📚A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones)

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The queen whose love for her children masks her love for power. Cersei embodies the Tyrant who cannot distinguish protection from possession, the Narcissist whose self-worth depends on domination. Her prophecy becomes self-fulfilling through her own cruelty.

Key Moments

• The Walk of Shame: Humiliation that hardens rather than humbles
• Blowing Up the Sept: Destroys enemies and allies alike when cornered
• Final Defiance: Even facing death, cannot yield or admit fault

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The golden knight who must lose everything to find his honor. Jaime's arc is the redemption of the fallen Knight—he broke his vows to save thousands, then lost himself in cynicism until love and loss reawakened his better nature.

Key Moments

• Killing the Mad King: Chooses innocents over oath, bearing the shame silently
• Losing His Hand: Stripped of what defined him, forced to find new identity
• Knighting Brienne: Passes on honor to one who truly deserves it

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The lion lord whose cold brilliance shapes kingdoms. Tywin Lannister is the shadow King—power without vulnerability, sovereignty without mercy. His legacy of fear crumbles after his death because he built nothing that could survive without fear.

Key Moments

• The Rains of Castamere: Destroys a house so completely the song becomes a warning
• The Red Wedding: 'Some wars are won with swords, others with quills'—ruthless pragmatism
• Death on the Privy: Brought low by the son he despised, legacy in ruins

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The chaos-climber who rose from nothing through cunning and cruelty. Littlefinger proves that intellect without honor is merely manipulation, that climbing requires pushing others down. He mistakes the game for life and pays when others stop playing.

Key Moments

• Betraying Ned Stark: Proves no alliance matters more than advancement
• Killing Lysa Arryn: Even love is a tool to be discarded when used
• Death by Stark Justice: The manipulator finally meets those who see through him

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The exiled princess who rises to queen through fire and blood. Daenerys's arc is the corruption of the Visionary—her noble goals curdle into ends-justify-means thinking until Progress devours Conservation. She becomes what she sought to destroy.

Key Moments

• Walking Into the Fire: Emerges reborn with dragons, the Visionary's transformative moment
• Freeing the Slaves: Uses power to liberate, the King's blessing at its finest
• Burning King's Landing: The Tyrant emerges when vulnerability is rejected for pure power

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The brutal killer who discovers unexpected capacity for protection. Sandor Clegane's journey from violence to something like peace shows that even the most damaged can change. His hatred is really pain, and Arya's mercy gives him chance to heal.

Key Moments

• Saving Sansa: First glimpse that brutality masks a protective instinct
• Protecting Arya: The Challenger becomes unlikely guardian
• Cleganebowl: Faces his fear and his brother, finally confronting rather than running

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The dwarf whose wit is sharper than any sword. Tyrion survives through intelligence and humor in a world that despises him for his body. His journey explores whether wisdom and good intentions can survive constant betrayal and disappointment.

Key Moments

• Defending the Wall: Uses his mind where others use swords, proving his worth
• Killing Tywin: Finally strikes back at his tormentor, the Trickster's revenge
• Advising Daenerys: Tries to guide power toward good ends, the Guide's gamble

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The rightful king whose rigid justice makes him impossible to love. Stannis embodies the Judge without Mercy—his inflexibility is both his strength and his doom. He would break the world to make it just, never seeing that justice requires tempering.

Key Moments

• Burning the Idols: Commits fully to the Lord of Light, the Extremist's leap
• Holding Storm's End: Endures what others cannot, iron will forged in hunger
• Sacrificing Shireen: Justice becomes madness when any price seems acceptable

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The bastard who becomes king through service, not ambition. Jon's journey is learning to lead by putting others first, dying for his beliefs, and rising again still committed. He embodies the Seeker whose allegiance is to the greater good, not personal glory.

Key Moments

• Taking the Black: Chooses duty over family legacy, the first sacrifice
• Killing Qhorin Halfhand: Does what must be done for the mission, honor transcending appearance
• Death and Resurrection: Pays the ultimate price for doing right, then returns to continue

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The Spider who weaves webs for the realm, not himself. Varys represents the Guide whose methods are questionable but whose goal is genuine—stability and peace for the common people. His information network serves an ideal larger than any king.

Key Moments

• The Riddle of Power: 'Power resides where men believe it resides'—the Magician's insight
• Protecting the Children: His network shields innocents from the game of thrones
• Final Stand for the Realm: Dies for his principles when Daenerys proves unworthy

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The girl who becomes no one to become herself. Arya's journey through death and identity strips away everything until only her core remains. She embodies the Explorer who must lose home to find it, the Challenger who faces death and makes it her tool.

Key Moments

• Escaping King's Landing: Survival begins her transformation from lady to warrior
• Training with the Faceless Men: Loses herself to find what cannot be taken away
• Killing the Night King: The Explorer returns home to save it with skills learned far away

Archetypes

Pillar Virtues

Character Arc

The honorable lord whose rigid integrity leads to his downfall. Ned Stark proves that honor alone is not enough in a world of schemers—his refusal to play the game of thrones makes him its victim. Yet his legacy shapes everything that follows.

Key Moments

• Executing the Deserter: 'The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword'—responsibility embodied
• Warning Cersei: Honor demands he give her a chance to flee, sealing his fate
• False Confession: Sacrifices his honor to save his daughters, love finally trumping pride