List of Game of Thrones characters

This article is about the TV series. For the main characters of the novels, see List of A Song of Ice and Fire characters.

The characters from the American 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. The series, set in a fictional magical universe, 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 appearances

File:Game of thrones cast.jpg

(Left-to-right): Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Peter Dinklage as Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion Lannister respectively

File:Lannister three.png

(Left-to-right): Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Lena Headey as Tyrion, Jaime and Cersei Lannister respectively

Key:   = Starring

Key:   = Recurring

Key:   = Starring (credited as "also starring")

Key:   = Guest

Key:   = TBA

Key:   = No Appearances

Actor	Character	Appearances
		S1	S2	S3	S4	Total
Peter Dinklage	Tyrion Lannister	9	10	9	*	28
Emilia Clarke	Daenerys Targaryen	9	8	8	*	25
Kit Harington	Jon Snow	8	8	8	*	24
Lena Headey	Cersei Lannister	10	9	8	*	27
Iain Glen	Jorah Mormont	9	7	8	*	24
Aidan Gillen	Petyr Baelish	8	7	4	*	19
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau	Jaime Lannister	8	4	7	*	19
Charles Dance	Tywin Lannister	4	7	8	*	19
Liam Cunningham	Davos Seaworth	0	6	4	*	10
Stephen Dillane	Stannis Baratheon	0	7	5	*	12
Natalie Dormer	Margaery Tyrell	0	4	6	*	10
Carice van Houten	Melisandre	0	4	6	*	10
Isaac Hempstead-Wright	Bran Stark	8	7	6	*	21
Sophie Turner	Sansa Stark	9	7	8	*	24
Maisie Williams	Arya Stark	9	9	9	*	27
Alfie Allen	Theon Greyjoy	9	8	6	*	23
Jack Gleeson	Joffrey Baratheon	10	6	7	*	23
John Bradley	Samwell Tarly	5	6	8	*	19
Joe Dempsie	Gendry	2	7	8	*	17
Rose Leslie	Ygritte	0	4	8	*	12
Sibel Kekilli	Shae	2	8	6	*	16
Rory McCann	Sandor Clegane	8	5	8	*	21
Conleth Hill	Varys	7	6	5	*	18
Jerome Flynn	Bronn	5	7	4	*	17
Richard Madden	Robb Stark	8	6	7		21
Michelle Fairley	Catelyn Stark	9	8	8		25
Oona Chaplin	Talisa Stark	0	5	7		12
James Cosmo	Jeor Mormont	5	3	4		12
Sean Bean	Eddard Stark	10	0	0		10
Mark Addy	Robert Baratheon	7	0	0		7
Harry Lloyd	Viserys Targaryen	5	0	0		5
Jason Momoa	Khal Drogo	9	1	0		10

Key

  House Arryn

  House Baratheon

  House Bolton

  House Frey

  House Greyjoy

  House Lannister

  House Martell

  House Stark

  House Targaryen

  House Tully

  House Tyrell

  Night's Watch

  People of Essos

  People of Westeros

  Royal court and officials

  Wildlings

Main characters

Characters are listed in credits order for Season Three with the characters who appeared as regulars in Season One listed at the end. All characters who appeared as regulars in Season Two return as such for Season Three. "Starring season(s)" refers to the season in which an actor or actress received star billing for playing a character. "Recurring season(s)" identifies a season in which an actor or actress appeared, but received featured, guest star or special guest star billing.

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/actress	Starring seasons	Recurring seasons	Episode count	Status
Tyrion Lannister	/ˈtɪɹɪən ˈlænɪstə(ɹ)/	Peter Dinklage	1, 2, 3, 4	–	28	Alive
Peter Dinklage Nicknamed "The Imp", Tyrion Lannister 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 and often uses to his advantage the fact that others constantly underestimate him. Initially, Tyrion bears the Starks no ill will, but after being wrongly captured and put on trial for the crime of murdering Jon Arryn and conspiring to kill Bran Stark, both of which he had no hand in or knowledge of, his ire toward Lady Catelyn prompts him to join his father's war against the Starks. At the end of the Lannister army's first loss against Robb Stark's army, after Jaime Lannister is captured, they learn that King Joffrey has killed Ned Stark against their wishes and Robert's brothers are challenging Joffrey's claim to the throne. To ensure that someone trusted controls Joffrey while he deals with the war effort, Tywin sends Tyrion to rule in his stead as Hand of the King, finally taking notice of his "lesser" son's cunning intellect. He arrives in King's Landing and immediately enters a bitter power struggle with Cersei and Joffrey. With his small army of hill tribesmen and his mercenary friend Bronn leading the City Watch, he becomes one of the most powerful men in the city. Before Stannis' fleet arrives at King's Landing, Tyrion prepares the attack by stockpiling large quantities of Wild Fire, putting it all in a single ship, and sending it towards Stannis' fleet. Bronn detonates the Wild Fire, causing a giant explosion and destroying half of Stannis' forces. When the city's defenders morale drops after Joffrey abandons them, Tyrion rallies the men and leads a surprise counterattack against the besiegers. During the battle, he is betrayed and nearly killed by a member of the Kingsguard under the orders of Joffrey, but he is saved by his squire Podrick Payne. When he wakes up after the battle is over, Tyrion learns that his father Tywin has taken over as Hand of the King and stripped his son of all power and all the allies he had gained. Furthermore, Tyrion's role in helping defend King's Landing is not acknowledged. Despite this setback and his lover Shae's telling him to leave Westeros, Tyrion still wants to stay, since he has finally found something he both excels at and enjoys—out-talking and out-thinking his less than noble family members. In Season Three, Tyrion is given the job of Master of the Coin, a role that he is unprepared and inexperienced for. Tyrion is commanded by his father to marry Sansa Stark; however, on the wedding night, Tyrion refuses to consummate his marriage and instead lets Sansa sleep alone, promising not to touch her unless she wanted him to. The death of her brother Robb, in which Tyrion took no part, causes a further rift between the couple and between Tyrion and his father, who he claims can't distinguish between his interests and his often-praised ideal of devotion to family. Tywin bitterly claims that he had wanted to drown Tyrion upon birth, but stayed himself for the sake of duty.
Daenerys Targaryen	/dəˈnɛəɹɪs tɑ(ɹ)ˈɡɛərɪən/	Emilia Clarke	1, 2, 3, 4	–	25	Alive
File:Emilia Clarke (March 2013) (headshot).jpg Emilia Clarke Daenerys Targaryen is the exiled princess of the Targaryen dynasty. Also called "the Stormborn", she and her brother Viserys were smuggled to Essos during the end of Robert's Rebellion. For seventeen years, she has been under Viserys' care whom she fears, as he is abusive to her whenever she displeases him. In exchange for an army, Viserys marries her to the powerful Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo, making her a Khaleesi, a queen of the Dothraki. Daenerys is at first afraid of her new husband but after learning the Dothraki language, she manages to get past their barriers. She begins to understand him and genuinely falls in love with him after learning Drogo is a smart leader and a kind man. After embracing the Dothraki culture, she becomes stronger and rebels against her brother. She later becomes pregnant with Drogo's son who is prophesied by the Dothraki to be the "Stallion Who Mounts the World". After her brother's death and an assassination attempt by Robert Baratheon, Drogo vows to Daenerys that he will conquer the Seven Kingdoms for her and their unborn son. However, during their journey Drogo suffers from blood poisoning due to an infected wound incurred during a fight with a Dothraki tribesman. Daenerys is forced to seek the help of healer Mirri Maz Duur to save his life using blood magic. Mirri tricks Daenerys by using her unborn son's life as a sacrifice to heal Drogo, leaving him in a permanent catatonic state, and forcing Daenerys to end her husband's life. Losing both her husband and son, Daenerys punishes Mirri by having her burnt at the stake. She also lays the three dragon eggs she received as a wedding gift onto Khal Drogo's body and steps into the fire herself. At the end of the night, after the fire is burned down, only Khaleesi and three baby dragons remain. Taking them with her, Daenerys and what is left of her husband's tribe must find a way to gather new allies to protect themselves and reclaim the Iron Throne. She becomes the first female Dothraki leader. In Season 2, she is lost in the Red Waste, a stretch of barren land. She and her khalasar eventually make it to Qarth, where the nobles are more interested in her dragons than her conquest of Westeros. While in the city, her dragons are stolen by Pyat Pree, and she must visit the House of the Undying in order to get them back. She does so, killing Pyat Pree and releasing the dragons. In the second season's finale, she imprisons her host Xaro Xoan Daxos for his role in helping Pyat Pree and has her horde loot as much as they can from Xaro's mansion in order to buy a ship. Daenerys travels from Qarth to Astapor, a city in Slaver's Bay, where she negotiates the purchase of elite eunuch soldiers called the Unsullied. On her departure from the city, she frees the slaves and has Drogon torch its elders. By the end of Season 3, although her power has not yet been tested, she has acquired the firm loyalty of tens of thousands of freed slaves, her remaining Dothraki brethren (and two former Westerosi soldiers whom she encountered through the Dothraki, who advise her) 2,000 'Second Sons' cavalrymen, 8,000 'Unsullied' elite infantry, and three rapidly growing dragons. The stay in Slaver's Bay has made her question her motives, however, and she takes up the cause of ending slavery as well, donning the honorific "Breaker of Chains" as the slaves hold her to the sky, praising her as their Mhysa, or "Mother".
Jon Snow	/ˈdʒɒn ˈsnoʊ/	Kit Harington	1, 2, 3, 4	–	24	Alive
Kit Harington Jon Snow is the bastard son of Ned Stark who joins the Night's Watch. Jon is a talented fighter, but his sense of compassion and justice brings him into conflict with his harsh surroundings. Ned claims that Jon's mother was a wet nurse named Wylla. His direwolf is called Ghost due to his albinism and quiet nature. Jon soon learns that the Watch is no longer a glorious order, but is now composed mostly of society's rejects, including criminals and exiles. Initially, he has only contempt for his low-born brothers of the Watch, but he puts aside his prejudices and befriends his fellow recruits, especially Sam Tarly, after they unite against the cruel master-at-arms. He chooses to take his vows before the Old God of the North, and to his disappointment he is made steward to Lord Commander Jeor Mormont rather than a ranger. He eventually realizes that he is being groomed for command. He saves Mormont's life by slaying a wight, a corpse resurrected by the White Walkers. In return, he receives Longclaw, the ancestral blade of House Mormont. When Eddard is arrested for treason, Jon is torn between his family and his vows. After Eddard's execution, he tries to join Robb's army but is convinced to come back by his friends. Shortly after, he joins the large force Mormont leads beyond the Wall. Jon is part of a small scouting party in Season 2. When the party is overtaken by wildlings, Jon is ordered to appear to defect and join the wildlings so he can discover their plans. On affirming his loyalty to the King-Beyond-the-Wall, Mance Rayder, he travels toward the Wall with the wildlings and is seduced by one, the flame-haired Ygritte. Upon crossing the wall, he refuses to behead a farmer whose escape might alert the Night's Watch of their coming, and its subsequently branded an enemy of the wildlings. Ygritte shields him from her comrades but ultimately confronts and injures Jon when he stops to drink. He manages to escape back to the wall, injured by three arrows, where he reunites with his comrades.
Cersei Lannister	/ˈsɜ(ɹ)si ˈlænɪstə(ɹ)/	Lena Headey	1, 2, 3, 4	–	27	Alive
Lena Headey Cersei Lannister, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, is the wife of King Robert Baratheon. Her father arranged the marriage when she was a teenager, initiating himself as a political counselor for King Robert. The Lannisters are the richest family in Westeros, which is why Robert was interested in a marriage between them. Cersei has a twin brother, Jaime, with whom she has been involved in an incestous affair from early childhood. All three of Cersei's children are Jaime's. Cersei's main character attribute is her desire for power and her deep loyalty to her father, children, and brother Jaime. Cersei learns that her husband Robert is in danger of finding out that the children he sees as his heirs to the throne are not his. Robert meets his end as the result of a boar attack on a hunting trip, before Ned Stark tells him of the truth about his children. Cersei works quickly to instate her oldest son, Joffrey, on the throne, with her as his chief political advisor. Joffrey quits listening to his mother, and by the beginning of the second season her father decides Cersei does not exercise enough control over her son, and sends his youngest son Tyrion as an additional political advisor. Cersei and Tyrion do not get along, and constantly try to undermine each other's authority over the crown. As of the end of season 2, Tyrion has accumulated more sway over the Iron Throne, and has shipped Cersei's only daughter off against Cersei's will to be married to the prince of Dorne. In season 3, she takes pleasure in Tyrion's diminished position and taunts him for being forced into a marriage pact with Sansa Stark, only to be told by her father that he intends to marry her to Loras Tyrell. At the end of the season, the two siblings ponder at their respective marriages, and Cersei reunites with Jaime in her bedchamber as he unexpectedly returns from captivity.
Jorah Mormont	/ˈdʒɔɹə ˈmɔ(ɹ)mənt/	Iain Glen	1, 2, 3, 4	–	24	Alive
Iain Glen Ser Jorah Mormont is an exiled knight in the service of Daenerys Targaryen and the son of Jeor Mormont of the Night's Watch. To fund his wife's extravagant lifestyle, he sold poachers on his land to slave traders, which is illegal in the Seven Kingdoms. Rather than face punishment by Lord Stark, he fled to Essos and learned the lifestyle of the Dothraki who embrace him as one of their own and know him as "Jorah The Andal". Jorah serves as an adviser to the Targaryens on both political and cultural matters of both the Seven Kingdoms and Essos. 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 and help her regain the Iron Throne. After she is widowed, he remains with her and becomes the first knight of her Queensguard. He serves Daenerys as an adviser throughout Season 2 and tries to help her claim her birthright as queen of the Seven Kingdoms. In Season 3, he plays an important part in the capture of Yunkai, together with Unsullied commander Grey Worm and Daario Naharis, Lieutenant and leader of the Second Sons. Led by Daario, the trio infiltrates the city and kills a number of Yunkish guards to open a gate, ensuring the capture of Yunkai.
Petyr Baelish	/ˈpiːtə(ɹ) ˈbeɪlɨʃ/	Aidan Gillen	1, 2, 3, 4	–	19	Alive
Aidan Gillen Lord Petyr Baelish, nicknamed "Littlefinger," is the Master of Coin in King Robert Baratheon's Small Council. He grew up with Catelyn Tully and fought Ned's brother Brandon for her hand. 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, he secretly resents him for marrying Catelyn and so he betrayed him when he tried to arrest Joffrey and Cersei. Despite that, Petyr aims to take the Iron Throne to punish the powerful nobles who used to look down on him. During season 2, he convinces Catelyn to release Jaime in exchange for her daughters and brokers an alliance between House Lannister and House Tyrell. He then returns to King's Landing with the Tyrell army in time to rescue the city. For his efforts, he is made Lord of Harrenhal, though the castle is held by Northmen. In Season 3, he discovers Roz is secretly working for Varys and gives her to Joffrey to be killed before departing to the Eyrie, where he is to marry Lysa Arryn to secure her loyalty to the Iron Throne. He will thence be Lord Paramount of both the Vale (as Lysa Arryn's consort) and the Riverlands (after the downfall of the Tullys at the Red Wedding), though he has yet to see Harrenhal, which is held by Bolton's unruly henchman Locke.
Jaime Lannister	/ˈdʒeɪmi ˈlænɪstə(ɹ)/	Nikolaj Coster-Waldau	1, 2, 3, 4	–	19	Alive
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Ser Jaime Lannister is a member of the Kingsguard and an exceptionally skilled swordsman. He is the Queen's twin brother and has carried on an incestuous love affair with her all his life, fathering all three of her living children. He truly does love his sister and will do anything, no matter how rash, to stay close to her. He is nicknamed "Kingslayer" for killing the previous King, Aerys II, whom he was sworn to protect. He was allowed to keep his post in the current Kingsguard as he and his influential father helped Robert win the war, but no one feels he deserves this post, which frustrates Jaime. Despite Eddard Stark's animosity against him for forsaking his oath to protect the King during Robert's Rebellion, Jaime has great respect for Eddard, whom he considers a great warrior and his equal. Unlike his father and sister, Jaime cares deeply about his younger brother Tyrion. When Tyrion is arrested by Catelyn, Jaime confronts Eddard and duels him, much to Jaime's joy. But to his displeasure, one of his men interferes with the fight by spearing Eddard, whereupon Jaime punches the man and lets Eddard live. Jaime later joins his father's campaign in the Riverlands as a revenge for Catelyn's actions by leading an army. However, his army is ambushed by Robb's army and Jaime is made prisoner of the Starks. Despite his capture, Cersei names him Lord Commander of the Kingsguard after Barristan Selmy is dismissed. In Season 2, Catelyn releases and sends Jaime to King's Landing under Brienne of Tarth's watch in exchange for a pledge to send her daughter's home. On the journey, they are captured by the violent Locke, a man-at-arms under Roose Bolton, a Northern Lord. On their way to Harrenhal, now held by Bolton, the lowborn Locke cuts off Jaime's sword hand to taunt his position and privilege. Jaime survives and is allowed to depart Harrenhal on condition that he acquits Bolton from any guilt (unbeknownst to him, Bolton had conspired with Tywin and Walder Frey to assassinate Robb Stark, an alliance put in jeopardy by Locke's actions). During his time in Harrenhal, Jaime reveals to Brienne on why he killed King Aerys II; Aerys planned to burn King's Landing by igniting a large stock of Wildfire hidden under the city to ensure its destruction; Jaime killed the King to prevent the Wildfire plot and didn't tell Ned Stark the truth, knowing he wouldn't listen to an oathbreaker. After Bolton's departure, Jaime returns to Harrenhal just in time to save Brienne from Locke, who intended to feed her to his bear rather than accept her father's offer for a ransom. Locke reluctantly allows them to leave rather than kill Jaime as well, knowing it would earn him the enmity of Boltons as well as Lannisters. Jaime travels to King's Landing with Brienne and disgraced Maester Qyburn, given by Bolton to tend to his injury, in tow. At the end of Season 3, they arrive at the gates and Jaime reunites with Cersei, who is visibly shocked at his missing hand.
Tywin Lannister	/ˈtaɪwɨn ˈlænɨstə(ɹ)/	Charles Dance	2, 3, 4	1	18	Alive
File:Charles Dance (July 2012).jpg Charles Dance Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport and Warden of the West, Tywin is a calculating, ruthless, and controlling man. He is also the former Hand of King Aerys II. He is the father of Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion. After Eddard Stark's arrest, Joffrey names him Hand of the King once more, but after Jaime is taken captive by the Starks, Eddard is unexpectedly executed by Joffrey, and Renly and Stannis Baratheon challenge Joffrey's claim to the throne; Tywin elects to remain in the field commanding his forces until he wins his war, and in the meantime gives the position of Hand of the King to Tyrion. Tywin continues the war through Season 2 at Harrenhal where he criticizes his commanders for losing and underestimating the Stark army lead by King Robb Stark. While there, he forms an unlikely friendship with his cup bearer, unaware that she is actually Arya Stark. Originally, he was about to attack Robb's forces while they are distracted of the Greyjoys seizing Winterfell but changes his mind and helps the defenders of King's Landing drive Stannis Baratheon's forces away. He assumes his position of Hand of the King once again and arranges for Joffrey to marry Margaery Tyrell to secure an alliance between the Lannisters and Tyrells. In the third season, as Hand of the King, he fortifies his position as de facto leader of the Seven Kingdoms, and he successfully defeats Robb Stark, the King in the North, by forging an alliance with the lords Frey and Bolton, who betray and kill Stark and his men. The crown subsequently pardons and rewards them with Riverrun and the North, respectively, though Tywin is criticized by Tyrion for winning the war through such an unscrupulous scheme. He also has to deal with an increasingly belligerent Joffrey, who chides his grandfather as a coward who "hid under Casterly Rock" while Robert Baratheon led the rebellion against Aerys Targaryen and secured the throne. Tywin's relations to his children is also complicated as he forces them into marriage alliances with Sansa Stark and Loras Tyrell, to secure the support of the Tyrells and Lannister dominion in the North (now Sansa's heirdom, as all her brothers are presumed dead).
Davos Seaworth		Liam Cunningham	2, 3, 4	-	10	Alive
Liam Cunnigham Ser Davos Seaworth, also known as "The Onion Knight", is a former smuggler and knight in the service of Stannis Baratheon; he serves as one of Stannis's most trusted advisers. In his smuggling days, he was said to handle a ship at night better than anyone. Before the events of the series, he earned his knighthood by smuggling fish and onions to the besieged Stannis Baratheon and his army during Robert Baratheon's rebellion. Before knighting him, Stannis removed the last joints from four fingers on his right hand as punishment for his years of smuggling; believing these joints bought his family a better future, Davos keeps them in a pouch around his neck for luck. In Season 2, he loyally supports Stannis' claim on the throne and his honesty and willingness to voice his unaltered opinion makes him Stannis' most trusted adviser, though Stannis often dislikes what he hears. An agnostic, he doesn't accept the priestess Melisandre and her god R'hllor but does not object to her because Stannis is also a follower of R'hllor. He fights in the Battle of the Blackwater, where his ships are caught in a giant explosion of wild fire. His son Matthos is killed and Davos is thrown out to sea. He is picked up by the pirate Salladhor Saan, who returns him to King Stannis. Upon attacking Melisandre for the loss of his son, he is imprisoned and later condemned to death for releasing Gendry. Stannis had intended to sacrifice the boy to R'hllor and hence regards Davos' actions as treason, but pardons him upon Melisandre's request, as she claims R'hllor calls them to travel to the Wall to protect the kingdom from the White Walkers.
Stannis Baratheon	/ˈstænɨs bəˈɹæθɪɒn/	Stephen Dillane	2, 3, 4	-	12	Alive
Stephen Dillane Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Dragonstone, is the elder of Robert Baratheon's younger brothers. A brooding, humorless man known for a hard and unyielding sense of justice, he is obsessed with slights real and imagined. With Robert dying, Ned sends him a letter appointing him as the legitimate heir and becomes another challenger for the Iron Throne after his nephew Joffrey becomes King. By Season 2, he has fallen under the influence of Melisandre, a priestess of R'hllor. After Robert's death, Stannis claims himself the true heir to the Iron Throne as Cersei's children are illegitimate and names himself King of the Seven Kingdoms. However, most of the Baratheon bannermen support the claim of the more charismatic Renly. When Renly is mysteriously slain, many of Renly's bannermen immediately swear allegiance to Stannis. He then attacks King's Landing by sailing up the Blackwater Bay. However, due to Tyrion's plan using wild fire and reinforcements by the Lannisters and Tyrell Cavalry, he loses the Battle of Blackwater. Despite this setback, he is convinced to continue fighting by Melisandre, and is further convinced by her magic as she lets him see a vision of a battle in the flames. He acquires one of Robert's bastards, Gendry, from the Brotherhood Without Banners and plans to sacrifice him to further his quest for the Iron Throne. After Davos questions his course of action, Stannis has three leeches drawn with Gendry's blood and throws them into a fire, calling for the death of Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy and Joffrey Baratheon. Upon the news of Robb's death, Davos releases Gendry to prevent him from being burned. Stannis subsequently sentences his Hand to death but is swayed by Melisandre, who encourages him to travel North to fight the threat emerging from beyond the Wall.
Melisandre	/ˈmɛlɨsaʊndɹeɪ/	Carice van Houten	2, 3, 4	-	10	Alive
Carice van Houten A priestess of R'hllor 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. Melisandre believes Stannis is the chosen one who will convert the people of Westeros into followers of R'hllor. She convinces Stannis of this by using various methods, including seduction. Many, most notably Stannis' trusted adviser Davos Seaworth, believe she is leading their king astray. She has magical powers which help her survive Maester Cressen's attempt to kill her with poison. She also gives birth to a shadow demon which is sent to kill Renly Baratheon and tries to convince Stannis to sacrifice Gendry, the bastard son of Robert Baratheon, claiming R'hllor will reward the gift with an easier path to the Iron Throne. After Gendry's escape, she intercepts a letter from the Night's Watch, seeing the prophetic "Other" as the force behind the White Walkers' march on the wall, and insists that Stannis takes up the cause of stopping them. She dissuades "this war of five kings" (now actually three) as unimportant and insists that Stannis take the help of Davos Seaworth, despite his betrayal.
Margaery Tyrell		Natalie Dormer	2, 3, 4	-	10	Alive
Natalie Dormer Margaery is the only daughter of Lord Mace Tyrell, and has recently married the late King Robert’s brother, Renly Baratheon, as part of House Tyrell’s support for his bid to seize the Iron Throne from King Joffrey. Somewhere in her mid to late twenties, she is surprisingly canny and cunning. She is aware of her husband's homosexual orientation and inclinations towards her brother. Despite her knowledge of this, she actively attempts to become pregnant as to secure the alliance between their families. When Renly is killed, the Tyrells ally with House Lannister and she is planned to marry to King Joffrey. In a departure from her characterization in the novels, where her personal motivations are unclear, Margaery's naked ambition is made obvious. Upon arriving at King's Landing, she offers Sansa to marry her brother Loras, but the plot is thwarted and Sansa is married to Tyrion Lannister to secure the North should Robb Stark die. At the end of Season 3, her marriage to Joffrey is impending, though her influence over him appears to grow, causing friction between her and Queen Regent Cersei. Cersei coldly implies she could have her killed at any time.
Bran Stark	/ˈbɹæn ˈstɑ(ɹ)k/	Isaac Hempstead-Wright	1, 2, 3, 4	–	21	Alive
Isaac Hempstead-Wright Bran Stark is the second son and fourth child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. He was named after his deceased uncle, Brandon. His direwolf is called Summer. During the King's visit to Winterfell, he accidentally came across Cersei and Jaime Lannister engaging in sex, following which Bran is shoved from the window by Jaime, permanently crippling his legs. An assassin tries to kill Bran, but Summer, the direwolf companion, kills the assassin. Bran, when he awakens, finds that he is crippled from the waist down, forced to be carried everywhere by Hodor, and he cannot remember the events immediately before his fall. Slowly, he realizes that he has gained the ability to assume Summer's consciousness, making him a warg or a skinchanger. After his older brother, Robb, is crowned King in the North, Bran becomes Robb's heir and the Lord of Winterfell. After Theon Greyjoy captures Winterfell, Bran goes into hiding. To cement his claim on Winterfell, Theon kills an orphan boy and tells the people of Winterfell that Bran is dead. After Theon's men betray him and Winterfell is sacked, Bran, Rickon, Hodor, Osha and their direwolves head north to find his older brother Jon Snow for safety. They ultimately stumble upon Jojen and Meera Reed, two siblings who aid them in their quest. After coming close to the wall, Osha departs with Rickon for Last Hearth while Bran insists on following his visions beyond the Wall. He also encounters Sam and Gilly, who tries to persuade him not to, but Bran claims it is his destiny and leaves through the gate with Hodor and the Reeds.
Sansa Stark	/ˈsɑːnsə ˈstɑ(ɹ)k/	Sophie Turner	1, 2, 3, 4	–	24	Alive
Sophie Turner Sansa Stark is the first daughter and second child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. She is also the future bride of Prince Joffrey. Her direwolf is called Lady, she is the smallest of the pack. Sansa is naive and wants to live the life of a fairy tale princess and is unwilling to see the harsh realities of the kingdom's politics and rivalries. Her fantasy begins to shatter when Lady is killed, and the situation continues to worsen when her father is arrested for treason. She becomes a hostage to the Lannisters in order for them to have a legitimate claim for the North. Her naivete is finally shattered when King Joffrey executes her father despite promising her that he would spare him. Sansa is forced to put up an act or endure Joffrey's cruelty. Throughout Season 2, she suffers under Joffrey's abuse until Tyrion puts a stop to it. By the Season 2 finale, Joffrey breaks his engagement with Sansa to marry Margaery Tyrell. However, she is still a hostage; but Petyr Baelish promises to help her return to Winterfell. In Season 3, she is married to Tyrion to secure the Lannisters the North should Robb Stark die. The marriage is unhappy and yet to be consummated, and after Robb's death – upon which Joffrey insists to be given his head to present to Sansa, a request coldly ignored by his grandfather – she is unable to speak to him.
Arya Stark	/ˈɑɹɪə ˈstɑ(ɹ)k/	Maisie Williams	1, 2, 3, 4	–	27	Alive
Maisie Williams Arya Stark is the younger daughter and third child of Lord Eddard and Catelyn Stark of Winterfell. Ever the tomboy, Arya would rather be training to use weapons than sewing with a needle. Her direwolf is called Nymeria. When Ned is arrested for treason, her "dancing master" Syrio Forel helps her escape the Lannisters. She is later disguised as an orphan boy by Yoren, a Night's Watch recruiter, in hopes of getting her back to Winterfell. From then on, she takes the name Arry. During Season 2, Yoren's convoy is attacked by the Lannisters who are under orders by King Joffrey to find and kill Robert's bastard children. Before she is captured, she releases the prisoner Jaqen H'ghar and two others, saving their lives. She and the rest of the captured recruits are sent to Harrenhal under Gregor Clegane who cruelly tortures and kills prisoners everyday. At the same time, she follows the advice of the late Yoren and makes a list of those she wants dead like a prayer. When Tywin Lannister arrives at Harrenhal, he orders the killing of prisoners stopped and makes Arya his cup bearer after figuring out she is a girl. Tywin forms an unlikely friendship with Arya due to her intelligence while remaining unaware of her true identity. Arya reunites with Jaqen who offers to kill three lives in exchange for the three lives she saved. The first two she picks, the Tickler, Harrenhal's torturer and Ser Amory Lorch, after he catches Arya reading one of Tywin's war plans and tries to inform Tywin. After she fails to find Jaqen to kill Tywin after he heads out to face Robb's forces, she forces Jaqen to help her, Gendry and Hot Pie escape Harrenhal after choosing Jaqen as her third name which she promises to "unname" him if he helps them. After successfully escaping, Jaqen gives her an iron coin and tells her to give it to any Braavosi and say "Valar morghulis" if she wants to call him. Arya, Gendry and Hot Pie head north for Riverrun and Arya's mother Lady Stark, but are captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners and taken to the Inn of the Kneeling Man. There, Arya is horrified to be reunited with the vile Sandor Clegane, one of the Brotherhood's prisoners. Arya and Gendry travel with the Brotherhood to meet their leader, now friends with them as they know Arya is Ned Stark's daughter. She escapes them after the Brotherhood acquits Sandor Clegane of murder after a trial by combat and selling Gendry to Melisandre to be sacrificed. Captured by Sandor, she is taken to the Twins to be ransomed to her brother, only to see his wolf and forces slaughtered and her brother paraded headless on a horse. Sandor knocks her unconscious and saves her from the ensuing slaughter, and she subsequently kills her first man when falling upon a party of Freys, boasting of how they mutilated her brother's corpse.
Theon Greyjoy	/ˈθiːən ˈɡɹeɪdʒɔɪ/	Alfie Allen	1, 2, 3, 4	–	23	Alive
Alfie Allen Theon Greyjoy 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. Despite his position, he remains loyal to Eddard and is good friends with his sons Robb and Jon. While he has never questioned his position, he soon begins to have doubts after Tyrion tells him he is nothing more than a servant to the Starks and not everyone respects him. Nevertheless, Theon initially remains loyal to Robb after he goes to war with the Lannisters and supports his decision to have the North secede from the Seven Kingdoms and form their own kingdom. He is sent to the Iron Islands in Season 2 to seek a Stark alliance with the Greyjoys. However, his father criticizes Theon for accepting the northern lifestyle and rejects Robb's proposal. Wishing to prove to his father that he is a true Ironborn, he joins his family's invasion of the North. To gain the respect of his men, he ignores his orders to raid the shores and captures Winterfell. The situation worsens for Theon when he is forced to kill his old mentor Ser Rodrik Cassel and fakes the deaths of Bran and Rickon Stark to the people of Winterfell after they escape by killing two orphans. Regretting what he has done and with no help coming from his family, Theon decides to die fighting with his men defending Winterfell from a Stark force led by Roose Bolton's bastard son. However, he is betrayed by his men due to Robb's offer of clemency and safe return to the Iron Islands if they give up Theon. Theon is taken captive and kept in an unknown castle, but later manages to escape with the help of a serving boy that works for his sister Yara. He is brought back to the very castle he escaped from, the serving boy proving to be his captor and torturer, Ramsay Snow, Lord Bolton's bastard. Theon is subsequently castrated by Ramsay, who forces him to rename himself Reek, and beats him until he submits to his new name. Theon's penis is sent in a box to his father, threatening to mutilate Theon further unless the Ironmen retreat from the North, which Balon refuses. He states that as Theon defied him by attacking Winterfell, claiming him a "fool" and "not a man anymore", to which Yara responds she intends to save her brother of her own accord.
Joffrey Baratheon	/ˈdʒɒfɹɪ bəˈɹæθɪɒn/	Jack Gleeson	1, 2, 3, 4	–	23	Alive
Jack Gleeson Joffrey Baratheon 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 also 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. Joffrey makes a mistake when, against Cersei's and Sansa's wishes, he refuses to honor his promise of sparing Ned; instead, Joffrey has him executed. His act worsens the situation with the Lannisters' war effort as Jaime is captured by the Starks and his uncles Renly and Stannis have challenged his claim to the Iron Throne. He frequently orders his Kingsguard to beat Sansa. His cruelty and ignorance of the commoners' suffering makes him unpopular after he orders the City Watch to kill all of his father's bastard children in King's Landing which would later lead to a riot where he is almost killed. When Stannis attacks King's Landing, Joffrey serves only as a figurehead and avoids the heavy fighting. When the battle eventually turns in Stannis' favor, Cersei calls her son into the safety of the castle, damaging the morale of his army. The battle is only won by his grandfather Tywin and the forces of House Tyrell. To cement the alliance between their families, Joffrey's engagement to Sansa is annulled so he can marry Margaery Tyrell. Upon the end of Season 3, the marriage is yet to take place, and rifts are growing between Joffrey and his uncle and grandfather, who are (in their respective ways) rebutting his cruelty. He also seems to take little interest in his bride, but is amazed and altered by her ways of winning the people's favour, in which he takes part.
Ygritte		Rose Leslie	3, 4	2	12	Alive
Rose Leslie A Wildling girl with red hair ("kissed by fire", a sign of luck among the Wildlings) and a follower of Mance Rayder. In Season 2 she is captured in the Skirling Pass by Jon Snow and Qhorin Halfhand. She manages to escape, but is recaptured by Jon, separating him from his brothers in the process. Later she leads him into Rattleshirt's ambush. After this they lead Jon to Mance Rayder's wildling camp, where he pretends to defect to the Wildlings to discover their plans. She then travels with him to the wall, and during this journey she seduces him. However, when confronted with killing an innocent horse farmer for the watch who scaled the wall, Jon escapes the wildling's clutches on horseback. But while resting, Ygritte manages to catch up with Jon at which point she confesses her love for him and then, blinded by tears, shoots him multiple times while he escapes towards the wall.
Samwell Tarly	/ˈsæmwəl ˈtɑ(ɹ)li/	John Bradley	2, 3, 4	1	19	Alive
John Bradley Samwell Tarly, the eldest son and former heir of Lord Randyll Tarly, is 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's best friend after Jon conspires with the others in their trainee class to go easy on him. While not a warrior, he is very smart and insightful. He is inducted into the Stewards and assigned to Maester Aemon. He travels beyond the Wall in place of Aemon and falls in love with Gilly, one of Craster's daughter-wives. Later in Season 2, he finds obsidian "Dragon glass". At the end of the season he become a witness to the numerous army of White Walkers and Wights marching to the Fist of the First Men. He manages to escape with a few Night's Watch men including Lord Commander Mormont, and they make it back to Craster's Keep. Escaping the slaughter of the Nights Watch mutineers, Sam is attacked by a White Walker when making a fire but manages to kill it using the Dragonglass. Alongside with Gilly, he manages to cross the Wall and return to Castle Black to bring news of Mormont's death and reunite with Jon.
Gendry	/ˈɡɛndɹi/	Joe Dempsie	3, 4	1, 2	17	Alive
Joe Dempsie Gendry is an apprentice blacksmith in King's Landing and an unacknowledged bastard of King Robert. During Season 1, Eddard tells the smith that if Gendry ever shows interest in wielding a sword to send him to Eddard. Gendry shows promise as a smith and makes a helmet in the shape of a bull's head; Eddard compliments the helmet, offering to purchase it. Gendry refuses, to the shame of the master smith. After Eddard Stark's fall and eventual execution, arrangements are made for Yoren of the Night's Watch to take Gendry to the Wall with him; he travels North with Yoren and other recruits, including Arry, Lommy Greenhands, Hot Pie and Jaqen H'ghar. During their journey, they are stopped by the Goldcloaks, who demand that Yoren give up Gendry as King Joffrey wants all of his father's bastards killed but are forced to leave by Yoren. Later, Gendry reveals to Arry that he knows she is a girl disguised as a boy all along and is surprised to learn she is Arya, Ned Stark's daughter. After the Goldcloaks get help from Ser Amory Lorch and his men who kill Yoren, Gendry's life is saved by Arya when she lies to the Goldcloaks that Lommy, who was killed during the attack, was Gendry. Gendry and the rest of recruits are sent to Harrenhal where Ser Gregor Clegane arbitrarily has many of the prisoners tortured and killed. Gendry was about to suffer this fate but is saved by the arrival of Lord Tywin Lannister, who chides Clegane's men for their reckless behavior. Thanks to Jaqen, Arya, Gendry and Hot Pie are able to escape Harrenhal. As they head towards the Riverlands, the group encounters the Brotherhood Without Banners, a group of Outlaws that defend the weak. Inspired, he decides to join the Brotherhood but is betrayed by them when they sell him to Lady Melisandre as ordered by the Lord of Light. Melisandre later reveals to Gendry that King Robert was his father and she is bringing him to meet his uncle, King Stannis. But in truth, Melisandre and Stannis planned to uses him for her blood magic where Stannis uses his nephew's blood to make a death curse on the usurpers to his throne, Joffrey, Robb, and Balon Greyjoy. Before they can use him as a sacrifice, Davos Seaworth helps Gendry escape and puts him on a boat to King's Landing. Unable to swim or row, Gendry is nevertheless convinced that the Red Woman has a surer death in spare for him, and Davos asks him to "have a bowl'o brown for me" when returning to Flea Bottom.
Sandor Clegane	/ˈsændɔ(ɹ) klɨˈɡeɪn/	Rory McCann	1, 2, 3, 4	–	21	Alive
Rory McCann Sandor Clegane, nicknamed "The Hound," is the younger brother of Ser Gregor Clegane and a retainer to House Lannister. He is also Joffrey Baratheon's personal bodyguard. The right side of his face is hideously burned due to his brother's temper in the past. 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 still faithful to Joffrey, he frequently defends Sansa from Joffrey's attempts to shame and physically abuse her. During the siege on King's Landing, when wildfire is used to destroy Stannis' ships, Sandor succumbs to his fear of fire and abandons the fight and leaves Joffrey. Before fleeing the city, he seeks out Sansa and offers to take her along. She refuses but she recognizes that he had been afraid in the battle. Sandor is later captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners, and is reunited with Arya at the Inn of the Kneeling Man. He is acquitted from murdering Mycah in a trial by combat with the leader of the Brotherhood, Beric Dondarrion, and released. Taking Arya Stark prisoner, he travels to the Twins hoping to ransom her, but arrives just as the slaughter of the Starks begins and rides off with a shocked Arya in tow. When she attacks a pack of Frey soldiers and stabs one of them to death, he intervenes on her behalf and disposes of the rest.
Shae		Sibel Kekilli	2, 3, 4	1	16	Alive
Sibel Kekilli Shae 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 in order 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 is confronted by Varys, who urges her to leave the Seven Kingdoms, which she refuses to do.
Varys	/ˈvɛəɹɪs/	Conleth Hill	2, 3, 4	1	18	Alive
Lord Varys, known as "The Spider", a eunuch and the Master of Whisperers, is the royal spymaster and a member of King Robert's Small Council. He was a mummer for Aerys II before becoming his advisor. Nothing happens in Westeros without his knowledge. His true loyalties remain a mystery, though he claims to serve "the realm", and abhors the suffering and political instability brought by the war. After Littlefinger's confidante Roz is severely beaten by Joffrey's guards and he fails to intervene, Varys takes her into his service as a spy. Littlefinger finds out and has her killed, taunting Varys that he couldn't protect her. Varys affirms his course as a means to prevent chaos befalling the realm, claiming that Littlefinger "would see the Seven Kingdoms burn, if he could be king over the ashes".
Bronn		Jerome Flynn	2, 3, 4	1	17	Alive
Bronn is a sell-sword with a sardonic sense of humor and a retainer to Tyrion Lannister. After their arrival in King's Landing, Bronn's service to Tyrion earns him a position as Commander of the City Watch. When Stannis Baratheon attacks the city by sailing up the Blackwater Bay, he shoots a fire arrow to a ship containing wild fire which destroys half of Stannis' fleet, and kills several of the attackers in defence of the city. However, Bronn is stripped of his position after Tywin Lannister takes his seat as Hand of The King, but is knighted taking the name Ser Bronn of Blackwater for his service. He subsequently demands more gold for protecting Lord Tyrion and remains his confidante, though discord is increasing between the two. When Tyrion is forced to marry Sansa Stark, Bronn claims he desires her sexually, which Tyrion takes as a grave insult.
Robb Stark	/ˈɹɒb ˈstɑ(ɹ)k/	Richard Madden	1, 2, 3	–	21	Deceased
Richard Madden Robb Stark is the eldest son of Eddard and Catelyn Stark and the heir to Winterfell. His direwolf 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, Brynden Blackfish, 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 her 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.
Catelyn Stark	/ˈkætlɨn ˈstɑ(ɹ)k/	Michelle Fairley	1, 2, 3	–	25	Deceased
Michelle Fairley Catelyn Stark, Lady of Winterfell, is the wife of Lord Eddard Stark. Born to the Lord and Lady of the Riverlands, she is the elder sister of Lysa Arryn, Lady of the Vale and Mistress of the Eyrie. After deducing that the Lannisters are responsible for the attempt on Bran Stark's life, she travels to King's Landing to warn Ned, and on her return trip has a chance encounter with Tyrion Lannister. Since Catelyn does not know about Tyrion's complete innocence, she decides to take him captive because she believes that he is behind the attempt on her son's life. She takes him to her sister, Lysa Arryn, so that he can be brought to justice but is not successful, as Tyrion is found innocent after a trial by combat. After her husband is arrested and her eldest son Robb goes to war for his release, she joins her son's war council. Upon learning that her husband was executed by orders of King Joffrey, she vows to her son Robb that the Lannister family will pay with their lives. Throughout Season 2, she aids her son Robb in the rebellion by advising him and attempting to broker alliances. While trying to form an alliance with Renly Baratheon, another claimant to the Iron Throne, she takes Brienne of Tarth into her service as an armswoman after Renly's assassination. She frees Jaime Lannister, a valuable hostage to the Starks, in an attempt to exchange him for her captive daughters. Robb, feeling betrayed by what his mother has done, puts her under house arrest. Catelyn travels north with her son to her father's funeral at her childhood home of Riverrun. She is killed in the Red Wedding Massacre after her desperate (and futile) pleas to the Freys to spare her son, threatening to slit Lady Frey's throat if Robb dies. She keeps her promise, and is herself killed moments later.
Talisa Stark		Oona Chaplin	3	2	12	Deceased
Talisa is a healer working on the battlefields of the War of the Five Kings. She claims to be from the Free City of Volantis. No character named Talisa appears in the books. Oona Chaplin was originally announced to play a character called Jeyne, which many thought to mean she would play Jeyne Westerling, a character from the books. Talisa follows Robb Stark's army camp as it moves. One day as they talk they are interrupted by news that Catelyn has released Robb's key prisoner Jaime Lannister. Talisa later goes to comfort Robb. After she reveals more of her past to him they admit their shared feelings for one another and sleep together. Talisa and Robb marry in secret before a septon. She later reveals that she is pregnant, although she and her unborn child are stabbed dead in the Red Wedding Massacre, the first in the hall to attacked.
Jeor Mormont	/ˈdʒɪə(ɹ) ˈmɔ(ɹ)mənt/	James Cosmo	1, 2, 3	1	12	Deceased
James Cosmo Jeor Mormont, the 997th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, is 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 in the ensuing mutiny, but manages to strangle his bane before succumbing to his wounds. His death ignites Maester Aemon's call for the lords of Westeros to aid the Night's Watch, which convinces Stannis the time is ripe to fight the onslaught of the White Walkers.
Eddard Stark	/ˈɛdə(ɹ)d ˈstɑ(ɹ)k/	Sean Bean	1	–	10	Deceased
File:SeanBeanMar09.jpg Sean Bean Eddard "Ned" Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, becomes 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 suffer 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. 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.
Robert Baratheon	/ˈɹɒbə(ɹ)t bəˈɹæθɪɒn/	Mark Addy	1	–	7	Deceased
Mark Addy Robert Baratheon, formerly a fierce warrior, became 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, and 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, this put Robert on the Iron Throne. Now, Robert has grown fat and miserable; he has no more wars to fight, is surrounded by plotters and sycophants, and trapped in a political marriage to the scheming Cersei Lannister, who he has never loved. He is unaware that none of his three children 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. Killed while hunting, he unknowingly leaves no rightful heir behind. His bastards are ordered dead by Joffrey, many of which are killed, and Gendry is subsequently forced to flee the capital.
Viserys Targaryen	/vɪˈsɛəɹɨs tɑ(ɹ)ˈɡɛərɪən/	Harry Lloyd	1	–	5	Deceased
Harry Lloyd Viserys Targaryen 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 to 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 as 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 prophesized 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 listlessly watches her brother's agonising death, proclaiming that he wasn't a true dragon, as "fire cannot kill a dragon".
Khal Drogo	[ˈxal ˈdɾoɡo]	Jason Momoa	1	2	10	Deceased
Jason Momoa Khal Drogo is a warlord of the Dothraki people. He is to marry Daenerys Targaryen, as arranged by her brother Viserys. He is undefeated in battle. Viserys Targaryen conspired with Magister Illyrio to marry Daenerys to Drogo in order to get his support in an invasion of Westeros. Though Daenerys was initially unhappy with the arrangement, Drogo proved to be a sensitive husband and lover despite his fearsome behavior with his men. After a failed poisoning attempt on Daenerys' life, he promised to invade Westeros to reclaim the Seven Kingdoms for the Targaryens, but Viserys's impertinence ultimately caused Drogo to kill him. Drogo maintained his promise for the benefit of his wife, but was wounded by an enemy khal before he could begin the invasion. The wound festered and Drogo lost the ability to ride his horse. Most of his khalasar of Dothraki abandoned him, but Daenerys unwittingly sacrificed their unborn child for a spell to revive him. The spell worked, but left him a brain-dead husk of his former self. Daenerys smothered him out of pity, and the flames of his funeral pyre ultimately hatched her dragon eggs. She named her favorite dragon after him—the powerful black Drogon.

Supporting characters

House Arryn, retainers and bannermen

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Lysa Tully	/ˈlaɪsə ˈɛəɹɪn ˈtʌlɪ/	Kate Dickie	1, 4	3	Alive
Kate Dickie Lysa Arryn, currently Mistress of the Eyrie, is the wife of the late Lord Jon Arryn. Born to the Lord and Lady of the Riverlands, she is the younger sister of Catelyn Stark, Lady of Winterfell. She has grown mentally unstable since the death of her husband, and is convinced that as long as she stays boarded up in the Eyrie she will be safe. Justice for her husband rarely crosses her mind, unless exacting it doesn't mean bestirring herself or her guards from her castle. She is also overly protective of her son, Robin Arryn, which has made him a weak and spoiled child. As of Season 3, the Vale has remained untouched by the war, and she is betrothed to Littlefinger, who travels to the Vale to marry her.
Robin Arryn		Lino Facioli	1	3	Alive
Robin Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie and Defender of the Vale, is the only child of Jon and Lysa Arryn and a sickly boy doted on by his mother. He is still breastfed despite being well into pre-adolescence, and is mentally and socially maladjusted. He enjoys seeing people executed by defenestration, whether they are guilty or not.
Anya Waynwood		Paola Dionisotti	4		Alive
Lady Anya Waynwood is the head of House Waynwood, a powerful vassal house of House Arryn.
Yohn Royce		Rupert Vansittart	4		Alive
Yohn Royce, known as "Bronze Yohn", is the head of House Royce of Runestone, a powerful vassal house of House Arryn.

House Baratheon, retainers and bannermen

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Selyse Baratheon		Sarah McKeever (uncredited) (Season 2) Tara Fitzgerald (Season 3, 4)	2, 3, 4	2	Alive
Selyse Baratheon (née Florent) is the wife of Stannis Baratheon who is kept locked in a tower on Dragonstone. She married Stannis sometime before the events of the series. Selyse is a fervent worshiper of R'hllor and a supporter of Melisandre. She keeps the corpses of her stillborn sons in jars in her chambers, seemingly even to her lord husband's disgust.
Shireen Baratheon		Kerry Ingram	3, 4	2	Alive
Shireen is the young daughter of Stannis Baratheon and Selyse Florent. Her face is tarnished with greyscale but she is not crippled by the disease. She is a friend of Davos Seaworth and visits him during his captivity at Dragonstone with books, convincing him to teach himself to read, which he does.
Salladhor Saan		Lucian Msamati	2, 3	2	Alive
Lucian Msamati The Prince of the Narrow Sea, Salladhor is a notorious pirate, trader, and smuggler from Lys. An old friend of Davos, he now sails for Stannis Baratheon on his ship, the Valyrian and his fleet of thirty ships. He has little patience for those that worship R'hollor - Melisandre's God - since he has traveled the world and seen many gods and has come to the conclusion the only true god is between a woman's legs. He agrees to work with Stannis after Davos promises him and his pirates they will be paid in gold and plunder from King's Landing. After the Battle of the Blackwater, he considers his allegiance broken and departs from Stannis' cause after dropping Davos off at Dragonstone, warning him that the Red Woman will pose a threat to him.
Renly Baratheon	/ˈɹɛnli bəˈɹæθɪɒn/	Gethin Anthony	1, 2	8	Deceased
Renly Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End, is the youngest brother of King Robert and Master of Laws in the Small Council. He is popular with the people because he is handsome, jovial, and throws extravagant balls and masquerades. He is not fond of fighting or bloodshed, and would rather make friends than kill enemies. He is secretly the lover of Ser Loras Tyrell, the Knight of the Flowers, who convinces him that those qualities make him better ruling material than either of his older brothers. While Robert lies dying, Renly attempts to convince Ned of this, and that the two of them should kidnap Joffrey and rule the realm themselves. However, Ned refuses, so Renly, Loras, and their followers flee south. Once Joffrey becomes King and has Ned executed, Renly challenges his nephew's claim to the throne. Renly declares himself King of the Seven Kingdoms during Season 2 and wins the support of the Baratheon bannermen and the support of other houses, despite Stannis' better claim. He also seals an alliance with the powerful House Tyrell and its bannermen (including Randyll Tarly, father of Samwell Tarly) by marrying Margaery Tyrell. He leads his massive army slowly through southern Westeros, biding his time. Catelyn Stark tries to convince Renly and Stannis to put aside their differences and unite against the Lannisters but it fails as both brothers refuses to give their claim for the throne. On the night before a battle between his and Stannis' forces, Renly agrees to Catelyn to allow the North and Riverlands be an independent kingdom if they allied with him. However, Renly is killed by a shadow demon birthed by Melisandre.
Matthos Seaworth		Kerr Logan	2	4	Deceased
Davos' son and second-in-command on his father's ship, Black Betha. Matthos is a devout follower of the Lord of Light and continually tries to convince his father to convert. During the Battle of Blackwater, the Black Betha is caught in a wildfire explosion, killing Matthos.
Maester Cressen		Oliver Ford-Davies	2	1	Deceased
Cressen is the aged Maester of Dragonstone, and skeptical of Melisandre's predictions and the ambitions she has instilled in Lord Stannis to proclaim himself king, claiming "since that boar killed his brother, every lord wants a coronation". He is disgusted when Melisandre sets idols of the Seven gods on fire in the name of her god - R'hollor. He dies in a suicidal attempt to kill Melisandre, offering to share a poisoned cup of wine that didn't affect her, yet killed him.

House Bolton, retainers and bannermen

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Roose Bolton		Michael McElhatton	2, 3, 4	11	Alive
A Bannerman of the North and Lord of the Dreadfort. The Bolton family have a nasty history of keeping to very old, and barbaric ways, including flaying their enemies alive, and Roose is no exception. His cunning makes him a valuable ally, but his unpredictable nature makes him a dangerous one. In Season 2, he secures Bolton predominance in the North by sending his bastard son Ramsay to take Winterfell from the Ironborn (for his own amusement, Ramsay burns the castle to the ground and flays the defenders after offering them safe passage). Near the end of Season 3, he betrays the Starks and personally kills Robb by a stab through the heart, chiding that "the Lannisters send their regards". For his loyalty he is named Warden of the North by the crown, although Tywin Lannister intends to reclaim the title by marrying his son Tyrion to Sansa Stark, the presumed heir to Winterfell.
Ramsay Snow		Iwan Rheon	3, 4	6	Alive
Iwan Rheon The illegitimate son of Roose Bolton, Ramsay is cruel, sadistic and very cunning. After the Ironborn captures Winterfell, he marches on the castle's token garrison and offers it safe passage for surrender; after the gates are opened, he captures Theon and flays the other defenders. At the Dreadfort, Theon is put through gruesome physical and psychological torture on Ramsay's instigation, though he himself watches in guise of a cleaning boy. He helps Theon Greyjoy escape from captivity, claiming to be a servant of Theon's sister, Yara, and promises to help him reach her, but ends up only leading Theon back to his original place of imprisonment to taunt him further. He tortures Theon by flaying his fingers and forces him to beg cut them off. He ultimately castrates him and has the manhood sent in a box to the Iron Islands to press Balon to evacuate the North, suggesting he could dismember Theon slowly and send him home in boxes if his demands are not met. He forces Theon to become his new servant, Reek, and beats him until he accepts the name.
Locke		Noah Taylor	3, 4	5	Alive
A man-at-arms sworn to House Bolton, and acts as Roose Bolton's personal bounty hunter. He captures Brienne of Tarth and Jaime Lannister who were on they way to King's Landing, Locke later cuts off Jaime's sword-hand on route to Harrenhal and tries to feed Brienne to a bear rather than hold her ransom, further demonstrating his contempt for wealth and nobility. He holds Harrenhal in Lord Bolton's name, though it is unclear if he has followed Bolton in pledging loyalty to the Lannisters (whose former Master of Coin Petyr Baelish has been proclaimed Lord of Harrenhal and the Riverlands).
"Fat" Walda Bolton		Elizabeth Webster	4		Alive
Walda Bolton (née Frey) is a granddaughter of Lord Walder Frey. She is the new wife of Roose Bolton, the Lord of the Dreadfort. During the wedding feast of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, Lord Bolton recounts to Catelyn Stark and Ser Brynden "Blackfish" Tully how Lord Walder Frey proposed him to marry one of his granddaughters and offered her weight in silver as dowry. Lord Bolton then adds he chose the fattest bride available and she has made him very rich.

House Frey, retainers and bannermen

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Walder Frey	/ˈwɔːldə(ɹ) ˈfɹeɪ/	David Bradley	1, 3	3	Alive
David Bradley Lord Walder Frey, nicknamed the "Late Lord Frey", is the head of House Frey, Lord of the Crossing and bannerman to House Tully. He is known for outliving his many wives (now on his 8th) and siring over 100 children (both bastard and trueborn). Because the use of the Twins became a strategic necessity for Robb's host, Walder was able to negotiate marriage contracts for his children to Robb and Arya Stark. But during Season 2 Robb broke his word and married Lady Talisa. For this slight, and willing to take advantage of the war's changing fortunes, he conspires with Tywin Lannister and Roose Bolton to betray Robb Stark at the wedding of his liege Edmure Tully, which he insists in return for support of his men. Frey hosts the infamous "Red Wedding" at which Robb Stark, his wife and mother are all murdered, refusing to spare Robb even as Catelyn holds Lady Frey hostage and threatens to slit her throat, which she does. He is subsequently granted Riverrun and its lands (though the title Lord Paramount of the Riverlands passes to Harrenhal and House Baelish) and expresses delight to take another young wife, but his house is irredeemably tarnished by the betrayal.
Lothar Frey		Tom Brooke	3	2	Alive
One of Lord Walder Frey's many sons, nicknamed “Lame Lothar” because of his twisted leg. He is one of the first to commence the "Red Wedding", stabbing Talisa Stark in the abdomen many times and causing the death of her and her unborn child.
"Black" Walder Frey		Tim Plester	3	2	Alive
One of Lord Walder Frey's many sons, known for his hot temper and frightening demeanor. He kills Catelyn Stark at the Red Wedding, after she slits Lady Frey's throat in retaliation for her son's death.

House Greyjoy, retainers and bannermen

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Balon Greyjoy		Patrick Malahide	2, 3, 4	3	Alive
Lord of the Iron Islands and the father of Theon and Yara. Balon wished to continue the conquering ways of his people, which led him to rebel against the Iron Throne 9 years prior to the start of the series. He lost, and Theon was taken as a ward at Winterfell as a way to keep him from attempting another rebellion. After Theon returns to the Iron Islands with an offer by King Robb Stark for an alliance against the Lannisters, Balon refuses and instead launches beach raids against the Northern Kingdom, proclaiming himself King of the Iron islands. In Season 3 Theon's penis is sent in a box to Balon, threatening to mutilate Theon further unless the Ironmen retreat from the North, which Balon refuses. He states that as Theon defied him by attacking Winterfell, claiming him a "fool" and "not a man anymore", to which Yara responds she intends to save her brother of her own accord.
Yara Greyjoy		Gemma Whelan	2, 3, 4	5	Alive
The daughter of Balon Greyjoy and his wife Alannys, and elder sister of Theon. She is fierce and proud, and defies traditional ironborn gender roles by commanding her own ship, the Black Wind. When her brother Theon takes Winterfell, Yara tries to convince him to go back with her to the Iron Islands, but Theon refuses. In Season 3 Theon's penis is sent in a box to their father, threatening to mutilate Theon further unless the Ironmen retreat from the North, which Balon refuses. Yara intends to save her brother of her own accord, taking one ship and fifty of the best killers on the Iron islands with her.
Dagmer		Ralph Ineson	2	5	Deceased
Ralph Ineson Dagmer is an ironborn raider and Theon Greyjoy's first mate on the Sea Bitch. He helps Theon to take Winterfell. However, Dagmer and the other ironborns betrayed him due to Robb's offer of clemency and safe return to the Iron Islands if they give up Theon. It is revealed in the season three finale that Dagmer and the other ironborns were instead killed by Ramsay Snow and his men.
Lorren		Forbes KB	2	4	Deceased
An infamous ironborn raider better known as Black Lorren. He is considered among the fiercest ironborn warriors. He is under Theon's command while taking Winterfell but however due to Robb's offer of clemency and safe return to the Iron Islands he and the rest Ironborns betrayed Theon. It is revealed in the season three finale that Lorren and the other ironborns were instead killed by Ramsay Snow and his men.

House Lannister, retainers and bannermen

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Kevan Lannister		Ian Gelder	1, 2	4	Alive
Lord Tywin's younger brother, Captain of his Guard, Ser Kevan Lannister is a skilled warrior but overshadowed by his brother Tywin. Unlike his older brother, Kevan is very amiable and cares more about the safety of his family members even if it will humiliate the family's honour. He is, however, deeply loyal and obedient to his brother and sits on his war councils in Harrenhal, surmising (correctly) that Robb Stark would not march on Casterly Rock until "at full force".
Lancel Lannister		Eugene Simon	1, 2	8	Alive
Lancel Lannister is the eldest son of Kevan Lannister and cousin of Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion Lannister. He served as King Robert's squire; in which he is clumsy and incompetent in his duties leading to Robert to dislike him severely. In Season 2, Cersei knights him for his part in Robert's death. When Jaime goes to war, Cersei takes Lancel as a lover because he resembles her brother. Tyrion eventually discovers the affair and blackmails Lancel into spying for him. During an attack on King's Landing, Lancel guards Cersei's son King Joffrey Baratheon and takes a serious wound in the fighting.
Podrick Payne		Daniel Portman	2, 3, 4	8	Alive
Daniel Portman Podrick is a young squire assigned to Tyrion Lannister. In Season 2, he fights beside Tyrion at the Battle of the Blackwater, during which he rescues Tyrion from an assassination attempt made by a knight of the Kingsguard, Ser Mandon Moore. In reward, Tyrion takes him to a brothel to be introduced to the art of lovemaking by three prostitutes, handing him a bag of money which he later brings back, claiming the whores deemed the encounter good enough to provide their services for free. This sets of widespread speculation between Tyrion, Bronn, Varys and Roz of the exact nature of what happened.
Gregor Clegane	/ɡɹəˈɡɔ(ɹ) klɨˈɡeɪn/	Conan Stevens (Season 1) Ian Whyte (Season 2) Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Season 4)	1, 2, 4	5	Alive
Conan Stevens Ser Gregor Clegane is a huge knight and the elder brother of Sandor Clegane. Called "The Mountain That Rides", he is known for his incredibly cruel nature and uncontrollable temper. His size and strength make him a fearsome warrior, and he has earned a reputation for cruelty and brutality. He is able to wield a two-handed sword one handed. When they were children, Gregor shoved Sandor's face into a brazier, gruesomely scarring him. In Season 1, Tywin Lannister sends him to raid the Riverlands. Beric Dondarrion is sent to arrest Gregor. When war breaks out, Gregor is given command of Tywin's vanguard and left flank and leads his men through intimidation. In Season 2 he is left to command Harrenhal in Tywin's absence and to find and destroy "The Brotherhood Without Banners", invoking the escape of Arya, Gendry and Hot Pie from Harrenhal. He later abandons the castle after slaughtering the prisoners and is defeated by Edmure Tully at the Stone Mill, but manages to escape back to the Westerlands. Robb chides his uncle, having planned to draw the Mountain into a trap of his own making to be captured or killed.
Polliver		Andy Kellegher	2, 4	2	Alive
A Lannister man-at-arms who comes into possession of Arya's sword; Needle. He captures Arya - believing her to be a recruit of the Night's Watch called Arry and takes her sword which he then uses to kill a crippled Lommy after he asks Polliver to carry him.
Alton Lannister		Karl Davies	2	3	Deceased
A cousin of Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion Lannister, and a captive of Robb Stark. In the books there is no character by this name. Here the character Cleos Frey, also a cousin to the Lannisters, has the role of being a captive of House Stark and delivering terms to House Lannister. While held prisoner in the same cell he talks with his cousin Jaime at Stark's camp, he talks about the time he was allowed to prove himself by squiring for Jaime in a tourney, however during this encounter he is killed by Jaime in an attempt to escape.
Amory Lorch		Fintan McKeown	2	4	Deceased
Ser Amory Lorch is a knight and loyal but brutal bannerman of House Lannister. He caught Arya in stealing a parchment containing war orders concerning her brother Robb Stark. She manages to escape him, then finds and hurries the assassin Jaqen H'ghar, to kill Ser Amory to repay the second of the three "lives" he owes her. Before Ser Amory can denounce Arya, he drops dead on the doorstep of Tywin's chambers with a poisoned dart lodged in his neck, as Tywin (who comes to believe the attempt was on his life) raises the alarm. The Mountain subsequently kills a number of Lannister soldiers in his hunt for the culprit, but Jaqen leaves Harrenhal without being captured.

House Martell, retainers and bannermen

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Oberyn Martell		Pedro Pascal	4		Alive
File:Pedro Pascal in The Miracle at Naples, 2009.jpg Pedro Pascal Prince of Dorne, known as the Red Viper. He is the hot-headed younger brother of Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne and Lord of Sunspear. Oberyn has eight bastard daughters, called the Sand Snakes. His sister Elia was raped and killed during the Sack of Kings Landing by Ser Gregor Clegane.
Ellaria Sand		Indira Varma	4		Alive
The sexually promiscuous paramour of Oberyn Martell, she is the mother of the four youngest Sand Snakes.

House Stark, retainers and bannermen

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Rickon Stark	/ˈɹɪkən ˈstɑ(ɹ)k/	Art Parkinson	1, 2, 3, 4	12	Alive
Rickon Stark is Lord Eddard & Lady Catelyn's youngest child, naturally aggressive and strong-willed. His black direwolf, Shaggydog, shares these qualities also. When Theon Greyjoy captures Winterfell in Season 2, Rickon hides in the crypts. After Winterfell is sacked and burned, he, Bran, Hodor, the wildling woman Osha and the direwolves travel through the North. In Season 3 before they reach the Wall, Rickon, his direwolf and Osha split up from the rest of the group heading to Last Heart, the seathouse of the Umbers.
Brienne of Tarth		Gwendoline Christie	2, 3, 4	14	Alive
A member of Renly Baratheon's Kingsguard. She is a highly trained and skilled warrior made dangerous by the fact that men underestimate her. She is considered ugly because she is abnormally large in height and build, androgynous, and stronger than most men. She wishes to prove her valor in a worthy cause to win respect and acceptance. She becomes infatuated with Renly after he shows her kindness and courtesy, and she wins a place in his Kingsguard after winning a tournament melee against Ser Loras. Renly trusts Brienne because of her loyalty and her willingness to die for him. She is present at Renly's death and is falsely accused of his murder. She flees with Catelyn Stark and enters her service. Later Catelyn decides to release Jaime Lannister in exchange for her daughters Sansa and Arya, Brienne is sent to protect Jaime on the journey and to escort the Stark girls back. On the journey back to King's Landing, both are captured by the violent Roose Bolton, who holds them at Harrenhal.
Hodor	/ˈhoʊdə(ɹ)/	Kristian Nairn	1, 2, 3, 4	17	Alive
Hodor is a huge, physically strong but mentally handicapped stablehand at Winterfell who can only say the word Hodor. His real name is Walder. Hodor hides in the crypts along with Osha, Bran and Rickon, faking their escape out of the castle. They eventually leave the crypts only to find the castle destroyed. After speaking to the dying Maester Luwin, it is decided that they must go to the Wall. In Season 3 Bran decides to go beyond the Wall to find the Three-eyed-raven and Hodor helps him alongside with Meera and Jojen Reed after the departure of Rickon and Osha.
Osha		Natalia Tena	1, 2, 3	14	Alive
Natalia Tena Osha is a Wildling woman captured by Robb and held captive at Winterfell. Osha works in the kitchens, often giving Bran advice when she bathes in the godswood. After Winterfell is taken by the turncloak Theon Greyjoy, Osha bends the knee to Theon. After the Sack of Winterfell, Osha helps Bran and Rickon escape, along with their direwolves and Hodor. She gives a mercy kill to wounded Maester Luwin. Later, she and her companions travel to the Wall to seek help. In Season 3 before they reach the Wall, Osha, Rickon and his direwolf split up from the rest of the group heading to Last Heart, the seathouse of the Umbers.
Jojen Reed		Thomas Sangster	3, 4	6	Alive
Thomas Sangster A boy with special insights and son of Lord Howland Reed, Eddard Stark's old friend from Robert's Rebellion. In season 3 Jojen and his sister joins Bran in his journey to the Wall and beyond in order to help him to find the Three-eyed-raven.
Meera Reed		Ellie Kendrick	3, 4	5	Alive
Jojen's elder sister and daughter of Lord Howland Reed, Eddard Stark's old friend from Robert's Rebellion. In season 3 Meera and her brother joins Bran in his journey to the Wall and beyond in order to help him to find the Three-eyed-raven.
Jon Umber		Clive Mantle	1	3	Alive
Called "the Greatjon", Lord Umber is the Lord of Last Hearth and a Bannerman of the North. In Season 1 he joins Robb Stark in the war and is the first one calling him The King in the North. In Season 3 the North loses the war after the death of King Robb, but his youngest brother Rickon heads to the seat of House Umber to seek refuge.
Rickard Karstark		Steven Blount (Season 1) John Stahl (Season 2-3)	1, 2, 3	7	Deceased
A Bannerman of the North, Lord of Karhold and he is a chief member of Robb Stark's war council. The Karstarks are distant cousins of the Starks of Winterfell. Karstark's son is killed by Jaime Lannister during his escape, and Karstark vows retribution. He is enraged when Catelyn Stark decides to free Jaime in an attempt to secure the safety of her daughters. When Karstark discovers that Edmure Tully has defeated the Lannisters in battle near Riverrun and taken two of his young relatives hostage, Karstark orders his men to kill them, resulting in Karstark's own execution by Robb Stark.
Maester Luwin	/ˈmeɪstə(ɹ) ˈluːwɨn/	Donald Sumpter	1, 2	14	Deceased
Luwin, Maester of Winterfell, is a chief advisor to Lord Stark. He is one of the few Maesters to have studied magic and the occult. With Robb Stark's departure, the day-to-day rule of the North falls to Ser Rodrik Cassel and Maester Luwin, acting with Bran's voice. After taking Winterfell by Theon, Luwin must advise him because of his valour to serve to the ruler of Winterfell. Luwin, in an attempt to save Theon, is stabbed by Dagmer. Bran Stark and his party emerge from hiding to find Winterfell sacked and Luwin dying in the Godswood, where he declares his loyalty and love for the Starks before having Osha perform a mercy killing on him, out of sight of Bran and Rickon.
Rodrik Cassel	/ˈɹɒdrɨk kəˈsɛl/	Ron Donachie	1, 2	13	Deceased
Ser Rodrik Cassel is the Master-at-Arms at Winterfell. After the discovery of the origin of the knife from the attempted assassination of Bran Stark, he accompanies Lady Catelyn Tully to King's Landing. Later Lady Catelyn decides to join Robb at Moat Cailin, and names Ser Rodrik castellan of Winterfell. When the Ironmen attack Torrhen's Square, Ser Rodrik gathers a force to expel them, including most of the Winterfell garrison. The Ironborn under Theon Greyjoy then attack and take Winterfell. Ser Rodrik in his way back to Winterfell is captured by ironborns. Later he spits on Theon's face because of his betreyal, and is executed by him.
Jory Cassel	/ˈdʒɔri kəˈsɛl/	Jamie Sives	1	5	Deceased
Jory Cassel was Captain of the Guard at Winterfell and the nephew of Ser Rodrik. Killed by Jaime Lannister during a fight between Jaime's men and Eddard Stark over Tyrion Lannister's abduction by Eddard's wife.
Old Nan		Margaret John	1	2	Deceased
Old Nan was an old serving woman at Winterfell who tells the Stark children stories from beyond the Wall. She is the great-grandmother of Hodor. Margaret John passed away before the filming of Season 2 and the writers decided that Old Nan died between seasons instead of recasting the role.
Septa Mordane	/ˈsɛptə mɔ(ɹ)ˈdeɪn/	Susan Brown	1	8	Deceased
Septa Mordane was a priestess of the Faith of the Seven Gods (of which Catelyn Stark is an observer) and governess to the young ladies of Winterfell. Killed by the Lannisters after Eddard Starks failed attempt to arrest King Joffrey and Queen Regent Cersei.

House Targaryen, retainers and bannermen

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Barristan Selmy	/ˈbæɹɪstən ˈsɛlmi/	Ian McElhinney	1, 3, 4	14	Alive
Ser Barristan Selmy is the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and a member of the Small Council. Known as "Barristan the Bold," he is considered one of the most famous knights of the Seven Kingdoms. Ned has a tremendous respect for Barristan as he remained loyal to protect the Mad King, Aerys II. He sustained injuries at the Trident which prevented Selmy from taking place in the final battles of the war which ultimately lead to his survival and pardon. When Ned attempts to arrest Cersei and Joffrey, he informs Ser Barristan of Robert's will and tells his men not to harm him. After Joffrey becomes King and has Ned arrested, Cersei and Joffrey force Ser Barristan into retirement despite the Kingsguard being meant to serve for life, and much to his anger, his position of Commander is to be given to Jaime. His honor insulted, Ser Barristan refuses their offer and leaves King's Landing. Ser Barristan returns in season 3 where he offers his service to Daenerys as a member of her Queensguard to redeem himself for failing her family. He and Ser Jorah Mormont tend to conflict over what actions Daenerys should use with the former preferring honorable choices while the latter preferring pragmatic choices.
Daario Naharis		Ed Skrein (Season 3) Michiel Huisman (Season 4)	3, 4	3	Alive
A confident and seductive warrior who is a lieutenant in the Second Sons, a group of 2000 mercenaries. Daario has an unusual code of honor where he won't sleep with prostitutes or killing innocents as he believes in making love with women who want to make love with him and killing those who want to kill him. Under the leadership of his Captain Mero and second in command Prendhal na Ghezn, the Second Sons were hired by the Slaver city Yunkai to fight against Daenerys' army. Smitten with Daenerys, he refuses to obey his superiors when they decide to assassinate her, which force him to kill Mero and Prendhal in self-defense. With the Second Sons under his command, Daario and his men pledge their allegiance to Daenerys.
Missandei		Nathalie Emmanuel	3, 4	8	Alive
Personal servant to Daenerys Targaryen. She was freed from being a slave working as translator for Kraznys mo Nakloz when Daenerys insisted during negotiations with Kraznys mo Nakloz that Missandei was given to her as a gift.
Grey Worm		Jacob Anderson	3, 4	5	Alive
A captain of the Unsullied, a group of eunuch slave soldiers. His name pronounced "Torgo Nudho" in Valyrian and was chosen by his Astapor slave masters to humiliate the Unsullied to think they are not human but Grey Worm choose to keep his current name as it was chosen on the day Daenerys freed the Unsullied which he considers an honorable name. He is loyal to Daenerys and doesn't like those who insult her.
Kovarro		Steven Cole	2	8	Alive
Kovarro is a Dothraki bloodrider sworn to Daenerys Targaryen. His character does not appear in the books. Kovarro is created for the TV series. He finds Qarth and leads Daenerys there, following the betrayl of Pyat Pree he goes into hiding alongside Jorah Mormont and Daenerys until Daenerys reclaims her dragons. The only thing that interests him in Qarth is stealing all the gold and jewels from Xaro Xoan Daxos
Rakharo		Elyes Gabel	1, 2	7	Deceased
Rakharo is a young bloodrider, favored by, and sworn to Khal Drogo and later Daenerys Targaryen. Deep into the Red Waste while facing starvation Daenerys sends Rakharo, Aggo, and Kovarro to scout in three different directions, using the last remaining horses. Later Rakharo's horse comes back with his head. It's assumed that Rakharo is killed by some other Khal. Irri fears that without his head, Rakharo's soul will become lost and will not find it's way to the Night Lands (Dothraki afterlife)
Doreah		Roxanne McKee	1, 2	11	Unknown
Doreah is a slave, bought in order to school Daenerys in the art of love. She was sold to a brothel when she was nine, by her mother. She is bought by Viserys Targaryen and is shown to pleasure him as he tells her stories about the dragons of Westeros. In Season 2 after arriving in Qarth, Doreah is convinced by Xaro Xoan Daxos that Daenerys wouldn't leave the city and she steals Daenerys dragons and becomes Xaro's lover. After revealing the plans of Xaro, Dany locks him and Doreah alive in a vault, leaving their fates unknown but presumed dead.
Irri		Amrita Acharya	1, 2	13	Deceased
Irri is a slave, bought in order to school Daenerys in Dothraki riding. She's in love with Rakharo and is deeply distressed by his death and the desecration of his corpse. She and Doreah are shown to be at odds, due to Irri valuing tradition and mythical beliefs of the Dothraki over Doreah's foreign ideals. In Season 2 she is killed in Qarth during the stealing of the dragons. In a deleted scene it is shown she is strangled to death by Doreah.

House Tully, retainers and bannermen

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Edmure Tully		Tobias Menzies	3	5	Alive
Catelyn and Lysa's younger brother and the Lord of Riverrun after their father Holster dies during Season 3. A brash but good-hearted man, Edmure is not a good tactician but a skilled politician. To restore the alliance with Walder Frey, and to make amends with Robb Stark for unwittingly curtailing his plan to draw Tywin Lannister into battle, Edmure is promised to one of Frey's daughters, Roslin. Edmure and Roslin are wed and carried off for a "bedding ceremony", after which the Freys slaughter the Stark family in the "Red Wedding". He is now a prisoner of the Freys after the death of his sister Catelyn and nephew Robb.
Brynden Tully		Clive Russell	3, 4	5	Alive
Commonly known as "The Blackfish", Ser Brynden is the uncle of Catelyn, Lysa and Edmure and a seasoned war veteran. He returns to Riverrun during season 3 before his older brother's death to make amends. He serves as both an adviser and confidant for both his niece Catelyn and grandnephew King Robb Stark. When the Freys betray the Starks during his nephew Edmure's wedding, Brynden was able to escape during the Red Wedding massacre as he was out to "find a tree to piss on" as the massacre began. Lord Frey is visibly untouched by the man's absence, while cautious Bolton is disturbed, aware that the Blackfish could hold Riverrun against the Iron Throne even with its technical lord, Edmure, in captivity.
Roslin Tully		Alexandra Dowling	3	1	Alive
Roslin Tully (née Frey) is Lord Walder Frey's fifth daughter. Married to Edmure Tully at "The Red Wedding". After the Freys betray the Starks, her fate is unknown.

House Tyrell, retainers and bannermen

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Mace Tyrell		Roger Ashton-Griffiths	4		Alive
Lord of Highgarden, Defender of the Marches, High Marshal of the Reach, and Warden of the South, he is the father of Loras and Margaery and Lady Olenna's son. Lady Olenna has a low opinion of her son, who she calls "Lord Oaf".
Olenna Redwyne		Diana Rigg	3, 4	5	Alive
Lady Olenna, better known as "The Queen of Thorns", is the sharp-witted grandmother of Loras and Margaery. Considered Tywin Lannister's female counterpart, Olenna is a matriarch and the real power behind House Tyrell. She has very progressive views where she feels women should be more involved in politics and is accepting of Loras' homosexuality where the people of Reach have no problems with it. After learning the abuses Sansa suffered by Joffrey by the girl herself, Olenna managed to figure out how Margaery could avoid the same fate by using Joffrey's love of violence. Fond of Sansa and to prevent the other nobles from using her as heir of the North, she secretly plots to have Sansa marry Loras. But her plan is foiled by Loras himself, who accidentally reveals it to Littlefinger's spy. Tywin Lannister gets wind of the plot and stops the Tyrell plot by having Sansa marry his son Tyrion and, to secure the Reach, orders his daughter Cersei to marry Loras. Lady Olenna is at first against Tywin's offer to marry Cersei with Loras citing Cersei is too old and the scandal of her incestual affair with her twin brother Jaime. But after Tywin plans to have Loras join the celibate Kingguards which will make the heirs of Reach go to Joffrey and Margaery's children, she admits defeat and praises Tywin for getting the best of her.
Loras Tyrell	/ˈlɔəɹəs ˈtɪɹəl/	Finn Jones	1, 2, 3, 4	12	Alive
Ser Loras Tyrell, known as the "Knight of Flowers," is a highly skilled knight and jouster. Known across Westeros for his beauty, he is Renly Baratheon's former squire and secretly his lover. In Season 2 when Renly makes his claim for the Iron Throne, Loras and the rest of House Tyrell back his claim and cement their support by marrying Loras's sister Margaery to Renly. The two remain inseparable even after Renly's wedding. After Renly's assassination, Loras goes berserk. When the Tyrells join the Lannister cause against Stannis, Loras fights wearing Renly's armor in honour of the fallen king at the Battle of the Blackwater. During season 3, his family plots to have him marry Sansa for Sansa and his family's benefit. However, he accidentally reveals this plot to his new lover and squire, Olyvar, who is actually a spy for Littlefinger. Tywin stops the Tyrell plot by having Sansa marry his son Tyrion and engages Loras to his daughter Cersei.

Night's Watch

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Maester Aemon		Peter Vaughan	1, 3	4	Alive
Aemon Targaryen is the old and blind Maester of the Night's Watch, and grand-uncle to Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen. By the time of Robert's Rebellion, he was too old to travel alone and already blind, and was forced to stay at the Wall while all the members of his family, even his great grand-nephews and nieces, were slaughtered by Lannister Bannermen. He carries the anger of that incident with him even now. In Season 3 he sends all the ravens of the Nights Watch with messages to all the kings and lord of Westeros pleading for help to defend the Wall.
Alliser Thorne	/ˈælɨsə(ɹ) ˈθɔ(ɹ)n/	Owen Teale	1, 4	4	Alive
Ser Alliser Thorne is a drill instructor at Castle Black. He fought for Aerys II during Robert's Rebellion and was sent to the Wall as punishment. He is a bitter, cruel and hardened man, but knows firsthand what it is like to serve in the Night's Watch during the winter. The previous winter he was caught north of the Wall on a ranging and he and the other members of his party were forced to eat the rangers who died in order to survive.
Grenn		Mark Stanley	1, 2, 3, 4	15	Alive
Grenn is a brave, but not very bright, brother of the Night's Watch. He was abandoned by his father when he was a child and had to steal to survive, ending up on the Night's Watch as a result. In Season 2, Grenn is part of the ranging group of Lord Commander Mormont. In Season 3 he one of the few remaining survivers from the battle at the Fist of the First men and they manage to retrieve to Craster's Keep. He fights against the Mutineers after the death of Lord Commander Mormont.
Eddison Tollett		Ben Crompton	2, 3	9	Alive
A steward of the Night's Watch, known to all as "Dolorous Edd" for his dour face and outlook. Despite his continual gloom and doom he is well-liked by the other Brothers in Black, and is one of few Night's Watchmen to have few if any enemies among his brothers. He is part of the expeditionary force beyond the Wall. In Season 3 he one of the few remaining survivers from the battle at the Fist of the First men and they manage to retrieve to Craster's Keep. He fights against the Mutineers after the death of Lord Commander Mormont.
Rast		Luke McEwan	1, 3, 4	10	Alive
Rast is a trainee with a particularly mean spirit. He was arrested for rape, and chose the Wall as his punishment. In Season 3 he one of the few remaining survivers from the battle at the Fist of the First men and they manage to retrieve to Craster's Keep. After Karl kills Craster, Rast is the one who stabs Lord Commander Mormont in the back causing his death. Him and the rest of the mutineers remain at the Keep with Craster's daughter wifes.
Pypar		Josef Altin	1, 3, 4	7	Alive
Pypar is a brother of the Night's Watch, informally called "Pyp." A former mummer, he was condemned to the Wall after refusing the sexual advances of his former lord. Initially he said that his crime was stealing a wheel of cheese to feed his starving sister, but confessed to Jon and Sam after becoming friends with them that the Lord accused him of stealing, and that he was too ashamed to admit to the others that a man tried to molest him.
Janos Slynt	/ˈdʒænəs ˈslɪnt/	Dominic Carter	1, 2, 4	5	Alive
Janos Slynt, was the Commander of the City Watch in charge of protecting the streets of King's Landing. He was bought off by Littlefinger to trick Eddard Stark into believing the City Watch was his, in order to arrest him when he made his statements against Cersei and Joffrey. He later follows Joffrey's orders to murder all of Robert's bastard children. Due to his untrustworthiness and what he did to Robert's bastard children, Tyrion has Janos exiled to the Night's Watch.
Karl		Burn Gorman	3, 4	2	Alive
Karl is a steward of the Night's Watch. As tensions between Craster and the brothers of the Watch run higher, Karl insults Craster and then kills him, triggering a mutiny against Lord Commander Mormont.
Yoren	/ˈjɔɹɨn/	Francis Magee	1, 2	7	Deceased
Yoren is a recruiter for the Night's Watch. He travels to King's Landing, where he witnesses Eddard Stark's execution. Discovering Arya Stark in the crowd, Yoren protects her from seeing her father's beheading, and later cuts her hair, giving her the false identity of Arry the orphan boy, and mixes her in with the others he is recruiting for the Wall in order to protect her from the Queen and take her home. In the caravan bound for the wall Lannister bannerman Ser Amory Lorch demands Yoren hand over Gendry, and when Yoren refuses, a battle ensues, and Yoren and his men are killed. When he is struck by an arrow he speaks his last words, "I've always hated crossbows. Take too long to re-load.", and takes down the man who shot him.
Qhorin		Simon Armstrong	2	4	Deceased
Known as Qhorin Halfhand, he is an experienced ranger of the Night's Watch and second-in-command at the Shadow Tower. He is called Halfhand because he lost all the fingers on his right hand except his thumb and forefinger to a wildling axe. Because of this, he was forced to train himself how to fight left-handed and became just as proficient with his left hand as he had been with his right. When Qhorin met up with Lord Commander Mormont at the Fist of the First Men, he advised sending three scouting parties into the mountains to discover what Mance was looking for, one of which he led personally. Qhorin's party included Jon Snow. After separating with Jon, in search for him Qhorin is captured and his men killed. Later he sacrifices himself by provoking Jon into a fight, so Jon can gain the wildlings' trust.
Benjen Stark	/ˈbɛndʒɨn ˈstɑ(ɹ)k/	Joseph Mawle	1	3	Unknown
Benjen Stark, First Ranger of the Night's Watch, is the younger brother of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell. Early in the series, he leads a group of Rangers beyond the wall due to word of increased Wildling activity. He has not returned.
Will		Bronson Webb	1	1	Deceased
Will is a former poacher who was sent to the Night's Watch and was assigned to the rangers. He deserts from the Night's Watch after White Walkers kill his companions north of the Wall. For deserting he was executed by Ned Stark.

People of Essos

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Hizdahr zo Loraq		Joel Fry	4		Alive
Hizdahr is a slave-trader from the city of Meereen, on the coast of Slaver's Bay, and a scion of the House of Loraq, an ancient and proud line of slavers.
Tycho Nestoris		Mark Gatiss	4		Alive
Tycho Nestoris is a representative of the Iron Bank of Braavos.
Illyrio Mopatis	/ɪˈlɪəɹɪoʊ/	Roger Allam	1	2	Alive
Roger Allam Illyrio Mopatis is a wealthy magister of the free city of Pentos. Illiyrio was the host of the Targaryens after their escape from Westeros. He arranged Daenerys' marriage to Khal Drogo. He conspires with Lord Varys for the returning of the Targaryens to the Iron Throne.
Quaithe		Laura Pradelska	2	2	Alive
Quaithe of the Shadow is an enigmatic priestess of Asshai.
Kraznys mo Nakloz		Dan Hildebrand	3	3	Deceased
A wealthy slaver of the Ghiscari city of Astapor. Sexist and rude, he constantly throws insults to Daenerys in Valyrian, believing she does not understand him. After he sells Daenerys 8,000 Unsullied soldiers in exchange for one of her dragons, Drogon, Daenerys reveals she speaks Valyrian and knew what he was saying to her. Daenerys orders her new army to kill the Astapori slavers where Kraznys is burned to death by Drogon.
Xaro Xhoan Daxos		Nonso Anozie	2	5	Unknown
A rich merchant "prince" of Qarth who wishes to acquaint himself with the Mother of Dragons. He offers his hand in marriage, but Daenerys refuses. Although vouching and caring for her during her stay at Qarth, he ultimately betrays her and crowns himself "King of Qarth". He conspires with Pyat Pree to capture Daenerys and steal her dragons, but after she successfully retrieves them, she takes her revenge and locks him alive in his own vault.
Pyat Pree		Ian Hanmore	2	4	Deceased
Pyat Pree is a warlock from the city of Qarth. He tries to lure Daenerys in The House of the Undying, the warlocks' lair, by stealing her dragons. However, his magic proves less powerful compared to that of Daenerys and with the help of her dragons, she burns him alive.
The Spice King		Nicholas Blane	2	3	Deceased
He is the leader of the Ancient Guild of Spicers, one of the merchant groups vying for control of the city of Qarth. In the Song of Ice and Fire novels there is no character specifically called 'the Spice King'. However, there is an 'Ancient Guild of Spicers' in the city of Qarth. This guild is a powerful faction and power-broker in Qarth. The Spice King often acts rude to Daenerys in a polite way by pointing out that without an army, she cannot regain the Iron Throne. The warlock Pyat Pree conspires with Xaro Xoan Daxos and kills him and the rest of the Thirteen.
Mirri Maz Duur		Mia Soteriou	1	3	Deceased
Mirri Maz Duur was a "Maegi", or witch-woman, held captive by Daenerys. Before her capture she was a godswife in the Temple of the Great Shepherd. After saving her Daenerys gave Mirri and the other victims protection from further attacks. After a fight with Mhago, Khal Drogo was suffering from a wound. As his condition deteriorated he fell from his horse, a symbol to his warriors that he could no longer lead them. This caused Daenerys to ask for Mirri's help, but Mirri betrayed her in revenge for the attack on her village, and this only resulted in Drogo living in a permanent vegetative state, while also causing his son Rhaego to die in Daenerys' womb. In revenge, Daenerys had Mirri burned to death upon Drogo's funeral pyre, during the event of the dragon eggs hatching.
Qotho	/ˈqɔθo/	Dar Salim	1	6	Deceased
Qotho was the most fierce and hot-tempered of Khal Drogo's Blood Riders. After Drogo's injury, Daenerys intended to take her husband to the maegi Mirri Maz Duur to heal him, but Drogo's bloodriders, including Qotho, attempted to stop this from happening. Qotho killed Quaro in the ensuing fight and was in turn killed by Ser Jorah Mormont.

People of Westeros

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Qyburn		Anton Lesser	3, 4	4	Alive
Anton Lesser An ex-maester who was found by Robb Stark at Harrenhal and becomes a servant of Roose Bolton. Qyburn lost his title as a maester when it was discovered he was performing human experiments on live patients. Qyburn justifies his actions for the sake of medical knowledge. He tends to Jaime after the latter loses his right hand and travels with him to King's Landing in the hope of having his title restored.
Beric Dondarrion		David Scott (Season 1) Richard Dormer (Seasons 3-4)	1, 3, 4	5	Alive
Richard Dormer Lord of Blackhaven, nicknamed "The Lightning Lord". He is sent to capture Gregor Clegane after Clegane starts terrorizing the Riverlands, and later becomes the leader of the outlaw group "Brotherhood without Banners". Beric was actually killed by Gregor but was resurrected by his friend Thoros who uses the magic of the Red God. Due to this miracle, Beric and the rest of the Brotherhood converts to the Lord of Light. Beric and the Brotherhood becomes a thorn to the Lannister army due to no matter how many times they kill Beric, he is always resurrected. After finding Arya and Gendry, he decides use Arya as a bargaining tool to make the Starks and Tullys fund their campaign against those who commit injustices on the common folk. However, Arya runs away from them after the Brotherhood lets Lady Melisandre take Gendry away by order of the Lord of Light and Stannis funding them. Beric has the ability to light his sword on fire using his blood. Beric has been killed and resurrected six times but he loses some of his memories every time he is resurrected.
Thoros of Myr		Paul Kaye	3	6	Alive
Paul Kaye A red priest who follows the same religion as Melisandre and a member of the Brotherhood Without Banners. Thoros was a famous warrior who fought during the Greyjoy rebellion where he wielded a flaming sword in battle. Thoros was sent to Westeros to convince the King to convert to the Lord of Light but failed which lead him to lose his faith and become a drunk. Thoros faith was renewed during the War of Five Kings when he was able to resurrect his friend Beric from the dead using the power of the Red God.
Anguy		Philip McGinley	3	6	Alive
A commoner from the Dornish Marches, a member of the Brotherhood Without Banners. He is commonly known as "The Archer".
Hot Pie		Ben Hawkey	1, 2, 3	10	Alive
Hot Pie is a baker's boy from King's Landing recruited by Yoren to join the Watch. He is shown to be a friend of Lommy and together they try to bully Arya and take her sword, Needle, but, instead she beats him. When Yoren's band is attacked by Ser Amory Lorch, he and Arya are among the survivors, along with Gendry and Lommy Greenhands, who was injured in the fighting. They are captured by soldiers of Ser Gregor Clegane and Lommy is killed. Like Arya, Hot Pie is made a servant at Harrenhal, sent to work in the kitchens. He escapes Harrenhal alongside Arya and Gendry. After the three of them encounter the Brotherhood Without Banners, Hot Pie decides to stay at a local Inn to become a cook before saying goodbye to his friends.
Jaqen H'ghar		Tom Wlaschiha	2	7	Alive
Tom Wlaschiha Sly, enigmatic, and a dangerous criminal, Jaqen is part of Yoren’s group of recruits taken from King’s Landing to join the Night’s Watch. A foreigner from the Free Cities, he speaks in third person, referring to himself as "A man". On the journey, he meets Arya Stark. When the group is attacked by Lannister bannermen, Arya frees him and two other prisoners, saving them from a fire. He finds Arya again at Harrenhal, where he serves the Lannisters as a mercenary. He asks her to name three people for him to kill to repay the three deaths she stole, but he refuses to help her in any other way. She chooses two of her enemies, later regretting she did not choose people crucial to the war, and chooses Jaqen himself as the third. He attempts to dissuade her by saying that he is her friend, but Arya states that he is only interested in repaying a debt where a friend would help her to escape from Harrenhal. He agrees to help her if she would "unname" him. After the breaking out, he gives Arya an iron coin, instructing her to give it to any Braavosi and say "valar morghulis" should she need more help. He then magically changes his appearance, assumes a new identity, and departs.
Rorge		Andy Beckwith	2, 4	3	Alive
A violent criminal from the "Black Cells" in King's Landing, Rorge is involuntarily recruited by Yoren to join the Night's Watch. He, along with fellow Black Cells prisoners Jaqen H'Ghar and Biter, is kept caged in a cart for their journey north in order to keep from harming his fellow recruits. When Yoren's band is attacked by Ser Amory Lorch and Yoren is killed, Arya saves Rorge's life, along with Biter and Jaqen H'ghar, by giving them an axe to break free with as the room burns around their wagon. The three join the Lannisters soldiers for a time, under Gregor Clegane's command.
Biter		Gerard Jordan	2	3	Alive
A violent criminal from the "Black Cells" in King's Landing, Biter is a frightening man who never speaks but only hisses. His teeth have been filed to points and it is possible he engages in cannibalism. Like Jaqen H'Ghar and Rorge, Biter is a part of Yoren's group of Night's Watch recruits. When Yoren's band is attacked at an abandoned keep by raiders led by Ser Amory Lorch, Biter and his companions find themselves trapped in the wagon in the middle of a fire, but Arya Stark, who traveled with them, throws an axe into the wagon before escaping herself so that they could break free and save themselves. They manage to escape and are later taken into Ser Amory's service, eventually arriving at Harrenhal.
Ros		Esmé Bianco	1, 2, 3	14	Deceased
Ros is an oft spoken of red-haired prostitute. She initially lives in a brothel outside the gates of Winterfell and is a favorite of Theon Greyjoy. Later in the season, Ros moves to King's Landing and is given employment in a brothel owned by Littlefinger. At the start of season 2, Ros has been promoted, managing the brothel and interviewing new employees. She is later abused by King Joffrey and is savagely beaten by Cersei's men, who suspect her of being Tyrion's lover. She later enters an alliance with Varys. A recurring character in the series, she doesn't appear in the books; her primary function in season 1 appeared to be one of sexposition, as the backstories and motives of Theon, Littlefinger and Pycelle are all revealed during sexual encounters involving her. In season 2, she takes the place of several unrelated characters in the books and is used mostly as a familiar face for the audience in several key events. Mid-way through season 3 she is killed by King Joffrey after Littlefinger discovers that she has been spying for Varys.
Lommy Greenhands		Eros Vlahos	1, 2	4	Deceased
Lommy was a dyer's apprentice before he was caught stealing and sent with Yoren to join the watch. When Yoren's band is attacked by Ser Amory Lorch, Lommy is one of the survivors, though he is injured in the leg and slows the party down. Later they are captured by soldiers under the command of Ser Gregor Clegane. Upon learning that he cannot walk, and that they will have to carry him, Polliver, drives Arya's sword Needle through his throat, killing him. Arya tells the soldiers that Lommy was actually Gendry, saving Gendry's life because the soldiers where looking for him.
Syrio Forel	/ˈsɪəɹɪoʊ fɔˈɹɛl/	Miltos Yerolemou	1	3	Unknown
Syrio Forel, the former First Sword of the Sealord of Braavos, is hired by Lord Eddard to train Arya Stark at "Water Dancing", the Braavosi style of swordfighting. Syrio trained Arya using wooden swords filled with lead. He also mentored her on how to move and think like a warrior: to be perceptive, move with grace, and command her fear. When Cersei Lannister ordered all Starks in the Red Keep to be captured or killed, Syrio ordered Arya to flee while he held off the Lannister men. With only his wooden practice sword, he defeated or killed five guardsmen and then attacked Meryn Trant. Syrio rained down ineffective blows onto Meryn's plate armor until his sword was cut in half. Arya fled, obeying Syrio's orders. The fate of Syrio after that is unknown.

Royal court and officials

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Myrcella Baratheon	/mə(ɹ)ˈsɛlə bəˈɹæθɪɒn/	Aimee Richardson	1, 2	9	Alive
The Royal Princess, Myrcella is the younger sister of Prince Joffrey and only daughter of Cersei Lannister. She, like her brothers, is also the child of her mother's brother, Jaime, though she remains unaware of this. Unlike her older brother Joffrey, Myrcella is a kind and good person and enjoys being with her uncle Tyrion who in turn dotes on his niece. As part of an alliance proposition, Myrcella was shipped away to Dorne to marry the Prince's son.
Tommen Baratheon	/ˈtɒmɨn bəˈɹæθɪɒn/	Callum Wharry (Season 1-2) Dean-Charles Chapman (Season 4)	1, 2, 4	8	Alive
Tommen is the younger brother of Prince Joffrey, and second in line for the throne. He, like his brother and sister, is also the child of his mother's brother, Jaime, though he remains unaware of this. Like his older sister Myrcella, Tommen is a kind and good person and enjoys being with his uncle Tyrion who in turn dotes on him.
Grand Maester Pycelle	/ˈmeɪstə(ɹ) paɪˈsɛl/	Julian Glover	1, 2, 3, 4	16	Alive
Julian Glover Pycelle, Grand Maester of the Seven Kingdoms, is an advisor and Small Council member. He served the previous three kings as Grand Maester before Robert's reign. In public, he presents himself as a frail, possibly senile old man. However, in private, he is significantly more sound in mind and body than he pretends. Pycelle is later revealed to be a spy for the Lannisters, especially Cersei, as it was he who informed her about Jon Arryn's investigating her affair with Jaime, an investigation leading to Jon Arryn's death. To ensure what happened to Ned Stark never happens to him, Tyrion has Pycelle arrested, shaved and sent to the dungeons. Later, Pycelle is restored to his position by Cersei Lannister.
Meryn Trant		Ian Beattie	1, 2, 3, 4	7	Alive
Ser Meryn Trant is an obedient member of the Kingsguard. He seems perfectly willing to do whatever Joffrey commands, no matter how vile the order.
Hallyne		Roy Dotrice	2	2	Alive
The chief "Wisdom" of the Order of Pyromancers in King's Landing. Pyromancers, whose magical skill is questionable at best, are primarily used as a source of "Wildfire", a very dangerous, highly combustible chemical weapon. Tyrion uses his help for the Battle of Blackwater.
Dontos Hollard		Tony Way	2, 4	3	Alive
Ser Dontos Hollard is a knight serving at the court of King's Landing. He shows up drunk at the tourney for Joffrey's birthday, so the young King threatens to execute him. Sansa saves his life by suggesting he become a fool of the court instead.
Ilyn Payne	/ˈɪlɪn ˈpeɪn/	Wilko Johnson	1, 2	4	Alive
Ser Ilyn, also called "The King's Justice," is the mute royal executioner. He lost his tongue for speaking ill of Aerys II during the "Mad King's" reign. It is he who carries out Joffrey's order to execute Eddard Stark. He's currently holding Ned's sword Ice.

Beyond the Wall

Name	Pronunciation	Actor/Actress	Season(s)	Episode count	Status
Mance Rayder		Ciarán Hinds	3, 4	3	Alive
File:Ciaran hinds.jpg Ciáran Hinds A former ranger of the Night’s Watch who became the “King-Beyond-the-Wall” and the new leader of the Wildlings. A former wildling child who was raised by the Night’s Watch, he was one of the best rangers until he turned against the Watch by joining the wildlings. Using the training and tactics he learned from the watch, Mance was chosen by the Wildlings to be their seventh King Beyond the Wall. Mance's goal is to get his people to the safety of the other side of the wall before the White Walkers reach it. He sent Tormund and Jon with a group of wildlings to get south of the Wall and wait for "biggest fire the north has ever seen" to signal them to attack the Wall.
Tormund		Kristofer Hivju	3, 4	7	Alive
A wildling raider known for his many titles, "Giantsbane" being foremost. Loud and gregarious, he is one of Mance's top generals. Tormund takes a liking to Jon after he joins them and even gives him advice over his relationship with Ygritte. Tormund leads a group of wildlings south of the Wall to wait the signal of Mance Rayder to attack the Nights Watch.
Gilly		Hannah Murray	2, 3, 4	9	Alive
A young wildling girl who lives north of the Wall, Gilly is one of many daughters of Craster, a wildling who takes all his daughters to wife once they grow up into women. She has a son with her father Craster. Samwell falls for her and becomes protective of her. After Craster is killed and Commander Mormont's rangers turn on each other, Samwell runs with Gilly and her son to Castle Black. Along their journey, Gilly becomes fascinated with Samwell over his knowledge and his bravery of defending her son from a White Walker. After the three of them manage to reach Castle Black, Maester Aemon allows Gilly and her son to stay with them. In gratitude for Samwell helping them, Gilly names her son after Sam.
The Lord o' Bones		Edward Dogliani	2, 3	3	Alive
More often than not referred to as "Rattleshirt", a ruthless wildling leader who uses a giant's skull as a helmet and the bones of his victims for armour. In Season 2 he captures Jon Snow and in Season 3 delivers him to the King-Beyond-The-Wall.
Styr		Yuri Kolokolnikov	4		Alive
One of Mance Rayder's lieutenants and the Magnar - "Lord" in the Old Tongue of the First Men - of the Thenn people, a clan of wildlings.
Child of the Forest		Octavia Alexandru	4		Alive
The Children of the Forest are a mysterious non-human race that were reportedly the original inhabitants of the continent of Westeros. Small, druidic, magical creatures, they were already living in Westeros when the First Men migrated to the continent, 12,500 years before Robert's Rebellion. According to legend they were last seen during the Andal invasion six thousand years before the War of the Five Kings. In the present day, most believe that they are simply the stuff of myth and never existed at all. Even the few that do believe they once existed, such as Maester Luwin or Ned Stark, believe that they have long since gone extinct.
Three-eyed raven		Struan Rodger	4		Alive
The three-eyed raven is a figure that appears in Bran Stark's dreams, following his fall and injury. In Bran's dreams, the raven appears to be trying to lead him into the Stark family crypt, predicting his father's death. In Season 3 he keeps appearing in Bran's dreams and wants him to follow him.
Orell		Mackenzie Crook	3	6	Deceased
Mackenzie Crook A wildling raider and warg, a human capable of entering the minds of animals. Orell doesn't trust Jon after he joins them as he suspects Jon is still loyal to the Night's Watch and his jealousy of Ygritte. Orell suspicions are confirmed when during a raid at the North, Jon refuses to kill an innocent horse breeder. He is killed by Jon but not before Orell wargs an eagle and claws him.
Craster		Robert Pugh	2, 3	5	Deceased
A wildling who has an uneasy "friendship" with the Night's Watch. He is a short-tempered, incestual polygamist who takes all his daughters as wives. Jon Snow ponders why he has no sons and it is later revealed that he sacrifices them to the White Walkers soon after birth. As their only ally beyond the Wall, Commander Mormont and the Nights Watch are forced to endure his insults and outrageous demands. Several members of the Night's Watch finally lose their patience with Craster when after they return defeated from a battle with the White Walkers, he insults their dead and refuses to share more of his supplies with the hungry rangers. He is killed by Karl after the latter provokes him into attacking by calling him a bastard.

See also

• Characters in A Song of Ice and Fire
• List of Game of Thrones episodes

External links

• Official website