The Cheat Sheet: 'Game of Thrones'
No time to read George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels, the basis for HBO's "Game of Thrones," before the series launches April 17? Here's a quick look at who's who in the mythical land of Westeros, where noble houses plot to win control of the Seven Kingdoms. Roll over photos for a quick look at some of the series' major characters. Complete coverage on Hero Complex.
By Emily Christianson and Patrick Kevin Day
House Stark | Castle: Winterfell; Sigil: Direwolf; Motto: Winter is coming.
  • Eddard Stark
  • Catelyn Stark
  • Robb Stark
  • Jon Snow
  • Sansa Stark
  • Arya Stark
  • Bran Stark
  • Rickon Stark
House Baratheon | Castle: King's Landing; Sigil: Stag; Motto: Ours is fury.
  • Robert Baratheon
  • Joffrey Baratheon
  • Myrcella Baratheon
  • Petyr Baelish
House Lannister | Castle: Casterly Rock; Sigil: Lion; Motto: Hear me roar!
  • Tywin Lannister
  • Cersei Baratheon
  • Jamie Lannister
  • Tyrion Lannister
House Targaryen |Castle: Dragonstone; Sigil: Three-headed dragon; Motto: Fire and blood.
  • Viserys Targaryen
  • Daenerys Targaryen
  • Ser Jorah Mormont
  • Khal Drogo
Eddard Stark
Known by the nickname Ned, Eddard is the Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North and father of six children. He is a close friend and ally of King Robert Baratheon and helped him overthrow former ruler Aerys Targaryen, a.k.a. the Mad King. Ned and Robert grew up as brothers, and the latter had intended to marry Eddard's sister Lyanna before her untimely death. Meanwhile, Ned's wife Catelyn was betrothed to his brother Brandon Stark, who was killed by order of the Mad King.


Photo credit: HBO
Catelyn Stark
Eddard's wife, Lady Catelyn, comes from House Tully and is the eldest daughter of the Lord of Riverrun. Her younger sister Lysa is married to the king's right-hand man, Lord Jon Arryn, a.k.a. the King's Hand.

Photo credit: HBO
Robb Stark
Robb is 14 and the heir of Winterfell. Much responsibility for the northern region will fall to him.

Photo credit: HBO
Jon Snow
Eddard's bastard son Jon was raised as part of the family alongside his five brothers and sisters, although Lady Catelyn despises him. Eddard will not reveal who his mother was.

Photo credit: HBO
Sansa Stark
Sansa is an 11-year-old girly girl, with visions of marrying Prince Joffrey.

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Arya Stark
The ultimate tomboy, 9-year-old Arya is constantly getting into trouble and quarrelling with her polar opposite, Sansa.

Photo credit: HBO
Bran Stark
He's just a 7-year-old boy at the start of "Game of Thrones," climbing walls and romping with Summer, a beast known as a direwolf.

Photo credit: HBO
Rickon Stark
Rickon is the youngest Stark sibling, just 3 when the saga begins.

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Robert Baratheon
King Robert I is the ruler of Westeros and sits upon the Iron Throne in King's Landing. Along with Eddard Stark, he led the uprising against King Aerys, personally slaughtering the Mad King's son, Rhaegar. Robert was engaged to Eddard's sister, Lyanna, but after her death he married Cersei Lannister in a political move to gain her family's loyalty.

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Joffrey Baratheon
Prince Joffrey is 12 years old and heir to the Iron Throne. He is close to his mother, the Queen, and a bit spoiled.

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Myrcella and Tommen Baratheon
Myrcella, the middle child of the Baratheon family, is 8 years old. Tommen, the youngest, is 7.

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Petyr Baelish
He's not an actual member of the Baratheon family, but the king's master of coin knows more about the inner workings of the king's house than even the king himself. Known as Littlefinger, a childhood nickname, Lord Baelish grew up in the Tully family home of Riverrun with Catelyn Tully. He was in love with her and once dueled Brandon Stark for her love.

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Tywin Lannister
Tywin is the lord of Casterly Rock, the Lannister family's home on the west coast of Westeros. His family is the wealthiest of the great houses of Westeros and his influence reaches as high as the Iron Throne, where his daughter Cersei is married to King Robert.

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Cersei Baratheon
Jaime's twin sister is married to Robert Baratheon, making her Queen of Westeros. She has three children, including Prince Joffrey, heir to the Iron Throne. She is much closer to her twin brother than she is to her husband.

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Jamie Lannister
The heir to Casterly Rock, Jaime is Tywin's first-born son and the twin brother of Cersei. Though he was a sworn member of the Kingsguard, he killed Mad King Aerys during the uprising, earning him the title Kingslayer.

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Tyrion Lannister
Tywin's second son is a dwarf and the black sheep of the Lannister family. Besides his short stature (people call him the Imp), he has mismatched eye color (one green and one black) and a highly developed intellect. Despite his intelligence, he receives little respect from his father because his mother, Joanna, died giving birth to him.

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Viserys Targaryen
Known as the Beggar King, Prince Viserys is the son of mad king Aerys and the last heir of the Targaryen dragon kings. After King Robert Baratheon came to power, Viserys and his sister Daenerys were taken to the Braavosian coast across the Narrow Sea. Desperate to take back the throne and gain access to a powerful army, Viserys is scheming to marry his sister to the Dothraki horselord Khal Drogo.

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Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys Targaryen has no memory of her family's former kingdom, only the stories told by her brother Viserys. Targaryens, known for their violet eyes and platinum hair, have customarily married each other in order to keep the "blood of the dragon" pure, but the teenaged Daenerys has become a pawn in her brother's scheme to marry her off to Khal Drogo.

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Ser Jorah Mormont
A friend and confidant of the Targaryen siblings, Ser Jorah Mormont is an exiled knight living across the Narrow Sea. He was accused of selling poachers into slavery rather than turn them over to his father, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont, and his Night's Watch -- guardians of a 700-foot ice wall between the northern territory and the magical forest, a region controlled by the feared king-beyond-the-wall Mance Rayder.

Photo credit: HBO
Khal Drogo
A powerful warlord in the land across the Narrow Sea, Khal (that's his title) leads an army, called a khalasar. Khal Drogo is betrothed to Daenerys Targaryen, the daughter of the mad king Aerys. As part of their marriage pact, Khal has promised to lead an invasion of Westeros to help Daenerys and her brother, Viserys reclaim the Iron Throne.

Photo credit: HBO