Most Overrated Game of Thrones Characters

This is a sister post to a Most Underrated Characters in Game of Thrones one I put up in my page. It seems to me upon re-watching Game of Thrones that there are some fans out there who heap undeserved amount of love unto certain characters. I used to be one of those. I used to think that Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, was one of the best characters. I mean, she had dragons! But upon re-watching I have come to the realization that she, and many others that fans think are great, don't actually deserve the praise they get. To get some idea of where fans stand, feel free to look at Rolling Stones' list of "top40 memorable characters", the results of the IMDB favorite characters fanpoll, and the rather interesting results from Outbrain's study (and the interpretations by PC Mag). No doubt you, dear reader, agree with some of them. Trust me, see the series again and you will find yourself disliking most of these "favorites". In that spitit, then, let us create the most wonderful and realistic "tops" Game of Thrones list ever created:

The Five Most Overrated Game of Thrones Characters *with some spoilers*

5 - Robert Baratheon

Robert Baratheon isn't entirely overrated in the traditional sense of the word. He does make "top favorites" lists, but often does so between ranks 10 - 15. No one really thinks that Robert Baratheon is OMG SO AMAZING. However, he does get some recognition for being a "cool" character. That recognition is undeserved. 

Who / what is King Robert Baratheon, really? He is the lord of house Baratheon, King of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realms. The titles alone should make him cool, right? Remember that Jeoffry had similar titles, and only the most sadistic sociopaths find him "cool" (tho we all love to hate him, right?) Let's look at what we know from Robert. 

He became the king of Westeros through a rebellion. This rebellion was funded by Tywin Lannister. It was Tywin, not Robert, who paid the expenses. Robert didn't face down the old king in some heroic showdown. That honor goes to Jamie "Kinglsayer" Lannister, who stabbed the old mad king before Robert could get to him. Robert doesn't really rule the kingdoms either. That responsibility lays mostly on the council and on his wife Cersei's machinations. It is even suggested in the series that the only reason Robert became king is because Ned Stark refused to sit in the throne, as all he wanted was to return home to the north. What does Fat Robert really do? Get drunk, have sex with prostitutes, and get killed by wild pigs. Even in the circle of more pathetic Game of Thrones characters, this one is pretty low. 

Robert is "cooler" than most unnamed characters, sure. He's more likable than *random crow* or *random farm person*, but when it comes to main or secondary characters, ranking Robert anywhere above 40 is too much of an overrate. 

4 - Bronn "The Sellsword"

Bronn is a mercenary who we don't know much about other than he's a fairly solid fighter. Bronn is more relatable to the audience than most of the other "FOR HONOR AND GLORY HURR DURR" type of soldiers presented in the series. Bronn knows when to take a chance and how to stay alive. However, he's not really the best at anything. 

When it comes to swordplay, he's fairly good, but not the best in the kingdoms. When it comes to strategy and tactics, he's a fair mind, but nowhere near what one would consider a top tactician. He is fairly loyal to vows made by money, as we see in his  dedication to Tyrion, but not as loyal as most others would, as we see by his betrayal of Lady Stark when he chooses to champion Tyrion in trial by combat. 

In the end, he can be summed up as a fairly skilled, somewhat clever mercenary with "street smarts". Does that make him cool? Yes.  Does that make him one of the coolest characters? Not really. Does that make him top ten material? No 

Although to be fair, he and Tyrion together make one hell of a duo. Which brings me to...

3 - Tyrion "The Imp" Lannister

There aren't enough words to describe the amount of praise that Tyrion gets. He is consistently considered one of the best characters in the Game of Thrones series. He's so realistic / fleshed out / well rounded / clever / etc. He has been called everything but handsome (and I'm sure there are a few out there who would think that he is). However, Tyrion isn't really <THAT>  smart or clever. He just happens to be the most clever out of all of Tywin's descendants that the audience is so far familiar with, which doesn't really speak volumes. 

Jamie is a stereotypical "dumb quarterback jock" type and Cersei is a demented sociopath, both of them spoiled by their last name and daddy's money to the point where whatever possible qualities that they might have (Jamie's swordplay, Cerscei's ???) are overshadowed by their poor qualities as human beings. 

Tyrion, by comparison, is rational and likable. He does like to poke fun at people and make jokes. He is a funny character. And he is good with bribery. However, his humor and skill with words is not really the best there is. Both Littlefinger and The Spider are more clever than Tyrion. Furthermore, his skills with bribery would be meaningless without, you know, daddy's money. When it comes down to it, tho, he is a bit level-headed and does know when to follow protocol and hold his tongue.

In the end, he is a somewhat funny mildly egocentric guy whose real power lies in knowing the rules, when to speak and when to hold his tongue, and what to say. The only two truly remarkable things about Tyrion is that 1. he is "an imp" and has somehow (read: daddy's influence) managed to live a fine life (as would any son of the wealthiest man in Westeros) and 2. Joffrey. Tyrion is the only person to give viewers the satisfaction of seeing Joffrey get some sense slapped into him. And THAT is, really, what makes Tyrion. He isn't really "one of the coolest characters ever omgswoon". He is just a cool enough character made cooler because he slaps Joffrey. 

Because, you know, **** Joffrey.

I'm not saying Tyrion isn't cool. He is. He's just not cool enough to be consistently the best (although that slap was pretty badass). Top 10? Absolutely. Top 5? Sure. Maybe. If I were to make a subjective list, he would make my top 5 favorite and top 3 most interesting. Is he flawless? No. The best character? I'm not so sure about that.

2 - John "The Bastard" Snow

I don't even know why John Snow is in so many top 10 lists, let alone ranked often as one of the best characters. I mean, he's the (bastard) son of Lord Ned Stark and has a cool puppy, but that's really it. Like so many others, he joined the Night's Watch, and like so many others, he ventured to the north beyond the wall and returned. That is his crowning achievement. 

John went north, didn't kill an enemy, got captured, betrayed the Night Watch's creed to join the Wildlings, for a while bought into the Wildling culture, became confused about his loyalties, realized that he needed to go back to the Night's Watch, and took an arrow in the knee from his wildling girlfriend (who is exponentially cooler than him).

Is he a fair swordsman? Sure. Is he a fine ranger? Maybe. Is he OMGSOCOOLHEHASASNOWPUPPY!!!! ? Nope. 

1 - Daenerys "Mother of Dragons" Targaryen

There is no character in the history of television, perhaps even fiction in general, anywhere in the world as overrated as "the mother of dragons".  My colleagues here in Pop Trends know of my disdain towards the "OMG BATMAN IS THE BESTEST STRONGEST SUPERHERO EVER TOTES" fanboys (of which, oddly enough, they somewhat agree with). Even then, Batman is less overrated than Daenerys. 

Why is she overrated? People will blindly say that she "controls" dragons (she doesn't control them as much as politely suggest what they should do and hope for the best) or that she is the great woman role model (because spoiled brats who don't listen to more experienced advisors are clearly the best people to emulate) or that she is a great leader and liberator (who doesn't really know what she's doing or how she's doing it). The fact is that Miss Targaryen is, as I just stated, nothing more than a spoiled whinny brat getting by on nothing more than the favor of the author - and this is when she's at her best. 

The journey of the Mother of Dragons begins when her brother sells her to Kal Drogo. She is nothing more than an object, literally, being traded for an army. Early during her marriage, Drogo treats her as nothing more than a sex object to be used during night and ignored during the day. Under the tutelage of a prostitute slave, she becomes a seductress able to sensually satisfy Drogo, who in exchange lets her have her way. Drogo sees her as a cute pet to be amused by. Eventually she falls for Drogo and Drogo for her, and she becomes a full-fledged Khaleesi (queen of the horse folk). This is when she turns from sex object to unbearable spoiled brat. 

Whenever the Khaleesi wants something because she wants it, she goes to dear hubby with her request. Even though her requests may go against the traditions of her people, as Sir Jorah Mormont King of the Friendzone reminds her when she wants to claim all the women from a raid as slaves for herself rather than let the soldiers have them, she uses the bs justification that "I am of the dragons and dragons feed on horse and sheep alike". 

Time after time, Miss Queen of Dragons doesn't listen to her counselors and because of that she killed her husband. She didn't listen to the warnings about blood magic and lost her yet to be born son. When trying to liberate the slaves, she doesn't follow plans suggested and risks everything. She only wins because luck. Every single time. It's not clever planning, it's not deep strategy, it's not a superior force. It's just luck. And what happens when she frees the cities? She moves on without leaving any safeguard to enforce her policy, which leads to the cities falling back to the hands of the old rulers. Now, equipped with ships, dragons, an army, and money, all of which she got through luck and the providence of the writer, instead of going to Westeros to conquer "her" kingdom, she decides to go back to "her" cities to "re-liberate" them, despite insistence of her advisors. 

Of course, in the end, it will be all right, because hey, the writer loves her. 

The question is, why does the audience like her? She is spoiled, unbearable, has no redeeming qualities beyond being ambitious and lucky. So tell me again, what makes her "the best character"? Her dragons? Her army? Her husband? Her overall inability to strategize? Her poor administration skills? (Remember that her army is administrated by The King of the Friendzone and a few other select leaders). 

I honestly don't see it. 

She's almost as overrated as Batman. 

Almost.

*For further explanation on why Dany of the Dragons is overrated, check out this piece by Cool Reviews Rule.