Jaime, Brienne, Arya… or the Sword of the Morning? Which of these Game of Thrones fighters is the best with a sword?
The debate around the best swordsman in Game of Thrones (or, in the case of many of the best and most deadly characters, swordswoman) is still ongoing despite the series concluding several years ago. Swordfighting became a staple of Game of Thrones throughout it’s run. It’s how characters settle disputes, even official trials in a court of law. It was also the buildup to some of the most shocking deaths on the show too, with many of its most brutal moments being when one character beat another with a blade.
What makes the debate around the most skilled swordfighter in Game of Thrones so intense is that many characters have an almost legendary proficiency with their weapons, with more than one gaining a reputation throughout Westeros for just how deadly they are with a blade. Whether it’s the Kingslayer Jaime Lannister or the bias-defying Brienne of Tarth, there are multiple contenders for whom the best character with a sword in Game of Thrones actually is — though one clearly stands out as being the most technically proficient (even if their presence in the show was minimal).
1
Arthur Dayne
Played By Luke Roberts
Hailing from Dorne, Arthur Dayne was a member of Aerys II’s Kingsguard and the man to knight Jaime Lannister. Jaime himself admired Arthur, thinking about him often and aspiring to be just like him, which shows exactly the kind of knight and fighter that Arthur was. His morals were a little more questionable when it came to what he was guarding, but in terms of sheer ability, Arthur Dayne was easily the best swordfighter in Game of Thrones.
Dayne notably wielded two swords and held off an entire company of Northmen in Bran’s vision, only meeting his end due to being snuck up on by Howland Reed.
Ser Arthur Dayne only appeared in one episode of Game of Thrones — season 6, episode 3, “Oathbreaker”, and was part of Bran’s vision. However, he was mentioned multiple times throughout the show, such as when Joffrey is reading through his entry in the Book of Brothers, the book which chronicles the most heroic deeds of the Kingsguard.
Dayne notably wielded two swords and held off an entire company of Northmen in Bran’s vision, only meeting his end due to being snuck up on by Howland Reed. Dayne even managed to best Eddard Stark, and would likely have killed him were it not for Reed’s intervention. Even the Three Eyed Raven recognizes Dayne’s proficiency in combat, and it’s hinted that almost nobody in Game of Thrones — living or dead — could have defeated him in a fair fight.
2
Barristan Selmy
Played By Ian McElhinney
Like many of the most skilled swordfighters in Game of Thrones, Barristan Selmy talents with a blade soon found him becoming of the Kingsguard, first serving Aerys Targaryen and then, after the rebellion, Robert Baratheon. Selmy was known for his loyalty to his position, regardless of who was on The Iron Throne. Aerys and Robert were completely different, and Barristan had to be in full support of them both, one after the other.
It speaks volumes about how great a fighter he is that Robert accepted him in the first place. Selmy’s value as a Kingsguard must have been high, since Barristan fought for Aerys in the rebellion, fighting against Robert right until the moment The Mad King was vanquished — something Robert was willing to overlook. It’s pretty widely accepted that Barristan Selmy is one of the greatest swordsmen of his time. In the season 1 episode “The Wolf and the Lion”, Eddard Stark pays Selmy a compliment that fully establishes his reputation and skill for viewers:
My father once told me you were the best he’d ever seen. I never knew the man to be wrong about matters of combat.
Selmy Barristan eventually meets his end after leaving Westeros and traveling to Meereen to serve Daenerys. His death was a true testament to his skill, as he managed to single-handedly defeat almost all the Sons of the Harpy members who’d ambushed Greyworm and the feared Unsullied. Were it not for his age during this fight, it’s likely he would have survived, too.
3
Jaime Lannister
Played By Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
While he’s one of the most controversial characters in the show, it’s clear that Jaime Lannister is among the best swordfighters in Game of Thrones. However, there’s some debate about how he compares to other characters, considering Brienne got the best of him in the show, but she didn’t in the books — and even in the books, she says Jaime was chained and “no knight in the Seven Kingdoms could have stood against him at his full strength.”
Considering how much Brienne hated Jaime at that point, she wouldn’t have paid him a compliment unnecessarily, so her admission of his skill must have had more than a little truth to it.
Considering how much Brienne hated Jaime at that point, she wouldn’t have paid him a compliment unnecessarily, so her admission of his skill must have had more than a little truth to it. Jaime, for all his faults, was definitely one of the best living swordsmen in the series. Even after losing his hand, he was a formidable combatant, learning to use his injury to his advantage and eventually wielding a blade with his off-hand almost as well as the one he’d lost.
While his reputation in Westeros was as the Kingslayer, he was equally known for his prowess in battle — and his place on the Kingsguard shows that the son of Tywin Lannister was far greater than the single act that changed the fate of the Seven Kingdoms.
4
Gregor Clegane
Played By Conan Stevens/Ian Whyte/Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
As his nickname of “The Mountain” reveals, it’s unsurprising that Gregor Clegane is one of the most feared swordfighters in Westeros, as his sheer size alone makes him an almost-impossible opponent to defeat. Jaime Lannister himself admits that there’s only two men that he believes might be able to defeat him in a fair fight, and although they’re never named, it’s implied the Mountain is one of them.
The Mountain is one of the most terrifying characters in Game of Thrones, probably because he fights entirely without conscience and has no problem taking out innocent people. But he’s very efficient at what he does, which is why Tywin kept him around and eventually, why Cersei did too. As far as his skills with a sword go, The Mountain can rely on brute strength rather than technique, though he’s far from clumsy with a blade, and would likely still be incredibly deadly even without the strength to shatter a shield with a single blow.
5
Sandor Clegane
Played By Rory McCann
Though not quite as formidable an opponent as his older brother, Gregor Clegane, Sandor Clegane — the Hound — still ranks among the best swordfighters on Game of Thrones. Despite his impressive size, Sandor relies just as much on skill and ferocity as he does on brute strength. What he may lack in finesse compared to some he more than makes up for in his willingness to improvise and sheer ruthlessness. Sandor first killed when he was 12 years old, and taking down a trained adult soldier at such a young age speaks volumes about his fighting ability.
Although Sandor was mindlessly loyal to the Lannisters, this wasn’t the only thing that attracted him as a guard for them.
Such is The Hound’s proficiency with a blade that Joffrey had him on his Kingsguard without Sandor being a knight — and this break from tradition raised more than a few eyebrows at the court of Kings Landing, though none doubted the logic of the decision. Cersei trusted The Hound to protect her son as his personal bodyguard, a position that she wouldn’t afford to just anybody given that she knew Joffrey’s enemies were incredibly competent. Although Sandor was mindlessly loyal to the Lannisters, this wasn’t the only thing that attracted him as a guard for them.
