost his hand to soldiers of House Bolton. He remains by Cersei’s side and nominally loyal – though clearly uneasy about her spiralling megalomania. |
| Tyrion Lannister |
Peter Dinklage |
Clever and sensitive, Tyrion is an outlier among the Lannisters. He is a dwarf whose mother died in childbirth, for which he earned the enduring derision of Cersei and his father Tywin. However, Tyrion is also extremely intelligent and his tactical savvy was on display as he led the defence of King’s Landing at the Battle of The Blackwater. Wrongly accused of Joffrey’s murder, he was sprung from prison by Jaime, killed his father Tywin (who was sleeping with Tyrion’s lover Shae) and fled to Essos. There he has become counsellor to Daenerys Targaryen. |
| Tywin Lannister |
Charles Dance |
The cunning head of House Lannister, Tywin was for decades the true power in Westeros. However, his underestimation of Tyrion as a pitiable freak backfired when his son shot him dead with a crossbow bolt. |
| Oberyn Martell |
Pedro Pascal |
The Viper was a hot-blooded noble from the desert kingdom of Dorne. He came to King’s Landing determined to avenge his sister, Elia, killed by Lannister henchman Gregor Clegane. The Viper perished in trial by combat with the Mountain. However, his death has reignited tensions between Dorne and the Lannisters and prompted the Sand Snakes to kill Myrcella Baratheon. |
| Melisandre |
Carice van Houten |
The Red Woman convinced Stannis he was destined to rule Westeros and save it from the Walkers. His defeat by Ramsay Bolton shook her confidence – and she seemed genuinely shocked as the Lord of Light answered her prayers and brought back Jon Snow. When Ser Davos revealed that Mesliandre had urged Stannis to sacrifice Shireen, Snow sent her into exile. |
| Jorah Mormont |
Iain Glen |
Exiled from the Seven Kingdoms for slave trafficking , Ser Jorah is a trusted ally to Daenerys, with whom he is incurably besotted. When she sent him away after learning he initially spied on her for King Robert, he tried to win back her favour by kidnapping Tyrion Lannister. On the journey to Meereen he contracted Greyscale and has been commanded by Daenerys to seek a cure. |
| Qyburn |
Anton Lesser |
The former Maester was ejected from the order for conducting unethical human experiments. He appears to have resurrected Gregor Clegane, whom he rechristened Ser Robert Strong, and helped Cersei retrieve the Wildfire with which she destroyed the Great Sept and most of her enemies. |
| Meera Reed |
Ellie Kendrick |
Along with her brother Jojen, Meera was convinced Bran Stark will be of crucial importance in the war against the White Walkers. She helped Bran reach the Three-Eyed Raven and to escape when the Night’s King came calling. It was she who shouted "hold to door" to Hodor as Wights bore down. |
| Ellaria Sand |
Indira Varma |
The lover of Oberyn Martell is determined to avenge his death. She poisoned Myrcella Baratheon and seized control of Dorne by killing the vacillating Prince Doran. Has pledged to support House Targaryen in the war against the Lannisters, along with the Sand Snakes - her daughter Tyene (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers), and Oberyn's two bastard daughters by other women, Obara (Keisha Castle-Hughes) and Nymeria (Jessica Henwick). |
| Davos Seaworth |
Liam Cunningham |
The "Onion Knight" was a faithful lieutenant to Stannis Baratheon, acquiring his sobriquet while smuggling vegetables to the besieged Stannis at Storm’s End during Robert’s Rebellion. However he disapproved of Melisandre’s influence over the King and after Stannis’s death revealed her wrongdoing to Jon Snow. |
| Shae |
Sibel Kekilli |
The former prostitute became Tyrion Lannister’s true love. They kept the relationship secret, with Shae officially in King’s Landing as handmaiden to Sansa Stark. For her own safety, Tyrion insulted and rejected her. When he discovered her in the bed of Tywin he wept as he crushed her windpipe. |
| Jon Snow |
Kit Harington |
The Bastard of Winterfell was introduced as the illegitimate son of ruler of the North Ned Stark and an unknown mother. A pensive soul, he joined the Night’s Watch and, ranging north of the Wall, fell in love with the Wildling Ygritte. When the Free Folk attacked the Wall, lovers become foes - though he was devastated when she was killed. Elected Lord Commander of the Watch he struck an alliance with the Free Folk against the Walkers. For that he was betrayed and assassinated by his own men - though later resurrected by Melisandre. Having defeated Ramsay Bolton before the Gates of Winterfell Snow is now King in the North. |
| Arya Stark |
Maisie Williams |
The feisty younger Stark sister, Arya saw her father beheaded and was at hand when her mother and brother (and sister-in-law) were cut down at the Red Wedding. She fled to Braavos, studying at the House of Black and White assassin’s guild. Returning to Westeros, she demonstrated how good she was at becoming "no one" when donning a disguise to get close to and kill Walder Frey, whom she holds responsible for the death of her family. |
| Bran Stark |
Isaac Hempstead Wright |
Poor little Bran was crippled and almost killed when flung from the top of a tower by Jaime Lannister. His crime: seeing the Kingslayer canoodle with his twin, Cersei. Bran has been haunted by visions and has the ability to project– or "warg’ – his consciousness into the body of an animal. Studying with the Three-Eyed Raven he has discovered the truth of Jon Snow’s parentage – his half-brother is, in reality, the child of Lyanna Stark. |
| Catelyn Stark |
Michelle Fairley |
Eddard’s loving wife, Catelyn was among the first to suspect the Lannisters up to no good. Not that it did her any favours as she was brutally slain at the Red Wedding, alongside her son Robb. Catelyn was always dismissive of Jon Snow – her coldness surely contributing to his grumpy demeanour. |
| Eddard Stark |
Sean Bean |
Noble Ned was also Deeply Naive Ned and, appointed Hand of The King by Robert, found himself on the losing side of the Game of Thrones. The predictable winners were the Lannisters, whose boy-prince Joffrey ordered Lord Eddard of Winterfell beheaded before a baying mob. |
| Rickon Stark |
Art Parkinson |
The youngest Stark sibling shared in the unhappy fate of the rest of his family. Handed over to Ramsay Bolton by the treacherous Karstarks, he was cut down with an arrow as Ramsay and Jon warmed up for the Battle of the Bastards. |
| Robb Stark |
Richard Madden |
His father’s son, Robb believed that good would inevitably prevail over evil (and incest). Unfortunately he also believed in backing out of arranged marriages. Breaking off his betrothal to the daughter of Walder Frey sealed his faith, as Walder concluded a secret deal with Tywin Lannister. Result: the Red Wedding and lots of dead Starks. |
| Sansa Stark |
Sophie Turner |
Initially a flighty teenager, Sansa has been forced to mature as she has watched her nearest and dearest cut down before her one by one. She has an uneasy relationship with Petyr Baelish, who long held a candle for her mother and appears drawn to Sansa also. On the other hand, he facilitated her marriage to the psychopathic Ramsay Bolton and is now trying to subtlety pit her against her brother Jon Snow. Sansa has developed a cruel streak, as confirmed when she fed Ramsay to the hounds. |
| Talisa Stark |
Oona Chaplin |
From the Free City of Volantis, a healer who fell in love with Robb Stark. He chose to marry her instead of Roslin Frey, a lapse of judgement that led to the Red Wedding. There were many horrible deaths that night but that of the pregnant Talisa, struck down with a dagger to the uterus, was probably the most unspeakable. |
| Daenerys Targaryen |
Emilia Clarke |
Daenerys Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, is perfectly placed to become ruler of Seven Kingdom. Daughter of the deposed Mad King Aerys, she has an army, an armada and three dragons. Introduced to viewers as a trembling young woman, Daenerys has taken naturally to the Game of Thrones and is one of the most admired and feared rulers either side of the Narrow Sea. This owes a little to her cruel, imperious character and rather a lot to her power trio of fire-breathing lizards. |
| Viserys Targaryen |
Harry Lloyd |
Daenerys’s cruel and ambitious older brother cynically married her off to Khal Drogo, on the understanding this would furnish him with the men required to retake Westeros for the Targaryens. The plan backfired as Daenerys blossomed as the Khal’s wife and Viserys had a crown of molten metal poured over his face. |
| Samwell Tarly |
John Bradley-West |
The bookish scion of House Tarly has become Jon Snow’s clever-clogs best friend. While no warrior, his insights into the behaviour and motivations of the White Walkers have been of huge assistance. He is currently at the Citadel studying to be a Maester – though will surely return to Snow’s side at first opportunity. |
| Olenna Tyrell |
Diana Rigg |
The wily matriarch of House Tyrell and now an implacable foe of Cersei, following that nasty business at the Great Sept (in which her son and grand children perished). "The Queen of Thorns" is astute and ruthless and the Lannisters are very much in the firing line. "Cersei stole the future from me. She killed my son. She killed my grandson. She killed my granddaughter. Survival is not what I'm after now." |
| Margaery Tyrell |
Natalie Dormer |
A "People’s Princess" with knobs on, Margaery was unusual among the nobility in understanding the importance of image. Though mendacious behind the scenes in public she cultivated a kindly persona through her many acts of charity. Only Cersei appeared to see through her as Margaery married first Joffrey, then Tommen. Alas, all the political cunning in the world could not save her from the Lannister Wildfire. |
| Varys |
Conleth Hill |
The former Master of Whisperers on the Small Council and the one who knows all that is happening in King’s Landing. He can be humane as well as cunning and was instrumental in helping Tyrion flee Westeros after Tywin’s murder. Varys believes a Targaryen restoration the last, best hope for the Seven Kingdoms and is at Daenerys’s side as she sails for Westeros. |
| Ygritte |
Rose Leslie |
Torn between her love for Jon Snow and her loyalty to the Wildlings, for Ygritte there was never going to be a happy ending. She was killed during the battle for Castle Black, shot in the back by villager Olly and dying in Snow’s arms. |