Tyrion Lannister - I have saved Tyrion for last for several reasons. First, I believe his part in Season 7 will be major. And, second, I have become very fond of the character and I think he may have the best moral compass of the entire company.

That being said, Tyrion has been around since the first episode of Season 1. One of his earliest appearances is in the brothel in Winter Town, just outside of Winterfell. Not a noble start for a character of high moral standing. But then, his was certainly a winding path to where he is now. In another scene of note, he slaps Joffrey three times for not paying respect to the Starks after Bran’s fall. (He would repeat this in various forms to our delight over the seasons.) He did take note of Jaime and Cersie’s reactions to the news of Bran’s fall.

On leaving Winterfell, he takes the road north with Jon Snow and Benjen Stark to the Wall. Here, he fulfills his desire to piss off the top of the wall. He also provides Jon some good advice on how to react to the recruits with less skill than him. Taking his leave, he travels back to King’s Landing along with Yoren (the same one that spirited Arya away from King’s Landing.) As they passed through Winterfell, he gives Bran the design for a saddle that he could use even though crippled.

At the Crossroads Inn, Tyrion crosses the path of two people - the sellsword, Bronn (another of my favorite characters) and Catelyn Stark who is traveling home to be with Bran. Unfortunately, Catelyn has received information that Tyrion’s dagger was used in an attempted murder of Bran and so she takes him into custody. When they leave, Bronn accompanies them with the expectation of acquiring some of Tyrion’s wealth. Taken to the Eyrie, Tyrion quickly finds himself accused not only of the attempted murder of Bran, but also the murder of Jon Arryn, husband of Catelyn’s sister and Hand of the King. (It was Jon Arryn’s death that initiated the entire GoT story.) Faced with his imminent demise, he insists on “trial by combat” and names Bronn as his champion. Bronn triumphs, resulting in Tyrion’s innocence by law, and they quickly take leave of the Eyrie, Bronn with a pouch of Tyrion’s coin.

They proceed to the Riverlands where Tywin Lannister presses Tyrion into combat. Fortunately, he is knocked out before the fighting begins and awakens in time to claim victory. However, they soon learn that Jaime has been captured by Robb Stark and so Tywin sendsTyrion to King’s Landing to act as Hand of the King in his absence.

His arrival in King’s Landing is not taken well by Joffrey and even less so by Cersei. However, he has been sent to prepare the defense of King’s Landing and he proceeds to do so with much cunning. While successfully walking the political minefield at court, he learns of the presence of thousands of canisters of wildfire beneath the city. He then employs the wildfire to successfully defend the city from Stannis Baratheon’s armada in Blackwater Bay. However, just as Stannis is making a last ditch effort to take the City, Tywin arrives to turn the tide. Tywin is then named the Savior of King’s Landing and Tyrion finds himself in Dutch receiving the brunt of Joffrey and Cersei’s ire. On the other hand, Bronn is knighted as Ser Bronn of the Blackwater for his actions in the battle.

In an attempt to regain power for House Lannister, Tywin decrees that Cersei marry Loras Tyrell and Tyrion marry Sansa Stark. (Sansa has been relieved of her betrothal to Joffrey for the hand of Margaery Tyrell.) With this move, Tywin not only assures the alliance of Hightower but also that Tyrion’s offspring will be heirs to Winterfell. However, after their marriage, Tyrion refuses to consecrate the marriage without Sansa’s approval. (Here we see a major step along the moral path for Tyrion.)

At the wedding of Joffrey and Margaery, Joffrey takes every opportunity to further demean Tyrion. The final insult for Tyrion to act as Joffrey’s cupbearer. When Tyrion gives Joffrey a glass of wine poisoned by Littlefinger and Lady Olenna Tyrell, Cersei finally sees her opportunity to rid herself of the Imp and immediately names him as the King’s murderer. When betrayed by his lover, Shae, at the trial, Tyrion swears he did not kill Joffrey (though he admitted to enjoying watching the “vicious bastard” die), he once again demands trial by combat.

Though Jaime has returned to King’s Landing, he is short his sword hand and does not feel that he can adequately defend Tyrion’s honor. (Tyrion quips that it would serve Tywin right to lose both of his sons to this trumped up murder charge.) When Bronn refuses to face Cersei’s champion, the Mountain, he turns to Oberyn Martell. Oberyn has fostered a hatred for Gregor Clegane since he killed Oberyn’s sister and children (wife and children of Rhaegar Targaryen) at the end of the Mad King’s War and gladly accepts the opportunity to avenge their deaths. Unfortunately, just as it appears that Oberyn has in fact beaten the unbeatable Mountain, he gets cocky and winds up with Gregor squishing his skull like a grape. This leaves Tyrion in dire straights.

As Tyrion awaits his death, Jaime once again comes to his brother’s rescue and spirits him away. He has arranged for Lord Varys to secrete him to the Free Cities on Essos. But Tyrion being Tyrion, he feels he must pay his father a visit before leaving. Finding his ex-lover, Shae, in his father’s bed, they struggle and he strangles her. Distraught, he takes his father’s crossbow and soon finds his father sitting on the privy. After hearing the same condescending speech from Tywin that he has heard all of his life, Tyrion, to Tywin’s great amazement, puts a bolt through his chest. And for good measure a second. He then proceeds to Lord Varys chamber. As Season 4 ends, Tyrion is in a small wooden crate with Varys nailing home the final nails. At the last moment, Varys decides that it is in his best interest to accompany Tyrion.

On arriving in the city of Pentos, Tyrion decides that his future lies in drinking himself into oblivion. While visiting a brothel in Volantis (apparently he decided to supplement his drinking), he is captured by Ser Jorah Mormont who intends to take him to the Queen. (Ser Jorah had been banished by Daenerys when she learned he had been acting as spy of Varys in King’s Landing.) Expecting to be taken back to Cersei for the reward, he is surprised to find that he is being taken to Queen Daenerys. Ser Jorah’s plan is to get back into Daenerys’ good graces by turning Tyrion over to her.

Unfortunately, along the way they are captured by slavers. When Ser Jorah is sold for fodder in the fighting pits, Tyrion attacks the slaver with his chains to prove that he too should be purchased for the pits and so he remains with Ser Jorah.

Taken to a fighting pit in Meereen, Ser Joran immediately runs into the pit when he hears that Daenerys is present with Tyrion following as soon as his chains are removed. Revealing his identity to Daenerys, they are both taken to the pyramid where she proposes executing Tyrion as revenge against the Lannister. When Tyrion points out that he killed both his mother (in childbirth) and his father (on the throne), she relents.

After revealing that, along with Varys, he had come to the conclusion that Daenerys was the best option for the Seven Kingdoms and much discussion on the subject of the Seven Kingdoms, Daenerys decides that, rather than executing him, she will take his service as an adviser. Thus, when Daenerys is swept away by Drogon at the pits after the attack by the Sons of the Harpy, Tyrion, along with Varys, Missandei and Grey Worm, are left to rule Meereen in her stead.

While his contributions to the rule in Daenerys’ absence has both highs and lows, overall he shows brilliance on par with his time in King’s Landing. On returning to Meereen, Daenerys faces Tyrion where he points out that she is now in the great game. At this point, Tyrion takes definite turn from the character we have known and says to Daenerys, “I have been a cynic for as long as I can remember…I said no thank you to belief, and yet here I am. I believe in you.” With this, Daenery pulls a familiar badge from her bosom and, pinnig it to Tyrion’s tunic, proclaim, “Tyrion Lannister, I name you Hand of the Queen.” As Season 6 ends, Tyrion is seen standing at the right hand of Daenerys aboard her flagship sailing for Westeros.

I think that Tyrion will be one of the characters that will be there at the end as he was at the beginning. (Though I may be wrong.)