Sandbox / Game of Thrones - Loras Tyrell

Ser Loras Tyrell

"It's not a gift; nobody gave it to me. I'm good because I work at it, every day of my life since I could hold a stick."

Played By: Finn Jones

"I've never fought in a war before, but I'd fight for you."

A highly-skilled knight of great renown who is known as the Knight of Flowers. He is Mace Tyrell's only son and the heir to Highgarden.

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Tropes relating to him

• 100% Heroism Rating: He is a very popular knight at tourneys, and the smallfolk always cheer and root for him. Even when he is defeated by Brienne in the melee, the crowd is still on Loras's side because they let out a disappointed "Oh!" when he yields. The onlookers then remain silent, and the sole person who applauds and smiles at Brienne's victory is Renly. ^note In A Storm of Swords, Tyrion muses that Loras is "Seventeen, and beautiful, and already a legend. Half the girls in the Seven Kingdoms want to bed him, and all the boys want to be him."
• Adaptational Heroism: The show omits Loras's main Kick the Dog moment of unjustly murdering two fellow Kingsguard in a fit of rage after Renly's death. Since he is also a Composite Character with his Adapted Out brothers Garlan and Willas who are both straight-up Nice Guys, Loras is actually sympathetic to Sansa's plight and motivated by the chivalrous ideal of rescuing her from King's Landing via their planned arranged marriage despite their Incompatible Orientation.
• Adaptational Nice Guy:
  • As he is a Composite Character with his mild-mannered brothers, Loras on the series is somewhat calmer and less rash than he is in the books. The TV version doesn't demand to Ned that he be in charge of the group that is tasked to arrest the Mountain, as the young man's pride doesn't appear to be all that wounded after Gregor attempted to kill him. ^note In A Clash of Kings, Loras completely loses his mind after he sees Renly's corpse. He slays two of his fellow Rainbow Guards in cold blood, believing that they were somehow responsible for his beloved's death. Loras is disturbed when he discovers later on that the men were actually innocent of the crime. His Love Makes You Crazy moment has been omitted from the show, making the character A Lighter Shade of Grey.
  • Loras in Season 3 is noticeably kinder towards Sansa than he is in A Storm of Swords. ^note His book counterpart seems to be aware that she was merely a means to an end for his family, and only offered the girl empty chivalry during their conversation, which then dried up the moment she mentioned Ser Robar Royce (whom the Knight of Flowers had killed in a fit of madness). Moreover, his brother Garlan tells Sansa that Tyrion would make a better husband than Loras. On the show, Loras is never rude or cold when he's with her, and he has every intention of being a good husband once they are married (at least as much as he can considering his sexual orientation). In certain respects, HBO's Knight of Flowers may be a slightly better choice for a spouse than Tyrion — or at the very least, he's no worse. The young man also recognizes that Sansa has suffered greatly as a prisoner of the Lannisters, and is sympathetic towards her situation when he mentions that King's Landing is a terrible place. In other words, TV Loras is less self-absorbed with his own misery and is more considerate of Sansa's feelings. He even says to Cersei after being betrothed to her instead of Sansa that if they're going to be married they should at least be friends, which with it being Cersei doesn't really work.
• Adaptational Wimp: Whereas in the novels he's named to the Kingsguard and becomes a sort of unofficial master-at-arms since no one bothers to name one after the death of Ser Aron Santagar in the Riots of King's Landing, the show's writers seem to have forgotten he's a glory-seeking warrior.
• Adaptational Angst Upgrade: Inverted, in the novels Loras remains faithful to the late Renly's memory and there's no mention or even hint he takes on another lover. He gladly joins the Kingsguard because he doesn't believe he'll ever fall in love again, whereas the show has him take on Olyvar as a casual lover and make no mention of Renly.
• Adaptation Distillation: Unlike his book counterpart, Loras never believes for a moment that Brienne is responsible for Renly's death. Despite his intense grief and his resentment of losing to her in the melee, he correctly blames Stannis.
• Adaptational Dumbass: Justified; he's mourning his lover and seeking sex from random bodies for pay. Book Loras was also very careful to hide his sexuality, which is why Cersei has to frame Margaery for adultery. Here, he's easily seduced and sold out by the prostitutes that he sees.
• Adaptation Expansion: Most of what we see of him in the books is through the eyes of other characters. The series actually shows quite a few scenes that focus on Loras, including explicitly showing his sexual relationship with Renly.
• Age Lift: Loras is 16 years old in the first novel, but his TV counterpart is already an adult in Season 1. He looks to be around 20 in "The Lion and the Rose".
• Annoying Younger Sibling: Downplayed, since he and Margaery are devoted to each other. But it's clear that his sister would prefer if Loras were more cautious and not let his lust blind him about the dangers of the life in the capital.
• Arch-Enemy: There's no one in the world that he hates more than Stannis, who ordered the assassination of his lover Renly.
• Arranged Marriage: In Season 3, he is initially betrothed to Sansa, but Tywin arranges a marriage with Cersei.
• Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: He's a very good swordsman — and knows it. He even laments in "Kissed By Fire" that there are no worthy opponents in King's Landing for him to spar with.
• Bad "Bad Acting": Very literally in "Valar Morghulis". He only has a small role in the rehearsed scene that was enacted for the benefit of the court, but he can't be bothered do his part properly, as his body language practically oozes with contempt for Joffrey, and Loras even messes up one of his lines because he inadvertently lets out a Freudian Slip regarding his feelings for Renly. After Littlefinger hears the error, he turns his head sharply in Loras's direction and he purses his lips, annoyed that the young knight couldn't get the words right.
• Beard of Sorrow: Grows one after being imprisoned by the Faith Militant.
• Beauty Is Never Tarnished: A rare example with a male character. When Loras removes his helm in "Blackwater", his curly hair looks perfect despite having fought a battle. There doesn't appear to be a single scratch or bruise on him.
• Beneath the Mask: Most of the time, he's the epitome of chivalry in public, but as of the midway point of Season 2, Loras becomes bitter and depressed after his boyfriend is slain. He must hide his grief from the outside world with fake smiles, as not only was he in love with a man, but Renly is viewed as a traitor by the crown. Having to swear fealty to the despicable and homophobic Joffrey also doesn't help matters, and the added strain causes Loras's figurative mask to crack on a few occasions.
• Best Friends-in-Law: In addition to being motivated by politics, the arranged marriage between Renly and Margaery is also an excuse for Loras to become closer to his boyfriend, as they become in-laws. Margaery is even willing to share her husband with Loras if it helps to get her pregnant.
• Big Damn Heroes: Comes riding to the rescue of King's Landing with Tywin Lannister — wearing Renly's armour.
• Big Little Brother: Loras is several inches taller than Margaery, and book readers (and probably most viewers) naturally assumed that he is the older sibling. However, Word of God has established that Margaery is the eldest Tyrell child on the show.
• Blatant Lies: When Jaime asks him if he is looking forward to his wedding to Cersei, Loras hesitates for a moment before replying, "Yes, very much."
• Bling of War: His gleaming and ornate armour. It's slightly modified in Season 2 so that it's more practical for an actual battle.
• Bodyguard Crush: While he was part of Renly's Kingsguard. It's an unusual reciprocal version of the trope because it involves two men.
• Break the Cutie: Come Season 6, he is only a shell of what he used to be, both physically and mentally.
• Broken Bird: In Season 6, it's quite clear being imprisoned has done this to him.
• Brother–Sister Team: With Margaery. See her entry for examples of their teamwork.
• Bunny-Ears Lawyer: His flashy style is seen as rather gaudy to most and is part of the reason almost everyone knows he's gay, something problematic in a homophobic culture like Westeros. However he's a gifted fighter and one of the few knights who lives by his vows, so he's highly respected. Even Tywin describes him as "a skilled warrior who takes his vows seriously."
• But Not Too Gay: His intimate scenes with Renly are not nearly as sexually explicit as the heterosexual pairings on the show. By Season 5, he's shown engaged in explicit sex with Olyvar, complete with nudity.
• Camp Gay: Borders on this in Seasons 1 and 2, especially when compared to Renly's Straight Gay. "Camped up" in Season 3.
• Campy Combat: Downplayed. He's a gay, famed knight who has long hair and is well-dressed and groomed. He wears armor covered in roses, his house's symbol, and jousts against Gregor Clegane while riding a white horse.
• The Cavalry: He leads the charge in "Blackwater", which turns the battle in favor of the Lannisters.
• The Champion: He is this to Renly. ^note  As Finn Jones states in this article: "All of his life he's devoted... everything to Renly. He didn't really have many friends. Renly was his main friend, his main lover, and he did everything for this guy and then the guy dies and his life just falls into utter chaos..."
• Combat Pragmatist: He rode a mare that was in heat, knowing Ser Gregor would be riding a stallion. Characters grumble over whether it makes him this trope or a dirty cheat. One could even argue that it wasn’t very pragmatic, since Gregor attempts to kill him.
• Commonality Connection: He begins to form this with Sansa in "The Climb", as they are both extremely depressed after losing a loved one (Renly for Loras and Ned for Sansa), plus they find life in King's Landing intolerable.
• Composite Character:
  • His words to Catelyn when she approaches Renly in "What is Dead May Never Die" were taken from Randyll Tarly in the novels, who doesn't appear onscreen until the sixth season.
  • With the other two Tyrell brothers, Garlan and Willas, being Adapted Out, Loras takes over their parts in the plot:
    • In the books, it's his older brother Ser Garlan who wears Renly's armour at the Battle of Blackwater. Loras wanted the honour, but he was too short and too slender. This change is also a Pragmatic Adaptation on the show because Show!Renly has less of a Heroic Build than Book!Renly and the actors who play Loras and Renly are practically the same size. Loras has also taken Garlan's position as commander of the Tyrells' army.
    • In the third season, his family plots to betroth him to Sansa. In the novels, the Tyrells intend her to wed his scholarly and crippled older brother Willas. In "Kissed By Fire", he once again substitutes for Willas when Tywin orders Cersei to marry Loras after the Lannisters discover and pre-empt the aforementioned scheme by marrying Sansa to Tyrion; in the books, Tywin proposes to the Tyrells that Cersei will marry Willas (but they reject the offer, whereas in the show they don't). Loras also takes Willas's place as the heir to Highgarden.
  • He replaces Sansa as the person who unwittingly spills the beans about the secret engagement to Littlefinger's agent.
• Cool Helmet:
  • You can look at detailed images of the Knight of Flowers' helm here.
  • Loras wears Renly's antlered helm at the Battle of Blackwater as part of his elaborate disguise.
• Crazy Jealous Guy: Has (understandably) not had the best response to Renly making Brienne a member of his Kingsguard. He "punishes" his lover by withholding sex.
• Cry into Chest: Breaks down in Margery's arms when she visits him in his cell.
• The Dandy: Shiny armor, immaculately groomed, loves his flowers. The last is justified, since his house's sigil is a rose. Loras wears beautiful clothing in Seasons 3 and 4 that enhances his good looks.
• Deadpan Snarker: He can be quite sassy on occasion. Also see his Stealth Insult entry for more examples.
  Loras: Stannis has the personality of a lobster!
• Dead Person Impersonation: In "Blackwater", as a result of wearing Renly's armor in battle. Stannis' men believe it is Renly's ghost.
• Death by Disfigurement: He's carved with the official star in the forehead by the Sparrows, in addition to a Traumatic Haircut, minutes before he dies.
• Death Seeker: When Margaery visits him in his cell, he continuously repeats that he wants it to end, and questions when it will end.
• Demoted to Extra: In Season 4. He only has a few lines of dialogue in "The Lion and the Rose", and is reduced to a background character in "First of His Name" and "The Laws of Gods and Men". And in Season 6, he only appears in two episodes.
• Despair Event Horizon: Traumatized both mentally and physically due to his imprisonment.
• Death by Adaptation: His book counterpart is still alive as of A Dance with Dragons.
• Dirt Forcefield: He should be covered in blood, sweat and grime in "Blackwater", yet he's completely clean. Loras's flawless appearance is further highlighted after Tywin arrives to the throne room because the old man's face is coated with blood splatter and dirt.
• Distracted by the Sexy: He accidentally bumps into Jaime while exchanging smouldering looks with Oberyn Martell.
• Dude Looks Like a Lady:
  • Jaime describes Loras as a curly-haired little girl in "Dark Wings, Dark Words".
  • Joffrey clearly sees the Knight of Flowers in a similar fashion because he arranges a repugnant dwarf play at his wedding where Loras is depicted as a girly-looking, curly-haired man.
• Due to the Dead: He stands vigil over Renly's body, and remains near his beloved even as Tyrell bannermen are panicking to flee the area before Stannis' fleet arrives. It's revealed in a deleted scene that Loras also buried Renly on his own, which is a detail taken from the novels. ^note He tells Jaime in A Storm of Swords: "I buried him with mine own hands, in a place he showed me once when I was a squire at Storm's End. No one shall ever find him there to disturb his rest."
• Eating the Eye Candy:
  • His face shows great anticipation and excitement as Renly removes his shirt in "What is Dead May Never Die".
  • At the Purple Wedding, both he and Oberyn silently communicate that they find the other to be very "delectable"; it's very obvious what they'd like to "eat" for dessert later that night...
• Enemy of My Enemy: He initially viewed the Lannisters as his enemy, but he chose to side with them after Stannis murdered Renly. Loras still hates Joffrey passionately, though, as seen by his Suppressed Rage in "Valar Morghulis".
• Erotic Eating: In "The Lion and the Rose", he and Oberyn sensually chew on food to signal their sexual interest towards each other.
• Even the Guys Want Him:
  • Two lowborn Lannister soldiers think he's prettier than Queen Cersei — and she's considered to be the most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms.
  • The bisexual Prince Oberyn mentally undresses Loras with his eyes at the Purple Wedding.
• Flowers of Romance: Subverted when he gives Sansa a red rose. She believes it's a token of his affection and fails to notice that Loras is actually googly-eyed over Renly.
• Foil:
  • Pompous, overconfident, attractive knight, Lord Commander of a family member's Kingsguard, brother of the queen, hiding (barely) a socially unacceptable romantic relationship? He's Jaime 20 years younger. Loras is a Knight In Shining Armour who is widely admired by the smallfolk, while Jaime is a Blood Knight whom everyone (accurately) reviles as an oathbreaker and (inaccurately) a self-serving opportunist. Loras is recognized as one of the saviours of King's Landing after he helped to end Stannis's siege, but Jaime's greatest heroic deed (i.e. saving the city's population from being consumed by the Mad King's wildfire) is known by no one else besides Brienne. By Season 4, the youthful Loras is a rising star in the world of knights, whereas the middle-aged Jaime is regarded as a has-been now that he has lost his sword hand. Both characters suffer lengthy imprisonment, but whereas the idealistic Loras is broken by the experience, Jamie manages to survive it unbroken. Olenna saves Loras from becoming another Kingslayer by having Joffrey poisoned, since Joffrey's inevitable mistreatment of Margarery could have had only one outcome. Also see Loras's Good Counterpart entry for more comparisons between the two characters.
  • He is also a foil to Brienne of Tarth. Both are knights in shining armor who are introduced as winners of a tourney event, earning their victory with the aid of Combat Pragmatism. They are heirs to their respective Houses, but they love Renly so much that they would rather dedicate their whole lives to serving him as a member of his Kingsguard. They are completely devastated after Renly is slain, becoming knights in sour armor, and both swear vengeance against Stannis. Although they end up with different masters, Loras and Brienne remain devoted to Renly in their own way, and have performed at least one act of Undying Loyalty. Loras is a Pretty Boy (or in some characters' opinion, a Dude Looks Like a Lady), which mirrors Brienne being perceived in-universe as a Lady Looks Like a Dude.
    • In terms of their differences, however, Loras's fighting skills are respected by virtually everyone, but Brienne's martial prowess remains largely unrecognized even after she beats the Knight of Flowers at King Renly's tourney. Loras becomes a powerless political pawn as of Season 3, while Brienne is essentially a free agent, especially after Catelyn's death. Numerous characters have derided Loras for his homosexuality, but it's usually not expressed in front of his face. Brienne, on the other hand, endures a lot verbal abuse (or worse) for her masculinity. Loras dresses ostentatiously and is perfectly coiffed (it must take some time to style the unruly curls every morning), whereas Brienne's clothing is plain and she keeps her straight hair short and simple.
  • To Sansa Stark. Loras (an aspiring Knight In Shining Armour) and Sansa (an aspiring Princess Classic) have learned the hard way that life isn't a fairy tale. Both of them carried romantic ideals, believing that they would live Happily Ever After with their beloved Baratheon ("Prince Charming" Joffrey for Sansa, "The Good King" Renly for Loras). Both have been crushed emotionally when their dreams transformed into nightmares (Joffrey turned out to be a sadistic psychopath and executed Sansa's father, while Renly was murdered not long after Loras pushed him to become king). In Season 3, they are both used as political pawns by Olenna, Tywin and Littlefinger, and they end up being betrothed to someone they don't want to marry. Loras and Sansa are miserable living in King's Landing, but they maintain a Stepford Smiler persona. Both have called Joffrey a monster, and they were among the three people (the other being Tyrion) who were tormented the most by the king in "The Lion and the Rose".
    • A major distinction between the two characters is that Loras has the support of his powerful family, which managed to secure a pardon from the crown even though they once supported Renly and rebelled against Joffrey. In contrast, all of the adults in Sansa's House have been butchered by the Lannisters as punishment for their treason, which makes her a lot more vulnerable.
• Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: Margaery is cautious, calculating and actually remembers she's in a Decadent Court when she arrives there. Loras tends to follow his instincts and falls into the first Honey Trap that opens before him in King's Landing.
• Four-Star Badass: Leads the Tyrell contingent at Blackwater Bay. From the front. Not bad for a young man in his early twenties who has never fought a real battle before.
• Freudian Slip: In "Valar Morghulis", Loras subconsciously let it slip that Renly was far more than a brother-in-law to him when he tells the court, "My sister Margaery, her husband was taken from us before..." He should've said "her husband was taken from her," or simply "her husband was taken" instead.
• Freudian Trio: He is the Id in his three-way marriage to Renly (Ego) and Margaery (Superego).
• Funny Background Event:
  • In "Garden of Bones", he laughs merrily after Renly makes his ham joke, but as soon as Catelyn starts talking, Loras becomes annoyed and sighs heavily.
  • He appears to be flirting with a young nobleman in "Second Sons" while Cersei recounts the story of the Rains of Castemere.
  • In "First of His Name", when we glimpse the throne room from Margaery's perspective, Loras is chatting with Oberyn. ^note Presumably, as the man we see from behind is about the same height as Loras — just as Finn Jones and Pedro Pascal are in real life — dark-haired and dressed in gold, and previous shots of Oberyn show that he is wearing a gold outfit in this scene. Hmm, did those two men already hook up off-screen, or are at least planning to do so soon?
• Good Counterpart: To Ser Jaime Lannister. Loras has yet to do anything as heinous as pushing a kid out of a window or murdering his own cousin in cold blood. He and Margaery are a Brother–Sister Team, whereas Jaime and Cersei are engaged in Brother–Sister Incest. Although Loras is jealous of Brienne, he doesn't actually want to harm her, and even comes to her defense when Margaery accuses her of murdering Renly. Jaime attempts to kill Brienne (who was merely trying to escort him safely to King's Landing, albeit in chains) in "Dark Wings, Dark Words". Loras tries to engage in polite small talk with Jaime in "The Lion and the Rose", and the older knight suddenly escalates it to a confrontation by threatening his life.
• Heartbroken Badass: He becomes this after Renly is slain.
• Helmets Are Hardly Heroic: When they meet Stannis in "Garden of Bones", Loras is the only member of Renly's Kingsguard who doesn't wear a helm.
• Incompatible Orientation: He is somewhat awkward while conversing with Sansa in "The Climb", but he does seem to genuinely want to help her escape King's Landing through their marriage and give her a better life in Highgarden.
• Informed Attractiveness: While definitely one of the best-looking men in the cast, the comments on Loras's good looks never stop and go a bit overboard.
• In-Series Nickname: The Knight of (the) Flowers. The extra "the" was used in Season 1, but it has been omitted since Season 2. ^note In the novels, he's also referred to as "Renly's little rose," thus managing to combine his family's heraldic symbol with commentary on his politics, his sexual orientation and his presumed-to-be-favorite sexual position.
• Instant Seduction: It doesn't take long for him to be seduced by Olyvar. Justified, since the spy is one of Littlefinger's prostitutes, and therefore quite experienced at this, plus Loras hasn't been physically intimate with anyone since Renly's death.
• In Touch with His Feminine Side: In terms of this trope's five broad categories, Loras is strongly defined by his Effeminate or Non-Masculine Appearance and Typically Feminine Interests (e.g. his enthusiasm for fashion).
• Interrupted Intimacy: Margaery of all people walks in on Loras and Olyvar having sex, only to remind Loras he is still engaged to Cersei.
• I Owe You My Life: He says this word-for-word to the Hound after Sandor saves him from the Mountain, and Loras decides to repay the debt by forfeiting the final round of the joust and giving the championship title (plus the substantial award money) to the Hound.
• Jousting Lance: Is an expert at using this weapon. Loras has beaten notable knights such as Jaime Lannister and Gregor Clegane in jousting competitions, and is widely regarded to be the finest jouster in the Seven Kingdoms.
• Knight in Shining Armor:
  • Played With, as he is both willing to use underhanded tactics in a joust with Gregor Clegane, and was secretly urging Renly to overthrow the supposed rightful heir and rule as king. However in both cases the target of these shady moves were thoroughly deserving of such treatment (and in the latter example, he clearly believes Renly would be a far kinder and more noble King and thus better for the kingdom), and he remains one of the show's closest candidates to being this trope as he is chivalrous, noble, a talented fighter, and if his armor were any shinier, he would be a walking mirror. Even Tywin, who knows of Loras's "unnatural behaviour," notes that Loras is a highly-skilled warrior who takes his vows seriously.
  • Although he's not romantically interested in Sansa, his adherence to knightly ideals plays a part in wanting to rescue her from the hell she's in, and he willingly enters into an Arranged Marriage with the girl so that he can whisk her away to Highgarden. Say what you will of his grandmother's and sister's ulterior motives, but Loras is more honourable than that. He understands that King's Landing is a terrible place for Sansa, and he sees her as a Damsel in Distress who is held prisoner by the "monster" Joffrey.
• Knight in Sour Armour: He becomes this in Season 2, especially after Renly dies. It's even shown symbolically, as his once spotless suit of armour has become dirty and tarnished.
• Lady Macbeth: Without his lips whispering encouragement in Renly's ear (and doing... other things in other places), Renly probably still would have thought he'd make a good king, but he would never have acted on those thoughts. Possibly a subversion, as other characters have implied Renly's legitimately is the best choice of all the people related to Robert, and only out of the running due to an accident of birth order.
• The Lady's Favour: It initially appears to be a gender inversion of this trope when he gives Sansa a rose before his joust, but it's quickly subverted when it turns out to be an empty gesture. Renly is his true sweetheart, but Loras obviously cannot offer his favour to another man in a homophobic society, so he simply hands the rose to the young lady who happens to be seated the closest to Renly in the stands.
• Lady and Knight: A same-sex variation where he is the skilled, brave warrior who is sworn to protect the handsome and gentle King Renly.
• Lady Macbeth: Despite being a male character, Loras essentially fulfills this trope by planting the idea into Renly's head that he should be king.
• Love Hurts: Losing the love of his life is already incredibly painful enough as it is, but what makes Loras's suffering even worse is that he cannot openly express his grief as Renly was a man and a traitor to the crown. Joffrey has informed Margaery that he would like to execute all homosexuals, so Loras can't afford to let out any of his true feelings. He is still mourning for Renly in Season 4.
• Love Triangle: Brienne is in love with Renly, but he and Loras have already been a romantic couple for years, and she doesn't believe in any of the gossip surrounding them. While Renly is aware that Brienne is very loyal to him, it's unclear on the show if he ever suspected that she fancied him.
• Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: His shield saves his life when the Mountain attacks him after their joust.
• Ludicrous Gibs: His body is literally blasted into a thousand pieces (possibly even to nothingness) by Cersei's bombing of the Sept.
• Lysistrata Gambit: A rather atypical example involving a same-sex couple. Feeling slighted by Brienne's Rank Up, Loras not only withholds sex from Renly, but he punishes his boyfriend even further by bringing Margaery to Renly's bed, knowing full well that Renly utterly dreads the prospect of having to consummate the marriage.
• Machiavelli Was Wrong: He thinks Renly should be king because unlike those who came before him, he would be loved instead of hated or feared.
• Mangst: Experiences a lot of this after Renly is assassinated.
• Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: Loras plays the Feminine Boy to Brienne's Masculine Girl.
• Master Swordsman: His sword fighting skills have been praised by various characters.
• Meaningful Look:
  • He and Renly share a lingering one at the Tourney of the Hand, and it's our first clue that these two characters are more than friends.
  • They exchange another look when Brienne asks to become one of Renly's Kingsguards. As Renly considers her request, Loras's expression basically reads, "Tell her no." Renly decides to disregard this quiet plea, much to Loras's irritation.
  • See Margaery's entry for their examples in "Valar Morghulis" and "Valar Dohaeris".
  • In "Second Sons", Tyrion raises his glass in pity to him, and his eyes say, "You're next to get married." Loras, who is already quite frustrated from the day's events, sighs and turns his head away.
• Memetic Badass: In-Universe. Alongside the Kingslayer, Ser Barristan the Bold, and the Blackfish.
• The Mistress: Despite being there first, Loras is Renly's, with his sister Margaery being the official spouse. She's cool with it.
• Moment Killer: In "What is Dead May Never Die", the foreplay between Loras and Renly is unexpectedly interrupted after Renly starts kissing the bruises on Loras's chest. This reminds Loras of the humiliation he suffered earlier in the day, and it kills the mood.
• Moody Mount: He exploits this trope when he jousts against the Mountain. He knows that his opponent has an ill-tempered stallion, so Loras brings a mare in heat to give himself an advantage.
• Muscles Are Meaningless: Although Loras does possess a slender build in the books, Finn Jones' skinny physique and his lack of muscles on the show make it difficult for some viewers to believe that his character is one of the best knights in Westeros.
• My Master, Right or Wrong: If it weren't for his deep-seated desire to exact some form of revenge on Stannis, Loras would never have agreed to side with the Lannisters because he loathes them (Joffrey especially). However, despite his personal feelings, Loras is dutiful to his own family's interests, and he adopts a grin-and-bear-it attitude. Despite trying to plot against Cersei with Renly in Season 1, he attempts to be nice to her in "Second Sons" after they are forcibly engaged (although his effort is quickly shot down by the Queen Regent's rudeness).
• My God, What Have I Done?: This is written all over his face as he sits near Renly's corpse. He feels extremely guilty for convincing his lover to make a bid for the Iron Throne, as this path led to Renly becoming a target for assassination.
• My Sister Is Off-Limits: A non-verbal version is featured in "Valar Morghulis" . After Loras unhappily offers his sister as a bride to Joffrey, he then stands protectively behind Margaery and stares defiantly in Joffrey's direction. The boy-king is only paying attention to Margaery at this point, so he doesn't get the message, but Loras is warning Joffrey that he had better not harm his sister^note This leads to their grandmother preempting Loras, both to protect Margaery from Joffrey and to prevent Loras from becoming a reputed Kingslayer — by beating him to the punch!.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
  • He persuades Renly to become king, and his beloved is later killed by a monstrous Living Shadow.
  • He reveals to Olyvar that he's secretly engaged to Sansa. The information is then passed on to Littlefinger, who then shares it with the Queen Regent, and the Tyrells' plan is ruined.
• Open Secret: He and Renly aren't fooling anyone, except Robert (who is so neglectful of his youngest brother that he has no idea that Renly is romantically involved with Loras), and Sansa (who is generally clueless). This comes back to bite him when the Faith Militant gains power since Loras's homosexuality is so common knowledge that they arrest him for it with no evidence.
• Passive-Aggressive Kombat:
  • He and Margaery engage in this when they dine with Cersei and Joffrey in "Valar Dohaeris".
  • Jaime initiates a verbal confrontation with him in "The Lion and the Rose", and Loras figuratively burns the older knight with only a few sharp words.
• Pragmatic Adaptation: Loras is older than Margaery in the books, but it was revealed by Bryan Cogman in this interview that Margaery is Mace Tyrell's eldest child on the show. The switch in birth order was no doubt due to the fact that Finn Jones is six years younger than Natalie Dormer, the actress who plays his character's sister.
• Pretty Boy: George R. R. Martin even described him as "...the teen idol of Westeros" in this HBO featurette. Sansa has a crush on him because of his good looks. In "The Climb", Olenna calls Loras "...the pride of Highgarden, the most desirable bachelor in all of the Seven Kingdoms."
  • He was a Long Haired Prettyboy in Season 1. ^note Finn Jones didn't like the limp, wavy wig, so his natural hair was used from Season 2 onwards. Some fans were puzzled as to why the wig was used in the first place, as Loras in the books has curly hair.
• Quirky Curls: His hair is rather curly.
• Red Baron: "The Knight of the Flowers".
• Relationship Reveal: The scene where he is shaving Renly's chest.
• Revenge: His reason to team up with the Lannisters after Renly is killed; Loras achieves partial vengeance against Stannis by helping to defeat the latter's forces at the Battle of Blackwater.
• Revenge Before Reason:
  • In "The Ghost of Harrenhal", Loras is ready to storm out of Renly's tent to put a sword through Stannis' righteous face, but Margaery and Littlefinger manage to convince him that it would be hopeless, as he would be killed by Stannis' men long before he ever reached his target.
  • Averted with Brienne on the show. ^{From the books...}He holds her responsible for Renly's death and flies into a murderous rage when he sees Brienne enter the Red Keep with Jaime in A Storm of Swords. Although Jaime eventually calls him out on this, pointing out Brienne worshipped Renly, it occurs much later in the storyline. That being said, the books strongly imply that Loras had always blamed himself for not being there, and it was largely a case of displaced anger. He puts 2-and-2 together and realises that she was such a Renly fangirl that she would have died before she'd ever harm Renly, thus dismissing the common rumor the she killed him out of hand.
    Margaery: Brienne of Tarth murdered Renly.
    Loras: I don't believe that. You don't believe that. Who would gain the most from our king's death?
    Littlefinger: Stannis.
• Reverse Arm-Fold: He adopts this pose in Season 3 whenever he wishes to appear relaxed; examples include his greeting of Cersei and Joffrey in "Valar Dohaeris", while he walks away from Sansa in "Dark Wings, Dark Words", and Tyrion and Sansa's wedding ceremony.
• Right Through His Pants: He oddly keep his pants on when he has sex with Olyvar.
• Rule of Sexy:
  • There is no valid reason for him to be helmet-less when he is present for Renly's parley with Stannis, other than it was the director's whim to highlight the character's physical beauty.
  • For a series which prides itself on its grittiness, it's completely unrealistic for Loras to look like he had just stepped out of a Westerosi hair shampoo commercial at the end of "Blackwater".
• Rule of Symbolism:
  • See Margaery's entry for their example in "Valar Dohaeris".
  • He is the only Tyrell in the first three seasons who sports green-and-gold attire. In "Kissed By Fire", he is sparring with various Tyrell squires, so being adorned in his house's true colours represents his honesty as a knight (as opposed to being a pawn — albeit one with a deceptive mask — in his family's political machinations) in this scene.
  • The pink rose patterns on Loras's sleeves and Oberyn's wrap around belt◊ at the Purple Wedding are identical. Only the fabric's background colour is different, and in Oberyn's case, it's actually green, one of the House Tyrell colours that is missing from Loras's outfit. This subtly hints at the two characters' attraction towards each other and their similarities. (Oberyn serves as a Foil to Loras — see Oberyn's Foil entry for more details.)
    • It's probably not a coincidence that the five-petal floral design on Oberyn's necklace◊ is a simplified version of the embossed/enameled five-petal flowers on Loras's armour◊.
• Ruling Couple: See Margaery's entry for the full details.
• Satellite Character: His characterization tends to change to accommodate the plot.
• Saying Too Much: He is guilty of this when he informs Olyvar of his betrothal to Sansa.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here:
  • Flees King's Landing with Renly when it becomes evident that Joffrey will ascend to the throne.
  • He also proceeds to do this with Margaery and the Tyrell armies after Renly's sudden death.
  • In "The Lion and the Rose", he furiously departs from the party during the part of the dwarf performance that involved Renly riding on a caricature of himself while getting anally violated by a fake mace.
• Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: While his facial features and physical build are noticeably more androgynous than Renly's, Loras is a deadly warrior; his lover on the other hand has never fought a day in his life.
• Shield Bash: He is the recipient of this when Brienne hits his helm-covered head with her shield during their melee, but he recovers from the blow.
• Shirtless Scene: Has a couple of these with Renly. He also has one with Olyvar in "Kissed By Fire".
• Sibling Yin-Yang: Loras publicly pretends that his family's alliance with Renly is motivated by politics and ambition to conceal the fact that he is actually romantically involved with the aspiring King. See Margaery to contrast.
• Something about a Rose:
  • The rose he carries in "The Wolf and the Lion" hints that he is an Agent Peacock — beautiful, but dangerous. Considering that the Mountain had killed an opponent in the previous episode, viewers who haven't read the books might assume that the rather delicate-looking Knight of Flowers is destined to become Gregor's next victim. With a little Combat Pragmatism, however, Loras takes down the fearsome brute on his first jousting attempt.
  • Loras has a rose brooch and roses on his sleeves in "The Lion and the Rose", and Jaime makes the mistake of believing that the young fop is harmless when he isn't jousting or wielding a sword. After the Kingslayer figuratively tries to claw at the Knight of Flowers, Loras then shoves a metaphorical thorn into Jaime's paw, and it stings.
• Sore Loser: Although he doesn't do or say anything negative to Brienne after she wins their melee competition, he's shown to be bitter about his defeat when he speaks to Renly in private.
• Spoiled Brat: In "The Wolf and the Lion", Renly views Loras as this.
  Renly: And how much did your father pay for that armour of yours?
• The Squire: Although this hasn't been explicitly mentioned on the series yet, the HBO Viewer's Guide does state that Loras had served as Renly's squire, which is faithful to the novels.
• Star-Crossed Lovers: His illicit romance with Renly comes to a tragic end in "The Ghost of Harrenhal" when Renly is assassinated.
• Stealth Insult: He has this in common with his sister and grandmother.
  • Although he speaks only a few lines in "Valar Dohaeris", Loras (politely) rubs it into Cersei's face that he thinks very poorly of her as Queen due to her neglect/mistreatment of the smallfolk.
    Loras: (smiling directly at Cersei) Margaery does a great deal of work with the poor back in Highgarden.
  • In "The Lion and the Rose", he proves that he can fight with words just as well as he fights with swords after Jaime threatens him. The older knight is even a little stunned by how easily Loras is able to hurt his feelings with a single, biting line.
    Jaime: Luckily for you, none of this will happen, because you will never marry her [Cersei].
    Loras: (smiles smugly) And neither will you. (pats Jaime on the arm)
• Stepford Smiler: He's a Type A as of Season 3. He puts on a charming smile and a pleasant disposition most of the time, but his mask slips at a very public event in "Second Sons", and his misery betrays itself more subtly in "Valar Dohaeris" (Loras — who is no longer paying attention to the dinner conversation — has a melancholic expression when Joffrey says, "I'm sure she knows what she's doing"). In "The Climb", he sadly tells Sansa, "It's [King's Landing] terrible, isn't it? The most terrible place there is," which clearly indicates that Loras is suffering in silence. His genteel facade crumbles again at yet another wedding feast in "The Lion and the Rose" where Joffrey makes fun of his relationship with Renly in the worst way possible in front of several hundred guests.
• Subordinate Excuse: He is the sole male heir of the second-richest family in Westeros, and presumably he has duties in Highgarden and the Reach, yet in Season 2 he chooses to devote his entire life to protecting Renly. Being the Lord Commander of his brother-in-law's Kingsguard is a very convenient way for Loras to be able to spend a lot of time with his beloved, as his frequent visits can be explained away as being job-related. (It doesn't stop the rumours about them from spreading among Renly's followers, however.)
• Suppressed Rage:
  • His body language cannot disguise the utter disgust and frustration that he feels at having to bend the knee to Joffrey in "Valar Morghulis".
  • The abrupt and rude manner in which Loras storms away from the wedding feast in "Second Sons" is merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of the true depths of his anger over his current situation (i.e. his forced betrothal to Cersei, his inability to mourn for Renly in public, etc.).
  • During Joffrey's wedding, the outrageously offensive and straight-up insulting display that Joffrey arranges (which involves a dwarf dressed as Renly riding a thinly-disguised puppet of Loras and subsequently being sodomized by an enemy's mace) forces Loras to storm away before his anger gets the best of him.
• Tempting Fate: When Margaery catches Loras in bed with Olyvar, she warns him he should be more discreet. Loras points out everyone already knows he's gay anyway...then in 'Sons of the Harpy', the Faith Militant gets their hands on him.
• To Be Lawful or Good: See Margaery's entry for their example in "The Laws of Gods and Men".
• Too Dumb to Live: After he starts a relationship with Olyar, he lets slip his grandmother's plan for him to marry Sansa — which Olyvar promptly passes on to Littlefinger, and which ends up ruining the Tyrrels' plan. Despite the fact that it should be blatantly obvious where the leak came from, Loras continues his relationship with Olyvar, which allows his lover to sell him out to the High Septon and the Faith Militant.
• Tragic Keepsake: Renly's armour. This heartbreaking deleted scene from Season 2 makes it more obvious. It's the only physical object that Loras has kept as a reminder of his lover after he buries Renly's body.

• The Twink: He fits the physical description to a tee, but the trope is somewhat subverted with regards to his romance with Renly (who is an "otter" in gay slang) because Loras is the emotionally dominant partner in their relationship despite being a few years younger.
• The Ugly Guy's Hot Daughter : He must have inherited his comely appearance from his mother (or possibly his grandmother, since he does closely resemble his sister), as he looks nothing like his homely father.
• Underestimating Badassery: Unlike most famed fighters who are very macho, Loras puts a lot of care into his androgynous appearance, which results in him being underestimated by his foes. In keeping with his family's Machiavelli Was Wrong policy, he presents himself as an approachable gentleman to the masses (as opposed to The Dreaded like the Clegane brothers), but make no mistake, Loras is one of best swordsmen in the realm, and has proven himself to be an effective battle commander.
• Undying Loyalty: While his family joined the Lannisters out of a desire to gain more political power, Loras himself only wanted to avenge Renly's murder. Commanding a cavalry charge while wearing his deceased lover's armour is quite a Grand Romantic Gesture, as it was Loras's way of honouring the vow he had made to Renly in Season 1.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Loras encouraged Renly to usurp the line of succession against Stannis, and got his family House Tyrell, involved as patrons and backers for Renly's claim to the throne. Olenna Tyrell warned the rest of the house to avoid getting involved seeing it as a terrible mistake and Renly as a weak candidate, but they went in anyway, this started a series of Disaster Dominoes that led to Renly's death, the Lannisters winning the war of the five Kings, Olenna killing Joffrey to protect Margaery, which led in time to Cersei undergoing Sanity Slippage, arming the Faith Militant, leading finally to Loras' torture by the Sparrows, and the death and ruin of their family and house.
• White Stallion:
  • As befitting a Knight in Shining Armor, he rode a white mare at the Tourney of the Hand.
  • In "Blackwater", he charged into battle on Renly's white horse (which was seen in "Garden of Bones") to better enhance the illusion that he is King Renly's ghost.
• You Monster!: He tells Renly in Season 1 that he thinks Joffrey is a monster, and it's one of the main reasons why Loras wants to crown his boyfriend as king.