Summary
- In the world of Game of Thrones, skill with a sword and battle prowess can elevate a person's status and power significantly.
- Being born into an important family in Game of Thrones has its advantages and disadvantages in terms of personal power and influence.
- Characters like Daemon Targaryen, Jon Snow, Oberyn Martell, Jaime Lannister, and Arthur Dayne are among the best warriors in Westeros.
In the world of Game of Thrones, might makes right is the rule to a certain extent. A person's skills with a sword and willingness to use them can raise them to greater heights of glory and familial power, or at the very least, prevent them from losing any personal power.
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From knights to barbarians to cutthroats, there are countless deadly individuals from countless families of Westeros and corners of the Known World. In both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, we have seen how good a person can get with a blade. Here are five warriors who, either through various battles or an impressive feat shown on screen, could be placed among the best.
5 Daemon Targaryen
The Rogue Prince
- First Appearance: House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 1 "The Heirs of the Dragon"
- Signature Weapon: Dark Sister
Six men or sixty, he is still Daemon Targaryen. That line alone showcases how formidable of a warrior Daemon Targaryen, aka “The Rogue Prince” is. While quite a few warriors and fighters could be considered superior to Daemon from a purely skill-based perspective, many both in and out of Westeros would bet on Daemon in battle due to the sheer force of will he brings to the battlefield.
Having already been a skilled warrior by nature of his status and house, Daemon can keep up with the best in the kingdom simply by being a force of nature. Filled to the brim with Targaryen supremacy and an unparalleled passion for battle, Daemon is capable of impressive battle feats that those on his skill level could only dream of.
A great example of this is in the third episode of House of the Dragon, where he enacts a plan that allows him to almost single-handedly smash The Triarchy. Using himself as bait, Daemon’s army conducts a fake surrender in which Daemon then has to cut down dozens of the Crabfeeder's men on his own, crippling their forces to buy enough time for his forces to re-enter the fold and win the war. The episode ends with viewers seeing the aftermath of Daemon’s one-on-one battle with the completely severed Crabfeeder, signifying a flawless victory.
4 Jon Snow
The White Wolf
- First Appearance: Game of Thrones Season 1, Episode 1 "Winter Is Coming"
- Signature Weapon: Longclaw
The King in the North and the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Jon Snow is one of the rare characters whose skill with a sword differs in the show from how their character is portrayed in the books. In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Jon Snow is a decent swordsman, of course, but his skills as a fighter are not nearly as heavily pronounced as they are in the show, with his expert swordsmanship being one of the secret Targaryen’s defining traits throughout the series.
Being raised as a ‘bastard’ in a royal family, Jon Snow was a quality swordsman before joining the Night’s Watch. During his time on the Wall, he proved to be one of the best warriors there, something that initially earned him scorn and envy from his fellow watchmen. That eventually turned into respect for and a desire to be led by him. Jon Snow performed countless impressive sword-fighting feats throughout the series, from besting Wildings and Northmen twice his size in battle to defeating a white walker in single combat.
Lord Ramsay Bolton once joked that, by the way others spoke of Jon Snow, one would think he was the greatest swordsman to have ever lived. From the many battles Jon Snow fought in as a soldier and as a commander, it's not hard to see why.
3 Oberyn Martell
The Viper
- First Appearance: Game of Thrones Season 4, Episode 1 "Two Swords"
- Signature Weapon: His spears and poisons
Known as the infamous Red Viper of Dorne, Oberyn, despite only appearing in one Game of Thrones season, was one of the characters who captured the hearts and minds of viewers the most. Cocky, seductive, and fierce, Oberyn was sure to leave an impression on audiences no matter what he did, though what he did was certainly worthy of applause. In Season 4, Oberyn offers to fight on Tyrion’s behalf in his trial by combat against Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane, the biggest, strongest and most brutal man in the Seven Kingdoms. Oberyn surprised onlookers and viewers alike by proving to be an even match for the brutish Mountain. His agility, finesse, and pure skill were enough to gain the upper hand against a hulking man who usually crushes his opponents with ease.
Prince Oberyn of House Martell's skill with the spear would have secured him a relatively easy victory had it not been for his insistence in drawing out a confession from Gregor, time that allowed the beast to turn the tide and kill the Dornishman. Still, in the short time he spent on screen, Oberyn was able to do what few other men in all kingdoms could do - beat The Mountain in single combat for a considerable amount of time. His fast feet and poisoned blades make him one of the worst warriors to face in Westeros.
2 Jaime Lannister
The Kingslayer
- First Appearance: Game of Thrones Season 1, Episode 1 "Winter Is Coming"
- Signature Weapon: His sword and a golden hand
He may have been labeled as an Oathbreaker and a man without honor by royalty and smallfolk alike, but there was one thing that no one in Westeros could deny: Jaime Lannister was one of the greatest swordsmen who ever lived. Jaime was recognized as a sword-wielding prodigy from a very young age. By the time he was sixteen, Jaime had already been knighted. Not long after, he would be appointed to the Kingsguard, personally appointed by the ruler at the time, Aerys II Targaryen, and cementing his place in history for being the youngest man to ever be appointed to the Kingsguard at the time.
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Unfortunately, we do not get to see much of Jaime’s unmatched skill as a swordsman before he loses his hand in Season 3, but we do see small glimpses. Even when lacking the full motion of his arms due to being captured and escorted, and being in a dazed and injured state, he was able to keep up in a sword fight against Brienne of Tarth, one of the best knights in the realm.
Even after losing his hand, Jaime proves to be a decent swordsman, something that many other warriors could not dream of achieving had they been injured similarly.
1 Arthur Dayne
The Sword Of The Morning
- First Appearance: Game of Thrones Season 6, Episode 3 "Oathbreaker"
- Signature Weapon: Dawn
Not much is known about Ser Arthur Dayne of House Dorne, aka the Sword of the Morning, but what is known is that he was a noble knight, a loyal friend of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, and is thought of as the clear choice for the greatest swordsmen Westeros and the Known World has ever seen. Arthur Dayne was a Westerosi legend who was greatly revered by all, to the point where Jaime Lannister, one of the best swordsmen around, looked up to him since he was young, and Barristan Selmy, another excellent warrior even into his old age, was not sure whether he could have ever beaten him.
One of the reasons why Ned Stark is so highly respected within the Seven Kingdoms is the fact that he was the warrior who was able to kill the great Arthur Dayne. It was found out in a flashback that this was not a fair one on one fight, with Ned’s ‘victory’ only coming about due to the aid of another, whilst Dayne was caught off guard.
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This flashback is the only time that audiences were able to witness Dayne's otherworldly skills with the blade, where Dayne is able to fight four swordsmen at once without even breaking a sweat. It’s safe to say that he was the G.O.A.T. Westerosi swordsman.
House of the Dragon
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- August 21, 2022
- Network
- HBO
- Cast
- Matt Smith, Fabien Frankel, Emma D'Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Needham, Kurt Egyiawan, Sonoya Mizuno, Solly McLeod, Patrick Sass, Paddy Considine, Graham McTavish, Sian Brooke, David Horovitch, Bill Paterson, Gavin Spokes, Michael Carter, Steffan Rhodri, Elliott Tittensor, Luke Tittensor, Garry Cooper, Julian Lewis Jones, David Hounslow, Frankie Wilson, Mikhail Sen, Rhys Parry Jones, Gary Raymond, Andrew Bicknell
