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Children of House Stark

After the death of Lord Eddard Stark, his children go about in separate storylines.

For tropes related to the older generation of the Starks and the Stark family in general, see House Stark. For tropes related to the Starks' household, see House Stark Household.

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In General

Adaptation Dye-Job: In the books, most of the Stark children (except for Arya and certainly Jon) have the Tully family hair and eyes. In the show, Bran appears to inherit the Stark family look alongside Arya and Jon while Rickon is a compromise with light-brown hair.
Adaptational Wimp: In the books, it's confirmed by Word of God that all the Stark children are wargs, not just Bran. While Sansa never develops the ability because her direwolf Lady is killed early in the series and Robb and Rickon do not demonstrate the ability on-page, Jon and Arya have wolf dreams where they mentally connect to the minds of their direwolves while sleeping. Arya also develops the ability to warg into cats during her training with the Faceless Men. In the show, only Bran is a warg.
Adaptation Relationship Overhaul:
- Sansa and Arya get along better in the show than in the books. Their relationship still isn't really close until the end of season 7, but Sansa's bullying was omitted and Arya's Annoying Younger Sibling tendencies are played for laughs.
- In season 6 Sansa apologizes to Jon for being awful to him when they were children. In the books Jon felt hurt that Sansa only referred him as her bastard brother, but otherwise there is no mention of her mistreating him. Jon even remembers that Sansa taught him how to dance and talk to girls.
The Alliance: House Stark, under the leadership of Jon Snow and Sansa Stark, are able to create an unprecedented three-way alliance with the Northern Houses loyal to the Starks, the Wildlings, and the Knights of the Vale, in order to end the Bolton hold on the North and retake Winterfell. Afterward, with his coronation as King in the North, Jon is able to unify multiple disparate forces to combat the threat of the Night King and his army. By the end of Season 7, Jon is able to convince Daenerys Targaryen and her armies to help him in his mission to destroy the Night King, creating a new Stark-Targaryen alliance.
Beware the Nice Ones:
- The Starks live up to the family tradition of being brave, kind, noble, heroic, and compassionate. But, when pushed to breaking point, they are absolutely ruthless. Just ask the Boltons and the Freys. Actually, you can't as the Starks killed the last Bolton (Ramsay) while Arya single-handedly wiped out the male members of House Frey.
- The three youngest Stark (or rather, the youngest surviving) kids in particular, start the series as naive but ultimately good-hearted children who quickly end up struggling to survive the Crapsack World that they live in. Come the end of the seventh season, the three of them together successfully Out Gambit Petyr Baelish, confronting him with the evidence of all the wrong he's done to their family and in general, before executing him while he's on his knees begging for mercy.
Break the Cutie: After their family is separated, the Stark children have had it rough. They begin as a good, innocent, and loving family who grew up with a sheltered upbringing and had a good life — but then, the family is separated and scattered. Their home is destroyed and eventually taken over by people who betrayed them, half their family is murdered, and the members who haven't been horrifically killed, have been traumatized beyond belief, with some turning darker and/or more jaded. The fact that most of the Starks who remain are still in their teens, with the oldest being barely in his twenties, makes this all so much worse.
Combat, Diplomacy, Stealth: In Seasons 7 and 8, we have Action Hero Jon, Badass Bureaucrat Sansa, and Fragile Speedster Arya.
Fighter, Mage, Thief: By the end of the series, three of the surviving children fit these molds. Jon is the Fighter, skilled with a blade and tested in combat. Bran is the Mage, physically weak but possessing magical powers beyond the ken of men. Arya is the Thief, learned in disguise and trickery even before being trained as a terrifying assassin. Elder sister Sansa has her own niche as the diplomat, as she is skilled in convincing other people to do all the fighting and killing for her. The actors playing them even noted all this in an interview.
Generation Xerox: All of Ned's children seem to embody several of his traits.
- Robb has his leadership skills (both in war and peace), sense of duty, honor, and his compassion — fittingly as he is the heir of Winterfell.
- Bran has his father's Nerves of Steel and his overriding concern for his subjects (literally begging for Ser Rodrik's life) as well as his friendship with the children of Howland Reed, Ned's best friend, and considering his resemblance to Kid Ned in the flashbacks, probably the child who most closely resembles him physically.
- Jon has Ned's solemn demeanor, his sense of duty and honor, compassion, love for family, and strong leadership skills.
- Arya has Ned's fierce commitment to justice and his love and empathy for the small-folk.
- Sansa, despite her earlier infatuation for Joffrey, has Ned's idealism, compassion, love for family and for her home, Winterfell.
- Rickon has his compassion and love for family.
Genocide Backfire: The Lannisters teamed up with the Boltons and Freys to destroy House Stark forever. It backfired on the latter two spectacularly and it's clear the Lannisters are living on borrowed time as well. By the time the series ends, Tyrion is the only Lannister left and doesn't plan to have children, meaning the line will die out. Meanwhile, the Starks now rule Westeros, the North and possibly even beyond the wall as well.
Heroes Love Dogs: Each of the six kids gets a pet direwolf. Sadly, most of the direwolves have been killed by their enemies. Only Ghost and Nymeria remain alive, and Nymeria is no longer with Arya, but in the wild leading another pack.
Massive Numbered Siblings: Ned and Catelyn have a total of five children all living with them at Winterfell at the beginning of the series; six counting the kids' bastard half-brother Jon (though as it turns out, he’s actually their cousin). There's also Theon Greyjoy, Ned's ward, who is almost like a brother to them (and wishes he were), so if you count him that bumps it up to seven. They all end up being separated in the first season; Robb, Bran and Rickon stay at Winterfell, while Ned goes south with Sansa and Arya and Jon goes to join the Night's Watch. Then Arya runs away from King's Landing where Sansa is kept as a hostage, Robb becomes King in the North and Bran and Rickon have to flee Winterfell when Theon betrays them. Some of them never see each other again; by the end of the series, only half the Stark family remains: Sansa, Arya and Bran, and Jon.
Men Are the Expendable Gender: Of the six siblings, three have died in this order: Robb, Jon, and Rickon. Bran, the only remaining male kid who hasn't died, is now a cripple incapable of producing an heir.^note However, one of the three deceased (Jon) was resurrected.
Missed Him by That Much: For six seasons, the Stark kids have a history of crossing each other's paths within a hair's breadth of one another but not reuniting, seeming doomed to be prevented from coming together again until finally, two of the Stark kids — Sansa and Jon — reunite at Castle Black in Season 6. Zigzagged when Sansa, Arya, and Bran reunite in Season 7, but Arya and Bran arrive at Winterfell just after Jon leaves for Dragonstone.
Party Scattering: To a degree that almost none of the Starks get to know that the others are alive for sure, let alone how far they are from each other. Also, they seem to suffer from a case of Missed Him by That Much with the members almost reuniting but circumstances preventing this. At the end of Season 4, Bran is beyond the Wall under the care of a Humanoid Abomination, Rickon and Osha were sent to the Umbers but Roose Bolton states that no Northern Lord has seen or heard of them, Jon Snow is at Castle Black, Sansa Stark has changed her identity and become a willing accomplice to the lecherous Chessmaster Petyr Baelish, and Arya Stark has left Westeros altogether for the Free City of Braavos. In Season 6, two of the Stark kids, Jon and Sansa, are finally reunited. In Season 7, Bran and Arya reach Winterfell, reuniting with Sansa, but they just miss Jon, who went on a mission to Dragonstone shortly before they arrived. They're all finally reunited at the beginning of Season 8, but by the end of the series, they're separated once more: Jon is exiled back to the Night's Watch for assassinating Daenerys to prevent her further destruction of the world, Sansa becomes Queen in the North, Bran is elected King of the Six Kingdoms, and Arya sets sail to find out what's "west of Westeros".
Phrase Catcher: After Ned's death, the words, "Your father was a good man," tend to get thrown their way a lot.
The Remnant: The Stark children become this early in the series when their most prominent members are either dead or missing, their army is scattered, their household is ruined and family members are exiled by the crown, and their family name is also almost extinct in the male line.
Roaring Rampage of Revenge: All the Stark children have a strong desire for revenge against those who harmed their family and their home. Eventually, Sansa and Jon succeed in extracting this from the Boltons, who they wipe out forever with the death of Ramsay Bolton, while Arya murders "Lame" Lothar Frey, "Black" Walder Rivers, and Lord Walder Frey; the latter was the last surviving conspirator for the Red Wedding and the former two murdered Talisa and Catelyn. In Season 7, the first scene of the first episode features Arya continuing this revenge against the Freys, poisoning every last one of them right off the bat, while the last episode features Sansa, Bran, and Arya teaming up to execute Littlefinger, but not before exposing his many crimes against their family and the Arryns to the lords of the Vale. Winter has come, indeed.
Two Girls to a Team: Sansa and Arya are the only females among the siblings.

Character-Specific Pages

King Robb Stark

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/got_robb.png

"If we do it your way, Kingslayer, you'd win. We're not doing it your way."

Voiced By: Edson Matus (Latin American Spanish), Shinji Kawada (Japanese)

"One victory does not make us conquerors. Did we free my father? Did we free my sisters from the Queen? Did we free the North from those who'd have us on our knees? This war is far from over."

Eldest son of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. King in the North, King of Winter and King of the Trident. Murdered by his bannerman Roose Bolton and his host Walder Frey at his uncle Edmure Tully's wedding to Roslin Frey, which is known thereafter as the Red Wedding.

The Ace: According to Jon, who was very close with Robb when they grew up together.
Jon: I was jealous of Robb my whole life. The way my father looked at him? I wanted that. He was better than me at everything. Fighting, and hunting, and riding. And girls. Gods, the girls loved him. I wanted to hate him, but I never could.
Adaptation Dye-Job: His hair is brown instead of auburn like in the books, which is ironic since his actor Richard Madden has red hair in real life.
Adaptation Expansion: In the books, Robb's campaign in the Westerlands is never actually seen but is instead referred to by other characters. Parts of it are seen in the show and a romance subplot has been added. More importantly, the context around Robb's marriage is changed as well. This is because Robb is not a POV character in the books and his story is told in other people's chapters, primarily Catelyn's, but having the campaign take place offscreen and the Young Wolf not be a main cast member would work less well on TV.
Adaptation Relationship Overhaul: With Talisa Maegyr (Jeyne Westerling in the book). In the book version, he has sex with her in a moment of weakness after a battle and then feels he must marry her (though they are shown to have a passionate relationship, not just a dutiful one). In the show, they fall in love gradually and are Star-Crossed Lovers.
Adaptational Badass:
- In the book, Robb is still badass and an excellent commander. However, he's also very young and is less adept at hiding his inexperience and had to be reminded by his mother and Uncle Blackfish to act more kingly and not overcompensate. On account of the Age Lift, this Robb is socially more firm and adept and more of a natural king. He also botches up the Karstark execution in the books, whereas in the show, he gets it done on the first go. While Robb fights where the fighting is thickest in both the books and the show, in the books he needs a quasi-Kingsguard of 30 skilled warriors (mostly the sons, and one daughter, of his bannermen) and his direwolf to do it. In the show, his honor guard was left out.
- Theon and Jon consider Show Robb The Ace as they perceive him to be more skilled. In the books, Jon is noted to have been a better swordsman than Robb. Theon is noted to have been at the front of Robb's honor guard with the Smalljon, keeping him alive in the Vanguard. Of course Jon may believe Robb to be a better warrior but what we've seen arguably paints a similar picture to the books.
- This trope is zigzagged because the show, for reasons of Rule of Perception and simplification, dials down Robb's strategic genius to play up the Aesop of "winning all the battles and losing the war" whereas in the books, it's clear that while Robb did make crucial mistakes, Tywin mainly won due to a perfect storm of circumstances going against Robb.
Adaptational Dumbass: While his book counterpart married Jeyne Westerling to preserve her honor after sleeping with her, hoping that the Freys would understand, in the show Robb marries Talisa simply because he fell in love, making his decision much more reckless and less reasonable. The book version of Robb also tried desperately to make amends with House Frey when the knowledge of his marriage became public, since he knew how important their support was; in the show Robb doesn't seem to care about the Freys' reaction to his breaking of their agreement, and only tries to heal the breach when he literally has no other options. Granted, they likely would have killed him anyway even if he had apologised right off, but he could at least have tried for an earlier reconciliation.
Adaptational Heroism: Along with giving Robb an Age Lift, the show also toned down the sexist streak that his book counterpart developed as he became King. The book saw Robb dismiss Catelyn's counsel on the basis of her being a woman and tried to get her to return to Winterfell whenever she would voice criticisms of his rulings. His refusal of offering a hostage trade of Jaime Lannister for his two captive sisters were also a result of this, with Robb saying it would be an uneven trade since his sisters were girls and his bannermen would complain about losing Jaime for them. In the show, much of the antagonism between himself and Catelyn is reduced due to Robb being older and a more competent strategist.
Adaptational Jerkass:
- Robb breaking his oath to marry one of Walder Frey's daughters happens in both the books and the show, but the reasoning behind it is changed in a manner that makes him appear somewhat more selfish. In the book, Robb is wounded in battle, receives news of his two younger brothers' apparent deaths at the hands of his former friend Theon Greyjoy, drinks himself into a stupor, and, in a moment of weakness, has for Sex for Solace with the girl who is nursing him, Lady Jeyne Westerling. When he sobers up the next day, he realizes he has done her a great disservice by taking her virginity out of marriage, and takes her as his wife to restore her honor at the cost of breaking his own word to the Freys. In the show, Robb simply falls for Talisa and decides to marry her, even though he's sober and fully conscious that doing so will alienate the Freys. While he breaks his word in both versions (and his ultimate fate was Disproportionate Retribution either way) in the books, he did it to protect someone else, whereas in the show he's just putting his own happiness above keeping his word, something that people in his position unfortunately can't afford to do.
- Partially due to his Age Lift, show Robb tones down his book version's insecurities and turns him much more brash and hot-headed. In the books, Robb never insults Theon by bluntly reminding him he's not a Stark, and his act of placing his mother in house arrest was instead done by his uncle Edmure Tully.
- His treatment of Jaime Lannister as a captive is also worse in the show. After capturing Jaime, book Robb treats him decently, and only after the latter attempts to escape does he make him chained up and malnourished in the dungeons. Show Robb straight up cages and chains up Jaime in a pig-pen right after capture.
Always Someone Better: Seen this way by Jon, who reminisces that Robb was better at fighting, riding, hunting, and being a ladies man while they were growing up together. He's this to Theon too, who always looked up to him and felt he stood in Robb's shadow.
And Then What?: Asked verbatim by Talisa, who then points out that Robb is in the middle of a clash of kings, fighting to overthrow and kill King Joffrey but he seems to have no plan for what comes after.
Arranged Marriage: As part of the agreement with Lord Frey, Robb is bound to marry one of his daughters. He breaks the betrothal in "Valar Morghulis" by marrying Talisa Maegyr. In "The Rains of Castamere", he attempts to heal the breech by offering his uncle Lord Edmure Tully in his place, but... that doesn't turn out so well.
Ascended Extra: See Adaptation Expansion. In the books, most of his story was told from the point of view of his mother Catelyn. The show cuts down much of Catelyn's commentary and importance, instead delegating screen time and lines to Robb.
Authority Equals Asskicking: When other Northern Houses initially doubt him, his strength of character and skill (in addition to having a direwolf) quickly have them calling him the King in the North.
Awesome Moment of Crowning: Robb's is made all the more badass by not involving a crown at all. Instead, he's acclaimed as King in the North by his bannermen and certain Riverlords at Oldstones.
Assembled Lords: [drawing swords, kneeling] THE KING IN THE NORTH! THE KING IN THE NORTH! THE KING IN THE NORTH!
Badass Cape: He loves these. He wears one in almost all of his scenes after his crowning. It doesn't save him from death, however.
Badass Army: He leads one.
Badass Boast: Oh, many.
- When sending away the spy with misinformation:
  Robb: Tell Lord Tywin, winter is coming for him. Twenty thousand northerners are marching south to find out if he really does shit gold."
- When sending Alton Lannister to King's Landing:
  Robb: If she accepts these terms I will give her peace. If not I will litter the south with Lannister corpses."
- He ups it in episode four of Season 2 where he absolutely crushes a Lannister host at Oxcross, and the viewers are shown the aftermath of the battle. Indeed, the victory is so decisive that Lord Bolton turns a statement of fact into a Badass Boast (which is also a testament to Michael McElhatton's skill):
  Roose Bolton: Five Lannisters dead for every one of ours.
Batman Gambit: He pulls off one of these when he tells the Lannister scout that his army is 1) larger than it is and 2) is marching towards Lord Tywin Lannister instead of against Jaime Lannister. Even Tywin seems begrudgingly impressed.
Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Talisa, a surgeon he meets in the aftermath of Oxcross. They eventually marry.
Big Brother Instinct:
- Subtly looks disapproving at Sansa's attraction towards Joffrey in "Winter is Coming" and protects Bran from Wildlings in "A Golden Crown".
- He gets extremely pissed off when Lord Karstark kills the two young Lannister hostages, shouting, "THEY WERE BOYS!" when he tries to justify it and personally executes Lord Karstark shortly afterwards.
Blood Knight: Shows occasional signs of this.
Robb: The Lannisters have been running from us since Oxcross. I'd love a fight. The men would love a fight. But I don't think we're going to get one.
Broken Pedestal: Robb breaking his marriage vows ended up causing him to become this to his men in the third season. It persists well into Season 6, to the point where few houses support Jon and Sansa when they try to retake the North.
The Chains of Commanding: Starts to feel them in "Baelor", when he has to send two thousand men to their deaths in a battle with Tywin Lannister in order to defeat and capture Jaime Lannister. It only gets worse as the war rages on and his men begin to lose faith. In Season 3, his leadership decisions start to put him at odds with some of his more prominent men.
Cheated Death, Died Anyway: Robb needs Walder Frey's men to help him survive the battle with the Lannisters, which he does, but it requires him to enter a marriage pact with Walder Frey's daughter. He ends up getting injured - but not dying - on the battlefield, where he meets Talisa, falls in love with her, and gets killed by Walder Frey and his men in punishment for breaking his word.
Cool Big Bro: As the eldest Stark sibling, he's this to pretty much all the rest, especially to Arya and Jon Snow.
Curb-Stomp Battle: Every tangle with a Lannister army he has ends up with him doling this trope out. He keeps a 5:1 casualty ratio.
Deadpan Snarker: Not often, but he has his moments.
- When threatening to litter the south with Lannister corpses:
  Alton Lannister: King Joffrey is a Baratheon, your grace.
  Robb: Oh, is he?
- When meeting Talisa:
  Robb: You'd have us surrender, end all this bloodshed, I understand. And the country would be at peace, and life would be just under the righteous hand of "Good King" Joffrey.
- When chewing out Edmure:
  Robb: Tywin Lannister has my sisters. Have I sued for peace?
  Edmure: No.
  Robb: Do you think he'll sue for peace because we have his, father's brother's great-grandsons?
- At the Red Wedding:
  Talisa: But if she had her way I'd be back in Volantis playing my harp, and you'd be sitting over there eating blackberries out of Roslin Frey's hand.
  Robb: Perhaps I've made a terrible mistake.
Decoy Protagonist: Robb was the main Big Good for the Starks in the first three seasons, all set to avenge his father and free the North from the Southern yoke and take over as head of the Stark household. But then he died at the end of Season 3. After that, Sansa Stark and Jon Snow take over his role and restore the Starks in command and liberate the North, with Sansa becoming the Head of the household as the second oldest of Ned and Catelyn's brood, and Jon Snow becomes Robb's successor. Made even more notable then in the books where we only saw him from the POV of those around him, while in the show he has his own storylines centered on himself.
Defrosting Ice King: Very stoic initially; Talisa defrosts him.
Despair Event Horizon: When Talisa is killed, he just crawls to her corpse, makes an effort to stand up and lets Roose Bolton stab him in the heart.
Didn't Think This Through: Instead of marrying Roslin Frey to keep the Freys on his side for the war effort, he marries Talisa out of love. Instead of putting aside his honor and simply holding him hostage, he executes Rickard Karstark.
Doomed Moral Victor: Admits it's starting to look this way in "The Climb";
Robb: I've won every battle, but I'm losing this war.
Due to the Dead: Defied by the Freys; as soon as he's killed by Roose Bolton, they savagely hack his head off and impale Grey Wind's head on top of his chest, so they can parade it in front of his dying men on the battlefield. Gets even more depressing when one considers that Ned and Rickon's bodies were returned/recovered so they could at least be laid to proper rest in the crypt below Winterfell with the rest of their family. Its never commented on but one can likely assume Walder Frey did not send Robb's body home. Poor guy doesn't even get to be buried in his homeland with his family.
Dull Eyes of Unhappiness: Once Talisa is slaughtered in front of him, he just...stares.
Elective Monarchy: Elected King in the North by acclamation of his bannermen. As it turns out, what the bannermen give, the bannermen can take away just as easily.
Embarrassing Nickname: The King Who Lost the North.
Et Tu, Brute?:
- His reaction upon learning that Theon had seized Winterfell in his command tent.
- Feels deeply betrayed by his mother Catelyn when she releases the Kingslayer (Jaime Lannister) behind his back.
- Betrayed and killed by his bannerman Lord Bolton in "The Rains of Castamere," although he's too numb to register it.
Face Death with Dignity: According to Richard Madden, Robb standing and calling out to his mother Catelyn before his death is his way of letting her know he's accepted his inevitable death and that there's no point in fighting it.
Fatal Flaw:
- Like his father, Robb suffers heavily from Honor Before Reason. He assumes he can win back Walder Frey's loyalty by making amends and that Frey will honor Guest Right. He also assumes Roose Bolton's unwavering loyalty as his bannerman. All of this culminates in betrayal and murder.
- Robb also never heeds anyone's advice. He refused to listen to his mother about the Greyjoys and the Freys, and as a result is betrayed by Theon and later loses the Freys. Also, he ignored everyone (even his wife) wisely advising him to keep Lord Karstark as a hostage and executed him instead. This lost Robb the support of the Karstarks and forced him to return to Walder Frey for help, and we all know how that turned out.
A Father to His Men: His leadership style, as seen in "The Old Gods and the New", where he takes the time to mingle with the rank and file.
Four-Star Badass: Before hitting his twenties, he's a military commander who leads his own Badass Army of Northmen.
Generation Xerox:
- To his father. Richard Madden even mentions this in Robb's featurette. Though there is one crucial difference that separates them, as pointed out by Catelyn herself: Ned entered into a political marriage during the course of Robert's Rebellion, and honored that vow, refusing to Marry for Love even if there might have been another woman in his life (and allegedly the existence of Jon Snow would imply that there was).
- To his uncle Brandon, the eldest of Ned’s siblings. Like Brandon, Robb was the heir to Winterfell and reluctantly betrothed to a lady from the Riverlands. Both died while trying to help their father, who was executed by The Caligula and their sisters disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
Good Counterpart: Robb is this to Joffrey who is Robb's Evil Counterpart. They both rise to power around the same time frame of their fathers' deaths. Robb is characterized as being a beloved leader and tactician who doesn't shy away from combat while Joffrey is The Caligula and a Dirty Coward who would sooner let his guards do his dirty work for him. They both share the same flaws of making political enemies due to their rash behaviors (Robb's Honor and Joffrey's Greed). This ultimately costs both of them their lives, dying in a similar manner at a wedding within weeks of the same time frame.
Good Is Dumb: Zig-Zagged Trope. Robb starts his campaign (and kingship) taking everyone by surprise tactically and showing that he can show reason as well as honour (refusing to fight Jaime 1v1 is a good example). Then he makes mistakes later on, which start adding up...
The Good King: He aspires to this, and embodies some aspects of the trope. He is compassionate, honorable and good-hearted as king, strives to do the right thing, and fights alongside his men.
Talisa: What kind of king do you want to be?
Robb: I dunno [Beat] the good kind.
Guile Hero: As of "The North Remembers". He's pretty much required to be this, due to the fact that he is badly outnumbered by the Lannisters.
Heart Is Where the Home Is: Inverted; Robb breaks his betrothal to one of Walder Frey's Westerosi daughters to marry Volantene-born Talisa Maegyr. This doesn't end well; Walder is furious at Robb for breaking their pact, some of Robb's bannermen disparage Talisa as a "foreign whore" and it all culminates in both Robb and Talisa being murdered by the Freys at the Red Wedding.
The Hero: One of the closest fitting characters to the fantasy hero archetype.
The Hero Dies: In "The Rains of Castamere."
Hero Antagonist: To the Lannister POV in Seasons 2 and 3.
Heroic BSoD:
- When Theon betrays him.
- Another one when the Freys kill Talisa, which makes Robb refuse to flee or fight back before Roose Bolton puts him out of his misery.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Theon Greyjoy until Theon's betrayal.
Honor Before Reason: As with his father, he does the honorable thing even if it would be wiser to do elsewise. However, he finds ways to still twist this to his advantage, or to do the intelligent thing without compromising his honor.
- When his men capture a Lannister scout that was spying on their army, he sets the boy free to return to Tywin with a warning that he's coming for him, when actually he sends a skeleton army against Tywin and marches the bulk of his forces against Jaime.
- He tells Roose Bolton's son when he goes to retake Winterfell from Theon that any Ironborn who surrenders will be spared, since this is not only honorable, but it means they're more likely to hand over Theon to them without a fight.
- When Jaime challenges him to single combat to settle the war personally, Robb is perfectly aware Jaime is a better warrior and pointedly tells him that they both know Jaime would win, so Robb refuses.
Hypocrite: When Edmure is reluctant to marry Roslin Frey, Robb pressures him into it, even though Edmure's situation is his fault since he jilted House Frey to marry Talisa.
Icon of Rebellion: For the North. Between Seasons 1-3. In Seasons 6-7, Jon Snow becomes this.
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: By Roose Bolton, just after several arrows pierced his body.
Insult Backfire: When Jaime makes a point of referring to him as "boy", Robb's response amounts to "The boy who kicked your ass, bitch."
It's Personal:
- Robb takes Theon's betrayal very personally, and demands that Theon be brought to him so Robb can kill him himself.
- Robb invokes this from his siblings after his death — both Sansa and Jon have a special hatred for the Boltons because Roose was the one who finished Robb off.
Kick the Dog: He's quick to remind Theon that he's not one of them. Still, though, he later admits he considered Theon his closest friend.
Knight in Sour Armor: Especially as the war goes on.
The Leader: Of the northern cause. Type I.
Like Father, Like Son: He deliberately emulates his father's honesty, caring lordship, and sense of duty, and of course executes men he sentences to die just as Ned taught him.
Love Makes You Dumb: In contrast to the books, where he marries Jeyne Westerling out of a sense of honor (and hopes the Freys will understand), the televised Robb marries Talisa because he can't control his raging... love for her. It gets worse in Season 3, as he doesn't even realize how dumb it is to parade his new wife in front of his supposed-to-be-wife, not to mention supposed-to-be-father-in-law. ^{From the books} The context makes Robb seem more brash and impulsive than his book counterpart, who already got some criticism; no less than Tyrion Lannister was heard to observe, "Better to leave her with a bastard in her belly," after hearing of his folly with Jeyne.
Love Ruins the Realm: The newly re-established Kingdom in the North is as good as doomed the moment he forfeits his marriage pact with the Freys. It doesn't just cost Robb, his wife, and mother their lives but the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of his men when they're massacred along with him.
Mangst: Upon hearing of his father's execution, he substitutes a nearby tree for one of the Lannisters.
Catelyn: You've ruined your sword.
Marry for Love: Forgoes his vow to marry a Frey girl in order to marry Talisa, who he has fallen in love with. The Freys are understandably insulted. They even kill him over it.
Memetic Badass: In-universe. He's known as "The Young Wolf", and Northmen trade tales about how he rides into battle on the back of a giant direwolf, that he can turn into a wolf, and that he can't be killed. All sides of the war note that despite his youth, inexperience and inferior numbers, he wins every battle he fights.
Military Maverick: Initially a green commander in charge, he frequently ignores senior bannermen who try to rein him in. This is apparently the main reason he gives Tywin Lannister such hell on the battlefield — none of Tywin's commanders can predict his movements because, between his inexperience, boldness, and confidence at his success, he's willing to take risks none of them would dream of taking, and pulls them off.
Modest Royalty: He doesn't wear a crown as king. Among the Five Kings, three kings — Robb Stark, Stannis Baratheon, and Balon Grejoy — do not wear a crown. Even his book counterpart wears a crown in the same style of those worn by the old Kings of Winter. ^{From the books}
Mr. Fanservice: Gets quite a few nude scenes.
My Sister Is Off-Limits: Just look at the Death Glare he gives Joffrey when Robb sees him making eyes at Sansa.
Nice Guy: An overall warm, righteous and compassionate man, rare traits for the leaders of The War of the Five Kings.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: His actions that lead to the Red Wedding come back to haunt Jon and Sansa three seasons later, as the Northern lords blame Robb for dragging their family members into war and getting them killed.
Nice to the Waiter: He's even nice to enemy soldiers outside of combat. As far as Robb's concerned being King is no excuse for being a dick.
No Historical Figures Were Harmed:
- Alongside his semi-namesake Robert Baratheon, Robb is a Decomposite Character of King Edward IV of the House of York, whose father was executed by his enemies, never lost a battle and ultimately damaged his effort when he made a secret marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, angering one of his supporters, Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick. Unlike Robb, however, Edward IV got off lightly.
- He also has some similarities (Young Conqueror genius tactician from the Grim Up North who ends up betrayed) with Charles XII of Sweden. In fact, they march to war at the same age in the show continuity.
- He leads a rebellion against the crown, trying to secede the Northern half of the kingdom, like William Wallace (yes, the one from Braveheart). It helps that the North is a Fantasy Counterpart Culture of Scotland and Northern England, while the Westerlands are one to Southern England. Also, we have Tywin Lannister sharing many traits with King Edward Longshanks, while Robb shares his name with the first Scottish king, Robert the Bruce. Not to mention that like Wallace, Robb is betrayed by an ally and killed, letting Tywin Lannister (just like Edward Longshanks) win the war. Incidentally, Robb is played by Scot Richard Madden.
Not So Stoic: Once The Chains of Commanding start wearing on him harder, Robb's stoic demeanor begins to slip on occasion when his men harm the war effort or commit despicable acts. When he finds out Ned has been killed, Robb ruins a sword by smashing it against a tree in pure rage.
The Oathbreaker: He breaks his oath to marry one of Lord Walder Frey's daughters by marrying Talisa. Walder perceives it as a major insult and slaughters Robb, Catelyn, and their men at The Red Wedding.
Odd Name Out: Robb's name does not match the trends of his siblings — their names end with either 'n' (Bran, Jon, Rickon) or 'a' (Sansa, Arya).
Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Leads the small party that captures the Kingslayer, Jaime Lannister, but not before the Lannister kills 10 men in the ambush. Only the return with the prize is shown.
Off with His Head!: Posthumous.
Outliving One's Offspring: Dies after witnessing his pregnant wife repeatedly stabbed to death.
Papa Wolf: He states to Talisa he must be this for every man, woman, and child of the North, as their king.
Pragmatic Hero: A rare example who also has Honour Before Reason tendencies. Despite being firmly on the "heroic" side, Robb is still willing to sacrifice 2,000 of his own men into battle as a distraction against the Lannisters (though he feels terrible about sending them to their deaths) and start a whole war that tore the kingdom apart and killed countless people just to get revenge for his father's death.
Proud Warrior Race Guy: One of the reasons Robb is respected by the Northmen and his followers is because Robb is almost always on the frontlines with them and has ample opportunity to show his skill as a fighter to them. In contrast to most other prospective kings in the war, who rarely fight on the front lines.
Rasputinian Death: Gets peppered with multiple crossbow bolts before being stabbed by Roose Bolton.
Reasonable Authority Figure: He will not be a dick to his subjects, is merciful to enemy combatants and will hear them out. He also follows Ned's example that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.
Rebel Leader: Tywin views him as a 'Rebellion in the North' as opposed to 'The King in the North'.
Red Baron: The Young Wolf.
Royals Who Actually Do Something: Once he's crowned the King in the North.
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: His opinion of marrying Talisa. If only he wasn't so blatant about it.
Sherlock Scan: He doesn't take long to realize Talisa is actually a noblewoman and not a simple nurse.
Shocking Defeat Legacy: Despite winning every battle, his reign is remembered for the occupation and sack of Winterfell by Ironborn while he was down south, and for the Red Wedding, which led to the unprecedented ousting of House Stark from power at the hands of House Bolton. It's Robb's tragic fate that despite being a Young Conqueror and military genius, his reign resulted in the absolute Darkest Hour for House Stark and the North in its entire history.
- Lampshaded by Tyrion Lannister, who comments that Robb won every battle but still lost the war.
Shut Up, Hannibal!: This exchange with Jaime:
Jaime: Three victories don't make you a conqueror.
Robb: It's better than three defeats.
Shoot the Dog: The tactic he uses to destroy Jaime Lannister's army in Season 1. Robb sends 2,000 of his own men to die in a battle he knows they have no chance of winning. The least he does is acknowledge it.
Robb: I sent two-thousand men to their deaths.
Theon: The bards will sing songs of them.
Robb: Yes, but the dead won't hear.
Single Woman Seeks Good Man: His romance with Lady Talisa runs on this. He finally lets his feelings for her be known when she tells him a story of how a slave saving her brother's life compelled her to never live in a slaver city again. Talisa is attracted to Robb because he is a good-hearted, ethical man who treats both his allies and his enemies with respect.
So Happy Together: With Talisa during the wedding at House Frey.
The Scapegoat: The Northern houses blame their conditions on his inexperience and wedding with Talisa. While not blameless, a lot had to do with his advisors backstabbing him (Roose Bolton and Theon Greyjoy), defying him (Rickard Karstark), making stupid choices in violation of his wishes (his mother Catelyn and his uncle Edmure Tully), or forcing his hand (Walder Frey refusing passage unless ridiculous payment is made).
Star-Crossed Lovers: With Talisa. She initially hates him because she sees him gravely wounding a soldier, but they're also separated by the Frey pact.
Strategy Versus Tactics: Robb was an excellent combatant, a great strategist, and led a clever campaign. Where he failed was from the top down with his grand strategy. His diplomacy and political maneuvers were questionable. He trusted men with his life that he had no reason to. He assumed Bolton would be honorable and died needlessly when he was proven wrong. His strategy seemed promising, but it was notably behind where it should have been as he lacked the next few steps of his plan to dethrone Joffrey.
The Stoic: Like Father, Like Son, as he rarely shows his emotions.
The Strategist: He appeared to be turning into this during his life, as, within one day, he managed to sneak up on Jaime Lannister, distract Tywin, defeat Jaime's army in the field, and capture Jaime, which provided Robb with an extremely valuable hostage. Subverted in that he was not only thinking up the plans, but was also leading his men and becoming very physically involved with the war. There's also the fact that whilst he runs rings around Tywin as a tactician, as a strategist Tywin runs circles around Robb as he knows the strategic imbalance between the Starks and the Iron Throne is too unmaneable and wins as a result.
Supporting Leader: Averted in the television series. While Robb fits this in the novels, he is upgraded to the status of the other leads in the onscreen adaptation where his status as leader of the Northern rebellion receives a significant amount of airtime.
Technician Versus Performer: His leadership of the rebel forces against Tywin Lannister. Lord Tywin is a good soldier and strategist due to hard and careful work, while Robb is a born conqueror. Ultimately, Tywin's exploitation of the strategic imbalance between the Iron Throne and the Stark kingdom, plus Robb's personal missteps, proves decisive in the Riverlands theater. Robb, on the other hand, bet the whole war on winning enough battles.
Tragic Hero: Robb's initial success at rallying the forces of the North is cut short because, like his father, he's unable to follow through on the political compromises needed to strengthen his victory. This results in a series of errors that make him vulnerable to betrayal, culminating in breaking his marriage pact to the Freys and marrying for love.
Tranquil Fury: He does this a lot, but it really kicks in when he (correctly) accuses Jaime Lannister of injuring Bran. You can hear the sheer fury in every word, but his voice remains calm. It's clear that the only thing keeping Robb from beating Jaime to death with his own hands is Jaime's worth as a prisoner.
Too Dumb to Live: Although he's a clever man militarily, he still fails to see the full extent of the impending backlash of his marriage to Talisa. His attempts to mollify the Freys don't cut it.
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Had Robb not been rude to Tyrion when the latter returned to Winterfell after visiting the Wall, he would likely not have gone to the inn where he runs into Catelyn and she impulsively arrests him, thus kicking off the Stark/Lannister conflict.
Vitriolic Best Buds: Considers Theon his closest friend, yet most of their interactions consist of debates.
Warrior Prince: He's nobility rather than royalty, but definitely becomes one once he leads the Stark bannermen into war against the Lannisters. He becomes the King in the North by acclamation of his bannermen.
What the Hell, Hero?:
- Gives a minor one to his mother after she spends a month at Bran's bedside, neglecting the castle and her younger son Rickon, who is six years old and disoriented by all the changes at Winterfell.
- He's on the receiving end of one in "Garden of Bones", after a battle leaves thousands dead or injured. A healer lets him have it:
  Robb: The boy was lucky you were here.
  Talisa: He was unlucky you were.
- He joins most of his men in giving one to his mother Catelyn when she releases Jaime Lannister.
- Gets one from his mother when she learns he's considering breaking his agreement to marry a Frey daughter for Talisa, pointing out how completely idiotic this is.
Worthy Opponent: To Tywin Lannister, enough that Tywin acknowledges how badly he underestimated Robb and how talented the Young Wolf is at war. Not bad for a boy of eighteen.
You Are in Command Now: With his father in King's Landing and his mother busy kidnapping Tyrion, he has to take charge of Winterfell. With the death of his father, Robb becomes Lord of Winterfell and, not long after, is named as the King in the North.
Young and in Charge: Due to being the highest-ranking person in Winterfell, he has authority over a whole mess of experienced knights and retainers. Despite this, others underestimate him due to his youth. This dynamic is brought to the fore in "The Pointy End" when he calls his bannermen and begins to march south. In particular, it causes some tensions with Greatjon Umber but the Greatjon changes his mind when Grey Wind bites a few of his fingers off. Later, the Greatjon is the first in the Northern/Riverlands army to declare Robb as the King in the North.
Young Conqueror: Neither Tywin Lannister or his father believe Robb is up to the task but Varys points out to Ned that Robb would hardly be the first. Robb quickly proves himself one of the most skilled battle commanders in the series.

Brandon "Bran" Stark

King Brandon "Bran" Stark the Broken

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/got_bran.png

"Every night it's the same: I'm walking, running, but I'm not me."

Played By: Isaac Hempstead-Wright

Voiced By: Fernando Calderón (Latin American Spanish/Seasons 1-6), Alan Garcia (Latin American Spanish/Season 7 onwards), Miyuki Sato (Japanese/Seasons 1-4), Jun Fukuyama (Japanese/Season 6 Onwards)

"I need to learn to see better. When the Long Night comes again...I need to be ready."

The second son of Eddard and Catelyn Stark and their fourth child. He becomes the acting Lord of Winterfell and the head of house Stark after Eddard and Robb are killed. He escapes the Ironborn occupation of the North and embarks in a quest beyond the Wall to find the mystic three-eyed raven and fulfill his destiny as The Chosen One.

Adaptational Badass: Jojen claims that Bran's ability to enter the mind of another human is Beyond the Impossible in "The Rains of Castamere". In the books, the skinchanger Varamyr not only shows that it's possible (though extremely taboo) but fails in a way that implies Bran only succeeded because his target was simple-minded.
Adaptation Dye-Job: Bran is Tully-colored in the books with auburn hair and blue eyes.
Addictive Magic: Being a young boy who was very physically active before being paralyzed, he naturally gets very excited at his ability to Warg into Summer until he's spending hours doing it. Jojen warns him that doing this too much will cause him to forget he's actually human.
Amnesia Danger: Lot of things would be easier if he remembered how and why he fell.
Arch-Enemy: Serves as one to the Night King as Bran's status as the Three-Eyed Raven makes him the most dangerous adversary to the Army of the Dead.
Awful Truth: When he realizes his accidental warging of Hodor in the past lobotomized Hodor of higher thought processes, he is horrified and can't bring himself to look away for the rest of the episode.
Bad Liar: Cat notes that he always looks down every time he lies.
Be Careful What You Wish For: In the History and Lore videos, Bran notes that he always loved the scary stories told by Old Nan:
Bran: I don't like scary stories anymore. I'm in one.
Beyond the Impossible: While wargs are common beyond the Wall, and there are even some further south, Bran is apparently the first person in history to be able to warg into another human.
Big Brother Instinct: In Season 3, Bran knows that the journey Beyond the Wall is too dangerous for Rickon, so he chooses to send him away with Osha and Shaggydog.
Big Good: Bran becomes the Three-Eyed-Raven and the King of Westeros at the end of the show.
- Depending on how accurate the prophecy of the Prince That Was Promised is, Bran may end up sharing this role with Jon, who would end up being the rebirth of the legendary hero Azor Ahai to rule the Six Kingdoms benevolently as they attempt to rebuild from the devastating wars of recent years.
Big Little Brother: By Season 6, he grows up considerably ^notehis actor is now 5'11 and is now the tallest of his siblings (of course, since he's crippled you can't tell most of the time). In an interview for Season 6, Richard Madden (Robb's actor) says he feels bad for Kristian (Nairn, Hodor's actor) for having to carry Isaac (Hempstead-Wright, Bran's actor) around because he is so big now. This didn't last terribly long for Nairn, as Hodor died only a few episodes into Season 6.
Big Ol' Eyebrows: Isaac Hempstead-Wright is developing these.
Broken Pedestal:
- To Meera, who discovers that Bran has lost the battle for his sanity and turned into a utilitarian sociopath.
- Bran's faith in his father's teachings shatters when he discovers that Ned Stark (A) only defeated Arthur Dayne, the greatest swordsman in Westeros, thanks to the intervention of Howland Reed, who stabbed Dayne from behind (B) kept Jon's true parentage a secret from everyone, even when it caused Jon longtime childhood abuse,^note and (C) spent years teaching the Starks about honor and loyalty to the Realm when he abandoned both in order to keep his promise to his dying sister.
The Bus Came Back: Returns in Season 6 after being absent in Season 5.
The Chessmaster:
- It's implied that he intentionally drove Daenerys mad by indirectly revealing she was not The Chosen One after all, after seeing visions of her instigating The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized on a global scale instead of a citywide one.
Children Forced to Kill: Like his older sister he's racked up a body count during his travel, including a couple of Wildlings and Locke. Right now, he's responsible for five deaths.
The Chosen One: Bran is destined to be the only person who can truly defeat the White Walkers and the Night's King. When he first meets the Three-Eyed-Raven the raven tells Bran that he has been waiting for him to arrive for a thousand years. By the halfway point of Season 6, Bran fully inherits the powers of the Three-Eyed-Raven and becomes his successor and his uncle Benjen tells Bran that when the Night's King finally invades Westeros Bran will be the one to stand against him. Subverted, as he had almost no involvement with the death of the Night's King.
- If the prophecies of the Prince That Was Promised are true and apply to Jon Snow then Bran may not face him alone. In a thematic parallel, Bran's visions of Jon's true origins and power to oppose the Night's King may make him the Merlin to Jon's Arthur.
Composite Character: His green dreams about the sea flooding Winterfell are experienced by Jojen Reed in the books.
Creepy Good: As the new Three Eyed Raven, he's undoubtedly on the side of the living, but he scares everyone he meets. When you can creep out Littlefinger (with the 'Chaos is a ladder' remark), that is an achievement in creepiness.
Creepy Monotone: After fully becoming the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran's tone becomes robot-like and flat.
Dark Horse Victory: An odd example. He's voted in as King at the end of the series. The reason? Because he's the only one who sees the past and present and Tyrion believed his perspective will lead them to a better future and since he is a cripple and can't father children, Tyrion poses the idea that a new king will always be voted in by the high lords.
Dead Guy Junior: His name is Brandon, the same as his father's older brother (and countless long-dead Starks).
Despair Event Horizon: He wishes that he had died rather than being crippled for life. He eventually snaps out of this.
Dream-Crushing Handicap: At first. After Tyrion designs a saddle that will allow him to ride, based on Tyrion's own, it gets a little better.
Dreaming of Things to Come: When he finally follows the crow into the family crypt, he sees his father. That same episode, Winterfell receives word that Ned has been executed by Joffrey. Happens again with Theon's betrayal and Rodrik's death.
Dull Surprise: Purposefully. As the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran reacts to everything with a calm, reserved manner, to demonstrate how inhuman the process of becoming the Three-Eyed Raven has made him.
Failed a Spot Check: He is the only person who knows that Jon isn't his half-brother, but actually his cousin by Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. But despite his omniscience, he didn't know that Jon is actually a legitimate child until Jon's friend Samwell Tarly tells him thanks to a document he found in the Citadel which Bran later confirms through his visions in the weirwood tree.
Glass Cannon: He has Psychic Powers that allow him to enter the minds of animals and see into the past, but has no fighting abilities due to his unwillingless to use animals in combat.
Handicapped Badass: Although he can't walk he's become quite a powerful warg and later on the second Three-Eyed-Raven.
He Knows Too Much: The reason for his accident. And averted with Littlefinger, about whom Bran also knows too much - though by that point he knows too much about everything, with Littlefinger a small part of that - but Littlefinger is executed by Arya before he can act.
I Coulda Been a Contender!: He wanted to be a knight, which becomes something of an impossibility after Jaime pushes him out a window. He's very angsty about it at first.
Important Haircut: Returns in Season 6 with a very clean look.
Incompletely Trained:
- During his absence in Season 5 and much of Season 6, Bran was being taught by the Three-Eyed-Raven how to control his visions and increase his warging abilities. However, after inadvertently revealing the location of the Raven's lair to the Night's King, the Raven is forced to upload all of his information into Bran's head, which causes him to experience visions even when he's not trying to induce them. Bran asks the Raven if he's ready for all of his power, to which the Raven replies with a "no" before doing it, anyway.
- Bran was being taught archery early in Season 1. After he gets paralyzed, he no longer uses weapons.
Ironic Name: Unfortunately, what he discovers whilst climbing aforementioned castle walls, gets him thrown out of a window by Jaime Lannister and permanently crippled for his trouble.
It Sucks to Be the Chosen One: Oh yes. His journey to discover his destiny has been pretty much nothing but suffering, costing him many of his friends, family members and eventually, his own sense of self.
The Kid with the Remote Control: To Summer and to Hodor, too. Later taken to its logical extreme when Robb leaves for war and Bran becomes the acting lord of Winterfell.
Kubrick Stare: After losing his original self to his new identity as the Three Eyed Raven. Hilariously, this is largely due to his actor's poor vision.
Lack of Empathy: Has slid into this as of Season 7; after reuniting with Sansa at Winterfell he talks about how lovely the night was and how lovely Sansa looked on her wedding night to Ramsay, seemingly oblivious to the anguish caused by her rape at Ramsay's hands on that night and how hurtful the topic is. Later he is unable to recognize Meera's pain and sacrifice in saving his life, and only shows small satisfaction in seeing Arya again.
Loss of Identity: As he becomes the Three-Eyed Raven, the sweet kid Bran Stark starts to fade away.
Bran: I'm not really (Bran). Not anymore. I remember what it felt like, to be Brandon Stark. But I remember so much else now.
Meera: You died in that cave.
Magic Misfire: While time travelling to the past to learn a final lesson from the Three-Eye Crow, Bran and his group come under attack by white walkers. Meera's shouting to Bran to "Warg Hodor!" panics him and causes Bran to possess Wylis (who would grow up to be Hodor) in the past he was visiting as well as the present Hodor, connecting all three minds. Wylis can't handle this sudden influx of information and has a seizure, causing him the brain damage that turned him into the Hodor of the present.
The Magnificent: Ends up reigning over the Six Kingdoms as King Brandon the Broken.
Meaningful Name: He's mentioned as having a love of climbing the castle walls. His legendary ancestor and namesake, Bran the Builder, was the one who first orchestrated the building of the Wall. In Season 3, Jojen Reed tells him that the three-eyed raven he keeps seeing in his dreams is really Bran himself. "Bran" is Welsh for "raven." Doubles down in Season 6 where he succeeds the title of Three-Eyed Raven.
The Men First: Essentially why he surrenders Winterfell to Theon and Theon's Ironborn men. Bran is hoping for peaceful resolution where no one got hurt. Unfortunately, that is not what happens.
My God, What Have I Done?: Have this reaction when he realized that he unintentionally destroyed Hodor's mind.
- He probably wasn't too happy about bringing the Night King and his army down on the home of the previous Three-Eyed Raven either.
My Skull Runneth Over: His mind is overwhelmed by the amount of information he has stored in his mind, to the point it wholly consumes his personality.
Named After the Injury: At the end of the series he is dubbed "Bran the Broken" by Tyrion Lannister, in reference to his paralysis.
The Needs of the Many: Part of his quest to become the Three-Eyed Raven is more or less accepting that most things are irrelevant in the face of the fate of mankind. This is probably why he becomes so emotionally detached when he fully accepts the role: most things are just no longer important to him in light of the Long Night.
Nerves of Steel: Just see the kid in his conversation with Theon after the older boy has taken Winterfell. It completely shatters when Theon is about to kill Ser Rodrik.
Nice Guy: Is following the footsteps of Robb, Jon, and his father in terms of how nice he is.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
- Bran is ultimately responsible for making Hodor the way he is. In the same episode, Bran's actions inadvertently cause the deaths of the Three Eyed Raven, Summer, several Children of the Forest, and Hodor.
- Also, his order to Rickon and Osha to seek refuge with the Umbers ultimately results in them being betrayed and turned over to Ramsay, with both dead by the end of the season.
No Historical Figures Were Harmed: At face value, Bran's position is like that of Edward V of The House of Plantagenet, the endangered Yorkist heir and one of the "Princes in the Tower". The fact that in a very roundabout way, he ended up the default winner of the game of thrones as King of Westeros may as well be a Wish-Fulfillment of what would have happened had he survived and reclaimed his position.
No-Sell: Bran has proven himself to be the one person completely immune to Littlefinger's manipulations in any way. He cannot be flattered or manipulated into an emotional response, as he's grown beyond most worldly cares, and simply doesn't care what Littlefinger has to say. In addition, he's spied on Littlefinger before and knows his true character.
Noble Fugitive: Bran has been on the run since he and Rickon escaped from Theon and the Ironmen.
Not So Above It All: After becoming the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran becomes a lot colder, showing almost zero emotion and repeatedly stating that he is far more than just Brandon Stark. He also claims that he has no needs or desires anymore. Despite this, there are instances where he shows dry amusement at trolling people such as Littlefinger or Jaime, both of whom quietly freak out when he throws their iconic quotes back at them. He also shows a slight, but genuine smile when admitting that his wheelchair uses the same design as the one Daeron Targaryen built for his crippled nephew, admitting that he truly liked that one and revealing that he is still capable of feeling emotions such as joy.
Odd Name Out: The only one of Ned Stark's true born sons whose name starts with the letter "B".
Omniscient Hero: As one of the main Stark children since Season 1, he is one of the central heroes, and Season 7, he seems to have acquired a potentially unlimited level of psychic powers, as well as seeing through a thousand eyes and mentally time traveling to witness events, making him effectively omniscient.
Out of Focus: He doesn't appear at all in Season 5, freeing the writers up to focus more on the ever-more spread out other storylines while avoiding doing repetitive scenes of him being instructed by the Three-Eyed Raven.
Outside-Context Problem: Is this for Littlefinger. Despite being a schemer and manipulator with nearly no equal among normal people, Littlefinger could not anticipate an omniscient Stark who could see through his lies and expose his role in instigating the entire conflict, leading to his execution by Arya.
Parental Abandonment: Clearly feels this way about Catelyn's journey to the capital.
Power Trio: Come the end of Season 7, he forms a sibling version with Arya and Sansa during Littlefinger's trial. The three use their respective skillsets to reveal Littlefinger's treacherous actions to the Lords of the North and the Vale then summarily execute him for his crimes.
Psychic Children: It comes with being a Warg.
Psychic Link: While sleeping, Bran can feel what Summer feels. He also once had the same dream as his brother Rickon.
Put on a Bus: Does not appear in Season 5, spending his time training with the Three-Eyed Raven offscreen.
The Quiet One: After becoming the Three-Eyed Raven, he's mostly a silent observer around the others, and has only has very few lines per episode.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Since he's Lord of Winterfell while Robb fights the Lannisters in the Riverlands and Westerlands.
Recurring Dreams: Keeps dreaming about a crow with three eyes. ^{From the books}
Secret-Keeper: He's the only other Stark (living, assuming that Benjen himself doesn't know) aware that Jon is actually his Aunt Lyanna's child. At the end of Season 7, he and Samwell Tarly become the only two people on the planet aware that Jon is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne due to being the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen's secret marriage to Lyanna Stark.
Seers: He is a greenseer, after all.
Ship Tease: With Meera since about Season 4. It ends in Season 7, when Meera leaves Bran, since Bran — having became the Three-Eyed Raven — doesn't really care anymore.
The Smart Guy: Later becomes this for the Stark family due to gaining more knowledge and awareness.
Snooping Little Kid: Gets pushed out a window for discovering something he shouldn't while being somewhere he was not expected.
The Stoic: As the Three-Eyed Raven, he never shows any emotion and always has the same expression on his face.
Strong Family Resemblance: He looks a great deal like Ned and Benjen did as kids.
Superman Stays Out of Gotham: In Season 7. As the Three-Eyes Raven, Bran could have outed Littlefinger's crimes to Sansa the moment he returns home to Winterfell, but Bran instead chooses to focus on the fight against the Night King. He leaves Littlefinger to his sisters' hands (eventually literally, by Arya. He also could have used is powers in season 8 to tell the heroes exactly what Cersei was planning but choose not to).
Squishy Wizard: Quite literally. His main arsenal is his warging. But being a cripple and the fact that he always has to remain stationary while doing said ability means that he's very vulnerable from attacks.
That Man Is Dead: By Season 7, Bran has grown more and more detached and distant as result of the Three-Eyed Raven giving his powers and memories to Bran. When he and Meera part ways, he pretty much tells her that he's not really Brandon Stark anymore — he remembers what it was like to be Bran, but he "remembers so much else" now. Heartbroken, Meera replies Bran died back in the cave.
Thousand-Yard Stare: After becoming the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran Stark spends a lot of time creepily staring at various characters that arrive at Winterfell. Actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright has stated that in order to achieve the unsettling stare, he removes his contact lenses on set, so he can't actually focus on the person he's staring at. He also stated that his co-star Sophie Turner finds it impressive as he stated that "She said, 'Isaac, your stare is like you're staring into my soul!'".
Took a Level in Badass: In "The Rains of Castamere", he learns how to warg at will, allowing him to use Summer to attack some Wildlings. And as of "The First of His Name", he uses Hodor to brutally kill Locke. That's right — Arya is no longer the only Stark child with major confirmed kills.
- He later becomes the new Three-Eyed Raven when the previous one transfers his talent and knowledge into Bran.
Tragic Dream: He always wanted to be a Kingsguard (Praetorian Knight) when he grew up. His crushed spine hindering this is only second to the realization that everything his father taught him about being an honorable knight was a bold-faced lie.
Troll: He waited an entire day in Winterfell's courtyard just to be the first person Jaime sees upon his arrival. He also throws his "the things we do for love" line back at him during his trial.
Wise Beyond Their Years: For a child, he shows himself far more competent at leading Winterfell than you may expect, and shows that many of the lessons Ned preached have taken root in him. For instance, his justification for leaving Winterfell undefended to send their men to take back Torrhen's Square:
Bran: If we can't protect our own bannermen, why should they protect us?
What the Hell, Hero?: Hodor does this to him, in a Hodor-y sense, after Bran wargs into him in order to kill Locke. After Hodor regains control of his body, he looks at his own bloodstained hands, clearly shocked, and then to Bran, seeming to realize what had happened and is obviously not entirely okay with what Bran just did or what Bran made him do. Hodor isn't really capable of the same level of call-out most characters are, though.
- It gets worse when it's revealed that it isn't the first time Bran has invaded Hodor's mind.
You Are in Command Now: In "The Pointy End", Robb heads south for war, making Bran Lord of Winterfell. With Robb's death at the hand of the traitorous Lord Bolton, legally Bran should be the Lord of Winterfell, though he is unaware of this, and the world believes that he is dead and that his sister Sansa is Lady of Winterfell.
- Averted when Bran returns to Winterfell in Season 7. As Jon's oldest living brother (as far as anyone knows), he would have the strongest claim to ruling Winterfell in Jon's absence given patriarchal inheritance customs. Sansa, who is nonetheless happy to see him, actually points this out. Bran quickly shuts her down, though, with his justification being that his responsibility as the Three-Eyed Raven overrules any claims he might have had. Later, we find out that he doesn't believe himself to be Bran Stark anymore, anyway.
- Played straight at the end of the series when, at Tyrion's suggestion, Westeros' nobility vote for him to be the next king, and name him Bran the Broken. Despite still not wanting power, he accepts the position, and it's implied that he did so because he had foreseen that he would be asked to rule.
Young and in Charge: Commands the respect of virtually everyone under his rule, despite being a crippled ten year old. After Robb dies, he could be considered the true King in the North as the oldest trueborn male Stark. When Bran returns to Winterfell in Season 7, he is referred to as Lord of Winterfell while his half-brother (in reality, his blood cousin) Jon remains King in the North. Bran effectively abdicates lordship to fulfill his role as the Three-Eyed Raven, leaving Sansa as the ruler of Winterfell. The end of Season 8 sees him become the new king of the realm after the rest of the nobility choose him for the position at Tyrion's suggestion.

Rickon Stark

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/got_rickon.png

"I'm your brother. I have to protect you."

Played By: Art Parkinson

Voiced By: Isabel Romo (Latin American Spanish), Risa Shimizu (Japanese)

"We are not southerners."

The youngest child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark.

Adaptation Dye-Job: Like his Tully mother, Rickon had auburn hair and blue eyes in the books.
Adaptational Heroism: There is no implication that show Rickon has ever attacked anyone.
Adaptational Wimp: Rickon is the wildest Stark child except for maybe Arya in the books, with various incidents of him attacking people. In the show he's a little overzealous cracking walnuts but otherwise quite tender and low-key, and he shows nothing but bewilderment and terror, without a hint of bravery or defiance, in Season 6.
Back for the Dead: He returns in Season 6 and appears for only two scenes — his reintroduction and his death at Ramsay's hands. To make matters worse, the poor kid doesn't even get any lines for his return. He's literally just used as a prop in Ramsay's schemes to devastate his brother Jon and is killed right before reaching Jon.
Big Brother Instinct: Despite being significantly younger than Bran, he reveals in "The Rains of Castermere" that he sees it as his job to protect Bran, and is thus distraught when Bran sends him, Shaggy, and Osha to the Umbers for their protection while Bran himself goes north of the Wall. The main reason is that Bran is the only Stark who has remained with Rickon throughout all their struggles — with their father, elder brothers and sisters leaving Winterfell — and Rickon being parted from Bran clearly hurts him.
Break the Cutie: The baby of the family who smiles along with his elder brothers when Bran fails at hitting his target, becomes a depressed, sullen and bored child who wanders the crypts of Winterfell with his enormous direwolf.
The Bus Came Back: In Season 6 but just to die.
Children Are Innocent: In one of the creepiest ways possible. He seems completely oblivious to what's happening at first. A fact which Robb painfully informs Catelyn about. He also parrots some of the more offensive Wildling stories that Old Nan told him to Osha, who is a Wildling herself. However, Osha takes it in stride as Rickon clearly likes her.
Creepy Child: After disappearing for several episodes, he suddenly appears in Bran's room talking about how everyone is doomed. He also spends the time he is forced to hold court with Bran in Winterfell cracking nuts in the most aggressive way possible. He also wanders on his own several times with Shaggydog.
Death by Adaptation: He's still alive in his last appearance in the books, and is a Chekhov M.I.A. since. He's clearly dead in the show.
Demoted to Extra: Shows up so little, viewers keep forgetting he exists. Gets better in Season 2, in which he constantly appears with Bran. Justified due to the Ironborn seizing Winterfell. In Season 3, he gets one of the biggest TearJerkers in the series. Becomes even more important when he reappears in Season 6, as him being taken hostage by Ramsay is the catalyst for Jon to start rallying Northern houses against the bastard. Unfortunately, he's murdered by Ramsay in the penultimate episode of Season 6, in only his second scene since his reappearance.
Dies Wide Open: Justified as he was shot by an arrow In the Back by surprise.
Distressed Dude: Smalljon Umber betrays Rickon to Ramsay, who takes the boy as a hostage and taunts Jon about it.
Dreaming of Things to Come: He and Bran share a prophetic dream in "Fire and Blood".
The Eeyore: Is quite cynical and depressed for a boy of six. Probably less surprising when considering that most of his family went away in very short succession, leaving him frightened and confused.
Forgotten Fallen Friend: Once his surviving siblings reunite in Season 7, at least two of them (Sansa and Jon) have mentioned Robb but none of them have mentioned Rickon.
Hidden Backup Prince: As mentioned, by season 6 he is the last living legitimate son of Ned Stark (whose whereabouts are known) and thus falls into this trope, which is why Ramsay couldn't let him live.
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: He was killed by a fatal arrow to the heart that pierced through him. After he dies, his corpse was hit by a few of the Rain of Arrows that the Bolton army fired.
Innocent Bigot: He tells Osha about how Old Nan used to tell stories that the Wildlings forced people to drink blood from their own skulls. Keep in mind Osha is a Wildling.
In the Back: Dies after getting an arrow in the back, courtesy of Ramsay.
No Historical Figures Were Harmed: He and his brother Bran are analogues to the famous Princes in the Tower in the Wars of the Roses. Like the Princes, they disappear without a trace with many believing them to be dead. In the show, Theon faked their deaths after their disappearance by killing two farm boys who resemble them.
Noble Fugitive: Like the rest of the Starks, he's on the run from the Lannisters but not because he's a criminal.
Parental Abandonment: Make that Family Abandonment: the only one of his relatives still left in Winterfell is barely older brother Bran. And he finally has to part with him, too.
Psychic Children: Not to the same degree as Bran, but he does have a prophetic dream.
Put on a Bus: Rickon, Shaggydog, and Osha do not appear in Seasons 4 and 5 as they are incognito while Bran passes beyond the Wall.
The Remnant: As Bran tells Rickon, if anything were to happen to him and Robb, he is the heir to Winterfell. With Bran going beyond the Wall and Sansa and Arya trapped in the South, Rickon is the only one with the Stark name left in the North, one who Bran expects will be fostered with the Umbers, loyal bannermen.
- Even Sansa is aware of this fact, pointing this out to Jon in "Battle of the Bastards" as a key reason that Ramsay Bolton will effectively kill him, no matter what they do to try to rescue him from captivity.
Satellite Character: He is the least prominent Stark in the story, and mostly served as a Kid Sidekick at best. To give you an idea, he's the only Stark child whose actor was never Promoted to Opening Titles.
Shoot the Shaggy Dog: Rickon and Osha spend two seasons trying to reach the Umbers, assuming they'll find safety with the Stark loyalist. Everything seems to go well until the Greatjon dies and is succeeded his far less loyal son, was then betrayed to the Boltons, which then ultimately led to his, Osha and Shaggydog's deaths.
Targeted to Hurt the Hero: Prior to Jon and Ramsay's battle over Winterfell, Ramsay releases Rickon and plays a "game" with him. He tells him to run across the battlefield to Jon, who rushes forward to save him, and as Rickon flees, Ramsay fires arrows at him. He misses deliberately until Rickon is mere feet from Jon, at which point Ramsay kills him. Rickon's death is used just to cause Jon pain and enrage him to the point that he charges the Bolton forces alone. Rickon has no lines at all in Season 6.
Too Good for This Sinful Earth: Creepy Child moments aside he was generally a pretty sweet kid who just wanted to be with his family members. Then the Umbers, who were supposed to protect him, killed his direwolf and handed him over to Ramsay Bolton. His last moments are spent desperately running across a battlefield ultimately dying mere feet away from Jon when Ramsay shoots him in the back.
What Happened to the Mouse?: In-universe. After Bran sends Rickon and Osha to the Umbers. Roose on learning of the survival of the youngest Stark children assumes that they must have died since none of the other Northern lords has seen or heard of them. His fate is confirmed both in-universe and out when Smalljon Umber hands him over to Ramsay Bolton.
Wild Child: Seems to be as of "The Ghost of Harrenhal". By this point in the series, he has now spent the majority of his life on the run, knowing only fear and violence and hiding in solitude to survive. It's doubtful he's obtained any of the skills needed to rule.

Characters / Game of Thrones - House Stark Children

Children of House Stark

Character-Specific Pages

King Robb Stark

Played By: Richard Madden

Voiced By: Edson Matus (Latin American Spanish), Shinji Kawada (Japanese)

King Brandon "Bran" Stark the Broken

Played By: Isaac Hempstead-Wright

Voiced By: Fernando Calderón (Latin American Spanish/Seasons 1-6), Alan Garcia (Latin American Spanish/Season 7 onwards), Miyuki Sato (Japanese/Seasons 1-4), Jun Fukuyama (Japanese/Season 6 Onwards)

Rickon Stark

Played By: Art Parkinson

Voiced By: Isabel Romo (Latin American Spanish), Risa Shimizu (Japanese)

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Characters / Game of Thrones - House Stark Children

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Children of House Stark

Character-Specific Pages

King Robb Stark

Played By: Richard Madden

Voiced By: Edson Matus (Latin American Spanish), Shinji Kawada (Japanese)

King Brandon "Bran" Stark the Broken

Played By: Isaac Hempstead-Wright

Voiced By: Fernando Calderón (Latin American Spanish/Seasons 1-6), Alan Garcia (Latin American Spanish/Season 7 onwards), Miyuki Sato (Japanese/Seasons 1-4), Jun Fukuyama (Japanese/Season 6 Onwards)

Rickon Stark

Played By: Art Parkinson

Voiced By: Isabel Romo (Latin American Spanish), Risa Shimizu (Japanese)

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