HBO adapted George R. R. Martin‘s unfinished fantasy epic, A Song of Ice and Fire, into a TV series from 2011 to 2019. During this time, Game of Thrones rose to dominate the landscape of popular culture and reinvigorate the fantasy genre thanks to its gripping political intrigue, massive action sequences, and multifaceted characters. Unfortunately, the show came crashing down in one of the worst endings in TV history, though HBO is trying to keep the spark going with more of Martin’s works, such as the prequel series, House of the Dragon.
One way that the show demonstrated how complex its characters were was through their relationships. For example, the show had a wide array of couples, leading to moments of genuine romance in a bleak world and tragic drama as fate throws unexpected troubles their way.
10
Ramsay Bolton and Myranda
Played by Iwan Rheon and Charlotte Hope
The bastard son of Lord Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton) of the Dreadfort, Ramsay (Iwan Rheon), is left in charge of his father’s assets while he rides south with Robb Stark (Richard Madden) in the War of the Five Kings. He entertains himself by capturing Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) and torturing him until he is an obedient manservant. By his side is Myranda (Charlotte Hope), the kennelmaster’s daughter, who aids Ramsay in his torment of Theon and other young girls, whom the pair hunt through the woods and feed to their dogs.
The romance between Ramsay and Myranda is all kinds of twisted, originating from their mutual sadism and cruelty. However, there is also genuine passion and love, especially from Ramsay, who not only keeps Myranda around longer than other girls he beds and kills, but even mourns her death in the best way someone like him can. It’s a warped version of love, but love is indeed there, and it goes a long way to show how even the villains of Game of Thrones were more than just one-dimensional caricatures.
9
Robb Stark and Talisa Maegyr
Played by Richard Madden and Oona Chaplin
When Eddard Stark (Sean Bean) is imprisoned and later executed by King Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson), his eldest son, Robb, rides south with a northern army bent first on freeing him, and then on the independence of the North and Riverlands. After the Battle of Oxcross, Robb meets Talisa Maegyr (Oona Chaplin), a noblewoman from Volantis who has forsaken her family privilege to be a nurse in a foreign land. While at first Talisa dislikes Robb for his part in the war, the two fall in love and marry, breaking Robb’s marriage pact with Walder Frey (David Bradley).
Robb and Talisa’s romance is that of two doomed young lovers who lead with their hearts and not their heads. While there is genuine passion between them, it ultimately ends in tragedy as Walder Frey works with Roose Bolton and Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) to orchestrate the tragic horror that is the Red Wedding. It’s a tragic tale that reinforces the importance of marrying for alliance rather than love in Martin’s world, and the virtue of rational thinking over blind emotions.
8
Tommen Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell
Played by Dean-Charles Chapman and Natalie Dormer
After Joffrey is poisoned at his wedding feast, which would become known as the Purple Wedding, his younger brother, Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman), becomes king. He marries Joffrey’s widow, Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer), to strengthen the alliance between House Lannister and House Tyrell. While the couple’s first few nights are happy, things quickly become turbulent as Tommen’s mother, Cersei (Lena Headey), makes reckless decisions in a bid to hold onto what power she has left.
Tommen and Margaery don’t have a lot of screen time as a couple, but what little is shown has some interesting details. Unlike with Joffrey, where Margaery leaned into his interests to keep him placated, she and Tommen seemed to get along well, with her acting as an older, wiser mind to his more youthful and inexperienced one. Sadly, they are quickly split apart by the Faith Militant, and even though Tommen later allies with the Faith, their relationship literally ends in flames.
7
Arya Stark and Gendry Waters
Played by Maisie Williams and Joe Dempsie
After her father’s execution, Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) was found by the Night’s Watch recruiter, Yoren (Francis Magee), who cut her hair and added her to his new recruits so he could take her north on his way to the Wall. One of the recruits is Gendry Waters (Joe Dempsie), an apprentice smith and the bastard son of King Robert Baratheon. He quickly deduces that Arya is really a girl, and after Yoren is killed by Lannister men, he joins Arya for a time in the Riverlands.
Arya and Gendry’s relationship sees them grow from two youths thrust into a terrible situation to close companions who trust one another with their lives. Things hit a bit of a snag when they meet the Brotherhood Without Banners, as Gendry fears that the class imbalance between a bastard boy and a highborn lady will prevent them from ever getting closer. Even after Gendry is legitimized as the lord of Storm’s End, the two never truly settle down, but they do end on amicable terms and become each other’s first lovers.
6
Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo
Played by Emilia Clarke and Jason Momoa
To secure an army to help him retake the Iron Throne, Viserys Targaryen (Harry Lloyd) sells his sister Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) to a Dothraki Khal named Drogo (Jason Momoa), who has thousands of Dothraki loyal to him. At first, Drogo treats her as little more than a sexual object, and the only word in common that he knows is “No.” However, Daenerys builds her confidence to a point where she demands to look Drogo in the eyes as they make love, and their relationship shifts to one that is more equal.
It’s a testament to Game of Thrones’ character writing that the show was able to make audiences fall in love with Drogo despite his early mistreatment of Daenerys. Their relationship showcases how people can change for their significant others: Drogo develops a softer side through his time with Daenerys and is even willing to break some Dothraki customs for her, though he never stops being a badass and brutal warrior. Meanwhile, Daenerys grows more emboldened through Drogo, which helps her learn to stand up for herself and demand her rights, which serve her well on her long journey to the Iron Throne.
5
Eddard “Ned” Stark and Catelyn Tully
Played by Sean Bean and Michelle Fairley
When King Aerys II Targaryen (David Rintoul) executes his father and older brother, Eddard Stark joins his foster father, Jon Arryn (John Standing), and his best friend, Robert Baratheon, in rebellion. He agrees to marry his brother’s betrothed, Catelyn Tully (Michelle Fairley), to bring the Riverlands into the fight. After the war, Catelyn and Eddard have five children, and she brings some of her southern culture, such as the Faith of the Seven, to Winterfell.
Eddard and Catelyn’s marriage is the inverse of Robb and Talisa’s: they married out of duty and to form alliances, and did not know one another. Over time, they did come to genuinely love one another, even when Eddard came home from war with Jon Snow (Kit Harington), his bastard son. They also rank among the best parents in Westeros, instilling each of their children with a sense of honor, a good moral code, and the wit and intelligence needed to survive on their own.
4
Oberyn Martell and Ellaria Sand
Played by Pedro Pascal and Indira Varma
When Prince Doran Martell (Alexander Siddig) of Dorne is offered a seat on the Small Council, he sends his younger brother, Oberyn (Pedro Pascal), in his stead due to his gout. Oberyn brings with him his paramour, Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma), who is the mother to four of his eight bastard daughters. While at first it seems like Oberyn and Ellaria are only interested in sampling the local brothels, he also intends to get revenge against those responsible for the death of his sister, Princess Elia, who was killed during the sack of King’s Landing at the end of the rebellion.
Oberyn and Ellaria perfectly complement one another due to their mutual boundless passion for life. They know that life is all too short and so wish to enjoy every moment of it, preferably with a good-looking man and woman on either side. This passion propelled Oberyn to fan-favorite status, and following his tragic death, Ellaria turned her passion towards revenge, and underwent such a drastic personality shift that she felt like a woman who had truly lost half her soul.
3
Samwell Tarly and Gilly
Played by John Bradley and Hannah Murray
Despite being the eldest son of famed hunter and general Randyll Tarly (James Faulkner), Samwell (John Bradley) grew up fat and craven, so his father forced him to take the black and join the Night’s Watch so his younger brother, Dickon (Freddie Stroma and Tom Hopper), could inherit Horn Hill. He quickly befriended fellow new recruit Jon Snow, who helped ensure Sam would be assigned to the order of stewards, where his mind could flourish. During the Great Ranging, Sam meets Gilly (Hannah Murray), a wildling girl who was the daughter-wife of Craster (Robert Pugh), and he does what he can to help her and her newborn son.
Sam and Gilly can be summed up with one word: sweet. Since Gilly has never left Craster’s keep before, she takes in every new sight and sound with wide-eyed wonder, and always looks to Sam for an explanation. As for Sam, protecting Gilly helps him come into his own as a man of the Night’s Watch, and leads to such moments of bravery as killing a White Walker and stealing his father’s Valyrian Steel sword.
2
Jon Snow and Ygritte
Played by Kit Harington and Rose Leslie
When Eddard accepts the position as Hand of the King, his bastard son, Jon Snow, decides to join the Night’s Watch and is soon chosen to be the personal steward to Lord Commander Jeor Mormont (James Cosmo). During the Great Ranging, he goes on a scouting mission with the experienced ranger Qhorin Halfhand (Simon Armstrong), and meets a red-headed wildling named Ygritte (Rose Leslie). Unable to kill her, Jon is forced to kill Qhorin to gain the wildling’s trust, and Ygritte dedicates herself to Jon, since by wildling customs, he proved himself worthy by capturing her.
Jon and Ygritte are like a modern Romeo and Juliet: two lovers from opposing factions who try to make things work, but the circumstances are too unfavorable, and it ends in tragedy. During their time together, Ygritte helps encourage Jon to open his mind to new ways of thinking with her iconic catchphrase, “You know nothing, Jon Snow,” which helps Jon view the wildlings as people and leads to bridging the gap between them and the men of Westeros. Their chemistry is also strong off-screen, as Harington and Leslie married in 2018.
1
Brienne of Tarth and Jaime Lannister
Played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Gwendoline Christie
In a bid to get her daughters back, Catelyn Stark tasks her sworn sword, Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie), with returning Ser Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) to King’s Landing. The trip through the war-torn Riverlands is perilous and made no easier by Jaime’s attempts to escape and his derogatory remarks towards the woman warrior. However, things change once they are captured by men loyal to Roose Bolton, and Jaime makes a heavy sacrifice for Brienne.
What began as an antagonistic captor/prisoner relationship morphs into perhaps the greatest example of mutual respect on the show. Jaime and Brienne both break down their preconceptions of the other and see the honor and dignity beneath the surface, which in Jaime’s case goes a long way in redeeming his character from his initial arrogant self. Suffice it to say, fans were not happy one bit when, in season 8, after Jaime knighted Brienne and then slept with her, he chose to go back to King’s Landing to die with Cersei, as it felt like a slap in the face to an otherwise perfectly concluded relationship.