Summary
The noble houses ofGame of Thronesrange in various qualities, with some standing out as the best in the series. Part of what makesGeorge R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice & Firebook seriesand its television adaptations so compelling is the vast array of cultures and factions playing at the central political game. Even within those cultures and factions, characters range in personality and motivations, allowing for complexity in scoring them as a collective whole.
While the books can be used as supplementary material, decisions about the houses will be made based on the TV show, with theGame of Thronesendingin mind. A set offive categories will be used to determine the ranking: Castle (aesthetic and strength both accounted for), army (size, strength, and usage in the show), likability, political power (their ability to influence events and play the game of thrones), and story (how engaging they are and how much impact they have on the series). Each category will be scored on a scale of 1-5.
9House Martell
14/25
A far better case could be made for the Martells of Dorne inA Song of Ice & Firethan in theGame of ThronesTV adaptation, as they’re generally considered to be the most botched narrative in the series. They’re a fascinating and intricate house in the books, thoughthe HBO epic removed many of their key characters and heavily oversimplified their involvement in the sagaas potential players. Therefore, they suffer in multiple categories they could’ve otherwise excelled in.
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Story
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Outside of Pedro Pascal’s phenomenal performance as Oberyn, there are no memorable or likable Martell characters in the TV series. They almost immediately get wiped out in Daenerys' conquest of Westeros andhave essentially no impact in the eight-season narrative, being relegated to a supporting faction with their defining quality being that they hate the Lannisters. The castle of Sunspear is quite strong in the books, and they have a decently sized army, but neither has the opportunity to have any influence on the show, and they’re not shown to have any particular political power.
8House Arryn
15/25
Like the Martells, House Arryn of the Vale is actually quite fascinating and could, on paper, be one of the best houses in the series. However, theyspend most ofGame of Thronesbeing isolated in the Eyrie, and they’re never represented by any likable or especially interesting characters. Their best moment is saving the day in the Battle of the Bastards, which at least shows some of the strength of their military force, which is decently large and composed of highly-trained and well-respected knights. This would earn them more points if it were more prevalent in the series.
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The Eyrie is one of thestrongest castles in Westeros, though it has some notable flaws that detract from its value. In terms of political power, their most involved player would be Jon Arryn, who dies before the series begins, and theyessentially have no influence under the leadership of Robin Arryn. They’re represented later inGame of Thronesby Yohn Royce, but even he doesn’t get up to much. Overall, House Arryn could have been higher if they had been more involved, but the show’s events show the historic family at one of its weakest points.
7House Greyjoy
18/25
House Greyjoy is a mixed bag, asTheon Greyjoy is one of the show’s most unforgettable characters, giving them a significant impact on the show’s events. Oppositely, Euron Greyjoy is one of the show’s biggest disappointments, dragging down their potential for likability. Euron Greyjoy pales in comparison to his magic-obsessed, power-hungry book counterpart, who constantly poses an enormous, unpredictable threat. Meanwhile, the other crucial Greyjoy uncle, Victarion, doesn’t even appear in the TV series, leaving much of the family’s narrative impact to reside on Theon and Yara.
Pyke is a relatively strong castle with an epic design, andtheir army gets a boost in points, seeing as the Greyjoys have an extraordinarily powerful navy which no other house in Westeros can compete with. As for political power, Balon Greyjoy and Euron both declare themselves kings, but they never manage to make any individual plays of worthwhile note, with the latter simply becoming a plot device for Cersei to contend with Daenerys' invasion.
6House Tully
House Tully’s impact onGame of Thronesmay be forgotten because its most notable member goes by “Stark,” but their role in the series can’t be understated. Catelyn Stark and her Tully family are crucial to the War of the Five Kings, with the lords of the Riverlands fighting in multiple battles that aren’t mentioned in the series, which commonly chooses to focus on Robb instead. House Tully has a decently sized army that does its best to repel the superior Lannister forces, and Riverrun is another of the strongest castles in Westeros, shown by the siege in season 6.
Catelyn and Brynden Tully are the two most likable members of the house to appear in the series, while Edmure is generally reduced to being a simpleton compared to his book counterpart. Lysa Tully is the only character who really brings them down a peg. Their impact on the story is prevalent throughout almost all seasons, with the show’s most memorable moment, the Red Wedding, being a Tully event. Their political influence isn’t too notable, as they generally play second fiddle to the Starks in the HBO adaptation.
5House Tyrell
20/25
House Tyrell finds itself in the middle of the pack in most categories and is fairly represented throughout the TV series. Killing Joffrey is, of course, a magnificent accomplishment that shouldn’t go unappreciated, but their narrative involvement still feels less consequential than others by the show’s ending due to being eliminated early.Margaery and Olenna are the standout likable characters, but Mace and Loras aren’t particularly memorable.
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Highgarden isn’t the most fortified castle in Westeros, and the TV series ends up downplaying the one virtue of its supposed beauty. The Reach has arguably the most powerful military in Westeros due to House Hightower and House Tarly, butthe Tyrells are made to seem weak and poor at fighting inGame of Thrones, particularly in the later seasons. Political power is their greatest strength, as Margaery becoming Queen makes them a serious threat to the Lannisters, proving they’re among the best at playing the game.
4House Baratheon
21/25
Like the Tyrells, House Baratheon’s impact dissipates over time, preventing them from being as high as their potential. Despite Robert being one of the first main character deaths, his impact lingers throughout the show, and Stannis remains a significant player for some time. Their armies may not be the most powerful in the world, but they’re well-trained and respected. Storm’s End is also one of the strongest castles in Westeros, though it doesn’t appear inGame of Thrones. As for political power, all three Baratheon brothers are kings, which distinguishes them in this category.
The Baratheon family is truly a mixed bag of personalities, even excluding Cersei’s children, who should be counted as Lannisters.Robert Baratheon is a fan-favorite amongGame of Throneslovers, and Renly is undoubtedly charming. However, Robert’s unchecked behavior as king sends the realm into turmoil, and Renly declaring himself king is a massive inconvenience that leads to Ned’s death and the war. Stannis has a code of honor that makes him likable at times, but he ends up horribly sacrificing his own daughter for a war he couldn’t win.
3House Lannister
22/25
It’s hard to argue against the value of the Lannisters in makingGame of Thronesone of thebest TV shows of all time. Their intense, dysfunctional dynamic is crucial for the series to work, and characters like Cersei, Tywin, and Joffrey serve as some of the show’s most iconic villains. Tyrion is arguably the HBO drama’s best overall character, and Jaime has one of the best arcs. In almost every aspect,they’re one of the show’s best houses; they’re just incredibly unlikable by design.
Tyrion and occasionally Jaime are the only characters offering them redemption in the likable category, but it’s impossible to balance out Cersei and Joffrey. In political power, they’re consistently the most tactical at the game and remain in control of the capital for the majority of the series. Their castle, Casterly Rock, is the strongest in Westeros, even if the TV version doesn’t do it justice. Lastly, theLannister army under Tywin is commonly depicted as the strongest inGame of Thronesdue to their wealth and resources.
2House Targaryen
23/25
The Targaryens have become the marquee family of the franchise due toHouse of the Dragonand the otherplannedGame of Thronesspinoffs, but they’re not quite at the top in the original series.An army composed of dragons, Dothraki, and Unsullied undoubtedly earns a 5, as it’s the most iconic military force in the TV series. Dragonstone isn’t the best castle, but it’s become a memorable location in Westeros through its usage in bothGame of Thronesand the prequel series.
In terms of political power, both Jon and Daenerys are quick climbers wherever they are, and centuries ofTargaryen historyare on their side. They’re some of the most likable characters in the series, thoughDany suffers from her poor handling in season 8, leaving a taint on her name. In likability, they’re also dragged down by Viserys and characters like the Mad King, whose impact is prevalent onGame of Thrones.
1House Stark
24/25
House Stark is the best house inGame of Thronesby almost all accounts. They’re themost likable house in the series, with a variety of protagonists for any viewer to appreciate and relate to. The Starks are the only family that really seems to get along and like each other, and they’re the heroes of the show. Winterfell is the most iconic castle inGame of Thronesand stands out among the strongest. The Northern army isn’t the biggest, but they’re known for being tougher and more savage than southern forces.
Each of the Stark children becomes great at something (except Rickon). Robb is the first King in the North in 300 years. Jon becomes one of the youngest Lord Commanders of the Night’s Watch and later King in the North. Sansa becomes Queen in the North, while Bran ends up Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. Arya arguably has the biggest achievement of all in killing the Night King. As for political power and impact on the story,Game of Thronesis about the Starks, and they’re definitely the best house in the series.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
