Game of Thrones featured plenty of unique and interesting characters who were connected in ways that fans most likely overlooked.

There is no doubt that the fantastical world in which Game Of Thrones takes place is far more vast and expansive than what fans have gotten to see, with the stories told to viewers contained mainly in Westeros and its surrounding areas. Considering so much of the story is kept mostly within one vast location, there is a load of surprising connections between the many characters.

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Daenerys and Jon Snow had a familial connection that completely changed the story, and even beyond that, there are many surprising ways in which characters in the show are linked, whether it be by blood, marriage, or even a unique fact or accomplishment.

Updated on November 20th, 2022 by Jordan Iacobucci: Game of Thrones may be long over, but that doesn’t mean the franchise is gone for good. The new spinoff prequel series, House of the Dragon, is taking fans by storm, reinvigorating the franchise and reminding audiences why they love the world of Westeros. As fans revisit their favorite fantasy world, they will find several surprising links between some of its most beloved characters.

Daenerys Targaryen & Jon Snow

Two of the pillars of Game Of Thrones met for the first time in season 7 after Daenerys Targaryen finally made her way to Westeros where she met Jon Snow, a character who would soon thereafter become a love interest for the queen.

As the two get together for the first time, however, fans are given the full confirmation of a longstanding theory, that Jon Snow is actually the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, meaning that Jon Snow and Daenerys are related, with Daenerys being Jon’s Aunt.

Jorah Mormont & Shireen Baratheon

Ser Jorah Mormont and Shireen Baratheon are two characters who not only share a sad death – though Shireen’s is far more harrowing – they are the only two named characters in the show who are afflicted with greyscale. They are also the only two known survivors of this terrible disease.

Also known as Prince Garin’s curse, greyscale damages and stiffens the skin before, usually, killing its host. Shireen caught the infliction as a young girl and survived with the aftermath seen across her face. Jorah got it from the stone men before getting cured by Samwell Tarly. The disease is a significant part of multiple characters’ stories, not just Jorah and Shireen, but Samwell, who cures it, as well as Stannis and his wife, who live with their daughter’s condition.

Edmure Tully, The High Sparrow, & Daemon Targaryen

While Edmure Tully (Tobias Menzies), the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce), and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) never meet at any point in Game of Thrones history (with Daemon living over a century before the other two), these three characters all share a surprising behind-the-scenes similarity.

The actors who portrayed these three characters have all portrayed Prince Philip in Netflix’s original series, The Crown. Matt Smith portrayed the prince for the show’s first two seasons, eventually handing the role to Tobias Menzies for seasons 3 and 4. More recently, Jonathan Pryce took over the role for the recent fifth season, completing the show’s trifecta of Philip actors who have appeared in the Game of Thrones universe.

Rhaenyra & Daenerys Targaryen

Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen is the protagonist of House of the Dragon, a series that takes place almost two hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones. However, despite the large time gap between the two series, Rhaenyra still shares a very important familial relationship with Daenerys Targaryen.

Rhaenyra is the sixth great-grandmother of Daenerys, with her son, Aegon V, producing the line that would result in the Dragon Queen’s birth over a century later. As such, these two series protagonists remain closely linked despite being separated by time.

Cersei Lannister & Lysa Arryn

Cersei Lannister and Lysa Arryn, the two surviving matriarchs of their respective families, are two of the most unlikable characters in Game Of Thrones. Despite the key characters never meeting, they are connected through the murder of their husbands.

Lysa Arryn poisoned her husband at the behest of Littlefinger, whereas Cersei, in her typically manipulative and evil manner, ordered Lancel to get Robert drunk during his hunt, knowing it would get him killed. Both of the infuriating characters got what they wanted by disposing of their husbands and both actions proved to be arguably the most pivotal events that led to the War of the Five Kings.

Ramsay Bolton & Tyrion Lannister

Whereas Tyrion Lannister is the best of a terrible bunch in the Lannisters and a fan-favorite protagonist, Ramsay Bolton is an abhorrent villain in the show. Nevertheless, they are connected through their vitriolic hatred of their respective fathers.

Both Tyrion and Ramsay murder their fathers. Tyrion kills Tywin with a crossbow as he sits on the toilet, something the show foreshadowed brilliantly, while Ramsay, rather unsurprisingly, stabs his father, Roose. The result of both of these murders was very different. Ramsey temporarily ruled the North as a result, while Tyrion went on the run.

Arya Stark, Jon Snow, Meera Reed, & Samwell Tarly

Considering the fact they are such a colossal and tension-accumulating aspect of Game of Thrones, it is impressive that only four characters – Samwell Tarly, Jon Snow, Meera Reed, and Arya Stark – kill a White Walker.

Arguably Sam’s most iconic scene is when he kills the White Walker with Dragonglass. Jon, of course, managed to kill two with Longclaw. Meera got the best of one as she escaped with Bran from the Three-Eyed Raven’s cave by using a Dragonglass spear. Then, Arya kills the Night King himself, subsequently destroying the rest of the White Walkers.

Jon Snow & Aemon Targaryen

Maester Aemon Targaryen is an important character at Castle Black in the early seasons of the show, and it is not until long after his death that the show confirms his relation to Jon Snow, his great-great nephew.

Jon and Aemon have a good relationship while he is alive, and it is therefore easy to forget that they are blood-related. Aemon also has an iconic quote about Targaryens being alone in the world, something Jon Snow eventually came to realize under tragic circumstances.

Jeor Mormont & Lyanna Mormont

Lyanna Mormont was an absolute star in her recurring appearances in the later seasons of the show and had one of the very best deaths of season 8 after she is killed by a reanimated giant during the battle of the Long Night. Jeor Mormont, however, is a character introduced long before Lyanna, as the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Yet, as their shared surname implies, these two share an interesting connection.

Since they are never together before the Battle of Winterfell, it is easy to forget that Jorah and Lyanna are actually cousins. This relationship makes Lyanna the niece of the former Lord Commander Jeor Mormont, a great character who sadly passed long before fans were aware of Lyanna’s existence

Lysa Arryn & Olenna Tyrell

Lady Lysa Arryn and Lady Olenna Tyrell are two of the most famous women in the series. Both are the heads of their respective houses but could not be more different. Yet, they are connected by a ladder known as chaos.

Littlefinger is the connective tissue between the two, with both Lysa Arryn and the Queen of Thorns conspiring with Baelish to poison someone to further their wants, as well as aid Littlefinger’s position in the game.

Tyrion Lannister & Sandor Clegane

Tyrion Lannister and Sandor Clegane, a.k.a. “the Hound,” are two standout characters who appear throughout the entire series. While these two characters could not be any more distinct in appearance, they do share an interesting similarity.

The Hound and Tyrion are connected in that they are the only two people in the show to be given a trial by combat. Tyrion hires champions to fight for him on both occasions that he is faced with this situation, whereas the Hound chooses to fight for himself. Both men manage to survive these encounters, though Tyrion was not always successful in the duel itself.

Oberyn Martell & Vardis Egen

Oberyn Martell of Dorne and Vardis Egen of the Vale are two characters who never meet, nor even share an episode together, yet both share an unfortunate distinction when it comes to their untimely demise during a trial-by-combat ritual.

Oberyn and Vardis are the only two characters in Game of Thrones to be permanently killed in a trial by combat. While Vardis fought against Tyrion Lannister in season 1 and Oberyn for Tyrion in season 4, both characters found themselves meeting their ultimate end during the ensuing battle.

Jon Snow & Beric Dondarrion

The mystery of Jon Snow’s resurrection is one that lingered over the final seasons of Game of Thrones, as fans wondered how and why he was brought back to life. The answer, of course, lay all along with Beric Dondarrion and the Lord of Light.

Aside from Jon Snow, Beric was the only character in Game of Thrones to be resurrected after dying. While many other characters cheated death in various ways, these are the only two characters to be successfully brought to a proper form of life, rather than the half-lives of certain other characters, such as Khal Drogo.

Ramsay Bolton & The Stark Children

Ramsay Bolton is one of the show’s most hated characters, whose wicked and sadistic ways make him a true threat to anyone who he considers an enemy. After his marriage to Sansa Stark, however, Ramsay gained a connection to several of the show’s most beloved characters, namely the remaining members of the Stark family.

Since Sansa and Ramsay were wed, Ramsay is legally the brother-in-law to Bran, Arya, and Rickon Stark. Because Ramsay is opposite to the Starks in nearly every way, it is an odd thought for die-hard Game of Thrones fans to consider that, through marriage, they belong to the same family.

Littlefinger & Sansa Stark

Littlefinger and Sansa are a pair who spend quite a lot of time together throughout the series. Outside of their personal relationships, they actually share a surprising familial connection after Littlefinger marries Lysa Arryn.

Since Littlefinger married Sansa’s aunt Lysa Arryn before murdering her and becoming Lord of the Vale, he became Sansa’s uncle-in-law. This, of course, makes the fact that he regularly hit on his niece-in-law even more repugnant for Game of Thrones fans, although it’s not surprising given certain other familial relationships in the series.

Oberyn Martell & Lyanna Mormont

While Oberyn Martell and Lyanna Mormont are two relatively minor characters in the grand scheme of Game of Thrones, the two memorable players do share an interesting connection that stems from the years following the series finale.

Both Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are set to headline HBO Max’s The Last of Us, a series based on one of the best PS4 games of all time. Though Oberyn and Lyanna never interacted, fans won’t have to wait long to see their actors share the screen for one of the most anticipated new series of 2023.

Gendry & Ramsay Bolton

Though Gendry Baratheon and Ramsay Bolton never interact nor meet in the entirety of Game of Thrones, the two do share a very basic connection in that they are both the bastard sons of noble lords who are eventually made legitimate by a royal proclamation.

These are the only two bastards who, in the show itself, get legitimized. Ramsay is legally accepted by his father Roose and anointed as a Bolton through Tommen’s decree, making him the heir to the North for a time, and Gendry is declared legitimate by Queen Daenerys Targaryen, making him the only living member of House Baratheon and Lord of the Storm’s End.

Varys, Theon Greyjoy, & The Unsullied

Lord Varys, Theon Greyjoy, and the Unsullied are all major parts of Game of Thrones for most of the series’ run. While there might be little connecting these characters in terms of personality or story, they all share a rather unfortunate physical connection.

All of these characters have been castrated and made into eunuchs. Varys was neutered by the hands of a sorcerer, the Unsullied by their Masters, and Theon by Ramsay Bolton. Varys and the Unsullied do not seem to care overly much, while it was a significant part of breaking Theon.

Khal Drogo & Jon Snow

Jason Momoa was picture-perfect casting for one of the first season’s standout characters, Khal Drogo, who never made it to the point of season 2, nevermind to Westeros with Daenerys, meaning that he would never meet certain other fan-favorite characters, including Jon Snow.

Jon Snow was with Daenerys in Westeros, but the connection of love for the Mother of Dragons is not unique to them, as Daario and Jorah, and maybe even Tyrion, hold that. What actually makes their relationship unique is that, since Drogo and Daenerys were married for a short time, Drogo was Jon Snow’s legal uncle.

Tyrion Lannister, Gendry, Robin Arryn, Yara Greyjoy, & Jon Snow

Westeros consists of a variety of family houses, with a select few known as the Great Houses. However, through the events of the War of the Five Kings, the war against the dead, and the rampage of Daenerys, as well as others, a lot of these houses were depleted. That is what connects these random characters: they are the only members of their Great Houses left.

Tyrion is the last known descendant of Lord Tywin Lannister in the show, Jon Snow is the last known Targaryen (although that is not how he will identify), Yara is the lone Greyjoy, and Robin Arryn is the last remaining member of House Arryn at the show’s end. Bronn’s house, House Tully, and House Stark all have at least two members, with House Martell under the rule of an unnamed Martell who could be a singular last Martell, but likely not.