[SPOILERS] S1: GoT Q&A

[King D Evoker]

HBO's Game of Thrones is my first exposure to ASoIaF. I've finished watching all 10 episodes and some questions pop out of my mind...

1. Strength of the top Houses

Which house command the most power and by how much? It seems to me that Stark and Lannister are quite influential. But I'm curious how other houses like Baratheon, Tyrell and Arynn fair against them?

2. Counselor Pycelle, Kings Council (the old man)

Does he harbour any intentions other than the king's?

He looks sneaky. He is all well after some sex but immediately crouch as he exits the room... He seems to be faking frail to play down attention, is that all I wonder?

3. How strong is a Dragon?

Possibly an estimate of equivalent to how many soldiers-strong or will it simply overwhelm against the entire Westeros?

Anyway, I bet they'll pwn the Others like White Walkers since they breathe fire.

4. What are the horseman intentions after 'Game of Thrones'?

Do they or will they still see the need to invade Westeros?

5. Top 3 fighters?

I always thought Eddard Stark is the best swordsman we have in the show until his unfortunate departure. And for some period, Drogo, and he left us too. Damn lol.

Now the names that come up to my mind are:

Ser Jaime Lannister

Ser Barristan Selmy

Jaqen H'ghar (although he did not fight or say anything, but the forums say he's strong)

Wonder if I have missed out any exceptional talent... perhaps just characters shown in GoT. I'd expect stronger guys appearing in later seasons too.

[SergioCQH]

1. Lannisters are the wealthiest while Tyrells can muster the most men. The Baratheons are probably third, and the Starks fourth.

2. You'll find out in season 2.

3. Dragons are primarily weapons of terror. Their main effect is to harm the morale of enemy troops, which can be devastating.

4. The main khalasar that belonged to Drogo has deserted Daenerys. They no longer give a damn about Westeros.

5. Endlessly debatable. Of the swordsmen still alive, Jaime Lannister's probably the best in pure skill. However, Sandor and Gregor Clegane are perhaps even more fearsome because of their size and ferocity.

[Anomandaris86]

As far as the dragons go, one of the famous battles of Aegon's Conquest was called the Field of Fire. It's talked about in the books but not in the show. Two of the kings of Westeros gathered their armies and attacked Aegon; they outnumbered him ten to one, but he had his three dragons. Aegon won. So I think that gives you a good idea. The last King in the North, Torhen Stark, was also marching south to fight Aegon, but when he heard the result and saw the futility of fighting he bent the knee instead.

[Maginor]

Many of these questions will be answered or adressed in season 2.

About the best swordsman, Ned was never very good at that in the books, only decent. He was never the same level as Jaime. They played his skill up a little in the show though.

[Hnim]

Fighters = Jaime Lannister, Sandor Clegane, Garlan Tyrell

[Rinso]

1. Strength of the top Houses

Which house command the most power and by how much? It seems to me that Stark and Lannister are quite influential. But I'm curious how other houses like Baratheon, Tyrell and Arynn fair against them?

Tyrell can smash every other House. Only the Lannisters are richer and the Tyrells have a lot more men, because the Reach is the best land in all of Westeros as far as things like climate and agriculture go. The Starks are not at all that powerful as a House, neither in money nor in manpower. Same with the Baratheons. The Arryns are supposed to be quite powerful, but not on the level of the Tyrells and the Lannisters.

2. Counselor Pycelle, Kings Council (the old man)

Does he harbour any intentions other than the king's?

He looks sneaky. He is all well after some sex but immediately crouch as he exits the room... He seems to be faking frail to play down attention, is that all I wonder?

The faking was something the show came up with. Otherwise, he's a Lannister lickspittle.

3. How strong is a Dragon?

Possibly an estimate of equivalent to how many soldiers-strong or will it simply overwhelm against the entire Westeros?

Anyway, I bet they'll pwn the Others like White Walkers since they breathe fire.

A grown up dragon is more or less a superweapon for those who control it. That's the only reason the Targaryens managed to conquer Westeros 300 years ago - they had three grown dragons.

4. What are the horseman intentions after 'Game of Thrones'?

Do they or will they still see the need to invade Westeros?

No.

5. Top 3 fighters?

I always thought Eddard Stark is the best swordsman we have in the show until his unfortunate departure. And for some period, Drogo, and he left us too. Damn lol.

Now the names that come up to my mind are:

Ser Jaime Lannister

Ser Barristan Selmy

Jaqen H'ghar (although he did not fight or say anything, but the forums say he's strong)

GRRM himself considers Eddard Stark average. The show made him more of a badass. In the book, he could never hope to hold his own against Jaime.

Jaqen H'ghar is an assassin, not a fighter.

Anyway, Jaime and Barristan are quite good, yes. The Clegane brothers are supposed to be up there too. Also, there was a knight in the recent past, who served in the Mad King's Kingsguard - Ser Arthur Dayne. Everybody, both characters and fandom, agree that he was the best of the best.