Schlockmania's Favorite Characters From GAME OF THRONES - Part 1
Now that its pay cable reign has come to an end, Game Of Thrones has carved out a placein television history as one of its most beloved shows and also one of its mostcontroversial. Adapted from George R.R.Martin's series of acclaimed novels, it delivered a sprawling tale of intriguebetween multiple kingdoms in a mythical bygone era. Over eight seasons, itbrought the fantasy genre into the mainstream in a way that shocked anddelighted a fanbase that grew with each year.
It also had one of the most hotly debated final seasonsof any show ever. Schlockmania's quick, spoiler-free take: between having tocontinue an adaptation without source material and deciding to wrap things upin a six-episode season, showrunners/creators David Benioff and D.B. Weissrushed events and character arcs that needed a few additional seasons to unfurlsmoothly. Thus, you had changes in character behavior that felt unnatural,shorthand plotting that often felt implausible and an overall feeling that thestory got to what could have been a satisfying end place in the wrong way.
That said, the journey is still worth taking for thegenre-minded viewer: the first five seasons in particular are really strong.The scope of the production is mindboggling for television, feeling like anepic movie in virtually every episode. Best of all, there is a sprawling castof characters brought to life by a fantastic ensemble of actors. One of thegreat strengths of Game Of Throneswas its ability to handle develop rich and involving arcs for multiplecharacters at once.
The following is the first half of a list of Schlockmania'sfavorite characters from the show, with explanations for what makes themnoteworthy. It mostly shies away fromthe expected lead characters in favor of the second and third-tier players whomade vivid impressions with less time than the more prominent characters in thenarrative. Watching their journeys wasthe most rewarding part of Game OfThrones for Schlockmania.
Sandor "The Hound" Clegane (Rory McCann): thischaracter begins as your typical bad guy's henchman but when the machinations ofthe Lannister dynasty force him to question his role, he sets out on a journeyinto the hinterlands that becomes a journey into self. There are certain fixedelements to his character that align with the show's narrative - namely hisdrive for revenge - but he develops a new appreciation for relationships,mentoring and interacting with others who have different outlooks on life. He also a beautiful way with blunt-forceinsults that he never loses at any point in his journey.
Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey): there are a few royalhouses on this show that are led by children who get unexpectedly bumped intothe ruler's chair by fate and the rules of family dynasty. None of them are as ideally suited as theyoungest Mormont. Despite her youthful age, she's a pretty good judge ofcharacter, loyal to those who show her the same quality, unafraid to speak hermind and brave when men three or four times her age are hesitant to act. Whenit's time to fight, she's willing to shoulder the weight with the rest of theheroes.
Lord Varys (Conleth Hill): He's an advisor to kings andqueens, brutally pragmatic when it comes to making political moves and a"master of whisperers" who is frequently ahead of the othercharacters when it comes to gossip and secrets. He seems to be a charminglyloquacious villain at first but he comes to reveal his humanity in layers asthe show goes on, proving he is someone with a sympathy for the underdogbecause suffering as an underdog motivated him to get where he is. It helpsthat Hill has a magnificent, honeyed style of line delivery: he could recitethe phone book and make it sound musical to the ear.
Ygritte (Rose Leslie): she is the female"wildling" that Jon Snow falls in love with during his time separatedfrom the Night's Watch. She is brave, aformidable fighter and forthright in ways that no woman is south of the Wall soit's no wonder he'd be attracted to her. Loyalty is the flip side of herfierceness so when his original duties lead him to betray her love, her desirefor revenge is as intense as that love. Leslie's performance thrills and frightens in equal measure without everlosing the viewer's sympathy or interest. Listen out for her signature line -"You know nothing, Jon Snow" - which takes on multiple shadings whenused in different scenes.
Jaqen H'ghar (Tom Wlaschiha): The mystical/fantasy sideof Game Of Thrones reaches an apexin character form through this mysterious figure. At first, he is an enigmaticbut skilled fighter who aids Arya when she comes to his aid. He later becomes adark mentor figure in her journey when is she weighing her decisions on issueslike whether she wants to gain power at the loss of self/history. Imagine if Yoda was morally ambiguous and youget an idea of his vibe. He remainscompelling from his first moment onscreen to his last, even when you'requestioning his motivations.
The High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce): This character represents one of the best and most convincing portraits of religious fanaticism Schlockmania has ever seen in fiction. He defies the usual image of the fanatic by being soft-spoken and ascetic in ways we don't normally associate with people who proclaim themselves to be godly oracles. However, he gradually reveals he is as manipulative and dangerous as any aspiring monarch in this show, an arc that is all the more impressive in how plays out because he does it without theatrics. Pryce's performance here is one of his finest.
