Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion travels with the royal family to Winterfell and on to the Wall, where he befriends Jon Snow. On the way back, Catelyn Stark arrests him at an inn, accusing him of trying to kill her son Bran. He's taken to the Eyrie, where Lysa Arryn throws him into a cell open to the sky.

Tyrion demands a trial by combat, and the sellsword Bronn fights for him and wins. Free again, he joins his father's army with Bronn and with Shae, a prostitute he falls for.

Tywin sends Tyrion to King's Landing as acting Hand of the King to rein in his nephew, King Joffrey. Tyrion clears out the people plotting against him, clashes with Cersei at every turn and hides Shae in the city.

When Stannis Baratheon attacks from the bay, Tyrion blows up the enemy fleet with wildfire and leads the defense at the Battle of the Blackwater after Joffrey runs. A Kingsguard knight tries to kill him mid-battle and slashes his face. Tywin arrives to save the city and takes the credit and the job.

Tywin names Tyrion Master of Coin and forces him to marry Sansa Stark, a prisoner at court. The two treat each other carefully, and the marriage is never consummated.

At Joffrey's wedding, the king dies of poison and Cersei accuses Tyrion. At the trial, Shae lies against him, and Tyrion demands a trial by combat. Oberyn Martell fights the Mountain for him and loses. Jaime and Varys break him out. Before fleeing, Tyrion finds Shae in his father's bed and strangles her, then kills Tywin with a crossbow.

Varys smuggles Tyrion to Pentos and talks him into backing Daenerys Targaryen. On the way, Jorah Mormont kidnaps him to bring him to the queen. They're attacked by the Stone Men and sold as slaves.

In Meereen, Tyrion meets Daenerys and becomes her adviser. When she vanishes on Drogon's back, he's left running the city with Varys, Missandei and Grey Worm. He tries a deal with the slave masters, who answer with war. Daenerys returns, defeats their fleet and names Tyrion Hand of the Queen.

At Dragonstone, Tyrion plans the invasion of Westeros, but Cersei and Jaime are always a step ahead. He brings Jon Snow to Daenerys and helps set up the Dragonpit summit, where he goes alone to talk Cersei into keeping the truce.

In the final season, the Hand starts to slip. Varys plots to put Jon on the throne and Tyrion tells Daenerys, who executes him. Then Tyrion frees Jaime, watches King's Landing burn and is arrested for treason. From his cell, he convinces Jon that Daenerys won't stop. At the council that picks a new king, he proposes Bran and ends up Hand of the King once more.

In George R.R. Martin's books, Tyrion has one green eye and one black eye and is far uglier than on the show. He's one of the most important narrators. Peter Dinklage won four Emmys for Supporting Actor for the role.