Tyrion Lannister

Youngest child of Tywin Lannister, Tyrion was blamed for his mother's death before he could walk, and grew up the family's shame — a dwarf in a house that trades on gold and height. He read everything the maesters would lend him and learned early that a clever tongue was the only sword a stunted boy could draw.

He proved it at every turn: Master of Coin who found the crown's missing gold, acting Hand who kept Joffrey's court functioning, and commander of King's Landing's defence when Stannis's fleet came up the Blackwater — where he led a sortie through the mud gates and took a king's guard's blade across the face for it.

His triumphs were paid for by the people closest to him: Shae in his bed and Tywin on his crossbow, both in the same night. Accused of Joffrey's murder, he escaped to Essos, served Daenerys Targaryen as her Hand across the sea, and came home to a council of lords who made him something no Lannister had ever been — useful to them on purpose.