Game of Thrones has featured many brave and fierce females over the past eight seasons. In one of the most truly daunting tasks, I have selected the top six badass women in order of who I would be most likely to bend the knee for. This article contains major *SPOILERS* for all seasons, including season eight.
- Arya Stark
-
Arya Stark has been not only the most badass woman, but the most badass character period for quite a while. She solidified her number one spot, though, when she became the deadliest killer of Game of Thrones. In a surprising twist, it was Arya who slayed the Night King and, therefore, killed the entirety of the remaining wights. In hindsight, the hand switch-knife kill was not as shocking as it first seemed. Since the moment Arya was gifted Needle by Jon Snow, she has been (unknowingly) training for that very moment. Her initial lessons with Syrio Forel started her down the path and her time in Braavos under the faceless man improved her combat skills (not to mention she also mastered the ability to use faces). Everything in her life brought her to her destiny of killing the Night King.
It is nearly impossible to choose a most iconic quote from the number one badass of Game of Thrones, but I believe the winner has to be: “The last thing you’re ever going to see is a Stark smiling down at you as you die.”
- Sansa Stark
-
The character who has had the most challenging storyline is Sansa Stark. She has been manipulated and tortured since season one, from Joffrey Baratheon to Littlefinger to (the worst of them) Ramsay Bolton. After years of not fighting back against any of those men, Sansa finally took her life into her own hands by escaping from Ramsay’s control. She convinced Jon Snow to help her take back Winterfell and singlehandedly turned the tides of the Battle of the Bastards by bringing the Knights of the Vale. After the victory, Sansa was determined to confront the man who abused her and she set his own starving hounds on him. All of the men who tormented and degraded Sansa ended up dead, and she has stayed determined and resilient. She is badass in the way that she has been able to overcome all of the terrible things that have happened to her. Sansa’s strength is unmatched.
Sansa had a number of iconic lines, but only one could be her most badass: “You’re going to die tomorrow, Lord Bolton. Sleep well.”
- Brienne of Tarth
-
Brienne of Tarth has not had as much screen time as the other members of the top five, but every second has been completely badass. The most iconic moment of her character came right before the Battle for Winterfell in episode two of season eight. Her lifelong dream was finally recognized as she was knighted Ser Brienne of Tarth. She became the first female knight in the Seven Kingdoms. Not only is she a badass, but she is a total feminist icon as well.
Ser Brienne of Tarth’s most iconic line: “All my life men like you have sneered at me. And all my life I’ve been knocking men like you into the dust.”
- Daenerys Targaryen
-
For almost the entirety of her storyline, Daenerys Targaryen has been fighting for the Iron Throne. Her character’s journey has been full of people who have underestimated her, something that Dany has used to her strength, and her time in Slaver’s Bay was the prime example. Kraznys mo Nakloz saw Dany as an inexperienced leader who he could take advantage of. He degraded her in Valyrian, believing she couldn’t understand a word of what he said. After she handed over Drogon to finalize the trade for the Unsullied, she revealed she could speak Valyrian and commanded the army to kill all of the slave masters. She then spoke the infamous word, “Dracarys,” and Kraznys mo Nakloz was burned alive by dragon fire. Dany does not let anyone stand in her way, and she has proved over and over again that she is not to be underestimated. That is why she is a total badass.
Her most memorable line has got to be: “Dracarys.”
- Cersei Lannister
-
As much as I despise Cersei Lannister, there is no doubt in my mind that she places in the top six. Her ruthless and cunning nature seems to foster a different level of badass, one that is deadly. Season six was a pinnacle time for Cersei, as she became the most deadliest killer on Game of Thrones at the time. The use of wildfire to set off an explosion at the Sept of Baelor killed 198 people simultaneously, and her sipping on a glass of wine while staring at the remains was completely badass.
Her most iconic line was also possibly the most well known of the entire show: “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.”
- Lyanna Mormont
-
Since her first moment on the screen, Lyanna Mormont has always been a badass. Her most iconic moment, though, came during the Battle for Winterfell. Lyanna was the smallest fighter, yet she faced the army of the dead with as much bravery as the rest of them. She even took on the largest member of the Night King’s army. In a tragic death, the giant crushed Lady Lyanna in one hand, but in one last act of defiance she thrust her dragonglass into the wight’s eye. Lyanna was determined to take the giant down with her.
One of Lyanna’s most memorable lines: “I don’t plan on knitting by the fire while men fight for me. I might be small, Lord Glover, and I might be a girl. But I am every bit as much a Northerner as you. And I don’t need your permission to defend the North.” BADASS.
Game of Thrones has truly given us many brave and fierce women over the past eight seasons. Although they might not always use their influence for good, these women are powerful, determined and strong. There is something to admire about each of these characters, and that is their common trait of being total badasses.