List of Game of Thrones characters

The characters from the medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones are based on their respective counterparts from author George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels. Set in a fictional universe that has been referred to so far as "The Known World", the series follows a civil war for the Iron Throne of the continent of Westeros, fought between the rival royal and noble families and their respective supporters.
Ned Stark (portrayed by Sean Bean as an adult, Sebastian Croft as a child, and Robert Aramayo as a young adult) is the Hand of the King after Lord Jon Arryn's death. He is known for his sense of honor and justice. He took part in Robert's Rebellion after his sister Lyanna was kidnapped by Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. When Ned's father and brother went south to reclaim her, the "Mad King" Aerys Targaryen burned both of them alive. Ned and Robert Baratheon led the rebellion to unseat him from the throne. As the show opens, Ned has been content to remain in the north, but after the death of Lord Jon Arryn, he is convinced that it is his duty to accept the position of Hand of the King. Ned is not interested in politics, and prefers to rule with honor and follow the law. While investigating the reason for the death of Jon Arryn, he discovers that all three of Robert's children with Queen Cersei were fathered by Cersei's twin brother Jaime. When Ned confronts Cersei about the truth, she has him imprisoned for treason after he publicly denounces Joffrey. Ned is convinced by Varys that if he goes to his death honorably, as he is prepared to do, his daughters will [not] suffer for it. To protect them, he sacrifices his honor and publicly declares that he was plotting to steal the throne and that Joffrey is the true king. Despite Cersei's promise that Ned would be allowed to join the Night's Watch in exile, Joffrey orders Ned's execution for his own amusement and later torments Sansa by forcing her to look at her father's head. His bones are later returned to Catelyn in the Stormlands by Petyr Baelish, who laments Ned's downfall and that he was too honorable to seize power through force, rather insisting the throne pass to Lord Stannis Baratheon, Robert's younger brother. Baelish's preferred course of action, revealed only to Ned, had been to seize Cersei and her children first and rule in Joffrey's name as Regent and Lord Protector. Ned's sacrifice is not in vain, since his notifying Stannis of the truth of Joffrey's parentage sets in motion Stannis' claim to the throne, and ensuring the illegitimacy being made known to all of Westeros. Renly, however, separately lays a claim with the support of mighty House Tyrell. Ned's actions thus set into motion the War of Five Kings against House Lannister and the Iron Throne.
Robert Baratheon (portrayed by Mark Addy) became the King of the Seven Kingdoms after leading a rebellion against Aerys II Targaryen. He was betrothed to Ned Stark's sister Lyanna and loved her deeply, but she was kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen. Her father and another brother were killed when they went to King's Landing to reclaim her, which resulted in Robert and Ned Stark's revolt known as Robert's Rebellion, whereupon the Targaryens were all slaughtered or routed from the Kingdoms. Since Robert's family had closer ties to the former Royal family, he was put on the Iron Throne. Now, Robert has grown fat and miserable; he has no more wars to fight, is surrounded by plotters and sycophants, hates and is bored by the constant work needed to manage the Kingdoms properly, and is trapped in a political marriage to the scheming Cersei Lannister, whom he has never loved. He is unaware that none of his three children with Cersei are his, but instead Jaime Lannister's. Under his reign, the realm has been bankrupted and Robert is deeply in debt to his wife's family. Mortally wounded while hunting, he unknowingly leaves no rightful heir behind. His bastards are ordered dead by Joffrey, many of whom are killed, and Gendry is subsequently forced to flee the capital.
Jaime Lannister (portrayed by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is a member of the Kingsguard and an exceptionally skilled swordsman. He is Cersei Lannister's twin brother and has carried on an incestuous love affair with her all his life, fathering all three of her living children. He is nicknamed "Kingslayer" for killing the previous King, Aerys II, whom he was sworn to protect. Jaime is captured by Robb Stark's army and held prisoner until he is released by Catelyn Stark and escorted back to King's Landing by Brienne of Tarth. On the road, his sword hand is severed and he reveals that he killed Aerys II to save the population of King's Landing, whom Aerys II was attempting to massacre with wildfire. Upon his return to King's Landing, he retakes his place in the Kingsguard and restarts his affair with Cersei. He travels to Dorne to rescue their daughter Myrcella, but cannot prevent her from being poisoned. After the Faith Militant gain control of the capital, Jaime is relieved of his Kingsguard duties and told to reclaim Riverrun with the Lannister army. Jaime is present at Cersei's crowning following their last child Tommen's suicide, but is later ambushed by Daenerys Targaryen, who has come to Westeros to stake a claim to the Iron Throne. After reuniting with Brienne and joining the effort to defeat the White Walkers, he returns to King's Landing to rescue Cersei from Daenerys' forces. The Lannister siblings die together when Daenerys' dragon, Drogon, destroys the Red Keep.
Catelyn Stark (portrayed by Michelle Fairley) is the wife of Lord Eddard Stark. She is also the elder sister of Lysa Arryn, Lady of the Vale and Mistress of the Eyrie, and Lord Edmure Tully, Lord of Riverrun. Catelyn is the first to suspect that the Lannisters made an attempt on her son Brandon's life and arrests Tyrion Lannister to bring him to the Eyrie for trial. After Tyrion is released and after Eddard is executed, Catelyn joins her son Robb's campaign to rescue Sansa and Arya and defeat the Lannisters. She releases Robb's prisoner, Jaime Lannister, on the condition that he return Sansa and Arya home to Winterfell upon his return to King's Landing. She warns Robb against marrying Talisa Maegyr, which would break a marriage pact he formed with Walder Frey, but is powerless to stop him. Catelyn is killed, along with Robb and Talisa and many Stark loyalists, at the Red Wedding, when Walder Frey - supported by the Boltons and the Lannisters - turns on the Starks for breaking the marriage pact.
Cersei Lannister (portrayed by Lena Headey as an adult and Nell Williams as a child) is the wife of King Robert Baratheon, and queen consort of Westeros. Cersei has a twin brother, Jaime, with whom she has been involved in an incestuous affair from early childhood. All three of Cersei's children are Jaime's. Cersei has a strong desire for power. When she learns that King Robert may be about to discover her affair with Jaime, she arranges for him to be killed and is present when Eddard "Ned" Stark is executed. With her son Joffrey on the throne, she becomes one of his closest advisers and battles with his eventual wife Margaery Tyrell for his affections. When Joffrey is poisoned and her brother Tyrion is framed for the murder, she becomes determined to see Tyrion executed. Tyrion, however, murders their father Tywin and flees King's Landing. With her youngest son Tommen now on the throne and married to Margaery, she seeks the help of the Faith Militant and their leader the High Sparrow to regain control. However, her plans backfires, and she is imprisoned herself by the Sparrows when they learn of her incestuous affairs with Jaime Lannister and Lancel Lannister. After being forced to walk naked through the streets as punishment, she annihilates the Sept of Baelor with wildfire, wiping out the High Sparrow and the Tyrells, and is crowned queen following Tommen's suicide. When Daenerys Targaryen comes to Westeros and challenges her claim, Cersei uses the Great War against the White Walkers as an opportunity to strengthen her forces against Daenerys's depleted armies. She is defeated by Daenerys and her dragon and killed during the destruction of King's Landing.
Daenerys Targaryen (portrayed by Emilia Clarke) is the exiled princess of the Targaryen dynasty. She and her brother Viserys were smuggled to Essos towards the end of Robert's Rebellion. For seventeen years, she has traveled throughout Essos alongside her abusive brother, until they were under the custody of Illyrio Mopatis in Pentos. In exchange for an army, Viserys marries her to the powerful Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo, who gifts her three petrified dragon eggs. When Drogo dies from an infected wound in a fight, Daenerys walks into his burning funeral pyre, birthing three dragons. She later liberates the slaves along Slaver's Bay, ruling over the city of Meereen with her Unsullied army, and eventually defeating the slave masters with her dragons. She then leaves Slaver's Bay for Westeros, in a bid to reclaim her birthright: the Iron Throne. Upon her arrival in Westeros, she meets with Jon Snow, the King in the North, who convinces her to defeat the White Walkers before pressing her claim to the throne. The pair soon fall in love. In Westeros, she loses numerous friends, allies, and two of her dragons in battle, Viserion killed by the Night King and Rhaegal by Cersei Lannister's forces. Overwhelmed by the grave losses she underwent and left with no option but to rule through fear, she uses her last dragon, Drogon, to burn an already surrendered King's Landing and take the Iron Throne by force. She then declares in her speech to her Dothraki and Unsullied that they are not going to end the war, but continue to conquer and liberate the rest of the known world, in the same way she liberated King's Landing. Out of duty, a heartbroken Jon is then forced to kill Daenerys, to prevent the world from meeting the same fate as the city she had reduced to ashes. A grieving Drogon then proceeds to melt the Iron Throne with dragonfire, before taking Daenerys into his claws and flying away from the Red Keep, to the east.
Jorah Mormont (portrayed by Iain Glen) is an exiled knight in the service of Daenerys Targaryen and the son of Jeor Mormont of the Night's Watch. Initially, Jorah is actually spying on the Targaryens for Lord Varys in exchange for a pardon on his crimes. But after learning more about Daenerys, Jorah falls in love with her and decides to protect her and help her regain the Iron Throne. After she is widowed following Khal Drogo's death, he remains with her and becomes the first knight of her Queensguard. Eventually, Jorah's spying is exposed and Daenerys banishes him from her service. He contracts greyscale, a fatal disease, while travelling with Tyrion Lannister. He eventually reunites with his queen, who orders him to cure himself of the greyscale. He journeys to the Citadel where he finds Samwell Tarly, who served under his father Jeor as a brother of the Night's Watch. Samwell is able to cure Jorah, who returns to Daenerys' service and is part of the group who journey beyond the Wall to prove the existence of White Walkers. He dies defending Daenerys at Winterfell during the eventual victory over the Army of the Dead.
Viserys Targaryen (portrayed by Harry Lloyd) is the exiled prince and heir of the Targaryen dynasty. Known as "the Beggar King" for his search for an army to recapture his throne. A narcissist, he is arrogant and self-centered, caring only about himself and looking down on others, especially his sister Daenerys. In exchange for an army to help regain the Iron Throne, Viserys marries off his sister to the powerful Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo and follows his horde's journey to the Dothraki capital to ensure Drogo will keep his end of the bargain. But as they journey, it becomes evident that Viserys does not have leadership skills to reclaim the throne and his arrogance and disrespect for the Dothraki does not win him any hearts. Furthermore, Daenerys, who he has always threatened throughout his life, starts to stand up to him. Realizing that Daenerys is loved by the Dothraki and her and Drogo's unborn son is prophesied to unite the world, Viserys realizes that it is not he, but Daenerys who will reclaim the Iron Throne. In a fit of drunken rage, he threatens Drogo to give him his army now or he will kill his unborn son. Having enough of his behavior, Drogo kills Viserys by giving him a "Golden Crown"; molten gold poured over his head. Daenerys later names one of her dragons Viserion, as a tribute to Viserys.
Jon Snow (portrayed by Kit Harington) is the bastard son of Eddard Stark. Feeling isolated from his family due to his bastard status, he leaves their home of Winterfell to join the Night's Watch at Castle Black. Once there, he befriends Samwell Tarly and serves as steward to Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. During a ranging beyond the Wall, Jon is captured by wildlings and eventually joins their camp, falling in love with a wildling woman, Ygritte. After climbing back over the Wall with Ygritte, Jon flees to Castle Black. He leads the defence of the castle against a wildling attack (during which Ygritte is killed), hosts Stannis Baratheon and Lady Melisandre, and is elected as the new Lord Commander following his bravery in battle. He rescues a portion of wildlings from an attack by the White Walkers at the port of Hardhome. Upon his return to Castle Black, a group of Night's Watch brothers, angry with the new pact with the wildlings, mutiny and kill him. However, Jon is resurrected by Lady Melisandre and he reunites with his sister Sansa. Jon is released from his Night's Watch vows and the pair defeat House Bolton in battle, reclaiming Winterfell as their home.
Jon is named King in the North by the Northern lords. When the Dragon Queen Daenerys Targaryen arrives in Westeros, Jon convinces her to join the fight against the White Walkers and bends the knee to her. They travel beyond the Wall together to collect evidence of the White Walkers in a bid to convince Queen Cersei Lannister to join the defence. Daenerys' dragon Viserion is fatally injured during the mission, but the two fall in love. Jon is then revealed to be Aegon Targaryen, the legitimate son of Daenerys' brother Rhaegar and Ned Stark's sister Lyanna, making him the heir to the Iron Throne and Daenerys' nephew. Despite victory over the Army of the Dead, and despite Jon insisting he will not press his claim to the throne, the news weakens their relationship. Daenerys, having lost many close friends and two of her dragons during the war against the White Walkers, discovers that the population support Jon's claim to the throne over hers. After she destroys King's Landing, which sees thousands of people die in the firestorms, Jon assassinates her and is exiled back to the Night's Watch as punishment.
Robb Stark (portrayed by Richard Madden) is the eldest son of Eddard and Catelyn Stark and the heir to Winterfell. His dire wolf is called Grey Wind. Robb becomes involved in the war against the Lannisters after his father, Ned Stark, is arrested for treason. Robb summons his bannermen for war against House Lannister and marches to the Riverlands. Eventually, crossing the river at the Twins becomes strategically necessary. To win permission to cross, Robb agrees to marry a daughter of Walder Frey, Lord of the Twins. Robb leads the war effort against the Lannisters and successfully captures Jaime. After Ned is executed, the North and the Riverlands declare their independence from the Seven Kingdoms and proclaim Robb as their new King, "the King in the North". He wins a succession of battles in season 2, earning him the nickname the Young Wolf. However, he feels that he botched the political aspects of war. He sends Theon to the Iron Islands hoping that he can broker an alliance with Balon Greyjoy, Theon's father. In exchange for Greyjoy support, Robb as King in the North will recognize the Iron Islands' independence. He also sends his mother Catelyn to deal with Stannis Baratheon and Renly Baratheon, both of whom are fighting to be the rightful king.
Theon and Catelyn fail in their missions, and Balon launches an invasion of the North. Robb falls in love with Talisa Maegyr, a healer from Volantis due to her kindness and spirit. Despite his mother's protest, Robb breaks his engagement with the Freys and marries Talisa in the 2nd-season finale. On news of his grandfather, Lord Hoster Tully's, death, Robb and his party travel north to Riverrun for the funeral, where the young king is reunited with his great-uncle, Ser Brynden "Blackfish" Tully, and his uncle, Edmure Tully, the new lord of Riverrun. While at Riverrun, Robb makes the decision to execute Lord Rickard Karstark for the murders of two teenage squires related to the Lannisters, a decision that loses the support of the Karstarks and leads Robb to make the ultimately fatal decision to ask the Freys for their alliance. He is killed in the Red Wedding Massacre, after witnessing the murder of his pregnant wife and their child. Lord Bolton personally executes Robb, stabbing him through the heart while taunting that "the Lannisters send their regards", in fact a promise made to Jaime (who had no knowledge of Bolton's impending treason) when leaving for the Twins. His corpse is later decapitated and Grey Wind's head is sewn on and paraded around as the Stark forces are slaughtered by the Boltons and Freys.
Sansa Stark (portrayed by Sophie Turner) is the first daughter and second child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. Initially betrothed to King Joffrey, she is later released from her vow by Joffrey's betrothal to Margaery Tyrell. Then forced to marry Tyrion Lannister but it was never consummated. When Joffrey is poisoned at his wedding to Margaery, Sansa is smuggled out of King's Landing by Littlefinger and taken first to the Eyrie and then to her home of Winterfell, now under the control of House Bolton. She is forced to marry the abusive and sadistic Ramsay Bolton, but later escapes with the help of Theon Greyjoy. She reunites with her brother Jon Snow at Castle Black and, with Littlefinger's army, helps him reclaim Winterfell. She rules the fortress while Jon leaves to fight for Daenerys Targaryen, which Littlefinger uses as an opportunity to drive her away from her siblings until Brandon Stark (now the Three-Eyed Raven) reveals his treacherous past. Sansa gives the order to have Littlefinger executed by Arya. Sansa survives the attack of the White Walkers and is eventually crowned as queen of an independent North.
Arya Stark (portrayed by Maisie Williams) is the younger daughter of Lord Eddard and Catelyn Stark of Winterfell. A tomboy at heart, Arya is active and bright. She names her dire wolf Nymeria, after a legendary warrior queen. After travelling to King's Landing with her father Ned Stark, new Hand of the King to Robert Baratheon, she is taught by Syrio Forel in the art of "water dancing", a form of sword fighting. When Ned is executed, she escapes the capital with Yoren and his Night's Watch recruits. On the road, she is captured by Lannister soldiers and, along with her friends Gendry and Hot Pie, imprisoned at Harrenhal, where she meets mysterious assassin Jaqen H'ghar and serves as Tywin Lannister's cupbearer. After escaping Harrenhal, the trio encounter the Brotherhood without Banners, a group of religious outlaws who protect the countryside. When the Brotherhood sell Gendry to Lady Melisandre, Arya escapes and is captured by Sandor Clegane, The Hound. She is taken to The Twins to be reunited with her mother Catelyn and brother Robb, but only arrives in time to see them massacred at the Red Wedding. After travelling northwards, Sandor is gravely wounded in a fight, and Arya leaves him for dead before sailing to Braavos. She trains with Jaqen H'ghar to become a Faceless Man but, after realising she cannot give up her identity, returns to Westeros and avenges the Red Wedding by slaughtering Walder Frey. She returns to Winterfell and eventually helps her sister Sansa and brother Brandon (now the Three-Eyed Raven) to uncover the meddling of Petyr Baelish, whom they execute on charges of murder and treason. Before the attack on Winterfell by White Walkers, she reunites with Gendry and Sandor (who survived his injuries). During the battle, she kills the Night King and saves Westeros from The Long Night. When Daenerys Targaryen plans to attack King's Landing, she travels south to get revenge on Cersei for her role in Ned's death. However, Arya is caught in the firestorms caused by Daenerys' dragon, Drogon, and is forced to flee the city instead. After Daenerys' assassination, Arya leaves Westeros for lands unknown.
Theon Greyjoy (portrayed by Alfie Allen) is the youngest son of Lord Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands. He is the hostage and ward of Lord Eddard Stark, stemming from the failed Greyjoy Rebellion years earlier. Despite his position, he remains loyal to the Starks and is good friends with his sons Robb and Jon. After Ned's execution in King's Landing by the Lannisters, he joins Robb's Northern war effort as one of his advisers. He is ordered by Robb to return to the Iron Islands to convince his father Balon to ally with the Northern soldiers against the crown, but instead betrays Robb and decides to seize Winterfell for himself, taking the castle from Brandon Stark. While he rules Winterfell, he pretends to have burned Bran and Rickon Stark alive. When the Boltons capture Winterfell from the Ironborn soldiers, Theon is held as prisoner by Ramsay Bolton. He is then mutilated and tortured beyond recognition, and eventually believes himself to be called "Reek". He becomes a servant at Winterfell and soon reunites with Sansa Stark, who has been forced into a marriage with Ramsay. When Stannis Baratheon attacks the castle, the pair escape their captor, and Theon returns home to the Iron Islands. He discovers that his father is dead and that his uncle, Euron, has seized the Salt Throne. Theon escapes with Yara and sails across the Narrow Sea to ally with Daenerys Targaryen. While on a mission to Dorne to gather soldiers for Daenerys' army, Theon and Yara are attacked by Euron at sea, with Theon jumping overboard and Yara being taken prisoner. Theon rescues Yara and sends her home to the Iron Islands, while he returns to Winterfell to face the Army of the Dead, reuniting with Sansa once more. He defends Brandon Stark against the oncoming undead forces, but is eventually killed by the Night King. His death is not in vain, however, as the Night King's forces are defeated.
Bran Stark (portrayed by Isaac Hempstead Wright) is the fourth child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. He was named after his deceased uncle, Brandon. His dire wolf is called Summer. During King Robert's visit to Winterfell, he accidentally encounters Cersei and Jaime Lannister engaging in their incestuous affair, following which Bran is shoved from the window by Jaime, leaving him paralysed below the waist. When Robb marches south to avenge Eddard's death, Brandon rules Winterfell alongside Maester Luwin. When Theon Greyjoy's Ironborn soldiers seize Winterfell, they pretend to have burned Bran alive, when in reality Bran has escaped the castle to find a Three-Eyed Raven who appears in his dreams. He travels beyond the Wall to find the raven with his brother Rickon, servant Hodor, the wildling Osha, direwolves Summer and Shaggydog, and eventually Jojen and Meera Reed. Osha, Rickon and Shaggydog leave for Last Hearth.
Once beyond the Wall, they are briefly captured by Night's Watch mutineers at Craster's Keep, but free themselves and eventually reach the cave of the Three-Eyed Raven. Jojen is killed by undead wights before they can reach safety. Once there, since Bran is both a Greenseer and a Warg, he undergoes training to become the next Three-Eyed Raven and experiences several visions of the future and past. When the Night King enters one of these visions and breaks the spell protecting the cave, Bran and Meera are forced to flee while Hodor, Summer, and the elder Three-Eyed Raven are all killed by the White Walkers and the undead. Now the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran experiences all of time at once, and begins to lose sense of himself. Upon returning to Winterfell from beyond the Wall, he bids a cold farewell to Meera and his family no longer recognise him. It is revealed that the Night King intends to kill Bran in an attempt to wipe out the order of Three-Eyed Ravens and erase the world's memory. Bran is used as bait to lure the Night King to a place where he can be killed, which Bran's sister Arya Stark successfully manages. After Daenerys Targaryen destroys King's Landing with her dragon and kills Queen Cersei Lannister, Bran is selected to be the new ruler of Westeros.
Joffrey Baratheon (portrayed by Jack Gleeson) is the Crown Prince of the Seven Kingdoms. He is the eldest of Cersei Lannister's children and heir to the Iron Throne. Vicious and cruel, he has a short temper and believes he can do anything he wants. He is also a coward when confronted by those who are not afraid of him. Joffrey is unaware that King Robert is not his real father – who, in reality, is Jaime Lannister. After Robert's death, the Lannisters make Joffrey the King against his father's will, and Joffrey becomes a cruel ruler and a Puppet King used by his mother. After being initially betrothed to Sansa Stark, the arrival of the Tyrells in King's Landing results in Joffrey casting Sansa aside for Margaery Tyrell. During their wedding day, however, Joffrey is assassinated in front of a large crowd by poison.
Sandor Clegane (portrayed by Rory McCann) is the younger brother of Ser Gregor Clegane. He is also Joffrey Baratheon's personal bodyguard. The right side of his face was grievously burned when he was only a boy after his brother pushed his face into a brazier, leaving him with a fear of fire. He is taciturn and brutal, but not without compassion. He is protective towards Sansa after she is captured by the Lannisters. After Joffrey becomes King, Sandor is made a member of the Kingsguard. Although he is faithful to Joffrey, he frequently defends Sansa from Joffrey's attempts to physically abuse her. During the Battle of Blackwater, Sandor's fear of fire overwhelms him. He resigns from the Kingsguard and leaves King's Landing. While on the road, he is captured by Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr, leaders of the Brotherhood without Banners. He is released after winning a trial-by-combat.
He kidnaps Arya Stark with the intention of selling her to her mother and brother, Catelyn and Robb Stark, only to see them slaughtered at the Red Wedding. He then plans to take Arya to her aunt, Lysa, in the Vale, only to find out that she too has recently died. The pair encounter Brienne and Podrick on the road, with Sandor losing a fight to Brienne. Arya leaves him for dead. Roughly a year later, it is revealed that Sandor survived his injuries and has been living a peaceful life, building a small sept in the Riverlands. When the villagers he works with are massacred, he reunites with Beric and Thoros on their mission beyond the Wall to gather evidence of the White Walkers, along with Jon Snow, Ser Jorah Mormont, Tormund Giantsbane, and Gendry Baratheon. Thoros dies on the mission. During a parley with Queen Cersei Lannister, Sandor encounters his brother and promises revenge. He reunites with Arya Stark, survives the attack on Winterfell from the Night King, and journeys south with her as his companion. Once in the capital, he finds his brother and fights with him to the death as the pair perish in the firestorms caused by Daenerys Targaryen.
Tyrion Lannister (portrayed by Peter Dinklage) is the younger brother of Cersei and Jaime Lannister. He is a dwarf and his mother died during his birth, for which his father, Tywin Lannister, blames him. While not physically powerful, Tyrion has a cunning mind. After being falsely accused of the attempted murder of Brandon Stark, he survives a battle with Robb Stark's forces and returns to King's Landing, where he takes the position as King Joffrey's Hand of the King. After Tywin wins the Battle of Blackwater for the Lannisters, Tyrion is demoted from his position and renamed Master of Coin. He engages in a secret love affair with the prostitute Shae, until he is forcibly married to Sansa Stark (something Shae resents him for) and Cersei learns of Shae's relationship to Tyrion. After King Joffrey is poisoned at his wedding to Margaery Tyrell, Tyrion is framed for the crime. Shae testifies against Tyrion and Tywin sentences him to death.
Tyrion escapes the capital with the help of his brother Jaime and Lord Varys, but not before taking revenge on Shae and Tywin by killing them both. He travels across the Narrow Sea and soon reaches Meereen, where he joins the advisory team of Daenerys Targaryen. He rules the city during her absence after an attack by the Sons of the Harpy and is named Hand of the Queen upon her return. Tyrion accompanies Daenerys back across the Narrow Sea, supporting her claim against his sister Cersei. His plans to ensure the invasion is bloodless, however, see Daenerys lose valuable allies, and she begins to doubt his ability as a strategist. After the White Walkers are defeated at Winterfell, Tyrion accompanies Daenerys during her mission to finally conquer King's Landing. Not wanting his family to die in battle, however, he secretly arranges for Jaime and Cersei to escape the city. After Daenerys destroys the city and massacres the city's population, including Cersei and Jaime, Tyrion resigns as Hand of the Queen and is imprisoned. When Daenerys is assassinated by Jon Snow, Tyrion is freed and named as Bran the Broken's Hand of the King.
Petyr Baelish (portrayed by Aidan Gillen) is the Master of Coin in King Robert Baratheon's Small Council. Petyr is a master manipulator who knows the ongoing affairs within the Seven Kingdoms, thanks to his spies. While Petyr at first is assumed to be an ally of Ned Stark, he secretly resents him for marrying Catelyn Tully and betrays him, leading to Ned's execution. Petyr owns a King's Landing brothel, where he employs (and mistreats) several workers. He also has an ongoing feud with Lord Varys, another of Westeros' spymasters. After the Battle of Blackwater, Sansa Stark (Catelyn's daughter) is cast aside by King Joffrey for Margaery Tyrell. Petyr attempts to persuade Sansa to leave the capital with him, but she refuses. When Joffrey is poisoned at his own wedding, Sansa is secretly smuggled out of the capital by Petyr, who planned Joffrey's assassination with Lady Olenna Tyrell. He then takes her to the Eyrie where he is to marry her aunt and Catelyn's sister, Lysa Arryn.
While at the Eyrie, it is revealed that Petyr has fallen in love with Sansa due to her resemblance to her mother. Lysa discovers this information and tries to have Sansa killed, only for Petyr to push her through the castle's moon door to her death instead. Sansa lies for Petyr, and says Lysa jumped to her death of her own accord. Petyr and Sansa then journey to Winterfell, where Petyr arranges for Sansa to marry Ramsay Bolton. Petyr then travels to King's Landing and reveals to Cersei that Sansa, a suspect in Joffrey's murder, has resurfaced in the North. Petyr returns to the Vale and commands the Knights of the Vale to join his cause to reclaim Winterfell from the Boltons. The Knights of the Vale then assist Jon Snow's wildling army against the Boltons, and Winterfell is returned to Stark hands. With Jon Snow, new King in the North, in the south with Daenerys Targaryen, Petyr attempts to divide Sansa, Arya, and Bran, the recently reunited Stark siblings. Bran (now the Three-Eyed Raven), however, uncovers his treachery, reveals the litany of crimes he committed against the Starks, and sentences Petyr to death.
Davos Seaworth (portrayed by Liam Cunningham) is a former smuggler and knight in the service of Stannis Baratheon. A natural sceptic of religion and magic, he distrusts another of Stannis' advisers, the Lady Melisandre, and her belief in the Lord of Light. Before the events of the series, he earned his knighthood by smuggling food to the besieged Stannis Baratheon and his army. Before knighting him, however, Stannis removed the last joints from four fingers on his right hand as punishment for his years of smuggling. Davos leads Stannis' fleet into King's Landing during a siege on the capital but is shipwrecked during Tyrion Lannister's defence of the city. He awakens on an island and returns to Dragonstone, Stannis' headquarters, where he is imprisoned for attempting to murder Lady Melisandre. In the cells, he befriends Shireen, Stannis' daughter, who visits him and teaches him how to read. He also forms a bond with Gendry, Stannis' illegitimate nephew, whom he frees from the dungeons and returns to King's Landing. Davos is welcomed back into Stannis' service despite setting Gendry free, and is present when Stannis travels first to Braavos and then to Castle Black. When Stannis marches south from Castle Black with Melisandre to claim Winterfell, Davos is told to return to the Wall and befriends Jon Snow.
Davos soon learns that Stannis, his family, and his entire army were killed during the attempt to take Winterfell, but he is unaware that Shireen was burned alive as a sacrifice by Melisandre, who returns to the Wall in disgrace, her king having been defeated. When Jon Snow is assassinated in a mutiny for making a pact with the wildlings, Davos is the first person to find his body. He convinces Melisandre to resurrect Jon, using her religious magic, and finds Jon alive the next morning. He joins Jon's wildling army in the Battle of the Bastards, helping to reclaim the castle for the Starks. Before the battle, he discovers that Shireen had been burned alive, and confronts Melisandre when the battle is over, leading to her banishment from the North. Davos then becomes a loyal member of Jon's council. He accompanies Jon to Dragonstone to meet with Daenerys Targaryen, then to Eastwatch on the mission to gather evidence of White Walkers, and then to King's Landing to display the evidence to Queen Cersei Lannister. He also reunites with Gendry. When the Night King breaks through the Wall and attacks Winterfell, Davos, along with the returning Melisandre, forms part of the army that defeats him. Davos is present when Daenerys destroys King's Landing with her last remaining dragon, Drogon, and eventually becomes a member of Bran the Broken's small council.
Samwell Tarly (portrayed by John Bradley) is the eldest son and former heir of Lord Randyll Tarly, and a new recruit to the Night's Watch. He was sent to the Wall by his father, who disowned him for his cowardice. He becomes Jon Snow's best friend. While not a warrior, he is very smart and insightful. He is inducted into the stewards and assigned to Maester Aemon. He joins the Night's Watch's Great Ranging beyond the Wall and survives that battle with White Walkers at the Fist of the First Men. Travelling back to Castle Black via Craster's Keep, Sam escapes the mutiny with Gilly and her newborn son, whom she eventually names Sam. When the trio are attacked by a White Walker while trekking through the wilderness, Sam uses dragonglass daggers (found at the Fist) to kill it. They return to Castle Black, reuniting with Jon Snow, and survive the attack by Mance Rayder's wildling army. Fearing for Gilly's safety at Castle Black due to her wildling status, Sam temporarily leaves the Night's Watch with Jon's permission to become a maester of the Citadel. Initially planning to leave Gilly and little Sam at Horn Hill, his family home, he instead decides to bring them to the Citadel.
After curing Jorah Mormont of greyscale, they discover that a cave of dragonglass sits under Dragonstone, and Sam alerts Jon to this, eventually leading to Jon and Daenerys' meeting and union. Later, they uncover the truth that Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark were wed before Robert's Rebellion and the birth of their son, Jon Snow. When the order of maesters turn out to be disbelieving of the White Walker threat, he abandons his lessons and returns to the North to face the Army of the Dead. He meets Brandon Stark, now the Three-Eyed Raven, and by corroborating their stories they find out the truth that Jon is actually Aegon Targaryen, legitimate heir to the Iron Throne. Sam tells Jon of this truth when the latter returns to Winterfell, having left the Night's Watch after his assassination and resurrection, and after allying with Daenerys. Sam survives the attack by White Walkers on Winterfell, and stays at the castle with a newly pregnant Gilly. After Daenerys Targaryen destroys King's Landing, forcing Jon to assassinate her, Sam travels to the capital (presumably with Gilly and little Sam) and is present when Bran (dubbed Bran the Broken) is selected as Westeros' new ruler. He becomes a grandmaester in Bran's small council.
Stannis Baratheon (portrayed by Stephen Dillane) is the elder of Robert Baratheon's younger brothers. He is a brooding, humorless man known for his hard sense of justice. When Robert dies, Ned Stark sends Stannis a letter appointing him as the legitimate heir. Stannis becomes a challenger for the Iron Throne after his nephew Joffrey Baratheon becomes king, becoming one of five in the War of Five Kings. Advised by the Red Priestess Lady Melisandre (follower of the Lord of Light) and Davos Seaworth, Stannis is based at Dragonstone, an offshore island in the Narrow Sea, where he lives with his daughter Shireen and wife Selyse. Melisandre convinces Stannis to kill his brother Renly Baratheon with a shadow demon and claim half of Renly's army for his own. After Renly is killed by a demon bearing Stannis' face, Lady Brienne, head of Renly's kingsguard, promises to one day take revenge on Stannis. Stannis' army attacks King's Landing in an attempt to seize the throne but is repelled at the city's walls after a long battle. After his defeat, Stannis stays at Dragonstone while Melisandre heads to the Westeros mainland in search of Gendry Baratheon, Robert's illegitimate son. Melisandre returns to Dragonstone with Gendry and uses blood magic to cast a fatal curse over King Joffrey, King in the North Robb Stark, and Lord of the Iron Islands Balon Greyjoy.
Robb Stark is slaughtered at the Red Wedding soon after, while Joffrey is poisoned at his own wedding to Margaery Tyrell. With the War of Five Kings effectively concluded by their deaths, Stannis sails to Braavos in an attempt to secure funding from the Iron Bank. He then travels further north to Castle Black, and inadvertently ends the conflict between Mance Rayder's wildling army and the Night's Watch. He takes up residence at the fortress and tutors the young Lord Commander Jon Snow, in whom Melisandre takes a keen interest. With winter approaching, Stannis hurriedly marches south in an attempt to take Winterfell from the Boltons. With the weather closing in around them, and with his supplies dwindling, Melisandre suggests to Stannis that his daughter Shireen be sacrificed, in the hopes that her own king's blood will please the Lord of Light. Shireen is burned alive, causing half of Stannis' army to abandon his cause. Stannis attempts to take Winterfell regardless but is quickly defeated in the field. After the battle, he is discovered in a nearby forest by Lady Brienne, who avenges her long-deceased king by executing Stannis. Stannis does not live long enough to hear of Balon Greyjoy's death at the hands of his younger brother Euron, completing the list of those Melisandre cursed with blood magic.
Melisandre (portrayed by Carice van Houten) is a priestess of the Lord of Light in service to Stannis Baratheon. Melisandre has prophetic powers that give her partial knowledge of future events. Unlike many other people in Westeros with access to prophecy, Melisandre has absolute faith in her own interpretation, even though she is sometimes wrong. Melisandre believes Stannis is the chosen one who will convert the people of Westeros into followers of the Lord of Light. Melisandre convinces Stannis to conceive a shadow demon with her, which she will use to murder Renly Baratheon, Stannis' brother and challenger to the throne. The shadow demon, bearing Stannis Baratheon's face, kills Renly. Melisandre is left behind at Dragonstone when Stannis is defeated in his attempts to seize King's Landing. After Stannis' return, Melisandre heads to the mainland in Westeros and meets with the Brotherhood without Banners and fellow Red Priest, Thoros of Myr. Gendry Baratheon, King Robert's bastard son, is sold to her, and she brings him back to Dragonstone. She uses his king's blood to curse Stannis' challengers to the Iron Throne. When Stannis sails to the Wall and resides at Castle Black, Melisandre accompanies him but takes a keen interest in the young Lord Commander, Jon Snow. She wears light clothing even in freezing temperatures, claiming that the Lord of Light's fire lives within her.
She then travels southward with Stannis when he tries to seize Winterfell from the Boltons. With winter approaching and snow storms halting their progress, Melisandre sacrifices Stannis' daughter, Shireen, to the Lord of Light, in an attempt to ease the weather and grant them safe passage. Instead, Stannis' soldiers lose faith in his cause, and her king is killed after a battle. Melisandre returns to Castle Black in disgrace and finds that Jon Snow has been murdered in a mutiny. Doubting her faith, she hides from Davos and begins wearing winter clothing. Her faith is restored, however, when she manages to resurrect Jon from the dead. Jon marches south to take Winterfell from the Boltons with a wildling army and successfully reclaims the castle. Davos, who had become a guardian to Shireen, discovers that his late friend was burned alive by Melisandre, leading Jon Snow to banish the Red Woman from the North. She arrives at Dragonstone shortly after Daenerys Targaryen and instructs her to summon Jon Snow. She then travels to Volantis, claiming that she will one day return to Westeros to die. Months later, Melisandre returns to Winterfell one last time and uses her magic in the fight against the White Walkers. During the battle, she displays powerful magic, the like of which many of the human combatants have never seen before. Physically exhausted after using the last of her strength to defeat the Army of the Dead, she removes her enchanted necklace, reveals her true withered form to Davos Seaworth, and disappears on the wind.
Jeor Mormont (portrayed by James Cosmo) is the 997th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, and the estranged father of Ser Jorah. He gave up his lands to serve the Night's Watch. His son's shaming of their house weighs heavily on him. He personally requests that Jon Snow be made his personal steward, and gives him the Hand-and-a-Half sword (also known as a bastard sword) of their house, Longclaw. He has the pommel reshaped into a wolf's head. To investigate the return of wights, the disappearance of several Rangers, and rumors of a wildling army, Jeor leads an expeditionary force beyond the Wall in season 2. In season 3, after returning to Craster's Keep, he is slain by Rast in the ensuing mutiny. His death ignites Maester Aemon's call for the lords of Westeros to aid the Night's Watch, which convinces Stannis Baratheon the time is ripe to fight the onslaught of the White Walkers. His corpse is apparently desecrated afterwards, as in season 4, Karl Tanner is shown drinking wine from a skull he claims is Jeor's.
Bronn (portrayed by Jerome Flynn) is a sellsword with a sardonic sense of humor. He is first seen aiding Catelyn Stark when she wrongly arrests Tyrion Lannister for an attempt on her son Brandon's life. During Tyrion's trial at the Eyrie, Bronn volunteers to fight when Tyrion demands a trial by combat. Bronn wins the fight and becomes Tyrion's companion and protector, accompanying him back to King's Landing. When Tyrion is named Hand of the King, Bronn becomes head of the City Watch in the capital. Bronn also becomes an advisor to Tyrion and is named Ser Bronn of the Blackwater after his heroics during the defence of the city from Stannis Baratheon's army. After the battle, Bronn remains in Tyrion's employ as both a colleague and friend. Bronn is later tasked with training up Jaime Lannister's weaker hand with a sword—Jaime having lost his stronger swordhand while a prisoner of the Boltons. When King Joffrey is poisoned and Tyrion is once again falsely accused of a crime, Bronn is bribed by Cersei to marry Lollys Stokeworth and leave the capital instead of fighting for Tyrion in another trial-by-combat. Tyrion flees the capital after Prince Oberyn Martell fights for him and is killed by The Mountain.
Before Bronn can marry Lollys, however, he reunites with Jaime, who has been tasked with travelling to Dorne to retrieve Myrcella Baratheon from the Martells, who threaten revenge for their prince's death. In their attempts to rescue Myrcella, Bronn and Jaime provoke the Sand Snakes (daughters of the late Oberyn Martell) and Bronn is imprisoned. He is released when Jaime bargains for his freedom. Myrcella is poisoned by Ellaria Sand, despite their efforts to bring her home to King's Landing. Bronn later accompanies Jaime to Riverrun, where the Lannister army retake the castle from the Tullys, and he also forms part of the force that seizes Highgarden from the Tyrells. Bronn, Jaime, and the rest of the Lannister forces are ambushed by Daenerys Targaryen on the back of her dragon, Drogon. Bronn wounds Drogon during the massacre, but is forced to rescue Jaime from an attack by Daenerys. The pair escape by floating downstream on the Blackwater Rush. After Jaime leaves Cersei Lannister and rides north to face the White Walkers, Bronn stays in King's Landing but is tasked by Cersei with killing Jaime for his apparent betrayal. Instead of carrying out Cersei's orders, however, Bronn uses the threat of death as leverage over Jaime and Tyrion, securing himself a seat on Bran the Broken's small council as Lord of the Reach.
Varys (portrayed by Conleth Hill) is a member of the Small Council, serving under King Robert Baratheon, King Joffrey Baratheon and King Tommen Baratheon. He is also a Master of Whisperers, with many spies in his employ across two continents, and clashes frequently with Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish. After serving under three kings, Varys flees to Essos with Tyrion Lannister following the latter's murder of his father Tywin. Once there, Varys arranges for Tyrion to become one of Daenerys Targaryen's advisers. The pair then rule Meereen in her absence following an attack by rebel group the Sons of the Harpy. When Daenerys returns to defeat the slave masters and the Sons of the Harpy, Varys and Tyrion accompany her to Westeros and support her claim to the Iron Throne. Varys survives the Great War between the living and the dead, and discovers that Jon Snow is actually Daenerys' nephew Aegon Targaryen, rightful heir to the Iron Throne, but is executed when his plot to crown Jon king is exposed.
Shae (portrayed by Sibel Kekilli) is a young camp follower in whom Tyrion Lannister takes particular interest. She is from Lorath, one of the Free Cities across the Narrow Sea. Tyrion falls in love with her and to hide her from his father, Tyrion appoints Shae to be Sansa's handmaiden. As her handmaiden, Shae is the only person Sansa trusts and confides to her about her problems and what she really thinks about the Lannisters. In turn, Shae becomes protective of Sansa and attempts to help her in any way she can. In season 3, she becomes jealous of Tyrion after his marriage to Sansa and is confronted by Varys, who urges her to leave the Seven Kingdoms, which she refuses to do, thinking that Tyrion has something to do with Varys talking to her. In season 4, Tyrion is forced to send Shae away from King's Landing on a ship after her presence is discovered by Cersei and his father is told, insulting her in the process. Shae, however, does not leave King's Landing and resurfaces at Tyrion's trial for murdering Joffrey, where she falsely claims that both Tyrion and Sansa were responsible for Joffrey's death. It is revealed, however, that Shae was having an affair with Tywin. After Tyrion is freed by Jaime, he finds Shae sleeping in Tywin's bed, making him realise the horrible truth. Shae attempts to kill Tyrion with a knife, but he strangles her to death both in self-defense and out of anger for her betrayal.
Margaery Tyrell (portrayed by Natalie Dormer) is the only daughter of Lord Mace Tyrell and granddaughter to Lady Olenna Tyrell, as well as wife to Renly Baratheon when introduced to the series. She is cunning but kind-hearted, and dreams of being the queen. When Renly Baratheon is killed by a shadow demon, Petyr Baelish arranges for the Tyrells to ally with the Lannisters. The Tyrells move to King's Landing and Margaery is immediately betrothed to the sadistic King Joffrey Baratheon. Margaery and Olenna spend time in the city's gardens, scheming together and organising their political tactics. When Lady Olenna poisons Joffrey at his wedding to Margaery, the timid and innocent King Tommen Baratheon is crowned as his successor. Margaery marries Tommen and the two become happy together, and Tommen falls deeply in love with Margaery. Their relationship is brief, however. Cersei Lannister gives power to King's Landing faith militant group, the Sparrows, to challenge the Tyrells' influence in the capital following the death of Tywin Lannister.
Margaery and her brother Loras Tyrell are imprisoned by the Sparrows—Loras for his alleged homosexuality, and Margaery for hiding Loras' secrets. Cersei herself is then arrested by the Sparrows for her incestuous affairs with Lancel Lannister and Jaime Lannister. While a prisoner of the Sparrows, Margaery manipulates their leader, the High Sparrow, into believing that she has converted to the Faith of the Seven. Despite a failed attempt by her family to forcefully remove her from under the High Sparrow's captivity, he comes to enjoy Margaery's company and believes her lies about her faithfulness. In an attempt to soon free herself, Margaery convinces Tommen to join the Crown and the Faith. Her plans are foiled, however, on the day of Cersei Lannister's trial at the Sept of Baelor. Instead of appearing for her trial, Cersei rigs the Sept with wildfire and destroys it, massacring the hundreds of attendees inside—including Margaery, Loras, Mace, Lancel Lannister, the High Sparrow, and several of the King's Landing population. Witnessing the event from his quarters in the Red Keep, Tommen, having seen his wife perish at the hands of his mother, commits suicide by throwing himself from a high window.
Tywin Lannister (portrayed by Charles Dance) is the calculating, ruthless, and controlling former Hand of King Aerys II. He is the father of Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion Lannister. After Eddard Stark's arrest, Joffrey names him Hand of the King once more, but after Jaime is taken captive by the Starks, Eddard is unexpectedly executed by Joffrey, and Renly and Stannis Baratheon challenge Joffrey's claim to the throne. Tywin elects to remain in the field, commanding his forces until he wins his war, and in the meantime gives the position of acting Hand of the King to Tyrion. During the War of Five Kings, Tywin briefly stays at Harrenhal, a castle and prison controlled by the Lannisters. There, he names a captive Arya Stark as his cupbearer, though it is left uncertain as to whether he knows her true identity. After Renly's death Tywin brokers an alliance with Mace Tyrell and the pair arrive in King's Landing to quash Stannis Baratheon's army, who are on the cusp of taking the city. In the aftermath of the battle, he is named Hand of the King once more, while Tyrion is demoted to Master of Coin. Tywin arranges several marriages of his children, ends the war by securing lords Frey and Bolton's betrayal of Robb Stark, who is slain, but quarrels with Tyrion, now demoted to Master of Coin, and faces problems from an increasingly self-assured King Joffrey. After Joffrey's murder Tyrion is falsely accused, and after a failed gambit through trial by combat Tywin sentences his son to death. Once Tywin confirms to Jaime he intends to have his son executed, the latter - with Lord Varys's help - frees Tyrion and helps him escape from King's Landing, which he does, but not before confronting and murdering his father with a crossbow mid-flight.
Talisa Stark (portrayed by Oona Chaplin) is a healer working on the battlefields of the War of the Five Kings. She claims to be from the Free City of Volantis. No character named Talisa appears in the books. Oona Chaplin was originally announced to play a character called Jeyne, which many thought to mean she would play Jeyne Westerling, a character from the books. Talisa follows Robb Stark's army camp as it moves. One day as they talk they are interrupted by news that Catelyn has released Robb's key prisoner Jaime Lannister. Talisa later goes to comfort Robb. After she reveals more of her past to him, they admit their shared feelings for one another and sleep together. Talisa and Robb marry in secret before a septon and she becomes a Stark. In season 3, Talisa reveals that she is pregnant, although she and her unborn child are stabbed to death by Lothar Frey in the Red Wedding Massacre, the first in the hall to be attacked.
Ygritte (portrayed by Rose Leslie) is a Wildling girl with red hair ("kissed by fire", a sign of luck among the Wildlings) and a follower of Mance Rayder. In season 2, she is captured in the Skirling Pass by Jon Snow and Qhorin Halfhand. She manages to escape, but is recaptured by Jon, separating him from his brothers in the process. Later she leads him into Rattleshirt's ambush. After this they lead Jon to Mance Rayder's wildling camp, where he pretends to defect to the Wildlings to discover their plans. She then travels with him to the wall, and during this journey she seduces him. However, when confronted with killing an innocent horse farmer for the watch who scaled the wall, Jon escapes the wildling's clutches on horseback. But while resting, Ygritte manages to catch up with Jon at which point she confesses her love for him and then, blinded by tears, shoots him multiple times while he escapes towards the wall. In season 4, Ygritte starts raiding villages south of the wall with her group, clearly thirsting for vengeance against Jon, although Tormund suspects she let him go. When the wildlings attack Mole's Town, Ygritte slaughters all the women present, but notices Gilly hiding with her baby son, and spares her life. When the wildlings finally reach Castle Black and attack, Ygritte kills many Night's Watch brothers with her archery skills, among them Pyp. When confronted by Jon, however, she cannot bring herself to shoot him, and is shot in the back by Olly, a boy whose father Ygritte previously killed. Ygritte subsequently dies in Jon's arms, and her body is later burned by Jon himself, separately from the other soldiers, in her homeland, north of the Wall.
Gendry (portrayed by Joe Dempsie) is an apprentice blacksmith in King's Landing and King Robert Baratheon's bastard son. After King Robert's death and Eddard Stark's execution, arrangements are made for Gendry to travel to Castle Black with Arya (disguised as "Arry") and other Night's Watch recruits. During their journey, Gendry discovers Arya's true identity and the two form a close friendship. After Lannister soldiers ambush them and hold them captive at Harrenhal, Gendry and Arya escape with the help of Jaqen H'ghar. They soon encounter the Brotherhood without Banners, who later sell Gendry to Lady Melisandre, separating him from Arya. Melisandre takes Gendry to Dragonstone and uses his king's blood to turn the War of Five Kings in the favour of Gendry's uncle, Stannis Baratheon. Gendry is then freed by Ser Davos Seaworth, Stannis' Hand, and returns to King's Landing by rowboat. Years later, Davos, now in Jon Snow's service, returns to the capital and finds Gendry working as a smith once more. Davos recruits Gendry to go beyond the Wall with Jon and the remaining members of the Brotherhood to capture a wight and prove the existence of White Walkers. Gendry survives the mission and returns to Winterfell, where he reunites with Arya and helps defeat the Army of the Dead. After the battle, Gendry is legitimised by Daenerys Targaryen and named Lord of Storm's End. He is present at the coronation of King Bran the Broken.
Tormund Giantsbane (portrayed by Kristofer Hivju) is a wildling raider known for his many titles, "Giantsbane" being foremost. Loud and gregarious, he is one of Mance's top generals, fierce and terrible in combat. Tormund takes a liking to Jon Snow after he joins them and even gives him advice over his relationship with Ygritte. After Mance Rayder's army attacks Castle Black, Tormund is taken as a prisoner, where he forms a stronger bond with Jon and agrees to help the Lord Commander form a truce between the wildlings and the Night's Watch. The pair travel to Hardhome and survive an attack by the White Walkers while rescuing wildlings. After Jon is assassinated in a mutiny, Tormund is present when the Lady Melisandre resurrects him, and forms part of the army Jon uses to reclaim Winterfell from House Bolton. Tormund is then stationed at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, and goes beyond the Wall with Jon to capture a wight and prove the existence of White Walkers to Queen Cersei Lannister. Tormund survives an attack on Eastwatch by the Night King, and makes it to Winterfell in time to join the effort to defeat the Army of the Dead. After the battle, Tormund returns to Castle Black. At the end of the series, he eventually reunites with Jon Snow, following Jon's extradition after assassinating Daenerys Targaryen.
Brienne of Tarth (portrayed by Gwendoline Christie) is a former member of Renly Baratheon's Kingsguard. She is a highly trained and skilled warrior made even more dangerous by the fact that men underestimate her. She is considered unfashionable because of her physique. She is present when Renly Baratheon is murdered by a shadow demon, and is falsely accused of carrying out the deed. She flees with Catelyn Stark, who was also present when Renly was killed, and is sworn into her service. Brienne swears to take revenge on Stannis Baratheon, who created the shadow demon that killed her king. Brienne is tasked by Catelyn with escorting Jaime Lannister back to King's Landing in exchange for the release of Catelyn's daughters, Sansa and Arya. On the road, however, Brienne and Jaime are captured by soldiers working for House Bolton, and Jaime's sword hand is severed. Brienne is kept at the prison fortress of Harrenhal to entertain the Bolton soldiers by fighting a bear—Jaime rescues her from the bear pit and the pair soon return to King's Landing. After King Joffrey's murder by poison, Brienne is sent away from King's Landing to find Sansa and Arya, both of whom escaped the capital without her knowledge.
Travelling to the Eyrie to find the Stark girls, Brienne encounters Sandor Clegane and his travelling companion, Arya Stark. Unable to persuade Arya to join her, and after defeating Sandor in single combat, Brienne travels with Podrick to Winterfell, where Sansa Stark has surfaced after escaping King's Landing. Brienne briefly abandons her mission to locate Sansa to execute Stannis Baratheon, who fails to capture Winterfell, but unites with the Stark girl soon after. Sansa, Brienne and Podrick ride to Castle Black, where Sansa reunites with her brother, Jon Snow. Brienne is sent to Riverrun to request that Brynden Tully's army assist Sansa and Jon in reclaiming Winterfell. Upon arrival, she briefly reunites with Jaime but is unable to convince Brynden to ride north and help Sansa. She returns to Winterfell after Sansa and Jon reclaim the castle anyway, and is present when Sansa and Arya reunite at the fortress, technically fulfilling her oath to Catelyn Stark. She journeys to King's Landing to represent Sansa in the Dragonpit summit and then returns to Winterfell to face the Army of the Dead, reuniting with Jaime Lannister. After Jaime is killed when Daenerys Targaryen destroys King's Landing, Brienne journeys south and is named head of Bran the Broken's kingsguard.
Ramsay Bolton (portrayed by Iwan Rheon) is the cruel, sadistic, and cunning illegitimate son of Roose Bolton. He is first introduced to the series when Theon Greyjoy captures Winterfell, and Roose Bolton commands him to retake the fortress, ostensibly to hand it back to the Starks. However, Ramsay's army ransacks the castle and leaves it as a ruin. Ramsay captures Theon, imprisons him at the Dreadfort, and tortures him so severely that Theon forgets his own name, eventually believing himself to be called "Reek". Ramsay even goes so far as to emasculate Reek. After capturing Moat Cailin, the Boltons move from the Dreadfort to Winterfell. Roose is named Warden of the North and legitimizes Ramsay, making him Ramsay Bolton. Sansa Stark is then married to Ramsay, thanks to an arrangement made by Petyr Baelish in his own attempt to control the North. Ramsay abuses and violates Sansa, raping her on their wedding night.
After Sansa and Theon escape Ramsay's captivity during Stannis Baratheon's failed attack on Winterfell, Roose chastises Ramsay for his complacency and implies that legitimizing him was a mistake. After Roose's wife Walda gives birth to a legitimate heir, Ramsay quickly arranges for his father's assassination. With the Karstarks willing to hide the information, Ramsay stabs Roose through the heart, feeds Roose's wife and son to his hounds, and assumes the title of Lord Bolton. Shortly after, House Umber arrive at Winterfell with two prisoners: Rickon Stark and Osha. Osha is killed when trying to assassinate Ramsay herself. When Jon Snow's wildling army descends on Winterfell to take the castle, Rickon is killed after being used as bait to disrupt Jon's tactics. After a battle, Ramsay is defeated in the field by a combination of the wildling army and the Knights of the Vale, who arrive on the orders of Petyr Baelish and Sansa Stark. He is captured and chained up in the Winterfell kennels, where Sansa watches him get eaten alive by his own hounds.
Gilly (portrayed by Hannah Murray) is a young wildling girl who lives north of the Wall, and one of many daughters of Craster, a wildling who takes all his daughters as wives once they grow up into women. During the Night's Watch's Great Ranging beyond the Wall, Gilly encounters Samwell Tarly, a Night's Watch brother. She is pregnant, and soon gives birth to Craster's son. Fearing for her son's life, knowing that Craster's sons are handed to the White Walkers, she flees with Samwell during a violent mutiny at Craster's Keep, during which Craster and the Night's Watch's Lord Commander, Jeor Mormont, are both killed. Gilly and Samwell, along with the baby (known as "Little Sam"), hike back to the Wall. Along the way, a White Walker comes to claim Little Sam, only for Samwell to stab the Walker with a dragonglass dagger. After returning to Castle Black, Samwell begins to fear for Gilly's safety and instead finds her work in Mole's Town, a nearby settlement. When Mole's Town is attacked by wildlings, Gilly returns to Castle Black and survives the attack by Mance Rayder's wildling army. After Maester Aemon falls ill and dies, Samwell and Gilly travel south to the Citadel, where Samwell trains to become the new maester of the Night's Watch. After a brief stopover with his family at Horn Hill, Samwell takes Gilly to the Citadel. When Samwell grows frustrated with the maesters, Gilly travels back northwards with him, and the trio settle at Winterfell. Gilly then survives the attack by White Walkers and declares that she is pregnant with Samwell's baby in the aftermath. When Samwell is named the maester on Bran the Broken's small council, it is presumed that Gilly and Little Sam travel with him and take up permanent residence in King's Landing.
Daario Naharis (portrayed by Ed Skrein in season 3, and by Michiel Huisman from season 4 onwards) is a confident and seductive warrior who is a lieutenant in the Second Sons, a group of 2000 mercenaries. Daario is introduced when Daenerys Tagraryen attempts to seize the slave city of Yunkai - she hires the Second Sons to assist her in conquering the city. Daario murders his fellow commanders after they consider turning against Daenerys, and declares his loyalty to her, helping her to take the city. When Daenerys takes Meereen, Daario defeats the city's champion and grants her entry to the city. Daario then joins Daenerys' advisory team and soon becomes her romantic partner. During their relationship, he investigates the origins of the Sons of the Harpy, a militant group who object to Daenreys' rule in Meereen. When Daenerys is forced to flee the city and is captured by the Dothraki, Daario journeys with Ser Jorah Mormont to retrieve her from Vaes Dothrak. When Daenerys returns to Meereen, she begins making plans to leave for Westeros. Daario assists her in defeating the Sons of the Harpy and the region's slave masters. Having created a fragile peace in Slaver's Bay, she assigns Daario and the Second Sons the responsibility of maintaining order. Daario is upset by this news, as staying in Meereen means the end of his relationship with Daenerys, but it is presumed that he rules the city in her stead.
Missandei (portrayed by Nathalie Emmanuel) is a personal servant to Daenerys Targaryen, who was freed from being a slave working as translator for Kraznys mo Nakloz when Daenerys insisted during negotiations with Kraznys mo Nakloz that Missandei be given to her as a gift. She effectively serves as the replacement of Doreah after she betrayed Daenerys in Qarth. She later begins to teach Grey Worm how to speak the common tongue, and they develop romantic feelings for each other, despite Grey Worm being an Unsullied who was castrated at youth. She is visibly saddened when another Unsullied, White Rat, is killed in a brothel by the Sons of the Harpy. After Grey Worm is almost killed in an attack, Missandei kisses him after he reveals that for the first time, he felt fear, since he thought he would never see her again. On the opening day of the fighting games, the Sons of the Harpy launch another attack. Missandei is narrowly saved by Tyrion Lannister, and watches as Daenerys flies away on Drogon. She later remains in Meereen with Tyrion and Grey Worm to help keep the city together. Despite an attack by the slaver masters' fleet, Meereen is saved when Daenerys returns with the Dothraki and unleashes her dragons on the fleet, which Missandei witnesses. She later accompanies Daenerys on her voyage back to Westeros. She makes love with Grey Worm and worries for him when he is sent to attack Casterly Rock. In season 8, she is beheaded by the Mountain under Cersei's orders.
Ellaria Sand (portrayed by Indira Varma) is the sexually promiscuous paramour of Oberyn Martell, and a bastard from Dorne. She is also the mother to several daughters, known collectively as the Sand Snakes. She is present at Tyrion's trial by combat, where Oberyn fights Gregor Clegane in Tyrion's name, and is horrified when Oberyn is killed. Upon Oberyn's death, she returns to Dorne. There, she implores Prince Doran to declare war on the Lannisters as revenge for Oberyn's death at the hands of the Lannisters. Soon after, when Jaime Lannister arrives in Dorne on a secret mission to free Princess Myrcella from Sunspear, Ellaria and the Sand Snakes duel with Jaime and Bronn, resulting in the imprisonment of Bronn and the Sand Snakes. A truce is agreed, and Ellaria abandons her plan to take revenge on the Lannisters when Prince Doran allows Jaime, Myrcella, and Bronn to return to King's Landing. However, it is revealed that Ellaria poisoned Myrcella upon her departure, sent two of the Sand Snakes to kill Prince Trystane (Myrcella's betrothed), and had been secretly plotting to assassinate Prince Doran - three secret missions she successfully organises. She later allies with Daenerys Targaryen and the Tyrells against the Lannisters, but is captured and imprisoned by Euron Greyjoy and Cersei Lannister while two of her daughters are killed. Her death is never shown on-screen, but it is presumed that she starves in the dungeons of King's Landing along with her last remaining daughter, Tyene.
Tommen Baratheon (portrayed by Callum Wharry in seasons 1 and 2, and by Dean-Charles Chapman from season 4 onwards) is the prince presented as the youngest son of King Robert Baratheon and Queen Cersei Lannister. Like his older siblings Joffrey and Myrcella his actual father is his uncle Ser Jaime Lannister. Like his sister he is good-natured and passive in contrast to his brother Joffrey and is fond of his uncle Tyrion. When King Joffrey is poisoned at his own wedding, Tommen assumes the throne and marries Margaery Tyrell. His mother Cersei battles Margaery for influence over Tommen, and their subsequent war of words eventually results in Margaery and Cersei's arrest by the High Sparrow. After Cersei's temporary release ahead of her trial in front of the Faith Militant, she destroys the Sept of Baelor with wildfire, killing several people inside, including Margaery. Witnessing the event, Tommen, deeply in love with Margaery and heartbroken by her death, leaps from a high window in the Red Keep to his death.
"Jaqen H'ghar" (portrayed by Tom Wlaschiha) is a sly and enigmatic criminal and part of Yoren's group of recruits taken from King's Landing to join the Night's Watch. A foreigner from Braavos, though he originally claims Lorath, he speaks in third person, referring to himself as "a man". When Arya Stark is taken as one of the Lannisters' prisoners at Harrenhal, Jaqen teaches her the ways of the Faceless Men and helps her to escape. He leaves Arya with an iron coin and tells her that, should she ever meet a man from Braavos, she should present the coin to him and repeat the words "Valar Morghulis". A year later, Arya reunites with Jaqen in Braavos. He inducts her into the order of Faceless Men and once again takes her under his wing, with the Faceless Men being revealed as assassins who use the faces of the dead to change their appearance. Jaqen gives Arya various tasks to complete, and either punishes her for her disobedience or rewards her for her skills. Jaqen later informs Arya that she has become "no one" and is ready to join the Faceless Men, but his offer is rejected as Arya travels back to Westeros.
Roose Bolton (portrayed by Michael McElhatton) is a Bannerman of the North and Lord of the Dreadfort. The Bolton family have a nasty history of keeping to very old, and barbaric ways, including flaying their enemies alive, and Roose is no exception, being suspected of not feeling any emotion. His cunning makes him a valuable ally, but his unpredictable nature makes him a dangerous one. Roose serves as a chief member of Robb Stark's war council. At the Red Wedding, Roose betrays Robb, and stabs him in the heart. He is later made the Warden of the North by King Tommen Baratheon. Following the birth of his newborn son, he is killed by his bastard son Ramsay Bolton.
The High Sparrow (portrayed by Jonathan Pryce) is a devout and pious man who came to King's Landing after Tywin Lannister's death to serve the poor, downtrodden and infirm. He quickly amasses a large following, including Cersei's cousin and former lover Lancel, who swarm over the city, ministering to the needy and denouncing corruption. He is first noticed by Cersei Lannister when his followers assault and humiliate the High Septon at a brothel.
Grey Worm (portrayed by Jacob Anderson) is a captain of the Unsullied, a group of eunuch slave soldiers. His name is pronounced Torgo Nudho in Valyrian and was chosen by his Astapor slave masters, who choose new names for the Unsullied which are designed to humiliate them and make them think they are not human. Despite this, Grey Worm chose to keep his current name because it was his name on the day Daenerys freed the Unsullied, so he considers it to be a lucky name. He is loyal to Daenerys and does not like those who insult her. He develops feelings for Missandei, which appear to be reciprocated, and has a friendly rivalry with Daario Naharis. He is gravely injured in Meereen in an attack by the Sons of the Harpy, but ultimately survives. After Daenerys's disappearance, Grey Worm partially recovers from his injuries and remains in Meereen to help Tyrion Lannister govern the city and maintain peace with the slave masters. When the slave masters go back on the deal and attack Meereen with ships, only to be countered by Daenerys's dragons, Grey Worm kills Razdal mo Eraz and Belicho Paenymion, and later accompanies Daenerys and her retinue on their voyage to Westeros. From her stronghold on Dragonstone, Daenerys sends Grey Worm and his army to take Casterly Rock. The night before Grey Worm admits to Missandei that now he has her to love, he has begun to know what fear is. They make love. Grey Worm expects Casterly Rock to be hard to win and is surprised to find it barely defended: the capture is effected with ease. He then takes his army east and is outside King's Landing when Daenerys and Cersei meet in the Dragonpit.
Direwolves are a canine species closely related to wolves but are much larger and stronger. In the book series, fully grown direwolves are described as being as large as horses and are highly intelligent.
Thought to have gone extinct south of the Wall, six orphaned direwolf pups are found by Robb Stark and Jon Snow at the start of A Game of Thrones, the first book of the novel series, and are distributed among the six Stark children as pet companions. Four of them are still alive at the end of the fifth book A Dance with Dragons. In the HBO television adaptation, only two are alive at the end of the series.