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Game Of Thrones' Sequel Can Finally Redeem The Original's Tyrion Mistake
Tyrion Lannister is one of the best characters in Game of Thrones but is ruined by season 8 - and the new sequel series can fix this. HBO's sequel to the immensely popular fantasy TV series is set to follow Jon Snow (Kit Harrington), one of the surviving main characters of the finale of Game of Thrones season 8. Though no other actors have been confirmed to appear yet, Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) must absolutely become a main character once more to redeem D B Weiss and David Benioff's character assassination of the wittiest man in Westeros.
One of the few characters with genuine empathy and a witty mouth to boot, Tyrion Lannister is a universally beloved Game of Thrones character. Despite having the odds stacked against him in the harsh society of Westeros due to his dwarfism, he is an honorable, clever man with better intentions for the realm than his brother Jaime, sister Cersei, and nephew, Joffrey combined. Tyrion's initial character arc culminates in Game of Thrones season 4 when he is blamed for Joffrey's murder and put on trial, eventually losing a trial by combat which pits his champion, Oberyn Martell, against Gregor Clegane, the Mountain. After killing his father and his lover, Shae, Tyrion eventually joins up with Varys and Daenerys Targaryen to help her ascend the iron throne as her Hand of the Queen.
Tyrion's turn from witty hero to useless advisor must be undone by the sequel series. The character was almost universally beloved for staring death in the face and doing what he felt was right, such as when he gave his legendary monologue during his trial for Joffrey's murder in Game of Thrones season 4. However, Tyrion is a shell of his former self from season 5 onward. He spends much of his time moping, then makes poor strategic decisions, such as when he gets his closest friend, Varys, killed by Daenerys Targaryen. Tyrion is arguably the smartest man in Westeros, so he should absolutely return in the new series with his original intelligence restored to redeem this once great character.
A primary reason for Tyrion's weaker later appearances are that he lacks personal connections to those he interacts with. Game of Thrones seasons 1-4 see him contend with the awfulness of Cersei and Tywin Lannister and form close relationships with Bronn, Podrick Payne, and Jaime Lannister. In this vein, later seasons prevent him from being witty as he primarily only interacts with people he respects, such as Jon Snow, Ser Jorah Mormont, and Varys. While his character certainly has his dramatic moments, he is also one of the series' funniest characters in the first few seasons, a trait sorely missing from Game of Thrones seasons 5-8.
Peter Dinklage is a highly celebrated actor, winning multiple awards for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister. As one of Game of Thrones' few characters with a disability, his appearance is vitally important for authentic representations that normalize dwarfism in modern media. Furthermore, Dinklage's Tyrion is almost as intertwined with the series' identity as George R.R. Martin himself at this point, so it would be a crime not to have him return for the unnamed sequel. In this way, the Game of Thrones sequel needs to bring back Tyrion to restore his brains and wit and to give him the chance to become the same character so many fell in love with when the series first premiered.
