Most cowardly character(s) of the series?

[Ah Man]

So who do i think is a coward - Alliser Thorne. anyone who gets his jollies by tormenting people who absolutely can't fight back is a coward in my eyes.

While that's certainly a distasteful trait, I think the real test of cowardice is how you act around those that can fight back. How does Thorne react when he's in danger?

He continues to provoke Jon even once he's Lord Commander, and even nearly draws his sword to defend Slynt, though he thinks better of it. Even that reaction indicates to me that Thorne is no coward, just a dick.

Gregor's more than willing to get a kick off torturing men in chains, but in my eyes the man is nearly the opposite of a coward.

I think Chett was one of the series' more cowardly characters. An [intended] Night's Watch deserter, and doesn't even have the guts to confront Sam. Didn't he plan on knifing him in his sleep?

It's actually tough to think of genuinely cowardly characters. Cowards tend to be boring, as they're unwilling to act. A true coward would try to avoid doing anything that might make enemies, which means a true coward wouldn't do much, or be very memorable.

[Tall Tyrion Lannister!]

Sam is no Coward, taking Gilly through the Woods for a while, getting attacked by Wights and also killing a Other. Hell being on the wall period takes some balls imo. Being afraid does not make you unbrave, Lots of brave people are probably scared when they do their brave things, doesn't make them cowards.

Sam only thinks he's a coward becuase he's had it beaten into him that he is.

[Alexia]

Sam's ability to kill an Other really hurt their street cred. Just sayin'.

[Jude-the-Obscure]

Sam's ability to kill an Other really hurt their street cred. Just sayin'.

Not to me it didn't. It would have hurt their street cred if that gungho dickhead in the prologue had killed one. Sam killed the Other because he decided to fight back, even where terrified to the point of near freezing. He is going to be responsible for many more Others being killed because Sam has a brain, and figured out HOW he killed the Other.

[Jenny of Oldstones]

Pycelle comes to mind, shaking in his bed as his whiskers get hacked off. He never struck me as self-interested, just a catspaw of the Lannisters. He hems and haws a lot without really making any stands or professing any thoughts that haven't been stated before (like when he grabs on to Sansa's milk of the poppy theory knowing Cersei intended to pardon Ned).

If not Pycelle then Joff, who bullies helpless people and animals but keeps himself well shielded behind castle walls. Interesting how he's his own man when dealing with prisoners, but suddenly has to do mommy's bidding when Stannis comes up the Blackwater.

[Queen Cersei I]

Sam. I mean, what's more cowardly than admitting your cowardly??

Actually, I don't think Sam's cowardly at all.

What bugs me about his character is that he's always insisting how craven he is, when we (the audience) are clearly supposed to object "no, you're really, really brave!" He's like the skinny girl, who keeps insisting she's fat to get reassurance/ attention. After a while it just gets annoying. (And yeah-- I do realize that Sam's constant self deprecation does come from a true place, and is not just him trying to get attention or sympathy. It's still hella annoying though, after a while. After two "But I'm a ca ca ca ca ca cowarard!"'s, I'm pretty much done. And Sam seems to have at least 12 "I'm a big fat craven" lines per chapter.)

Anyhew....

I think Robert Baratheon is a pretty big fucking coward. But should I really be mentioning him, I suppose some other posters will ask. Robert was very brave in battle, after all; some characters are both emotionally cowardly and incredibly physically cowardly as well. Robert never lacked physical courage, at least. However, i think that it is this issue that makes his emotional, moral, and psychological cowardice all the more amazing. He builds his life on a lie, can't be a big boy and admit it that his betrothed may have loved someone else-- and in opposition to the claims of some, Robert Baratheon DID show some signs that he did indeed suspect something was up with Lyanna and Rhaegar. It seemed to me he got rid of all those who could have told him the full story (and the truth) about Rhaegar and Lyanna pretty darn quickly. Even GRRM said that he would not have let Martell of the Kingsguard live, since he was "too close to Rhaegar" or something like that. And her pretty clearly made sure Rhaegar was dead before he could talk.

His cowardice continued from that point onwards-- never facing any difficult truths; never attempting to grow emotionally, even when the situation demanded it; never willing to sacrifice himself-- or a single one of his countless pleasures-- for the greater good. As Cersei says, "Robert Baratheon was a coward at bottom." Never have truer words been spoken.

I think there are a lot of hard truths, about himself and his own nature/ motivations, that Stannis Baratheon will not face, as well. He is not nearly so much of a coward as some others in this series, but he still lacks emotional courage in the way that Robert did.

Joff was a coward. Boros Blount is (apparently) a coward. Tywin Lanister is, I suspect, an emotional and ethical coward.

And here's the kicker (on which many will surely disagree with me, but...)

IMO, Tyrion Lanister has yet to show any great emotional courage or emotional maturity. I like him very much; I pity him for the many hardships he's been through. But I think that he has a long, long way to go for emotional maturity.

[Queen Cersei I]

Aerys was not a coward, he was mad. When your crazy, all hell breaks loose. By the way, what you refered to is being paranoid. Not nessecarily coward. Parnoid comes from being mentally ill.

Yes, I agree. Aerys was clearly mentally ill; I don't think he could be call a coward, anymore than a paranoid schitzophrenic can be called a coward for having numerous irrational fears.

Parnoid comes from being mentally ill. Cowardness comes from lack of self-confidence <img alt=" :)"

I disagree with this second part. (Perhaps this is because, unlike so many others, I do not find Samwell at all cowardly. Annoying, but not cowardly.) I think that true cowardice comes from selfishness and pettiness. Thus far, those in this series who have exhibited physcial cowardice have done so because they value their own lives/ safety/ general comfort more than another person or a worthy cause. Similarly, those who have demonstrated moral, ethical, or emotional courage have opted to do/ believe what is easy rather than what is true or right. Self confidence has little to do with it, in the final assessment. As Ned says to Bran in AGoT, a man can be afraid and still be brave. In fact, a man sort of has to first be afraid in order to be brave.

[The White Raven]

Chett... Planning to kill Mormont 'The Old Bear' before deserting the Night's Watch.

[Damar]

Joffrey - Who freaks out and screams for his mommy when cutting himself on the Iron Throne.

Ramsay Bolton

[eyeheartsansa]

Janos Slynt is pretty far up there, I think.

[the Scorpion Knight]

Joffrey - Who freaks out and screams for his mommy when cutting himself on the Iron Throne.

Ramsay Bolton

100% agree

i also think LF is also quite a coward at heart

[DornishHighlander]

If cowardice = absence of bravery then Sam is most definitely NOT a coward for the sole fact to a true act of bravery is also a selfless act. When Sam killed the Other it wasn't just because he was afraid, Gilly and her child were there. Sam disregarded his own safety for that of another.

On topic and following my train of thought Cersie and Joffrey are the most cowardly everything they do is to save themselves. Really surprised no one has mentioned Joff

[Alexia]

Cersei isn't a coward. She may be crazy, but she is quite the fearless woman.

[dayman]

Lady Lysa Arryn

couldn't be more clear to me

[LordBloodraven]

Janos Slynt, showed his true nature when his head was on the block.

Ramsay Bolton, not sure about that one though (hunting frightened little girls but behaving as a most obedient servant in Winterfell and letting Reek die posing as him).

Littlefinger, always scheming and backstabbing people. Acknowledge his true nature but still a coward (a smart one though).

All members of Joffrey's kingsguard except the Hound, Balon Swann and Arys Oakheart.

[dayman]

I don't see how Littlefinger is a coward.

[dayman]

in fact little finger is arguable the bravest in the entire world

also..just realized there are no cowards only cravens.

[mediocre cheese]

Don't see ramsay bolton as cowardly.

Evil =/ cowardly. I don't think hes brave, but it isn't like he's done anything paticularly cowardly the way boros did.

[LordBloodraven]

I don't see how Littlefinger is a coward.

Well, so far, he never faced his opponents. He's smarter than most players of the game of thrones but he's been stabbing on the back his allies. Maybe it's due to his station in Westeros, but did Littlefinger did any brave thing? "Saving" Sansa?

[Lady of Long Lake]

Sam =/= coward

He's afraid of almost everything, but he does not back down when push comes to shove. As Ned so famously said, the only time a man can be brave is when he's afraid.

I mean, c'mon. Sam killed a freaking Other!

Agree:)

Theon for killing the 2 Miller boys

Roose for not killing Ramsay. He knows what a monster he is.

Joffrey for plotting to kill bedridden Bran

Freys for the Red Wedding. Robb's broken promise deserved retribution but not that cowardly way

Cercei for wanting Lady to be killed instead of Arya's Nymeria. And for trying to kill all of Robert's offspring