There have been a few characters on Game of Thrones that started out as smaller supporting roles and eventually became some of the most important characters. Sandor Clegane aka The Hound is one such character who grew significantly during the first few seasons of the show.
Despite all that interesting character development in the earlier seasons, The Hound was another character who suffered from the show's decline in the later seasons. The show seemed to miss the point of what made him so interesting in the first place and failed to follow through on the best aspects of his journey. As a result, The Hound fans once loved ended up as another disappointment on the show's end.
His Helmet
The Hound is introduced in the very first episode of the series and makes quite a memorable entrance despite not having any lines. He rides into Winterfell in his black armor and wearing a helmet shaped like a dog's head.
The Hound is seen with that helmet several times in the first season but then it just disappears. It's a small detail but if the shown is going to introduce such a cool look for a character, they shouldn't just take it away without explanation.
Relationship With Sansa
The first sign of The Hound being a deeper character was his relationship with Sansa. While Sansa is a captive at King's Landing, The Hound takes an interest in her. It is creepy and unsettling, but he also watches out for her when no one else will.
When he flees King's Landing, he offers to take Sansa with him. It is an interesting relationship that needed to be explored more but it's forgotten. When The Hound and Sansa meet again, the show tries to give some half-hearted closure but it feels empty.
The Brotherhood Without Banners
The Hound first comes across Beric Dondarrion and the Brotherhood Without Banners when he is captured and stands trial for his crimes. After he begins his apparent path of redemption, he meets them again and joins their squad.
This seems like a forced plot development that doesn't make much sense. Beric and the others know who The Hound is and the kinds of things they have done. There is no reason they would ask him to join them other than the fact that it serves the story.
Fan Service Character
Part of the problem with many of the characters in the later seasons of the show was that the characters seemed dictated by the fans' reactions rather than what best fit the story.
The Hound was a fan-favorite character and there was a big response to the famous chicken scene in which he repeatedly called his enemies "c**t" before killing them. Eventually, that's all the character became. He insulted other people and killed people because that's what the show thought fans wanted to see.
Confused Arc
Season 6 sees the return of The Hound after he was thought to have been dead. It also seems to set him on a path to redemption. He tries to be a better man and look out for those who need protection. But the show has a tough time reckoning that with wanting to show The Hound killing people.
In the same episode where he returns and tries to turn over a new leaf, he also begins a bloody revenge mission. It's hard to say whether we're supposed to be cheering for him finding peace or killing bad guys. It makes his final arc in the show feel like a mess.
His Redemption
Game of Thrones has seen a lot of bad characters find redemption. However, sometimes that redemption seems quite unearned as in the case of The Hound. When he reappears on the show, he is living with a religious group led by Brother Ray.
Ray tells The Hound that it is never too late for him to make a change. However, the show never shows The Hound trying to make amends, like killing Micah, the butcher's boy. It's as if he earns redemption simply because he almost died.
Fear Of Fire
One of the interesting aspects of The Hound as a character is his fear of fire. Though he is one of the more intimidating people in Westeros, his childhood trauma of being burned by his brother still haunts him and makes him vulnerable.
This fear stays with The Hound throughout the show but nothing really interesting is made of it. Given that fire is the only thing that kills the army of the dead, it would have felt poetic if his final sacrifice was during that battle, but it just becomes a trait with no payoff.
The Protector
Once The Hound is back in the show, it is clear the show is hunting at some grad purpose for him. That purpose becomes clear during the Battle of Winterfell when The Hound overcomes his fear and protects Arya from the dead soldiers.
The Hound's purpose was to be Arya's protector so she could kill the Night King. Of course, that purpose might have a lot more impact if it wasn't Arya. If there is someone who needs protection less than anyone else, it is Arya Stark and therefore The Hound's purpose seems unnecessary.
Relationship With Arya
The Hound and Arya are one of the best duos the show produced. They begin by hating each other which is entertaining in its own way. Eventually, their hatred turns to begrudging admiration, but then Arya leaves The Hound to die.
When they talk about each other to other people, it becomes clear that they formed a deep bond and when they finally reunite, they are best of friends. We don't even get to see the development of them into friends as that is all done while their apart. It doesn't make for a very convincing bond.
The Mountain
The Hound's epic final moments on the show find him finally squaring off with his brother The Mountain in a fight to the death. Fans had been waiting for this moment for much of the series and it is a pretty brutal brawl. Sadly, it seems pointless.
The Hound was on this path to being a protector and becoming a better person. Throwing in this revenge mission against his brother doesn't make any sense. It once again feels like something the show did to meet fan expectations rather than create a compelling story.