The 70 best phrases of Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones (Game of Thrones), fictional series based on the literary saga A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, is HBO's most popular fantasy story. Throughout 8 seasons, this series mixes the typical elements of the medieval fantasy genre with the more adult tone of political dramas and thrillers.

In this article we will see a selection of phrases from Game of Thrones, pronounced at some point by one of the characters that populate this story.

• Related article: "Phrases from The Lord of the Rings"

The best phrases and reflections of Games of Thrones

Let's see a compilation of Game of Thrones phrases ideal to understand the themes and character constructions that appear in this series.

1. When playing the Game of Thrones, you can only win or die. (Cersey Lannister)

This line of dialogue can be considered the motto of this HBO series.

2. Why is it that as soon as a man builds a wall, his neighbor immediately wants to know what is on the other side. (Tyrion Lannister)

A reflection on the typical dynamics of power relations, in which the defense anticipates an attack.

3. The man who passes the sentence must wield the sword. (Eddard Stark)

You cannot decide the fate of others without getting involved in it personally.

4. Power resides where men believe it to reside. It's a trick, a shadow on the wall. And a very small man can cast a very large shadow. (Lord Varys)

Another of the phrases from Game of Thrones that summarizes the beginning of the self-fulfilling prophecy applied to the theme of power.

5. A dragon is not a slave. (Daenerys Targaryen)

Dragons, as mythological beings, are seen as a fundamental force of nature.

6. The gods have no mercy, that's why they are gods. (Cersey Lannister)

About what makes deities beyond human feelings.

7. I am the Khaleesi of the Dothraki. I am the wife of the great Khal Drogo and I carry his child within me. The next time you raise a hand to me will be the last time you have hands. (Daenerys Targaryen)

One of the lines of dialogue from the first season, in which it begins to develop Daenerys empowerment story arc.

8. It's not easy being drunk all the time. If it was easy, everyone would do it. (Tyrion Lannister)

This character brings a satirical element to the story of George R. R. Martin, and here we see an example of that.

9. There is a beast in every man that awakens when you put a sword in his hand. (Ser Jorah Mormont)

The possibility of imposing the will by force changes people's actions and their moral perceptions.

10. What do we say to the God of death? Not today. (Syrio Forel)

This phrase becomes one of the most repeated slogans of Game of Thrones.

11. All dwarves are bastards in their father's eyes. (Tyrion Lannister)

In times past, in which this fictional world is inspired, certain syndromes or diseases were equivalent to not being recognized by parents, in many cases.

12. All men must die. But we are not men. (Daenerys Targaryen)

The gender component is also one of the issues that this fictional saga addresses.

13. Violence is a disease and you don't cure it by infecting other people. (Brother Ray)

This religious referent is committed to pacifism.

14. Chaos is not a pit, it is a ladder. Many try to upload it and fail. They will never be able to do it again. The fall destroys them. But others, if allowed to rise, will cling to the kingdom, or to the gods, or to love. Mirages. Only the ladder is real. The ascent is all there is. (Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish)

Within the apparent chaos there is the possibility of gaining positions, according to the competitive mentality of Meñique.

15. It is the last name that prevails. It's all that's left. Not your personal pride, not your honor... but the family. (Tywin Lannister)

The father of the Lannisters, appealing to the identification with the group formed by the family.

16. Angry snakes attack. That makes it easier to smash their heads. (Daenerys Targaryen)

Impulsiveness makes us vulnerable.

17. Money buys a man's silence for a while. An arrow through the heart buys it forever. (Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish)

Another example of Petyr Baelish's strategic cynicism.

18. The mind needs books like the sword needs a whetstone if it is to stay sharp. (Tyrion Lannister)

Apology of literature and constant learning.

19. Hate is good if it keeps us going. (Sandor 'The Dog' Clegane)

A feeling that acts as a motor for Sandor Clegane.

20. While I would appreciate your friendship, I am most interested in your ability to kill, and if the day comes when you are tempted to sell me out, remember this: whatever the price, I will get over it. I like to live. (Tyrion Lannister)

Tyrion is one of the most vital and Dionysian characters of Game of Thrones.

21. I guess it's hard for a fan to accept a mistake. Isn't that the whole point of being a fan? (Lord Varys)

About the rigidity of ideas.

22. Never forget who you are, the rest of the world won't. Wear it like armor and they will never use it to hurt you. (Tyrion Lannister)

A way to use an apparent weakness as an empowerment tool.

23. The strongest trees grow in the darkest places. (Brynden Tully)

Another of the Game of Thrones phrases about resilience and overcoming.

24. The man who fears defeat has already been defeated. (Syrio Forel)

Believing weak predisposes us to fail.

25. Bastards are born of passion, right? We do not despise them in Dorne. (Oberyn Martell)

This southern Westeros culture is more open and tolerant of diversity and the expression of emotions.

26. If you're going to take a man's life, you must look him in the eye and listen to his last words. (Eddard Stark)

One of the moral lessons of the leader of the Stark house.

27. Any man who should say "I am the king" is not a true king. (Tywin Lannister)

Power is exercised with facts, not holding titles.

28. A queen who trusts no one is just as foolish as a queen who trusts everyone. (Daenerys Targaryen)

In balance is virtue.

29. The worst always live. (Sansa Stark)

Sometimes morality and ethics are obstacles to survival in a very corrupt world.

• You may be interested in: "What is morality? Discovering the development of ethics in childhood"

30. The only way to make them loyal to you is to inspire more fear than your enemy. (Cersey Lannister)

A way of forcing them to identify with the group and not wanting to leave it.

31. Each of us is poor and defenseless, but together we can topple an empire. (High Sparrow)

The leader of this religious sect speaks on the power of the collective.

32. If you cut out a man's tongue, you don't show that he was lying, but that you don't want the world to hear what he wants to say. (Tyrion Lannister)

Appearances matter.

33. The occasional kindness will save you all sorts of trouble down the road. (Cersey Lannister)

A way of seeing kindness from a mercantilist logic.

34. Power is power. (Cersey Lannister)

Power justifies itself.

35. We've had petty kings and idiot kings, but we've never been cursed with a petty idiot for a king. (Tyrion Lannister)

Another of the Game of Thrones phrases in which humor is present.

36. By what right does the wolf judge the lion? (Jaime Lannister)

A reference to the idea that in nature there is a hierarchy.

37. The lion is not bothered by the opinions of the sheep. (Tywin Lannister)

In this classist vision of society, what certain social strata think of one does not matter.

38. A ruler who kills those who are devoted to him is not a ruler who inspires devotion. (Tyrion Lannister)

An appeal to common sense.

39. It's hard to put a dog on a leash once you've put a crown on his head. (Tyrion Lannister)

Getting someone to give up a lifestyle costs more when they've already tried it.

40. Fire cannot kill a dragon. (Daenerys Targaryen)

A line of dialogue that serves to express Daenerys' faith in the power conferred by her lineage.

41. The true history of the world is the history of great conversations in elegant halls. (Tyrion Lannister)

Another display of slyness from Tyrion, referring to the environment of the palatial courts.

42. I did what I thought was right and they killed me for it. (Jon Snow)

In the world of Westeros, justice is not always done.

43. Faith and the crown are the two pillars that uphold this world. If one collapses, the other too. (Cersey Lannister)

A moral pillar and a coercive one.

44. If you think this will have a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention. (Ramsey Bolton)

Ramsay Bolton is one of the cruelest antagonists in the series.

45. A Lannister always pays his debts. (Tyrion Lannister)

This is the Lannister house motto.

46. You are smarter than it suits you. (Tyrion Lannister)

Intelligence can make us the target of attacks.

47. War is between the living and the dead. Make no mistake, the dead are on their way. (Davos Seaworth)

There is a lot of discussion in this series about what the real danger is: the other sides in the war for the throne, or the white walkers.

48. I beg to differ. Death is a terrible end, life is full of possibilities. (Tyrion Lannister)

Another phrase in favor of life.

49. We will defend the Wall to the last man. (Edd Tollet)

This member of the Night's Watch motivates to defend the wall from attacks.

50. Winter is coming. (Eddard Stark)

The motto of House Stark.

51. Can a man be brave when he is afraid? (Brand Stark)

Idea that invites reflection on the nature of courage.

52. It's the only time you can be brave. (Eddard Stark)

Bran's father's answer to the previous question.

53. A reader lives a thousand lives before dying. He who never lives only one. (Jojen Reed)

Reading leads us to experience other worlds.

54. No man gives me a crown. I pay the price of steel. (Greyjoy Ball)

The Greyjoy patriarch talks about the role of a king.

55. The North does not forget. (Barbrey Dustin)

The North is a region with its own culture that is very marked in its internal politics.

56. You are mine. Mine, as I am yours. And if we die, we will die. All men must die, Jon Snow. But first, we will live. (Ygritte)

Outside of the fights for the throne, the northern barbarians live differently.

57. Tears are not the only weapon of women. The best is between the legs. (Cersey Lannister)

Cersei uses all of her resources to impose her will.

58. A man cannot make love to a property. (Daario Naharis)

Material goods do not replace people or the relationships between them.

59. Men never crave what they already have. (Melisandre)

A reflection on desire.

60. Love is the death of duty. (Aemon Targaryens)

One of the typical aphorisms among the phrases from Game of Thrones that make up his script.

61. The children are another type of battle, without banners or war horns, but no less violent. (Catelyn Stark)

The family has its own struggles.

62. People learn to love their chains. (Daenerys Targaryen)

Custom breeds conformity.

63. What we love always ends up destroying us. (Ser Jorah Mormont)

Love produces vulnerabilities.

64. A disgruntled wife is a wine seller's best friend. (Cersey Lannister)

In Westeros, alcohol is also a method to drown sorrows in the short term... although its consequences in the medium and long term are very harmful.

65. When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When the seas dry up and the mountains sway like leaves in the wind. When my womb shakes again and gives birth to a living child. Then you will return, my sun and stars, not before. (Daenerys Targaryen)

Daenerys's farewell phrase to her Dothraki husband.

66. What is honor, compared to the love of a woman? What is duty, compared to the warmth of a newborn child in your arms, or the memory of a brother's smile? Air and words. Air and words. We are only human, and the gods made us for love. It is our greatest glory and our worst tragedy. (Master Aemon)

Honor is less important than other basic elements of life.

67. Lord Janos, I do not question your honor... I deny its existence. (Tyrion Lannister)

A direct attack in the style of Tyrion.

68. A man without motives is a man whom no one suspects. Keep your enemies confused. If they don't know who you are or what you want, they won't be able to know what you plan to do next. (Petyr Baelish “Littlefinger”)

A tactical tip courtesy of this cabal.

69. Some doors close forever and others open in the least expected places. (Varys)

Mistakes can open up new opportunities.

70. It doesn't matter what we want, once we get it then we want something else. (Petyr Baelish “Littlefinger”)

Another phrase about the spiral of desire.