This set features 17 characters from Game of Thrones, from rulers and commanders to survivors, assassins, and loyal companions. Rank them by leadership, combat ability, intelligence, loyalty, moral choices, story impact, or the strength of their journey across the series.
-
1
Night King
The Night King leads the White Walkers and turns the dead into an expanding army, making him the supernatural threat behind the series' largest war. His silent command, relentless advance, and vulnerability to Valyrian steel and dragonglass make his presence powerful even without conventional dialogue.
Official source
-
2
Daenerys
Daenerys Targaryen grows from an exiled heir into a dragon-riding queen who frees slaves, gathers armies, and claims the Iron Throne. Her compassion, charisma, and belief in a new order drive her rise, while the cost of absolute power shapes her tragic final turn.
Official source
-
3
Jon Snow
Jon Snow begins as the Stark family's supposed bastard, finds purpose in the Night's Watch, and becomes a leader for both the North and the free folk. His sense of duty, battlefield courage, and hidden Targaryen identity place personal loyalty against the fate of the realm.
Official source
-
4
Arya Stark
Arya Stark survives the destruction of her family by turning grief into a disciplined pursuit of justice. Training with the Faceless Men gives her disguise and assassination skills, but her strongest arc is deciding when to use that identity and when to return to herself.
Official source
-
5
The Mountain
Ser Gregor Clegane, known as the Mountain, is a gigantic knight whose violence becomes a weapon for whichever power can command him. His brutal duel with Oberyn and later reanimation as Cersei's silent champion turn physical terror into one of the show's clearest symbols of dehumanized power.
Official source
-
6
Jaime Lannister
Jaime Lannister is a celebrated swordsman burdened by the Kingslayer name, his relationship with Cersei, and the gap between public honor and private choices. Captivity, his bond with Brienne, and the loss of his sword hand reveal a man capable of moral growth even when he cannot fully escape old loyalties.
Official source
-
7
Brienne of Tarth
Brienne of Tarth treats knighthood as a moral promise rather than a title. Her unusual strength, direct honesty, and loyalty to the people she swears to protect let her challenge the politics and gender expectations of Westeros while earning respect from rivals and allies alike.
Official source
-
8
The Hound
Sandor Clegane, the Hound, hides fear and trauma behind a brutal reputation and a cutting sense of humor. His time with Arya, later care for vulnerable people, and repeated refusal to become his brother show a rough, incomplete path toward empathy and redemption.
Official source
-
9
Oberyn Martell
Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper of Dorne, combines agile spear work, fearless wit, and a fierce demand for justice for his sister Elia. His duel with the Mountain makes his brilliance unforgettable, but his need to force a confession turns victory into a fatal lesson about vengeance.
Official source
-
10
Khal Drogo
Khal Drogo is a feared Dothraki warlord whose physical authority initially defines his marriage to Daenerys. His respect for strength and the bond that grows between them help her claim agency, while his wound and death trigger the transformation that sets her on a new path.
Official source
-
11
Grey Worm
Grey Worm rises from a castrated slave to commander of the Unsullied, relying on discipline, tactical calm, and absolute commitment to the people he chooses to serve. His love for Missandei and grief after her death reveal the emotional life beneath the soldier's controlled exterior.
Official source
-
12
Tormund Giantsbane
Tormund Giantsbane is a wildling leader whose huge laugh, bold stories, and fearless fighting make him an instantly recognizable ally. His friendship with Jon bridges the divide between the free folk and the people south of the Wall, adding warmth to a story built around suspicion.
Official source
-
13
Bronn
Bronn is a sellsword who treats survival, money, and leverage as practical truths rather than shameful compromises. His dry humor and combat skill let him move between powerful patrons, and his rise from an outsider to a lord shows how well he reads the world's incentives.
Official source
-
14
Jorah Mormont
Jorah Mormont is an exiled knight who begins as a spy seeking a pardon and becomes Daenerys's most steadfast adviser. His earlier betrayal, unrequited love, and repeated acts of protection give his loyalty a hard-won quality rather than an uncomplicated heroism.
Official source
-
15
Samwell Tarly
Samwell Tarly enters the Night's Watch as an anxious young man dismissed by his family, but his curiosity and compassion make him essential to the fight against the dead. He discovers crucial knowledge, survives impossible danger, and proves that courage can look like learning, care, and persistence.
Official source
-
16
Podrick Payne
Podrick Payne starts as Tyrion's quiet squire and gradually becomes a capable, observant young man trusted by Brienne and other veterans. His humility, kindness, and survival through war make his understated growth one of the series' gentler character arcs.
Official source
-
17
Gilly
Gilly escapes Craster's abusive household and becomes a survivor who protects her baby, learns to read, and builds a safer family with Sam. Her steady courage comes from choosing care and truth in a world that repeatedly treats vulnerable people as expendable.
Official source