The Starks are among Game of Thrones‘ most compelling characters, but some of their arcs are better than others. Over the course of Game of Thrones’ eight seasons, the Starks face some of the biggest losses — but the ones who survive until the end of the series also see the greatest wins. As one of the Great Houses of Westeros, the Starks play a pivotal role in Game of Thrones’ main storyline. They set several of the central conflicts in motion, and they face the consequences of the political unrest that follows.
Unfortunately, some of the Starks are characterized better than others, resulting in more satisfying journeys overall. Players like Jon, Sansa, and Arya get much more screen time than Rickon or Benjen Stark, setting them up for greater arcs. But even some of the Starks who do get adequate attention have heavy flaws in their storylines. The Starks probably fare the best of all the Great Houses of Westeros, but not all of them are equal in the eyes of viewers.
9 Benjen Stark
Played By Joseph Mawle
Benjen is the least developed member of the Stark family, as he only appears in a handful of Game of Thrones episodes. Ned Stark’s brother and the First Ranger of the Night’s Watch, Benjen makes a good impression during the HBO show’s first season. He’s one of the few people who appears to be in Jon Snow’s corner, and he seems as honorable as his brother. Unfortunately, his mysterious disappearance removes him from the majority of the show — and despite the promise of interesting developments on that front, Game of Thrones does very little with his character.
he brevity of his character arc makes it the weakest of the Stark storylines, which is a shame, as it has so much potential in season 1.
Benjen Stark does show up to save Bran in Game of Thrones season 6, and he does the same for Jon not long after. Unfortunately, he’s killed by wights when he protects Jon, and this prevents the series from digging more thoroughly into his character. Although Game of Thrones reveals a bit about what happened to him beyond the Wall, it doesn’t go deep enough into the lore surrounding his strange state of being. The brevity of his character arc makes it the weakest of the Stark storylines, which is a shame, as it has so much potential in season 1.
8 Rickon Stark
Played By Art Parkinson
Rickon is another member of the Stark family who doesn’t get enough development, and his age is partially to blame. Art Parkinson’s character is incredibly young when Game of Thrones begins, and this makes him less capable of being involved in the overall story. He spends much of the series trailing behind Bran, and his brother even leaves him behind at the end of Game of Thrones season 3. Rickon disappears for multiple outings of the HBO show, and when he returns, he’s used as bait and killed by Ramsay Bolton.
As Rickon is never explored as an individual, this makes him feel more like a plot device than anything else. Rickon’s arc isn’t exactly satisfying, and even his death is powerful because of how it affects Jon. Rickon could have been a better character if the series took time to flesh out his personality. Unfortunately, Game of Thrones makes him the most mysterious of the Stark siblings. To be fair, this is true of George R.R. Martin’s books as well. The only reason his arc is better than Benjen’s is that it doesn’t promise more, then fail to deliver.
7 Bran Stark
Played By Isaac Hempstead Wright
Unlike his younger brother, Bran Stark does play a pivotal role in Game of Thrones’ overarching narrative — though after season 8, it’s hard to say if that’s a positive thing. Bran’s story starts strongly in Game of Thrones season 1, with the pilot’s ending twist leaving him unable to walk. However, the series teases that he’ll fly, setting the boy up to become a figure called the Three-Eyed Raven. This seems incredibly important during Game of Thrones’ early seasons. Indeed, Bran’s journey beyond the Wall to uncover his destiny is a high point of his character arc.
This doesn’t feel earned, especially since Bran does not, in fact, have ‘a better story’ than everyone else.
Sadly, Game of Thrones doesn’t handle Bran becoming the Three-Eyed Raven well, as it fails to explain the mythology behind this role as thoroughly as it should. The series also doesn’t offer enough insight into Bran’s feelings surrounding his fate. Of course, the biggest misstep of Bran’s character arc is when he’s crowned king in Game of Thrones season 8. This doesn’t feel earned, especially since Bran does not, in fact, have “a better story” than everyone else. It’s heavily flawed, though its highlights rank it higher than Benjen’s and Rickon’s.
6 Catelyn Stark
Played By Michelle Fairley
Catelyn has the most middling character arc of the entire Stark family, as it doesn’t have the major flaws that narratives like Benjen’s and Bran’s do — but it also doesn’t amount to much. Thanks to Michelle Fairley’s brilliant performance, Catelyn is a compelling and fiery character throughout Game of Thrones’ first three seasons. The fact that she’s a force every time that she’s on-screen makes her narrative land above several others. But Catelyn spends most of her time in Game of Thrones advising Robb, who hardly ever heeds her guidance.
Unfortunately, this means Catelyn doesn’t have as much bearing on Game of Thrones’ main plot as she should. Some of her greatest moments in the series see her taking matters into her own hands, but these instances are too few. And Catelyn perishes early in the HBO show, meaning viewers don’t get to see as much growth from her as the other members of the Stark family. The fact that she doesn’t return as Lady Stoneheart in the adaptation adds another layer of disappointment to her story, preventing it from breaking into the top five Stark narratives.
5 Robb Stark
Played By Richard Madden
Robb Stark’s Game of Thrones story is also shortlived, though his character arc feels symmetrical and satisfying, even if it ends in tragedy. The eldest of the Stark siblings, Robb finds himself crowned King in the North following his father’s death. He sets out to avenge Ned, and he proves an impressive force on the battlefield. Unfortunately, Robb’s leadership skills don’t necessarily carry over to political maneuvering. Game of Thrones hints that Robb is lacking in this area, and this makes his betrayal and death at the Red Wedding feel like a fitting end.
Robb’s storyline comes together believably, and it’s one of the more gripping Stark narratives throughout Game of Thrones‘ eight-season run. Robb’s strengths and flaws are explored in depth, making him a well-developed and nuanced character. The main problem with Robb’s storyline is that there isn’t more of it. Viewers don’t get to see him grow as much as characters like Arya or Sansa because he’s killed before getting the chance to. This puts Robb’s arc somewhere in the middle, as it’s not heavily flawed but also not the series’ strongest.
4 Ned Stark
Played By Sean Bean
Ned Stark is only around for a single season of Game of Thrones, but it’s enough to leave his mark on the series. The death of Sean Bean’s character is the catalyst for all that happens after Game of Thrones season 1, and his arc accomplishes everything it needs to in that regard. Ned’s season 1 storyline establishes the Stark family’s role in Westeros and their general philosophy. It also sets the stage for the war between the Starks and Lannisters, achieving quite a lot in just nine episodes.
Ned’s journey has few flaws to speak of, but it’s overshadowed by the Stark storylines that last the entire series.
Ned’s death brings his storyline to a tragic close, but he’s vindicated by the Starks’ endings in Game of Thrones season 8. His surviving children come back stronger than ever, proving that the pack really does survive. With Sansa becoming Queen of the North and Bran becoming king, Ned essentially wins the Game of Thrones. His death also proves the perfect end to his narrative, as it upends expectations and continues to highlight his values. Ned’s journey has few flaws to speak of, but it’s overshadowed by the Stark storylines that last the entire series.
3 Jon Snow
Played By Kit Harington
Jon Snow’s character arc has some of the biggest flaws in Game of Thrones, but it remains one of the most compelling ones to watch. Jon starts the series believing he’s Ned’s illegitimate son — a sentiment that’s later proven wrong. Despite his low status in season 1, Jon eventually becomes the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, reclaims Winterfell from Ramsay Bolton, and is crowned King in the North. His journey is exciting from start to finish, even if it loses some of its luster by Game of Thrones season 8.
Jon is arguably the greatest hero in
Game of Thrones’
story, and it’s largely thanks to him that Westeros defeats the Night King and comes together at the end of the show.
Jon is arguably the greatest hero in Game of Thrones’ story, and it’s largely thanks to him that Westeros defeats the Night King and comes together at the end of the show. Normally, this would make Jon’s arc the strongest. However, there are two major issues with it. For one, despite all the build-up to a showdown between Jon and the Night King, he’s not actually the one who kills the villain in Game of Thrones season 8. The series also doesn’t do enough with his Targaryen heritage, even if it’s fitting that he doesn’t end up on the Iron Throne.
2 Arya Stark
Played By Maisie Williams
There’s little doubt that Arya is one of the best members of the Stark family, and her Game of Thrones journey is largely satisfying. Arya gets exactly what she wants at the end of Game of Thrones, becoming a warrior and explorer instead of a lady. She also has many gripping storylines to get to that point. Everything from her travels with the Hound to her revenge on the people who wronged her family proves enjoyable to watch. Arya grows a lot throughout HBO’s fantasy series, and she only becomes more compelling as she does.
The main thing that prevents Arya from having the best Stark storyline is that her time in Essos drags on for a bit too long. While her training with the Faceless Men has a massive impact on Game of Thrones’ outcome — it’s how she defeats the Night King and saves Bran — it could have been cut down. Still, that’s a minor flaw in the grand scheme of things. And Arya’s narrative bounces back from it quickly, ending on a high note as she chooses life over vengeance and sets sail for new adventures.
1 Sansa Stark
Played By Sophie Turner
Sansa is the Stark sibling that showcases the most growth throughout Game of Thrones’ run, going from a naive girl to a strategic leader. Although Sansa’s story starts off tragically, it’s a joy to watch her learn the ropes of Westeros’ merciless politics. It’s unfortunate that Sansa suffers so much in Game of Thrones’ early seasons, but this makes it more satisfying when she outsmarts and outlives her abusers. It’s gripping to see her use the lessons that Cersei and Littlefinger teach her to her advantage.
Sansa really steps into her own during Game of Thrones season 6, when she and Jon take back Winterfell and eliminate Ramsay Bolton. Sansa becomes more outspoken and takes on a larger role in the North, making her Game of Thrones ending that much more satisfying. Sansa probably has the strongest conclusion of all the Starks, as her being crowned Queen in the North feels incredibly earned. There are a few flaws in Sansa’s story, but they’re pretty minor compared to its strengths.
