Game of Thrones is famous for its many intricate characters, and here’s a list of the 20 best from the show. Even though the series finale was controversial, Game of Thrones remains one of the most influential TV shows ever made. Many still consider the first seven seasons to be among the greatest television has to offer.
As a huge movie and TV fan, I can’t overstate how much of an impact Game of Thrones had. It felt like suddenly everyone was trying to make the next big fantasy epic, and honestly, a lot of shows are still trying to capture that same magic. Even the Game of Thrones spin-offs are aiming to reach the level of quality and popularity the original achieved.
Many shows try to compare to Game of Thrones, but often fall short, mainly because of its compelling characters. While Game of Thrones featured impressive elements like a large budget, grand battles, political schemes, romance, humor, and intense drama, it was the characters that truly made the show a success.
It’s impossible to definitively rank every character from Game of Thrones due to the show’s size, but 20 really stand out as the most popular with fans. These aren’t necessarily the ‘good guys’ – even the most unlikeable characters can be compelling. Here’s a ranking of the 20 best characters, whether they’re heroes or villains.
Bronn
Despite being a well-written character, Ser Bronn of the Blackwater mainly serves as comic relief. He’s a skilled fighter with a witty, sarcastic personality, and from the very beginning of the show, his scenes have focused more on humor than serious plot development. While capable, he lacks significant depth as a character.
Throughout all eight seasons of Game of Thrones, even the darker ones, Bronn consistently provides comic relief. His humor, combined with his engaging relationships with characters like Podrick and Tyrion, and Jerome Flynn’s excellent acting, make him a memorable character, easily ranking among the top 20.
Bronn is a thoroughly enjoyable character, and that’s why he makes the list of the best in Game of Thrones. However, if his role had more significant impact on the story, he’d rank much higher—currently, he comes in at number 20.
Jorah Mormont
Jorah, like many characters in Game of Thrones, has a complicated past. He was banished from the Seven Kingdoms after being caught selling poachers as slaves. Afterwards, he became a loyal advisor to Daenerys Targaryen.
Jorah Mormont was a remarkably loyal character in Game of Thrones, standing by Daenerys through everything. He was both a skilled warrior and a clever strategist, and his unreturned feelings for Daenerys, his struggle with Greyscale, and his heartbreaking death made him a deeply sympathetic figure.
As a huge fan of Game of Thrones, I always loved Jorah Mormont. He’s a fantastic character, but if I’m being honest, he doesn’t quite crack my top tier list. It’s tough in a show with so many players, but Jorah felt a little sidelined, especially in seasons six and seven. While he had some amazing moments, he wasn’t as consistently present as some of the other characters, and that unfortunately holds him back in my personal ranking.
Stannis Baratheon
In the brutal world of Game of Thrones, truly honorable characters are rare, and that’s what makes Stannis Baratheon so interesting. Initially, before the second season, Stannis stays out of the main power struggles, accepting the established order of succession within his family. However, once he believes he is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, he actively begins to fight for it.
In the beginning, Stannis is a character you can easily support, even if you also like his rivals, such as Tyrion. However, his story loses some strength around season 5 of Game of Thrones, causing him to fall a bit lower in overall ranking. Even with that, the later parts of his storyline still have some interesting moments.
Stannis Baratheon is a prime example of the complex, morally ambiguous characters in Game of Thrones. His unwavering commitment to claiming the throne, fueled by religious zeal, even led to the tragic death of his own daughter. While his four seasons on the show effectively establish this complexity, his story ends rather suddenly, preventing him from achieving the lasting impact of some other characters, and therefore limiting his overall ranking.
Robert Baratheon
Despite appearing only in the first season of Game of Thrones, Robert Baratheon remains a remarkably compelling character—ranking as the 16th best overall. Mark Addy’s performance brilliantly captures all the nuances of Robert’s complicated personality.
Addy possesses everything required to elevate Robert Baratheon to the throne of Westeros – both the power and the influence. He embodies the eagerness for political maneuvering, provides comedic relief as a long-time friend of Ned Stark, and represents a reminder of the realm’s once-great warriors.
I’ve always found Robert Baratheon surprisingly relatable. Much like in the first season, he’s just trying to enjoy what life has left, and honestly, he couldn’t care less about the political games. That makes him feel more human than a lot of the characters who get more screen time. And his death? It really hits hard, and it’s what truly kicks off the main conflicts we follow for the rest of Game of Thrones. It’s a pivotal moment, and a genuinely tragic one.
Despite being a prominent figure, Robert Baratheon’s limited screen time holds him back from being considered among the very best characters in Game of Thrones. This lack of presence is a key reason for his relatively lower ranking.
Davos Seaworth
Davos Seaworth is a bit like a combination of Jorah and Bronn. He’s got Bronn’s sharp sense of humor and Jorah’s unwavering loyalty, which makes him a very likable character. We see this as he helps both Stannis Baratheon and Jon Snow on their paths.
Davos Seaworth is a more complex character than Bronn. His history as the Onion Knight demonstrates his inherent goodness, and his bond with Shireen, Stannis Baratheon’s daughter, further emphasizes this. The scene where Davos challenges Melisandre about Shireen’s death is a standout moment in the series, brilliantly acted by Liam Cunningham.
Davos is a fantastic character on Game of Thrones because he’s incredibly loyal and complex, but he doesn’t appear on screen as often as some of the main characters.
Oberyn Martell
Pedro Pascal played a brief but memorable character in Game of Thrones as Oberyn Martell. Initially, Oberyn comes across as arrogant and unlikeable, but as viewers learn about his backstory, see his connection with Tyrion, and understand his quest for revenge, he quickly becomes a fan favorite.
Pascal’s strong performance and captivating presence greatly contribute to the impact of his character. Oberyn Martell has some of the most memorable scenes in what is widely considered the strongest season of Game of Thrones: season 4.
Oberyn’s fairness during Tyrion’s trial immediately makes him a more sympathetic character than Tywin, Cersei, and those unfairly accusing Tyrion. His heartfelt speech explaining why he’ll defend Tyrion is incredibly powerful, and his fight against the Mountain remains one of the most memorable and shocking battles in Game of Thrones.
Oberyn’s limited screen time holds him back from ranking higher, but his incredible confidence, captivating personality, and thrilling fight scenes – plus some truly memorable moments in what many consider the best season of Game of Thrones – are enough to secure his spot on this list.
Joffrey Baratheon
Joffrey from Game of Thrones demonstrates that compelling characters aren’t always likable. Throughout the show’s first four seasons and beyond, he was arguably the most despised character on television. However, what truly made Joffrey memorable was how much viewers enjoyed hating him.
Jack Gleeson brilliantly portrayed Joffrey as a truly hateful character, capturing both his violent actions and childish, cruel behavior. It’s natural to root for the ‘good guys,’ which explains why Joffrey isn’t more popular. However, as a villain, Joffrey Baratheon was exceptionally effective and deserves recognition.
Sansa Stark
At the start of Game of Thrones, Sansa is a sheltered and innocent young woman who sees the world through rose-colored glasses. Over the course of the series, she transforms into a shrewd and calculating strategist. This realistic and compelling character development sets her apart from many of the other characters who begin with less growth.
Characters like Jorah, Bronn, Davos, Robert, Oberyn, Stannis, and Joffrey largely stay consistent throughout the series – they face challenges, but don’t really change as people. This makes Sansa’s dramatic growth and evolution as a character much more compelling.
While Sansa Stark’s story might not be central to the overall plot of Game of Thrones like some other characters’, Sophie Turner’s fantastic acting transforms her from a frustrating young girl into a strong and capable leader. By season 5 and the show’s later seasons, she becomes one of the characters viewers are most invested in.
Brienne of Tarth
Brienne of Tarth is one of the most compelling characters in Game of Thrones because of her incredible determination. She’s intelligent, principled, fiercely loyal, and incredibly skilled in combat. As a woman striving to be a knight in a society dominated by men, she’s an underdog that viewers naturally root for.
Brienne’s relationships with Catelyn Stark and especially Jaime Lannister are among the most compelling in the series. Though she might not have enough screen time to fully develop beyond these connections, everything we see of Brienne establishes her as one of the show’s strongest characters, highlighted by her incredible fight with The Hound.
The Hound
It makes sense to place The Hound, Sandor Clegane, high on the list because his fight with Brienne in season 4 is one of the most intensely physical and raw moments in Game of Thrones. But he’s more than just a fighter – The Hound is a truly well-developed character. He starts as a frightening enforcer for the royal family, but quickly reveals himself to be much more complex.
After standing up for Sansa, proving himself at Blackwater Bay, and defending Tyrion, his outburst of frustration towards Joffrey—essentially telling the king what he thinks of him—makes him much more likable. This is further enhanced by his kindness towards Arya and their playful interactions.
The Hound stands out as a remarkably honest character, delivering some of the show’s most memorable lines. His heartbreaking past with his brother culminates in a satisfying fight – a rare highlight in the otherwise underwhelming final season of Game of Thrones.
Because of these factors, and considering he’s often a supporting character rather than the main focus, The Hound generally falls somewhere in the middle when ranking these characters.
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2025-11-03 21:02