There was a time when Game of Thrones used to be one of the greatest and most popular shows of all time. While the latter held true till the very last season, the same can't be said for the former, which eventually ended up fizzling out due to a string of poor writing decisions. However, regardless of what the ultimate fate of this show might've been, there's still no denying the fact that Game of Thrones was still an excellent TV show at its peak that was pretty much a must-watch for numerous reasons.

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A major part of what made this show so irresistible was its massive cast of characters, who ended up eliciting a ton of emotions in viewers with a combination of engrossing scripts, electrifying performances, and some truly masterful character arcs that helped these people evolve in more ways than one.

That being said, there were some character arcs that were way more satisfying than others, and this applied especially to the main cast. So, keeping this in mind, here are all the main characters of Game of Thrones, ranked on the basis of the quality of their character arcs.

Daenerys Targaryen

Daenerys standing in front of a fire in Game of Thrones

All the work that was put into Daenerys' character was completely undone in the second-last episode, which is easily one of the worst Game of Thrones episodes simply because of how it completely ruins the entire plot.

Daenerys' transition into a Mad Queen was done so laughably poorly that only the most gullible of viewers could've been coerced into believing such a horrible narrative.

Joffrey Baratheon

Joffrey in Game of Thrones

Joffrey might not have any depth as a character, but at least he didn't turn into this reviled character unnaturally like the last person on this list.

That being said, his one-sided evil nature is the only thing that truly defines him as a character.

Ramsay Bolton

Iwan Rheon as Ramsay Bolton

Ramsay is similar to Joffrey in the sense that he's also a character who's evil just for the sake of being evil.

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It's sad how many horrible men Sansa has been ensnared by in her life.

Stannis Baratheon

Stannis Baratheon Game of Thrones

Stannis Baratheon is a very unremarkable character, which doesn't really bode well in a series full to the brim with amazing caricatures.

There's absolutely nothing to be said about this character — he was overshadowed by his brothers in every way.

Speaking of which...

Robert Baratheon

Robert Baratheon looking into the camera in Game of Thrones

Robert Baratheon seemed like a fairly interesting character, even though it was fairly evident that his best days were very much behind him.

The fact that he died off fairly early in the first season as well never really gave his character any time to shine any brighter than it could've.

Bran Stark

Bran Stark in Game of Thrones

Bran's character was fairly interesting for the most part... that is, until he turned into the Three-Eyed Raven.

While this should've signaled a massive change for his character, the end result was anything but.

Tormund Giantsbane

Tormund smiling at Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones.

Tormund's role in Game of Thrones might've been mostly to be the comedic brawn of the Wildling group, but one can't deny that he was still quite entertaining regardless.

It's a shame that his character never really evolved from this cliche, however.

Jorah Mormont

Jorah Mormont in Game of Thrones

Jorah initially started off as a fairly compelling character... before losing his way as the series progressed.

In a way, he can be seen as a perfect allegory for how the show itself evolved over the course of its eight seasons.

Eddard Stark

Eddard Stark in King's Landing

Ned Stark was easily one of the most compelling characters in the first season of Game of Thrones, making his death all the more surprising.

That being said, one has to admit that it was Ned's obsession with working in adherence to a code of honor and trust amidst people who had no qualms about betraying him that ultimately led to his downfall.

Robb Stark

Robb Stark in armor outside in Game of Thrones

There was a point when Robb was actually developing quite nicely as a character, even though he might've still been lost without his mother.

However, all of this potential vanished once he broke his vows of marriage and ended up dying at the hands of the Lannisters, Freys, and Boltons.

Davos Seaworth

A close up of Davos Seaworth on Game of Thrones

Davos' rise as a character already made him quite interesting, even though most of these developments happened off-screen.

Unfortunately, just like most of the characters by the end of the show, his character arc simply fizzled out without so much as a whimper.

Cersei Lannister

Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones season 4 episode 2 The Lion and the Rose

Cersei was a pretty compelling character for the majority of Game of Thrones... before ultimately stagnating by the latter half.

Her evil queen schtick was simply too much to bear after a point, making her more annoying than what the writers would've intended.

Melisandre

Melisandre watches the burning of Shereen in Game of Thrones

The Red Woman was a pretty compelling character throughout the series, playing a major role using her mystical skills.

While she might've not really developed as a character, one can't deny that she was still fairly compelling for a major chunk of the series regardless.

Petyr Baelish

Petyr Baelish smirking in Game of Thrones

Littlefinger's devilish intellect and disloyal nature instantly made him a character whom people loved to hate and hated to love.

Unfortunately, his plans eventually collapsed under the weight of his own ambitions and he met a pretty gnarly end at the hands of Arya Stark.

Varys

conleth hill

Unlike Littlefinger, Varys was a man who was pretty likable regardless of what his outward appearances might've shown.

That being said, he ultimately became a victim of poor writing and made a misstep that was completely unlike him, leading to his immolation at the hands of Drogon.

Catelyn Stark

Catelyn Stark in Game Of Thrones

After the death of her husband, Catelyn did a very commendable job of advising her sons and mobilizing an army against the Lannisters.

However, the Red Wedding put an end to her character, with absolutely no mention of Lady Stoneheart for the rest of the series.

Theon Greyjoy

Theon becomes Reek in Game of Thrones

For the longest time, Theon seemed like nothing more than a pathetic wannabe ruler who would always be the black sheep of the family.

However, he came into his own after bearing the torture of Ramsay Bolton and ultimately became a pretty noble character who gave his life for the Starks.

Bronn

Bronn in Game of Thrones

Bronn might not have been the most complex character, but one can't deny that he was pretty entertaining to watch regardless.

His rags-to-riches story isn't one that felt lucky — Bronn truly seemed like a character who was destined for bigger things, and he ultimately achieved them.

Brienne Of Tarth

Gwendoline Christie as Brienne Of Tarth in Game of Thrones wielding a sword and wearing armour

Brienne is an excellent and multi-faceted character who never lost her edge throughout the series.

It's sad that Jaime never really chose to end up with her by the end of the series since they were clearly a great fit.

And speaking of the Kingslayer...

Jaime Lannister

Nikolaj Coster Waldau as the character Jamie Lannister in Game Of Thrones

For the majority of the show, Jaime was an excellent and riveting character, full to the brim with infinite depth and a whole host of complexities.

Unfortunately, it's a shame that the final seasons completely spat on his character and pretty much fed him to the wolves as a result of some truly horrible character writing.