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Tyrion is a good person


Panos Targaryen

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A lot of people argue that Tyrion is a neutral\evil character, who has done some bad things and is only in it for his own gain and interest. This may be true for Tyrion now, but I believe that Tyrion's current self-hating, cruel and miserable state is due to all the crap that he's been through.

Look at all the good things Tyrion did before he killed Tywin and became this miserable, alcoholic bag of cynicism:

1) Not raping Sansa, when doing so would make him Lord of Winterfell.

2) Sending all the members of the City Watch who participated in the atrocity of killing Robert's bastards, and specifically arranging the death of the gold cloak who killed the baby, Allar Deem.

3) His disgust at Cercei's vicious political tactics

4) Helping Bran with his saddle.

5) "And why would I ever need your Allar Deem, Lord Slynt? Tyrion thought. I have a hundred of my own. He wanted to laugh; he wanted to weep; most of all, he wanted Shae." He is disturbed by the evil that surrounds him, and to cope with it, he uses humor, especially cynical humor.

6) His kindness towards Tysha, and his hatred for his father, which is due to what Tywin did to her.

7) Even after Tywin's death, he shows kindness to Penny, and feels sorry for her ("She deserves better than a pig")

I'd say Tyrion began as a good, compassionate character, but all the cruelty that has surrounded him since his birth has slowly turned him into a dark and neutral character, whose only purpose is vengeance and hedonism. To cope he has developed this cruel of sense of humor that we see especially at A Dance with Dragons.

Although not evil, he has become apathetic, cynical and VERY misanthropic, but deep down I believe he is a genuinely good person, although that side of his personality may die by the end of the series, or surface.

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I've never heard anyone say Tyrion was evil...

Really? It seems to me that 1 in every 10 threads related to tyrion seems to dissolves into a debate about whether he is good or evil, much like 1 in every 3 dany threads dissolves into a similar debate.

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Really? It seems to me that 1 in every 10 threads related to tyrion seems to dissolves into a debate about whether he is good or evil, much like 1 in every 3 dany threads dissolves into a similar debate.

People like to analyse and find excuses for Tyrion while Dany receives most of the hate, as if her life was perfect since she was born.

It's always black or white with her.

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Really? It seems to me that 1 in every 10 threads related to tyrion seems to dissolves into a debate about whether he is good or evil, much like 1 in every 3 dany threads dissolves into a similar debate.

well. Dany is a different story, if she wasn't a Targ, half those threads would not exist. For Tyrion, I have never once, in my days on this forum seen anyone say Tyrion is evil...
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If we start giving people golden stars just because they haven't done evil thing, then we'll have serious problem in judging characters.

I am not saying he is evil, but he certainly isn't the best person alive. Tyrion is far more complicated than you think.

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I think Tyrion is going through a similar character evolution to what Jamie went through after he became a Kingslayer. I think before he killed Aerys, he was generally a good person all around. But because people falsely placed the tag of such a dishonourable cunt on Jamie, he just turned into one, so he could own people's accusations. Tyrion is doing something similar with all the accusations of him having killed Joffrey. Although his start is probably a lot more extreme than Jamie's start. I'm sure Jamie didn't spend his days, after becoming "Kingslayer", pushing little boys out of windows wherever he went. However, Tyrion killed two people, an innocent whore among them, the very day after the accusations towards himself.

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I adore Tyrion because I think he has a compassionate nature and kind instincts, and he's smart. But if I'd murdered two close associates (started to say "in cold blood" but it doesn't even matter) I would no longer describe myself as a good person. Ultimately, character is more about deeds than thoughts, IMO.

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  • Tyrion trying to cripple a certain bard. Talk about disproportionate repercussions.
  • Tyrion intending to have the Vale reduced to ruins and ashes.
  • Tyrion not showing any compassion about Masha Heddle
  • ...

That's just from the very first book. Tyrion isn't Ramsay, but he is in no way good or compassionate.

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  • Tyrion trying to cripple a certain bard. Talk about disproportionate repercussions.
  • Tyrion intending to have the Vale reduced to ruins and ashes.
  • Tyrion not showing any compassion about Masha Heddle
  • ...

That's just from the very first book. Tyrion isn't Ramsay, but he is in no way good or compassionate.

I don't hold the stew-bard against Tyrion. He (bard) could have had Shae executed for no reason but his own greed.

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I am one of the Tyrion fans as well =) I enjoy reading his chapters a lot – he is witty, funny and interesting and I find his character arc to be one of the most fascinating in the whole series. Born a dwarf he never got anything but contempt from his father and sister but he still tried to do what was best for his family. He served as hand to his horrible nephew and did his best to keep the people of Kingslanding fed and alive, even though they ridiculed and hated him. He was the one who ensured their victory in the battle of the Blackwater but then his father took all the credit.

Tyrion’s relationship to women is obviously not a healthy one but I can’t really blame him for (most of) that. His condition and his father’s lie about Tysha made him believe that no woman would ever truly love him but due to the fact that he was born into a rich and powerful family, he could at least buy the pretense of affection in the form of whores. Obviously, he was aware of the apprehension those women felt towards him and knew that it was only his money they responded to and not himself as a human being. I believe it is not surprising, that he grew resentful of the people who despised him for WHAT he is and never bothered to find out WHO he is. The fact that his siblings are the exact opposite of him – tall, beautiful and respected – and thereby remind him of all the things he can never be or have, must have been additionally frustrating.

After Joffrey’s murder, when everyone turned against him and even Shae, the woman he (falsely) believed had at least grown fond of him over all the time she had spent in his company, betrayed him, he was in a very dark place. But then, on top of everything else, he learned that Jamie, the only family member who had ever treated him with respect, had lied to him about Tysha, and that Shae is now sleeping with his father, a man who has always treated Tyrion like a sex-crazed pervert for bedding whores, and he finally snapped. I have to admit that the following chapters of self-pity and drunken rage are not my most favorite but if I had lived through everything Tyrion has gone through, I am pretty sure no one would enjoy being in my head either :dunno:

So, to conclude my rambling: I think Tyrion is one of the most interesting characters, even though he is certainly not a truly “good” guy but very few of the people in this series are and in my opinion, this is what makes A Song of Ice and Fire such a fascinating story to read.

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1) Not raping Sansa, when doing so would make him Lord of Winterfell.

Not raping someone isn't a sign of goodness, but instead it just shows that he isn't a monster.

However, I have thought Tyrion was evil at any event instead he is just a grey character who can do both good and bad when it suits him.

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He's never been a good guy during the series. Right in his first chapter we see him clearly suspecting Jaime of crippling and possibly killing Bran yet he never even considers bringing Jaime to justice and doesn't feel the least bit guilty about it and doesn't think any less of Jaime. Bright Blue Eyes already listed other moments from GoT who show Tyrion to be a jerk with a violent streak.

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Not raping someone isn't a sign of goodness, but instead it just shows that he isn't a monster.

However, I have thought Tyrion was evil at any event instead he is just a grey character who can do both good and bad when it suits him.

No, but considering the pressure Tyrion was under, and what he would have gained had he raped Sansa, not raping her is more than just a decent act. Especially for Tyrion, whose life is so messed up. To take all of the negativity that Tyrion has been objected to, and still not become a monster is something I admire in him a lot.

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He's never been a good guy during the series. Right in his first chapter we see him clearly suspecting Jaime of crippling and possibly killing Bran yet he never even considers bringing Jaime to justice and doesn't feel the least bit guilty about it and doesn't think any less of Jaime. Bright Blue Eyes already listed other moments from GoT who show Tyrion to be a jerk with a violent streak.

He merely suspects him, and plus, he can't just accuse his father's favorite. Who would believe him? Who would take him seriously, compared to the Queen's own brother?

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