Meet the “laughing storm”: How Lyonel Baratheon fixes the reputation of Storm’s End

When you think of the Baratheon house in Game of Thrones, what comes to mind? Probably Robert’s drinking problem, Stannis’s grim obsession with his shadow babies, or Joffrey’s outright cruelty. Yeah, Storm’s End hasn’t exactly been a beacon of heroism lately. But A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is here to change that narrative, and honestly? It’s refreshing as hell.

Quick read:

• Lyonel Baratheon is positioned as one of the standout characters of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

• His friendship with Dunk represents genuine male bonding absent from Game of Thrones history.

• Curiosity and genuine interest in others emerges as an overlooked knightly virtue in Lyonel’s character.

When a Baratheon is actually… good at being a knight?

Enter Lyonel Baratheon—the “Laughing Storm”—a Baratheon who actually knows how to be likeable. And according to the show’s producers, this guy is genuinely one of the standout characters of the series.

Jason Concepcion, the Official Game of Thrones podcast host, couldn’t contain his enthusiasm: “We get to meet, at this point, one of the stars for me of the show. … Lord Lyonel Baratheon… Lord Lyonel is a different sort of Baratheon, I would say.” And trust me, that’s saying something in a universe that’s spent an entire series making us hate his family.

What makes Lyonel such a good character?

Enter Lyonel Baratheon—the “Laughing Storm”—a Baratheon who actually knows how to be likeable. And according to the show’s producers, this guy is genuinely one of the standout characters of the series. Jason Concepcion couldn’t contain his enthusiasm: “We get to meet, at this point, one of the stars for me of the show. … Lord Lyonel Baratheon… Lord Lyonel is a different sort of Baratheon, I would say.” And trust me, that’s saying something in a universe that’s spent an entire series making us hate his family.

“And then by the end of it, we get– I don’t know, is this the only bro-out session in Game of Thrones history?” Johnsen asked during a podcast discussion. And Concepcion’s response perfectly captured what makes this moment so meaningful: “A bro-out from the heart.”

Think about that. In the entirety of Game of Thrones, when did we ever get a moment of genuine male friendship and camaraderie that wasn’t tinged with political maneuvering or betrayal? Lyonel and Dunk’s relationship is different. It’s raw, it’s authentic, and it shows a version of knighthood that actually stands for something.

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