You could consider anyone still left conscious this late in Game of Thrones to be a winner considering the number of people who have been killed off.
But of those people, some are in the game for ego-driven selfish purposes. Then there are those who have made mistakes but are evolving a higher level of consciousness and working towards the greater good.
The ranking of level of consciousness here is measured by the characters:
- Level of self-awareness
- Sense of morality
- Compassionate behaviours
- Putting the needs of others above their own
- Understanding the bigger picture
- Finding a way to make a significant difference
Let’s start with the people who need to take a hard look at themselves and work our way up towards those that are winning the Game of Consciousness. As you go through, take a moment to #AskYourself what you can learn from each of these characters and their mistakes to apply to your own life to raise your own level of consciousness.
15 – Cersei Lannister (Queen Mother)
“Tears aren’t a woman’s only weapon. The best one’s between your legs.”
Cersei has been put in a position where she could make a tremendous impact, through being queen of the people and mother to two young Kings.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Has caused mass suffering as she is not as intelligent as she believes herself to be.
- Is willing to betray anyone who trusts her and put her children in harms way to advance her own objectives.
- Lives from a state of consciousness in which she honestly believes that she is good and it’s the rest of the world that is evil.
- Is not aware of her selfish decisions and instead blames others for her misfortune.
- Is like a petulant child who lacks emotional maturity and acts out in impulse.
#AskYourself : Do I blame others for my misfortune or do I take responsibility for my own life?
14 – Euron Greyjoy (Drowned God)
“I don’t mock the Drowned God – I am the Drowned God. From Oldtown to Qarth, when men see my sails, they pray.”
Euron, known for being the most feared pirate alive, has now claimed the title of King of the Ironborn.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Cut out the tongues of his crew after they tied him to the mast when he went mad in a storm.
- Come into power by killing his own brother, and then bragged about it in public.
- Emotionally manipulated others to achieve his objectives.
#AskYourself : Do I control others through fear or inspire them by example?
13 – Peytr Baelish (Littlefinger)
“Chaos isn’t a pit. Chaos is a ladder. Many who try to climb it fail, and never get to try again. The fall breaks them. And some are given a chance to climb, but refuse. They cling to the realm, or love, or the gods… illusions. Only the ladder is real. The climb is all there is.”
Littlefinger, master manipulator and a sociopath who hungers for power over others, has stated more than once that he wants “everything.”
Low consciousness indicators:
- Uses people for his own purposes without caring for their well-being, a point made clear by his brothel.
- Feels that he is the victim in an unfair world, and uses his power to balance the scales.
- Lacks emotional awareness, should have known Cateyln Stark would be mourning her husband before proposing that they should be together now that Ned had been killed.
- Has helped Jon and Sansa but for purely selfish reasons.
#AskYourself : How can I be a better person instead of just pretending to be?
12 – Theon Greyjoy (Reek)
“I deserved everything. I deserve to be Reek. I did terrible things. Turned on Robb…captured Winterfell…killed those boys.”
Theon, heir to the throne of the Iron Islands, lost his title growing up as a prisoner of war with the Starks and lost his identity as a tortured slave under Ramsay Bolton.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Even though was a prisoner of war of the Starks, they had treated him well. He betrayed the Stark family, later admitting that Ned Stark had been his true father.
- He expected acclaim in a multitude of situations even if he were the only one expecting acclaim for it.
- In his efforts to show great strength, Theon proves himself to be something of a hypocrite: when he seizes Winterfell, he promises to Bran that no one would be harmed if Bran surrendered, but minutes later he completely shattered his promise.
- Before his capture by Ramsay Snow, Theon is shown to be rather arrogant, narcissistic and vain, but fundamentally not malicious.
- Due to his abuse by Ramsay, he lives from a state of traumatic shock making him withdrawn and submissive.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- Theon tries to become a ruthless ironborn raider to appease his biological father and find a true home again, but the conscience that he developed living with the Starks makes it difficult for him to live up to these expectations.
- Redeems himself by helping Sansa escape.
#AskYourself : How can I get over my past to be able to live at my best now?
11 – Jaime Lannister (Kingslayer)
“You’re a hateful woman, why have the gods condemned me to love a hateful woman?”
Jaime, infamously known for stabbing the Mad King in the back, was widely regarded at the most talented swordsman in Westeros until he lost his hand and is now known for simply being the incestuous brother to Cersei.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Knocked Bran out the window. He felt he had no choice as his children would be executed if anyone found out.
- Has lost his sense of identity after losing his sword-fighting hand.
- Is blinded by his love for his sister, acting to please her rather than what he knows he should be doing.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- Saved Brienne twice when he didn’t have to.
- Has begun to question his actions after the death of his children.
#AskYourself : Am I letting my emotional attachment to someone justify making the wrong decision?
10 – Sandor Clegane (The Hound)
“You didn’t know me back in my time. You don’t know the things I’ve done.”
Clegane, a killer by trade and one of the most formidable fighters in Westeros, is searching for a new purpose.
Low consciousness indicators:
- Phobia of fire after being burned by his brother “The Mountain” as a child.
- Found opportunities to kill which he thinks is the best thing in the world.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- He has a sense of honor and compassion which we first see when he takes care of and protects Sansa in King’s Landing.
- His compassion continues to grow through the seasons, as his relationship with Arya develops.
- After his near death experience it becomes clear that he has become a new man as he buries the father and daughter he barely knew.
#AskYourself : How can I redefine my identity?
9 – Lord Varys (The Spider)
“Storms come and go, the big fish eat the little fish, and I keep on paddling.”
Varys, a eunuch skilled manipulator with a large network of informants, has been helping Daenarys on and off and seems to have finally put all his eggs in her basket.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Has committed woeful deeds in the past, and his methods remain questionable.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- He is one of the few people who has immense political power but no interest in sitting on the Iron Throne.
- Varys has a genuinely compassionate side, especially where children are concerned
- He seems to be acting for the purpose of the greater good of the people rather than being blindly loyal to any leader, and believes Denearys to be the best chance for continued peace and prosperity in the realm.
#AskYourself : Am I proud of both what I’m doing and how I’m doing it?
8 – Melisandre (Red Woman)
“A god is real, or he’s not. You only need eyes to see.”
Melisandre, Priestess of the Lord of Light, believed blindly in Stannis before tragically realising she had made the wrong bet and switched her focus helping Jon.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Uses Blood Magic to murder Renly Baratheon.
- Convinces Stannis to sacrifice his daughter, and countless other innocents.
- Blindly follows her religion without questioning.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- She is extremely intelligent in her own way and appears to have an uncanny understanding of other people, which enables her to gain their trust.
- She resurrects Jon at risk to herself.
- During her service to Jon, Melisandre only uses her magic when he commands it, adopting a more subdued approach to her religion and her ability to predict future events.
- Makes the most important introduction of Game of Thrones between Jon and Daenerys.
#AskYourself : How do I know when it’s time for me to move on?
7 – Arya Stark (Faceless Girl)
“A girl is Arya Stark of Winterfell, and I’m going home.”
Arya, a tomboy with a vengeance trained as a faceless man, has just found out that Jon is alive and is heading home.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Arya can be a rather cold-blooded, slightly sadistic person at times, especially while confronting and killing those who are on her death list.
- Her time with The Hound and the Faceless Men have taught her to be ruthless to those who have wronged her and her family and has shown to be willing to use psychological mind games to worsen her enemies fate before killing them.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- Arya is a fiercely independent child who is unconstrained by social expectations like gender roles, courtly virtues, class distinctions, and the expectations of her parents and siblings. She rejects the notion that she must become a lady and marry for influence and power, instead she believes she can forge her own destiny.
- She is persistent in her goals and is not phased by the brutal training of the faceless men.
- Arya is not completely blinded by hate. After learning that Jon had retaken Winterfell, she ultimately chose to reunite with her loved ones over vengeance against her enemies.
#AskYourself : Am I acting out of anger or love?
6 – Sansa Stark (Little Dove)
“I did what I had to do to survive. I am a Stark. I will always be a Stark.”
Sansa, a proper noble lady who has had her dreams of being a regal queen squashed, is now taking leadership of the North.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Naive highborn noble with an unrealistic dream.
- Has been thrown around a lot, which has hardened her to become more warlike and lack compassion for people she doesn’t know.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- She shows compassion by reaching out to Theon.
- Apologizes to Jon for being awful to him when they were young.
- She has matured and grown stronger, and is starting to come into her own as a competent leader.
#AskYourself : Am I reacting out of fear or purpose?
5 – Samwell Tarly (Sam the Slayer)
“Sometimes a man has to make hard choices, choices that might look wrong to others, but you know are right in the long run.”
Sam, a well-educated intellectual with a heart of gold, is now training to become a maester so that he can be of help in the Winter that is coming.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Sam is timid, awkward, cowardly, nervous and easily frightened. When he was first tested in combat, he didn’t even pick up a weapon and allowed himself to be beaten, terrified, leading to the impression that he was worthless.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- While initially labelled as a coward, Sam has shown himself to be capable of incredible bravery when he is pushed, driving a dagger into a White Walker’s heart, saving Gilly and her son.
- Sam later proved himself to be gradually immune to the bullies that he had suffered most of his life, using his love for Gilly as a foundation for his strength.
- He has shown himself to be resourceful finding out the location of dragon glass that could be mined to turn the tides against the White Walkers.
- Sam put himself at risk in order to selflessly save Jorah Mormont.
#AskYourself : How could I be of most value?
4 – Tyrion Lannister (The Imp)
“These bad people are what I’m good at. Out-talking them, out-thinking them – it’s what I am. And I like it. I like it more than anything I’ve ever done.”
Tyrion, using his wit and intellect to overcome the prejudice he faces as a dwarf, has become the trusted Hand and advisor to Daenerys.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Tyrion can act vicious if he feels he’s been wronged – such as killing Shae for testifying against him during his trial and having an affair with his father, as well as shooting his father in cold blood on the toilet with a crossbow. While killing his father was probably for the greater good, it was done in revenge.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- Despite his harsh treatment at the hands of others over the years, Tyrion has managed to develop a thick skin, able to brush off others’ japes about his short stature.
- He is a kind man who would protect the innocent, claiming that he loves broken things.
- Tyrion prides himself on his ability to read people as easily as he does books, and he has on many occasions easily gotten the better of not just Joffrey and Cersei but also experienced players such as Littlefinger and Pycelle.
- Tyrion is also genuinely loyal to those who treat him with love and respect. He also seemed to have a level of honor and dignity that the rest of his family seemed to lack.
- He has a deep understanding of the bigger picture and is a wise strategist.
#AskYourself : Am I letting old habits or addictions stop me from being my best self?
3 – Bran Stark (Three Eyed Raven)
“I need to learn to see better. When the long night comes again…I need to be ready.”
Bran, crippled in physical form but supernatural in his mental state, has just returned to Winteerfell to play his part in Winter that is coming.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Questionable (he has been preparing and hasn’t had much opportunity to shine yet) : While Bran has incredible ability to see what others cannot, he is not at the top of this list as thus far been fairly passive and hasn’t yet found a way to use his ability to make a difference.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- He has “The Sight” which is the ability to receive prophetic visions, starting off in the form of dreams. Bran’s powers extend far beyond simply viewing events unfold. He is capable of influencing past events, though he cannot change what was predestined to occur already.
- Bran is a warg, a human who can send his consciousness into the mind of an animal, to see through its eyes and control its body as if it were his own. He has shifted his consciousness into his direwolf and even into his simple man helper Hodor.
- We do not yet know the extent to his power and how well he can enter the consciousness of other people or perhaps even a dragon.
#AskYourself : How can I use the abilities I have to make a real difference?
2 – Daenerys Targaryen (Breaker of Chains)
“I spent my life in foreign lands. So many men have tried to kill me, I don’t remember all their names. I have been sold like a broodmare. I’ve been chained and betrayed, raped and defiled. Do you know what kept me standing through all those years in exile? Faith. Not in any gods, not in myths and legends. In myself. In Daenerys Targaryen.”
“You have a good claim: a title, a birthright. But you have something more than that: you may cover it up and deny it, but you have a gentle heart. You would be not only respected and feared, you would be loved. Someone who can rule and should rule. Centuries come and go without a person like that coming into the world. There are times that I look at you, and I still can’t believe you’re real.” Jorah to Daenerys
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Her pent-up frustration from years of being mentally and physically dominated by her brother and those after make Daenerys capable of being utterly ruthless against those she perceives as oppressing others.
- Her idealism, naivety and lack of political awareness leads to the crucifixion of 163 children, to which she retaliates by crucifying 163 slave-masters including many who opposed the crucifixion of the children.
- Daenerys has also shown to be quite vengeful. From tying an assassin naked to a horse making him walk to his death. To burning alive the witch that resurrected Drogo. To locking the merchants who were involved in the theft of her dragons in a empty vault.
- She demands Jon bend the knee without trying to build a relationship with him first. She’s laying her claim on her birthright as the only living Targaryen, which will make her bite her tongue later when she finds out she is actually Jon’s aunt, and Jon may have a stronger Targaryen birthright than her.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- Despite all of the above, Daenarys is deeply sympathetic to those she perceives as oppressed and has more than made up for her mistakes, liberating thousands of slaves and giving a higher purpose to the Dothraki.
- Daenerys finds the inner strength to bear the hardships of her life. She then turns those hardships into opportunities, such as using her position as Khaleesi to implore her husband to show mercy to the conquered.
- During her campaign to conquer Slaver’s Bay, Daenerys makes it a point to listen to and be available for her people to see how she can help each and every one.
- Daenerys has the self-awareness to surround herself with the wisest advisors possible. She genuinely listens to everyone’s input before making her decision.
- She gives people (and her dragons) the freedom to follow her by choice and reciprocates the loyalty of those who follow her with gratitude and compassion.
- She is willing to let go of her pride on Tyrion’s advice to let Jon mine the dragonglass with the intention of forming an alliance.
#AskYourself : Am I letting my ego get in the way of what I should really be doing?
1 – Jon Snow (King in the North)
They think you’re some kind of God. The man who returned from the dead.”
Jon can be seen as the Messiah in Game of Thrones, the resurrected underdog who can liberate the people from the Winter that is coming.
Low Consciousness Indicators:
- Questionable (even though he was freed from his vows after death): He executed mutineers who murdered him to set an example, including his steward Olly who was too young to call a man. They had murdered him due to their low level of consciousness and fear of the Wildlings, and he could have acted compassionately to be an example for them to raise their consciousness.
High Consciousness Indicators:
- Because he was raised by Ned Stark at Winterfell, Jon has adopted a clear moral compass and a true sense of honor, which he tries his hardest to abide by even when he must make difficult decisions.
- Jon is very compassionate and protective of his fellow outcasts such as Samwell Tarly. Although somewhat arrogant when he first arrives at Castle Black, once Tyrion points out that the other recruits were all far less fortunate than he was, he changes his behavior to champion and train the other downtrodden recruits.
- Jon had compassion for the Wildlings and supported them to get South of the Wall.
- He is put in positions of power as Lord Commander and King in the North not because he asks for it, but because the people around him know that he is the best person for the job. He has the wisdom and humility to accept the role and remain true to his ideals rather than letting the power corrupt him.
- When Ramsay decides to play a “game” with Rickon, Jon chooses his family by attempting to save his little brother’s life, even at the cost of his own life and battle plans.
- He once again puts himself in danger for the greater good by accepting Daenerys’ request. He not only has the self-awareness to refuse to bend the knee to someone he doesn’t know or trust, he also manages to come away achieving his objective to mine dragonglass.
- He has seen what no-one else has and has a very clear awareness of what is important and what needs to be done. He will stop at nothing (not even death) to save the people of the Seven Kingdoms.
#AskYourself : What would I do if I had greater potential than I could possibly imagine?
I’d love to know (in the comments):
1 – Who do you think will win the Game of Consciousness by the end of season 7?
2 – Which question did you #AskYourself that resonated most deeply with you? Why?
3 – Do you agree or disagree with the ranking above? What would you change?
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