Game of Thrones

With over 2,000 characters in the (Game of Thrones) “A Song of Ice and Fire book series, which ones are your favourites? In the television series, it seems that ‘a lot’ were killed off by the end of series one, but just like the books, new characters just keep on coming.

The Houses of: Stark, Lannister, Targaryen, Baratheon and Tyrell are just five of the nine Great Houses of Westeros, and that isn’t mentioning the other Houses within the whole series of books. This is not even including the ‘gods’ that are worshipped.

Sansa Stark is the eldest daughter of the House of Stark. When we first meet her, in series one, Sansa is a beautiful but naïve teenager, who had dreams of marrying a prince and, because she had grown up in the castle, Sansa had a very ‘naïve’ look on the world outside the castle. Sansa falls in love with the Prince Joffrey when the King and his family visit her father, Lord Eddard, and her mother, Lady Catelyn. When the King and her father arrange a marriage between Joffrey and Sansa, it looks like her dreams have come true. With her father and younger sister Arya, Sansa returns, with the King and his family, to Kings Landing and she begins to realize that life is not all love songs and roses. Sansa’s journey through the story shows her resilience to stay alive. She goes through a hard time and intense cruelty but comes through it all and ends up a very strong, grown woman who knows exactly what she wants as the Queen in the North.

Arya Stark is the younger daughter of the House of Stark. She is a tomboy when compared to more dainty older sister Sansa. Arya goes to Kings Landing, where she is taught how to use a sword by the “First Sword of Braavos.” When her father is beheaded and her sister becomes a ‘prisoner’, Arya escapes with a Brother of the Night’s Watch. Thus starts Arya’s journey through the story. Like Sansa, Arya has a rough time of it and is trained as a “Faceless Man” in the House of Black and White. She reunites with her family in time for the Great War, and is the “Hero of the Hour” when she kills the Night King. We see the tomboy grow into another strong woman, but Arya still prefers to be a ‘tomboy’, having no interest in pretty dresses, and she leaves Westeros, seeking new adventure.

Daenerys Targaryen is the youngest child of the “Mad King” who was overthrown by Robert Baratheon. Known also as Daenerys Stormborn, as she was born during a great storm, or Dany, this beautiful teenager enters the story as a very shy young woman. She is controlled by her brother, Viserys, who ‘sells’ Daenerys to Khal Drogo (of the Dothraki) for an army. Deanerys soon adapts to her new husband and the ‘savage’ way of living, and we see this sweet princess turn into a very hardy and strong young Khaleesi. Viserys shows the madness that is in the family, and goes too far offending Khal Drogo who kills him by pouring hot, melted gold over his head. Seeing this, Deanerys says: “he was no dragon, fire cannot kill a dragon.” We see Daenerys go through so much but during all of this time, she proves that she is ‘super human’ and the ‘mother of dragons.’ It is exciting watching the dragons grow up and seeing Daenerys ride them, the two lives of dragon and woman becoming entwined. Unfortunately, the madness that is in the family finally shows itself and Daenerys destroys Kings Landing and finally gets her father’s throne back, but this is at the cost of thousands of innocent lives. Daenerys is killed by her lover and nephew, Jon Snow, and her body is taken away by the largest dragon, Drogon. A sad ending for such a beautiful princess.

Melisandre is an unusual character, a “Red Priestess”, who serves her Lord and Master, the “Lord of Light.” She ‘backs’ Stannis Baratheon but makes the biggest mistake when she ‘encourages’ Stannis to sacrifice his only daughter by burning her alive. Stannis loses the fight for the North and is killed. Melisandre moves on to ‘back’ the King in the North, Jon Snow, and brings him back to life “by the Lord’s power.” She unites Jon Snow with Daenerys Targaryen and plays a ‘magical’ pert in the Great War. We see her final performance when she goes into the snow and dies an old woman. The fanatic comes through and Melisandre can ‘adapt’ to whoever she believes is winning the game. She is a Red Priestess in the religion of R’hllor. Melisandre was born a slave in Asshai and learnt the magical arts to become a Red Priestess. The large ruby she wears around her neck gives her eternal youth, but when she removes it to die, Melisandre is a very old woman.

Missandie was freed by Daenerys and becomes her closest female friend. She is a beautiful and quiet young woman, and we see her first as an obedient slave, an interpreter to the masters of Astapor. She was born on the Island of Naath and taken as a slave at a young age. Missandie learnt nineteen languages, including High Valyrian, Daenerys mother tongue, and Dothraki, so she becomes a very close and useful advisor to Daenerys. Missandie’s life changes for the better when Daenerys frees her and she even falls in love with Grey Worm, the general of the Unsullied army. However, this happiness is short-lived when Cersei had Missandie executed in front of Daenerys and Grey Worm, who then destroy King’s Landing out of revenge.

Cersei Lannister is the only daughter of Lord Tywin of Lannister, and she enters the story married to Robert Baratheon, the King of the Seven Kingdoms. Her father, Tywin, is the richest man in the Seven Kingdoms and, because of continually borrowing from him, Robert Baratheon is in his father-in-law’s debt and Cersei uses this to her benefit. She had two brothers, Tyrion who is her younger brother, and Jamie, who is her twin brother, but who is also her lover and the father of her three children. This is a well-guarded secret, but when Lord Jon Arryn (the Hand of the King) finds out, Cersei has him murdered. When Lord Eddard Stark (also, the Hand of the King) finds out, Cersei also had him executed under false charges. Cersei loves her three children, Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen, who are her only reason for living, but when all three are killed over time, Cersei is determined to take the Iron Throne for herself. She is an extremely manipulative woman, cunning and full of hatred. Cersei becomes locked in her hatred towards Daenerys, who equally hates her back, and Daenerys ends up killing Cersei when she attacks Kings Landing, riding the largest of the dragons, Drogon. Her behaviour over time reinforces the belief that she stated at the beginning of the story, that: “when you play the game of thrones, you win, or you die, there is no middle ground.” Unfortunately for Cersei, she lost and died.

One of my absolute favourite female characters is Olenna Tyrell. Called the “Queen of Thorns”, Olenna stands out as one of the strongest characters in the whole of the “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series. She is the elderly matriarch of the house Tyrell and a mistress of court politics, plotting and intrigue ‘par excellence’ throughout her life. She is known for her wit and sarcasm and could see right through Cersei’s ‘games.’ The Sigel for the house of Tyrell is a rose, and with her cutting remarks, it is no wonder the name “Queen of Thorns” stuck. When her entire family are killed in the destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor, Olenna takes up arms against the throne, but is defeated. Just before she is ‘executed’ with poison, Olenna tells Jamie that it was she who murdered Joffrey (Jamie and Cersei’s son) at the Purple Wedding.

These are just a few of my favourite female characters from “Game of Thrones”, but there are so many more. Watching the series and reading the books is bringing it all back to me again. As Daenerys Targaryen says: “I will take what is mine with fire and blood.”