Summary
Game of Thronesis bound to be full of betrayals because it has a medieval setting where people often rely on word of mouth or fragile promises. The world ofThronesis full of cutthroats eager to climb the ladder of power, built on a pit of chaos. The main characters often place their trust in an array of allies, but more often than not, this proves disastrous.
Game of Thronescharacters were betrayed by all sides — friends, family, and old and new allies. Some betrayals led to devastating lossesand deadly consequences; others broke hearts. While betrayal was a constant in Westeros, these are truly unforgettable.
1Jorah Mormont Betrayed Daenerys Targaryen
He Spied On Her
Ser Jorah Mormont stood by Daenerys' side from the very beginning, not as an ally but initially as a spy working for Lord Varys. Ser Jorah, as she fondly called him, was a courteous man who educated her about the Dothraki way of life following her marriage to Khal Drogo. Since Jorah and Daenerys were both exiles from Westeros, they found common ground in their experiences.
Over time, Jorah began to admire Daenerys and acquired unrequited feelings for her. Ultimately, he stopped spying and even thwarted an assassination attempt on her. Yet, he concealed the truth of his betrayal from Daenerys, but when revealed, it broke her heart. Though dismissed from service, Daenerys pardoned him after he saved her fromthe Sons of the Harpyand Dothraki.
2Theon Greyjoy Betrayed The Starks
He Turned His Back On The House That Raised Him
Theon Greyjoy, Ned Stark’s ward and son of Balon Greyjoy, is torn between his loyalty to the Houses Stark and Greyjoy. Ned brings him to Winterfell in the aftermath ofthe Greyjoy Rebellion, but treats him less like a hostage and more like a son. Theon is raised alongside Ned’s children, Robb and Sansa, yet deep down, he carries an ache of belonging nowhere.
Though Theon swears fealty to Ned’s eldest, Robb, he betrays him to prove loyalty to his father. He seizes Winterfell from the young Bran Stark, only to be betrayed by his own men and captured by House Bolton. Robb is heartbroken because his once closest friend stole his castle. Theon’s redemption arc is profound, but it comes too late when Robb is long gone.
3Littlefinger Betrayed Ned Stark
He Broke Catelyn And Ned’s Trust
InGame of ThronesSeason 1, Littlefinger held the dagger to Ned Stark’s throat and reminded him that he had warned him not to trust him. His betrayal led to Ned’s imprisonment and sparked the northern rebellion against the Lannisters. Though he claimed to have loved Catelyn all his life, he resented her marriage to Ned.
First, he sowed discord between the Lannisters and the Starks by falsely claimingthe catspaw dagger belonged to Tyrion Lannister. This led Catelyn to take Tyrion as her captive. Then, he assured Ned that the City Watch was his when, in reality, he had secretly conspired with the Lannisters to see him out. Littlefinger used the chaos surrounding the last years of Robert’s reign to his advantage, and he didn’t stop there.
4Littlefinger Betrayed Lysa Arryn
He Pushed Her Through The Moon Door
Littlefinger married Catelyn’s sister, and Jon Arryn’s unstable widow, Lysa, to gain control of the Vale. After arranging Sansa’s escape from the Lannisters, he brought her to the Eyrie, which stirred Lysa’s jealousy. In a heated confrontation, Lysa tried to throw Sansa through the Moon Door. Littlefinger talked her down, but pushed her instead, saying:
I have only loved one woman… only one, my entire life. Your sister.
Littlefinger’s betrayal cut deep because, by this point, he had done several cruel things. He had convinced Lysa to slipthe Tears of Lysinto Jon Arryn’s wine and write a letter to her sister blaming the Lannisters. He had schemed at every step of the way and, after Lysa’s death, became Lord Protector of the Vale.
5Olly Betrayed Jon Snow
He Joined The Mutiny Against His Lord Commander
Jon Snow’s personal steward, Olly, along with a faction ofthe Mutineers at Castle Black, couldn’t get behind his decision to let the Wildlings/ the Free Folk through their gates. Olly was deeply hurt by Jon’s rescue mission to Hardhome, as those Wildlings had slaughtered his people.
When the Free Folk arrived south of the Wall, Olly conspired with Alliser Thorne and the rest to eliminate Jon. He lured his Lord Commander outside by telling him a Wildling had leads about his uncle, Benjen. A defenseless Jon was stabbed by the mutineers, with Olly plunging the final blow to his heart. “For the Watch,” they declared as they killed their Lord Commander in cold blood. Olly’s betrayal cut deep because Jon wanted to groom him for command, just as Jeor Mormont had done for him.
6Littlefinger Betrayed Sansa Stark
He Sold Her To The Boltons
Of all Littlefinger’s betrayals, the one he inflicted on Sansa Stark was the most brutal and damaging. He orchestrated her marriage to the Boltons - the very family who had treacherously usurped the Starks in the North. Littlefinger convinced Sansa to marry Roose Bolton’s sadist son, Ramsay, under the pretense of avenging her family, all the while fully aware of the fate he was condemning her to.
For strategic gain, Littlefinger used Sansa as bait, and this arrangement scarred her soul. He did not come to her aid, but she had to arrange her escape with Theon’s help. Littlefinger loved no one but himself, and eventually, Sansa saw right through him.
7Ramsay Bolton Betrayed Roose Bolton
He Killed His Father
The sadistic Ramsay Bolton wasn’t even loyal to his own father, Roose, who had given him everything. When his stepmother, Lady Walda Frey, gave birth to Roose’s legitimate heir, Ramsay felt threatened that the newborn would become Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell.
In an act of betrayal, Ramsay brutally eliminated Lady Walda and her baby and plunged a dagger into his father. It was a karmic moment—Roose, who once drove a dagger into Robb’s heart at the Red Wedding, fell victim to treachery within. Ramsay declared himself Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell, but his reign was short-lived, brought to an end duringthe Battle of the Bastards.
8Walder Frey Betrayed Robb Stark
He Slaughtered The Starks And The Tullys In His Home
The Red Wedding is the most devastating betrayal of all. It lies way back inGame of ThronesSeason 3, Episode 9, “The Rains of Castamere,” at the Twins — home of Walder Frey. Under the guise of reconciliation and a wedding between Edmure Tully and one of his daughters, Roslin, Lord Walder invited the Starks, the Tullys, and their banners to his home. He promised that Robb, breaking his oath and sidelining one of his daughters to marry a foreign woman was forgiven, but in a horrifying breach of the sacred Guest right, he proceeded to slaughter the guests inside the wedding hall.
The Red Wedding massacrewas orchestrated by Lord Walder and Roose Bolton and ordered by Tywin Lannister. It brought a decisive end to the Northern Rebellion, led to the near-decimation of House Stark, and quenched Lord Walder’s thirst for revenge. The most shocking moment came when Roose stabbed Robb’s heart, coldly saying, “The Lannisters send their regards.”
