If the upcoming House of the Dragon has any hopes of succeeding in the way that its predecessor did, it is going to have to leaven its political heaviness with a character who cares nothing for nobles and their aspirations for power. In Game of Thrones, the Hound was this character.
With his sharp tongue and his relentless cynicism, he was something of a corrective to the many other characters whose constant scheming occupied so much screen time. As a result, it’s actually fairly easy to find a number of quotes that neatly sum up his entire personality.
All The Chicken
"I Understand That If Any More Words Come Pouring Out Your Mouth, I'm Gonna Have To Eat Every Chicken In This Room."
Though he can be quite dour at times, the Hound has an unmistakable sense of humor that emerges every now and again. This particular quote emerges as he is engaging in a bit of an exchange with a Lannister soldier.
In addition to being a very funny quote from the series, it is also a potent reminder that the Hound truly has no loyalty to anyone other than himself. Just as importantly, it also shows that he holds those who do in no small amount of contempt.
The Purposelessness Of Life
"There's No Divine Justice. If There Was, You'd Be Dead. And That Girl Would Be Alive."
Many of the characters in Game of Thrones express at least a bit of belief in the afterlife and in some form of justice. This is particularly true of the Brotherhood without Banners. For Sandor, however, these are all convenient myths that people make up in order to give themselves something to believe in, something to help stave off the inevitable despair of living.
The Hound, by contrast, is the type of person who would rather just embrace the nothingness and despair of life in Westeros, as this quote makes very clear.
He’s Brutally Honest
"I'm Honest. It's The World That's Awful."
There are many intelligent characters in Game of Thrones, and, in some ways, the Hound should be seen as one of these. In this quote, he reveals just how sharp he is at understanding the world as it is rather than as he might wish it to be.
There is, to be sure, a profound cynicism here, but this is unsurprising since that is a key element of the Hound’s personality and his outlook on life. While some might fault him for this, it remains a key part of his appeal and an explanation for why he remains such a popular character.
Let The Hate Flow Through You
"Hate's As Good A Thing As Any To Keep A Person Going. Better Than Most."
While some Game of Thrones characters, such as Daenerys, convince themselves that they’re doing what they do out of a sense of justice and fairness, the Hound dispenses with that. He openly states here that one of his own motivations for doing things is out of a sense of hatred.
There are, in fact, very few characters who he doesn’t hate in one way or another, though his brother Gregor is one of the prime recipients of his feelings. Once again, it’s his brutal honesty about his own identity and feelings that help him to be one of the series’ best characters.
Time Changes Everyone
"You've Changed, Little Bird. None Of It Would Have Happened If You'd Left King's Landing With Me. No Littlefinger, No Ramsay. None Of It."
The bond between Sansa and the Hound is one of the strangest in the series, and it is also, in its own way, one of the series’ more wholesome friendships. While others might continue to underestimate Sansa and her abilities, the Hound, as is often the case, sees the truth right away.
With this quote, he reveals that he has always had the measure of this Stark sibling. Rather than indulge in romantic pining for what might have been, he instead points out that her traumas have helped to make her who she is today.
That Was No Knight
"I Am No Knight. I Spit On Them And Their Vows."
Many great knights emerge during the Game of Thrones, men (and a very notable woman) who are formidable warriors. While some might hold them in high regard, the Hound makes clear with this quote that he has nothing but contempt for them. In fact, it is precisely this attitude that is so key to his personality and to his entire motivations as a character.
Of all of the characters, he is arguably the one with the most perceptive understanding of just how corrupted and false most of Westerosi culture has become.
The Sword Is Mightier Than The Pen
"If You Can't Protect Yourself, Die And Get Out Of The Way Of Those Who Can. Sharp Steel And Strong Arms Rule This World, Don't Ever Believe Any Different."
For some characters in Game of Thrones, nobility is an important virtue, and it suggests that there is something other than just blood and the law of might makes right. For the Hound, however, all of that is foolishness, as he makes very clear with this quotation.
Unlike others, who continue to believe in the romantic ideals of chivalry, he realizes that, truly, it is only steel that can be a protector, either for the weak or for the strong. It’s not a particularly pretty or glamorous way of looking at the world, but the Hound deserves credit for at least being honest.
He Has A Point
"Lots Of Horrible Stuff In This World Gets Done For Something Larger Than Ourselves."
Though there are many very likable characters in Game of Thrones, the Hound occupies a rather strange place in this regard. With his caustic attitude, he can at times be hard to like for either the characters or the viewer.
However, with quotes like this one, he reveals just how much he knows about the world and how it works. He recognizes, in a way that very few others do, that it is precisely those who claim to have some greater plan in mind who are capable of doing the worst things imaginable.
Everyone’s A Killer
"The Lannisters Are Killers. Your Father Was A Killer. Your Brother Is A Killer. Your Sons Will Be Killers Someday. The World Is Built By Killers, So You Better Get Used To Looking At Them."
Though she ultimately emerges as one of the bravest of the Starks, there are several points in the series where Sansa really struggles, and this conversation is one of them. In it, Clegane speaks openly and honestly about both himself and the rest of the people of the world in which they live.
From his point of view, there is only killing, and it is only because of their ability to take life that they are able to build something beyond themselves. It’s a piece of advice that Sansa does start to heed, and it shows how keen Sandor’s view really is.
He Doesn’t Have A Soft Side
"The Boy Is A Long Time Dying. I Wish He Would Be Quicker About It."
Though many people find the Hound’s commentary very amusing, there are times when it borders on the pathological. In one notable instance, he looks at a boy’s death as something that is more of a nuisance than anything else. Obviously, this says a great deal about the Hound.
More than anything else, it demonstrates the extent to which the traumas of his childhood–most of which were inflicted by his brother–have drained whatever little bits of sentiment or romanticism he might have had left.