[Tyrion Lannister — Characters]
Since they don't care about recruits' pasts and even a bastard can rise to positions of high honor in it, the Watch provides an easy escape from his life in Winterfell. He later meets Tyrion Lannister . As a dwarf , Tyrion knows what it is like to be an outcast, so he gives the young man some advice: never try to hide what he is, for the world will not forget. Instead, he should wear the name "bastard" openly, like armor, and then it can never be used to hurt him. When Jon angrily asks Tyrion what he knows about it, Tyrion replies that "all dwarfs are bastards in their father's eyes."
To everyone's surprise, Daenerys and Hizdahr appear in one of the fighting pits to watch the opening of the games, though Daenerys is visibly uncomfortable at the violent butchery before her, and gets up to leave, she is convinced to stay by Hizdahr. While arguing with him, another fighter emerges into the pit and proceeded to overpower the other participants, knocking them down one by one using non-lethal means that caused Daenerys to become intrigued by this newcomer. When the fighting is over, the surviving fighter reveals himself as Jorah, but Daenerys, who still hasn't forgiven him, orders him taken away. However, Jorah shouts out that he has brought Daenerys a gift. Jorah's companion enters the arena and introduces himself to Daenerys as Tyrion Lannister .
Attended by Tyrion Lannister, Missandei, Hizdahr zo Loraq, and Daario Naharis. Daenerys sits in the royal box at the Daznak's Pit and watches to crowd; they are silent. Hizdahr tells her to clap her hands, which she does, beginning the Great Games . She then notices Jorah in the array of fighters, who gives the traditional dedication to her and manages to be the last fighter standing. At this moment, Jorah suddenly hurls a spear at the royal box – embedding itself in a Son of the Harpy sneaking behind Daario. Suddenly, Sons of the Harpy reveal themselves on every level of the arena and begin slaughtering collaborating Masters and freedmen alike – Hizdahr included. Jorah and Daario evacuate Daenerys from the royal box, while Tyrion rescues Missandei. Finding the exits blocked, the group makes a stand in the center of the Pit with the remainder of the Unsullied defenders. Seeing they are hopelessly outnumbered, Daenerys takes Missandei's hand and closes her eyes, ready to face her death.
Lord Tyrion Lannister is the youngest child of Lord Tywin Lannister and younger brother of Cersei and Jaime Lannister . A dwarf , he uses his wit and intellect to overcome the prejudice he faces. He is the current Lord of Casterly Rock and Hand of the King to Brandon Stark .
Tywin attempts to silence Tyrion but his son turns on Cersei, declaring that he was innocent of killing Joffrey but wished he had, adding with gleeful venom that he derived more relief from watching her "vicious bastard" of a son die than he could have gotten from a thousand lying whores. He then turns on Tywin and calls the trial a farce and that it is really a repetition of the trial he had been on since he was born: for the crime of being a dwarf. Not wanting to submit to the "justice" that was being served on him, Tyrion demands a trial by combat . The court exploded in shock and multitudes of gasps, and amid it all Tywin and Tyrion Lannister lock eyes, with a tense glare of rage on Tywin's face, and a subtle grin of triumph on Tyrion's.
On the outskirts of Meereen, after Jorah is sold to Yezzan zo Qaggaz , Tyrion attempts to convince Yezzan to buy him as well, and viciously beats his captor with his own chain to prove his worth. Yezzan relents and buys Tyrion, but mostly for his comedic value. They are taken to Daznak's pit, a small fighting pit, which will celebrate the opening of the games. When they hear that Daenerys is present, Jorah immediately enters the fight in the arena, while Tyrion struggles to cut his chain until a guard comes and does it for him. Tyrion enters the arena just as Jorah is being taken away (since Daenerys still hasn't forgiven him), and reveals himself as Jorah's "gift." He introduces himself as Tyrion Lannister, and meets Daenerys face-to-face at last.
Queen Cersei I Lannister was the twentieth ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and the widow of King Robert Baratheon . She was the daughter of Lord Tywin Lannister , twin sister of Jaime Lannister and elder sister of Tyrion Lannister . She was involved in an incestuous relationship with Jaime, who was secretly the father of her three bastard children, Joffrey , Myrcella and Tommen .
Cersei was the only daughter and eldest child of Lord Tywin and Lady Joanna Lannister . Cersei was the elder twin of Jaime Lannister and the elder sister of Tyrion Lannister . She was raised in the family seat of Casterly Rock . She was known for her great beauty as a young girl.
Cersei and Tyrion Lannister observe Loras and Sansa from Cersei's chambers overlooking the garden. Tyrion sarcastically asks which of the four of them has it the worst. He then finally accuses his sister of trying to have him killed during the Battle of the Blackwater. Cersei, tired of fighting him, remains quiet while he deduces that only two people can command the Kingsguard. Tyrion realizes that while Cersei certainly has the authority to command a Kingsguard, she isn't stupid enough to command Ser Mandon Moore to kill him in public. Tyrion realizes that it was in fact Joffrey who ordered Ser Mandon Moore to kill him, because Tyrion was the only one who stood up to him. Cersei tells him his life is not in danger from Joffrey, as he dare not try anything like that now that Tywin is the Hand. They discuss about Jaime's possible return to King's Landing, with Cersei wondering where he could possibly be. She asks Tyrion which one of them should be the one to break the news to Sansa. Tyrion decides he might as well dash Sansa's hopes sooner rather than later.
Due to a time jump which was originally planned in the books but later dropped, Sansa is only 11 years old when the narrative begins. Author George R.R. Martin himself has said that he would have aged-up the younger characters had he initially known he would abandon the time-jump. Therefore, in the TV series' timeline , all of the younger characters including Sansa have been aged up two years from the books. Thus, Sansa is 13 years old in Season 1, and 14 years old in Season 2. Keeping in mind that in medieval times, the age of maturity was lower than it is today, this younger age in the books isn't quite as unusual as it sounds, but due to the abandoned time jump, this still causes some discrepancies. For example, in the books, Joffrey's torment of Sansa doesn't have quite the same inherent sexual tension to it because they're both two years younger. Sansa directly states that she is 13 years old in dialogue from the pilot episode of Season 1. On her wedding night with Tyrion Lannister, however, she says that she is 14 years old when she should be 15 years old because it's been two years since the pilot episode. It is possible that she either simply had not reached her nameday and turned exactly 15 yet, or that she was lying to try to shame Tyrion before he took her virginity (though as it turned out, Tyrion still refused to consummate the marriage, morally repulsed at being forced to marry such a young girl).
Littlefinger tells Eddard that Catelyn has followed him to the city. Eddard is furious when Littlefinger brings him to a brothel, believing he is the victim of a bad joke. Catelyn intervenes as Eddard attacks Littlefinger. She tells Eddard that she has traveled south to report an assassination attempt against Bran. The assassin was killed but was carrying a Valyrian steel knife. Littlefinger identifies the blade as one that he lost in a bet with Tyrion Lannister , and they conclude that the Lannisters were also behind Bran's original injuries. Eddard agrees to try to expose the truth, and Catelyn urges him to trust Littlefinger, her childhood friend. Eddard reluctantly agrees, though he finds Littlefinger obnoxious and dishonorable.
Yoren of the Night's Watch arrives in the city and tells Eddard that he witnessed Catelyn arresting Tyrion Lannister. This allows Eddard to claim that he ordered the arrest. Varys visits Eddard and warns him that there is a conspiracy, saying that Jon was poisoned and that King Robert may also be killed if Eddard cannot stop it.
When Tyrion Lannister is given the opportunity to take the black if he admits to assassinating Joffrey in his trial and then pleads for mercy, he rightly points out that Ned Stark was promised the same and was executed nonetheless.
Robb receives Tyrion Lannister and Yoren , both traveling down from the Wall to King's Landing together. Robb very pointedly offers hospitality to any man of the Watch, silently letting Tyrion know he is not invited to stay at Winterfell. When Bran arrives, Tyrion asks if he likes to ride and sympathizes with him for being a cripple, which annoys Bran, but Tyrion simply says that like being a dwarf, it is the truth, no less so for being a hard truth. He gives Bran the design of a saddle which will allow Bran to ride even in his current state; Tyrion explains to Robb that "you must shape the horse to the rider," by starting with a yearling and training it to respond to the reins and Bran's voice (as he can't use his heels). When Robb asks why Tyrion had done this favor for Bran, he explains that he has a certain sympathy for "cripples, bastards, and broken things." Due to this kindness, Robb says he can stay, but Tyrion says he would prefer the brothel in town, guaranteeing Robb's easiness.
Roose Bolton viewed Robb as both arrogant and foolish, and Walder Frey considered Robb's title as the Young Wolf to be a show of pomposity. Despite this, Robb was overall viewed favorably as a good man. He was mourned profusely by Sansa, Jon and Theon once they heard the news. Even Tyrion Lannister commented to Sansa that Robb seemed like a good man to him. Others high lords and ladies such as Stannis, Olenna Tyrell, and Randyll Tarly viewed the way Robb was murdered to have been absolutely detestable.
After the Battle of King's Landing and the assassination of Daenerys , Sam takes part in the trial of Jon and Tyrion Lannister at a Great Council in the Dragonpit . Tyrion states that they need a new king to pass judgment and asks the lords and ladies present there to choose one. Sam suggests that everyone in the Seven Kingdoms be allowed to choose a new king, but was mocked for this idea by all the lords and ladies, who found it ridiculous. After Tyrion suggested that Bran Stark be chosen as the new king, Sam was the first one to assent to the proposal.
After the royal party's departure, an assassin attempts to kill Bran, who had fallen during one of his climbs and remained comatose. Theon learns that Catelyn has found evidence implicating the Lannisters in Bran's 'accident' and the failed assassination. Theon and Robb suggest taking revenge through military action, but Maester Luwin counsels patience. Catelyn and Ser Rodrik Cassel depart for King's Landing , leaving Robb in command of the castle. Theon is present when Robb frostily receives Tyrion Lannister on his way back from the Wall . Afterwards, as Tyrion is leaving to stay in a brothel, Theon condescendingly tells him to ask for Ros . Tyrion ridicules Theon for his family's failed uprising , calling it "a stupid rebellion", and ponders how Balon Greyjoy would feel about his last living son being the Starks' "lackey." While boasting about his family's exploits and heritage, he is put down by Maester Luwin. He reacts angrily to a further insult from his favorite prostitute, Ros, after sneaking her into the castle to engage her services.
Following the second siege of Meereen , Theon and Yara meet with Daenerys and Tyrion Lannister , who recognizes Theon from his visit to Winterfell years ago. Tyrion reminds Theon of how he teased the dwarf about his height and sees this as unbecoming of a noble, which Theon acknowledges was long ago. When Tyrion informs Daenerys about Theon's alleged role in the deaths of Bran and Rickon Stark , Theon insists that he did not, but he did commit other crimes, which he has paid for. Theon explains to Daenerys that Euron murdered their father, usurped the Salt Throne and would have killed them too had they not fled. He offers to provide Daenerys with a hundred ships in return for helping them eliminate Euron and recognizing the independence of the Iron Islands, on the basis that if Daenerys refuses them and accepts Euron's offer, Euron will kill her and rule the Seven Kingdoms himself, though Theon makes it clear that it is to support Yara's claim and not his, deeming himself unfit to rule, to Daenerys's surprise.
Beneath his confident exterior, however, Theon is insecure, weak, and unsure of himself. This stems particularly from his conflicted family allegiances. After his father's failed rebellion against Robert Baratheon, he was taken from Pyke when he was nine years old to be raised at Winterfell by the Stark family as their ward/hostage. Even though he grew up alongside the Stark children - Robb Stark and Theon considered each other best friends - Theon never forgot that he was an outsider since he was not of their blood, and would be executed if his father tried to rebel again. This outsider status weighed heavily on Theon, demonstrated when Ros and Tyrion Lannister mention it.
He is perturbed when his uncle Tyrion Lannister is made acting Hand of the King . Rumors about his parentage begin to circulate and he confronts his mother, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister with them. He asks her about King Robert Baratheon 's bastard children and she slaps him. He threatens her life and casually dismisses her before seating himself on the Iron Throne. He then arranges for a city wide massacre of the bastards, causing civil unrest in the capital. Tyrion responds by exiling Janos Slynt and installing Bronn as the replacement Lord Commander of the City Watch.
Joffrey procures a new sword for the Battle of the Blackwater , naming it " Hearteater ." He forces Sansa to meet him in the Throne Room before going to the city walls, making her kiss the blade and claiming that when he returns it will have Stannis' blood on it. Sansa carefully undermines his claim by questioning if he will fight in the vanguard. Joffrey is frustrated by not being made aware of Tyrion Lannister 's plans to defend the city and angrily threatens his uncle.
At the wedding of Tyrion Lannister and Sansa Stark , Joffrey escorts Sansa to the altar in place of her late father. He then removes Tyrion's stool, so he cannot reach Sansa's shoulders to cloak her. Joffrey laughs when Tyrion is unable to cloak her. When Sansa excuses herself from the feast, Joffrey follows her, and suggests he might pay a visit to her chambers that night after Tyrion passes out. Joffrey then calls for the bedding ceremony, and Tyrion insists there will be no bedding ceremony. Tyrion threatens the king with castration , which infuriates Joffrey. Tywin says they can do without the bedding ceremony, and Tyrion says he was only joking, feigning being drunk so as not to anger Joffrey to the point where he might order harm upon him.
Stannis is at the front of the vanguard for the whole battle, being the first to land, the first to make it to the wall, and the first to climb the ladders onto the battlements. He kills many soldiers, fighting several at a time, without a helmet or shield. He has a force breaking through the River Gate with a battering ram while he establishes a foothold on the city walls. A surprise attack led by Tyrion Lannister through tunnels under the city destroys the ram, though Tyrion is trapped outside the walls by the arrival of more of Stannis's men.
Littlefinger greets Eddard upon his arrival in King's Landing . They quickly catch up, and Baelish recalls his duel with Brandon Stark , stating that Brandon had left a scar from Petyr's navel to collarbone. At the first Small Council meeting with Ned as the Hand, Littlefinger reports that the realm is six million gold dragons in debt, half of it owed to House Lannister . Catelyn Stark and Ser Rodrik Cassel attempt to sneak into the city, but are spotted by one of Littlefinger's men. They are taken to meet Littlefinger at one of his brothels. Catelyn is angered by their treatment, but asks Littlefinger for aid. She is trying to identify the people who tried to have her son Bran Stark killed. Littlefinger is able to answer this quickly: the elaborate dagger wielded by the assassin used to be his, but he lost it in a bet with Tyrion Lannister .
The Citadel announces the coming of winter and Littlefinger warns the Small Council that they do not have enough food for a protracted winter lasting more than five years. Cersei orders the city barred to refugees from the War of the Five Kings . Tyrion Lannister arrives to take up his position as acting Hand of the King to Cersei's consternation.
Later, Petyr speaks with Ramsay and subtly warns him not to inflict any harm on Sansa. He also speaks with Roose regarding the validity of Sansa's marriage to Tyrion Lannister. Petyr insists that since Tyrion never slept with Sansa, their marriage is invalid. Roose declares that he is only interested in Sansa's name, not her virtue (after Baelish suggests he have Sansa inspected) and voices his doubts as to whose side Petyr is truly on, having essentially betrayed the Lannisters by taking Sansa away from them and returning her to the North to marry into a family that the Lannisters are no longer backing, though Petyr counters by citing Roose's betrayal of the Starks and Tullys. Roose then presents a letter for Petyr from Cersei which arrived from the Eyrie, and demands to read Petyr's reply before it is sent off.
Varys , popularly known as the Spider , was the eunuch Master of Whisperers on the Baratheon Small Council until he was forced to flee King's Landing with Tyrion Lannister . He was a skilled manipulator and commanded a network of informants across two continents .
Catelyn and Ser Rodrik arrive at King's Landing and attempt to sneak into the city, but are spotted by an agent of Littlefinger. They are taken to meet Littlefinger at a brothel he owns, where Lord Varys , the king's spymaster , is also waiting: one of his 'little birds' told him they were coming. Catelyn is angered by the way she's been treated, but asks Littlefinger for aid in finding the people who tried to have Bran killed. Littlefinger says that the elaborate dagger wielded by the assassin used to be his, but that he lost it in a gamble with Tyrion Lannister .
Returning to Winterfell, Catelyn and Ser Rodrik stop at the Crossroads Inn , planning to stay overnight. They are surprised by the arrival of Tyrion Lannister . Catelyn fails to stay incognito, then she calls on several knights present who are sworn to her father's bannermen to help her take Tyrion into custody.
Catelyn was capable of being a very intelligent woman, as evidenced by many of her actions during the prelude of the War of the Five Kings, and later during the war itself. She was capable of deducing that the Lannisters were behind the attempted murder of Bran. Unfortunately, she jumped to the conclusion that it was Tyrion Lannister who hired the catspaw, based on Petyr Baelish's lie that the dagger belonged to Tyrion.
Prince Oberyn was the younger brother of Prince Doran Martell and Princess Elia Martell, and like most members of House Martell, he was styled "Prince" instead of "Lord." He was nicknamed "the Red Viper" for his knowledge of poisons and for his unusual, deadly style of combat. Oberyn was known for being an accomplished warrior, but he was just as infamous for his sexual appetite, which extends to both men and women; Tyrion Lannister tells Bronn that Oberyn is "famous for fucking half of Westeros." Oberyn's paramour was Ellaria Sand ; she is his wife in all but name, and Doran once noted that Ellaria made Oberyn very happy. She was also the mother of four of Oberyn's infamous eight bastard daughters , all of whom he has acknowledged and given his love and care. He named the fifth one, Elia Sand , after his late sister .
Tyrion Lannister meets the lords of Dorne outside King's Landing, only to find out that Oberyn will be representing House Martell at the king's wedding, and not his brother, the ruling Prince Doran. The Dornish lords tell Tyrion that Oberyn in fact arrived in the city before dawn. It doesn't take Tyrion long to realize that Oberyn is in one of Littlefinger's brothels. Oberyn assists his paramour Ellaria in choosing a whore for her own enjoyment before selecting Olyvar to satisfy himself.
However, Oberyn--stalking aggressively around his unmoving opponent--is caught unexpectedly when Clegane trips him and pulls him to the ground, grasping him around the neck and slamming his fist squarely into his face, knocking most of his teeth out in the process. Clegane proceeds to gouge out Oberyn's eyeballs with his thumbs, and while Oberyn screams in agony, Clegane sadistically confesses to raping Elia, killing her children, and then killing Elia herself. He brutally crushes Oberyn's skull, killing him instantly, as Ellaria screams in horror. Thus, through the rules of trial by combat, the fate of Tyrion Lannister is sealed.
Although Oberyn is known to have studied to become a maester in his youth - successfully forging several links of his chain - he is noted to have studied the poisoner's art while traveling the Free Cities , not at the Citadel , as the show specifies. When Oberyn visits Tyrion Lannister in his cell following Joffrey's murder , he jokes that he owes Cersei his gratitude for accusing her brother of the deed. Had she not, Oberyn himself may soon have come under suspicion, because " who knows more of poison than the Red Viper of Dorne, after all? ." Oberyn's words imply that there have been two parallel, independent plots to murder Joffrey by poisoning. It is unknown how Oberyn sought to kill Joffrey (perhaps the scorpion-shaped brooch, which he gave Joffrey at the breakfast prior to the wedding, was coated with poison); whatever his plan was, the Tyrells have beaten him to it.
Along with her brother and father (who is one of the three judges), Margaery is present at the trial of Tyrion Lannister . Although she wasn't close to Tyrion, she looks visibly displeased at the proceedings, well aware that Tyrion is innocent and the trial is a farce. Nonetheless, Margaery remains silent throughout the trial. Guiltily, knowing that her grandmother is the real conspirator, Margaery watches as the trial goes awry and Tyrion demands a trial by combat .
However, when a particular attack ends with the murder of Ser Barristan Selmy and the near-death of Grey Worm , Daenerys consents and decides to marry Hizdahr and re-open the fighting pits for free men, concluding that it may be better to forge an alliance with the Great Masters rather than continue to deny their way of life. During the opening ceremony of the fighting games, Daenerys is accosted by Jorah Mormont, who has brought Tyrion Lannister to her.
Because Tommen is still underage, however, Tywin , as the Hand of the King and Protector of the Realm, later sits on the Iron Throne while overseeing the court trial of Tyrion Lannister for the (false) charge of poisoning Joffrey.