The Game of Thrones So Far: A Ranker Collection of 22 Lists

Some fandoms argue. Game of Thrones fandom argues in spreadsheets.
We don’t just talk about Westeroswe rank it: the smartest rulers, the wildest plot turns, the most iconic episodes,
the scariest warnings that were ignored (again), and the characters we’d trust to hold our drink during a dragon fly-by.

That’s the magic of a Ranker-style collection: it turns “I liked this” into “Here is my carefully defended top five,
and yes, I brought receipts.” This article is your fan-friendly hub for 22 list ideas that capture
what Game of Thrones has been so fara saga of power, loyalty, betrayal, survival, and the occasional reminder that
winter doesn’t RSVP… it just shows up.

A Quick Westeros Refresher (Without Turning This Into a Textbook)

At its core, Game of Thrones is a story about what people will do for powerand what power does to people.
Noble houses clash for control of the Iron Throne, alliances shift faster than a court rumor, and long-buried threats
creep back into the world when everyone’s too busy playing politics to notice.

The show’s secret weapon isn’t just shock or spectacle. It’s the constant tension between the personal and the political:
family loyalty vs. ambition, honor vs. survival, love vs. duty. That’s why ranking Thrones is so addictiveevery list
is basically you trying to answer: “What mattered most, and why?”

Why Ranker-Style Lists Fit Game of Thrones Like a Fur Cloak

A Ranker-style list works because it’s not a lectureit’s a conversation with a scoreboard. You’re not declaring a single,
final truth. You’re offering a take, inviting votes, and daring your friends to disagree (politely, or at least creatively).

And Game of Thrones is built for that. The cast is huge, the world is sprawling, and the show is packed with
moments that hit different depending on whether you’re Team Honor, Team Chaos, or Team “I’m just here for the dragons.”

The Ranker Collection: 22 Lists That Capture “So Far”

Think of these as ready-to-post list prompts, party-debate starters, or your next “rewatch mission.”
Each list includes a few example entries to get your brain running like a Small Council meetingminus the backstabbing.

1) Best Game of Thrones Characters (The Ones You’d Follow Into Trouble)

• Jon Snow (professional “I didn’t want it” energy)
• Tyrion Lannister (brains, sarcasm, and survival instincts)
• Arya Stark (the definition of “adapt and overcome”)
• Daenerys Targaryen (destiny, leadership, and firepower)

2) Most Complicated Characters (Morally Gray, Emotionally Loud)

• Jaime Lannister (a redemption arc that keeps swerving)
• Theon Greyjoy (identity crisis: Westeros edition)
• Sandor Clegane (tough exterior, hidden humanity)
• Cersei Lannister (love as motivation, fear as strategy)

3) Best Character Growth Arcs (Glow-Ups With Trauma)

• Sansa Stark (from sheltered to strategic)
• Brienne of Tarth (honor that never goes out of style)
• Davos Seaworth (common sense in a world allergic to it)
• Samwell Tarly (courage that doesn’t look like a sword)

4) Best Villains (Or: “Wow, You’re a Problem”)

• Joffrey Baratheon (chaos with a crown)
• Ramsay Bolton (fear as entertainment)
• Tywin Lannister (power through control)
• The Night King (the ultimate deadline)

5) Best Friendships and Duos (Unexpected, Unbeatable)

• Arya & The Hound (therapy, but with road trips)
• Brienne & Jaime (mutual respect, constant tension)
• Tyrion & Varys (strategy meets social intelligence)
• Jon & Sam (loyalty that actually stays loyal)

6) Best Leaders (Not Just “Who Sat the Chair”)

• Daenerys (inspiring, decisive, polarizing)
• Jon (reluctant leadership, strong loyalty)
• Robb Stark (bold choices, harsh consequences)
• Olenna Tyrell (leadership via laser-accurate wisdom)

7) Smartest Political Moves (Chess, Not Checkers)

• Strategic alliances through marriage and diplomacy
• Information networks and “whisper” campaigns
• Playing rivals against each other without swinging a sword
• Winning a room before winning a war

8) Biggest “That Backfired” Moments (Plans That Exploded)

• Underestimating a rival’s patience
• Trusting the wrong advisor at the wrong time
• Forgetting that pride is basically a plot device
• Ignoring warnings because “it’ll be fine” (it wasn’t)

9) Best Houses (Pick Your Banner, Defend Your Choice)

• House Stark (duty, family, resilience)
• House Lannister (wealth, strategy, ruthless ambition)
• House Targaryen (legacy, power, dragons)
• House Tyrell (influence, charm, political finesse)

10) Best “House Stark” Moments (Honor Under Pressure)

• Loyalty that refuses to die
• Choosing the right thing when it’s inconvenient
• Family reunions that feel like victory laps
• Cold Northern pragmatism: fewer speeches, more results

11) Best Lannister Schemes (Expensive, Efficient, Terrifying)

• Deals made in hallways that change entire wars
• Leveraging money like it’s magic
• Power plays that rely on psychology more than soldiers
• Winning the narrative before anyone notices the trap

12) Most Iconic Targaryen Energy (Fire, Destiny, Drama)

• “I am not here to be liked” leadership moments
• Mythic lineage as both strength and burden
• Dragons as symbols (and also… dragons)
• Choosing mercyor notand living with it

13) Best Battles and Set Pieces (Spectacle With Stakes)

• Blackwater (strategy, siege tension, chaos)
• Hardhome (horror vibes meet epic scale)
• Battle of the Bastards (mud, panic, and cinematic intensity)
• “The Long Night” (survival, dread, and a giant turning point)

14) Best Episodes to Rewatch (When You Want Maximum Payoff)

• Big battle episodes for adrenaline
• Major finales for emotional closure (or emotional damage)
• Trial-and-reveal episodes for jaw-drop moments
• Political episodes for dialogue and strategy fans

15) Best Season Finales (When the Show Hits the Gas)

• Finales that reshape the power map
• Endings that launch new arcs instantly
• Quiet cliffhangers that feel louder than explosions
• Those “Wait, it ended THERE?” credits rolls

16) Most Shocking Twists (The “Pause and Scream” List)

• Sudden betrayals that rewrite relationships
• Secret identities or parentage reveals
• Unexpected outcomes of “sure thing” battles
• Moments where the story chooses consequences over comfort

17) Most Heartbreaking Moments (Bring Snacks and Tissues)

• Goodbyes that feel unfair
• Characters realizing the cost of their choices
• Friendships tested by duty
• Victories that come with a heavy price tag

18) Best Quotes and Catchphrases (Tiny Lines, Huge Legacy)

• “Winter is coming.”
• “Valar Morghulis.”
• “The North remembers.”
• Any Tyrion one-liner that doubles as a life lesson

19) Best Fighters (Skill, Style, and “Please Don’t Duel Them”)

• Brienne of Tarth (discipline and grit)
• Oberyn Martell (speed and flair)
• Arya Stark (precision and surprise)
• Jon Snow (reliable, relentless)

20) Best Locations (Westeros as a Character)

• Winterfell (home, history, and harsh reality)
• King’s Landing (power, paranoia, politics)
• The Wall (duty at the edge of the world)
• Dragonstone (mystique, strategy, legacy)

21) Best Music and Production Choices (Craft That Made It Iconic)

• The opening theme: instantly recognizable, endlessly memed
• The evolving title sequence map: a built-in geography tutor
• Costumes that signal power shifts before dialogue does
• Battle direction that feels immersive, not just loud

22) Best “What’s Next in Westeros” Watchlist (Beyond the Main Series)

• House of the Dragon (Targaryen history and civil war energy)
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (a smaller-scale Westeros tale with big lore)
• Rewatch paths: “Politics First,” “Starks Only,” “Villains Marathon,” or “Battles & Big Moments”
• Reading paths: starting with the novels or exploring the wider lore books

How to Use This Collection (Without Starting a Group Chat War)

If you’re building your own Ranker-style lists, pick a clear rule first. Are you ranking by impact (what changed the story)?
By execution (how well it was done)? By emotion (what hit you hardest)? Or by pure, chaotic fun?
The best lists tell readers what “best” means before the comments section invents a civil war.

Try this simple scoring method:
Impact (1–5) + Rewatch Value (1–5) + Craft (1–5).
You’ll be amazed how quickly it turns “my vibe says so” into “my vibe says so, and also here is math.”

What Game of Thrones Still Does Better Than Most TV

Even years after the finale, Game of Thrones remains a benchmark for scale: massive battles, intricate politics,
and a world that feels lived-in. It also changed how people watched TVturning Sunday nights into events and pushing
audiences into a shared culture of theories, memes, and reaction videos.

And while fans will debate choices forever (as is tradition), the show’s best stretches deliver something rare:
a fantasy epic that treats strategy, consequences, and character psychology as seriously as spectacle.
That’s exactly why ranking it is so irresistible. There’s always one more angle, one more “Wait, but what about…”

Final Thoughts: Your Turn to Rank the Realm

“So far” is the key phrase. Game of Thrones isn’t just a finished storyit’s a living fandom, still expanding through
spin-offs and rewatches, still generating new takes as people revisit the series with fresh eyes.

Use these 22 lists as your fandom toolkit. Post them. Vote on them. Argue about them kindly.
And if someone ranks your favorite character too low, remember: in Westeros, revenge is commonbut in a comment section,
a well-made counter-argument is the classy move.

Fan Experiences: on Life With Game of Thrones Lists

One of the funniest parts of being in the Game of Thrones fandom is realizing that watching the show is only half the hobby.
The other half is processing ittogether. Fans don’t just say, “That episode was wild.” They immediately go:
“Okay, where does it rank all-time?” And suddenly you’re in a debate that feels like a Small Council meeting,
except everyone has snacks and someone is dramatically pointing at a screenshot like it’s evidence in court.

Lists create a kind of friendly structure for fandom chaos. If you’re rewatching alone, a ranking goal makes it feel like a quest:
tonight you’re not just watching Season 2you’re evaluating “Best Political Moves,” tracking which characters gain power through
persuasion versus intimidation. On another night, you’re in “Best Episodes” mode, noticing pacing, payoff, and how the show
uses quiet scenes to make the big moments hit harder. It turns a rewatch into a scavenger hunt for craft.

In group settings, lists become social currency. People bond over shared favorites (“Yes, that battle episode is top-tier”),
but they also learn each other’s fandom personalities. Some viewers rank based on emotion: the moments that made them cheer,
gasp, or stare at the credits in silence. Others rank based on strategy: the episodes where characters outplay each other with
words, alliances, and long-term planning. Then there’s the “aesthetic voter,” who is fully here for production design, music,
costumes, and the vibe of a locationbecause sometimes a scene is unforgettable even before anything explodes.

Lists also make room for healthy disagreement. Not everyone watches Thrones for the same reason, and that’s the point.
A “best character” ranking can reveal what you value: honor, cleverness, resilience, humor, leadership, or pure survival.
A “most shocking twist” list can show whether you love surprises, consequences, or storytelling that refuses to play safe.
Even disagreements can be fun when they’re framed as “different scoring systems,” not “you’re wrong and I’m adopting a dragon.”

And honestly, ranking is one way fans keep the world of Westeros feeling alive. Even after the main story ended,
people still revisit the same scenes and find new meaningbecause context changes how you interpret motives.
A character you disliked the first time might feel more understandable later. A bold decision might look smarter (or worse)
when you already know what it costs. Lists capture those evolving perspectives in a way a simple recap can’t.

In the end, a Ranker-style collection is less about crowning a permanent winner and more about keeping the conversation going.
It’s fandom with a scoreboard, yesbut it’s also a reminder that stories this big don’t end when the credits roll.
They keep echoing in our group chats, our rewatches, and our “top five” arguments that somehow become top fifteen.