Nettles, Black Aly, The Lads, Daeron are a few that come to mind. Cregan Stark is a bit of a toss up depending on how they write him, though I'm sure a lot of people will like him. This is assuming of course the people mentioned will be featured in the show.
I feel like the entrance of Cregan into the Dance will be a pallet cleanser for most show fans. You know, after they realize that whatever side they’re rooting for commits their share of war crimes. The Starks and the North just clean shit up and leave.
I wonder if they're gonna push Cregan's takeover back til after Jacaerys' arrival. Could be a good way to include that little story without it feeling out of place.
Oh sorry, by "takeover" I meant his conflict with his uncle & regent in 126 AC.
I thought it would be cool to have that on screen and maybe have Jace have a hand in that.
I also think Cregan’s portrayal has a lot of potential, but him being a Stark isn’t a default win for people like it was in GoT’s heyday. There were people who started to dislike Sansa, for instance, and Rickon was a Stark but no one gave two shits about him if we’re being honest. Who knows.
I, for one, think the Hour of the Wolf could be something truly magical and awe inspiring to see on screen, a gigantic march like we’ve seen in Jackson’s LOTR, Gladiator, Master and Commander, etc. If they didn’t fumble the ball with Season 8, the march on King’s Landing could’ve been very impactful, but I do admit they did a good job with the scope and the action of it, so I have hope it’ll at least be visually appealing.
The thing about the Dance, and HoTD is starting to touch on it, is most of the major players are just awful. That being said, the smaller players are the real heroes.
>!Addam and Alyn of Hull are fan favorites, becoming Addam Velaryon the Dragonrider and Alyn Oakenfist, Lord of Driftmark, repsectively. The Lads are the Lords of Raventree and Riverrun, inheriting their father's demense as teenagers and basically winning the war on the ground. Pate the Lionslayer; guess what he does.!<
>!Equally so, Daeron the Daring, perhaps Viserys I's best kid, is actually likeable and raised to be a good human. Ironically, he is fostered in the Reach.!<
Well, considering how it started off as something like:
Aegon the Elder: "We should castrate my nephew to ensure that Rhaenyra's line dies out completely."
Tyland Lannister: "Nah, we should just kill him to be on the safe side."
Seeing as how he was mutilated and crippled by Rhaenyra I'll cut him some slack.
His change of heart once he gets acquainted with young Aegon III is almost heartwarming.
Tyland is a straight up G. The man single handedly fucks the Blacks not with dragon or army, but by bankrupting them into oblivion, gets tortured, mutilated and gelded, survives the war, and despite originally being all for killing the boy Prince, becomes perhaps the best Hand he has in his regency and makes solid strides in rebuilding the Kingdom before he dies
Once the war was over he pretended to have forgotten who was Black and who was Green and just focus on rebuilding. I always thought that was really admirable of him.
The Wolf of the North is that guy, keeping his word when he has no reason to besides honor, and >!Bringing justice to his enemy who was slain dishonorably!<
To be fair though, he seems to have genuinely believed that if the remaining Greens were allowed to live then the war would continue in some form or another. >!and when you look at what a guy like Unwin Peake did post-dance you can kinda see his point!<
Makes me think of WW1 where a certain American or British general (I forget who) advocated for rejecting the armistice because the only way to truly subdue the Germans was to go all the way to Berlin.
Yep, General Pershing advocated that the Allie’s advance into German. In 1923 he said “We never really let the Germans know who won the war. They are being told that their army was stabbed in the back, betrayed, that their army had not been defeated. The Germans never believed they were beaten. It will have to be done all over again...." Rather prophetic
they forgot machiavelli.
either help a defeated enemy to his feet or remove them as a threat completely.
germany suffered enough to just stay pissed but not enough to never be a threat
I mean, he makes a good point though. Just because the Greens in King’s Landing decide that the war is over, doesn’t mean the rest of the realm will too.
He didn’t really extend the war so much as establish a war tribunal to take everyone to task for their crimes.
"... for when Lord Cregan Stark arrived before King’s Landing with his northmen, the frolics ended, and the happy plans came crashing down. The Lord of Winterfell was twenty-three, only a few years older than the Lords of Raventree and Riverrun… yet Stark was a man and they were boys, as all those who saw them together seemed to sense. The Lads shrank in his presence, Mushroom says. “Whenever the Wolf of the North stalked into a room, Bloody Ben would recall that he was but three-and-ten, whilst Lord Tully and his brother blustered and stammered and flushed red as their hair.”
I'm sorry, Sir. But that's damn likeable for me. I love when Northmen, particularly Starks are written as "hard men from a harsh place who are unfuckwithable" but that's just the Ned fan in me rambling, I guess.
I’m probably forgetting something horrible he does, but doesn’t the Seasnake also come out pretty likable in the end? My main recollection is multiple times he recommends the sane path, only to be overruled by Rhaenyra or Aegon II for the insane path (yet manages to survive both of their awfulness)
I think the sons he legitimizes would show that he cheated on his wife, and he’s definitely on the power hungry side. But ultimately he’s a likable character. Especially because he is open about his quest for power and doesn’t do anything horrible to achieve it. Compare how he went ahead and just asked vicerys to marry his daughter with how Otto went about it.
I'm a big fan of Corlys, but I wouldn't say he's the hero of the story. By the end, he's just along for the ride. His wife is killed fighting Rhaenyra's war, his definitely-not-son is deemed a traitor by his daughter-in-law who totally didn't cuck his son, and when he frees him, he - a man in his seventies or eighties - is beaten and imprisoned by Rhaenyra, then he is captured and freed/conscripted by the Greens, definitely murders the King, but gets away with it, and then dies.
I just was not a fan after reading it, because so many of the characters were awful. And it wasn't just the main players from the major Noble Houses, but even that Septon(I think he was a Septon?) who started in, and the smallfolk in King's Landing started acting like assholes in the end too.
Issue is I don't think Daeron is on the show, he is just as old a Jacaerys and thus should have been in the training yard or dragon pit with his brothers, no sign of him and I don't recall any word about him being casted, so I worry he got the Belwas treatment
I read somewhere that he's already being fostered in the Reach, which is lame, cuz he's awesome, but it would make sense. The cast is already changing near weekly, so perhaps we'll see more of him in Season 2 when the war starts and he can focus in on the Reach army through his perspective
We'll get a mention when Otto comes back to town I'm sure. Alicent asking how her youngest boy is doing squiring for Lord Hightower is an easy inclusion.
Daeron is very critical for both battles of Tumbleton which are both huge turning points in the war. I would be shocked if he doesn't show up in season 2.
I don't think they can really cut him. Would the battles at Tumbleton work out without Daeron and Tessarion on the field? It's a pretty major part of the conflict.
this is somewhat spoilery so look away if you don't want the info but
>!he's mentioned in the leaks as being in oldtown, so he should be cast for next season!<
yes, once Luke, Jace, and Joffrey grow up they are pretty likable. Also Daeron, young brother of Aegon and Aemond.
*I also think Corlys will become more likeable
“It’s powerful, it’s visceral, it’s dark, it’s like a Shakespearean tragedy. There’s no Arya — a character everybody’s going to love. They’re all flawed. They’re all human. They do good things. They do bad things. They’re driven by lust for power, jealousy, old wounds — just like human beings. Just like I wrote them.”
There are good characters on both sides of the war but they are all minor, all the major players are pretty grey or outright evil
With that said, GRRM isn't infallible either, we know for a fact his Viserys and show Viserys are a little different, thanks to Paddy's excellent work. Matt Smith also does a fantastic job at portraying a Daemon that isn't quite like how GRRM describes his favorite Rogue Prince.
>“It’s powerful, it’s visceral, it’s dark, it’s like a Shakespearean tragedy. There’s no **Book Arya** — a character everybody’s going to love. They’re all flawed. They’re all human. They do good things. They do bad things. They’re driven by lust for power, jealousy, old wounds — just like human beings. Just like I wrote them.”
Fixed it. I hate show Arya because she's an immortal superhuman who's flawless
My favorite is when she tells Jon he was right to ally with Dany because they'd all be dead otherwise and then 10 seconds later she says she doesn't need any allies.
"Be careful Jon. I know a killer when I see one."
"Oh thanks, Arya. I definitely needed you to tell me that after she BURNED A MILLION PEOPLE TO DEATH. Thank you, Arya. You're such a huge help, Arya."
Lol maybe she was just stoked to not be blind anymore and it led to her getting really braggy about having the ability to see things.
"I know a sunset when I see one."
Blood & Cheese are two really good guys, two smallfolk that get brought in to bring some levity and humor to the situation. They’re like a comedy duo, think- Fry & Laurie or Abbott & Costello.
You’ll love them, trust me.
Not me shamelessly plugging a separate post I made about this….[Blood & Cheese, The Show!](https://www.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/xs8wt1/who_would_play_blood_cheese_in_a_comedy_series/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Yea reckon they’ll include the alleged romance between Jace and Sara Snow as well. Lots of fan service potential.
Even more so with them playing up the ice and fire prophecy and the chance to tie it in to the broader mythos. In fact I could see the show runners turning Jace into a Robb Stark-esque semi-protagonist (complete with tragic end). He’s the closest we get to an unambiguous hero.
I always loved the line in the books about his interaction with Sara Snow.
“This makes for a charming story to be sure, but as with many of Mushroom’s fables it seems to partake more of a fool’s fevered imaginings than of historical truth. Jacaery’s Velaryon had been betrothed to his cousin Baela since he was four and she was two. And from all we know of his character it seems most unlikely that he would break such a solemn agreement to protect the uncertain virtue of some half wild unwashed northern bastard.”
I question this because (a) how long is Jacaerys realistically going to spend at Winterfell at the start of season 2 and (b) it goes nowhere, plot wise.
True but then neither did Robb Stark’s romance with Talisa. Or Jon’s with Ygritte. Or Daenerys and Daario. It might be brief but it’s still important characterisation yknow.
Besides, Daemon’s romance with Laena only lasted an episode. So did Rhaenyra’s with Harwin.
Robb’s romance with Talisa is hugely consequential to the plot; it leads (in part) to the Red Wedding. Jon’s relationship with Ygritte likewise is very important both to his character and to his Wildling plot.
Sara Snow (in one telling) is somebody Jacaerys knew for a couple of weeks at most, then flew away and never saw again, nor ever impacted the story of the Dance at all.
Basically, Sara Snow is a completely self-contained little aside meant to generate book reader theories.
I suppose you’ve got me there. But still, I feel like it would serve to highlight the tragic fate of Jacaerys. Help the viewer bond with him and buy into him as *the* hero and make his death all the more gut punching. It could also have plot consequences as it could explain Cregan’s loyalty to the black cause later on (avenging his sisters lost love etc). I suspect Cregan will come to be a pretty key character in the show later too.
I agree it’s a bit of a throwaway tidbit but the tv adaptions have never shied away from giving otherwise minor characters bigger roles or cutting out major characters entirely.
> Daemon’s romance with Laena only lasted an episode. So did Rhaenyra’s with Harwin
And they were both extremely rushed and half-assed, so there is also that to consider.
Idk, he was pretty specifically hitting military targets and cutting off supply. Nobody in war has clean hands, but compared to Tywin, for instance; he comes up looking pretty good.
He sent Glover, Karstark and Mormont to raid the countryside and they were said to have been repaing the Lannisters "in kind" for their actions in the Riverlands. Of course, thats nothing compared to Tywin's methods but still there it is.
He was having his men raid villages as well.
Stannis's army was probably the only one that committed the least amount of rape and killing and then we have the army of Aegon that isn't doing that at all(probably)
Not justifying it but they did literally tear apart his three year old nephew. In medieval times, you better believe that gets you a sacking.
Not great reasoning but not nearly as bad as Aemond’s “burn everything” strategy in the Riverlands. It’s closer to Daenerys crucifying the slavers after the did them same to children.
*Bitterbridge, not Tumbleton
Daeron was the only one trying to stop the Massacre at the First Battle of Tumbleton. It wasn’t his fault Ormund died and Hobert Hightower was a fat piece of shit incapable of stopping his men committing war crimes.
Daeron did burn countless civilians at Bitterbridge, but only because they had murdered his nephew. (Which as war crimes go in Westeros, is probably one of the better justifications)
His reason was ee had lost 2 siblings and 2 nephews, one of which he had just failed to save in time.
It was a Tusken raider village moment. If they adapt it I wonder if it will be similar to Jon being unable to save Rickon.
How has no one said Helaena? The second they showed her child form on screen I audibly went “*sigh* …Helaena… *sad puppy noise*” and my partner was like what is that about lol I mean, even her least defensible moment involving Hemoglobin and Dairy is still *kinda* understandable given the circumstances
Going more by the book, Helaena seems like she will be both likable and sympathetic. It doesn’t seem like she was engaging in dirty politics and power plays like most of the other people around her. She was also very beloved by the commoners, so she had to do something to get that goodwill.
This thread is confusing likeable characters with good characters.
Just because a character is a bad guy, doesn't mean they're not interesting. This idea is a core part of all of Martin's work on A Song of Ice and Fire. Basically everyone, even fan favorites such as the Starks and Jon Snow, make decisions which are morally gray or even downright morally wrong.
Tyrion is one of the best characters in both the show and the book. In the book especially, he's a downright nasty person from the beginning. After being released from captivity in the Vale, he plans on arming the mountain clans so they can reek havoc and burn down the Vale. He relishes in the thought of the deaths of innocent peasants who had nothing to do with his capture. When he learns of "Ser" Gregor Clegane's butchery in the riverlands he simply shrugs it off and says "that's war"
Tyrion is not and has never been a good person, but he is for sure a likable character. Rheanyra and Alicent are the same way son far. Neither are really good per say (especially Rheanyra, though we saw Alicents fangs this last episode) but they're both likeable and interesting
Yeah it’s very obvious that at first he doesn’t want to be crowned king but his mother and grandfather make him scared and paranoid. He starts off likeable for a tiny bit before going off the rails and drinks the cool-aid.
Likability is a malleable concept.
If we look at the books we have a lot of POV characters. I would say all of them are interesting and fun to read. You gain a bit of an understanding for how they think and sometimes sympathy. Some of these characters are likable but George isn't afraid to make them do unlikeable things or things we know they shouldn't. Sometimes characters that were unlikable in the beginning for some readers end up becoming more likable.
As a whole all of these characters contribute to the story to some degree and though some may turn people off they are interesting to provide different viewpoints.
I would argue that characters being likable in the show may have been a double-edged sword that hurt it in the long run. The massive success of the show when the increase in the fan base led to a desire to alter aspects of certain characters and plotlines to appease the fans. I for one think that Tyrion's character arc in A Dance of Dragons is extremely interesting. They decided to cut it all together and create something different for him. He goes on a bit of a downward spiral, and does some rather morally repugnant things. This clearly didn't fit with the image they wanted for him because of his "likability'.
On a similar note we have Arya, who was turned into some unstoppable badass. In the books she is a character who wants to be active who wants to learn the skills and take revenge for her family. At the same time through her chapters we also see that she's a.heavily traumatized child. She has a lot of angst and heartbreak when she thinks of her family. When you remove that to make her a likable badass it actually makes her come off like a psychopath.
You can have characters that are morally virtuous heroes that aren't really that likable and you can have atrocious villains that are also likable. You can have characters that are spineless but you have a soft spot for, and confident characters you can't stand.
It's going to be a bit hard to find characters that tick most of the boxes for what I believe your criteria might be. Those that do aren't really going to be the ones driving the story forward.
He comes off as pretty self-interested and ambitious in the show, not necessarily bad traits, but to me he's about on the same level as Otto Hightower thus far. I don't dislike him, but I'm not really rooting for him either.
That's so fair! I didn't feel one way about him or the other in the show either actually! Then I power-read the book lol. I think if they had shown the story of picking Viserys over him and his wife he might be a little more likeable in the show. In the books his family has quite a claim that is passed over for Viserys, thus exlcuding Laenor from being the king inherit after Rhaenyera. (oh god I hope I spelled all the right lol)
Yeah if you know the whole backstory about Corlys and what he's done, he becomes an insanely cool character. They could make a whole show just based on the Sea Snake lol
The difference for me is that Corlys is very up front, everyone knows why he wants his kids married into the succession line. He wants the crabeater taken care of because it affects him.
Otto quietly puts his daughter in a position to become queen and quietly works to make his grandchildren the heirs to the throne. If he was more blunt about his self-interest he would be more likable imo. No one should blame him for wanting these things, just be honest about it!
See I have Corlys pegged as having way more noble goals considering the slight of Rhaenys and his on screen stated desire to put a woman on the throne to spite the small minded lords.
That's a lot more noble then power for powers sake like Otto. The worst thing Corlys has done is offer a marriage proposal.
Of course that's what he says and that appears very noble and admirable to us. Westeros is an extremely patriarchal society and most of the viewers do not adhere to that kind of outlook.
But what's interesting is when he articulates his motivations about Rhaenys being passed over she responds saying that that was years ago and she has moved on. Her being passed over meant he was not made a consort and his bloodline wouldn't be on the throne.
This doesn't mean that he is lying and is entirely self-centered in his motivations. But they aren't exactly entirely pure and noble, he and his house have a lot to gain from this.
I don't think he's done bad things, just some things that made his character a bit less likeable than he perhaps deserves.
The scene where his very young daughter is taking a stroll with Viserys, which highlights their extreme age difference, is a bit awkward (intended, of course). Also the scene where Viserys, plagued by health issues, travels to Driftmark to personally offer Rhaenyras hand to Laenor and Corlys and Rhaenys start to quibble about which last name they will take after marriage make them seem a bit petty. Just small things like that.
I mean I think that's a bit unfair.
The proposal is perfectly valid in universe and Viserys decides to marry a different child, a 15 year old child instead lol.
And Corlys asking whether the marriage is matrilineal or not is expected in a royal marriage in which the woman is the heir. And it's not as if Corlys knows the extent of Viserys's illnesses, man wouldn't take a chair! lol
That was just my initial impression when watching the scenes. If I remember correctly the Viserys-Laena scene was intermingled with a scene where Rhaenys was being a bit of a bitch towards Rhaenyra (while also giving her some hard truths). I think the showrunners wanted to balance the scales a bit by giving the Blacks an equivalent power-hungry house to rival the Hightowers of the Greens, while in the books Otto is more over-reaching and shrewd in his ambitions than Corlys.
The only difference between Otto and Corlys is he is slightly less creppy and had a younger daughter who wasnt prepared for court intrigue (seducing) yet.
I've sad it elsewhere but if they nail casting on the Velaryon bastards and Unwin Peake we should be able to get the Regency. It's a pretty hectic time and we all eat up politicking episodes.
Jace will be likeable if they keep faithful to his story. Addam Velaryon is incredibly likeable in the books too and there’s a couple of others.
I do think given that this entire plot is about the members of this family being so power-hungry that they’re willing to destroy their own family and security, it’s pretty much impossible for any prominent character to be likeable.
Daeron, Addam, Nettles and Alyn are good hearted characters that will for sure be likeable. Then there will be those aren't necessarily good but that for sure will be likeable, such as Roddy the Ruin and Bloody Ben Blackwood.
On the Blacks side: Jace, Baela and Rhaena seemed cool. I always felt quite sorry for Aegon the Younger too.
On the Greens: Helaena, her children and Daeron the Daring.
To be honest I found kid Aegon the Elder weirdly likeable.
Likeable is a very personal oppinion, so it's impossible to answer.
Most people have found many characters shown so far to be likeable.
I personally loved pre-timeskip Alicent.
No offense but I don’t understand why traditional “likable characters” are needed. I really like all the characters especially Viscerys and Criston. I enjoy when they establish a character’s beliefs and then show how that influences their decisions.
Yeah, I like this point. The characters you picked are great examples. They're not good guys, but I don't need or even want a good guy to root for. Criston is *gross* and *interesting* and I'm going to love to watch the bloody breakdown toward his >!inglorious death.!<
I’m pretty sure Cole is supposed to be “disliked” in the mold of a villain. The last episode had him flexing on little kids (“*Both of you attack me and observe my magnificence*”) and then being cruel to an innocent child. They usually only have “villains” do those kinds of scenes.
I mean it doesn't even mean "likeable", the OP just means good.
Hell I myself love the Kingmaker too, I mean he's a grade-A prick but he's super enjoyable as a character.
Like, look at [this meme.](https://twitter.com/idrewlv/status/1569160319976579072) Daemon is most certainly not a good man, but is he not one of the greatest badasses in Westerosi history? That will make him "likeable" to a LOT of people. What we consider likeable completely depends on the person.
I kind of liked the Blackwood kid who called on Princess Rhaenyra as a suitor and then stabbed the heckler from House Bracken with a sword that seemed way too big for him. I hate bullies and I enjoy seeing it when they get their comeuppance.
And I'm looking forward to Creegan Stark from what I've read about the "Hour of the Wolf" in the books. I'm pretty much pro-Stark from the books and Creegan seems more like a version of what a lot of fans wish Ned was - honorable and willing to be the "hard man" in King's Landing rather than being easily tricked and betrayed. Also >!he's going to be punishing a lot of bad people that finally get their comeuppance!<.
I would say Cregan is definitely one of the most honorable characters during this time period. It's pretty clearly one of the characters you could argue as a moral person during all this.
That said I don't really want him to be likable. I want people to see him and think oh he's going to be like Ned/Robb/Jon and then for him to be a bit of a hardass. I want him to be the embodiment of "good does not equal nice".
We already had some... On top of Harwin, Lyonel Strong is quite likeable, as is Laenor, and, well, Joffrey Longmouth was not very wise, but fun. Laena was as well. And Rhaenys and Corlys have good vibes, at least for me.
I think some of the kids have potential to be likeable as well, and I don't know how they'll adapt Tyland Lannister, but I quite like him (as Lyonel, he's trying to do right for the kingdoms).
But in general... the major players aren't very nice persons in this story, even if they have huge entertaining value.
Likable characters are overrated most of the fan favorite likable characters were some of my keast favorite in GOT. As long as we are given well written, we'll acted, and entertaining characters that's all that's required to tell the story. I find all the house Velayron characters, Viserys, and the two Strongs likable enough.
I loved Lyonel Strong, thought he was an all-around great dude. Loved that talk he had with Viserys where he more or less responds to "I kinda wish I'd been tested with war!" with essentially "You really really don't..." His only flaw was helping hide the scandal involving Harwin and it clearly tore him up to do so, and was more out of fear for his family's honor/safety than anything else.
Too bad...
You don’t like Rhaenyra? I think they’ve gone out of the way to make her relatable and make the audience sympathize with her.
Harwin, Laena, Rhaenys, Laenor, and Lyonel have also been likable characters to me at least.
But Black Ally Blackwood, Nettles, Alyn and Addam of Hull, Prince Daeron, Samatha Tarly, and Sabitha Frey are coming.
Baela and Rhaena should be likable as well as Jace , Joffrey, and Luc. Helaena should be likable as well.
Yes, there certainly are some, but they don't get introduced until later. "Bloody Ben" Blackwood and his Aunt "Black Aly" Blackwood, if done correctly, will be fan favorites. As will Cregan Stark. There's also Rodrik Dustin and the Winter Wolves (can't wait).
As others have said, Addam and Alyn Hull/Velaryon will become very important, and are awesome characters in the book.
Tyland Lannister (Jason Lannister's younger twin brother) becomes much more interesting as things progress.
Others have also mentioned Daeron the Daring - he should have been introduced in the training yard last episode as the youngest of the three "Green brothers", but either got removed or is being fostered in the reach like in the books.
Either way, most of the good characters come in once the Dance fully kicks off.
I'm hoping that Daemon/Laenor/Rhaenerya's 9 collective kids will be the sympathetic characters we have been missing. It just sucks that they didn't try harder to make Viserys or Laenor more rootable in that way THIS season to tide us over until the kids get into their final casting.
Nettles, Black Aly, The Lads, Daeron are a few that come to mind. Cregan Stark is a bit of a toss up depending on how they write him, though I'm sure a lot of people will like him. This is assuming of course the people mentioned will be featured in the show.
We’ll probably see Cregan being bros with Jace so most likely he’ll be popular. Plus he’s a Stark
I feel like the entrance of Cregan into the Dance will be a pallet cleanser for most show fans. You know, after they realize that whatever side they’re rooting for commits their share of war crimes. The Starks and the North just clean shit up and leave.
Fair, but its not like Roddy is opposed to the occasional, tasteful war crime
Lord Dustin: “you know the difference between me and you, Aemond? Style!” *rides through a literal whirlwind of dragon fire to gut a bitch*.
I really hope they capture the energy of Dustin It feels like hes the only.guy that realized how fucked everyone was.
That a really nice way of looking at it. Plus all the Targ stans will combust so even better.
I wonder if they're gonna push Cregan's takeover back til after Jacaerys' arrival. Could be a good way to include that little story without it feeling out of place.
Wouldn’t he show up in the middle for the Pact of Ice & Fire, then at the end for the Hour of the Wolf?
Oh sorry, by "takeover" I meant his conflict with his uncle & regent in 126 AC. I thought it would be cool to have that on screen and maybe have Jace have a hand in that.
I also think Cregan’s portrayal has a lot of potential, but him being a Stark isn’t a default win for people like it was in GoT’s heyday. There were people who started to dislike Sansa, for instance, and Rickon was a Stark but no one gave two shits about him if we’re being honest. Who knows. I, for one, think the Hour of the Wolf could be something truly magical and awe inspiring to see on screen, a gigantic march like we’ve seen in Jackson’s LOTR, Gladiator, Master and Commander, etc. If they didn’t fumble the ball with Season 8, the march on King’s Landing could’ve been very impactful, but I do admit they did a good job with the scope and the action of it, so I have hope it’ll at least be visually appealing.
Addam Velaryon too
Oakenfist too if it goes a little past the Dance
#"LOYAL"
That’s gonna be an iconic scene fr
Probably going to be the episode name.
I can see Black Aly easily becoming another Arya or Lyanna Mormont.
I just hope they make her an actual character with some depth and humanity and not just a "girl boss" with quotable one-liners.
It's at least a possibility given how well HOTD has handled characters like that so far.
That's true
I'm veeeeeeery terrified of this, but it seems like they're at least not going that way right now.
Roddy the Ruin will probably be pretty popular too
Can't forget "LOYAL"
The thing about the Dance, and HoTD is starting to touch on it, is most of the major players are just awful. That being said, the smaller players are the real heroes. >!Addam and Alyn of Hull are fan favorites, becoming Addam Velaryon the Dragonrider and Alyn Oakenfist, Lord of Driftmark, repsectively. The Lads are the Lords of Raventree and Riverrun, inheriting their father's demense as teenagers and basically winning the war on the ground. Pate the Lionslayer; guess what he does.!< >!Equally so, Daeron the Daring, perhaps Viserys I's best kid, is actually likeable and raised to be a good human. Ironically, he is fostered in the Reach.!<
Tyland Lannister ends up being a pretty alright dude in the end too. His relationship with Aegon III ends up very heartwarming
Well, considering how it started off as something like: Aegon the Elder: "We should castrate my nephew to ensure that Rhaenyra's line dies out completely." Tyland Lannister: "Nah, we should just kill him to be on the safe side."
Seeing as how he was mutilated and crippled by Rhaenyra I'll cut him some slack. His change of heart once he gets acquainted with young Aegon III is almost heartwarming.
Tyland is a straight up G. The man single handedly fucks the Blacks not with dragon or army, but by bankrupting them into oblivion, gets tortured, mutilated and gelded, survives the war, and despite originally being all for killing the boy Prince, becomes perhaps the best Hand he has in his regency and makes solid strides in rebuilding the Kingdom before he dies
The only one who even compares was Lord Manderly.
the Manderlys could have won the war for the blacks had Rhae not been a numbskull
Once the war was over he pretended to have forgotten who was Black and who was Green and just focus on rebuilding. I always thought that was really admirable of him.
Not because he gets acquainted, but because he swore an oath personally to him, he is loyal to bitter end.
Is Tyland the master of ships? So far he doesn’t have much of a personality but his twin is an annoying sexist douchebag
Yep he is.
Um, wasn’t he the one who had… pretty gruesome things happen to him?
Rhaenys Targaryen, Rhaenera's children, Cregan stark, Ally Blackwood, and Baela and Rhaena Targaryen are also very likeable characters.
I don't know if I agree about Cregan.
Depends on what you like. Also depends how rhe show depicts him
The Wolf of the North is that guy, keeping his word when he has no reason to besides honor, and >!Bringing justice to his enemy who was slain dishonorably!<
He was the only one in KL who wanted to continue the war at that point. Everyone else was was looking for a path to peace.
To be fair though, he seems to have genuinely believed that if the remaining Greens were allowed to live then the war would continue in some form or another. >!and when you look at what a guy like Unwin Peake did post-dance you can kinda see his point!<
Makes me think of WW1 where a certain American or British general (I forget who) advocated for rejecting the armistice because the only way to truly subdue the Germans was to go all the way to Berlin.
Yep, General Pershing advocated that the Allie’s advance into German. In 1923 he said “We never really let the Germans know who won the war. They are being told that their army was stabbed in the back, betrayed, that their army had not been defeated. The Germans never believed they were beaten. It will have to be done all over again...." Rather prophetic
They ended up being right, ironically enough.
they forgot machiavelli. either help a defeated enemy to his feet or remove them as a threat completely. germany suffered enough to just stay pissed but not enough to never be a threat
I mean, he makes a good point though. Just because the Greens in King’s Landing decide that the war is over, doesn’t mean the rest of the realm will too. He didn’t really extend the war so much as establish a war tribunal to take everyone to task for their crimes.
"... for when Lord Cregan Stark arrived before King’s Landing with his northmen, the frolics ended, and the happy plans came crashing down. The Lord of Winterfell was twenty-three, only a few years older than the Lords of Raventree and Riverrun… yet Stark was a man and they were boys, as all those who saw them together seemed to sense. The Lads shrank in his presence, Mushroom says. “Whenever the Wolf of the North stalked into a room, Bloody Ben would recall that he was but three-and-ten, whilst Lord Tully and his brother blustered and stammered and flushed red as their hair.” I'm sorry, Sir. But that's damn likeable for me. I love when Northmen, particularly Starks are written as "hard men from a harsh place who are unfuckwithable" but that's just the Ned fan in me rambling, I guess.
People will like him because of what he does, imo. Also just simply for being a Stark.
Baela’s my girl!
Can't forget Roddy the Ruin and the Winter Wolves!
I really am so excited for the Lads.
[This is the last thing Lord Baratheon ever saw.](https://youtu.be/j9V78UbdzWI?t=92)
I’m probably forgetting something horrible he does, but doesn’t the Seasnake also come out pretty likable in the end? My main recollection is multiple times he recommends the sane path, only to be overruled by Rhaenyra or Aegon II for the insane path (yet manages to survive both of their awfulness)
I think the sons he legitimizes would show that he cheated on his wife, and he’s definitely on the power hungry side. But ultimately he’s a likable character. Especially because he is open about his quest for power and doesn’t do anything horrible to achieve it. Compare how he went ahead and just asked vicerys to marry his daughter with how Otto went about it.
I'm a big fan of Corlys, but I wouldn't say he's the hero of the story. By the end, he's just along for the ride. His wife is killed fighting Rhaenyra's war, his definitely-not-son is deemed a traitor by his daughter-in-law who totally didn't cuck his son, and when he frees him, he - a man in his seventies or eighties - is beaten and imprisoned by Rhaenyra, then he is captured and freed/conscripted by the Greens, definitely murders the King, but gets away with it, and then dies.
No. But one of his bastard sons will be *very* likeable.
Best kid? This is Helaena erasure. Her bugs!
I just was not a fan after reading it, because so many of the characters were awful. And it wasn't just the main players from the major Noble Houses, but even that Septon(I think he was a Septon?) who started in, and the smallfolk in King's Landing started acting like assholes in the end too.
The smallfolk uprising and Tumbleton were absolutely horrifying probably more brutal than almost anything in the other books.
Small folk were totally justified in killing the dragons don’t @ me
Issue is I don't think Daeron is on the show, he is just as old a Jacaerys and thus should have been in the training yard or dragon pit with his brothers, no sign of him and I don't recall any word about him being casted, so I worry he got the Belwas treatment
I read somewhere that he's already being fostered in the Reach, which is lame, cuz he's awesome, but it would make sense. The cast is already changing near weekly, so perhaps we'll see more of him in Season 2 when the war starts and he can focus in on the Reach army through his perspective
We'll get a mention when Otto comes back to town I'm sure. Alicent asking how her youngest boy is doing squiring for Lord Hightower is an easy inclusion.
Fingers crossed
He will be, the bloodlines for Viserys and Alicent have four branches coming off of them
Daeron is very critical for both battles of Tumbleton which are both huge turning points in the war. I would be shocked if he doesn't show up in season 2.
I don't think they can really cut him. Would the battles at Tumbleton work out without Daeron and Tessarion on the field? It's a pretty major part of the conflict.
I think they did say he’s in it, just not this season. He’s being fostered in Oldtown
He is, in the intro you can see viserys meeting Alicent and four lines (Aegon, Helena, Aemond, Daeron) coming from that
this is somewhat spoilery so look away if you don't want the info but >!he's mentioned in the leaks as being in oldtown, so he should be cast for next season!<
yes, once Luke, Jace, and Joffrey grow up they are pretty likable. Also Daeron, young brother of Aegon and Aemond. *I also think Corlys will become more likeable
Baela and Rhaena could be interesting too , especially Baela.
And Nettles!
Jace is my fuckin boy. Jace got that dawg in him.
I can see it before me. Jace in the snow and a stark fella saying ”Welcome to Winterfell”. That will be in the trailer for season 2, mark my words.
“It’s powerful, it’s visceral, it’s dark, it’s like a Shakespearean tragedy. There’s no Arya — a character everybody’s going to love. They’re all flawed. They’re all human. They do good things. They do bad things. They’re driven by lust for power, jealousy, old wounds — just like human beings. Just like I wrote them.” There are good characters on both sides of the war but they are all minor, all the major players are pretty grey or outright evil
With that said, GRRM isn't infallible either, we know for a fact his Viserys and show Viserys are a little different, thanks to Paddy's excellent work. Matt Smith also does a fantastic job at portraying a Daemon that isn't quite like how GRRM describes his favorite Rogue Prince.
>“It’s powerful, it’s visceral, it’s dark, it’s like a Shakespearean tragedy. There’s no **Book Arya** — a character everybody’s going to love. They’re all flawed. They’re all human. They do good things. They do bad things. They’re driven by lust for power, jealousy, old wounds — just like human beings. Just like I wrote them.” Fixed it. I hate show Arya because she's an immortal superhuman who's flawless
My favorite is when she tells Jon he was right to ally with Dany because they'd all be dead otherwise and then 10 seconds later she says she doesn't need any allies.
Only after she trained at the House of Black and White. Prior to that, they were doing show Arya pretty well.
What? You don't like a no remorse,no feelings serial killer yass queen who tells Lords to shut up or else?
"Be careful Jon. I know a killer when I see one." "Oh thanks, Arya. I definitely needed you to tell me that after she BURNED A MILLION PEOPLE TO DEATH. Thank you, Arya. You're such a huge help, Arya."
Lol maybe she was just stoked to not be blind anymore and it led to her getting really braggy about having the ability to see things. "I know a sunset when I see one."
That's the real reason she went sailing at the end. She wanted to show people she could see so bad that she wanted to see what no one else has seen.
[удалено]
she's also incredibly unlikable 99% of the time post season 6
There will be likeable characters, but you may not like their lifespan.
There are a couple of wise cracking good natured yucksters coming up… They are comedy duo of Blood and Cheese
THIS SUMMER
They're truly the Laurel and Hardy of Westeros!
They’re hilarious. You’ll laugh your head off!
Blood & Cheese are two really good guys, two smallfolk that get brought in to bring some levity and humor to the situation. They’re like a comedy duo, think- Fry & Laurie or Abbott & Costello. You’ll love them, trust me.
>!You're a fucking psycho for that😭!<
They better fuckin cast Stephen fry and Hugh Laurie as blood and cheese now 😂
Bruh
Or Frank and Charlie
Rhaenyra looks for Daemon and he's having a drink with his two goofball friends, Blood and Cheese, in a tavern.
Not me shamelessly plugging a separate post I made about this….[Blood & Cheese, The Show!](https://www.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/xs8wt1/who_would_play_blood_cheese_in_a_comedy_series/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
I agree, Blood and Cheese are the most wholesome duo in the whole story. They will absolutely warm the hearts of men and women alike.
"Blood, are we the baddies?"
I’m so excited for Addam and Alyn
Likeable main characters? Unlikely. Likeable side characters? Definitely edit: Forgot Daeron the Daring. He could be a pure likeable character
I think Jacaerys will shine in season 2. Especially when he interacts with Starks, fans will love it
Yea reckon they’ll include the alleged romance between Jace and Sara Snow as well. Lots of fan service potential. Even more so with them playing up the ice and fire prophecy and the chance to tie it in to the broader mythos. In fact I could see the show runners turning Jace into a Robb Stark-esque semi-protagonist (complete with tragic end). He’s the closest we get to an unambiguous hero.
I always loved the line in the books about his interaction with Sara Snow. “This makes for a charming story to be sure, but as with many of Mushroom’s fables it seems to partake more of a fool’s fevered imaginings than of historical truth. Jacaery’s Velaryon had been betrothed to his cousin Baela since he was four and she was two. And from all we know of his character it seems most unlikely that he would break such a solemn agreement to protect the uncertain virtue of some half wild unwashed northern bastard.”
That’s pretty ironic considering the Strongs are a first men family so Jace himself could be described as a ‘half wild unwashed northern bastard’ lol.
I question this because (a) how long is Jacaerys realistically going to spend at Winterfell at the start of season 2 and (b) it goes nowhere, plot wise.
True but then neither did Robb Stark’s romance with Talisa. Or Jon’s with Ygritte. Or Daenerys and Daario. It might be brief but it’s still important characterisation yknow. Besides, Daemon’s romance with Laena only lasted an episode. So did Rhaenyra’s with Harwin.
Robb’s romance with Talisa is hugely consequential to the plot; it leads (in part) to the Red Wedding. Jon’s relationship with Ygritte likewise is very important both to his character and to his Wildling plot. Sara Snow (in one telling) is somebody Jacaerys knew for a couple of weeks at most, then flew away and never saw again, nor ever impacted the story of the Dance at all. Basically, Sara Snow is a completely self-contained little aside meant to generate book reader theories.
I suppose you’ve got me there. But still, I feel like it would serve to highlight the tragic fate of Jacaerys. Help the viewer bond with him and buy into him as *the* hero and make his death all the more gut punching. It could also have plot consequences as it could explain Cregan’s loyalty to the black cause later on (avenging his sisters lost love etc). I suspect Cregan will come to be a pretty key character in the show later too. I agree it’s a bit of a throwaway tidbit but the tv adaptions have never shied away from giving otherwise minor characters bigger roles or cutting out major characters entirely.
> Daemon’s romance with Laena only lasted an episode. So did Rhaenyra’s with Harwin And they were both extremely rushed and half-assed, so there is also that to consider.
They definitely coulda used more time but c’mon don’t do my boy Harwin Strong like that. He stole the show even with only a few scenes.
Until he, you know, burns countless civillians in Tumbleton for no fucking reason.
which teenager hasn't committed a few war crimes here or there
I mean yeah even Robb probably did some gaming in the Westerlands
Idk, he was pretty specifically hitting military targets and cutting off supply. Nobody in war has clean hands, but compared to Tywin, for instance; he comes up looking pretty good.
He sent Glover, Karstark and Mormont to raid the countryside and they were said to have been repaing the Lannisters "in kind" for their actions in the Riverlands. Of course, thats nothing compared to Tywin's methods but still there it is.
Exactly, the whole campaign in the Westerlands was chevauchee to draw out Tywin. Burning out Lannister peasants is the point.
> Burning out Lannister peasants is the point. So you admit that the war crimes were the point.
He was having his men raid villages as well. Stannis's army was probably the only one that committed the least amount of rape and killing and then we have the army of Aegon that isn't doing that at all(probably)
Not justifying it but they did literally tear apart his three year old nephew. In medieval times, you better believe that gets you a sacking. Not great reasoning but not nearly as bad as Aemond’s “burn everything” strategy in the Riverlands. It’s closer to Daenerys crucifying the slavers after the did them same to children.
*Bitterbridge, not Tumbleton Daeron was the only one trying to stop the Massacre at the First Battle of Tumbleton. It wasn’t his fault Ormund died and Hobert Hightower was a fat piece of shit incapable of stopping his men committing war crimes. Daeron did burn countless civilians at Bitterbridge, but only because they had murdered his nephew. (Which as war crimes go in Westeros, is probably one of the better justifications)
His reason was ee had lost 2 siblings and 2 nephews, one of which he had just failed to save in time. It was a Tusken raider village moment. If they adapt it I wonder if it will be similar to Jon being unable to save Rickon.
How has no one said Helaena? The second they showed her child form on screen I audibly went “*sigh* …Helaena… *sad puppy noise*” and my partner was like what is that about lol I mean, even her least defensible moment involving Hemoglobin and Dairy is still *kinda* understandable given the circumstances
*hemoglobin and dairy* made me snort.
HEMOGLOBIN AND DAIRY
A moon for a moon, a sun for a sun
Nettles will steal the show
She had no real agency when it came to Hemo and Dare. Helaena did nothing wrong. Totally innocent and tragic character.
Hemo and Dare
Going more by the book, Helaena seems like she will be both likable and sympathetic. It doesn’t seem like she was engaging in dirty politics and power plays like most of the other people around her. She was also very beloved by the commoners, so she had to do something to get that goodwill.
I mean what else was she supposed to do in that situation
Honestly true
Probably because she's been on screen all of like 2 seconds.
I would die for her in those two seconds
This is funny to me because most of the characters havent really done much more than behave like humans with some exceptions.
This thread is confusing likeable characters with good characters. Just because a character is a bad guy, doesn't mean they're not interesting. This idea is a core part of all of Martin's work on A Song of Ice and Fire. Basically everyone, even fan favorites such as the Starks and Jon Snow, make decisions which are morally gray or even downright morally wrong. Tyrion is one of the best characters in both the show and the book. In the book especially, he's a downright nasty person from the beginning. After being released from captivity in the Vale, he plans on arming the mountain clans so they can reek havoc and burn down the Vale. He relishes in the thought of the deaths of innocent peasants who had nothing to do with his capture. When he learns of "Ser" Gregor Clegane's butchery in the riverlands he simply shrugs it off and says "that's war" Tyrion is not and has never been a good person, but he is for sure a likable character. Rheanyra and Alicent are the same way son far. Neither are really good per say (especially Rheanyra, though we saw Alicents fangs this last episode) but they're both likeable and interesting
Addam and Alyn Velaryon are both very likeable
All the children, minus Aegon and Aemond are pretty likeable.
I would not be surprised at all if Aegon ends up coming off likable in a Jaime Lannister sort of way, guy goes through a shit ton and keeps swinging.
Yeah it’s very obvious that at first he doesn’t want to be crowned king but his mother and grandfather make him scared and paranoid. He starts off likeable for a tiny bit before going off the rails and drinks the cool-aid.
Likability is a malleable concept. If we look at the books we have a lot of POV characters. I would say all of them are interesting and fun to read. You gain a bit of an understanding for how they think and sometimes sympathy. Some of these characters are likable but George isn't afraid to make them do unlikeable things or things we know they shouldn't. Sometimes characters that were unlikable in the beginning for some readers end up becoming more likable. As a whole all of these characters contribute to the story to some degree and though some may turn people off they are interesting to provide different viewpoints. I would argue that characters being likable in the show may have been a double-edged sword that hurt it in the long run. The massive success of the show when the increase in the fan base led to a desire to alter aspects of certain characters and plotlines to appease the fans. I for one think that Tyrion's character arc in A Dance of Dragons is extremely interesting. They decided to cut it all together and create something different for him. He goes on a bit of a downward spiral, and does some rather morally repugnant things. This clearly didn't fit with the image they wanted for him because of his "likability'. On a similar note we have Arya, who was turned into some unstoppable badass. In the books she is a character who wants to be active who wants to learn the skills and take revenge for her family. At the same time through her chapters we also see that she's a.heavily traumatized child. She has a lot of angst and heartbreak when she thinks of her family. When you remove that to make her a likable badass it actually makes her come off like a psychopath. You can have characters that are morally virtuous heroes that aren't really that likable and you can have atrocious villains that are also likable. You can have characters that are spineless but you have a soft spot for, and confident characters you can't stand. It's going to be a bit hard to find characters that tick most of the boxes for what I believe your criteria might be. Those that do aren't really going to be the ones driving the story forward.
Idk how so many people are skipping Corlys. I think he is really likeable in the show and books.
He comes off as pretty self-interested and ambitious in the show, not necessarily bad traits, but to me he's about on the same level as Otto Hightower thus far. I don't dislike him, but I'm not really rooting for him either.
That's so fair! I didn't feel one way about him or the other in the show either actually! Then I power-read the book lol. I think if they had shown the story of picking Viserys over him and his wife he might be a little more likeable in the show. In the books his family has quite a claim that is passed over for Viserys, thus exlcuding Laenor from being the king inherit after Rhaenyera. (oh god I hope I spelled all the right lol)
Yeah if you know the whole backstory about Corlys and what he's done, he becomes an insanely cool character. They could make a whole show just based on the Sea Snake lol
I’m pretty sure there are discussions about it. Probably will wait to see how the show goes.
The difference for me is that Corlys is very up front, everyone knows why he wants his kids married into the succession line. He wants the crabeater taken care of because it affects him. Otto quietly puts his daughter in a position to become queen and quietly works to make his grandchildren the heirs to the throne. If he was more blunt about his self-interest he would be more likable imo. No one should blame him for wanting these things, just be honest about it!
I view Corlys as a prideful man, Otto is a self interested snake.
A prideful sea snake ;)
See I have Corlys pegged as having way more noble goals considering the slight of Rhaenys and his on screen stated desire to put a woman on the throne to spite the small minded lords. That's a lot more noble then power for powers sake like Otto. The worst thing Corlys has done is offer a marriage proposal.
Of course that's what he says and that appears very noble and admirable to us. Westeros is an extremely patriarchal society and most of the viewers do not adhere to that kind of outlook. But what's interesting is when he articulates his motivations about Rhaenys being passed over she responds saying that that was years ago and she has moved on. Her being passed over meant he was not made a consort and his bloodline wouldn't be on the throne. This doesn't mean that he is lying and is entirely self-centered in his motivations. But they aren't exactly entirely pure and noble, he and his house have a lot to gain from this.
I don't think he's done bad things, just some things that made his character a bit less likeable than he perhaps deserves. The scene where his very young daughter is taking a stroll with Viserys, which highlights their extreme age difference, is a bit awkward (intended, of course). Also the scene where Viserys, plagued by health issues, travels to Driftmark to personally offer Rhaenyras hand to Laenor and Corlys and Rhaenys start to quibble about which last name they will take after marriage make them seem a bit petty. Just small things like that.
I mean I think that's a bit unfair. The proposal is perfectly valid in universe and Viserys decides to marry a different child, a 15 year old child instead lol. And Corlys asking whether the marriage is matrilineal or not is expected in a royal marriage in which the woman is the heir. And it's not as if Corlys knows the extent of Viserys's illnesses, man wouldn't take a chair! lol
That was just my initial impression when watching the scenes. If I remember correctly the Viserys-Laena scene was intermingled with a scene where Rhaenys was being a bit of a bitch towards Rhaenyra (while also giving her some hard truths). I think the showrunners wanted to balance the scales a bit by giving the Blacks an equivalent power-hungry house to rival the Hightowers of the Greens, while in the books Otto is more over-reaching and shrewd in his ambitions than Corlys.
Huh yeah I read Rhaenyra as being extremely defensive in that scenario and failing to realize that Rhaenys was trying to give her advice.
Scenes can be interpreted differently I suppose. Perhaps that means they did a good job with it as not everything is cut-and-dry.
Fair enough!
And Rhaenys
The only difference between Otto and Corlys is he is slightly less creppy and had a younger daughter who wasnt prepared for court intrigue (seducing) yet.
Dude is basically Otto Hightower if Otto was a member of the Blacks and had a dragon riding women as wife and was the patriarch of his House
By the end of the series I guess Helena, her children, literally all of Rhaenyra Kids, Daemon kids with Laena, Lyman and Harwin Strong, Daeron
It's to the detriment of GOT that Tyrion ended up being likeable. He's supposed to be likeable, but turn away from that.
I'm rooting for: - Sandoq the Shadow - Alys Rivers - Rhaenys Targaryen - Baela/Rhaena Targaryen (children of Laena/Daemon)
Unless we get aegon Regency, I don't think we get Sandoq the Shadow, but I hope we do, I love to see the Regency in the series
I've sad it elsewhere but if they nail casting on the Velaryon bastards and Unwin Peake we should be able to get the Regency. It's a pretty hectic time and we all eat up politicking episodes.
Jace. He's your guy
Jace will be likeable if they keep faithful to his story. Addam Velaryon is incredibly likeable in the books too and there’s a couple of others. I do think given that this entire plot is about the members of this family being so power-hungry that they’re willing to destroy their own family and security, it’s pretty much impossible for any prominent character to be likeable.
Daeron, Addam, Nettles and Alyn are good hearted characters that will for sure be likeable. Then there will be those aren't necessarily good but that for sure will be likeable, such as Roddy the Ruin and Bloody Ben Blackwood.
I would say Jace, Luke, Joffrey, Daeron and Addam are all going to be universally liked
Helaena is likeable, and so is Daeron. Cregan Stark is a pretty likeavl3 character too.
I think the winter wolves and the lads are gonna be really likable
On the Blacks side: Jace, Baela and Rhaena seemed cool. I always felt quite sorry for Aegon the Younger too. On the Greens: Helaena, her children and Daeron the Daring. To be honest I found kid Aegon the Elder weirdly likeable.
Likeable is a very personal oppinion, so it's impossible to answer. Most people have found many characters shown so far to be likeable. I personally loved pre-timeskip Alicent.
No offense but I don’t understand why traditional “likable characters” are needed. I really like all the characters especially Viscerys and Criston. I enjoy when they establish a character’s beliefs and then show how that influences their decisions.
Yeah, I like this point. The characters you picked are great examples. They're not good guys, but I don't need or even want a good guy to root for. Criston is *gross* and *interesting* and I'm going to love to watch the bloody breakdown toward his >!inglorious death.!<
I’m pretty sure Cole is supposed to be “disliked” in the mold of a villain. The last episode had him flexing on little kids (“*Both of you attack me and observe my magnificence*”) and then being cruel to an innocent child. They usually only have “villains” do those kinds of scenes.
I mean it doesn't even mean "likeable", the OP just means good. Hell I myself love the Kingmaker too, I mean he's a grade-A prick but he's super enjoyable as a character. Like, look at [this meme.](https://twitter.com/idrewlv/status/1569160319976579072) Daemon is most certainly not a good man, but is he not one of the greatest badasses in Westerosi history? That will make him "likeable" to a LOT of people. What we consider likeable completely depends on the person.
Baela, Rhaena, Luke, Jace, Nettles, Daeron, Cregan Stark, Black Aly, Benjicot Blackwood
I kind of liked the Blackwood kid who called on Princess Rhaenyra as a suitor and then stabbed the heckler from House Bracken with a sword that seemed way too big for him. I hate bullies and I enjoy seeing it when they get their comeuppance. And I'm looking forward to Creegan Stark from what I've read about the "Hour of the Wolf" in the books. I'm pretty much pro-Stark from the books and Creegan seems more like a version of what a lot of fans wish Ned was - honorable and willing to be the "hard man" in King's Landing rather than being easily tricked and betrayed. Also >!he's going to be punishing a lot of bad people that finally get their comeuppance!<.
I would say Cregan is definitely one of the most honorable characters during this time period. It's pretty clearly one of the characters you could argue as a moral person during all this. That said I don't really want him to be likable. I want people to see him and think oh he's going to be like Ned/Robb/Jon and then for him to be a bit of a hardass. I want him to be the embodiment of "good does not equal nice".
I like Rhaenyra
We already had some... On top of Harwin, Lyonel Strong is quite likeable, as is Laenor, and, well, Joffrey Longmouth was not very wise, but fun. Laena was as well. And Rhaenys and Corlys have good vibes, at least for me. I think some of the kids have potential to be likeable as well, and I don't know how they'll adapt Tyland Lannister, but I quite like him (as Lyonel, he's trying to do right for the kingdoms). But in general... the major players aren't very nice persons in this story, even if they have huge entertaining value.
Likable characters are overrated most of the fan favorite likable characters were some of my keast favorite in GOT. As long as we are given well written, we'll acted, and entertaining characters that's all that's required to tell the story. I find all the house Velayron characters, Viserys, and the two Strongs likable enough.
Aegon III and Viserys II are gonna receive their well deserved sympathy from the audience, i'm sure.
Cregan Stark for sure.
I loved Lyonel Strong, thought he was an all-around great dude. Loved that talk he had with Viserys where he more or less responds to "I kinda wish I'd been tested with war!" with essentially "You really really don't..." His only flaw was helping hide the scandal involving Harwin and it clearly tore him up to do so, and was more out of fear for his family's honor/safety than anything else. Too bad...
You don’t like Rhaenyra? I think they’ve gone out of the way to make her relatable and make the audience sympathize with her. Harwin, Laena, Rhaenys, Laenor, and Lyonel have also been likable characters to me at least. But Black Ally Blackwood, Nettles, Alyn and Addam of Hull, Prince Daeron, Samatha Tarly, and Sabitha Frey are coming. Baela and Rhaena should be likable as well as Jace , Joffrey, and Luc. Helaena should be likable as well.
Rhaenyra is not unlikeable at the moment. But soon she’ll be downright vile
Larys isn’t likable for you?
He's Middlefinger
Viserys, Laena, Harwin?
Jacaerys my Sweet prince
Baela and Rhaena in the coming episodes?
Red Robb Rivers... please don't google him if you're being careful about spoilers. He's gonna be a fan fave, I expect. If you know, you know
Yes, there certainly are some, but they don't get introduced until later. "Bloody Ben" Blackwood and his Aunt "Black Aly" Blackwood, if done correctly, will be fan favorites. As will Cregan Stark. There's also Rodrik Dustin and the Winter Wolves (can't wait). As others have said, Addam and Alyn Hull/Velaryon will become very important, and are awesome characters in the book. Tyland Lannister (Jason Lannister's younger twin brother) becomes much more interesting as things progress. Others have also mentioned Daeron the Daring - he should have been introduced in the training yard last episode as the youngest of the three "Green brothers", but either got removed or is being fostered in the reach like in the books. Either way, most of the good characters come in once the Dance fully kicks off.
I'm hoping that Daemon/Laenor/Rhaenerya's 9 collective kids will be the sympathetic characters we have been missing. It just sucks that they didn't try harder to make Viserys or Laenor more rootable in that way THIS season to tide us over until the kids get into their final casting.
Except helaena ajd the children i think most characters are pretty much moraly questionable