Game of Thrones

“A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone.” One of the many famous quotes from Game of Thrones, this one by Tyrion Lannister. Now, just in case you are one of those who have never seen Game of Thrones (and it is possible, not everybody is obsessed like me!)Tyrion Lannister is one of the main characters who actually survives formal series one right through to series eight. Tyrion is the youngest child of Lord Tywin Lannister and younger brother to twins Cersei and Jamie. He is a dwarf who uses his wit and intelligence to overcome the many ‘prejudices’ that follow him. Tyrion’s mother died giving birth to him, a fact which his father and sister never forgives him for (as if it was Tyrion’s fault!).

Tyrion does his best to keep his kind heart and to help others, even though he is surrounded with ‘hard-hearted, selfish people’ who only look out for themselves (his sister Cersei comes to mind). This is shown quite clearly when he is forced to marry Sansa Stark. The Lannisters had beheaded Sansa’s father, Lord Eddard Stark, and wanted to keep her as a kind of hostage. Tyrion respected Sansa, who “is just a child” and refused to consummate the marriage, telling Sansa that he will only touch her when she wants it. “It” never happens between Tyrion and Sansa, and Sansa manages to escape the Lannisters.

Over time, Tyrion’s loyalties change and, after killing his father (Lord Tywin), Tyrion eventually ends up becoming Hand to Queen Daenerys Targaryen.After Daenerys goes mad and slaughters nearly everyone in King's Landing, Tyrion throws the brooch of the Hand into the earth, he wanted no more to do with slaughtering innocent people. Series eight finishes with Tyrion serving a new King. So much happens around and to Tyrion, that I have to admire his ‘fight’ to live and to see a better life. “Death is so final. Whereas life, ah, life is full of possibilities.”

“You’ll be ruling over a graveyard if we don’t defeat the Night King”, said Jon Snow. Believing to be Ned Stark’s bastard, Jon grows up in the Castle of Winterfell as a kind of servant, and although his ‘step-brothers and sisters’ got on well with Job, his ‘step-mother’ hated him, believing Jon to be the son of ‘the other woman’. Later, Jon finds out that he is actually the son of Ned’s sister, Lyanna, who had married Rhaegar Targaryen in secret, so Jon was actually Ned’s nephew.

Following his uncle Benjen Stark, Jon joins the Night’s Watch and finds that life can be even rougher. At Castle Black, Jon learns to live and mix with all kinds of men, from Lords to low-life criminals. This teaches Jon how to be part of a Brotherhood, and when he finally takes the Night’s Watch vows, before a weirwood Heart tree (with Samwell Tarly), Jon finally feels that he is a ‘true brother of the Night’s Watch.’

Jon’s adventures take him beyond the realms of mankind, where he almost comes face-to-face with the Night King. Seeing the danger that faces all of mankind, Jon sets out on a mission to try to ‘unite’ all the kingdoms against the Night King and his army. This he manages to do, only Cersei Lannister, who promises to help, actually lied and turns her back on the Great War against the Army of the Dead. When ‘everything’ finishes, Jon finally goes back to the Night’s Watch, never forgetting his vows. “Night gathers, and now my watch begins”.

“The things I do for Love”. Jamie Lannister is tall, blonde, handsome and in love with his sister, Cersei. Being Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Jamie cannot marry which frees him up to love his sister. All of Cersei’s children are fathered by Jamie, and this is a closely guarded secret. When Ned Stark finds out and threatens to tell Cersei’s husband, Robert Baratheon, (King of the Seven Kingdoms), Cersei has Ned beheaded on false charges. Meanwhile, Jamie starts out on an adventure which leaves him physically (and possibly mentally) changed.

Jamie has his ‘sword hand’ chopped off by a gang of men and this leaves him struggling with depression, feeling that he cannot fight. Brienne of Tarth talks sense back into Jamie, who eventually learns to fight again with his other hand. Realizing that Cersei lied about helping out with The Great War, Jamie leaves his position as Lord Commander and travels North, to help defeat the Night King. After the dead are defeated, Jamie hurries back to his sister, after hearing that Daenerys is set to destroy King’s Landing. Jamie dies with Cersei in his arms when Daenerys, with her dragon Drogon, attacks King’s Landing. “Oh, the Gods won’t mind. They’ve spilled more blood than the rest of us combined.”

“You wish to know where my loyalties lie? Not with any King or Queen, but with the People”. One of the most interesting characters (for me personally) is Lord Varys. Known as “The Spider”, Varys is a eunuch Master of Whisperers (or spy to us). Born a slave in Lys (across the Narrow Sea), he ‘lived’ with a troupe of actors until a sorcerer bought him and used certain parts of Varys’ body in magic. Hence, Varys was now a eunuch. Varys was thrown out into the streets to die, but survived at any cost, learning that he could make the most money as a spy.

Varys worked his way to the Seven Kingdoms and became a member of The Small Council, serving the King. Here, he is called “Lord Varys” as a courtesy but he actually doesn’t hold any title or castle or any of the ‘trappings’ that goes with being a Lord. Events take over Varys' life and he (eventually) becomes Master of Whisperers to Daenerys. Recognizing the madness within her family showing itself in Daenerys actions, Varys betrays his new Queen and is executed --- fire by dragon --- when found out. “I hope I deserve this. Truly, I do. I hope I’m wrong. Goodbye, old friend.”

“We have no names, no family. Everyone of us is poor and powerless. And yet together, we can overthrow an empire”. He doesn’t really appear in the television series until series five, but the “High Sparrow” makes quite an impression. The High Sparrow ‘appears’ to be a humble man, serving soup to the homeless and walking around barefoot until he is chosen to be The High Septon (with the support of Cersei Lannister).

The Faith Militant is restored (it is a kind of religious army) and sweeps through the Seven Kingdoms ‘purging the wicked’. The High Sparrow becomes a powerful man, arresting a few from the Royal Houses. Hearing the rumours regarding Cersei’s children, he has Cersei arrested and puts her in the ‘care’ of Septas Unella, Moelle and Scolera. After a long-time, under a form of religious torture, Cersei confesses her sins (although not all of them) and The High Sparrow makes her do “The Walk of Atonement”, which meant that Cersei had to walk, naked, from the Sept to the Red Keep. Cersei is humiliated and vows revenge, which she follows through by blowing up the Sept, with quite a few of her enemies inside, using ‘wildfire’. The High Sparrow is killed with many of his followers. “A true leader avails himself of the wisest counsel he can. And no one is wiser than the gods”.

These are only five of my favourite male characters from Game of Thrones. Considering these are 52 male characters, it’s not actually easy to choose, because for me personally, all 52 are interesting. We all have our favourites though, don’t we!