Game of Thrones/Characters/House Tyrell

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Ser Loras Tyrell (Finn Jones)

"I never fought a war before, but I'd fight for you."

A knight of the realm, known as the Knight of the Flowers.

Tropes:

  • Ascended Extra: Most of what we see of Loras in the books is through the eyes of other characters. The series actually shows quite a few scenes that focus on Loras.
  • Ambiguously Evil: Averted; while he may seem to have ulterior motives in Season One, Season Two shows he wanted Renly on the throne because he honestly felt he would make a good king.
  • Arrogant Kung Fu Guy: He's a very good swordsman - and knows it.
  • Badass Long Hair: In Season 1
  • Big Damn Heroes: Comes riding to the rescue of King's Landing with Tywin Lannister - wearing Renly's armour.
  • Camp Gay: Borders on this, specially when compared to Renly's Invisible to Gaydar.
  • The Cavalry: In "Blackwater".
  • Clingy Jealous Boy: Has (understandably) not had the best response to Renly making Brienne a member of his Kingsguard.
  • Combat Pragmatist: He rode a mare that was in heat, knowing Gregor would be riding a stallion. Characters grumble over whether it makes him this trope or a dirty cheat.
  • Crouching Fop, Hidden Badass: To the point that his lover believes he could train for years and never be half as good as Ser Loras.
  • The Dandy: Shiny armor, immaculately groomed, loves his flowers.
  • Dead Person Impersonation / El Cid Ploy: In "Blackwater", as a result of wearing Renly's armor into battle as an homage to him.
  • In-Series Nickname: The Knight of the Flowers [1]
  • Knight in Shining Armor: Closest candidate to be one. Chivalrous, noble, skilled warrior and, were his armor any shinier, he would be a walking mirror. Subverted in that he wasn't above underhanded tactics to avoid a grim fate at the hands of "The Mountain."
    • Knight in Sour Armour: Seems to have become this in Series 2. Even his once spotless suit of armour has become dirty and tarnished.
  • Lady Macbeth: Without his lips whispering encouragement in Renly's ear (and doing... other things in other places), Renly probably still would have thought he'd make a good king, but he'd probably never have acted on those thoughts. Possibly a subversion, as other characters have implied Renly's legitimately is the best choice of all the people related to Robert, and only out of the running due to an accident of birth order.
  • Machiavelli Was Wrong: He thinks Renly should be king because unlike those who came before him, he would be loved instead of hated or feared.
  • Memetic Sex God: Even random Lannister soldiers think he's prettier than the Queen.
  • The Mistress: Despite being there first, Loras is now Renly's with his sister being the official spouse. She's cool with it.
  • Pretty Boy
  • Revenge: His reason to team with the Lannisters after Renly is killed.
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Leaves with Renly when it becomes evident that Joffrey will ascend to the throne.
    • He also proceeds to do this with Margaery and the Tyrell armies after Renly's sudden death.
  • Ser Peacock
  • Sibling Yin-Yang: Loras publically pretends that his family's alliance with Renly is motivated by politics and ambition to conceal the fact that he is actually being romantically involved with the aspiring King. See Margaery to contrast.
  • Transparent Closet: He and Renly aren't fooling anyone. Except perhaps Brienne, who is implied to love Renly.

Queen Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer)

"Save your lies for court; you're going to need them."

Loras' sister and the wife of self-proclaimed King Renly Baratheon.

Tropes:

  • Absolute Cleavage
  • Actor Allusion:
    • Probably unintentional, but still highly ironic that Natalie Dormer, a woman made famous by playing Anne Boleyn on The Tudors, was cast in the role of a woman who doesn't just want to be a queen, but the queen. [2]
    • Also, continuing with The Tudors theme, the sigil HBO has designed for House Tyrell looks very much like the double rose of a certain English dynasty.
  • Age Lift: 16 when first introduced in the books, while the TV version is in her 20s.
  • Arranged Marriage: To Renly and later Joffrey.
  • Ascended Extra: She's pretty much a cypher in the books, while the show portrays her as being very politically savvy, and willing to endure a lot to get her family into power.
  • The Beard: Only married to Renly to secure the armies of the Reach to his banner. Lampshaded by both her and Loras.
  • Contractual Purity: In-universe, as it is expected of any noble woman before her marriage. Renly suspects that she is not as virginal as the "official" version promulgated by House Tyrell says - and he is perfectly okay with that.
  • Genre Savvy
  • Hot Consort: Renly's. Hell, her actress is the trope page's image.
  • Incompatible Orientation: Utterly Averted. Unlike her brother, Margaery seems to love what Renly can do for House Tyrell rather than the man himself and doesn't care at all that he's gay, even offering to bring in Loras to get Renly started when they need to conceive an heir.
  • Lady Macbeth: A straighter example, perhaps, than her brother. Though Loras is predominantly concerned with winning the Iron Throne for Renly, Margaery is focused in helping him keep it.
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here: With Loras and the rest of the Tyrell armies when Renly dies.
  • Sibling Yin-Yang: Margaery publically pretends to be romantically involved with Renly to conceal that her interest is purely pragmatic and based in ambition. See Loras to contrast.
  • Silk Hiding Steel: Plays at being the Princess Classic like Loras plays at being Knight in Shining Armor, but when's the last time you saw a Disney Princess discuss the political advantages of getting pregnant or her willingness to have her brother act as a fluffer for her gay husband?
  • Widow Woman: After Renly's sudden death.
  • Women Are Wiser: Very calm and down-to-earth as well as discerning.


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  1. He's also referred to as "Renly's little rose," thus managing to combine his family's heraldic symbol with commentary on his politics, his sexual orientation and his presumed-to-be-favorite sexual position.
  2. Also, rather later on in the plot Cersei embarks on a deadly vendetta against Margaery; Cersei's conspiracy to discredit and condemn her, namely by trumping up charges of adultery, is very similar to what many historians now believe happened to Anne Boleyn and was very likely inspired by it.