The Badass Women of Game of Thrones, Then and Now
The season-six finale confirmed what we'd long suspected: The badass women of the Seven Kingdoms are the real heroes of Game of Thrones. Not only are they the heroes, they're survivors. Here, we track the show's fiercest females from their first appearance on the show to their status at the end of season six. In the wake of this season's scorched-earth season finale, it's becoming increasingly clear that the future of Westeros may well be one ruled by women, not men. Yaaas, Queens!
Courtesy of HBO1/19Daenerys Targaryen, Season 1
Status: Princess, Daughter of (Deceased) King Aerys II
In the first season of Game of Thrones, Daenerys is a child bride, pledged to the fierce Khal Drogo by her brother, Viserys, in exchange for an army. She's meek and unsure of herself, but slowly blossoms as Khaleesi, queen of the Dothraki.
Courtesy of HBO2/19Daenerys Targaryen, Season 6
Status: Queen of Meereen, Breaker of Chains, the Unburnt, etc.
No other woman on Game of Thrones has had as spectacular a transformation as Daenerys. She's gone from meek princess to badass queen, with a coterie of fully grown dragons and an army behind her. Of all the characters vying for the Iron Throne, Daenerys seems the best poised for success.
Courtesy of HBO3/19Cersei Lannister, Season 1
Status: Queen Cersei, Wife of King Robert Baratheon
When we first meet Cersei in season one, she's the not-so-happy wife of King Robert Baratheon—already a master at manipulation and scheming, but still working within the parameters of her role as queen.
Courtesy HBO4/19Cersei Lannister, Season 6
Status: Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms
By the end of season six, Cersei has moved beyond mere scheming and quite literally takes the kingdom into her own hands. After being imprisoned and humiliated at the hands of the Faith Militant, Cersei exacts revenge on basically all of her enemies at once, slaughtering the majority of House Tyrell, the Faith Militant, and numerous members of the royal court at once. After the suicide of Tommen—her last living child—she assumes her new title: Cersei of the House Lannister, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms.
Courtesy of HBO5/19Sansa Stark, Season 1
Status: Lady of House Stark
Sansa Stark's transformation in Game of Thrones has been a revelation. In season one, Sansa is a fairly spoiled young member of House Stark who longs to leave her home in the North for the courtly delights of King's Landing.
HBO6/19Sansa Stark, Season 6
Status: Lady of Winterfell
Sansa's come a long way since her days as a young girl at Winterfell, but in many ways she's come full circle—ending the season back home in the North. (Though now she feels a lot different about home.) Along the way she's witnessed the death of her father, escaped two abusive relationships (one with Joffrey Baratheon and one with Ramsay Bolton), and discovered an inner strength and sense of cunning that few could have predicted.
Courtesy of HBO7/19Arya Stark, Season 1
Status: Young Lady of House Stark
When we first meet Arya, she's the precocious third child of Lady Catelyn and Lord Eddard Stark, a tomboy with a nose for mischief a budding passion for swordplay.
Courtesy of HBO8/19Arya Stark, Season 6
Status: Trained Assassin and Member of The Faceless Men
Arya has come a long way since witnessing the execution of her father in season one, but she's never forgotten the names on her death list. Season six finds her graduated from the school of the Many-Faced God and back in Westeros to target her latest victim, Walder Frey. "My name is Arya Stark," she tells Frey, before slitting his throat. "I want you to know that. The last thing you're ever going to see is a Stark smiling down at you as you die." Need we say more?
Courtesy of HBO9/19Margery Tyrell, Season 2
Status: Lady of House Tyrell
Raised in a life of privilege, Margaery Tyrell is as beautiful as they come—and has manipulation skills to rival Cersei's. Within the bounds of season two alone, she is either married or betrothed to two kings—Renley and Joffrey.
Courtesy HBO10/19Margaery Tyrell, Season 6
Status: Deceased (Formerly Queen Consort to King Tommen)
Margaery famously said that she didn't want to be "a queen," she wanted to be "the queen," and she got her wish—but not without the pain of seeing the deaths of two royal husbands, Renley and Joffrey. It was always clear that Margaery had a toughness behind her charming exterior, and she proved it during her imprisonment at the hands of The Faith Militant. By the end of season six, it was clear that she was still weaving her manipulative magic, convincing the High Sparrow that she was a believer while secretly protecting members of House Tyrell. Tragically, Margaery didn't make it past the season finale.
Courtesy of HBO11/19Ellaria Sand, Season 4
Status: Paramour of Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne
In her first appearance in season four, Ellaria is already a fully liberated woman—with a sexual appetite matched only by her lover, Oberyn—and a warrior in her own right, arriving at King's Landing for the wedding of King Joffrey and Lady Margaery.
Courtesy of HBO12/19Ellaria Sand, Season 6
Status: Ruler of Dorne
If Ellaria seemed tough in season four, she is absolutely ruthless by season six. Having borne witness to her lover's gruesome death at the hands of Gregor Clegane, Ellaria has spent the better part of two seasons exacting revenge of the Lannisters (poisoning Princess Myrcella) and taking control of the throne of Dorne (murdering Doran Martell). With her Sand Snakes behind her and a new partnership with Lady Olenna of House Tyrell, it's unlikely her vengeance is finished.
Courtesy of HBO13/19Brienne of Tarth, Season 2
Status: Member of the Kingsguard of Renley Baratheon
Lady Brienne of Tarth debuts as a warrior in the first season but quickly proves her mettle to would-be-King Renley Baratheon.
Courtesy of HBO14/19Brienne of Tarth, Season 6
Status: Sworn Sword to Sansa Stark
While Brienne may not be considered an actual knight, she has certainly proved herself to be worthy of the title. Through thick and thin, she has kept her promises of fealty to Renley Baratheon (in murdering his killer, Stannis) and Catelyn Stark (in finding and rescuing her daughter, Sansa). Even the mirthless Jaime Lannister can't help but like her. By the end of the season, she's won her place among the Starks' unofficial Kingsguard and may have even found herself (at last!) a worthy suitor in Tormund Giantsbane.
Courtesy of HBO15/19Yara Greyjoy, Season 2
Status: Daughter of Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Islands
Yara poses as a commoner when she's first introduced in season two, but it quickly becomes clear she's as fierce as her father, Balon, leading her troops to capture Deepwood Motte and Winterfell, before returning home.
Courtesy of HBO16/19Yara Greyjoy, Season 6
Status: Would-Be Queen of the Ironborn
After years of remaining loyal to her father, Yara starts establishing her independence as the show evolves—from attempting to rescue Theon (against her father's wishes) to voicing her disapproval as her father insists on continuing battles with forces on land in the North. Following the murder of her father by his brother, Yara makes a promising attempt to become the first-ever female rule of the Iron Islands. Her uncle, Euron, may have swept her aside, but Yara got the last laugh in teaming up with Daenerys Targaryen—a potent pairing of seriously badass ladies.
Courtesy of HBO17/19Melisandre, Season 2
Status: The Red Woman
Melisandre first arrives on the scene as a mysterious advisor to would-be King Stannis Baratheon, eager to conduct fiery sacrifices and sworn to both the Lord of Light and Stannis.
Courtesy of HBO18/19Melisandre, Season 6
Status: Lady Melisandre, Exile
Melisandre's star rose with Stannis Baratheon and fell with him at the battle outside Winterfell. But as a character, she became more relatable in the wake of her failure and even took her powers to the next level, bringing Jon Snow back from the dead. For the crimes she'd committed under Stannis, however—including the murder of Stannis' young daughter, Shireen—she is exiled from the North after Jon Snow and Sansa Stark regain Winterfell. We have a feeling, however, that we'll be seeing her again in season seven.
Courtesy of HBO19/19Lyanna Marmont, Season 6
Status: Head of House Mormont
She's only been around for one season, but Lady Lyanna has already proven herself to force to be reckoned with. Not only is she confident, intelligent, and effective as a leader of House Mormont, she effectively shut. It. Down at a meeting of the Norther lords at Winterfell in the season finale, throwing her support behind Jon Snow—"The King in the North"—and reminding all the grown men in attendance that "the North remembers."
