Game Of Thrones: How Old Each Character Is Supposed To Be ( Part 4)
Brienne of Tarth – 32 Years Old
Book Age: 17
Brienne of Tarth represents one of the biggest age jumps from book to TV show, with the original version of the Game of Thrones character’s age being 17 years old at the start of A Song of Ice & Fire. This means that, despite being one of Westeros’ greatest fighters, Brienne isn’t even at her physical peak in Martin’s narrative.
In HBO’s Game of Thrones, Brienne’s age is brought closer to Gwendoline Christie, who was 34 when she joined Game of Thrones season 2. Brienne is 32 during her first appearance and 39 at the Battle of Winterfell. Though the younger age in the book makes her a truly impressive warrior, the older and more capable Brienne works well for the show.
Melisandre – Unknown Age
Book Age: Unknown
Most onlookers would probably put Melisandre at around 40, that is until she takes her jewelry off. In terms of Game of Thrones character ages, like Varys, Melisandre’s age is left deliberately vague in order to maintain the aura of mystery surrounding the character, but actress Carice van Houten has confirmed that the Red Witch is over 100 years old. Benioff & Weiss went even further by claiming she’s been around for “several centuries.” More specific details about Melisandre’s anti-aging regime are yet to be unearthed, but she’s most likely the oldest character in the show except for Game of Thrones‘ Night King.
The Night King – Unknown Age
Book Age: Unknown
The Night King serves as Game of Thrones‘ ultimate antagonist and Big Bad of the whole series. Created by the Children of the Forest during the Wars of the First Men, the Night King was said to be one of the first Lord Commanders of the Night’s Watch before being turned. Since he was born during the Age of Heroes, the Night King is the oldest of the Game of Thrones characters at around 10,000 years old, and was probably immortal. The Night King went through a recast in the series between seasons 5 and 6, with actor Vladimír Furdík taking on the role for the final seasons.
Shireen Baratheon – 9 Years Old
Book Age: 11
Stannis Baratheon’s only child, Shireen Baratheon, faced a horrendous early death, and it’s probably the most tragic one out of all the Game of Thrones characters. First introduced in Game of Thrones season 3, Shireen dies when she’s just nine years old. Shireen’s shocking season 5 death saw Melisandre asking for a sacrifice to the Lord of Light.
Drunk with ambition, Stannis offers his own daughter to be burned at the stake. It’s a cruel end for one of the youngest of Game of Thrones characters, something that audiences don’t soon forget. Shireen is actually older in the books at the age of 11, but that likely won’t lessen in impact of her death once it is covered in the later books.
Stannis Baratheon – 40 Years Old
Book Age: 33
Though Stannis Baratheon was a rigid and effective leader, murdering his daughter Shireen instantly made him one of the most despised characters on the show. It is interesting to consider how the perception of him might change based on his intended age. Stannis is depicted as being 40 when he is introduced in the second season of the show while actor Stephen Dillane was considerably older at 55.
Given that he is killed by Brienne in season 5, he could be anywhere between 43-45 at the time. However, he is a younger man in the series at the age of 33, but it is another instance of an older take on the character being the more effective route for the show to take.
Khal Drogo – 30 Years Old
Book Age: 30
Khal Drogo was one of the few Game of Thrones character ages that wasn’t changed. The leader of the Dothraki fleet Khal Drogo is supposed to be around 30 years old in A Song of Ice and Fire and was depicted as such in Game of Thrones. In the novels, Dany is supposed to be 14 when they wed. Presumably, Dany was aged up in the series to make this pairing more palatable.
Since Drogo died in season 1, he was the same age during his death as he was at the start of the series. Jason Momoa played the Dothraki leader and was roughly the same age as his character, being 32 when the show premiered.
