# GoT (tv series): Who's the best fighter in the series? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637 "2013-05-06T18:01:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/1 "2013-05-06T18:01:35Z")
Imagine the scenario: a tournament is called for the best fighters in the known world to compete in one-on-one melee fighting. We’ll say this gets called prior to John Arynn’s death, so we can have a two-handed Jaimie Lannister and a living and non-crippled Ned Stark available. Who comes out on top? The Mountain? Brienne? Syrios Farrell? Ser Loras? Make the case for the fighter you’d wager money on! ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/2 "2013-05-06T18:05:03Z")
Maybe this should have a spoiler notice? I’ll bid 300 quatloos on Shadowbaby. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/3 "2013-05-06T18:06:10Z")
Thinking of those whom we’ve seen fight each other so far, I’d have to say that Ser Loras is not all that he is advertised to be. The Mountain pretty much hammered him in melee combat after being unseated at the Hand’s Tournament, and Brienne beat him during Renly’s contest. Poor Loras! On a side note, Jamie Lannister said at one point that there were maybe three men in all of Westeros that might stand a chance against him in a swordfight. Who do you think he meant? ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/4 "2013-05-06T18:08:11Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Maybe this should have a spoiler notice? > > I’ll bid 300 quatloos on Shadowbaby. LOL! Humans only, please! That should rule out the dragons, too… As for spoilers, my apologies, but nothing was written that hasn’t already been aired. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/5 "2013-05-06T18:09:35Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > On a side note, Jamie Lannister said at one point that there were maybe three men in all of Westeros that might stand a chance against him in a swordfight. Who do you think he meant? Ned Stark was one of them. I’d include Jon Snow, but I doubt Jamie knew about him/included him in his list. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/6 "2013-05-06T18:11:13Z")
I’d have to put decent money on the Mountain based on size and rage alone. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/7 "2013-05-06T18:11:18Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > On a side note, Jamie Lannister said at one point that there were maybe three men in all of Westeros that might stand a chance against him in a swordfight. Who do you think he meant? I thinking they were Ned Stark, The Mountain, and probably someone we haven’t met yet (I’m show only, but I’m guessing there’s someone else out there). ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/8 "2013-05-06T18:19:16Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Ned Stark was one of them. I’d include Jon Snow, but I doubt Jamie knew about him/included him in his list. Unlikely John Snow would have a chance. He has no actual experience, or at least at series beginning didn’t have any. I’d assume he meant the Mountain, Barristan Selmy, and perhaps the Hound. I don’t think that Jamie thought much of Ned Stark, at least on the series he was surprised by how well he handled himself when they went for him in front of Littlefinger’s brothel. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/9 "2013-05-06T18:20:12Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I thinking they were Ned Stark, The Mountain, and probably someone we haven’t met yet (I’m show only, but I’m guessing there’s someone else out there). I was thinking maybe he would still regard Barristan Selmy as a formidable foe, even in his advanced years. ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/10 "2013-05-06T18:21:00Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > On a side note, Jamie Lannister said at one point that there were maybe three men in all of Westeros that might stand a chance against him in a swordfight. Who do you think he meant? Ser Barristan Selmy, the Mountain and Garlan Tyrell (whose role on the show is played by Loras Tyrell). Ned Stark was never among the greatest swords in the realm. He was just a northern lord and friend to Robert. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/11 "2013-05-06T18:32:32Z")
Spoilers below, INCLUDING BOOK SPOILERS: [spoiler]Gregor “The Mountain That Rides” Clegane is the obvious choice for the top spot. He simply has too much of an advantage in size, strength, ferocity, etc. The only people who have come close are his brother Sandor and Oberyn. Oberyn arguably would’ve won had he not been blinded by his quest for revenge, but he also relied on his poisoned spear, which likely wouldn’t be allowed in a truly fair fight. I’m not sure if Sandor could actually beat him in a fight to the death. Jaime Lannister (pre-hand chopping) is another contender. It would’ve been interesting seeing him taken on the larger Clegane brothers. Unlike Oberyn, I’m not sure he would be clever enough to use a spear. Brienne would probably be my fourth behind the Cleganes and Jaime. You could argue for Selmy in his youth, but aged Selmy lags behind. Robert Baratheon in his prime would be up there, he did defeat Rhaegar single-handledly. Rhaegar himself was notedly skilled. And while he’s also deceased at this point, Arthur Dayne was supposed to be pretty dang skilled. (In fact, that’s probably the only argument for Ned Stark as any good - that he defeated Dayne at the Tower of Joy - but we don’t know how, and he apparently credits Howland Reed for that).[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/12 "2013-05-06T18:40:03Z")
Yeah, that’s a pretty hefty book spoiler right there on the first spot. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/13 "2013-05-06T19:10:12Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Ned Stark was one of them. I’d include Jon Snow, but I doubt Jamie knew about him/included him in his list. I doubt he meant Ned either, he probably was talking about the Clegane brothers and Barristan Selmy. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/14 "2013-05-06T19:20:32Z")
Probably Jaime. He fights everyone of note in every tournament and still thinks he’s hot shit. He killed ten men by himself after being ambushed by Robb. He holds his own against another of the greatest fighters in the realm after being half starved, having no exercise for a year, and having his hands shackled together. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/15 "2013-05-06T19:30:57Z")
Nobody wants to bet on the guy that can be resurrected upwards of 6 times? ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/16 "2013-05-06T19:35:41Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > Nobody wants to bet on the guy that can be resurrected upwards of 6 times? No, because that’s a guy who lost six times. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/17 "2013-05-06T20:19:34Z")
I also briefly considered Bronn, because he’s so crafty as a fighter, but I think that while I might prefer to have Bronn on my side in a fight, for pure skill he’s probably not in Jaime’s league. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/18 "2013-05-06T20:28:49Z")
What about Syrio Forel, the swordmaster that trains Arya? ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/19 "2013-05-06T20:31:34Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:18, topic:657637”] What about Syrio Forel, the swordmaster that trains Arya? [/QUOTE] I certainly would include Syrio. Even with a wooden practice sword he was able to best several of Lannister’s guards. His death was off-screen, if he did indeed die. Considering he was a former First Sword of Bravos, I have to wonder who the current First Sword is, and if he’s even better! ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637/20 "2013-05-06T20:42:16Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > I also briefly considered Bronn, because he’s so crafty as a fighter, but I think that while I might prefer to have Bronn on my side in a fight, for pure skill he’s probably not in Jaime’s league. Tyrion states that Bronn is nearly as good with as sword as his brother (Jaime). Bronn, Oberyn Martell, and Qhorin Halfhand are all very underrated and would be top seeds in a tourney based on meritocracy rather than honor and glory. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-tv-series-whos-the-best-fighter-in-the-series/657637.md?page=2)