Where do good stories come from? Some of the best stories are rooted in ideas. One could argue that the enduring appeal of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy stems from his sustained, sublime execution of what one commentator has called “theology set to music“, and what yours truly opines is “music set to theology”. But in our modern age, perhaps as a reaction to the increasingly complex and unrewarding fast-paced lives that we lead, we find that a surprising number of good stories are rooted in character. And in the richly imagined universe of Game of Thrones, there are few characters more interesting than Tyrion Lannister.
Many viewers of the critically acclaimed series remember Tyrion Lannister for his outrageous pronouncements, witty one-liners, and his seemingly boundless capacity for depravity. But to reduce the dwarf son of one of the richest and most powerful families in the fictional kingdom of Westeros to a walking snark machine is to overlook one of the most finely wrought characters in fantasy.
It is true. Tyrion is outrageous.
Tyrion is witty.
Tyrion is depraved.
But Tyrion is also the only Lannister you would root for. He is kind to young Jon Snow. He slaps his nephew Joffrey when Joffrey refuses to offer his sympathies to the plight of the now-crippled Brandon Stark. He also seems to be (for now) the only Lannister who agonizes about the state of his soul.
Tyrion once said, “I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples, bastards and broken things.” So do I. And, like many people who watch this series, I’ll be rooting for Tyrion.
Photo Credits:
Picture of Tyrion Lannister comes courtesy of HBO.
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Tags: Game of Thrones, Tyrion Lannister
I’ve finished book 5, and Tyrion is still my favorite Lannister. (Although I also do like Jamie more that I did in book 1.)
Both Tyrion and Jaime are my favorites.
I am also quite fond of Myrcella and Tommen although Arya’s still my favorite child character in the series!
I actually find most Lannister characters fascinating, good or bad, thanks to my fellow fans (especially the Lannisters) at WS. Those guys make me appreciate the ASOIAF world and characters a whole lot more because of their refreshing and wonderful insights!
Actually, you both raise good points about the Lannisters. They seem to grow more interesting as the series goes on. Barristan Selmy is another character that’s beginning to grow on me.
Oh, but no spoilers on this page! A lot of people haven’t finished the latest book.
Aye, aye, captain! *salutes*
I love Barristan Selmy too! Dany’s so lucky to have him on her side!
My sister just discovered the show (and the books after that.) I’m having a hard time not laughing or making any possibly spoiler-y faces or reactions.
Thankfully I’m leaving for the States for six weeks in September so she has time to catch up a bit, spoiler-free from me.