Game of Thrones Cast and Character Review

Oh, The Game of Thrones!!! There are probably a billion articles written reviewing Game of Thrones, but still I wanted to give you my personal, non-commercial and honest opinion on the TV show.

The title "Game of Thrones"...

Game of Thrones is the title of the TV series. The original book series written by George R. R. Martin is called "A Song of Ice and Fire". So basically the series should be referred to as 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series. However the first book of the series is titled "A Game of Thrones", not 'The' Game of Thrones.

About the author of A Song of Ice and Fire series...

George R. R. Martin is the author of the book series and also a co-producer of the Game of Thrones TV series. For more information visit the Wikipedia page.

About the Song of Ice and Fire series...

There are seven books in total in the series and as of now five books have been written and published. G. R. R. Martin is currently working on the sixth book of the series, named 'The Winds of Winter', for which exact publication dates are not released yet. The seven books in order are;

1. A Game of Thrones (1996)
2. A Clash of Kings (1998)
3. A Storm of Swords (2000)
4. A Feast for Crows (2005)
5. A Dance with Dragons (2011)
6. The Winds of Winter
7. A Dream of Spring

"The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword."

― Eddard Stark

Game of Thrones probably has the most vivid set of characters you will ever come across in a TV series. Most TV shows have a few main roles and continue with them through to 8-9 seasons. But Game of Thrones is very different from that. Characters are given rich backgrounds and developed to great heights and even killed off as easily.

House of Stark

The season one of Game of Thrones starts with an insight to the cold harsh north and the 'northerners' that rule the North. Eddard Stark (AKA Ned Stark) is the King in The North, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. He is a man of integrity and honesty and we soon find out that in the game of thrones, there is no place for such qualities. He is a loving king, husband and a father and loves the realm even more. Honest men have no place in the twisted realm of the Seven Kingdoms, and he is beheaded by the boy-king Joffrey, in the first season itself, being on the honest and unlucky end of a false accusation for treason.

Eddard Stark has married a Tully woman named Catelyn Stark (Cately Tully) and she plays a major role in the series up to the third season, looking after her sons and giving support to his eldest son Robb in battle against King Jeffrey. She is a brave and an honest woman, just like Eddard was. And what did I tell about honest people in the game of thrones? Yes, she meets an unfortunate (more like uncalled for) death/murder in the third season, in the episode named 'The Rains of Castamere'. That blood is in the hands of the two-tongued Lord Walder Frey, who she meets to arrange passing rights over their bridge. In the same episode, in the same instance Robb Stark, too is killed and his pregnant queen, Talisa. Robb is a strong young man-a wolf in a human body-and the heir to Winterfell after the death of his father Eddard Stark. During the battles, Robb is proclaimed 'The King in the North' and Lord of Winterfell. Robb had to leave the safety of Winterfell and meet the Lannisters in battle.

Robb, Sansa, Ayra, Bran and Rickon are the five legitimate kids of Lord Eddard Stark and Catelyn Stark. In the first season of Game of Thrones these five are very small, the eldest-Robb being just 16. However there is a narrative perspective through Bran Stark in the novel series (something like the story being told from Bran's view). There is a major incident towards the latter part of the first season, which changes the cause of Game of Thrones for ever. Probably, that incident surrounding Bran could be identified as the starting point of all evil, all battles and the entire seven books in the Song of Ice and Fire series. That is the massive role Bran plays (or fate had him play) in the first season. In the second and third seasons, the five children of House of Stark play very different roles, some away from their homes. Sansa is at King's Landing proposed to be married to King Joffrey and Arya is on the run away from King's Landing after the execution of his father. Sansa is a sweet, calm, proud and a lady-like woman. Arya is quite the contrary. She has uncombed hair, likes to run around in the woods, play sword fights with boys and a little mischievous.

Bran is a 11 year old boy with high ambitions. But after 'the incident' he becomes a cripple and a 'mature' character. His narrative perspective in the novels is so strong and emotional. But later on, in the third season specially, Bran grows up to discover his unique powers, that no one else in the realm possess. We can only hope much more greatness for this crippled prince in the fourth season of Game of Thrones.

Rickon Stark is the youngest in the family and plays a very small role compared to others. He is just aged 6 and a lot cannot be said about him, except that he has a hard time accepting his father's death and he loves Bran more than anyone else.

Jon Snow and Theon Greyjoy are two more main characters we find in the series, continuing in the third season as well. Jon Snow is a bastard son of Eddard Stark (probably the only dishonest incident in his life). Jon Snow's mother is yet to be revealed in certainty. So there could be some twists in that. Jon Snow joins the Night's Watch, a brotherhood of rangers who mount The Wall-a massive ice wall built to keep the wildlings and creatures and the White Walkers from coming down to the realm. Theon Greyjoy is an Ironborn- a set of islands known as Iron Islands-prince of House of Greyjoy. Theon was taken to House of Stark as a hostage during his fathers' battles against King Robert Baratheon. But from the very first episode itself Theon is seen as a family member of Starks, treated equally with their children. Both Jon Snow and Theon Greyjoy have narrative perspectives in the series.

Osha the Wildling and Hodor the dimwit play a supporting role for Bran and Rickon's escape. Hodor has the task of carrying Bran around. Although he has massive strength his brain is not fully functional, although he does understand everything he is being ordered to do. Osha is a fierce woman, once was captured by the Starks during a hunting trip, when Osha and her group tried to attack Bran. But ever since she has been nothing but extremely loyal to the Starks and without her Bran and Rickon would not have survived thus far.

"I'm not trying to honor you, I'm trying to get you to run my kingdom while I eat, drink, and whore my way into an early grave."

―Robert Baratheon to Eddard Stark.

"When you play the game of thrones you win or you die. There is no middle ground."

-Cersei Lannister

House of Baratheon

King Robert Baratheon of House Baratheon was the King of the Seven Kingdoms at the beginning of the TV series. King Robert won the Iron Throne after the battle with Rhaegar Targaryen, the prince and rightful heir to the throne. But Robert won the throne through right of conquest alongside with his best friend Eddard Stark. Robert Baratheon, the First of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, is a happy, fat man with a strong likeness for vine. He was always drunk. Robert was married to beautiful Queen Cersei Lannister. King Robert gets attacked by a wild boar in one of his hunting trips and due to the severe injury passes away, leaving the throne to his 'legitimate' son Joffrey Baratheon.

King Joffrey Baratheon is the son of late King Robert and Queen Cersei. He is a stupid king-too young for looking after a real. He is just 17 when he is throned as the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. He is a mamma's boy-but tries not to act such. He is drunk with his power and is pretty much controlled by his mother and Tywin Lannister towards the third season.

Queen Cersei Lannister is the wife of late Robert Baratheon and mother of Joffrey Baratheon, Myrcella Baratheon and Tommen Baratheon. Cersei plays a major role through the three seasons planning, plotting and ruling the kingdom through his son. Queen Cersei is in an incest relationship with her twin brother Jaime Lannister.

Jaime Lannister, also known as the Kingslayer, is Queen Cersei's brother. He acclaimed the title of Kingslayer when he killed the mad King Aerys, while being on his kings guard, but he later proves that he had no choice. Jaime is a key character throughout the three seasons.

All three children of Queen Cersei were born of incest with his brother, so are not in fact true sons of Robert Baratheon and by rights of passage does not own rights to rule the kingdom.

Tyrion Lannister is one of my personal characters in all three seasons. He is a 'half-man'. Basically a midget, but with some serious deformations as the book describes.But the TV series has ignored those deformities and used the very talented Peter Dincklage for the role. Tyrion is the curse of House Lannister, as his father Tywin Lannister and his sister Cersei and his brother Jaime says. But he is undoubtedly the smartest person of the Lannisters, except maybe for his father. Tyrion plays a critical role in all three seasons and has his own narrative perspective in the book series. Tyrion Lannister's weapon is his mind. He is sharp, keen and alive. He has a way with his words and use his brain and mouth to get things done in favor of him.

House Targaryen

House Targaryen is one of the great houses of Westeros descending from the time of the first men. Daenerys Targaryen of House Targaryen is, in my belief, the key character in the whole of A Song of Ice and Fire series. Ans one of my personal favourite characters.

After Rhaegar Targaryen, his brother Visery Targaryen was in line to the throne. But Rhaegar was defeated by Robert Baratheon and the Iron Throne was ruled by House Baratheon. Viserys is the brother of Daenerys Targaryen, but dies at the hands of Khal Drogo- the husband of Daenerys Targaryen. Khal eventually dies of a battle wound getting infected beyond curing. So that leaves Daenerys Targaryen as the rightful heir to the Iron Throne and the Seven Kingdoms. So the whole series is based on her pursuit to being the protector of the Realm as she was supposed to be. All the battles between other houses are secondary to her pursuit.

Daenerys Targaryen is a gorgeous woman of just 18 years old, but her only goal is to regain her throne and rightful place as the queen of the realm. During her wedding ceremony with Khal, she is presented with a wedding gift-three dragon eggs so old that they were turned into stone and infertile. Daenerys Targaryen takes care of these dragon eggs as her most precious gift. By this time dragons have ceased to exist hundreds of years ago. However Daenerys Targaryen offers these dragons eggs and herself to the massive burning pyre of his husband and the extreme heat hatches the eggs and three dragon babies are born. From that moment onward the whole Game of Thrones changes.

Iron Throne is the seat that everybody is fighting for.

"Have you ever seen the Iron Throne? The barbs along the back, the ribbons of twisted steel, the jagged ends of swords and knives all tangled up and melted? It is not a comfortable seat ser. Aerys cut himself so often men took to calling him King Scab, and Maegor the Cruel was murdered in that chair. By that chair, to hear some tell it. It is not a seat where a man can rest as ease. Ofttimes I wonder why my brothers wanted it so desperately."

-Stannis Baratheon

This hub only could cover the main (I mean main) characters on Game of Thrones. There are still dozens of 'main' characters in the three seasons that have concluded. Some of them are Maester Luwin, Maester Pycell, Littlefinger, Varys, Shae, Stannis Baratheon, Renly Baratheon, Margaery Tyrell, Barristan Selmy, the Boltons, Ser Jorah Mormont, the Freys, the Ironborns, and many many more. However I was able to cover the most critical characters.

Hope you enjoy the show as much as I do.

Hope the "North remembers!!!"