The Heart Has Reasons, of Which Reason Knows Nothing

[JKeats]

I have reasons for liking some of my favorites, reasons which I could explain rationally. But I take it this thread is for offering characters we like in defiance of reason.

In that case, Littlefinger. He is a villain through and through, responsible for goodness knows how much suffering. But I love him anyway.

[Natalie_S]

You know that when a friend of mine married an absolute jerk, I gave her a wedding card with the very same quote of the title of the thread.

I'm such a little shit.

Anywa, for me it's Tyrion. I can't help.

What can I say, for the other characters I try to understand them rationally, but Tyrion really gets me on an emotional level.

it's all about feelings, really.

[Dr. Pepper]

I like quite a few grey characters: Stannis, Theon, Arya.

I have an irrational like towards Dany. I don't like anything she does. I think it's more to do with finding a special pleasure with picking apart her chapters and also a wee bit of sisterhood power. But basically if I knew I woman like that in real life I'd probably cough on her with my flu-ridden germs and then toss some boiling hot water on her just to see her gasp and say "ow". Metaphorically speaking, of course, because I'm not that cruel.

Other characters I find fascinating are Gregor and Ramsay. I don't 'like' them, I just am interested in the mind of a psychopath and I have this odd curiosity about how far is too far for an author when describing things that nearly make me puke.

[carmela28]

Jaime: for all of the reasons stated upthread.

Sansa: love seing her gradual, sometimes painful transformation into a true "player"

Davos: because of the man that he is

Previously Arya but I am tiring of her magical mystery tour thru Westeros and Braavos.

[Kittykatknits]

You know that when a friend of mine married an absolute jerk, I gave her a wedding card with the very same quote of the title of the thread.

I'm such a little shit.

That is awesome!!!

Other characters I find fascinating are Gregor and Ramsay. I don't 'like' them, I just am interested in the mind of a psychopath and I have this odd curiosity about how far is too far for an author when describing things that nearly make me puke.

I share this same curiousity. I thought he had reached his limit a couple times but I keep being proved wrong.

[King of the Road]

Jaime, Tyrion. They can do no wrong.

[Winter's Knight]

I share this same curiousity. I thought he had reached his limit a couple times but I keep being proved wrong.

I find Ramsay strangely hypnotic. He terrifies and fascinates me simultaneously.

[gougef]

Varys (unless his backstory turns out to be false root and stem).

[Jon's Queen Consort]

Jon (he has done mistakes), Davos (he is not a saint), Jaime, Arya, Eyron, Cersei, Tywin, Jaquen and *bowed my head in shame* Ramsay

I forgot: Petyr Littlefinger and Varys

[Mladen]

Sansa, Theon, Jaime...my favourites...

[NotSoSilentSister]

Melisandre-Do I agree with her entire POV and actions. No. However, I'm with her if the Others are the Big Bad (although not necessarily evil) threat. She's looking at the big picture and manages a certain amount of compassion (telling Cressen he can still spill the cup) and keeping Devan back because Davos has suffered enough.

This. That's when I really started to love Mel. Davos has made no secret of his opposition to Mel and she knows that has (successfully) tried to twhart her a couple of times and will doubtlessly continue to do so. But she does not hold a grudge, she's still able to appreciate him as a worthy opponent. I think that's very big of her.

Mel might be a deluded religious fanatic too keen on human sacrifice, burning people alive, but I also think she's a true believer acting out of altruistic motives (trying to save mankind from the Great Other) and due for some heroic self-sacrifice, which will make me quite sad, frankly.

But I'm way too fond of most of them... Sansa, Catelyn, Arya, Daenerys, Jon, Tyrion, Jaime, Mel. Stannis, Theon, Cersei.... I think they all still have some potential for personal growth (UnCat maybe less so, now that she's zombiefied, but I still hope for a flicker of humanity returning, when she learns her daughters are still alive) and I'm anxious to see it. I think that the series has quite a few character-defining moments in store for them.

Then there's my irrational love for the Martells (Dorian, Arianne and the Sand Snakes) - Martin seems to struggle a bit to get readers properly invested in them, but I see great potential, even if right now, I probably like the idea of them more than what we've actually seen so far.

The same applies to Asha.

I guess it's quicker to list the ones I'm not invested in redeeming:

Ramsay, Roose, Victarion, Euron, Gregor/UnGregor, Quyburn

For those I only wish death and humiliation.

All others should get at least some heroic moment, before they go out.

[VaramyrSixchins]

Dareon, the NW singer. I know his actions in Braavos were shitty, but to be sent to a gods-foresaken place like the Wall for a rape you didn't commit...How committed can/should you be to vows that you wouldn't have taken but for a false accusation of rape? Using his voice to entice others to join the same soul-crushing order that he was forced to join had to have been a bitter pill to swallow. I'm not condoning his actions, mind you, but I'm not condemning them, either.

[juhjoana]

Sandor, Jaime and Sansa

[StannisBamfatheon]

Hah....why Stannis Baratheon ofcourse! After "one reached Dragonstone, and a king who still cared" there was no turning back for me. Stannis is my king, I follow where he leads.

Robb Stark- I have quite the mancrush on the Young Wolf, sadly he is not alive to make any mistakes : (

Jaime Lannister- ever since "I dreamed of you" I've probably agreed with every decision he's made, he may jest that hes "goldhand the good" but the fact of the matter is he's become pretty heroic and his moral compass has undergone a dramatic shift.

Bran- What can I say I just love the little tyke, even if he is chowing down on some Jojen I'll still be pulling for him.

And Wk, one of these days we need to have a throwdown about why you like Cersei Lannister, she has zeeeeerooooooo redeeming qualities. Well actually she loves her children, and she has good cheekbones.

[Kittykatknits]

And Wk, one of these days we need to have a throwdown about why you like Cersei Lannister, she has zeeeeerooooooo redeeming qualities. Well actually she loves her children, and she has good cheekbones.

Butting in cause, well, I want to. :)

I don't like Cersei either, but I feel sorry for her in many ways. There is quite a bit of tragedy to her that gets lost amongst her more obvious evil ways I think. I also have some complaints with the way Martin chose to portray her and get annoyed at some of the criticisms I see about her, both of which compel me to defend her at times. But, she's committed lots of crimes that she should be punished for. But that punishment should be death or some sort of life in prison type thing. Not the WoS. Also, have you seen the Defend Cersei thread at all? It's got some really interesting points in it.

[Winter's Knight]

And Wk, one of these days we need to have a throwdown about why you like Cersei Lannister, she has zeeeeerooooooo redeeming qualities. Well actually she loves her children, and she has good cheekbones.

I know women like her, who've been beaten down and used and abused until their main principles are centred only on keeping themselves safe and making their own happiness. But for an accident of birth, I could've been one of those women.

I can understand and sympathise with her bitterness,her anger and her desire for security, to be important, to bepowerful and feared. Because if hold power and if people fear you, they cannot hurt you. And Cersei is tired of being hurt.

I also admire the fact that she isn't broken, that she hasn't given and slunk into an empty existence.

[Lady Lea]

I know women like her, who've been beaten down and used and abused until their main principles are centred only on keeping themselves safe and making their own happiness. But for an accident of birth, I could've been one of those women.

I can understand and sympathise with her bitterness,her anger and her desire for security, to be important, to bepowerful and feared. Because if hold power and if people fear you, they cannot hurt you. And Cersei is tired of being hurt.

I also admire the fact that she isn't broken, that she hasn't given and slunk into an empty existence.

MTE. I may not agree with some things she does or her political decisions but I admire her strength SO MUCH. And I can definitely understand her feelings of powerlessness and desire for more agency. Maybe it's just my personality but if I was in her shoes I'd be just as bitter and cynical, and just as cruel too (although I'd like to think that I'd make better choices in politics).

[Kittykatknits]

I know women like her, who've been beaten down and used and abused until their main principles are centred only on keeping themselves safe and making their own happiness. But for an accident of birth, I could've been one of those women.

I can understand and sympathise with her bitterness,her anger and her desire for security, to be important, to bepowerful and feared. Because if hold power and if people fear you, they cannot hurt you. And Cersei is tired of being hurt.

I also admire the fact that she isn't broken, that she hasn't given and slunk into an empty existence.

MTE. I may not agree with some things she does or her political decisions but I admire her strength SO MUCH. And I can definitely understand her feelings of powerlessness and desire for more agency. Maybe it's just my personality but if I was in her shoes I'd be just as bitter and cynical, and just as cruel too (although I'd like to think that I'd make better choices in politics).

And you just hit one of the overriding themes of women in ASOIAF. :) Not a surprise at all, coming from both of you and previous conversations.

[Ser_Patreck]

I know women like her, who've been beaten down and used and abused until their main principles are centred only on keeping themselves safe and making their own happiness. But for an accident of birth, I could've been one of those women.

I can understand and sympathise with her bitterness,her anger and her desire for security, to be important, to bepowerful and feared. Because if hold power and if people fear you, they cannot hurt you. And Cersei is tired of being hurt.

I also admire the fact that she isn't broken, that she hasn't given and slunk into an empty existence.

This isn't really the thread to say this, so I'll make it quick:

I can't really get behind this idea that Cersei is what she is just because of Robert's treatment of her (If that's what you're meaning with abuse and beating, because I can't really think of anything else). By the flashbacks we get of her, she was already showing signs of arrogance and willful abuse by the time she was a little girl.

We're talking about someone that orders babies butchered and sends innocent women to torture here. "Abuse" goes only a certain length in justifying Cersei's behavior.

[Winter's Knight]

MTE. I may not agree with some things she does or her political decisions but I admire her strength SO MUCH. And I can definitely understand her feelings of powerlessness and desire for more agency. Maybe it's just my personality but if I was in her shoes I'd be just as bitter and cynical, and just as cruel too (although I'd like to think that I'd make better choices in politics).

This frightens me as well-I cannot honestly say that, if I had been in her shoes, I would not have done the same things.

Although, I'd probably have cracked long before-remember Theon and Asha's mother, after she lost her sons?