Here Are Six Game of Thrones Antiheroes We Love to Hate

Spring may be here. But winter is coming. The final season of HBO’s Game of Thrones starts Sunday night, April 14, and the big reveal awaiting fans is who ends up on the Iron Throne. To try and get there, just about everyone who’s left in the Seven Kingdoms has resorted to slicing, dicing, stabbing, beheading, burning, gouging, poisoning, and pushing one another through the Moon Door.

That also means that those still standing have shown Machiavellian survival skills. We do things a bit more peacefully here at BU Today, and thus want to show our support for these antiheroes. They have certainly committed their share of questionable acts, but doesn’t that also mean they’ve proven they would be decisive leaders if chosen to sit atop the Iron Throne?

Cersei Lannister

This current Queen of the Seven Kingdoms has ambition and doesn’t let anyone stand in the way of her family’s success. She even blew up the Great Sept of Baelor because of how she was treated.

She received a troubling prophecy when she was younger: her three Baratheon (::cough:: Lannister) children would die, but she recently informed her brother (and, oh, right, her lover) Jamie that she’s pregnant. Again. And this time, she’s being honest about who the dad is.

Melisandre

Three points to make about the Red Woman: 1) She brought Jon Snow back from the dead, and he’s basically the reason we tune in, so we have her to thank for our Sunday night must-watch TV; 2) She gave birth to a shadow monster without an epidural, which is all the more impressive when you consider that 3) She’s really several centuries old, yet has the vigor, not to mention the dye job, of someone much younger.

Euron Greyjoy

This Joshua Jackson look-alike is a pain in Daenerys’ side, and that’s a good thing, as she needs to be kept in check. Because PETA really should investigate how she’s treating those dragons. Chains? Schlepping them all over the world? And are they flossing after eating those nobles? Not cool. At the end of last season, Cersei revealed that Euron was on his way to Essos to convince the Golden Company to come fight for her, and they have fighting elephants. And who doesn’t love elephants?

Gregor Clegane/The Mountain

In season four, this powerhouse started out slow, but ultimately won the fight with the somewhat arrogant Oberyn Martell. Martell got the last laugh when he managed to push his venom into Gregor, who died, but was then reanimated by Cersei and Qyburn. The Mountain, as he’s affectionately known, became Cersei’s Frankenstein-esque creation and right-hand man. Nowadays he escapes much of the drama by remaining quiet and resolved, and we admire that.

Ice Dragon Viserion

Typical third child, always yearning for mom’s attention. The Night King took this fiery boy under his wing at the end of last season after piercing him with a spear (it was just a flesh wound). The two then rode together to the Wall, where Viserion proceeded to breathe blue fire on it and managed to melt, and topple, it. Then the army of White Walkers and wights crossed on over the barrier that had kept them out of Westeros for centuries. So I think we can make the case that, in many ways, Viserion is a peacemaker.

The Night King

OK, this badass is another old, wise soul who has existed since the age of the First Men and serves as the supreme leader of the Army of the Dead. He’s lovingly adopted the dragon Viserion, turning him into a massive White Walker or wight. His piercing ice-blue eyes strike fear into everyone, though we’ll admit we still don’t have the full story on this guy.

Did we miss someone really, really bad you’re rooting for? Let us know in the Comment section.

The final season of Game of Thrones starts Sunday night, April 14, on HBO at 9 pm. Find more information on how to watch here. The series finale airs on Commencement evening, Sunday, May 19.