Despite its controversial ending overshadowing the series, Game of Thrones was truly groundbreaking, changing the TV landscape forever. The high-budget fantasy epic was better than any fantasy movie and made household names out of many of its actors. The best episodes of Game of Thrones explored more than just fantasy creatures, with the characters’ political scheming being the central theme.
“Power Is Power”
Cersei Lannister
In Game of Thrones‘ first season, we are still learning about the characters, their motivations, and the way that their world works. When Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish tells Queen Cersei Lannister that knowledge is power, this sounds insightful and mildly threatening to her. However, the scene becomes an intense battle of wits with Cersei proving otherwise.
Cersei orders her guards to kill Littlefinger before changing her mind at the last minute, and tells him that “power is power.” In many situations — and definitely those in Westeros — this is true. Littlefinger’s strength might have been in his methods for gaining knowledge and status, but this means nothing if you don’t know when to act and when to wait.
“A Small Man Can Cast A Very Large Shadow”
Varys
Of all the characters who survived Game of Thrones, Tyrion Lannister is arguably the most iconic. When he and Varys have a discussion about riddles and the way in which people impact the world, Varys’ quote flatters Tyrion while being relevant outside the show. Peter Dinklage’s portrayal of Tyrion is one of the best parts of Game of Thrones.
The quote is genius in the context of the show, as many of the characters who both survive and thrive are not the expected ones. The underdogs like Sansa Stark and Tyrion Lannister have the best fates and strongest impact on the story by the end. Similarly, Varys’ words often reflect real life, as small actions by everyday people can make a huge difference.
“Love Is The Death Of Duty”
Maester Aemon Targaryen
The Targaryen family tree is complex, and Aemon Targaryen hides in plain sight as a member of the Night’s Watch. When he explains to Jon Snow the reason behind the Brotherhood’s vowed celibacy, he sums up one of the major themes of the show and highlights one character’s unusual behavior. Ned Stark put his duty before love, while virtually every other character does not.
Aemon Targaryen’s line is the exact opposite of Jaime Lannister’s “the things I do for love,” which ends the first episode and sets the events into motion. Even setting aside the incest angle, Jaime’s choice to place his relationship with Cersei over his duty and Cersei’s devotion to Joffrey, in turn, both prove Aemon to be right.
“Hodor”
Hodor
Hodor first appears in the first season of Game of Thrones, where it is explained that “Hodor” is the only word he can say, following a childhood seizure. His death is one of the saddest side character deaths in Game of Thrones, and one of the biggest twists in the show, making his one word into a genius quote.
As Bran wargs into the childhood Hodor, whose name was originally Wylis, he links their minds. This leads to Wylis seeing his own death as Meera and Bran scream to “hold the door.” As this phrase becomes “hodor,” it reveals the tragic cause of the seizure as well as the reason behind Hodor’s drastic change in demeanor.
“Know Your Strengths, Use Them Wisely, And One Man Can Be Worth Ten Thousand”
Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish
Littlefinger might be a character who will lie and scheme to get what he wants, but occasionally, he comes out with something both true and insightful. When Littlefinger accompanies Sansa through the gorge to the Bloody Gate, he explains the strengths of the area to Sansa. It’s a great example of a character using advice she has been given in their own way.
When Sansa starts to play to her strengths, she becomes a more formidable opponent than others suspected, including Littlefinger himself. The advice is also excellent in general, outside of Game of Thrones. Using your strengths at the right time can be more valuable than brute force when trying to help people, especially in times of political unrest.
“Some People Will Always Need Help. That Doesn’t Mean They’re Not Worth Helping”
Meera Reed
Meera’s quote is one of the best in Game of Thrones, which can be surprisingly reflective of real life, aside from the dragons. There are many powerful characters in Game of Thrones who have been underestimated because they have needed help at times. Both Bran and Sansa Stark are great examples, as are Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister.
That said, other characters, like Samwell Tarly, do not become powerful over time. Game of Thrones is about characters who all use different kinds of power to try and come out on top. This would usually mean that the needier characters get pushed aside, but Meera’s quote highlights how these kinds of people should always be helped, even if they will always need it.
“When You Tear Out A Man’s Tongue, You Are Not Proving Him A Liar. You’re Only Telling The World That You Fear What He Might Say”
Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion is unquestionably the most politically knowledgeable character in Game of Thrones. His words on censoring voices perfectly sum up the reasoning behind the actions of tyrant kings like Joffrey, as well as real-life political figures. That said, considering how the central themes of Game of Thrones deal with power and corruption, this quote is unusual as it only appears in the books.
Some Game of Thrones characters are drastically different in the books, but Tyrion is one of the most accurate in terms of demeanor, if not looks. His commentary on silencing the voices of opponents would be perfectly in character for Peter Dinklage’s Tyrion, and of all the great quotes that were left out of the TV show, this is the best.
“The World We Need Won’t Be Built By Men Loyal To The World We Have”
Daenerys Targaryen
When Daenerys burned down King’s Landing and cemented her status as the Mad Queen, this was especially controversial due to the lack of buildup and her previously well-meaning plan. Daenerys might have overestimated the desires of the people to see her on the throne and been over-ambitious in her plan to “break the wheel,” but she got one thing right.
✕Remove Ads
When Daenerys reveals her plans to Jon Snow, she shows her understanding of the system she was preparing to fight. It is impossible to change the world for the better when the people in power are benefiting from the system that is already in place. This is one of the wisest quotes in the show, even if it came from the Mad Queen.
“Any Man Who Must Say ‘I Am The King‘ Is No True King”
Tywin Lannister
Thanks to Jack Gleeson’s excellent performance, Joffrey Baratheon is one of the most irredeemable TV characters of all time. This means that every time another character stands up to Joffrey, it is immensely satisfying to watch. While Cersei usually tries to appease him, both Tyrion and Tywin are not afraid to tell him what they think of him.
In response to Joffrey’s petulant whining, Tywin skewers him by telling him what many people know to be true. The more a person claims to be one thing, the less likely they are that thing. Joffrey’s insistence that he can do anything that he wants due to his status as the king shows him to be a weak, ineffective, and increasingly desperate character.
“Never Forget What You Are. The Rest Of The World Will Not. Wear It Like Armor, And It Can Never Be Used To Hurt You.”
Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion Lannister is arguably the best character in the Game of Thrones world, and the books reveal even more about Tyrion. He has some of the best quotes in both the books and the TV show, from comedy moments to advice to live by. When he tells Jon to stop being ashamed of being illegitimate, he sets him up for the rest of the show.
“Never forget what you are” is one of Tyrion’s most impactful quotes, both for Jon, who overcomes his shame at being Ned Stark’s illegitimate child, and for viewers. The advice to turn your perceived weaknesses into strengths, giving others less to use against you, is some of the best of all time, in any TV series or book.
