71 replies to this topic

[Noimporta]

What are we even calling importance here? Vaguely attributable responsibility over the series' events? In that case Aegon I is the obvious winner.

But really, the series isn't a discrete set of events, and I don't think this is a good metric to determine a character's importance.

Take Sandor, for example, from an "events" perspective, he's just some dude who's better than others with his sword. However, it's undeniable that he's an extremely important character in the story, from his interactions with Sansa and Arya. Littlefinger, on the other hand, is directly responsible for many of the series' events, yet has few really meaningful interactions with other characters (a little bit with Sansa, a little bit with Ned), and most of his actions happen off screen anyway.

That isn't to say there aren't characters who fit both bills (Varys and Stannis, for example), or that Littlefinger isn't a really important character (he is), but rather that we should take both metrics into account.

[Villemo]

in no particular order: Varys, Littlefinger, Tywin Lannister.

[Mr Motte]

1. Littlefinger
2. Varys
3. Stannis probably

[Arch-MaesterPhilip]

Certainly Varys and Littlefinger

[HonourableSerLittlefinger]

Aerys Targaryen. pwned. Otherwise, Varys, Petyr, the dragons, and the Others.

Edited by HonourableSerLittlefinger, 27 April 2012 - 11:19 PM.

[Howling Mad]

Other

[Lord Over]

Howland Reed, 'nuff said.

[Kuekuatseu]

Brynden Rivers. Howland Reed. Littlefinger. Varys.

[Rayhar]

Varys for sure. Craftiest hoorbag ever

[Sun]

Robert, Robb, Tywin, Varys, The Others.

[just an Other]

Stannis by far, at least in the first three books. The way all the other players in the game of thrones make their choices with him in mind and the way his actions completely overturned the expected outcome of the war of the five kings make him the most influential character overall. By comparison, LF's main contribution was to bring the Starks in the middle of a war that would have happened anyway, while Varys for the most part seemed to play it close to the chest and bide his time. Both seem likely to supplant him, though.

[Little Miss Sunshine]

Though Varys and LF are undoubtely important and extremely important non-POV characters, my other choices would fall on Tywin, Aerys II and Rhaegar. It all seems to come back to the time where these three guys were probably the 3 most important people in the Seven Kingdoms.