Game of Thrones fans will be well aware that author George R.R.
Martin has absolutely no qualms about killing off everyone’s favourite
characters. Just as you're getting attached to someone; down comes a
heavy handed sword, or out pops a random character to deliver an
unexpected knife to the guts. After watching a few episodes of the first
season, you'd have been forgiven for thinking that Game of Thrones
was going to be the story of the heroic protagonist Ned Stark. Wrong –
we should have known that Sean Bean, who played Ned, is notorious for
dying in everything he appears in, regardless of how optimistic the
audience might be about his chances.
Fans then witnessed the infamous events of the Red Wedding in season
3, and most recently had to suffer through the eye gouging fatality of
another much beloved character in season 4. Now it’s time to start
signing petitions, and doing whatever is necessary to stop George R.R.
Martin and HBO from stabbing, slicing, hanging or decapitating any of
these top 10 characters… before it’s too late! Game of Thrones fans may
be suckers for punishment but, please, just leave these characters alone
for a little while longer.
There will be no book spoilers here, but there is mention of many
events that have occurred in season 4.This is just a simple but
heartfelt plea that none of these characters, who are still currently
alive in the TV show, are destined for destruction anytime soon.
10. Grey Worm
Formerly just another unnamed member of the Unsullied, Grey Worm is
now a free man and leader of Daenerys' army. The Unsullied have lived
terrible lives as slaves; they have been castrated, trained to kill
without mercy and obey their masters unquestioningly. They are
disciplined beyond any normal army and have been conditioned to see
themselves as equal members in a terrifying mass of soldiers.
However, after Mother of Dragons Daenerys granted their freedom, Grey
Worm rose up to become their leader. He, like his Unsullied brothers,
is completely dedicated to the woman who freed him and prepared to die
for her. Far more interestingly though, Grey Worm is also showing signs
of getting a few sensations in the downstairs department. After catching
a good eyeful of Daenerys' translator Missandei while she was
bathing, it looks like there could potentially be a doomed love story
about to catch fire. However, it will need time to simmer before Grey
Worm (or Missandei) can be killed off.
Besides, it would be a great shame for Grey Worm to leave this mortal
coil before we get to see him lead his army of Unsullied into a real
battle alongside Daenerys' dragons. Bring on the war!
9. Jorah Mormont
Recently outed as a former traitor, Mormont was last seen being
banished from Daenerys' side. He is now heading off on paths unknown
and his destiny is uncertain. However, we all know how much he loves his
Queen really, and how truly and deeply sorry he is for his former
treachery. So, can we just give him another chance already? The fact
Daenerys couldn't execute him for his past transgressions suggests she
still has a soft spot for her closest adviser and confidante. Though
there might be a pretty sizeable age gap between the pair, seeing them
back together would be a romantic reunion to cherish.
Mormont has been there for his Khaleesi since the very first
episodes. Their separation four seasons into the show comes as something
of a blow to fans, especially those looking for a love story in amongst
all the war, rape, murder and incest. Instead of killing off Mormont,
wouldn't it be great to see him return to aid Daenarys when she most
needs him? Perhaps he could ride in like a knight in shining armour and
show her that he never stopped loving her. Or is that far too cheesy for
Game of Thrones fans?
8. Stannis Baratheon
Stannis is always lurking in the background of the show, but he is
about to become a far more prominent character as the story continues.
Since losing his two brothers, Stannis has been the rightful heir to the
Iron Throne. However, this claim has been consistently thwarted by the
scheming Lannisters, most botably Tyrion and Tywin during the Battle Of
Blackwater. Stannis must be burning with rage, so it's no surprise
that he's hooked up with the Lord of Light, and R’hllor’s emissary
Melisandre.
Stannis may have been responsible for the death of his seemingly far
nicer brother Renly but in all fairness, Stannis is the older of the
brothers and did have the most right to rule Westeros after Robert died.
However, Stannis is not the most pleasant and charming character, and
his dealings with the terrifying Lady Melisandre and her fiery
sacrificial offerings are definitely dubious. On the other hand, Stannis
could also be the best man for the job of uniting the Lannister’s
enemies and seeing them run out of King's Landing. He was also pretty
epic at the Blackwater and it would be good to see him donning armour
and kicking ass once again.
7. Cersei Lannister
It can't all be good guys on this list and Cersei is neither good,
nor a guy. However, she is one of the most watchable and fascinating
characters left on the show. After the death of her son Joffrey at the
Purple Wedding (and more recently her father Tywin), Cersei is now the
really evil centre of King's Landing. With her constant scheming and
her fierce protectiveness as a mother, Cersei is a force of nature to be
reckoned with.
Cersei may be incestuous, insidious and morally repugnant but she is
also played with relish by Lena Headey and a joy to watch. There was a
worry that once Jaime, her lover and brother, returned to King's
Landing that Cersei would soften and become boring in double-quick
time. Hell no! Not this Lannister vixen. Finding Jaime a bit too armless, she is now the queen of put downs and comebacks, and the
best villain Game of Thrones currently has to offer. Cersei is the
meanest Lannister left in King's Landing and everybody knows it; a
character we all love to loathe.
6. Syrio Forel
Bit of a cheat here perhaps. Syrio, Arya's sword/dance instructor
from the first season, may already be dead as far as fans know. Last
seen defending Arya at King’s Landing, if anyone could fight his way out
of a corner when highly outnumbered, it would be Syrio. The man who
taught Arya everything she knows about using that trusty Needle of hers,
Syrio was a brilliant teacher and fighter. It would be a great shame if
he did die at the hands of the Lannister men who came to take Arya
away. His teachings still inspire Arya and she continues to benefit
everyday.
More to the point, as much as it has been fun watching Arya wander
around the countryside with The Hound episode after episode, it would be
much more fun to see Arya hook up with Syrio. She could take some more
sword fighting lessons and learn to take bloody vengeance on all those
who have wronged her and her rapidly diminishing family. Please let
Syrio still be alive and hiding out somewhere safe, just waiting to be
brought back into action. After all, in the words of Syrio: ‘There is
only one thing we say to death: not today!’
5. Petyr Baelish
As much as everyone hates this big pimping and manipulative scumbag,
played with sly glee by Aidan Gillen, Littlefinger is emerging as one of
the most volatile characters in the entire game of thrones. Nothing
would surprise me less than Baelish winning the Iron Throne after
everyone around him has killed each other off and he becomes the last
man standing. He’ll be the one hiding in the shadows and orchestrating
the entire massacre.
Let's not forget that this is also the man who engineered the
murder of that little terror King Joffrey. He is now sheltering poor,
innocent Sansa Stark while most of the rest of her family have been
brutally dispatched. What is most exciting about Littlefinger though, is
that he is so completely unreadable. He is capable of doing anything to
save his own skin. He is deceitful, dangerous and one of the key
players to watch out for going forward.
4. Brienne Of Tarth
Brittle, brave and ugly Brienne put up with endless taunts and quips
from Jaime Lannister during their time together. However, she is the
woman who slowly brought out the humanity in Jaime, a man who started
the show by screwing his own sister and pushing a kid from a castle
window. She may not be much to look at, and her loyalty may make her a
little one-dimensional, but Brienne is the kind of character you cannot
help but root for.
Whereas so many of the female characters in Game of Thrones are
victims or evil villains (hello, Cersei), Brienne is loyal, noble and
nobody's victim. Now she has a mission to find Sansa, but she seems to
have been worryingly sidelined from the central action. Sansa does not
seem to need rescuing so Brienne's journey with Pod doesn't have
much urgency, which is bad news for all those who want to see Brienne
back in the middle of the action. She is going to be a fascinating
character in the future due to her divided loyalties, feeling bound to
both the Starks and Jaime Lannister. Who will she choose to side with
when the game of thrones turns into all out war? Will she survive long
enough for us to find out?
3. Jon Snow
The bastard son of Winterfell and Ned Stark's flesh and blood. Jon
Snow is the man who volunteered to take the black and become a man of
the Night's Watch instead of sitting at cosy Winterfell. Now that Robb
is dead and Bran is broken, Jon Snow is the real son of Stark to watch
out for. He may be caught up in protecting the wall from wildlings but
he is also the only brother of the Night's Watch to have lived with
the free folk for any time. He is a man who belongs nowhere, but he is
also a natural leader; brave and loyal to his friends and destined for
greatness.
Jon Snow has recently lost his fiery red-haired wildling girlfriend
Ygritte, but she has left him with a taste for the dark side of the wall
and the fruits that the real North has to offer. More to the point, Jon
still has Ghost, his snow white direwolf. Wouldn't it be great to see
Ghost taking on white walkers on one side and Daenerys and her dragons
on the other when it all comes to an eventual showdown? Yeah, thought
so.
2. Arya Stark
It would have been easy to simply fill this list with the remaining
Stark children. After all, who wants to see House Stark suffer any more
after the deaths of Ned, Catelyn and Robb? However, Sansa is only just
becoming interesting, Bran is nominally safe in the cave of the
three-eyed raven, and Rickon seems to have utterly disappeared. Arya, on
the other hand, has been an absolute gem since we first met her. A
tomboy who cares more for fighting than pretty dresses, she knew Joffrey
for what he was from the second she met him. She has also survived on
her own against all the odds, since escaping King's Landing.
She is also one of the most dangerous and damaged individuals in the
show. And no wonder – she witnessed her father's beheading and just
keeps turning up too late to be reunited with her family members, as
they all bite the dust one after the other. Poor Arya. All the while she
is getting older, tougher and wiser and keeping that list of those she
wants to take revenge on in her head. Please don't let Arya die before
she can tick some more names off that hit list.
1. Tyrion Lannister
No surprise here, as everyone's favourite Lannister and Game of
Thrones character was always destined for the top of this list. Tyrion
is the most interesting, witty and wonderful character caught up in this
whole messy game of thrones. He is also currently the character most at
risk of losing his head. With a fantastic performance from Peter
Dinklage and brilliant writing from author Martin and the HBO show's
team, Tyrion has kept the wit and warmth from the books that makes him
so special. He was a coward who showed his true bravery at the battle of
Blackwater. He is the son of a father who never wanted him, and who
everyone blames for the death of his mother. He is an underdog who is
used to being kicked but is still smarter than all those around him.
Tyrion Lannister must not die. Not yet. Kill anyone else but not this
little man with the big mouth. Now he has been saved from execution by
his brother, he is going to be the most wanted man in all of Westeros
(and beyond). Can Tyrion survive season five? You wouldn’t bet against
him, but this is Game Of Thrones we’re talking about.
