Largely considered to be Game of Thrones‘ resident badass antihero, Sandor Clegane, aka “The Hound,” has led a dark and conflicted life. This jaded warrior has seen it all – serving as King’s Guard to Joffrey, reluctantly joining the Brotherhood Without Banners, and clashing with White Walkers. He also spent much of season 4 escorting Arya to safety, making himself a prime target.
He’s been marred by fire as a youth, thanks to his older, more brutish brother, Sir Gregor. This has given him a fear of flames, which he has cowered from despite all the battles and carnage of Westeros he’s gone face to face with. But while he possesses a solemn cynicism, The Hound also has a subtle and often dark sense of humor. These qualities make for an endless supply of cheeky one-liners and memorable quotes.
So let’s take a look at 10 of The Hound’s all-time best quotes in Game of Thrones.
10 “I fought for you, didn’t I?”
During one of their many amusing bouts of banter, Arya calls out The Hound’s roguish ways by asking him, “when was the last time you fought for anyone but yourself?” It’s true Sandor maintains an independent stubbornness following his departure from King’s Landing.
Though, with his response, he reminds both Arya and the viewer of his selfless nature and desire to fight alongside those he cares about – even if that list of people is small. After all, he did spend the middle seasons of Thrones protecting Arya and attempted to do the same with her sister Sansa. This quote shows a glimpse of the battle-hardened Hound’s softer side.
9 “There’s No Divine Justice. If There Was, You’d Be Dead. And That Girl Would Be Alive.”
In a back-and-forth between Sandor and his “frenemies” of the Brotherhood Without Banners, Beric Dondarrion brings up The Lord of Light’s “divine justice,” an idea that The Hound scoffs at. The source of his cynicism and mourning is a result of the burned bodies of a farmer and his daughter; commoners with whom The Hound had crossed paths, and had not treated particularly well. It turns out the Hound was right when he predicted back in season 4 that “they’ll both be dead come winter”
We see some of the aftermath of Clegane’s actions in this scene, as Sandor clearly exhibits a feeling of sadness and guilt. As with our previous entry, this quote reveals a rare sympathetic side to the typically stern fighter. It also conveys his wit, his distaste for religious doctrine, and his gloomy outlook.
8 “You’re S***t At Dying, You Know That?”
What better way to reintroduce the fierce Hound than with this amusing line of dialogue?
During the show’s 6th season, a run-in with the Brotherhood Without Banners leads to a slaughtered band of villagers, led by Septon Ray, who has helped Sandor recover after nearly being killed. After tracking them down at a campsite, the Hound strolls in and makes quick work of the men with his axe. Before being cursed out by the last man standing and finishing him off in a pretty brutal fashion, he chimes in with this gem of a quote. It’s simple, yet humorous; an effective reminder of Clagane’s vengeful and often violent nature tinged with his whimsical, nonchalant attitude.
7 “I’m Honest. It’s The WORLD That’s Awful.”
There seems to be something about the Stark sisters that tend to coax some of Sandor’s greatest lines. Such is the case during this exchange with Sansa at King’s Landing.
After Sansa is given some blunt truths of the cutthroat society of Westeros, telling her that “there are no true knights, nor more than there are gods. Sharp steel and strong arms rule this world,” she responds by calling him awful. Sandor then tosses her this clever rebuttal, which acts as another major reveal to his negative perception of the world. It also establishes a sense of trustworthiness in a roundabout way, as it highlights his knack for “telling it like it is;” a useful quality to have in Thrones‘ society.
6 On The Lord Of Light…
“Thoros isn’t here anymore, so I hope you’re not about to give a sermon. Because if you are, the Lord of Light’s gonna wonder why he brought you back 19 times just to watch you die when I chuck you over this f***ing wall.”
This bit of dialogue, spoken by The Hound after confronting Beric and the Brotherhood proves both revealing and memorable. It illustrates The Hound’s distrust and distaste of religion, particularly that of The Lord Of Light. This isn’t too shocking given his fear of fire – a central theme of this Essos-based religion. Moreover, this zinger just reinforces Sandor’s charming wit and dark humor, providing some likable traits to the otherwise grizzled, misanthropic man that he can be.
5 “Hate’s As Good A Thing As Any To Keep A Person Going, Better Than Most.”
Amongst the countless pieces of frank advice given to Arya by The Hound while taking her under his wing, this characteristic line stands out. This feeling of hatred towards enemies that have wronged our heroes stands as a nihilistic sort of philosophy born of vengeance; one that very much defines Sandor’s motivation. It also serves to tie the seemingly different characters of The Hound and Arya together. After all, she is largely driven by this same motivation, especially following the death of her loved ones throughout the show’s run.
4 “The World Is Built By Killers… So You Better Get Used To Looking At Them.”
During the Battle of the Blackwater, Sansa is hesitant to be escorted to Winterfell by Sandor, who looks to flee King’s Landing once things start going south. After informing her that even the seemingly nicest figures in society – including some of the ones she loves most – are killers, The Hound tells her “the world is built by killers.”
This stands as a true statement that helps to sum up the sociopolitical happenings in the dark fantasy world of Thrones. Yet, it also goes a long way in illustrating The Hound’s sense of cynical wisdom brought about by his dark past.
3 “Remember Me? Yeah, You Do. You’re Even Uglier Than I Am Now.”
“…What did they do to you? Doesn’t matter. That’s not how it ends for you, brother. You know who’s coming for you. You’ve always known.”
Season 7 provides an enticing teaser of the much-hyped “Cleganebowl” that was set to showcase an epic sibling rivalry in the form of a dual between the two brute brothers, Sandor and Gregor Clegane. As both men have proven to be practiced warriors who had undergone similar transformations of “rebirth” (but in opposite directions), this promised an exciting fight.
This quote serves as a cool way to set the stage for this face-off, while reminding us of The Hounds largest character arch and motivation – his yearning to get revenge and kill his brother.
2 Cursing The King…
If there’s anything Sandor is known for outside his nihilism and bloodlust, it’s his rebellious spirit. This defining feature comes to fruition following the bloody, explosive Battle of Blackwater. After being ordered around by both Jeffery and Tyrion for much of the show’s first 2 seasons, The Hound has had enough. He disavows Jeffery, uttering some choice words right to his face, as he curses the Kingsguard, the city, and the King himself. This act of defiance might just be the most punk rock moment of Game of Thrones, and sets the stage for The Hound’s transformation as a renegade of the Seven Kingdoms.
1 Eating All The Chicken…
Here we have a scene and exchange of dialogue so amusing that it was quickly elevated to meme status. It was a tremendous way to kick off season 4, when just about everything had gone wrong for our heroes. Moreover, it helps to establish an enduring dynamic between Arya and The Hound.
In another line demonstrating The Hound’s defiant nature, he satisfyingly curses King Joffrey right after one of the Lannister men claim that there’s no one left to stand in the way of them or the king. Somehow, though, he manages to top this by imploring the man if he hears any more from him, “I’ll have to eat every f***ing chicken in this room.” This line is simple and goofy on the one hand, but somehow, acts as the perfect example of The Hound at his charming, chicken-eating best.
