Who are the five most important characters? (Edit: formerly 3)

[LordStoneheart]

mmm to answer your second question, i feel that Dany is the most important character in the series.

Not because she may be AA or TPTWP. But because she brought about the birthing of dragons, that will in the end be the key to destroying the WW and saving westeros.

Or destroying Westeros and saving the WW. Then go full Elsa since she already has silver hair. :D

[Equilibrium]

People are going to write Jon, Bran Daenerys, Arya and Tyrion I guarantee it.

But that is unfair, every character is important, just because Shitmouth won't give birth to dragons doesn't make him less important in-world and to reader as world-building. If someone is Mountain's prisoner having Shitmouth on the watch in place of Raf of Chiswyck, means more to them then some bitch with dragons half across the world or some stabbed prick of the NW.

[LordStoneheart]

People are going to write Jon, Bran Daenerys, Arya and Tyrion I guarantee it.

Silly people, thinking the original POVs from book one are important....

means more to them then some bitch with dragons half across the world or some stabbed prick of the NW.

When you say it like that sure, but it's oversimplified and possibly kind of bitter.

There are clearly main characters in this story.

[King Tyrion I]

Jon, Bran, Daenerys, Arya, Tyrion.

Tyrion more from an entertainment point of view than a world saving point of view.

Except for your last sentence I second your picks. Tyrion's task is - as I see it - more likely that of a political observer and mastermind.

[Equilibrium]

Silly people, thinking the original POVs from book one are important....

When you say it like that sure, but it's oversimplified and possibly kind of bitter.

There are clearly main characters in this story.

I was exaggerating for comical effect, it's not your fault of not understand it, non verbal communication is bitch that way.

Most important characters have to include Eddard and Littlefinger in my opinion, and some evil psychopathic guy like Ramsey or better yet Euron if he manages to actually do anything.

And character who "saves" the world becomes my least favorite effective immediately, I like to think Others are not major threat, that it's all mix of myth and stupidity and only struggles are personal on inner and outer, especially political plane.

[Liaraeyne]

Lyanna and Rhaegar, they caused Robert's Rebellion and thus everything that happened after

Tyrion, for killing the mightiest man in Westeros (Tywin). Also Littlefinger used him in his major schemes twice (first he lied to Catelyn and told her the dagger belonged to Tyrion, this led to her kidnapping him and hastening the start of the War of the Five Kings, second, he hired dwarves to play a skit at the purple wedding, this would lead to friction between Joffrey and Tyrion and that would lead to Tyrion seeming suspicious).

Daenerys and her dragons, she's going crazy in Essos and will probably go to Westeros. If she dies then perhaps her dragons will go to Jon or Aegon (if he's real)

Jon, he is our main character at the wall and the lord commander, it's pretty clear the Others will start a war or something, so he and the wall will be very important

[LordStoneheart]

I was exaggerating for comical effect, it's not your fault of not understand it, non verbal communication is bitch that way.

Most important characters have to include Eddard and Littlefinger in my opinion, and some evil psychopathic guy like Ramsey or better yet Euron if he manages to actually do anything.

And character who "saves" the world becomes my least favorite effective immediately, I like to think Others are not major threat, that it's all mix of myth and stupidity and only struggles are personal on inner and outer, especially political plane.

Jon and Dany get enough hate that your statement only came across as a bitter reaction than a joke.

But they're POV characters who are actively doing things in the world, whereas only Eddard's memory is important and LF is not a POV character. Ramsay and Euron are rather insignificant, especially since you agree that one hasn't even done much.

The message I get is the opposite. That is, the politics won't matter when humanity is faced with extinction. If one character does save the world, that basically does mean they're the "most important." But that ending is rather unlikely.

[Pecan]

In order:

Jon - because Jon is what it's all about. ASOIAF is ultimately Jon's story.

Dany - because she's the catalyst, the primary change agent who brought dragons into the world

Bran - because he's the heir apparent to BR and he's obviously in the process of becoming some sort of god-like figure that will watch and subtly manipulate events from under the weirwood. It's possible that he will become the counter to Dany but I tend to think that's a bit obvious.

I think almost everyone agrees with the top 3, though maybe not in the same order as I stated above. But, basically this leaves us with Jamie, Tyrion, Arya, Sansa, Samwell, Davos, Arianne, Brienne, and Theon as major POV characters.

Out of that group above, my pick as the two most important to round out the top 5 are Tyrion and Jaime. Tyrion because of his importance in the story so far and how he is positioned at the end of ADWD, and Jaime because he's been incredibly important so far and because of my sense that George has big plans for him.

Regarding Jaime, here are some of the ways he's been incredibly important to the story so far:

• Aerys used him as a pawn to stick it to Tywin Lannister
  
• Killing Aerys
  
• Father to Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella
  
• Throwing Bran out the window
  
• Saving Tyrion, which led to the death of Tywin
  
• Sending Brienne after Sansa
  
• Picking up the pieces in the Riverlands
  

As I said, it a bit of a judgement call on his importance going forward. All I can say is that based on his track record so far and my reading of his redemption arc, my sense is that George has something big planned for him.

[Pecan]

double post.

[FireAndBlood.]

I would up the count to 6 and just name the original POV characters: Jon, Dany, Tyrion, Bran, Arya, Sansa. I can't see one of Arya and Sansa being more important than the other and limiting our options to only 5 forces us to exclude one of them needlessly.

[Equilibrium]

Jon and Dany get enough hate that your statement only came across as a bitter reaction than a joke.

But they're POV characters who are actively doing things in the world, whereas only Eddard's memory is important and LF is not a POV character. Ramsay and Euron are rather insignificant, especially since you agree that one hasn't even done much.

The message I get is the opposite. That is, the politics won't matter when humanity is faced with extinction. If one character does save the world, that basically does mean they're the "most important." But that ending is rather unlikely.

I was telling story wise, so far. Eddard is very important political figure crucial in events that go all the way through the series, he is also example of what happens to honorable man in this world, and Ramsey is the opposite of that, he presents us with deviations in the world and how far power goes. Euron is great larger-than-life psychopathic charismatic villain, he has potential to be important, he matters to our understanding of the world, flaws and virtues of Old Way. Littlefinger is opposite to Eddard in another way, he is main instigator of the major events, he singlehandedly keeps political line of the story interesting and is the great example of pragmatic character deconstructing banal and flawed society he lives in while being widely thought of as villain because of the perspective of the story and general ambient.

[LordStoneheart]

I was telling story wise, so far. Eddard is very important political figure crucial in events that go all the way through the series, he is also example of what happens to honorable man in this world, and Ramsey is the opposite of that, he presents us with deviations in the world and how far power goes. Euron is great larger-than-life psychopathic charismatic villain, he has potential to be important, he matters to our understanding of the world, flaws and virtues of Old Way. Littlefinger is opposite to Eddard in another way, he is main instigator of the major events, he singlehandedly keeps political line of the story interesting and is the great example of pragmatic character deconstructing banal and flawed society he lives in while being widely thought of as villain because of the perspective of the story and general ambient.

Certainly valid interpretations. I'm thinking of from here on out though. And LF is in every way a villain. :)

[aje12]

Bran, although he features less prominently and has a smaller plot, just has an air of importance to him that surpasses all other characters in my opinion.

After Bran i'd put Jon before Dany, due to him being the mix of 'ice and fire' which the title refers to, and having more connection to main characters than Dany does. Dany comes after Jon.

I am quite certain that these three are the most important characters, though there are many other main characters to varying degrees. I'd then put Tyrion and Arya/Sansa (perhaps Arya belongs slightly before Sansa, but not significant difference here). Then a tier below I would put Catelyn, Jaime, Theon, Cersei, Ned, Brienne, Davos and Samwell in roughly that order. (I put Catelyn before Jaime only because his story is so influenced by her). These are the main POV characters, and then you have the minor POV characters with small numbers of chapters (though after the last two books this will certainly change).

[igrewupinKL]

Or destroying Westeros and saving the WW. Then go full Elsa since she already has silver hair. :D

I prefer your ending, mostly because i think westeros WILL be destroyed after the battle for dawn (or whatever the final battle is)

[Alayne's Shadow.]

There are six main characters: Dany, Jon, Tyrion, Sansa, Arya and Bran.

[VisenyaTarg]

The big 4 important characters for the future of Asoiaf: Jon, Dany, Bran and Tyrion

Important characters for driving/starting events: Littlefinger, Ned, Catelyn, Rhaegar & Varys

Coming in very close is Cercei and Jaime. Together, you can almost say that they kicked off GoT by having incest children with no claim to the throne and pushing Bran out the window.

[PirateVergo]

In order.

Tyrion.

Jon.

Dany.

Bran.

Arya.

[KINGpanther]

Concerning the fight against the Other's - Jon, Bran

Concerning the Game of Thrones - Littlefinger, Varys, Tyrion

Inbetween - Dany

[WarLord]

Bran

Arya

Jon

Tyrion

Dany

[Equilibrium]

Certainly valid interpretations. I'm thinking of from here on out though. And LF is in every way a villain. :)

You got me started thinking, I got to responding and after like hour I thought this post is to long and to offtopic for this place so I started new topic hoping for the discussion, and OP there is the response to your last sentence.

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/117528-littlefinger-why-he-is-not-evil/

See you there