10 times Tyrion Lannister proved that he is one of the smartest Game of Thrones characters

HBO’s Game of Thrones premiered in 2011 and is best known for the political intrigues and maneuvering revolving around the Iron Throne. Breaking multiple records and creating new standards for television shows with the intense narrative where every step for the characters was filled with risks of dying, either fighting a battle or some supernatural creatures.

Numerous characters became popular due to their performances and character arcs in Game of Thrones. However, one of those characters always stood out. Peter Dinklage’s Tyrion Lannister might be one of the most popular characters of the Fantasy series. His wit and intelligence, and manipulative nature resulted in him surviving till the end. Whether tricking the royalties, his quick thinking during extreme danger, and his knowledge saved him numerous times and brought him back from several dangerous situations.

Here’s a list of 10 times when Tyrion Lannister proved that he might be the smartest character in Game of Thrones.

Disclaimer: This entire article is based on the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.

10 times Tyrion Lannister proved that he is one of the smartest Game of Thrones characters

10) Designed Bran’s saddle

Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones | Image via HBO Entertainment

Dinklage’s character Tyrion, has always been an interesting one since the beginning of Game of Thrones. For instance, in the episode titled, Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things, Tyrion brings a special design of a saddle that would allow him to ride a horse again after his accident.

Although suspicious at first, Bran does accept the design. This act might be one of the early depictions of how he was different from all the other Lannisters and even was knowledgeable enough to design a special saddle for Bran Stark, who is suffering due to his brother's fault.

9) Tyrion as the Hand of the King

Tyrion acting as a Hand of the King during his father’s absence in season 2 of Game of Thrones showed us his knowledge of politics, as Joffrey’s reign was one of the worst times for King’s Landing. He tried to minimise the loss in every step by keeping a check on Joffrey.

His exiling of the ruthless Janos Slynt to the wall was one of his early decisions as the Hand of the King, which was also helpful for many people, as Slynt was one of the most hated characters, as he was the one who killed Ned Stark’s men and arrested him. Furthermore, he was also the one who oversaw the plan of killing all of Robert Baratheon’s illegitimate children, including a baby girl, without showing any mercy.

8) Identifying Grand Maester Pycelle as a spy

While being Hand of the King in season 2 of Game of Thrones, Tyrion showcased his intelligence several times. For instance, to find out who was Cersei’s informant, he formulated a plan and told different stories to Pycelle, Littlefinger, and Varys to find out who would report the information to Cersei.

When Cersei comes to confront him about sending Myrcella to Dorne, he discovers that Pycelle was Cersei’s spy and strips him of his titles. It was a smart move where he even lured the Master of Whisperers and Master of Coin to find out who the spy was.

7) Saved Sansa

His soft spot for the Stark kids was shown from the beginning, and later he also became one of Sansa’s rescuers many times when she was living in King’s Landing. After Ned Stark’s death, Robb began rallying his allies to go to war against them.

Joffrey, being the obtuse character he is, wanted to punish Sansa for Robb wanting to go to war against him. He tries to disrobe her and kill her while Sansa tells him that she doesn’t know anything about her brother and what he was planning to do. Tyrion comes and stops whatever Joffrey was trying to do by reminding him of the mad King and what happened to him at the end.

6) Saving himself by demanding a trial by combat in Vale

After Catlyn Stark accuses him of trying to get Bran killed, and is held captive in the Vale in Season 1 episode 6 of Game of Thrones. Using his quick thinking, he demands an audience with Lisa Arryn and demands a fair chance to fight for his freedom.

With his manipulative methods and quick thinking saved himself from being killed in the Vale by choosing Bronn as his champion in the trial by combat, which Bronn won. As a result, Tyrion gains his freedom from the Eyrie.

5) Negotiated with the slave masters

The season 6 episode 4 of Game of Thrones depicts one of Tyrion’s most important scenes, where we get to witness the character’s understanding of the people around him as he tries to talk to them in what they might want to hear. Meereen and the slave states have to be changed under Daenerys’s rule, but without the help of the slave masters, that would not be possible.

Tyrion, knowing that they would not want to give up their slaves, asks them to give them seven years to transition the slave states into free states, and they will also be paid compensation for their losses. When asked about their business, as without slaves they won’t be able to run them, Tyrion tells them that he comes from a country where slavery was abolished hundreds of years ago, and he is still the richest among all of them. His understanding that talks of morals won’t work here, rather than that he has to talk about their greed, is what makes him exceptionally smart among other characters.

4) Brought the hill tribes to his side

After being freed from the Eeyrie in season 1 of Game of Thrones, Tyrion and Bronn take the eastern road to travel back to go back to King’s Landing, when they encounter the hill tribes. Tyrion, with his wit and cleverness, convinces the hill tribes that they are the enemies of House Arryn, and since Lisa Arryn is Catelyn Stark’s sister, she would side with her in the battle. Hence, to win and conquer Vale for themselves, they should join the Lannisters and help them win the battle.

With that, he brings the hill tribe to fight against Robb Stark and his army of the North.

3) Releases Daenerys’s dragons

Throughout the 8 seasons of Game of Thrones, we have witnessed that Tyrion might be one of the most well-read characters of the series. His knowledge about numerous things often comes in handy in making strategies and creating opportunities for survival. For instance, when Grey Worm reports that the two dragons are not eating anything in Season 6 episode 2 of Game of Thrones, Tyrion tells them that it's because dragons are not supposed to be kept in captivity.

He shares that the Targaryens often kept their dragons chained in the dungeons, which was one of the reasons for their extinction. Later, he himself goes into the dungeons to free the other two dragons as their survival is crucial to Daenerys’s winning.

2) Defence of King’s Landing from Stannis’s fleet

The Battle of the Blackwater in season 2, episode 9, was one of the finest episodes of Game of Thrones that showcased Tyrion’s understanding of not just politics but warfare and battles as well. Tyrion makes a clever plan of using wildfire against Stannis’s fleet.

With Bronn waiting on the shore, only one royal ship is on the water, which brings suspicions for Davos, and as the ship passes by, Davos notices the wildfire leaking out of it and that there’s one on board the ship. Tyrion then signals Bronn to fire an arrow, which, when it lands on the ship with wildfire, explodes and manages to take some of Stannis’s army with the explosion.

1) Asks Jon Snow to kill Daenerys

The ending of Game of Thrones might be one of the most disliked endings, as many fans didn’t like how Daenerys ended up dying, and Jon went back to the Wall. However, as Tyrion noticed how Daenerys had changed since he met her, he thought of it as the only viable solution to save Westeros.

He convinced Jon Snow to kill Daenerys, as after her battle with Cersei, she ended up taking numerous innocent lives with her dragon, Drogon. This led to Tyrion fearing how dangerous Daenerys has become and convinces Jon to end her life. This might be one of the hardest decisions made by him, but it still stemmed from the good he believed Daenerys would do for the world. But couldn’t follow through and had to die in the end.