10 Most Overrated Game of Thrones Characters Who Don’t Deserve the Love They Get

Game of Thrones remains a cultural behemoth to date, despite a disappointing last season and series finale. George R. R. Martin’s medieval fantasy took fans across Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms, diving deep into the political and territorial conflicts that divided the land, and kept royalty in power. The great houses ruled the kingdoms in various capacities and were comprised of compelling characters like Daenerys, Sansa, Jon, and Tyrion, who kept fans hooked.

Some of these characters were the greatest in TV history and have left an indelible mark on viewers’ minds and hearts, but a closer look reveals something else. While they may have shocked and impressed viewers with their actions, many of these characters, like Jon or Arya, started off well, but had arcs that didn’t do them justice. Some of them were also glorified for no real reason, which makes them overrated figures in the story of Game of Thrones.

10. Robb Stark Was Mourned By Fans Unanimously

The next in line after the death of Ned Stark, Robb was hailed as one of the greatest leaders of Game of Thrones, but that was hardly the case. Robb was charismatic, good at combat, and had noble intentions, but he was no political stalwart. In fact, he didn’t even display the honor that Ned was known for when he decided to break his marriage pact with the Freys, instead acting impulsively and following his feelings.

As King in the North, he did not have the liberty to do these things. He lacked the strategic skills required for such a position, and his decision-making led to not only his death, but the almost complete erasure of House Stark and all of its warriors. This was why his downfall at the Red Wedding was not a tragedy, but a result of all his failures to lead people the right way.

9. Jaime Lannister’s Redemption Was Hugely Inflated

Jaime became a beloved character after he went through a redemption, but his growth was never real. Viewers saw his cruel and arrogant self in the beginning of Game of Thrones, where he would even kill a child to keep his dalliance with Cersei a secret. As time passed and Jaime faced adversity, he showed signs of goodness by rescuing Brienne and trying to break free of his family’s toxic legacy.

However, his redemption never reached fruition as he returned to Cersei at the end. He teetered on the edge of change, but could never fully commit to it as he stayed loyal to Cersei till the end. It undid years of evolution and honorable actions, and Jaime ultimately went back to being who he was at the start — cruel, repulsive, and blind to his own morality.

8. Samwell Tarly Had a Heart Of Gold, But Too Much Plot Armor

Jon’s closest friend, Sam, was a wholesome character unlike most in GoT, but his arc seemed forced after a point. He was certainly knowledgeable and patient, but his clumsy training never aligned with his conquests during the show. Sam was smart but not strategic at combat, yet he managed to kill a White Walker, which seemed like he was being overpowered for no good reason.

He was seen studying, but even his ascent to Maester seemed a tad too convenient. Sam was able to survive anything and everything without facing any real consequences, which became tiring to watch when his actual abilities were taken into consideration. He hardly went through any trials to reach the point he did, and he influenced far too many plots on the show for no real reason. Other characters were overlooked in order to portray Sam as a hero.

7. Theon Greyjoy’s Journey Was Uneven And One-Note

There is no doubt that Theon’s character arc was a tragic one, but that did not make him a great character. He betrayed the Starks on a foolish impulse, and then went through an extensive and unnecessarily long punishment at Ramsay Bolton’s hands for most of the show. His suffering as Reek was brutal, but there was very little depth to his actual character, and any redemption was rushed.

The violence that Theon was put through was gratuitous, and it should have been cut short much earlier. He should have got more space and time to prove his loyalty and goodness to the Starks, because his current story made him a hero far too quickly to be believable. Theon had the potential to be a great character, but everything that happened to him seemed like an afterthought, and his tragic run-in with Ramsay only made him a pitiable figure, rather than a respected one.

6. Bran Stark’s Rise To Power Was Nonsensical

There is no doubt that Bran is not a particularly loved character by fans, but the writers made him hugely overrated in Game of Thrones. After his horrific fall and consequent disability, Bran had an intriguing journey as the Three-Eyed Raven, but it affected his personality in a negative way. He became detached and emotionless, taking away from Bran’s actual nature, and making Bran a rather dull character to watch on the screen.

Fans were also annoyed that his powers were inconsistent, as he claimed that he could not influence events, but also revealed information when it was convenient for the plot. He certainly received wisdom during his arc, but making him King made no sense as Bran had absolutely no experience in politics, war, or leadership of any kind. He was put on a pedestal for no real reason, and Bran becoming King seemed like a cop-out from an actual conclusion to the story.

5. Daenerys Targaryen Had the Most Uneven Character Arc

Known as the Breaker of Chains, Daenerys was far from the benevolent image that she had at the beginning of the show. She had signs of tyranny in her, but she was also given too much credit for the things she did. Dany was able to conquer lands and people the way she did because she had dragons, powerful allies, and luck on her side.

She was brimming with ambition but did not have the political and strategic know-how to rule. While characters like Robb suffered for following their hearts, Daenerys was able to make reckless decisions and was still hailed as a great leader. However, her descent into madness was also too sudden and completely blindsided fans, as she was honed to be a symbol of hope and the next queen, but was then shown burning people down with madness in her eyes.

4. Jon Snow Was Truly Clueless After a Point

Jon was a character for whom fans had great hopes, especially when his status was officially changed from Stark bastard to lost Targaryen. He had acted recklessly and naively for much of his journey, but fans were certain that he would step into his power once his real identity and parentage were revealed. That, unfortunately, didn’t happen at all, and his ending was disappointing.

Jon Snow was given a new lease on life when he was revived from death in Game of Thrones. Sadly, his arc did not improve, and he got involved in a bunch of vestigial plotlines like his romance with Dany, which kept him from fulfilling his legacy. He learned how to ride Rhaegal, but then did nothing with it, and neither did he get his great battle with the Night King. Killing Dany and returning to the Free Folk was an objectively bad conclusion for a character who had so much potential.

3. Arya Stark Was Overhyped Beyond a Certain Point

There is no doubt that Arya began her journey as a promising figure, discarding social norms and charting her own path in a world full of princesses and marital alliances. However, her arc dipped downwards once she began her training to be a Faceless Man, as it went on far too long. She even strayed the course and abandoned her training, but still managed to retain its powers, which made little sense.

Her entire trip to Braavos was out of place and didn’t sit right with her character. It added little value to her personality, which became one-note as she was just obsessed with revenge. At first, it was gratifying to see her act like a tomboy and break rules, but her character never progressed from that. Her role as an assassin felt half-baked, and killing the Night King was completely unearned, as she had never faced him before. Arya was fierce and independent, but there was little to substantiate it.

2. Khal Drogo Was No Romantic Hero

Daenerys was forcibly married to Khal Drogo by Viserys, yet only the latter was considered the villain in this plotline. Since the Khal showed a degree of gentleness before he took Dany’s innocence without her consent, he was painted as a romantic hero who was devoted to her. Fans seem to forget that Khal Drogo was a murdered and a rapist, and Mirri Maz Duur’s desire for vengeance was not only justified, but well-deserved.

He had willingly entered a child marriage, and he believed it was his right to have sex with Daenerys and pillage people without facing any consequences. Drogo’s appeal can be chalked up to stellar acting by Jason Momoa and his personal charm, which leaked into his character. In reality, Drogo was just another man who felt entitled to what was not his, and he suffered for this.

1. The Night King Was Hardly a Threat

After years of being warned about the onset of winter, the villain that the season brought with it was ultimately disappointing. While he looked menacing and had some incredible powers, the Night King’s build-up was wasted the moment Arya Stark was able to take him down with a single stroke. He didn’t put up a fight, and the threat of eternal winter turned out to be empty as he was extremely easy to defeat.

He was supposed to be an unstoppable force of death and destruction, but his motives remained unclear. Even if that were the case, the villain could have put up more of a fight to live up to the hype. The promised duel between Jon Snow and the Night King also never happened, which made this character even less appealing. His threat was built for seasons upon seasons, and it crumbled in the most unsatisfying manner.