Words by Christiana Catu
Game of Thrones has had its fair share of interesting characters–from honorable, annoying (Joffrey, ugh), loveable, to truly terrifying. But you can’t deny that the scenes that make the most impact, apart from that epic Battle of the Bastards (we’re not even going to compete with that one), are the girl power moments which are surprisingly abundant in the show despite being set in the medieval times.
Now, we are definitely not saying that all this girl power was used for the greater good (or anything good for that matter), but it surely helped these characters get the job done. So here are ten girl power moments that definitely deserve a place in the history of women on television:
READ: This Is Why I Think Game of Thrones Will Have a Happy Ending
10. When Cersei reminded Ned that she knew how the game is played
“And what of my wrath, Lord Stark?… When you play the game of thrones,
you win or you die, there is no middle ground.” – Cersei Lannister
When Ned Stark learned the truth about Cersei Lannister’s children, he told her to run and hide away because King Robert’s wrath would follow them. Cersei showed early in the series that she was to be feared, because possibly more than anyone, she knew how the game is played. And, boy, she really did emerge as the best political strategist in the show.
9. When Olenna taught Daenerys one thing
“I’ve known a great many clever men. I’ve outlived them all. You know why?
I ignored them. The lords of Westeros are sheep. Are you a sheep?
No. You’re a dragon. Be a dragon.” – Olenna Tyrell
The famous tart-tongued Queen of Thorns (as Cersei put it); could Lady Olenna even be defined by a single moment? She radiated power all throughout her existence in Westeros. But perhaps, the greatest would be when she shared her secrets to Daenerys Targaryen and told her that she was a dragon, so be a dragon.
8. When Brienne defeated The Hound
“All my life men like you have sneered at me. And all my life I’ve been
knocking men like you into the dust.” – Brienne of Tarth
Brienne defeated The Hound in a swordfight for custody of Arya. But this was not the first time we got to see her impressive fighting skills, Brienne had also defeated The Knight of the Flowers, Loras Tyrell, who was known for being good in battle, back when she still served Renly Baratheon. Well, she really did earn her current status. IFYKWIM. 😉
7. When Lyanna made an assertion that she would fight
“I don’t plan on knitting by the fire while men fight for me.”
– Lyanna Mormont
Lyanna Mormont was the future of House Mormont and Lady of Bear Island at the age of 10. She declared her loyalty to the King in the North and called out one by one the High Lords who refused the call despite their sworn allegiance. More than that, she asserted that she would fight with the grown men of the North.
6. When Arya perfectly knew who she was
“No, that’s not me.” – Arya Stark
Isn’t this the moment we all decided that Arya is a character to watch out for? These were medieval times when women were taught that the height of their achievements was marrying rich, powerful men and producing heirs. Arya, perfectly knowing who she is, responded that that’s not her. A girl knows she has always been a warrior.
5. When Sansa saved the Battle of the Bastards
“No one can protect me. No one can protect anyone.”
– Sansa Stark
This was when we first caught a glimpse of the fruit of Sansa’s many years under the mentorship of Cersei and Littlefinger. She knew he was in love with her, and she used that to her advantage. Sansa reminded Littlefinger of the debt he owed her for selling her to the Boltons and asked him to send reinforcements to the North.
4. When Margaery tamed Joffrey
“I don’t know, Your Grace. Do you think I could? Would you like to watch me?”
– Margaery Tyrell
Margaery Tyrell was a political enchantress. In this scene, she gave Joffrey the illusion of taking the reins, all the while knowing what she was capable of. Margaery had the charm and cleverness for manipulation. She knew how to play within the enemies’ walls, and tricked even the most ruthless entity to savage King’s Landing–the Faith of the Seven.
3. When Sansa and Arya confronted and executed Petyr Baelish
“I’m a slow learner, that’s true. But I learn.” – Sansa Stark
It seemed only yesterday when Sansa and Arya Stark could not agree on anything, and it still looked exactly like that in the show’s 7th season. But little did we know, the two sisters were conspiring to avenge their family. And they did it marvelously, with Sansa standing strong and firm and Arya as the executioner like the proper Lady of Winterfell and the warrior they have always been.
2. When Arya wiped out House Frey
“Leave one wolf alive and the sheep are never safe. When people ask you what happened here, tell them the North remembers. Tell them winter came for House Frey.” – Arya Stark
Nobody does revenge better than Arya Stark. And she not only does it, but she also does it brutally and dramatically. After the Freys conspired with the Lannisters to massacre her mother and her brother, Arya made sure not a single soul of those treacherous men would remain walking the earth, so she served them a REALLY good pie. 😉
1. When Daenerys freed the slaves in Mereen
“All men must die, but we are not men.” – Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, First of Her Name… and all that, can we just call her the Queen of Badassery? Daenerys got through the seven seasons with her burning lines and three enormous dragons. But this moment still took the cake, she held out on an entire negotiation pretending she didn’t understand the insults she was getting from the slave master. It was not until she had the whip in her grasp that she revealed who she was and freed the slaves.
Which moment did you love? Tell us in the comments!
