RazorStar ranks his top 50 A Song of Ice and Fire Chracters

[RazorStar 4,025]

So first of all, I created a massive list of characters important to the series. Then I reduced that list into a good 50 characters who have or had large roles in the series so far. Now, before I start this list officially, here is the massive list I compiled beforehand. If there is an important charcter I'm missing, just let me know. There is always the chance I forgot someone who had some significance... there are a lot of characters to keep track of after all.

 

Starks:

Eddard Stark

Catelyn Stark

Robb Stark

Sansa Stark

Bran Stark

Arya Stark

Rickon Stark

Maester Luwin

Osha

Hodor

Rodrik Cassel

 

The North

Roose Bolton

Ramsay Bolton

Greatjon Umber

Wyman Manderly

Jojen Reed

Meera Reed

Arnolf Karstark

 

The Night's Watch

Jon Snow

Jeor Mormont

Samwell Tarly

Qhorin Halfhand

Dolorous Edd Tollett

Alliser Thorne

Janos Slynt

Maester Aemon

 

Beyond the Wall

Mance Rayder

Ygritte

Craster

Rattleshirt

Coldhands

 

Riverlands:

Hoster Tully

Brynden Tully

Edmure Tully

Walder Frey

 

Lannisters:

Tywin Lannister

Cersei Lannister

Jaime Lannister

Tyrion Lannister

Kevan Lannister

Shae

Gregor Clegane 'The Mountain that Rides'

Jeyne Westerling

 

King's Landing

Robert Baratheon

Renly Baratheon

Joffrey Baratheon

Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish

Varys

Bronn

Sandor Clegane

Myrcella and Tommen Baratheon

Gendry

Grand Maester Pycelle

Barristan Selmy

The Kettleblacks

Ilyn Payne

Aerys Oakheart

 

Dragonstone

Stannis Baratheon

Melisandre

Davos Seaworth

 

The Vale

Jon Arryn

Lysa Arryn

Robin Arryn

 

Tyrells:

Mace Tyrell

Ollena Redwyne

Margaery Tyrell

Loras Tyrell

Brienne of Tarth

Randyll Tarly

 

Dorne:

Doran Martell

Oberyn Martell

Quentyn Martell

Arianne Martell

Areo Hotah

 

Iron Islands:

Balon Greyjoy

Theon Greyjoy

Asha/Yara Greyjoy

Aeron Damphair

Victarion Greyjoy

Euron 'The Crow's Eye' Greyjoy

Thoros of Myr

 

Targaryens

Daenerys Targaryen

Viserys Targaryen

Aerys Targaryen 'The Mad King'

Rhaegar Targaryen

Jorah Mormont

 

Essos

Illryio Mopatis

Khal Drogo

Xaro Xhoan Daxos

Hizdahr zo Loraq

Jaqen H'ghar

Syrio Forel

 

Mercenaries

Jon Connington

Beric Dondarrion

Young Griff

Vargo Hoat

Qyburn

[RazorStar 4,025]

Let's start off with number 50.

 

50. Margaery Tyrell

 

“I shall have the finest knight in the seven kingdoms protecting me night and day, as Prince Aemon protected Naerys. So our little lion best behave, shouldn't he?” - Margaery Tyrell

 

Fans of the TV Show alone are given a different picture of Margaery than what is expressed in the books, where she is a lot more subtle about her manipulations. She is well loved by the people, and doesn't have an incestuous relationship with her brother to worry about. She isn't all out evil, she attempted to offer Sansa Stark a way out of King's Landing and into Highgarden. Certainly a plot by the Tyrells to control the North, but still safer for Sansa than being anywhere near Joffrey. It is likely that she was in on the plot to poison Joffrey and therefore be able to control the new king Tommen.

 

The thing about her is that we haven't seen her in a real position of power yet, with Queen Regent Cersei and her Small Council controlling much of the action in King's Landing. She could play a major role in the upcoming books, as talk of the prophecy mentioned by Cersei multiple times comes closer and closer to fruition. There is still a lot of potential with her character and it'll be interesting to see where Martin goes with her.

Edited June 8, 2012 by RazorStar

[RazorStar 4,025]

49. Maester Aemon (Aemon Targaryen)

 

He was a good man... No. He was a great man. A maester of the Citadel, chained and sworn, and Sworn Brother of the Night's Watch, ever faithful. When he was born they named him for a hero who had died too young, but though he lived a long long time, his own life was no less heroic. No man was wiser, or gentler, or kinder. At the Wall, a dozen lords commander came and went during his years of service, but he was always there to counsel them. He counseled kings as well. He could have been a king himself, but when they offered him the crown he told them they should give it to his younger brother. How many men would do that? He was the blood of the dragon, but now his fire has gone out. He was Aemon Targaryen. And now his watch is ended. - Samwell Tarly

 

Ah Maester Aemon. The oldest man in Westeros, perhaps the wisest and the smartest as well. Due to so many Targaryen's as potential heirs, he was sent to Oldtown to become a Maester. When his training was completed, he chose not to serve in the Red Keep but instead he served his eldest brother. After his brother passed and his father, he was called to take the Iron Throne, but instead ceded it to his younger brother Aegon the unlikely. He then chose to serve the Night's Watch in order to avoid any political struggle that may have occurred.

 

What makes him interesting is that he could have easily been king, a good one at that, but instead chose to keep to his oaths and stay a Maester. He could have anything, but he stuck to his oath, one that he was forced into. He is an excellent mentor character for Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly, and his character was done exceptionally well.

[RazorStar 4,025]

48. Viserys Targaryen

 

“I am the dragon!” - Viserys

 

Oh my... what a character. Truly a descendant of the mad king, this beggar prince just wanted to be king so badly. The reason he's on this list is because his madness is just amusing, he actually thinks he has a shot for the throne, but he can't even gain loyalty from the Dothraki he married his sister to, and completely destroyed his relationship with all because he was jealous and spiteful. It's amusing how a character can be filled with so many awful traits. In true ASOIAF fashion, Viserys dies because he's too stupid to play the Game of Thrones. If this was a typical fantasy novel, Viserys would be being set up as the antagonist for the series, but here he just gets a golden crown. I think this is the first sign that Martin was planning on subverting the usual fantasy tropes and giving us something more politically complex and exciting. He hasn't failed in that department.

[RazorStar 4,025]

47. Qyburn

 

Qyburn: There will be pain.

Jaime: I’ll scream.

Qyburn: A great deal of pain.

Jaime: I’ll scream very loudly.

 

The first character on this list people who watch the TV show only would be unfamiliar with. Qyburn is known as the bloody maester. If you think of the maesters in the show that we've seen, they all seem to be grandfatherly old men, with not much of a dark side to them. Qyburn however is a person so devoted to the processes of healing, that he allows himself to practice necromancy and black magic. He was able to heal Jamie Lannister's stump of a hand, and did... something to Gregor Clegane to make him into Robert Strong. There are a lot of ways that the undead seem to come back in this story, whether by gods or science.

 

He's also a cruel torturer, and he used to be a Bloody Mummer before Vargo Hoat died. He's setting himself up for a lot of power in King's Landing, once being the Master of Whispers in place of Varys' disappearance. I'd like to see more of his character, we only really see him through the eyes of Lannisters.

Edited June 9, 2012 by RazorStar

[RazorStar 4,025]

46. Ramsay Bolton / Ramsay Snow

 

“Let me send word to my bastard at the Dreadfort” - Roose Bolton

 

For those of you who know he is, good. You understand why he could possibly be on this list, because he is the biggest monster in this series. For those who don't... this quote would suffice.

 

“He is a great hunter,” said Wyman Manderly, “and women are his favorite prey. He strips them naked and sets them loose in the woods. They have a half day’s start before he sets out after them with hounds and horns. From time to time some wench escapes and lives to tell the tale. Most are less fortunate. When Ramsay catches them he rapes them, flays them, feeds their corpses to his dogs, and brings their skins back to the Dreadfort as trophies. If they have given him good sport, he slits their throats before he skins them. Elsewise, t’other way around.”

 

So yeah, I'm only putting him on here because he's a complete monstrosity of a man. And this is before I get into what he does in Winterfell. I'll cover that in more detail once I get to Theon's writeup (yeah, he's on this list) but let's just say I lose any positive feeling I could have potentially had and only disgust, horror and anger remains. The Bastard of the Dreadfort has a story, his father is quite messed up as well, and used the practice of the 'first night' to bed a commoner's wife. He hanged the man and raped his wife under his corpse. She produced Ramsay. Roose would have killed him when she presented Ramsay to him as a babe, but stopped when he saw his child's eyes were the same as his own. Big mistake.

 

An absolute monster, but not in a cartoonish way, his behaviour can be grounded in the circumstances he was brought up in, and the genetics he was born with. Ramsay is one fucked up psychopath.

[RazorStar 4,025]

45. Joffrey Baratheon

 

My mother wishes me to let Lord Eddard join the Night's Watch. Stripped of all titles and powers he would serve the realm in permanent exile. And my lady Sansa has begged mercy for her father. But they have the soft hearts of women! So long as I am your King, treason shall never go unpunished. Ser Ilyn, bring me his head! - Joffrey Baratheon

 

This is what happens when two bad parents and incest happens. You get a Caligula on the throne. Joffrey has no kingly quality in him, thinking that because it is his birthright he can be as cruel and malicious as he pleases, and will always take the cruelest option over the one that makes more sense. I will be the first to say he deserved the death he received. He plunged the country into civil war by killing Ned Stark and allowed rise to the pretenders Renly, Robb, Stannis and even Balon Greyjoy. Without Tyrion to keep him somewhat in check during book 2, his reign could have easily been a lot worse for Kings Landing, and I say that as he shoots Peasants from the battlements because they're begging for food.

 

I could go on and on about his bad qualities... because he completely lacks good ones. He was the one who sent the assassin to kill Bran Stark, and he sent the order to kill Robert's bastards. There isn't an once of redemption in him, and that's why he's here on this list. To create a character so utterly loathsome does a lot for the narrative, and all he ever wanted was approval from his daddy. Not Jamie, but Robert. Whoops.

[RazorStar 4,025]

44. Young Griff (Aegon Targaryen)

 

“He is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire.” - Rhaegar Targaryen

 

Another pretender rises from the East in the 5th book. With the Golden Company in his employ, Aegon, and Jon Connington take back Griffin's Roost and establish a foothold in Westeros while Dany hangs back in that pisshole Meereen. His claim is stronger than anyone in Westeros if he is truly the son of Rhaegar and Elia. Thought dead by the realm, he was smuggled out of Westeros by Varys and taught to be a king by exiles handpicked by Varys himself.

 

Aegon is a character I do want to see more of, he's one of the few Targaryen's with the potential to have interesting character development, and he can continue to cause fractures in Westeros by bringing the Targaryen supporters out of hiding. Over half of the small council in King's Landing is held by Tyrells, the house that stuck with the Targaryens during Robert's Rebellion. I will admit what makes him interesting is more what he is, than who he is. At least for now anyway, he does have a POV character close to him, and should have a large role in the Winds of Winter. There are theories that he's not a Targ at all, if the prophecies in the House of the Undying are to be taken at face value.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Nice writeups so far, but you have one thing that we don't yet know is true, unless you know something from Winds of Winter. While it is very strongly hinted that Robert Strong was Ser Gregor Clegane, it is not confirmed as of yet.

Edited June 10, 2012 by Thanatos19

[RazorStar 4,025]

I don't know anything from winds of winter yet, I haven't even touched the teaser chapter Martin put up yet. I'm just assuming Strong is Clegane, it makes too much sense for it to be something otherwise.

[NaTaS+ 958]

I just want to say that you have a lot of time on your hands. Do you ever go outside?

Good write ups. I'd rank Joffrey higher just because his character is so evil and nasty and so well written (and acted).

[GA_Eagle 595]

Agree with Natas about Joffrey. I think he has outshone by a lot The bastard of Bolton so far in the series as most easily disliked character. Also I disliked that Martin just up and added another targaryan so far along in the series. No hints just bam. Targaryan.

[RazorStar 4,025]

Jack Gleeson does an excellent job at making Joffrey a detestable piece of shit, I agree.

 

Speaking of detestable pieces of shit, at this spot is certainly the biggest in the series.

 

43. Ser Gregor Clegane aka The Mountain that Rides aka Welp, we're fucked

"Elia of Dorne," they all heard Ser Gregor say, when they were close enough to kiss. His deep voice boomed within the helm. "I killed her screaming whelp." He thrust his free hand into Oberyn's unprotected face, pushing steel fingers into his eyes. "Then I raped her." Clegane slammed his fist into the Dornishman's mouth, making splinters of his teeth. "Then I smashed her ******* head in like this." As he drew back his huge fist, the blood on his gauntlet seemed to smoke in the cold dawn air. There was a sickening crunch. - A Storm of Swords

 

So Gregor Clegane... the nearly 8 foot tall monster of a man who is strong enough to cleave a man in half with one swing of his sword. He's a cold and brutal man who seems to know only how to kill and destroy. His first act of brutality was burning his brother's face because he had played with a toy that Gregor discarded. Rumors say he killed his father, sister, and two wives. It's fact that he has raped and killed countless people, but his most well known act occurred during the sack of King's Landing, where he smashed in the head of a baby thought to be Aegon, and then raped and killed Princess Elia of Dorne. There is no humanity in this man, only pure destruction.

 

And all of this occurs before the books, where he adds feeding a guy his own limbs to the pile of atrocities, a few more dozen rapes and murders just for the hell of it, and he killed Oberyn Martell! That bastard! Nonetheless, he meets his end by a poisoned spear, and apparently suffers until his death. Or does he? Cersei's new champion, one Robert Strong was 'found' by the Necromancer Qyburn, the same guy who was experimenting on Clegane's body. Perhaps this man's streak of terror is not over yet.

[Thanatos 2,847]

The Red Viper was an idiot. He had Gregor dead to rights in that duel and wanted to keep playing with him as revenge. Speed is only better than power if you never let him hit you. That was one nasty poison he was using on his spear, though.

[RazorStar 4,025]

Yeah, he definitely got too caught up in his revenge during that fight. You keep your distance from Gregor, even when it looks like he is down. I'll have some time to do more write-ups today. Being sick isn't all terrible.

 

42. Jojen Reed

 

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” - Jojen Reed

 

One of the more fantastical elements in this series has to do with green seeing or prophesying the future. Jojen is the character who mentors Bran in the ways of green seeing, and tries to help him understand his dreams. One thing I'll say is, where are the Reeds? We have not seen them in the story thus far, and while their role isn't vital like Dany or Cersei, it is quite important in the development of Bran's story. It was Jojen who suggested they go north to find the three eyed raven, and the Starks split up after Theon sacks Winterfell, with Osha and Rickon going... somewhere, and the Reeds, Hodor and Bran going North beyond the wall, to discover the secrets of civilization.

 

The little grandpa is sort of a static character, and a plot device, but I enjoy the direction that he takes the story, and the mentoring he gives Bran during their travels. Hopefully he shows up in season 3, and he is important to Bran's development.

[RazorStar 4,025]

41. Cersei Lannister

“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die; there is no middle ground.” - Cersei Lannister

 

 

This is the first POV character on the list so far, and Cersei is a whole barrel of fun times... for anyone who isn't on her bad side. And everyone is on her bad side. She fancies herself to be Lord Tywin without a penis, but she doesn't have nearly the same intimidation factor as her father. Her ability to destabilize the realm is impressive, and it all starts with the raising of her kids, she smothers them when they should be independent (Calling Joffrey back home during the Battle on the Blackwater), and doesn't act out when they do morally reprehensible things(Joffrey cutting open a pregnant cat to show Robert the kittens). She is a twisted piece of work, and it isn't until A Feast of Crows that you really start to see why she is so messed up.

 

She was very close to her mother Joanna, but she died in childbirth when Tyrion was born, so she grew up hating his existence since he took her mother away. A prophecy given to her in her childhood haunts her, as so far everything has come true, unrequited love for Rhaegar Targaryen, the death of her friend who was with her at the time, mutual infidelity with a King. And her death would come at the hands of the 'Valonqar', high Valyrian for Little Brother. We already know from the first book that she's in an incestuous relationship with her brother, but there may have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back when she consummated her marriage with Robert Baratheon, and he called her Lyanna. When she finally gains power in King's Landing, becoming Queen Regent to her puppet King Tommen, she dissolves the small council and gets rid of capable people with Lannister yes men, however incompentent they may be, ignores basically all dealing with anything overseas (Greyjoys, Targaryens, who cares right?) In any case, there are a lot of stupid things she does, and I don't want to rewrite a majority of A Feast for Crows so I'll just say that Cersei has no ruling ability whatsoever, which is amazing since Tywin is practically the master of it.

 

I don't like Cersei that much, her character is intriguing but there is so much that is just off putting about her, and it's hard to feel sympathetic about her motivations when she just tries so hard to slight everyone and everything around her. There is a lot of things to say about her, since she probably is the most prominent character in the series in terms of screen time (word time?).

[RazorStar 4,025]

40. Catelyn Stark / Lady Stoneheart

“Family, Duty, Honor” - The Words of House Tully

 

 

Catelyn is all things considered a very intriguing character, I may end up using that word so much that it hardly sounds like a word anymore, but it speaks to the depth that Martin breathes into his characters, especially his POV characters. She is a smart woman, politically shrewd, but her most prominent trait that shines in the book is her role as the Mother in her family. She loves her children more than anything, and that causes her to do very very stupid things, like set off a giant civil war in Westeros. Though that can be pitted on one crafty chessmaster who just knows how to play better than nearly anyone else in the seven kingdoms.

 

Catelyn does tend to be where the action is in the story, she served as Robb's diplomat when dealing with the Freys, and also when coming to Renly to negotiate peace, where weddings were arranged, and magical demon babies assassinate pretender kings. It's all a barrel of laughs... wait no it isn't. She also happened to be the point of view character in what is probably the most talked about spoiler when it comes to the series, the Red Wedding. And hoo boy, that was... certainly... something.

 

Catelyn's character thrives because she is always in situations that provide a lot of depth to the story, but she always feels like a very passive part of the world around her. When she does take action, those actions tend to be disastrous. In many ways, she's a foil to Cersei Lannister. They both love their children more than anything, they both end up making terrible decisions that damage the realm, but similarities end there... until Catelyn dies and is resurrected again. I was considering making Catelyn and Lady Stoneheart two separate characters, but Lady Stoneheart is still a part of Catelyn, just the insane 'Murder all the Freys” part of her. Then Catelyn becomes the cold unfeeling bitch (quite literally), while Cersei gains at least a small degree of empathy. All in all, I couldn't put these two ladies too far apart.

 

The Current List:

40. Catelyn Stark

41. Cersei Lannister

42. Jojen Reed

43. Gregor Clegane

44. Young Griff

45. Joffrey Baratheon

46. Ramsay Bolton

47. Qyburn

48. Viserys Targaryen

49. Maester Aemon

50. Margaery Tyrell

[RazorStar 4,025]

39. Bronn

 

Bronn: Don't get killed.

Tyrion Lannister: Nor you, my friend.

Bronn: Oh... are we friends now?

Tyrion Lannister: Of course we are. Just because I pay you for your services, doesn't diminish our friendship.

Bronn: It enhances it, really.

Tyrion Lannister: Oh, "enhances". Fancy word for a sellsword.

Bronn: I've been spending time with fancy folks.

 

Bronn is a very smart fellow, and I just have to say I'm impressed with how well he made his lot in life. We're used to seeing characters in power getting it stripped away from them, so to see an ordinary sell sword rise to the position of Lord in a few years is really something else. Bronn gets a spot on this list because he works so well with Tyrion. The TV show does a lot for Bronn as well, and though his character is flat compared to others, he is still amusing. Saves the Imp's life a few times, burns down a large chunk of Stannis' fleet, marries a fat girl, there's a reason his name starts with Bro. >_> <_>

[RazorStar 4,025]

38. Qhorin Halfhand

 

“Is your sword sharp, Jon Snow?” - Qhorin Halfhand

 

Though he only appears in one book, he does make a good strong impression on you. Unfortunately, being an older mentor character in the the presence of Jon Snow generally means you're gonna die, and not even the half hand is immune to these symptoms. He prepared Jon to fake a betrayal to the Night's Watch knowing it was the only way Jon could possibly survive being captured by wildlings. He also knew that he would need to die by Jon's hand. This wasn't really conveyed well in the tv show, and Qhorin's actor didn't have a lot of screen time to work with, and I think the actor made him more angry than the calmness his character in the book exuded. Either way, Qhorin is just a really cool cat and deserves a little recognition.

 

37. Renly Baratheon

 

"The whole of the realm denies it, brother. Old men deny it with their death rattle, and unborn children deny it in their mothers' wombs. They deny it in Dorne and they deny it on the Wall. No one wants you for their king. Sorry." - Renly to Stannis

 

Ah Renly, the first king to die, and it's all because you can't spare any love for your brother. I have to say, the way the Baratheon brothers play off of each other is very interesting hen you consider that their dynamic usually explains why these three types of characters at their base often form a great team, but in this series are so strongly divided. Renly is charismatic, charming and manages to pull a bigger army due to these things than the current king Joffrey and his brother Stannis. While the Starks and Lannisters wore each other down, he was going to hang out and chill in the south until both forces were so weakened that he could conquer both with minimal effort on his part.

 

However Stannis decided that his brother was a bigger target and forced Renly to take action. If it were any of the other claimants to the throne, he may have persuaded them to cease through parley, but not his brother, Stannis who never bends. In that one scene alone you can feel the sheer animosity between the to brothers, and it is great. Renly just happens to be my least favourite of the Baratheons. If you happen to care about Freudian psychology (it's the only kind, really!), Renly would be the Ego when comparing the brothers. Stannis the superego, and Robert the Id. I'm not gonna write an essay on that just because I'm no expert. Also there's a tvtropes page. That's a thing.

 

Also, Renly is gay. Tell your friends, apparently it was a big deal.

[RazorStar 4,025]

#36

 

 

Oberyn Martell

“Girl or boy, we fight our battles. But the gods let us choose our weapons” - Oberyn Martell

 

The Red Viper of Dorne is just a character I like because he so strongly resembles Inigo Montoya, except Inigo lived at the end of his showdown with his nemesis. The Red Viper isn't so lucky obviously. However there is quite a bit more to the Viper than his battle with Clegane to prove Tyrion's innocence. He's also a master of poison and could have been a maester if he wanted to. Despite sleeping around like many other characters in this series, he actually cares for his bastards, and raises them like they were his trueborn daughters and sons. He wanted justice for his sister who was brutally killed at the hands of Gregor Clegane, and Tyrion did promise it to him while he was acting Hand of the King, but Tywin obviously never meant to honor that arrangement. In the end he did get his vengeance, but it was a pyrrhic victory, ending in his own death. There is a lot to like about his character but not enough time for him to shine, and he went out in an awful way. Martin did try making another Oberyn in Dark Star... let's just say Dark Star won't be appearing on this list.

[RazorStar 4,025]

So after seeing season 3, I want to put maragaery a lot higher. She's making King's landing her bitch.

[RazorStar 4,025]

35. King Robert Baratheon, first of his name.

King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men

Lord of the Seven Kingdoms

Protector of the Realm

 

 

"I swear to you, I was never so alive as when I was winning this throne, or so dead as now that I've won it"

 

So, the first king of our story, Robert exists to set up our expectations of the whole story. He's a hero turned king. And as these books have shown quite plainly, heroes do not make good kings. Much of Robert's character is based on his love. Love for war, love for women, and the starter of his rebellion, his love for Ned's sister, Lyanna Stark.

 

Both Ned and Robert were fostered by Jon Arryn at an early age, which is why they came to be close friends, and have a bromance that transcends the ages. He was one of those people who would floor you with his sheer honesty for life, charm and charisma. He fell in love with Ned's sister Lyanna, but she wasn't too taken about it. Before Robert and Lyanna were married, Rhaegar Targaryen kidnapped her. Brandon Stark, Ned's older brother, tried to demand that the mad king Aerys let him go, but naturally that didn't happen. Things from there escalated, as Ned's father and brother both died by Aerys' hand, along with their squires. Aerys then demanded the heads of Ned and Robert from Jon Arryn, but he was having none of that shit and revolted. The Stormlands, The Vale and the North all rose up in rebellion, and Robert led them to victory after victory until the Lannister finally decided "yeah Aerys is fucking nuts and we're losing this war." betrayed the targaryens and sacked King's Landing, ending the dragon's line. Well almost. Needing a new king, Robert was the natural choice, since Baratheon blood is slightly diluted with the targaryen's. Then he got fat and became the whoring eating king we all know and love.

 

Robert was never a particularly intriguing character, but always straightforward. It was said that the Greyjoy rebellion a few years later solidified Robert's rule until his untimely death. I like Robert a lot for what he did in the history of Game of Thrones and how pivotal he was. Even now at this point of the stories, his legacy still has an important role in the building of characters in the story. And for that, he gets some points from me.

[RazorStar 4,025]

34. Dolorous Edd Tollett

 

"Once they figure a way to work a dead horse, we'll be next. Likely I'll be the first too. 'Edd,' they'll say, 'dying's no excuse for laying down no more, so get on up and take this spear, you've got first watch tonight.' Well, I shouldn't be so gloomy. Might be I'll die before they work it out."

 

Completely this high just because he's the funniest character in the series. Just takes a crappy situation and makes the best of it by being such a smartass. Everyone needs a brother like Dolorous Edd when you're stuck in the Night's Watch. Keep on rocking friend.

[RazorStar 4,025]

33. Barristan Selmy

 

 

"A hall to die in, and men to bury me. I thank you, my lords...but I spit on your pity...I am a knight...I shall die a knight."

 

What can I say about Barristan Selmy? In the books, it takes a while before he makes an impact. When he finds Daenerys in Essos in the books I just sort of pumped my fist in excitement because this guy was like the definition of badass old man. One of the most capable fighters in the realms even at his advanced age, the name Barristan the Bold demands respect. Then you get his viewpoint chapters in Dance with Dragons, and he lives up to his name, all the way.

 

He earned his nickname when he entered a tournament as a mystery knight at the age of ten. No one took him seriously except for one, the prince at that time Duncan Targaryen. They jousted, and after the fight, Duncan proclaimed him as Barristan the Bold. It stuck. At age 16 he earned his knighthood after unhorsing the prince Duncan, and the commander of the Kingsguard at the time, Duncan the Tall. As well as being an amazing tourney fighter, he was a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, ending the Blackfyre rebellion after cutting a swath through their army of mercenaries and ending the line of Blackfyre pretenders to the crown.

 

He had a role to play in Robert's rebellion as well, however he was defeated and almost killed. However Robert decided against this, and when the war was won, he once again asked Barristan to become Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Although he had reservations about serving the usurper, he chose to because Robert seemed an honorable king, and was disgusted when Tywin Lannister showed him the bodies of Rhaegar's dead children.

 

Barristan now counsels Dany as her Queensguard, and in Dance he's given a role as a viewpoint character. I'm looking forward to see what he'll do in the Winds of Winter.

[RazorStar 4,025]

32. Melisandre

 

 

"These little wars are no more than a scuffle of children before what is to come. The one whose name may not be spoken is marshaling his power ... a power fell and evil and strong beyond measure. Soon comes the cold, and the night that never ends ... Unless true men find the courage to fight it. Men whose hearts are fire." - Melisandre

 

Ok, so here we have a woman in actual power in a Game of Thrones. This is a rare thing of itself. She is also the first of the dragonstone 3, who are compeltely shit on in the show compared to the books. Melisandre combines seduction and zealotry in a way that can confuse and destroy weaker men. She came to dragonstone because she believes that Stannis is Azor Ahai, basically Game of Thrones jesus reborn.

 

The reason why Stannis comes to believe in her cause is after a failed poisoning, she was able to kill her poisoner instead. This happens after she convinces his wife in the Red God's power. He burned all the statues and symbols of the Faith of the Seven. Then she makes moves so that the one true king can take his throne, birthing the shadow beast that killed Renly. And another who killed Cortnay Penrose, one of Renly's bannermen too stubborn to yield Storm's End to Stannis. Although the attack on the Blackwater failed, she was able to burn the leeches who had Edric Storm's blood. (Gendry's in the book). Robb Stark. Balon Greyjoy. Joffrey Baratheon. All three usurpers died soon after. However, once they received the letter from the Night's Watch about the Others. They dropped the conflict south of the wall to join the fight against the bigger threat.

 

She is one of the more active characters in the plot of the story, and her zealotry and devotion provide an interesting parallel to Davos's cynicism and his loyalty to Stannis. I can't carefully put words to why I like Melisandre so much, but she's an excellent foil to the other members of the dragonstone three. And the other two will be appearing later on the list. I always liked their storylines, and right now it seems like they're the most heroic characters left standing.