List Of Game Of Thrones Characters

The characters from the medieval fantasy television series '' Game of Thrones'' are based on their respective counterparts from author George R. R. Martin's '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of novels. Set in a fictional universe that has been referred to so far as "The Known World", the series follows a civil war for the Iron Throne of the continent of Westeros, fought between the rival royal and noble families and their respective supporters.

Cast

Main cast

: = Main cast (credited)
: = Recurring cast (3+)
: = Guest cast (1-2)

;Notes

Recurring cast

: = Recurring cast (3+)
: = Guest cast (1-2)

;Notes

Guest cast

;Introduced in Season 1

* Dennis McKeever as a Night's Watch officer (season 1)
* David Bradley as Walder Frey (seasons 1, 3, 6–7)
* Andrew Wilde as Tobho Mott (seasons 1–2)
* Roger Allam as Illyrio Mopatis (season 1)
* Jefferson Hall as Hugh of the Vale (season 1)
* Margaret John as Old Nan (season 1)
* Mark Lewis Jones as Shagga (season 1)
* Bronson Webb as Will (season 1)
* Rob Ostlere as Waymar Royce (season 1)
* Dermot Keaney as Gared (season 1)
* John Standing as Jon Arryn (season 1)
* Rhodri Hosking as Mycah (season 1)
* Antonia Christophers as Mhaegen (seasons 1–2)
* Sahara Knite as Armeca (seasons 1–2)

;Introduced in Season 2

* Josephine Gillan as Marei (seasons 2–6, 8)
* Sara Dylan as Bernadette (seasons 2–4, 6–7)
* Patrick Malahide as Balon Greyjoy (seasons 2–3, 6)
* Edward Dogliani (seasons 2–3) and Ross O'Hennessy (season 5) as the Lord of Bones
* Lucian Msamati as Salladhor Saan (seasons 2–4)
* Andy Kellegher as Polliver (seasons 2, 4)
* Roy Dotrice as Hallyne (season 2)
* Oliver Ford Davies as Maester Cressen (season 2)
* David Coakley as Drennan (season 2)
* Peter Ballance as Farlen (season 2)
* Paul Caddell as Jacks (season 2)
* Aidan Crowe as Quent (season 2)
* Tyrone McElhennon as Torrhen Karstark (season 2)
* Anthony Morris as the Tickler (season 2)
* Laura Pradelska as Quaithe (season 2)
* David Fynn as Rennick (season 2)

;Introduced in Season 3

* Burn Gorman as Karl Tanner (seasons 3–4)
* Dean-Charles Chapman as Martyn Lannister (season 3)
* Timothy Gibbons as Willem Lannister (season 3)
* Alexandra Dowling as Roslin Tully (season 3)
* Mark Killeen as Mero (season 3)
* Ramon Tikaram as Prendahl na Ghezn (season 3)
* Will O'Connell as Todder (seasons 3, 5)
* Pixie Le Knot as Kayla (seasons 3–4)
* Clifford Barry as Greizhen mo Ullhor (season 3)
* George Georgiou as Razdal mo Eraz (seasons 3, 6)

;Introduced in Season 4

* Mark Gatiss as Tycho Nestoris (seasons 4–5, 7)
* Reece Noi as Mossador (seasons 4–5)
* Gary Oliver as Ternesio Terys (seasons 4–5)
* Lu Corfield as the Mole's Town madam (season 4)
* Lois Winstone as a Mole's Town prostitute (season 4)
* Alisdair Simpson as Donnel Waynwood (season 4)
* Paola Dionisotti as Anya Waynwood (season 4)
* Deirdre Monaghan as Morag (season 4)
* Jane McGrath as Sissy (season 4)
* Sarine Sofair as Lhara (seasons 4–5)

;Introduced in Season 5

* Enzo Cilenti as Yezzan zo Qaggaz (seasons 5–6)
* Murray McArthur as Dim Dalba (seasons 5–6)
* Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Malko (season 5)
* Birgitte Hjort Sørensen as Karsi (season 5)
* Zahary Baharov as Loboda (season 5)
* J. J. Murphy as Denys Mallister (season 5)
* Ali Lyons as Johnna (season 5)
* Oengus MacNamara as Thin man (season 5)
* Hattie Gotobed as Ghita (season 5)
* Meena Rayann as Vala (seasons 5–6)

;Introduced in Season 6

* Lucy Hayes as Kitty Frey (seasons 6–7)
* Dean S. Jagger as Smalljon Umber (season 6)
* Michael Feast as Aeron Greyjoy (season 6)
* Kevin Eldon as Camello (season 6)
* Eline Powell as Bianca (season 6)
* Gerald Lepkowski as Zanrush (season 6)
* Souad Faress as High Priestess of the Dosh Khaleen (season 6)
* Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Lem Lemoncloak (season 6)
* Sean Blowers as Wyman Manderly (season 6)
* Tom Varey as Cley Cerwyn (season 6)
* Samantha Spiro as Melessa Tarly (season 6)
* Rebecca Benson as Talla Tarly (season 6)
* Ania Bukstein as Kinvara (season 6)
* Ian McShane as Brother Ray (season 6)
* Ricky Champ as Gatins (season 6)
* Ian Davies as Morgan (season 6)
* Nathanael Saleh as Arthur (season 6)
* Annette Hannah as Frances (season 6)
* Eddie Jackson as Belicho Paenymion (season 6)
* Andrei Claude as Khal Rhalko (season 6)
* Tamer Hassan as Khal Forzho (season 6)
* Chuku Modu as Aggo (season 6)
* Deon Lee-Williams as Iggo (season 6)
* Hannah John-Kamen as Ornela (season 6)

;Introduced in Season 7

* Harry Grasby as Ned Umber (season 7–8)

;Introduced in Season 8

* Marc Rissmann as Harry Strickland (season 8)
* Bea Glancy as Teela (season 8)

;Non-human characters cast

* Ian Whyte as various White Walkers (seasons 1–2), the giant Dongo the Doomed (seasons 3–4) and a giant wight (season 7–8)
* Spencer Wilding as a White Walker (season 1)
* Ross Mullan as various White Walkers (seasons 2–4)
* Neil Fingleton as the giant Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg (season 4) and a giant wight (season 7)
* Tim Loane as a White Walker (season 5)

;Flashbacks cast

* Jodhi May as Maggy the Frog (season 5)
* Nell Williams as young Cersei Lannister (season 5)
* Isabella Steinbarth as Melara Hetherspoon (season 5)
* Sebastian Croft as child Eddard Stark (season 6)
* Matteo Elezi as child Benjen Stark (season 6)
* Cordelia Hill as child Lyanna Stark (season 6)
* Sam Coleman as young Wylis / Hodor (season 6)
* Annette Tierney as young Old Nan (season 6)
* Fergus Leathem as young Rodrik Cassel (season 6)
* Robert Aramayo as young Eddard Stark (seasons 6–7)
* Luke Roberts as Arthur Dayne (season 6)
* Eddie Eyre as Gerold Hightower (season 6)
* Leo Woodruff as young Howland Reed (season 6)
* Wayne Foskett as Rickard Stark (season 6)
* David Rintoul as Aerys 'The Mad King' Targaryen (season 6)
* Aisling Franciosi as Lyanna Stark (seasons 6–7)
* Wilf Scolding as Rhaegar Targaryen (season 7)
* Tom Chadbon as High Septon Maynard (season 7)

Main characters

Eddard "Ned" Stark

Ned Stark (portrayed by Sean Bean as an adult, Sebastian Croft as a child, and Robert Aramayo as a young adult) is the Hand of the King after Lord Jon Arryn's death. He is known for his sense of honor and justice. He took part in Robert's Rebellion after his sister Lyanna was kidnapped by Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. When Ned's father and brother went south to reclaim her, the "Mad King" Aerys Targaryen burned both of them alive. Ned and Robert Baratheon led the rebellion to unseat him from the throne. As the show opens, Ned has been content to remain in the north, but after the death of Lord Jon Arryn, he is convinced that it is his duty to accept the position of Hand of the King. Ned is not interested in politics, and prefers to rule with honor and follow the law. While investigating the reason for the death of Jon Arryn, he discovers that all three of Robert's children with Queen Cersei were fathered by Cersei's twin brother Jaime. When Ned confronts Cersei about the truth, she has him imprisoned for treason after he publicly denounces Joffrey. Ned is convinced by Varys that if he goes to his death honorably, as he is prepared to do, his daughters will otsuffer for it. To protect them, he sacrifices his honor and publicly declares that he was plotting to steal the throne and that Joffrey is the true king. Despite Cersei's promise that Ned would be allowed to join the Night's Watch in exile, Joffrey orders Ned's execution for his own amusement and later torments Sansa by forcing her to look at her father's head. His bones are later returned to Catelyn in the Stormlands by Petyr Baelish, who laments Ned's downfall and that he was too honorable to seize power through force, rather insisting the throne pass to Lord Stannis Baratheon, Robert's younger brother. Baelish's preferred course of action, revealed only to Ned, had been to seize Cersei and her children first and rule in Joffrey's name as Regent and Lord Protector. Ned's sacrifice is not in vain, since his notifying Stannis of the truth of Joffrey's parentage sets in motion Stannis' claim to the throne, and ensuring the illegitimacy being made known to all of Westeros. Renly, however, separately lays a claim with the support of mighty House Tyrell. Ned's actions thus set into motion the War of Five Kings against House Lannister and the Iron Throne.

Robert Baratheon

Robert Baratheon (portrayed by Mark Addy) became the King of the Seven Kingdoms after leading a rebellion against Aerys II Targaryen. He was betrothed to Ned Stark's sister Lyanna and loved her deeply, but she was kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen. Her father and another brother were killed when they went to King's Landing to reclaim her, which resulted in Robert and Ned Stark's revolt known as Robert's Rebellion, whereupon the Targaryens were all slaughtered or routed from the Kingdoms. Since Robert's family had closer ties to the former Royal family, he was put on the Iron Throne. Now, Robert has grown fat and miserable; he has no more wars to fight, is surrounded by plotters and sycophants, hates and is bored by the constant work needed to manage the Kingdoms properly, and is trapped in a political marriage to the scheming Cersei Lannister, whom he has never loved. He is unaware that none of his three children with Cersei are his, but instead Jaime Lannister's. Under his reign, the realm has been bankrupted and Robert is deeply in debt to his wife's family. Mortally wounded while hunting, he unknowingly leaves no rightful heir behind. His bastards are ordered dead by Joffrey, many of whom are killed, and Gendry is subsequently forced to flee the capital.

Jaime Lannister

Jaime Lannister (portrayed by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is a member of the Kingsguard and an exceptionally skilled swordsman. He is Cersei Lannister's twin brother and has carried on an incestuous love affair with her all his life, fathering all three of her living children. He is nicknamed "Kingslayer" for killing the previous King, Aerys II, whom he was sworn to protect. Jaime is captured by Robb Stark's army and held prisoner until he is released by Catelyn Stark and escorted back to King's Landing by Brienne of Tarth. On the road, his sword hand is severed and he reveals that he killed Aerys II to save the population of King's Landing, whom Aerys II was attempting to massacre with wildfire. Upon his return to King's Landing, he retakes his place in the Kingsguard and restarts his affair with Cersei. He travels to Dorne to rescue their daughter Myrcella, but cannot prevent her from being poisoned. After the Faith Militant gain control of the capital, Jaime is relieved of his Kingsguard duties and told to reclaim Riverrun with the Lannister army. Jaime is present at Cersei's crowning following their last child Tommen's suicide, but is later ambushed by Daenerys Targaryen, who has come to Westeros to stake a claim to the Iron Throne. After reuniting with Brienne and joining the effort to defeat the White Walkers, he returns to King's Landing to rescue Cersei from Daenerys' forces. The Lannister siblings die together when Daenerys' dragon, Drogon, destroys the Red Keep.

Catelyn Stark

Catelyn Stark (portrayed by Michelle Fairley) is the wife of Lord Eddard Stark. She is also the elder sister of Lysa Arryn, Lady of the Vale and Mistress of the Eyrie, and Lord Edmure Tully, Lord of Riverrun. Catelyn is the first to suspect that the Lannisters made an attempt on her son Brandon's life and arrests Tyrion Lannister to bring him to the Eyrie for trial. After Tyrion is released and after Eddard is executed, Catelyn joins her son Robb's campaign to rescue Sansa and Arya and defeat the Lannisters. She releases Robb's prisoner, Jaime Lannister, on the condition that he return Sansa and Arya home to Winterfell upon his return to King's Landing. She warns Robb against marrying Talisa Maegyr, which would break a marriage pact he formed with Walder Frey, but is powerless to stop him. Catelyn is killed, along with Robb and Talisa and many Stark loyalists, at the Red Wedding, when Walder Frey - supported by the Boltons and the Lannisters - turns on the Starks for breaking the marriage pact.

Cersei Lannister

Cersei Lannister (portrayed by Lena Headey as an adult and Nell Williams as a child) is the wife of King Robert Baratheon, and Queen of Westeros. Cersei has a twin brother, Jaime, with whom she has been involved in an incestuous affair from early childhood. All three of Cersei's children are Jaime's. Cersei has a strong desire for power. When she learns that King Robert may be about to discover her affair with Jaime, she arranges for him to be killed and is present when Eddard "Ned" Stark is executed. With her son Joffrey on the throne, she becomes one of his closest advisers and battles with his eventual wife Margaery Tyrell for his affections. When Joffrey is poisoned and her brother Tyrion is framed for the murder, she becomes determined to see Tyrion executed. Tyrion, however, murders their father Tywin and flees King's Landing. With her youngest son Tommen now on the throne and married to Margaery, she seeks the help of the Faith Militant and their leader the High Sparrow to regain control. The group grow too powerful, however, and imprison her when they discover her previous crimes. After being forced to walk naked through the streets as punishment, and after being confined to the Red Keep, she destroys the Sept of Baelor with wildfire, wiping out the High Sparrow and the Tyrells, and is crowned queen following Tommen's suicide. When Daenerys Targaryen comes to Westeros and challenges her claim, Cersei uses the Great War against the White Walkers as a chance to strengthen her army. She is defeated by Daenerys and killed during the destruction of King's Landing.

Daenerys Targaryen

Daenerys Targaryen (portrayed by Emilia Clarke) is the exiled princess of the Targaryen dynasty. She and her brother Viserys were smuggled to Essos during the end of Robert's Rebellion. For seventeen years, she has been under her volatile brother's care. In exchange for an army, Viserys marries her to the powerful Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo. When Drogo dies, Daenerys uses his funeral pyre to birth three dragons. She later conquers and rules over Slaver's Bay with a large army, eventually defeating the slave masters with her dragons. She leaves the region behind for Westeros, however, in a bid to reclaim her birthright: the Iron Throne. Upon her arrival in Westeros, she meets with Jon Snow, the King in the North, who convinces her to defeat the White Walkers before pressing her claim to the throne. The pair soon fall in love. In Westeros, she loses numerous friends and discovers that the people do not support her claim, while two of her dragons perish. Faced with no option but to rule through fear, she uses her last dragon, Drogon, to destroy King's Landing and take the Iron Throne by force. She is assassinated by Jon Snow in the aftermath.

Jorah Mormont

Jorah Mormont (portrayed by Iain Glen) is an exiled knight in the service of Daenerys Targaryen and the son of Jeor Mormont of the Night's Watch. Initially, Jorah is actually spying on the Targaryens for Lord Varys in exchange for a pardon on his crimes. But after learning more about Daenerys, Jorah falls in love with her and decides to protect her and help her regain the Iron Throne. After she is widowed following Khal Drogo's death, he remains with her and becomes the first knight of her Queensguard. Eventually, Jorah's spying is exposed and Daenerys banishes him from her service. He contracts greyscale, a fatal disease, while travelling with Tyrion Lannister. He eventually reunites with his queen, who orders him to cure himself of the greyscale. He journeys to the Citadel where he finds Samwell Tarly, who served under his father Jeor as a brother of the Night's Watch. Samwell is able to cure Jorah, who returns to Daenerys' service and is part of the group who journey beyond the Wall to prove the existence of White Walkers. He dies defending Daenerys at Winterfell during the eventual victory over the Army of the Dead.

Viserys Targaryen

Viserys Targaryen (portrayed by Harry Lloyd) is the exiled prince and heir of the Targaryen dynasty. Known as "the Beggar King" for his search for an army to recapture his throne. A narcissist, he is arrogant and self-centered, caring only about himself and looking down on others, especially his sister Daenerys. In exchange for an army to help regain the Iron Throne, Viserys marries off his sister to the powerful Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo and follows his horde's journey to the Dothraki capital to ensure Drogo will keep his end of the bargain. But as they journey, it becomes evident that Viserys does not have leadership skills to reclaim the throne and his arrogance and disrespect for the Dothraki does not win him any hearts. Furthermore, Daenerys, who he has always threatened throughout his life, starts to stand up to him. Realizing that Daenerys is loved by the Dothraki and her and Drogo's unborn son is prophesied to unite the world, Viserys realizes that it is not he, but Daenerys who will reclaim the Iron Throne. In a fit of drunken rage, he threatens Drogo to give him his army now or he will kill his unborn son. Having enough of his behavior, Drogo kills Viserys by giving him a "Golden Crown"; molten gold poured over his head. Daenerys later names one of her dragons Viserion, as a tribute to Viserys.

Jon Snow

Jon Snow (portrayed by Kit Harington) is the bastard son of Eddard Stark. Feeling isolated from his family due to his bastard status, he leaves their home of Winterfell to join the Night's Watch at Castle Black. Once there, he befriends Samwell Tarly and serves as steward to Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. During a ranging beyond the Wall, Jon is captured by wildlings and eventually joins their camp, falling in love with a wildling woman, Ygritte. After climbing back over the Wall with Ygritte, Jon flees to Castle Black. He leads the defence of the castle against a wildling attack (during which Ygritte is killed), hosts Stannis Baratheon and Lady Melisandre, and is elected as the new Lord Commander following his bravery in battle. He rescues a portion of wildlings from an attack by the White Walkers at the port of Hardhome. Upon his return to Castle Black, a group of Night's Watch brothers, angry with the new pact with the wildlings, mutiny and kill him. However, Jon is resurrected by Lady Melisandre and he reunites with his sister Sansa. Jon is released from his Night's Watch vows and the pair defeat House Bolton in battle, reclaiming Winterfell as their home.

Jon is named King in the North by the Northern lords. When the Dragon Queen Daenerys Targaryen arrives in Westeros, Jon convinces her to join the fight against the White Walkers and bends the knee to her. They travel beyond the Wall together to collect evidence of the White Walkers in a bid to convince Queen Cersei Lannister to join the defence. Daenerys' dragon Viserion is fatally injured during the mission, but the two fall in love. Jon is then revealed to be Aegon Targaryen, the legitimate son of Daenerys' brother Rhaegar and Ned Stark's sister Lyanna, making him the heir to the Iron Throne and Daenerys' nephew. Despite victory over the Army of the Dead, and despite Jon insisting he will not press his claim to the throne, the news weakens their relationship. Daenerys, having lost many close friends and two of her dragons during the war against the White Walkers, discovers that the population support Jon's claim to the throne over hers. After she destroys King's Landing, which sees thousands of people die in the firestorms, Jon assassinates her and is exiled back to the Night's Watch as punishment.

Robb Stark

Robb Stark (portrayed by Richard Madden) is the eldest son of Eddard and Catelyn Stark and the heir to Winterfell. His dire wolf is called Grey Wind. Robb becomes involved in the war against the Lannisters after his father, Ned Stark, is arrested for treason. Robb summons his bannermen for war against House Lannister and marches to the Riverlands. Eventually, crossing the river at the Twins becomes strategically necessary. To win permission to cross, Robb agrees to marry a daughter of Walder Frey, Lord of the Twins. Robb leads the war effort against the Lannisters and successfully captures Jaime. After Ned is executed, the North and the Riverlands declare their independence from the Seven Kingdoms and proclaim Robb as their new King, "the King in the North". He wins a succession of battles in Season 2, earning him the nickname the Young Wolf. However, he feels that he botched the political aspects of war. He sends Theon to the Iron Islands hoping that he can broker an alliance with Balon Greyjoy, Theon's father. In exchange for Greyjoy support, Robb as King in the North will recognize the Iron Islands' independence. He also sends his mother Catelyn to deal with Stannis Baratheon and Renly Baratheon, both of whom are fighting to be the rightful king.

Theon and Catelyn fail in their missions, and Balon launches an invasion of the North. Robb falls in love with Talisa Maegyr, a healer from Volantis due to her kindness and spirit. Despite his mother's protest, Robb breaks his engagement with the Freys and marries Talisa in the 2nd-season finale. On news of his grandfather, Lord Hoster Tully's, death, Robb and his party travel north to Riverrun for the funeral, where the young king is reunited with his great-uncle, Ser Brynden "Blackfish" Tully, and his uncle, Edmure Tully, the new lord of Riverrun. While at Riverrun, Robb makes the decision to execute Lord Rickard Karstark for the murders of two teenage squires related to the Lannisters, a decision that loses the support of the Karstarks and leads Robb to make the ultimately fatal decision to ask the Freys for their alliance. He is killed in the Red Wedding Massacre, after witnessing the murder of his pregnant wife and their child. Lord Bolton personally executes Robb, stabbing him through the heart while taunting that "the Lannisters send their regards", in fact a promise made to Jaime (who had no knowledge of Bolton's impending treason) when leaving for the Twins. His corpse is later decapitated and Grey Wind's head is sewn on and paraded around as the Stark forces are slaughtered by the Boltons and Freys.

Sansa Stark

Sansa Stark (portrayed by Sophie Turner) is the first daughter and second child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. Initially betrothed to King Joffrey, she is later released from her vow by Joffrey's betrothal to Margaery Tyrell. When Joffrey is poisoned at his wedding to Margaery, Sansa is smuggled out of King's Landing by Littlefinger and taken first to the Eyrie and then to her home of Winterfell, now under the control of House Bolton. She is forced to marry the abusive and sadistic Ramsay Bolton, but later escapes with the help of Theon Greyjoy. She reunites with her brother Jon Snow at Castle Black and, with Littlefinger's army, helps him reclaim Winterfell. She rules the fortress while Jon leaves to fight for Daenerys Targaryen, which Littlefinger uses as an opportunity to drive her away from her siblings until Brandon Stark (now the Three-Eyed Raven) reveals his treacherous past. Sansa gives the order to have Littlefinger executed by Arya. Sansa survives the attack of the White Walkers and is eventually crowned as queen of an independent North.

Arya Stark

Arya Stark (portrayed by Maisie Williams) is the younger daughter of Lord Eddard and Catelyn Stark of Winterfell. A tomboy at heart, Arya is active and bright. She names her dire wolf Nymeria, after a legendary warrior queen. After travelling to King's Landing with her father Ned Stark, new Hand of the King to Robert Baratheon, she is taught by Syrio Forel in the art of "water dancing", a form of sword fighting. When Ned is executed, she escapes the capital with Yoren and his Night's Watch recruits. On the road, she is captured by Lannister soldiers and, along with her friends Gendry and Hot Pie, imprisoned at Harrenhal, where she meets mysterious assassin Jaqen H'ghar and serves as Tywin Lannister's cupbearer. After escaping Harrenhal, the trio encounter the Brotherhood without Banners, a group of religious outlaws who protect the countryside. When the Brotherhood sell Gendry to Lady Melisandre, Arya escapes and is captured by Sandor Clegane, The Hound. She is taken to The Twins to be reunited with her mother Catelyn and brother Robb, but only arrives in time to see them massacred at the Red Wedding. After travelling northwards, Sandor is gravely wounded in a fight, and Arya leaves him for dead before sailing to Braavos. She trains with Jaqen H'ghar to become a Faceless Man but, after realising she cannot give up her identity, returns to Westeros and avenges the Red Wedding by slaughtering Walder Frey. She returns to Winterfell and eventually helps her sister Sansa and brother Brandon (now the Three-Eyed Raven) to uncover the meddling of Petyr Baelish, whom they execute on charges of murder and treason. Before the attack on Winterfell by White Walkers, she reunites with Gendry and Sandor (who survived his injuries). During the battle, she kills the Night King and saves Westeros from The Long Night. When Daenerys Targaryen plans to attack King's Landing, she travels south to get revenge on Cersei for her role in Ned's death. However, Arya is caught in the firestorms caused by Daenerys' dragon, Drogon, and is forced to flee the city instead. After Daenerys' assassination, Arya leaves Westeros for lands unknown.

Theon Greyjoy

Theon Greyjoy (portrayed by Alfie Allen) is the youngest son of Lord Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands. He is the hostage and ward of Lord Eddard Stark, stemming from the failed Greyjoy Rebellion years earlier. Despite his position, he remains loyal to the Starks and is good friends with his sons Robb and Jon. After Ned's execution in King's Landing by the Lannisters, he joins Robb's Northern war effort as one of his advisers. He is ordered by Robb to return to the Iron Islands to convince his father Balon to ally with the Northern soldiers against the crown, but instead betrays Robb and decides to seize Winterfell for himself, taking the castle from Brandon Stark. While he rules Winterfell, he pretends to have burned Bran and Rickon Stark alive. When the Boltons capture Winterfell from the Ironborn soldiers, Theon is held as prisoner by Ramsay Bolton. He is then mutilated and tortured beyond recognition, and eventually believes himself to be called "Reek". He becomes a servant at Winterfell and soon reunites with Sansa Stark, who has been forced into a marriage with Ramsay. When Stannis Baratheon attacks the castle, the pair escape their captor, and Theon returns home to the Iron Islands. He discovers that his father is dead and that his uncle, Euron, has seized the Salt Throne. Theon escapes with Yara and sails across the Narrow Sea to ally with Daenerys Targaryen. While on a mission to Dorne to gather soldiers for Daenerys' army, Theon and Yara are attacked by Euron at sea, with Theon jumping overboard and Yara being taken prisoner. Theon rescues Yara and sends her home to the Iron Islands, while he returns to Winterfell to face the Army of the Dead, reuniting with Sansa once more. He defends Brandon Stark against the oncoming undead forces, but is eventually killed by the Night King. His death is not in vain, however, as the Night King's forces are defeated.

Brandon "Bran" Stark

Bran Stark (portrayed by Isaac Hempstead Wright) is the fourth child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. He was named after his deceased uncle, Brandon. His dire wolf is called Summer. During King Robert's visit to Winterfell, he accidentally encounters Cersei and Jaime Lannister engaging in their incestuous affair, following which Bran is shoved from the window by Jaime, leaving him paralysed below the waist. When Robb marches south to avenge Eddard's death, Brandon rules Winterfell alongside Maester Luwin. When Theon Greyjoy's Ironborn soldiers seize Winterfell, they pretend to have burned Bran alive, when in reality Bran has escaped the castle to find a Three-Eyed Raven who appears in his dreams. He travels beyond the Wall to find the raven with his brother Rickon, servant Hodor, the wildling Osha, direwolves Summer and Shaggydog, and eventually Jojen and Meera Reed. Osha, Rickon and Shaggydog leave for Last Hearth.

Once beyond the Wall, they are briefly captured by Night's Watch mutineers at Craster's Keep, but free themselves and eventually reach the cave of the Three-Eyed Raven. Jojen is killed by undead wights before they can reach safety. Once there, Bran undergoes training to become the next Three-Eyed Raven and experiences several visions of the future and past. When the Night King enters one of these visions and breaks the spell protecting the cave, Bran and Meera are forced to flee while Hodor and Summer are both killed by the undead. Now the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran experiences all of time at once, and begins to lose sense of himself. Upon returning to Winterfell from beyond the Wall, he bids a cold farewell to Meera and his family no longer recognise him. It is revealed that the Night King intends to kill Bran in an attempt to wipe out the order of Three-Eyed Ravens and erase the world's memory. Bran is used as bait to lure the Night King to a place where he can be killed, which Bran's sister Arya Stark successfully manages. After Daenerys Targaryen destroys King's Landing with her dragon and kills Queen Cersei Lannister, Bran is selected to be the new ruler of Westeros.

Joffrey Baratheon

Joffrey Baratheon (portrayed by Jack Gleeson) is the Crown Prince of the Seven Kingdoms. He is the eldest of Cersei Lannister's children and heir to the Iron Throne. Vicious and cruel, he has a short temper and believes he can do anything he wants. He is also a coward when confronted by those who aren't afraid of him. Joffrey is unaware that King Robert is not his real father – who, in reality, is Jaime Lannister. After Robert's death, the Lannisters make Joffrey the King against his father's will, and Joffrey becomes a cruel ruler and a Puppet King used by his mother. After being initially betrothed to Sansa Stark, the arrival of the Tyrells in King's Landing results in Joffrey casting Sansa aside for Margaery Tyrell. During their wedding day, however, Joffrey is assassinated in front of a large crowd by poison.

Sandor Clegane

Sandor Clegane (portrayed by Rory McCann) is the younger brother of Ser Gregor Clegane. He is also Joffrey Baratheon's personal bodyguard. The right side of his face was grievously burned when he was only a boy after his brother pushed his face into a brazier, leaving the right side of his face burnt and giving him a fear of fire. He is taciturn and brutal, but not without compassion. He is protective towards Sansa after she is captured by the Lannisters. After Joffrey becomes King, Sandor is made a member of the Kingsguard. Although he is faithful to Joffrey, he frequently defends Sansa from Joffrey's attempts to physically abuse her. During the Battle of Blackwater, Sandor's fear of fire overwhelms him. He resigns from the Kingsguard and leaves King's Landing. While on the road, he is captured by Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr, leaders of the Brotherhood without Banners. He is released after winning a trial-by-combat.

He kidnaps Arya Stark with the intention of selling her to her mother and brother, Catelyn and Robb Stark, only to see them slaughtered at the Red Wedding. He then plans to take Arya to her aunt, Lysa, in the Vale, only to find out that she too has recently died. The pair encounter Brienne and Podrick on the road, with Sandor losing a fight to Brienne. Arya leaves him for dead. Roughly a year later, it is revealed that Sandor survived his injuries and has been living a peaceful life, building a small sept in the Riverlands. When the villagers he works with are massacred, he reunites with Beric and Thoros on their mission beyond the Wall to gather evidence of the White Walkers, along with Jon Snow, Ser Jorah Mormont, Tormund Giantsbane, and Gendry Baratheon. Thoros dies on the mission. During a parley with Queen Cersei Lannister, Sandor encounters his brother and promises revenge. He reunites with Arya Stark, survives the attack on Winterfell from the Night King, and journeys south with her as his companion. Once in the capital, he finds his brother and fights with him to the death as the pair perish in the firestorms caused by Daenerys Targaryen.

Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion Lannister (portrayed by Peter Dinklage) is the younger brother of Cersei and Jaime Lannister. He is a dwarf and his mother died during his birth, for which his father, Tywin Lannister, blames him. While not physically powerful, Tyrion has a cunning mind. After being falsely accused of the attempted murder of Brandon Stark, he survives a battle with Robb Stark's forces and returns to King's Landing, where he takes the position as King Joffrey's Hand of the King. After Tywin wins the Battle of Blackwater for the Lannisters, Tyrion is demoted from his position and renamed Master of Coin. He engages in a secret love affair with the prostitute Shae, until he is forcibly married to Sansa Stark (something Shae resents him for) and Cersei learns of Shae's relationship to Tyrion. After King Joffrey is poisoned at his wedding to Margaery Tyrell, Tyrion is framed for the crime. Shae testifies against Tyrion and Tywin sentences him to death.

Tyrion escapes the capital with the help of his brother Jaime and Lord Varys, but not before taking revenge on Shae and Tywin by killing them both. He travels across the Narrow Sea and soon reaches Meereen, where he joins the advisory team of Daenerys Targaryen. He rules the city during her absence after an attack by the Sons of the Harpy and is named Hand of the Queen upon her return. Tyrion accompanies Daenerys back across the Narrow Sea, supporting her claim against his sister Cersei. His plans to ensure the invasion is bloodless, however, see Daenerys lose valuable allies, and she begins to doubt his ability as a strategist. After the White Walkers are defeated at Winterfell, Tyrion accompanies Daenerys during her mission to finally conquer King's Landing. Not wanting his family to die in battle, however, he secretly arranges for Jaime and Cersei to escape the city. After Daenerys destroys the city and massacres the city's population, including Cersei and Jaime, Tyrion resigns as Hand of the Queen and is imprisoned. When Daenerys is assassinated by Jon Snow, Tyrion is freed and named as Bran the Broken's Hand of the King.

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish

Petyr Baelish (portrayed by Aidan Gillen) is the Master of Coin in King Robert Baratheon's Small Council. Petyr is a master manipulator who knows the ongoing affairs within the Seven Kingdoms, thanks to his spies. While Petyr at first is assumed to be an ally of Ned Stark, he secretly resents him for marrying Catelyn Tully and betrays him, leading to Ned's execution. Petyr owns a King's Landing brothel, where he employs (and mistreats) several workers. He also has an ongoing feud with Lord Varys, another of Westeros' spymasters. After the Battle of Blackwater, Sansa Stark (Catelyn's daughter) is cast aside by King Joffrey for Margaery Tyrell. Petyr attempts to persuade Sansa to leave the capital with him, but she refuses. When Joffrey is poisoned at his own wedding, Sansa is secretly smuggled out of the capital by Petyr, who planned Joffrey's assassination with Lady Olenna Tyrell. He then takes her to the Eyrie where he is to marry her aunt and Catelyn's sister, Lysa Arryn.

While at the Eyrie, it is revealed that Petyr has fallen in love with Sansa due to her resemblance to her mother. Lysa discovers this information and tries to have Sansa killed, only for Petyr to push her through the castle's moon door to her death instead. Sansa lies for Petyr, and says Lysa jumped to her death of her own accord. Petyr and Sansa then journey to Winterfell, where Petyr arranges for Sansa to marry Ramsay Bolton. Petyr then travels to King's Landing and reveals to Cersei that Sansa, a suspect in Joffrey's murder, has resurfaced in the North. Petyr returns to the Vale and commands the Knights of the Vale to join his cause to reclaim Winterfell from the Boltons. The Knights of the Vale then assist Jon Snow's wildling army against the Boltons, and Winterfell is returned to Stark hands. With Jon Snow, new King in the North, in the south with Daenerys Targaryen, Petyr attempts to divide Sansa, Arya, and Bran, the recently reunited Stark siblings. Bran (now the Three-Eyed Raven), however, uncovers his treachery, reveals the litany of crimes he committed against the Starks, and sentences Petyr to death.

Davos Seaworth

Davos Seaworth (portrayed by Liam Cunningham) is a former smuggler and knight in the service of Stannis Baratheon. A natural sceptic of religion and magic, he distrusts another of Stannis' advisers, the Lady Melisandre, and her belief in the Lord of Light. Before the events of the series, he earned his knighthood by smuggling food to the besieged Stannis Baratheon and his army. Before knighting him, however, Stannis removed the last joints from four fingers on his right hand as punishment for his years of smuggling. Davos leads Stannis' fleet into King's Landing during a siege on the capital but is shipwrecked during Tyrion Lannister's defence of the city. He awakens on an island and returns to Dragonstone, Stannis' headquarters, where he is imprisoned for attempting to murder Lady Melisandre. In the cells, he befriends Shireen, Stannis' daughter, who visits him and teaches him how to read. He also forms a bond with Gendry, Stannis' illegitimate nephew, whom he frees from the dungeons and returns to King's Landing. Davos is welcomed back into Stannis' service despite setting Gendry free, and is present when Stannis travels first to Braavos and then to Castle Black. When Stannis marches south from Castle Black with Melisandre to claim Winterfell, Davos is told to return to the Wall and befriends Jon Snow.

Davos soon learns that Stannis, his family, and his entire army were killed during the attempt to take Winterfell, but he is unaware that Shireen was burned alive as a sacrifice by Melisandre, who returns to the Wall in disgrace, her king having been defeated. When Jon Snow is assassinated in a mutiny for making a pact with the wildlings, Davos is the first person to find his body. He convinces Melisandre to resurrect Jon, using her religious magic, and finds Jon alive the next morning. He joins Jon's wildling army in the Battle of the Bastards, helping to reclaim the castle for the Starks. Before the battle, he discovers that Shireen had been burned alive, and confronts Melisandre when the battle is over, leading to her banishment from the North. Davos then becomes a loyal member of Jon's council. He accompanies Jon to Dragonstone to meet with Daenerys Targaryen, then to Eastwatch on the mission to gather evidence of White Walkers, and then to King's Landing to display the evidence to Queen Cersei Lannister. He also reunites with Gendry. When the Night King breaks through the Wall and attacks Winterfell, Davos, along with the returning Melisandre, forms part of the army that defeats him. Davos is present when Daenerys destroys King's Landing with her last remaining dragon, Drogon, and eventually becomes a member of Bran the Broken's small council.

Samwell Tarly

Samwell Tarly (portrayed by John Bradley) is the eldest son and former heir of Lord Randyll Tarly, and a new recruit to the Night's Watch. He was sent to the Wall by his father, who disowned him for his cowardice. He becomes Jon Snow's best friend. While not a warrior, he is very smart and insightful. He is inducted into the stewards and assigned to Maester Aemon. He joins the Night's Watch's Great Ranging beyond the Wall and survives that battle with White Walkers at the Fist of the First Men. Travelling back to Castle Black via Craster's Keep, Sam escapes the mutiny with Gilly and her newborn son, whom she eventually names Sam. When the trio are attacked by a White Walker while trekking through the wilderness, Sam uses dragonglass daggers (found at the Fist) to kill it. They return to Castle Black, reuniting with Jon Snow, and survive the attack by Mance Rayder's wildling army. Fearing for Gilly's safety at Castle Black due to her wildling status, Sam temporarily leaves the Night's Watch with Jon's permission to become a maester of the Citadel. Initially planning to leave Gilly and little Sam at Horn Hill, his family home, he instead decides to bring them to the Citadel.

After curing Jorah Mormont of greyscale, they discover that a cave of dragonglass sits under Dragonstone, and Sam alerts Jon to this, eventually leading to Jon and Daenerys' meeting and union. Later, they uncover the truth that Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark were wed before Robert's Rebellion and the birth of their son, Jon Snow. When the order of maesters turn out to be disbelieving of the White Walker threat, he abandons his lessons and returns to the North to face the Army of the Dead. He meets Brandon Stark, now the Three-Eyed Raven, and by corroborating their stories they find out the truth that Jon is actually Aegon Targaryen, legitimate heir to the Iron Throne. Sam tells Jon of this truth when the latter returns to Winterfell, having left the Night's Watch after his assassination and resurrection, and after allying with Daenerys. Sam survives the attack by White Walkers on Winterfell, and stays at the castle with a newly pregnant Gilly. After Daenerys Targaryen destroys King's Landing, forcing Jon to assassinate her, Sam travels to the capital (presumably with Gilly and little Sam) and is present when Bran (dubbed Bran the Broken) is selected as Westeros' new ruler. He becomes a grandmaester in Bran's small council.

Stannis Baratheon

Stannis Baratheon (portrayed by Stephen Dillane) is the elder of Robert Baratheon's younger brothers. He is a brooding, humorless man known for his hard sense of justice. When Robert dies, Ned Stark sends Stannis a letter appointing him as the legitimate heir. Stannis becomes a challenger for the Iron Throne after his nephew Joffrey Baratheon becomes king, becoming one of five in the War of Five Kings. Advised by the Red Priestess Lady Melisandre (follower of the Lord of Light) and Davos Seaworth, Stannis is based at Dragonstone, an offshore island in the Narrow Sea, where he lives with his daughter Shireen and wife Selyse. Melisandre convinces Stannis to kill his brother Renly Baratheon with a shadow demon and claim half of Renly's army for his own. After Renly is killed by a demon bearing Stannis' face, Lady Brienne, head of Renly's kingsguard, promises to one day take revenge on Stannis. Stannis' army attacks King's Landing in an attempt to seize the throne but is repelled at the city's walls after a long battle. After his defeat, Stannis stays at Dragonstone while Melisandre heads to the Westeros mainland in search of Gendry Baratheon, Robert's illegitimate son. Melisandre returns to Dragonstone with Gendry and uses blood magic to cast a fatal curse over King Joffrey, King in the North Robb Stark, and Lord of the Iron Islands Balon Greyjoy.

Robb Stark is slaughtered at the Red Wedding soon after, while Joffrey is poisoned at his own wedding to Margaery Tyrell. With the War of Five Kings effectively concluded by their deaths, Stannis sails to Braavos in an attempt to secure funding from the Iron Bank. He then travels further north to Castle Black, and inadvertently ends the conflict between Mance Rayder's wildling army and the Night's Watch. He takes up residence at the fortress and tutors the young Lord Commander Jon Snow, in whom Melisandre takes a keen interest. With winter approaching, Stannis hurriedly marches south in an attempt to take Winterfell from the Boltons. With the weather closing in around them, and with his supplies dwindling, Melisandre suggests to Stannis that his daughter Shireen be sacrificed, in the hopes that her own king's blood will please the Lord of Light. Shireen is burned alive, causing half of Stannis' army to abandon his cause. Stannis attempts to take Winterfell regardless but is quickly defeated in the field. After the battle, he is discovered in a nearby forest by Lady Brienne, who avenges her long-deceased king by executing Stannis. Stannis does not live long enough to hear of Balon Greyjoy's death at the hands of his younger brother Euron, completing the list of those Melisandre cursed with blood magic.

Melisandre

Melisandre (portrayed by Carice van Houten) is a priestess of the Lord of Light in service to Stannis Baratheon. Melisandre has prophetic powers that give her partial knowledge of future events. Unlike many other people in Westeros with access to prophecy, Melisandre has absolute faith in her own interpretation, even though she is sometimes wrong. Melisandre believes Stannis is the chosen one who will convert the people of Westeros into followers of the Lord of Light. Melisandre convinces Stannis to conceive a shadow demon with her, which she will use to murder Renly Baratheon, Stannis' brother and challenger to the throne. The shadow demon, bearing Stannis Baratheon's face, kills Renly. Melisandre is left behind at Dragonstone when Stannis is defeated in his attempts to seize King's Landing. After Stannis' return, Melisandre heads to the mainland in Westeros and meets with the Brotherhood without Banners and fellow Red Priest, Thoros of Myr. Gendry Baratheon, King Robert's bastard son, is sold to her, and she brings him back to Dragonstone. She uses his king's blood to curse Stannis' challengers to the Iron Throne. When Stannis sails to the Wall and resides at Castle Black, Melisandre accompanies him but takes a keen interest in the young Lord Commander, Jon Snow. She wears light clothing even in freezing temperatures, claiming that the Lord of Light's fire lives within her.

She then travels southward with Stannis when he tries to seize Winterfell from the Boltons. With winter approaching and snow storms halting their progress, Melisandre sacrifices Stannis' daughter, Shireen, to the Lord of Light, in an attempt to ease the weather and grant them safe passage. Instead, Stannis' soldiers lose faith in his cause, and her king is killed after a battle. Melisandre returns to Castle Black in disgrace and finds that Jon Snow has been murdered in a mutiny. Doubting her faith, she hides from Davos and begins wearing winter clothing. Her faith is restored, however, when she manages to resurrect Jon from the dead. Jon marches south to take Winterfell from the Boltons with a wildling army and successfully reclaims the castle. Davos, who had become a guardian to Shireen, discovers that his late friend was burned alive by Melisandre, leading Jon Snow to banish the Red Woman from the North. She arrives at Dragonstone shortly after Daenerys Targaryen and instructs her to summon Jon Snow. She then travels to Volantis, claiming that she will one day return to Westeros to die. Months later, Melisandre returns to Winterfell one last time and uses her magic in the fight against the White Walkers. During the battle, she displays powerful magic, the like of which many of the human combatants have never seen before. Physically exhausted after using the last of her strength to defeat the Army of the Dead, she removes her enchanted necklace, reveals her true withered form to Davos Seaworth, and disappears on the wind.

Jeor Mormont

Jeor Mormont (portrayed by James Cosmo) is the 997th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, and the estranged father of Ser Jorah. He gave up his lands to serve the Night's Watch. His son's shaming of their house weighs heavily on him. He personally requests that Jon Snow be made his personal steward, and gives him the Hand-and-a-Half sword (also known as a bastard sword) of their house, Longclaw. He has the pommel reshaped into a wolf's head. To investigate the return of wights, the disappearance of several Rangers, and rumors of a wildling army, Jeor leads an expeditionary force beyond the Wall in Season 2. In Season 3, after returning to Craster's Keep, he is slain by Rast in the ensuing mutiny. His death ignites Maester Aemon's call for the lords of Westeros to aid the Night's Watch, which convinces Stannis Baratheon the time is ripe to fight the onslaught of the White Walkers. His corpse is apparently desecrated afterwards, as in season 4, Karl Tanner is shown drinking wine from a skull he claims is Jeor's.

Bronn

Bronn (portrayed by Jerome Flynn) is a sellsword with a sardonic sense of humor. He is first seen aiding Catelyn Stark when she wrongly arrests Tyrion Lannister for an attempt on her son Brandon's life. During Tyrion's trial at the Eyrie, Bronn volunteers to fight when Tyrion demands a trial by combat. Bronn wins the fight and becomes Tyrion's companion and protector, accompanying him back to King's Landing. When Tyrion is named Hand of the King, Bronn becomes head of the City Watch in the capital. Bronn also becomes an advisor to Tyrion and is named Ser Bronn of the Blackwater after his heroics during the defence of the city from Stannis Baratheon's army. After the battle, Bronn remains in Tyrion's employ as both a colleague and friend. Bronn is later tasked with training up Jaime Lannister's weaker hand with a sword -- Jaime having lost his stronger swordhand while a prisoner of the Boltons. When King Joffrey is poisoned and Tyrion is once again falsely accused of a crime, Bronn is bribed by Cersei to marry Lollys Stokeworth and leave the capital instead of fighting for Tyrion in another trial-by-combat. Tyrion flees the capital after Prince Oberyn Martell fights for him and is killed by The Mountain.

Before Bronn can marry Lollys, however, he reunites with Jaime, who has been tasked with travelling to Dorne to retrieve Myrcella Baratheon from the Martells, who threaten revenge for their prince's death. In their attempts to rescue Myrcella, Bronn and Jaime provoke the Sand Snakes (daughters of the late Oberyn Martell) and Bronn is imprisoned. He is released when Jaime bargains for his freedom. Myrcella is poisoned by Ellaria Sand, despite their efforts to bring her home to King's Landing. Bronn later accompanies Jaime to Riverrun, where the Lannister army retake the castle from the Tullys, and he also forms part of the force that seizes Highgarden from the Tyrells. Bronn, Jaime, and the rest of the Lannister forces are ambushed by Daenerys Targaryen on the back of her dragon, Drogon. Bronn wounds Drogon during the massacre, but is forced to rescue Jaime from an attack by Daenerys. The pair escape by floating downstream on the Blackwater Rush. After Jaime leaves Cersei Lannister and rides north to face the White Walkers, Bronn stays in King's Landing but is tasked by Cersei with killing Jaime for his apparent betrayal. Instead of carrying out Cersei's orders, however, Bronn uses the threat of death as leverage over Jaime and Tyrion, securing himself a seat on Bran the Broken's small council as Lord of the Reach.

Varys

Varys (portrayed by Conleth Hill) is a member of the Small Council, serving under King Robert Baratheon, King Joffrey Baratheon and King Tommen Baratheon. He is also a Master of Whisperers, with many spies in his employ across two continents, and clashes frequently with Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish. After serving under three kings, Varys flees to Essos with Tyrion Lannister following the latter's murder of his father Tywin. Once there, Varys arranges for Tyrion to become one of Daenerys Targaryen's advisers. The pair then rule Meereen in her absence following an attack by rebel group the Sons of the Harpy. When Daenerys returns to defeat the slave masters and the Sons of the Harpy, Varys and Tyrion accompany her to Westeros and support her claim to the Iron Throne. Varys survives the Great War between the living and the dead, and discovers that Jon Snow is actually Daenerys' nephew Aegon Targaryen, rightful heir to the Iron Throne, but is executed when his plot to crown Jon king is exposed.

Shae

Shae (portrayed by Sibel Kekilli) is a young camp follower in whom Tyrion Lannister takes particular interest. She is from Lorath, one of the Free Cities across the Narrow Sea. Tyrion falls in love with her and to hide her from his father, Tyrion appoints Shae to be Sansa's handmaiden. As her handmaiden, Shae is the only person Sansa trusts and confides to her about her problems and what she really thinks about the Lannisters. In turn, Shae becomes protective of Sansa and attempts to help her in any way she can. In Season 3, she becomes jealous of Tyrion after his marriage to Sansa and is confronted by Varys, who urges her to leave the Seven Kingdoms, which she refuses to do, thinking that Tyrion has something to do with Varys talking to her. In Season 4, Tyrion is forced to send Shae away from King's Landing on a ship after her presence is discovered by Cersei and his father is told, insulting her in the process. Shae, however, does not leave King's Landing and resurfaces at Tyrion's trial for murdering Joffrey, where she falsely claims that both Tyrion and Sansa were responsible for Joffrey's death. It is revealed, however, that Shae was having an affair with Tywin. After Tyrion is freed by Jaime, he finds Shae sleeping in Tywin's bed, making him realise the horrible truth. Shae attempts to kill Tyrion with a knife, but he strangles her to death both in self-defense and out of anger for her betrayal.

Margaery Tyrell

Margaery Tyrell (portrayed by Natalie Dormer