The Presence of Evil
Bryan Cogman: Most viewers get that this is a gray world and will go with it. Some don’t, and they either stop watching or they keep watching, hating the grayness. But yes, this world is gray. The terms hero and villain in our writers’ room [do] not exist. And I would say George would say the same thing about his books. There aren’t any good guys or bad guys in his books. It’s why this show speaks to more people than those who would necessarily watch a quote-unquote fantasy show, the complexity of the characters. A character starts throwing a kid out a window, and then you start liking him, and then you don’t like him very much, and then you like him again. There are no clear-cut redemption arcs. There are people who have redeeming moments and non-redeeming moments. There are people who don’t realize they’re being terrible when they’re being terrible.
That’s Bryan Cogman, a producer on Game of Thrones, in an interview with Vulture. I’m grateful to Cogman for his fine work on the series, and also for so cleanly formulating the pervasive belief that there are no black and white characters in ASOIAF – otherwise, I might be accused of setting up a strawman. Ideally I’d get this quote from the horse’s mouth, but let’s not let that stop us. Martin’s feelings on the matter aren’t all that relevant, actually; this is now a part of the series’ mystique, regardless of how true it is. And to be clear, it is kinda true, it is sometimes true. (Jaime is the poster boy, and I look at how that redemption (and it is one, I don’t care what Cogman says) is managed here.) But not categorically.
Let’s review a few of the outright villains in the series.
Rorge
“You shut your mouth!” Arya tried to think what Syrio would have done. She drew her wooden practice sword.
“Come closer,” Rorge said, “and I’ll shove that stick up your bunghole and fuck you bloody.”
The door to the inn banged open. Willow stepped out into the rain, a crossbow in her hands. The girl was shouting at the riders, but a clap of thunder rolled across the yard, drowning out her words. As it faded, Brienne heard the man in the Hound’s helm say, “Loose a quarrel at me and I’ll shove that crossbow up your cunt and fuck you with it. Then I’ll pop your fucking eyes out and make you eat them.” The fury in the man’s voice drove Willow back a step, trembling.
Joffrey
“Joffrey… I remember once, this kitchen cat… the cooks were wont to feed her scraps and fish heads. One told the boy that she had kittens in her belly, thinking he might want one. Joffrey opened up the poor thing with a dagger to see if it were true. When he found the kittens, he brought them to show to his father. Robert hit the boy so hard I thought he’d killed him.”
“Silence, fool.” Joffrey lifted his crossbow and pointed it at her face. “You Starks are as unnatural as those wolves of yours. I’ve not forgotten how your monster savaged me.”
“That was Arya’s wolf,” she said. “Lady never hurt you, but you killed her anyway.”
“No, your father did,” Joff said, “but I killed your father. I wish I’d done it myself. I killed a man last night who was bigger than your father. They came to the gate shouting my name and calling for bread like I was some baker, but I taught them better. I shot the loudest one right through the throat.”
Gregor Clegane
A woodcarver set up shop in the village under my father’s keep, and to buy favor he sent us gifts. The old man made marvelous toys. I don’t remember what I got, but it was Gregor’s gift I wanted. A wooden knight, all painted up, every joint pegged separate and fixed with strings, so you could make him fight. Gregor is five years older than me, the toy was nothing to him, he was already a squire, near six foot tall and muscled like an ox. So I took his knight, but there was no joy to it, I tell you. I was scared all the while, and true enough, he found me. There was a brazier in the room. Gregor never said a word, just picked me up under his arm and shoved the side of my face down in the burning coals and held me there while I screamed and screamed.
“Elia of Dorne,” they all heard Ser Gregor say, when they were close enough to kiss. His deep voice boomed within the helm. “I killed her screaming whelp.” He thrust his free hand into Oberyn’s unprotected face, pushing steel fingers into his eyes. “Then I raped her.” Clegane slammed his fist into the Dornishman’s mouth, making splinters of his teeth. “Then I smashed her fucking head in. Like this.”
Roose Bolton
“Has my bastard ever told you how I got him?”
That he did know, to his relief. “Yes, my … m’lord. You met his mother whilst out riding and were smitten by her beauty.”
“Smitten?” Bolton laughed. “Did he use that word? Why, the boy has a singer’s soul … though if you believe that song, you may well be dimmer than the first Reek. Even the riding part is wrong. I was hunting a fox along the Weeping Water when I chanced upon a mill and saw a young woman washing clothes in the stream. The old miller had gotten himself a new young wife, a girl not half his age. She was a tall, willowy creature, very healthy-looking. Long legs and small firm breasts, like two ripe plums. Pretty, in a common sort of way. The moment that I set eyes on her I wanted her. Such was my due. The maesters will tell you that King Jaehaerys abolished the lord’s right to the first night to appease his shrewish queen, but where the old gods rule, old customs linger. The Umbers keep the first night too, deny it as they may. Certain of the mountain clans as well, and on Skagos … well, only heart trees ever see half of what they do on Skagos. This miller’s marriage had been performed without my leave or knowledge. The man had cheated me. So I had him hanged, and claimed my rights beneath the tree where he was swaying. If truth be told, the wench was hardly worth the rope.
Ramsay Bolton
“Tell him nothing and remember every word he says. I’ll have you back, no matter what that Dustin bitch may tell you. Who are you?”
“Reek, my lord. Your man. I’m Reek, it rhymes with sneak.”
“It does. When my father brings you back, I’m going to take another finger. I’ll let you choose which one.”
Then there’s Cersei and her charming necromancer Qyburn, Rorge’s buddy Biter, Shagwell, Polliver, Rattleshirt, Kraznys the loutish slaver, Viserys, Craster, Vargo Hoat, Rickon, etc.