Characters you just DO NOT understand people like

[Destroyer of Nations]

Jaime fans are ridiculous.

While I don't particularly like his personality, I do like his storyline. There is a certain duality to him, an impossible hope for redemption, the need to prove himself to both his family and everyone who calls him Kingslayer. I find that pretty interesting. Not enough to carry the book but interesting enough to be a secondary or tertiary storyline.

[devilish]

You can't understand Eddard or why people like him? If I am not mistaken the question is the characters that you do not understand why your friends or people in general love them. Because the answer is why he is loved is exactly what you wrote. And by the way, there is a huge difference between being a military general. seasoned fighter and being a player of game of thrones. Ned never was the later, but he was a great father, great lord, great person (despite having faults as any other). For example, Tywin was his complete opposition - great player (no doubts there), but not a general (let's be fair, he defeated Robb only playing the game, not leading an army) or great fighter, and definitely not a great father. Ned was loved by people and Tywin was feared. It depends on of what the every particular fan values most- cunning or honour. I love Ned, for example, though, I understand why people love Tywin. I must admit I do not like "the game", intrigues etc.

Jamie, Cat, Sansa - I understand, too.

Ramsey and Roose, though, that's kind of creepy, for me at least.

I dont understand why people like Eddard because he's unrealistic. It cant be possible that a person who had been a central piece of a successful rebellion, had won numerous wars and had lead an enormous piece of land with dozens of bannermen in it would be that naive. Seriously? Did he believed that the Lannisters would accept their doom with just a smile on their face? I mean even Cathelyn or his good self would have tried to find ways how to get out of that mess and save his own family from the imminent doom.

[INCBlackbird]

everybody is different, everybody likes and dislikes different characters I think mostly based on that character's personality and their own personality and experiences in life. I always like and dislike the same characters I have noticed. I tend to love characters who are very emotional and are very flawed mostly because they can't control their emotions, while I tend to dislike pragmatic characters who have moments of hypocricy. SO yeah my fav is Theon my least fav is Ned. But that doesn't mean that I don't understand why people would dislike Theon or why people would love Ned. Especially since Ned is one of the best people in those books, it just so happens that I have a huge personal problem with his flaws and others do not. and I can perfectly understand that people don't like characters who can't control their emotions and work themselves into problems they can't get out of anymore.

The only thing could say I don't understand is why people pretend like Ned is some kind of saint, he's not at all a bad person, certainly compared to the other people in the story, but he's not perfect and it's totally fine to point out his flaws you don't have to whitewash him to like him or to point out he's a good person.

Something I do understand but have a bit of a problem with sometimes is people disliking characters because they hurt their favs, well, that is to say when they totally demonize that character for hurting their favs.

to pick two characters i'm quite indifferent towards: Robb and Walder Frey. I quite like Robb, but he's not among my favorites, I don't dislike Walder, though I do agree he's not exactly the nicest of people. But when I try to look at it objectively, I can see what happened from both sides. I can see that Robb did his very best and he made some mistakes mostly due to his youth, which is perfectly understandable and no reason to hate him in my opinion. But I can also see that Walder, after being disrespected for years, probably thought Robb was laughing in his face like "LOL, did he really think I would marry one of his daughters?" which does not at all excuse the red wedding (nothing does) but I do think it's important to look at all perspectives in all situations. and when judging a character you can't judge them based on another characters perspective.

actually in generally, I tend to not have a problem with understanding why people like a certain character but more with why people dislike a certain character, especially so passionately.

[Hodor the Articulate]

Val. She's such a non character. I suspect the only reason people like her, is because they've projected likeable qualities onto her, much like you do with a Barbie.

[Frey Pie]

I cant understand Eddard Stark. He's a seasoned fighter who had been leading an enormous stretch of land for so many years. Surely he must have known that spilling the beans to Cersei would lead to consequences. What did he expect ie that the Lannister will suffer annihilation with a smile on their face?

See I can understand why people would disagree with some of his actions but disliking the person? Na...I recently started a re-read and reading about Arya giving Ned the poisonous flowers was great. Up comes a high born lady covered in mud to the King's Hand in front of the king and a large part of his court and what does he do? Laughs, gives her a hug and thanks her...to Sansa's horror no less

In any case I can get why people like most characters. But Tywin and Bolton supporters? Sorry but no...great characters and all but that's it. Jaime is also a villain, a hero and a great character. At least he has something to admire. The others don't

[wefollowthecomet]

Val. She's such a non character. I suspect the only reason people like her, is because they've projected likeable qualities onto her, much like you do with a Barbie.

:agree: shes hot, and seemingly capable, but nothing else. Don't get the fuss about her at all.

[Destroyer of Nations]

I dont understand why people like Eddard because he's unrealistic. It cant be possible that a person who had been a central piece of a successful rebellion, had won numerous wars and had lead an enormous piece of land with dozens of bannermen in it would be that naive. Seriously? Did he believed that the Lannisters would accept their doom with just a smile on their face? I mean even Cathelyn or his good self would have tried to find ways how to get out of that mess and save his own family from the imminent doom.

I think he always had people to temper him, to remind him that not everyone is as honourable as he is. People like Robert, Jon, Maester Luwin, Catelyn, Jory, Ser Rodrik, et cetera

[Nictarion]

Val. She's such a non character. I suspect the only reason people like her, is because they've projected likeable qualities onto her, much like you do with a Barbie.

Yes! The fact that such a throw away character actually has threads devoted to her makes no sense to me.

[GravyFace]

Stannis.

He was willing to kill his little brother over a throne he claims he doesn't even want.

[maniacmcgoo]

I think Ned is a character that in most novels would have been the hero. He acted the way many characters in those novels would have acted and Martin made him and us pay the price. I understand people's love for Ned.

The hatred for Walder Frey is completely understandable. He's a lech, he's not even trusted by his own liege lord Hoster Tully and he breaks one of the oldest traditions in Westeros. Old Nan had a tale about the horrible things done to people who harm those who harm those who have shared bread and salt. Because of how it was written it was in my opinion made for us to view the Red Wedding as a grevious violation of ancient laws of hospitality and something the Old Gods and New will not let pass unanswered.

[INCBlackbird]

See I can understand why people would disagree with some of his actions but disliking the person? Na...I recently started a re-read and reading about Arya giving Ned the poisonous flowers was great. Up comes a high born lady covered in mud to the King's Hand in front of the king and a large part of his court and what does he do? Laughs, gives her a hug and thanks her...to Sansa's horror no less

In any case I can get why people like most characters. But Tywin and Bolton supporters? Sorry but no...great characters and all but that's it. Jaime is also a villain, a hero and a great character. At least he has something to admire. The others don't

I don't dislike characters for their actions or whether or not they're a good person. I really dislike Ned Stark, he's my least fav character, has been from the beginning. Which does not mean I think he's a bad person, he simply has certain character flaws that I have a personal problem with, I ALWAYS dislike characters with the same character flaws. i'm an totally ready to admit he's a good person, he's a great father, he's a really good leader and all that stuff, but that does not mean I'll like him as a person.

then i'm also a bolton fan, though it's on another level of liking/disliking characters. I like a lot of villains and obviously that doesn't mean i'd like them as a person. Theon is my ultimate fav, and yet I still have Ramsay as my second favourite. But obviously I like Theon in a very different way then I like Ramsay. I do like Theon as a person, I think he's a broken individual, who does do some bad things and often works out his problems on other people, so not a very nice person, but I feel for him. Ramsay is a different matter, he's pretty much the most horrible person in those books (if not in all fandoms I've ever been in) But I think he's beyond interesting, and that's why I like him. I also find his relationship with Theon very interesting so that probably has something to do with it.

[intheswamp]

While I don't particularly like his personality, I do like his storyline. There is a certain duality to him, an impossible hope for redemption, the need to prove himself to both his family and everyone who calls him Kingslayer. I find that pretty interesting. Not enough to carry the book but interesting enough to be a secondary or tertiary storyline.

His story is interesting. But, his personality does leave something to be desired, even his so called redemption arc isn't all it is made out to be. After Edmure surrenders and Jaime succeeds in not having to attack the castle, Jaime's first thought is how he showed up his aunt for saying he wasn't Tywin's son. Even when he does something relatively good, he is selfish.

If Jaime survives the series, then I think he's going to end up joining the Night's Watch, assuming there still is a Night's Watch, as a way to regain his honor for the betrayal of his king(s), incest, attempted killing of Bran, etc...

[Paxter Redwyne]

I don't understand people who like cersei, i know there are not so many of them, but still.

Also nearly all wildling character is either dumb or ignorant, but mostly is both. Wildling women are worst. They only talk non stop about kneelers and lordly lords and knowing nothing.

[Ruby Fforde]

See I can understand why people would disagree with some of his actions but disliking the person? Na...I recently started a re-read and reading about Arya giving Ned the poisonous flowers was great. Up comes a high born lady covered in mud to the King's Hand in front of the king and a large part of his court and what does he do? Laughs, gives her a hug and thanks her...to Sansa's horror no less

This makes a lot of sense for me. Ned is a likeable person, but he makes some tragically bad decisions and misjudges things. It's easy to criticise some of the things that he does, but I still like him.

For me, I cannot understand the love for Theon, and I think the reverse applies in this. His actions, his development and his character arc can be really well explained and defended, but there is nothing likeable about him as a person. Instead of sweet moments like the one above with Ned, interactions with Theon are usually him trying to prove he is better than someone else (until he is Reekified).

[Lord Cadwan]

@GravyFace To be fair his little brother was also willing to kill him over the throne as well. The only character I can really think of for this is Areo Hotah because he is such a non entity he does not even deserve to be a character. I also don't understand all the support for Val when her main contribution to the books is saying that Shireen should be killed for being unclean-that does not strike as being a particularly nice thing to do.

[Destroyer of Nations]

His story is interesting. But, his personality does leave something to be desired, even his so called redemption arc isn't all it is made out to be. After Edmure surrenders and Jaime succeeds in not having to attack the castle, Jaime's first thought is how he showed up his aunt for saying he wasn't Tywin's son. Even when he does something relatively good, he is selfish.

If Jaime survives the series, then I think he's going to end up joining the Night's Watch, assuming there still is a Night's Watch, as a way to regain his honor for the betrayal of his king(s), incest, attempted killing of Bran, etc...

I think the whole attempting to redeem himself combined with the arrogance and inherent selfishness he posseses is a big factor of the duality I see in him. Attempting to be something whilst not being able to overcome his basic desires.

[Mladen]

I adore Sansa and I love Catelyn, I find Jaime absolutely wonderfully written character. Davos' simplicity always worked for me and Ellaria is someone whose message (the same one Cat had) should be heard across the Westeros. That said, I could not care less whether anyone finds my proclivities absurd, nonsensical or ridiculous.

[Nictarion]

I don't understand people who like cersei, i know there are not so many of them, but still.

Also nearly all wildling character is either dumb or ignorant, but mostly is both. Wildling women are worst. They only talk non stop about kneelers and lordly lords and knowing nothing.

I like Cersei. I found her AFfC chapters pretty hilarious. That said I consider her a guilty pleasure character, I certainly don't root for her, but I enjoy her as a character. She's the series best villain imo.

[Ser Eric]

Cersie

Littlefinger

The Mountain

Ramsey

Walder Frey

I want to see all of them die brutally painful deaths. I cannot get my head around anyone liking those characters. Well maybe Walder Frey, he's not as bad as the rest.

I don't understand the Dany fans. I don't hate or even dislike her (Hell I barely enter any of her threads) but I find her painfully bland throughout.

[LordStoneheart]

Randyll Tarly. Mostly because he gets completely excused for the barbaric treatment of a child because of the "back then was different" argument and yet Catelyn is much more harshly criticized for giving icy looks to a child, or not being a mother to him just because she was a woman in the same castle he grew up. Granted, these probably aren't the same people judging, but the trend is very noticeable.

Ramsay. He's got about as much depth as a thimble and his villainy is just plain boring because of that.