17 most underrated Game Of Thrones characters

Game of Thrones had a lot of great characters, but some never got the credit they deserved. The show focused on big names like Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen while plenty of others were just as important but got ignored. Some were the ones giving the best advice. Some fought wars without getting any recognition. Some just had bad luck and ended up in situations where no one really noticed them. Davos Seaworth made smart calls that saved lives. Jorah Mormont stayed loyal to Daenerys even when she pushed him away. Olenna Tyrell outplayed almost everyone, but people mostly remember her last words. Here is a look at the 17 most underappreciated characters in the GoT universe.

1. Davos Seaworth

Davos was one of the smartest and most reliable advisors in Game of Thrones, yet he never got the respect he deserved. He was the only one who could challenge Stannis without getting executed and later became Jon Snow’s most trusted counselor. His honesty kept both men from making disastrous choices. Unlike power-hungry lords, Davos had no personal ambition. He wanted stability and fairness, making him rare in Westeros. Despite his influence on key decisions, he was never treated as a major player.

2. Jorah Mormont

Jorah was one of Daenerys’s strongest allies, yet his contributions were often overshadowed. He fought for her before she had an army, advised her when others doubted her, and risked his life multiple times, even after being exiled. He killed a Dothraki bloodrider to protect her in Season 1 and later survived the greyscale that should have killed him. His final moment—dying in her arms after defending her against an army of the dead—was proof of his devotion, yet he was often treated as just a lovesick knight rather than a key figure in her rise to power.

3. Meera Reed

Meera saved Bran’s life more times than anyone, but the show never acknowledged how much she sacrificed. She fought off White Walkers, dragged Bran across dangerous landscapes, and lost her brother Jojen in the process. She had no reason to stay after that, yet she kept fighting for him. When Bran finally made it back to Winterfell, she left without so much as a proper farewell. Bran barely reacted. Her contributions were crucial to the larger story, but the show cast her aside like she never mattered.

4. Yoren

Yoren played a small role in the show, but his impact on Arya Stark was huge. He saved her from being executed, smuggled her out of King’s Landing, and gave her the advice that shaped her survival skills. He taught her to hide her identity and not let fear control her, a lesson that carried her through years of danger. His final act—dying while protecting her from Lannister soldiers—was one of the most selfless moments in the series. Despite this, he’s barely mentioned when people talk about Arya’s journey.

5. Gendry

Gendry’s storyline should have been more significant. As Robert Baratheon’s last son, he had a claim to the throne, yet he spent most of the series either running or forging weapons. He was a skilled fighter and a survivor, escaping the Red Woman’s sacrifice and rowing across the sea alone. He later became an important ally for Jon Snow and helped create weapons for the Battle of Winterfell, yet he was rarely treated as more than a side character. His rushed legitimization in Season 8 felt like an afterthought.

6. Olenna Tyrell

Olenna was one of the smartest characters in Game of Thrones, yet her influence is often overlooked. She took down Joffrey when no one else could and saved Margaery from marrying a sadistic king. She was the only one who stood up to Tywin without fear and outlasted most of her rivals. Her final scene—admitting to killing Joffrey before drinking poison—was one of the most memorable in the show. She shaped the political game in Westeros but is rarely given enough credit.

7. Beric Dondarrion

Beric died more times than anyone else in Game of Thrones, yet his role was treated like an afterthought. He wasn’t just a man brought back to life. He was proof that fate existed in Westeros. He protected Arya when it mattered most and gave his life so she could reach the Night King. Without him, Arya would have never had the chance to save the world. His story was one of sacrifice, but few recognize how important he really was.

8. Eddison Tollett (Dolorous Edd)

Edd was one of the few people who stayed loyal to Jon Snow no matter what. When others turned their backs on him, Edd stood by his side. He held Castle Black together when Jon left and kept the Wall standing when it seemed like no one else cared. He fought in the Battle of Winterfell and died protecting Sam. He was funny, dependable, and one of the best brothers the Night’s Watch ever had, but most people barely remember him.

9. Osha

Osha wasn’t just a wildling. She was smarter than most people in Winterfell. She saw Theon’s betrayal before anyone else and saved Bran and Rickon’s lives. She could have left them behind but stayed because she knew they wouldn’t survive without her. She taught Bran how to survive outside the castle walls and took Rickon to safety. When she finally died, it was quick and forgettable. She played a major role in keeping the Stark line alive but never got recognition.

10. Qyburn

Qyburn was one of the most brilliant minds in Westeros but was rarely acknowledged as anything more than Cersei’s creepy advisor. He created weapons that helped take down Daenerys’s dragons. He turned the Mountain into an unstoppable killing machine. He outplayed the maesters who cast him out and became one of the most powerful people in King’s Landing. He wasn’t a warrior or a king, but his influence shaped the final battles of the series. His genius was always overshadowed.

11. Tormund Giantsbane

Tormund wasn’t just a great warrior. He was the reason the Free Folk accepted Jon Snow as a leader. He convinced wildlings to fight for the North and led them beyond the Wall when Winterfell fell. He survived Hardhome and the Battle of the Bastards, yet he was often treated as comic relief. His loyalty to Jon never wavered, even after Daenerys arrived. Without him, the wildlings would have never joined the fight against the dead, and Jon would have been alone.

12. Thoros of Myr

Thoros brought Beric Dondarrion back to life six times, yet his own importance was barely acknowledged. He was the reason the Brotherhood Without Banners kept fighting. He lost faith in the Lord of Light but kept using his powers to help others. Without him, Beric wouldn’t have been there to save Arya before she killed the Night King. He was part of the expedition beyond the Wall, where he died saving others. His role in shaping key events was barely recognized.

13. Grey Worm

Grey Worm led the Unsullied with complete discipline, yet his importance was often overshadowed. He was Daenerys’s most trusted general, leading her armies in battles against the Lannisters and White Walkers. He won the Siege of Casterly Rock and defended Winterfell, yet his role was rarely highlighted. After Daenerys’s death, he refused to take revenge on Jon, showing restraint despite his grief. He helped shape the final events of the show, but his character was often treated as secondary.

14. Lyanna Mormont

Lyanna was one of the most fearless leaders in Game of Thrones, yet her role was treated as smaller than it actually was. She stood up to Jon and Sansa when no one else would and committed her house to fight the dead. She was the first to recognize Jon as the King in the North, setting off a major political shift. Her death, where she killed a giant before taking her last breath, was one of the most memorable moments in the Battle of Winterfell.

15. Maester Aemon

Aemon was a Targaryen who chose duty over power, yet most viewers never realized how important he was. He guided Jon Snow and taught him how to lead without losing his humanity. He was one of the few people who understood the real dangers beyond the Wall. His advice shaped Jon’s decisions, and his death left the Night’s Watch vulnerable. He could have claimed the throne but chose to serve instead. His wisdom shaped events in Westeros, but few remember his impact.

16. Jaqen H’ghar

Jaqen trained Arya and turned her into one of the deadliest assassins in Westeros, yet he remains one of the most mysterious and underappreciated characters. He taught her how to kill, how to survive, and how to become someone no one could recognize. Without him, Arya would have never made it back to Westeros or killed the Night King. He shaped her entire journey, yet once she left Braavos, he was barely mentioned again, despite his role in changing her forever.

17. Edmure Tully

Edmure was constantly treated as a joke, yet he was one of the few leaders who survived everything thrown at him. He was humiliated by the Freys, locked away for years, and abandoned by his allies. He was never a great warrior, but he was a capable ruler who deserved more than being dismissed in Season 8. His survival itself was impressive, considering what happened to the rest of his family. He wasn’t the most powerful Tully, but he was still standing at the end.