Warning: The article contains a brief discussion about sexual assault. It also contains a few disturbing and violent video clips from Game of Thrones.
With House of the Dragon set to premiere on August 21, the show's primary villain remains a mystery. However, this lack of a clear-cut villain may pose as a good thing because there may be a grey area with all the main players in the prequel, with House Targaryen enduring a family schism during the Dance of the Dragons events.
On the other hand, Game of Thrones had its fair share of wicked and vile characters, with memorable villains like Joffrey Baratheon and Cersei Lannister. The number of villains doesn't stop there, with a few secondary characters who also committed evil, but not at the same level as the primary antagonists. While they weren't as prominent as other Thrones bad guys, they were still horrid enough to earn a place in the pantheon of villainy.
Grand Maester Pycelle
When it comes to playing the game, few characters were as sneaky as Grand Maester Pycelle. Posing as an unassuming and harmless old man, Pycelle managed to outlive six kings before meeting his gruesome ending at the hands of a group of savage children.
Pycelle did considerable damage despite never being one of the game's more ruthless players. He was self-serving and manipulative, enjoying participating in Cersei's petty games and being happy acting as an accessory in Tywin's grander schemes. Pycelle was the perfect example of a sneaky character who managed to stay afloat by never drawing too much attention.
The Waif
Few characters in GoT were as loathsome or fearsome as The Waif. Serving as a servant to the Many-Faced God in the House of Black and White, The Waif subjects Arya to intense torture while training her to become a faceless assassin.
Although The Waif was supposed to hold no personal feelings against Arya, or anyone for that matter, she enjoyed torturing the youngest Stark girl. The Waif spends most of seasons 5 and 6 emotionally and physically harming Arya before dying at her hands after a prolonged chase across Braavos. Arya is one of the best characters in Game of Thrones, and her experiences with The Waif helped her become one of Westeros' most ruthless assassins.
Myranda
Anyone comfortable around Ramsay Bolton was probably just as evil as he was. Case in point, Myranda, one of Ramsay's many lovers and the kennel master's daughter, was as cruel as Ramsay and enjoyed torturing others, including Theon and Sansa.
Ramsay was the evilest character in Game of Thrones, but he had a fondness for Myranda, mainly because he saw her as a kindred spirit. She made each appearance memorable by displaying her taste for cruelty, becoming one of the show's most hated characters. Thus, many fans probably cheered when Theon pushed her to her death.
Craster
Out of the many, many despicable characters in Game of Thrones, few were as revolting as Craster. Living in a fortified stronghold beyond the Wall, Craster married his daughters and incestuously fathered new children. Worst of all, he delivers his male babies to the White Walkers as a form of tribute.
Craster's relationship with his daughters is horrifying enough. However, his sacrifice of children to the White Walkers cemented him as one of the most reprehensible villains in a show full of them. He played a major role in expanding the White Walker's army, trying to buy himself all the time possible before their eventual conquest. He dies at Karl's hands in season 3, and not a moment too soon.
Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane
Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane was of pure violence, hatred, and uncontrolled rage. One of King's Landing's most infamous residents, The Mountain was responsible for raping Elia Martell and killing her and her young children on Tywin Lannister's orders during Robert's Rebellion. The Mountain is also behind one of the show's most gruesome and notorious deaths, cracking Oberyn Martell's skull open with his bare hands.
The Mountain dies twice throughout the show, and he deserves each death. He is a despicable and raging person, more beast than man. His brother, Sandor "The Hound" Clegane, was a complicated character, but he at least had some semblance of honor. The Mountain was brutality personified, a mindless being of pure rage, and enjoyed killing more than anything else.
Ser Alliser Thorne
Traitors and mutineers are instantly unlikeable, and Alliser Thorne was both. Logically, he's one of the most hated characters in Thrones' history. Thorne was instantly antagonistic towards Jon, and their relationship only worsened, culminating in Jon's death at the end of season 5.
Even so, in his own twisted way, Thorne did what he believed was right. His last words before dying perfectly summarize his viewpoint, and he holds his head high, if not proud of then at least not sorry for his actions. Thorne was a man of conviction, willing to fight until the bitter end. And he did.
Ser Meryn Trant
In the pantheon of despicable Thrones characters, Meryn Trant has a place of dishonor. Duplicitous and cruel, Meryn is supposedly behind Syrio Forel's death, earning him a spot on Arya Stark's list. He is also infamous for his brutality and pedophilia.
Ser Meryn doesn't appear much in the show, but he usually leaves a bitter taste in fans' mouths whenever he does. He dies in one of the show's most shocking sequences. And even though she pays a considerable price for killing him, doing so was one of Arya's best decisions in Game of Thrones to rid of a cruel and disgusting man in Westeros.
Roose Bolton
Game of Thrones had a slew of treacherous characters, but few outrank Roose Bolton. Although he was never particularly loyal to the Starks, mainly because his family believed themselves the rightful Wardens of the North, Roose's actions during the Red Wedding cemented him as one of the show's most despicable characters.
Alas, what goes around comes around, and Roose paid the price for his actions by being cursed with a despicable and cruel son. Roose's time as Warden of the North was short-lived, but no one can say his ending was undeserved. Dying at his son's hands was a fitting punishment for a man willing to sacrifice everything for some power.
Qyburn
Sinister but not cruel, Qyburn was genuinely interested in advancing his "scientific" pursuits. However, they were often unnatural and questionable, rendering him a pariah among the Citadel's Maesters. Finding patronage with Cersei Lannister, Qyburn became one of her most loyal subjects, remaining with her until the bitter end.
Although far from one of Game of Thrones' most honorable characters, Qyburn was unwaveringly loyal to Cersei. He restored The Mountain's health and committed unspeakable atrocities in her name, including aiding in her plot to blow up the Sept of Baelor and taking great pride whenever The Mountain killed anyone. It's a shame Qyburn was so unethical because his clever and curious nature might have done some genuine good.
Walder Frey
Walder Frey was the man responsible for Robb and Catelyn's deaths during the Red Wedding. Frey is notorious in Westeros for his cowardice and proclivity for marrying young girls he then mistreats.
Frey had reasons to resent Robb; however, his actions before, during, and after the Red Wedding were unprecedented. He cemented himself as a dishonorable man, willing to betray everyone without hesitation. His actions also changed the course of Westeros, effectively ending the War of the Five Kings and setting the stage for the Lannisters to claim the Iron Throne. Arya kills Walder and his entire family, avenging Robb and Catelyn's deaths and proving that the North indeed remembers.