Fallen Hero / A Song of Ice and Fire

Morality is so murky in A Song of Ice and Fire that it is easy for anyone who thinks themselves the hero to fall to their own hubris and become the thing they fight against.

The Night's Watch

The Night's Watch was established to protect the realm from a great supernatural threat, but not everyone has been worthy of the Black.

• Mance Rayder was a former brother of the Watch until a difference of opinion over uniform standards caused him to defect to the Wildlings and become their King-Beyond-The Wall.
• The Night's King was a former Lord Commander known for having no fear. He gave himself over to the dark powers and enslaved the Watch.
• Runcel Hightower was also a Lord Commander but his decision to let his son inherit his position instead of holding an election caused a civil war in the Watch.
• Rodrik Flint was another Lord Commander who sided with wildlings and even became King-Beyond-The Wall.
• Mad Axe was a serial killer.
• The Rat Cook (if he even existed) killed a visiting king's son and served him to his father for dinner. The cook was said to have been transformed into a rat that eats its own young not because he killed someone but because he violated guest right.
• Nothing is known about Marq Rankenfell, Robin Hill and Tristan Mudd only that they almost destroyed the Watch.

House Targaryen

• Daemon Blackfyre was the illegitimate son of a Targaryen king. He was proof that a bastard can rise in mainstream Westerosi society. But he then rebelled and lost his life. He is now remembered as the greatest of traitors and proof that bastards are untrustworthy.
• Prince Viserys Targaryen was thought lost during The Dance of the Dragons so his return was considered a miracle. He was Hand during the reigns of his brother Aegon III and his nephews Daeron I and Baelor. He developed an unsavory reputation as the power behind the throne and was blamed for the foibles of his kings. When Baelor died of malnutrition, Viserys was the prime suspect in his nephew's death. His reputation remains mixed.
• The mother of Viserys was Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen who was called "The Realm's Delight" in her youth but having illegitimate sons tarnished her reputation, making most people see her half-brother Aegon II as a more suitable heir. Her forces occupied the capitol during the Dance but the deprivation caused the peasants to revolt and kill the Targaryen dragons. Though her descendants ruled after her, she has gone down in history as a traitor.

The Hand of the King

The Hand is the King's chief lieutenant and is in charge of making the King's commands a reality. Some Hands, however, caused conflict because they and the Kings they served did not see eye-to-eye.

• Lord Eddard Stark helped to topple House Targaryen. When he became Hand, he found out that King Robert's children were illegitimate so he planned a coup but failed and was executed. He is remembered as a traitor despite his best intentions.
• Lord Ambrose Butterwell was known for being witty but he was removed as Hand because it was suspected that he secretly supported Daemon Blackfyre. This was confirmed years later when he was caught in a conspiracy to rebel in the name of Daemon II.
• Ser Otto Hightower was known for his learning, and hated for instigating the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.
• Lord Rogar Baratheon helped Jaeherys take the throne from Maegor but he later thought that the new young king was impetuous and had to be set aside so he tried to instigate a coup. He was foiled and pardoned but he was kept on a short leash for the rest of his life.

The Kingsguard

The Kingsguard are supposed to be the valiant protectors of the King and the most chivalrous knights of the realm. The reality is far more complicated.

• Ser Jaime Lannister committed the ultimate taboo by slaying the king that he swore to protect.
• Ser Terrence Toyne was executed for falling in love with his king's mistress. His brothers failed to kill the king and their whole family was attainted. They are now all remembered as traitors despite having legitimate cause.
• Ser Marston Waters and Ser Mervyn Flowers instigated a coup to place King Aegon III under their control.
• Ser Gyles Belgrave failed to protect Aegon II and chose death over disgrace.
• Ser Criston Cole was remembered as The Kingmaker for siding with Aegon II during the Dance of the Dragons. His choice split the Kingsguard in two..
• Ser Lucamore Strong was famous and loved until his secret that he had three wives and numerous children was discovered.
• The Kingsguard of Maegor the Cruel were remembered as a nasty bunch. Ser Owen Bush was known to have murdered members of the royal family under Maegor's orders. His remaining Kingsguard were all sent to the Wall, where two of them, Ser Olyvar Bracken and Ser Raymund Mallery, started a mutiny.
• And there were others like the cowardly Ser Orivel and the traitorous Ser Gyles Greycloak.