The most wanted man in Westeros.
There are certain characters that become so ingrained in pop-culture that they seem to take on a life of their own.
Here, we’re focusing on a man that seems to perfectly capture the appeal of Game of Thrones.
It could only be the wine-drinking, scene-stealing, wise-cracking hero, Tyrion Lannister.
In three words, he’s: Shrewd, charismatic and intelligent.
Why he’s a TV great: Chaos is a ladder that rests on a foundation of violence, lineage and deceit in Westeros. If you’re going to play the Game of Thrones then you better have a bloody good strategy and there’s no one that’s better at out-thinking or out-maneuvering their enemies than the man that’s hated by everyone in his own House Lannister.
So what makes Tyrion such a fantastic character? Fans of the show will know that the Lannister’s are disliked by everyone outside of Casterly Rock but Tyrion’s intriguing because he’s also despised by his own family.
Blamed for his mother’s death, ostracized by society for being a dwarf and labeled as a degenerate due to his fondness for wine and brothels, you would be forgiven for thinking that he has little bearing on who will sit on the Iron Throne.
While everyone else though is swinging swords and falling into treacherous political traps, he was studying how the politics of Westeros works and what’s required to not only lead but inspire.
I won’t say much else about his journey for fear of spoiling the show but there’s a reason why he’s arguably the most beloved character in the world’s most beloved show.
It’s testament to Peter Dinklage’s skill as an actor that nearly every scene that he’s in is incredibly strong, especially those with Tywin and Cersei.
His best quote: There are so many but I’ve always been partial to this piece of advice: “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”.
This one resonates with me also.
If we could put him in another show: Tyrion gets all of the best lines in the show and he’s a learned man that excels in the dark and treacherous shadows of political corridors.
It has to be The West Wing.
His best scene: There are so many. The speech during the Blackwater episode, the scene when he demands that Tywin appoint him as heir to Casterly Rock, any scene with Cersei or Varys but I’ve opted for this.
The finest piece of acting on Game of Thrones so far.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
