4. Bronn
Most of the great warriors in the Seven Kingdoms are highborn. That makes sense as the noble Houses have money and therefore have access to training, equipment, and proper high-protein dies. But being highborn isn’t the only route to being a great warrior in Game of Thrones. Just ask Ser (eventually Lord) Bronn.
Bronn, son of no one in particular, is one of the best fighters in Westeros because his whole life has been one long fight for survival. He came from nowhere of importance and soon found that the best way to make money was with a sword. While the lords and knights of the country view battle as an exercise in glory, Bronn sees it as for what it is: dangerous, bloody, but necessary work. This mindset and a lifetime of training in Westeros’ back roads and alleys has created one hell of a warrior. Just ask Ser Vardis Egan…that is if his lifeless body can still hear you from the bottom of the Giant’s Lance.
3. Jaime Lannister
At his height, Jaime Lannister was quite simply the LeBron James of Westeros warriors (with Ser Arthur Dayne being the Michael Jordan, of course). Tywin’s eldest son was a tournament and war prodigy, reaching the knighthood at age 16 (he was even younger in the books). He came to prominence at an absurdly young age and then established a commitment to combat excellence well into his adult years.
While The Mad King’s decision to appoint Jaime to his Kingsguard was designed to spite Lord Tywin and leave him without a suitable heir, it must be said that Jaime was still a fine choice for the job. Jaime continued to distinguish himself in the early days of The War of the Five Kings before Robb Stark successfully captured him. Of course, shortly thereafter, Jaime lost his right hand to Locke. Though Jaime will still prove to be capable enough in later seasons without his sword hand, he’s obviously never the same fighter. And that’s a shame for this list as it would be interesting to see how a chastened, more mature Jaime would fare as a warrior.
2. Gregor Clegane a.k.a. The Mountain
The “gentle giant” is a popular trope both in the world of fantasy and reality. Game of Thrones even has a couple of its own gentle giants with characters like Hodor and even Wun Wun. It makes some intuitive sense to portray very large individuals as gentle because most people, big, small, and in-between, are fundamentally good. If you were enormous, wouldn’t you be extra mindful of how your size affects those around you?
Well, Ser Gregor Clegane a.k.a. “The Mountain That Rides” is the exact opposite of a gentle giant. Ser Gregor Clegane doesn’t have a heart of gold, he has a heart of roiling, volcanic hate. He’s also big…so, so freaking big. The Mountain is somewhere around eight feet and 400 pounds of pure muscle in the books and 6’9’’, 350 pounds in Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson’s depiction in the show. Every inch of him was seemingly built in a lab to be a fearsome warrior, so that’s the vocation he chooses.
