Who is the most useless character?

[Fanless Mace]

Who's the most useless character? What person(s) simply don't drive any plot of value, don't add any historical or humorous value, waste space, bore you to tears, etc?

[Obsidious]

I don't think Martin is one to create that type of character, seeing as how I can't really think of any.

But I have to throw out Rickon. I think he'll eventually play an important role, but so far he's been the least notable of the Stark children and hasn't really been directly a part of anything. I'm assuming that he'll be a savage, seeing as how the direwolves relate to their masters and Shaggydog himself is wild at heart. That and him being of Skagos with a wilding women for a year or so.

Can't wait to see what he ends up being.

[TallTyrion]

I wouldn't say the character is useless since I like her and she has been in some of the best parts of the book, but Brienne's first few chapters in AFFC felt very useless. Just sort of randomly wandering and asking people if they've seen Sansa.

[RobertPooner]

Sweetrobin and it's not close. Hope that little douche dies horribly and quickly.

[James Arryn]

One of Left or Right. I can't decide which.

[Boarsbane]

Arys Oakheart, sure we get to see Arianne's nipples through his POV but other than that we probably could of done without him.

[TheCoffeeThatWasPromised]

Areo Hotah....we could have had Doran's PoV instead of the robot-with-an-axe.

[Dolan Baratheon]

Aeron Damphair

Penny

[RoamingRonin]

Gendry.

[Big Daddy]

Aeron Damphair. Just...death on paper.

[WinterfellDownAndCantGetUp]

Reznak. He seems completely extraneous so far.

Areo Hotah (who's there for a reason, since we lose suspense if we get Doran's POV, but he still just... *feels* so useless)

Quentyn. (already been hashed out in other places. I doubt anyone's gonna change their minds on his importance anytime soon, whatever your opinion may be)

[Shpati]

I thought Quentyn might have been a useless character since his quest was failed. But I think his death and Doran's reaction will play a major role (possibility supporting Aegon [even if he is false] over Dany because of the death of Quentyn).

Rickon was "useless" in books 1-4.5.

Brienne's chapters in aFfC were dreadful for me and they all seemed like fluff to me until her very last chapter.

A bunch of Walder's grandchildren.

Ged Staren

[James Arryn]

Aeron Damphair. Just...death on paper.

Yes. He and Victarion could be combined into one still largely useless character.

[DogLover]

Samwell and Penny. I want them to find each other and leave the series forever (a ship Rapsie pegged as PenWell).

[Circle_breaker]

Whoever said Gendry nailed it.

[benalapin]

If Gendry is the future King on the Iron Throne...? Not so useless now, is he?

I think Margaery's aunt is the most useless character. There's literally tons of names in the genealogies of the houses whose people are mentioned once or twice and we don't see them at all. Plot-wise, they are utterly useless. But this is a fantasy book, so it's half plot and half worldbuilding and it would make sense for Lords to have more than one son and more than one daughter.

[The Kinkslayer]

Dickon Manwoody has actually done nothing but steal our hearts.

[Fat Mac]

Samwell

Killing an Other is useless?

[Good Guy Garlan]

Well there are many, usually minor ones, but of the major ones I have to say Quentyn. I think he had 3 functions in the story:

1) Set the dragons loose

2) Turn Dorne against Dany

3) (Supposedly) be part of Mirri's prophecy

For #1, Martin could have released the dragons in a great number of ways, considering the chaos that was underway thanks to Barristan's coup. Quentyn wasn't technically needed

For #2, if you read the WoW chapter you know

Arianne is already highly prejudiced against Dany, even if she hasn't heard the news of Quentyn. At this time Dorne casting its lot with Aegon seems like a given

For #3, assuming it's true then Martin didn't have to write a prophecy that forced him to create a character to fulfill it

And Arys Oakheart

[DogLover]

Killing an Other is useless?

You give him too much credit. Just dumb luck on his part. And did the demise of Puddles put an end to the advance of the Others? I don't think so. There are far more and they aren't intimidated by Ser Piggy. Also, the OP asked which characters bored you to tears, among other criteria. Samwell bores me to tears and I really don't think he moves the plot forwards. Just a waste of space IMHO.