So, who was the best swordsman in the Game of Thrones?

[Kyriakos]

Going by Season 1, so that all of the swordsmen who have appeared by now can be counted (ie you can count Oberyn, from Season 4, but also Ned Stark, despite the latter having died in Season 1) Also Jaime is to be counted before he lost his sword-hand.

Poll will be up soon.

Poll Question:

Who was the best swordsman in Game of Thrones?

Poll Options:

1) Lord Ned Stark

2) Jaime Lannister (the Kingslayer)

3) The Hound (Sandor Glegane)

4) The Mountain (Gregor Glegane)

5) Ser Barristan Selmy (Commander of King Robert Baratheon's King's Guard)

6) Jon Snow (Know-nothing )

7) Prince Oberyn Martell

8) Lady Brienne of Tarth

9) Stannis Baratheon (The True King)

10) Other/The poll is dark and full of terrors

*

Some of those saw no combat in the show (most notably Ser Barristan, but he was said to be still a great swordsman), while others fought only briefly (Ned Stark, against Jaime, before one of Jaime's thugs speared him on the knee..). Oberyn was pretty cool, and since i liked his character overall i am voting for him

Khal Drogo, btw, isn't there cause he is not a swordsman, and i don't like him anyway

 

[Kyriakos]

BTW, sadly i forgot Bronn :/
He might have been a contender, sorry for that..

 

[Terxpahseyton]

What about that water dancer from Bravos?

 

[Quackers]

Who was the best swordsman in Game of Thrones?

My natural inclination is to go for the Mountain. Than I thought his ability comes mainly from his sheer size and power. He doesn't need to be an intricate, technically sound swordsman if your sword strokes are so hard. Based on this i'm going to avoid the Cleganes.

I am going to go for Ser Barristan Selmy, it says he has won every single duel he has ever been in. Close contenders are Ned Stark, Jaime Lannister and Brienne.

I take it you didn't list Robert Baratheon because he used a hammer?

 

[Kyriakos]

My natural inclination is to go for the Mountain. Than I thought his ability comes mainly from his sheer size and power. He doesn't need to be an intricate, technically sound swordsman if your sword strokes are so hard. Based on this i'm going to avoid the Cleganes.

I am going to go for Ser Barristan Selmy, it says he has won every single duel he has ever been in. Close contenders are Ned Stark, Jaime Lannister and Brienne.

I take it you didn't list Robert Baratheon because he used a hammer?

I didn't recall that; i didn't include him cause he is so fat since the show begins and clearly in no condition to fight any serious opponent (and neither a boar).

What about that water dancer from Bravos?

Arya's dancing instructor? I thought of him but it seems he was killed by one of the most useless knights in King's Landing, so i decided to not include him (i mean if he was facing death why didn't he just pick up one of the actual swords and kill that creep? ).

 

[BvBPL]

Pod.

His swordplay is so good the ladies pay to see it.

--

No Loras Tyrell?

 

[Terxpahseyton]

His swordplay is so good the ladies pay to see it.

Witty!
Though in a sexual context the word "swordplay" has traditionally a different meaning...

 

[Kyriakos]

Pod.

His swordplay is so good the ladies pay to see it.

--

No Loras Tyrell?

'The knight of Roses'?

 

[BvBPL]

Yeah. He’s presented as one of the virtuoso swordsmen in the first season such that I think Jaime expressed some apprehension about going up against him. Doesn’t he beat up the Mountain at one point in a tournament or am I misremembering that?

 

[Terxpahseyton]

Lol You are. The mountain was about to kill him - with some ease - and only the hound saved him.
What he was good at was doing the whole riding with a long stick on a horse thing.

 

[Luckymoose]

What even is this? Jaime Lannister is the greatest canonically.

Khal Drogo, btw, isn't there cause he is not a swordsman, and i don't like him anyway

But he's a steppe man, like modern Greeks. What's not to like?

 

[Terxpahseyton]

How has that been established? Was there an off-voice saying "Btw - Jaime Lanister is the best. Period" Did Jaime Lanister at one time fight every able swordsman there is?

 

[Shadowbound]

Khal Drago is the only correct answer. You've also omitted Syrio Forel, whose job was to literally stab people for the wealthiest man alive (super-Bronn) and included Oberyn, who isn't a great swordsman (see: spear).

 

[Luckymoose]

How has that been established? Was there an off-voice saying "Btw - Jaime Lanister is the best. Period" Did Jaime Lanister at one time fight every able swordsman there is?

Yes. Jaime Lannister is the greatest, and it is mentioned in the show. The books mention it a lot more.

 

[Terxpahseyton]

Yes to what? I don't recall an off-voice in the show? People within the universe may say so. Why should we presume that they are infallible in that assessment?

 

[Luckymoose]

Yes to what? I don't recall an off-voice in the show? People within the universe may say so. Why should we presume that they are infallible in that assessment?

Because canon says Jaime Lannister has a history of showing off his skills. Kingswood Brotherhood. Winning a tournament melee against grown knights at the age of 13. Etc. The dude is a master.

 

[Terxpahseyton]

All that leaves plenty of room for discussion. Since this only establishes that Jaime is extraordinarily good. Not that someone else can not possibly be even better.
edit: But it is possible that Martin makes it abundantly clear that he wants the reader to think Jaime is the best. Is that what you mean by canon?

 

[Kyriakos]

Ah...don't mind Lolmoose, he is part of another fantasy, 'in a forum on the web there lived a troll' and so on

 

[Luckymoose]

All that leaves plenty of room for discussion. Since this only establishes that Jaime is extraordinarily good. Not that someone else can not possibly be even better.
edit: But it is possible that Martin makes it abundantly clear that he wants the reader to think Jaime is the best. Is that what you mean by canon?

Yes. It is abundantly clear and canon, as in written by the author and continued by the tv series, that Jaime Lannister is the best swordsman living before he loses his hand. There is absolutely no doubt about it.

Ah...don't mind Lolmoose, he is part of another fantasy, 'in a forum on the web there lived a troll' and so on

I read the books and watch the show. I know what I'm talking about.

 

[Grisu]

What about Arthur Dayne?