The 20 Best Tyrion Lannister Quotes from ‘Game of Thrones’ Seasons One to Eight

He drinks and knows things, and also loves to cite quotes from a wise man (who is basically himself).

Yes, we are speaking of the witty and sharp-tongued Tyrion Lannister. He who has masterfully articulate dozens of memorable lines in Game of Thrones, most of which are nuggets of wisdom, which we can actually live by in the real world.

The brilliant actor, Peter Dinklage, is to be highly commended for bringing the "tits-and-wine"-loving Lannister to life with much aplomb and intensity, making the character one of the most beloved in the HBO epic fantasy series, which recently ended after eight phenomenal seasons.

For his portrayal of the infamous Imp of House Lannister, Dinklage set a record for being the first and only actor to receive Emmy nominations for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama for seven consecutive seasons for the same show, winning three in 2011, 2015, and 2018. For season eight, the actor is very certain to earn yet another nomination, although it is probably more fitting for him to be in the running for Best Lead Actor, considering the huge role he plays in the series’ final season.

In honor of Peter Dinklage's 50th name day on June 11, here is 20 of Tyrion Lannister's best quotes from the entire Game of Thrones series.

The 20 Best Tyrion Lannister Quotes from 'Game of Thrones'

1. “Never forget what you are, the rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor and it can never be used to hurt you.”

—Tyrion to Jon Snow, advising the young lad to embrace and rise above his bastard status, in season one episode one. And Ned Stark’s “bastard” couldn’t have worn it better than during the Battle of the Bastards when he beat the crap out of Ramsey Bolton in season six episode nine.

2. “A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone.”

—Tyrion to Jon Snow, when the latter asks him why he reads so much while they were on route to Castle Black, in season one episode two.

3. “I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples, bastards, and broken things.”

—Tyrion to Robb Stark, when the Winterfell heir wanted to know why he was being kind to his crippled brother Bran in season one episode four. In the series finale, Tyrion survives long enough to help make Bran the Broken become the new King of Westeros (minus the North).

4. “In my own bed, at the age of 80, with a belly full of wine and a girl’s mouth around my cock.”

—Tyrion to Shagga, when the leader of the hill tribes of the Vale asked him how he would like to die, in season one episode eight. The Lannister would cite this wish again when conversing with brother Jaime at Winterfell in season eight episode two.

5. “You love your children. It’s your one redeeming quality. That and your cheekbones.”

—Tyrion to Cersei Lannister, able to find nice things about his evil sister to praise about after telling her off for badly managing her son, King Joffrey Baratheon, in season two episode one.

6. “It’s hard to put a leash on a dog once you’ve put a crown on its head.”

—Tyrion to Cersei, kindly explaining Jeffrey's obnoxious behavior after his queen sister sadly admits that she is unable to get her son to listen to her, in season two episode seven.

7. "Don't fight for a king. Don't fight for his kingdoms. Don't fight for honor, don't fight for glory, don't fight for riches, because you won't get any. This is your city Stannis means to sack. That's your gate he's ramming. If he gets in, it will be your house that burns. Your gold he steals, your women he rapes. Those are brave men knocking at our door. Let's go kill them!"

—The half-man’s rousing speech to the Lannister troops at the Battle of Blackwater, after Joffrey left hastily to hide under his queen mother’s skirt, in season two episode eight.

8. “Drinking and lust. No man can match me in these things. I am the god of tits and wine.”

—Tyrion to a furious Tywin Lannister, after he becomes drunk at his and Sansa Stark’s wedding dinner in season three episode eight.

9. “I did not kill Joffrey but I wish that I had. Watching your vicious bastard die gave me more relief than a thousand lying whores. I wish I was the monster you think I am. I wish I had enough poison for the whole pack of you, I would gladly give my life to watch you all swallow it!”

—Tyrion’s epic rant to all in attendance at his trial for Joffrey’s murder, in season four episode six. Arguably Peter Dinklage’s finest moment in Games of Thrones.

10. “If you want justice, you’ve come to the wrong place.”

—Tyrion to Oberyn Martell, when the prince of Dorne reveals that he is in King’s Landing to seek justice for the murders of his sister Elia Martell (who was married to Rhaegar Targaryen) and her two children, in season four episode seven.

11. “I am your son. I have always been your son.”

—Tyrion to Tywin Lannister, after the latter angrily declares that he is no son of his and before fatally shooting his father with another crossbow bolt, in season four episode ten.

12. "The powerful have always preyed on the powerless, that's how they became powerful in the first place."

—Tyrion to Varys, when the Master of Whispers states that he wishes to live in a land “where the powerful do not prey on the powerless,” in season five episode one.

13. “Killing and politics aren’t always the same thing.”

—Tyrion to Daenerys Targaryen, telling her why she needs someone to help her understand the land she wants to rule other than just arriving at Westeros with “a very large army and very large dragons,” in season five episode eight.

14. “That’s what I do. I drink and I know things.”

—Tyrion to Missandei, after the Naath native asks how he knows dragons do not do well in captivity, in season six episode two. Tyrion’s most iconic line is now imprinted on a wide range of Game of Thrones merchandise.

15. “I’m here to help. Please don’t eat the help.”

—Tyrion to Rhaegal and Viserion, as The Imp bravely approaches them to remove their shackles in the Meereen dungeons, in season six episode two. Another one of Tyrion's best, albeit foolhardy, moments in the series.

16. “A wise man once said a true history of the world is a history of great conversations in elegant rooms.”

—Tyrion to Missandei and Grey Worm, as he tries to engage them in conversation before revealing that he is the said “wise man,” in season six episode three.

17. “You look a lot better brooding than I do. You make me feel I’m failing at brooding over failing.”

—Tyrion to Jon Snow, teasing the King in the North as he broods over the cliffs of Dragonstone, after failing to convince Daenerys of the Night King’s threat, in season seven episode three.

18. “Oh, my mistake. I suppose he stares at you longingly because he’s hopeful for a successful military alliance.”

—Tyrion to Daenerys, after the Mother of Dragons brushes off the notion that Jon Snow is in love with her, in season seven episode six.

19. “If it wouldn’t for you, I wouldn’t have survived my childhood. You were the only one who didn’t treat me like a monster.”

—Tyrion to Jaime, expounding why his brother means so much to him in what would be their last moment together, in season eight episode five.

20. “Ask me again in ten years.”

—Tyrion to Jon Snow, when the distraught Warden of the North asks if they did the right thing in assassinating Daenerys after the King’s Landing massacre, in the season eight finale.

Read Also:

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• ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8: The 20 Best Quotes From Episode 4, 'The Last of the Starks'
• ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 8: The 15 Best Quotes from Episode 2, “A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms”
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