This paper serves as an introductory guide to HBO's Game of Thrones, the record-breaking fantasy drama based on George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels. It introduces the series' expansive ensemble cast organized by house and family, summarizes the major plot developments across all eight seasons, and discusses the controversial series finale. It also reviews the show's remarkable ratings and critical acclaim — including 47 Primetime Emmy Awards — and examines the prequel spin-off projects HBO was developing with Martin's involvement at the time of writing. The paper is aimed at viewers who never watched the series or want a structured refresher on its events and significance.
Game of Thrones is a television series on the cable network HBO, based on George R. R. Martin's fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. The television series took its name from the first novel in the series, A Game of Thrones. More than many other novel adaptations, the series stays true to the events depicted in the novels — though that fidelity was complicated by the fact that the series progressed more quickly than the novels themselves, resulting in the television writers having to choose their own directions for the characters. The series premiered in April 2011 and quickly became a pop culture phenomenon, with millions of people tuning in to see what would happen next.
While HBO had already seen tremendous success with drama series such as The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and True Blood, none of its prior series attracted as many viewers as Game of Thrones. The show very quickly became a hit with both critics and fans. It was popular enough to boost the fantasy genre in general, and it naturally aligned with a devoted fan base for high-fantasy material. Many people believed that the scope of the story, its devotion to the source novels, the quality of the acting, and the complexity of the overall story line combined to make it one of the best television series of all time.
However, the show is not without its detractors. Game of Thrones is one of the most violent series found on any type of television. While it became a pop culture phenomenon with many younger fans, the material presented was anything but child-friendly. The show featured significant nudity, sexual behavior, and violence, as well as a notable amount of sexual assault and incest. While these elements may have been faithful to the novels, they ensured that even though the show was wildly popular, it was not appropriate for every viewer.
The complexity of the plot is one of the things that fans of the series love, but the more complex the plot, the larger the cast of main characters — and Game of Thrones certainly supports that idea. It has what may be the largest ensemble cast of main characters of any dramatic television series. The size of the cast, combined with the popularity of the series, means that many of today's most recognizable stars can trace their early careers to Game of Thrones. However, because the series creators were not afraid to kill off beloved characters, not all of the popular performers who appeared in the show lasted until its conclusion.
The series, at least initially, is organized around houses or noble families. Understanding those houses is therefore essential to understanding how the characters relate to one another. The head of House Stark was Eddard Stark, played by Sean Bean. Known as Ned, Eddard Stark was a lord in a remote northern region. He was married to Catelyn Tully, portrayed by Michelle Fairley. Catelyn and Ned have five children together: son Robb, played by Richard Madden; daughter Sansa, played by Sophie Turner; daughter Arya, played by Maisie Williams; son Bran, played by Isaac Hempstead-Wright; and son Rickon, played by Art Parkinson. In addition, Ned had an illegitimate son, Jon Snow, played by Kit Harington. Jon Snow is also a member of the Night's Watch, a military organization responsible for guarding the Wall that serves as one of the northern borders of the lands controlled by House Stark.
As one would expect with noble houses, they also have allies and associates. Characters who begin the series associated with House Stark include members of the Night's Watch. The Lord Commander of the Night's Watch is Jeor Mormont, played by James Cosmo. Samwell Tarly, played by John Bradley, is also a member and Jon Snow's closest friend. North of the Wall live people known as Wildlings, who include Gilly, played by Hannah Murray; Tormund Giantsbane, played by Kristofer Hivju; and Ygritte, played by Rose Leslie. Other characters associated with the Starks include Ned's ward Theon Greyjoy, played by Alfie Allen; Roose Bolton, played by Michael McElhatton; Bolton's illegitimate son Ramsay Snow, played by Iwan Rheon; the healer Talisa Maegyr, played by Oona Chaplin; the blacksmith's apprentice Gendry, played by Joe Dempsie; the assassin Jaqen H'ghar, played by Tom Wlaschiha; and the warrior Brienne of Tarth, played by Gwendoline Christie.
The king at the beginning of the show is Robert Baratheon, played by Mark Addy. The king lives in King's Landing along with his family and court. These include his wife Cersei Lannister, played by Lena Headey, and her twin brother Jaime Lannister, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. A crucial plot element is that Cersei and Jaime are not only twins but also secret lovers. They have a younger brother, Tyrion Lannister, played by Peter Dinklage, who is a dwarf. Tyrion's mistress is Shae, played by Sibel Kekilli, and he employs a mercenary soldier named Bronn, played by Jerome Flynn, for his personal protection. The Lannisters' father is Lord Tywin Lannister, played by Charles Dance. Cersei has two children who are presumed to be the king's, though the king suspects otherwise. Those two children are Joffrey, played by Jack Gleeson, and Tommen, played by Dean-Charles Chapman. Joffrey has a bodyguard, Sandor "the Hound" Clegane, played by Rory McCann.
Several other notable characters are associated with King's Landing. They include Master of Coin Lord Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish, played by Aidan Gillen; spymaster Lord Varys, played by Conleth Hill; Stannis Baratheon, played by Stephen Dillane; the priestess Melisandre, played by Carice van Houten; Ser Davos Seaworth, played by Liam Cunningham; Margaery Tyrell, played by Natalie Dormer; and the religious leader the High Sparrow, played by Jonathan Pryce. King's Landing is also home to Ellaria Sand, played by Indira Varma, who is an enemy of the Lannisters.
There is another family that plays a central role in Game of Thrones, though they are not associated with any particular territory — the Targaryens, a family of exiles whose dynasty was overthrown by King Robert Baratheon. The surviving family consists of Viserys Targaryen, played by Harry Lloyd, and his sister Daenerys Targaryen, played by Emilia Clarke. Viserys arranges a marriage for Daenerys with Khal Drogo, played by Jason Momoa, the ruler of a nomadic tribe of skilled horsemen and warriors. Other characters associated with the Targaryens include Ser Jorah Mormont, played by Iain Glen; Missandei, played by Nathalie Emmanuel; the mercenary Daario Naharis, played by Michiel Huisman; and the military leader Grey Worm, played by Jacob Anderson.
The series is set in Westeros, a fictional land. A great Wall stands at the north of Westeros, guarded by the Night's Watch. The Night's Watch discovers a White Walker — a creature previously believed to be mythical — in the forest north of the Wall. King Robert Baratheon travels to visit the Warden of the North, Ned Stark, and asks him to serve as his Hand, a position left vacant after the previous Hand was murdered. Ned agrees and travels to King's Landing with his children Sansa, Arya, and Bran. Once there, they discover that Cersei Lannister is suspected of the prior Hand's murder. Bran witnesses Cersei in a sexual encounter with her brother Jaime, and Jaime shoves the boy from a window, paralyzing him. Cersei's brother Tyrion accompanies Jon Snow north to investigate the White Walker incident. Catelyn Stark, believing Tyrion caused Bran's fall, has him arrested; he wins his freedom through trial by combat. The king is killed in a hunting accident, and Ned is named Protector of the Realm until Joffrey comes of age. However, Littlefinger betrays Ned, and Joffrey orders his execution. The Lannisters arrest Sansa while Arya escapes. Robb Stark is proclaimed King of Winterfell and marches to war against the Lannisters. Meanwhile, Daenerys marries the Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo and begins planning an assault on Westeros to reclaim the Iron Throne. After Drogo is cursed by a witch and dies, Daenerys hatches three dragon eggs.
Tyrion becomes the Hand of the King, hoping to control Joffrey's worst impulses. The priestess Melisandre convinces Stannis Baratheon to press his own claim to the throne. Robb captures Jaime as a prisoner of war and advances toward King's Landing. He sends Theon Greyjoy to forge an alliance with Balon Greyjoy, but Theon instead seizes Winterfell for himself. Bran and Rickon escape into the wilderness. Catelyn attempts to negotiate an alliance with Renly Baratheon, but Renly is assassinated and Catelyn and her bodyguard become suspects; they escape and rejoin Robb. The Starks plan to trade Jaime for Sansa.
Jon Snow, remaining on the Wall, discovers that infant sacrifices are occurring nearby and goes undercover among the Wildlings. Arya is captured by the Lannisters, who mistake her for a boy and put her to work as a servant; she eventually escapes. Stannis launches an assault on King's Landing, but Tyrion defeats him. Daenerys is also planning her invasion of Westeros but is briefly taken prisoner, though she escapes. Tyrion is demoted from the position of Hand and forced to marry Sansa. Joffrey becomes engaged to Margaery, the widow of Renly.
Jon Snow infiltrates the Wildlings and meets their leader, Mance, and becomes romantically involved with Ygritte. Meanwhile, Robb falls in love with Talisa and breaks off his politically arranged marriage to Roslin Frey. The Starks are later invited to a wedding that turns out to be a trap — the infamous Red Wedding. Robb, Catelyn, and Talisa are all killed. Arya witnesses the killings but is protected by the Hound. Roose Bolton is rewarded for his role in the massacre by being named Warden of the North. Bran discovers he can project his consciousness into the body of his direwolf. While Brienne and Jaime travel south, Daenerys continues building her army. Joffrey is poisoned at his own wedding. Littlefinger helps Sansa escape, but takes her to Lysa Arryn, who has become unstable and attempts to kill Sansa.
When Jaime and Brienne arrive at King's Landing, they find that Sansa has already fled. Brienne is sent to find her. Cersei arrests Tyrion and blames him for Joffrey's assassination. Jaime secretly frees him, but Tyrion kills their father, Tywin, before escaping the city. He begins searching for Daenerys, believing she is capable of defeating Cersei. Brienne eventually finds Arya, but Arya refuses to go with her. Jon Snow is elected Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Littlefinger schemes to marry Sansa to Ramsay Bolton. Brienne kills Stannis, and Sansa manages to avoid marriage to Ramsay. At King's Landing, Cersei is ordered by the High Sparrow to walk naked through the city streets as penance for her sexual transgressions.
Daenerys takes control of Meereen but faces ongoing challenges to her authority. When she is forced to flee on one of her dragons, she is taken to the Dothraki. Tyrion arrives and begins governing in her absence. Jon Snow attempts to forge an alliance between the Night's Watch and the Wildlings, but the meeting is interrupted by the Night King. Jon is betrayed and killed, but Melisandre resurrects him. He reunites with Sansa at the Wall and recaptures Winterfell by defeating Ramsay.
The High Sparrow puts Cersei on trial, but she takes her revenge by destroying him — along with Margaery, who was Tommen's wife. Tommen, grief-stricken, commits suicide. The Dothraki hold Daenerys prisoner until she proves herself by walking through fire, whereupon they accept her as their leader. Theon and Yara join forces with her. Arya, now a trained assassin, begins carrying out acts of revenge. The Night King kills Bran's mentor, and Bran takes the mentor's place as the Three-Eyed Raven. Daenerys heads toward Dragonstone, Stannis's former stronghold. Melisandre encourages a romance between Daenerys and Jon Snow, and they become a couple. Cersei, meanwhile, considers forming an alliance with Euron Greyjoy and marrying him.
Daenerys's forces engage the Lannister army, led by Jaime, and one of her dragons is wounded. Jon and Daenerys call a truce with Cersei in order to capture a White Walker as proof of the threat beyond the Wall. Jon is captured, and Daenerys rescues him, though she loses a dragon in the process. They present the captured White Walker to Cersei in hopes of negotiating a united front. Arya and Sansa are reunited with Bran at Winterfell. Together they expose Littlefinger's betrayals, and Sansa has him executed. Bran then reveals that Jon Snow — long believed to be Ned Stark's illegitimate son — is actually a Targaryen with his own legitimate claim to the Iron Throne. Using the undead dragon Viserion under the Night King's control, the White Walkers breach the Wall and march south.
Jon learns of his true heritage and discovers that Daenerys is his aunt. The Night King advances on Winterfell. Cersei secretly aligns with Euron Greyjoy while already carrying Jaime's child. Jaime travels to Winterfell, where Bran — who now remembers being pushed by Jaime — nevertheless allows him to live, in view of the coming battle. The Night King arrives at Winterfell, triggering an epic confrontation known as the Battle of Winterfell. The undead overwhelm part of the defending army. Jon and Daenerys take to the skies on their two remaining dragons. The Night King is thrown from his stolen dragon but escapes and raises the dead to shield his retreat. The tide of battle ultimately turns when Arya kills the Night King, destroying his army.
"Finale events and fate of main characters"
"Emmy wins, viewership records, critical reception"
"HBO prequel plans with George R. R. Martin"
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