Game of Thrones is full of morally questionable characters, like Jaime Lannister, but that hasn’t stoped fans from giving them undue admiration.
Now that the first season of House of the Dragon has concluded, Game of Thrones fans have a new set of characters to love. Of course, like the show’s predecessor series, these individuals aren’t always morally deserving of the admiration. Still, murder, secrets, and cutthroat politics are a staple of Westeros, and the success of Rhaenyra’s story proved that audiences had been hungry for more.
With so many characters doing such detestable things, it’s easy to forgive “less” terrible characters for their crimes. However, when looking at them objectively, it’s clear that even the good guys of Game of Thrones are downright awful people. From the clever Tyrion Lannister to the Mad Queen herself, several highly admired characters may not entirely deserve it.
Tyrion Lannister Was Still Far From Moral
Tyrion Lannister is summed up by his Game of Thrones quote, “I drink, and I know things.” Right from season one, the youngest Lannister son was easy to empathize with, and his witty, mischievous nature only added to his appeal. By the end of the series, he became a top candidate for king in the eyes of fans.
Tyrion is indeed a far better person than his father, Tywin, but he certainly isn’t blameless. Audiences felt sorry for him when he murdered Shae, and many thought she had it coming. Still, it’s hard to deny that this was cold-blooded murder and could have been avoided entirely.
Jaime Lannister Never Redeemed Himself
At the start of Game of Thrones, Jaime is entirely detestable. He pushed a young boy out of a window, openly made a mockery of his king, and laughed in the face of innocents being murdered. He cared for no one but himself and, by extension, his blood.
A little misfortune did Jaime’s character some good. After he lost his hand and finally began to take things seriously, his relationship with Brienne of Tarth made him almost immediately likable. Jaime seemed to have remorse for his actions, and many saw him as being redeemed. But, given all the horrors that Jaime took part in, and the fact that he returned to Cersei in the end, it would take much more than loving Brienne to make him admirable.
Ned Stark Really Was Foolish
While Ned Stark died in season one, his legacy was stitched right into his children’s character arcs until the end. He stood for honor, and Jon Snow especially used his father’s unwavering morality to guide him through the many complex choices he would have to make.
However, the person who contributed most to Ned Stark’s downfall in Game of Thrones is Ned himself. Petyr Baelish called him foolish around every corner, and the honorable Lord’s execution proved that he was right. He might have been good, but the fact that he would tell Cersei to her face that he would tell everyone the truth about her children was just too ridiculous to respect.
Catelyn Stark Was Unnecessarily Cruel
Catelyn Stark becomes the evil Lady Stoneheart in the books, but no such thing happens in the Game of Thrones series. After her death at the Red Wedding, she stays dead and is remembered by her children and audiences as a good and strong woman.
But it’s hard not to become uncomfortable when hearing Catelyn talk about Jon Snow. She had been blatantly cruel to him since he was a baby and went out of her way to ensure that he always felt like an outsider in Winterfell. Of course, she never knew Jon’s true identity, but it’s still hard to forgive such hatred for a helpless child.
Bronn Would Never Be Loyal
Bronn is a cutthroat and a killer and doesn’t pretend to be anything different. But, after he developed a friendship with Tyrion and Jaime in Game of Thrones, he was impossible not to like. Similar to Tyrion, he was funny and uniquely intelligent. But, he was comically disloyal.
When Tyrion met him, Bronn made it clear that he would always side with the highest bidder. Still, many of his fans were surprised when he flip-flopped sides a couple of times in the last couple of seasons. Bronn might have been good for a laugh, but he was certainly no one to idolize.
Sansa Stark Was Overly Reckless
Sansa had tremendous growth throughout Game of Thrones, and many viewers who had started off disliking her found themselves viewing her with respect. For better or worse, she had learned important lessons from her Lannister captors in King’s Landing— proving herself far smarter than she had been given credit.
While this might have made her a strong role model, Sansa’s decisions in season eight changed everything. Jon had made her promise that she wouldn’t tell anyone that he was the Targaryen heir, but she did it anyway. This set off a series of events that got countless people killed. But, to Sansa, this didn’t matter since she ended up with everything she wanted.
Sandor Clegane Was Still A Murderer
Sandor Clegane, or the Hound, is another character that started the series seeming despicable but gradually grew in everyone, even Arya’s, hearts. Ultimately, it’s clear that all the Hound wants is justice for the hurt little boy that still lives in his heart.
As tragic as this is, it still shouldn’t be forgotten that Sandor murdered many people in the name of the Lannisters, and he often bragged that he included innocent women and children as well. Sure, his relationship with Arya was heartwarming, but riding down the butcher’s boy and laughing about it after is just too evil to forget.
Olenna Tyrell Put Innocent People At Risk
Everyone hated Joffrey, so his death was a celebratory moment for Game of Thrones fans. But, this became slightly spoiled when Tyrion took the heat for the murder. Audiences knew he was innocent, especially since Olenna Tyrell had admitted to Margaery that it had been her.
It was a satisfying moment to see Olenna confess to her crimes just before her death, leading many to respect the woman for her sneaky courage. However, this becomes concerning after audiences remember that Sansa and Tyrion would have obviously been the prime suspects. Olenna had befriended Sansa just to put her in danger recklessly.
Brienne Of Tarth Was Willfully Ignorant
Jaime and Brienne’s relationship in Game of Thrones was a favorite for many. The latter used her honorable charm to help Jaime see the light, and he became a better character because of her. Brienne is strong and likable, and because of her, audiences changed their perspective of Jaime.
When looking at Brienne’s character, however, it is revealed that she falls in love very quickly, despite who that person is. She loved Renly Baratheon, despite him having no interest in her romantically. Then, after he died, she fell head over heels for Jaime. She truly believed that he had changed, but realistically, he had done very little to prove this. It could be admirable that she sees the best in people, but it isn’t healthy that she takes it so far.
Daenerys Targaryen Was Always Dangerous
Daenerys’ character arc is among the most controversial in Game of Thrones. Many fans have accused the show of rushing her dip into darkness, resulting in a suddenly evil character that no one recognized. Before this, she had been purely adored by both her people and real-world audiences.
Still, if season eight had gone about things differently, it might have been easy to see that Daenerys had always been dangerous. From the moment she dedicated herself to the Iron Throne, she wouldn’t let anything get in her way. She killed people without asking questions and barely allowed herself to feel remorse after the fact because she was so steadfast in her destiny. Perhaps the long-awaited final books in George R. R. Martin’s series will see a different end for Dany, but it likely won’t change the fact that she isn’t entirely deserving of admiration.
