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The Women on Game of Thrones Are Why We Can't Wait for Season 8
From Lyanna Mormont to Daenerys Targaryen, these are the strongest ladies in Westeros
1. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams)
Judge her not by her size: Ned Stark's kill-list-carrying daughter is capable of anything.
2. Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke)
Daenerys has many titles, all hard-earned: Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains and Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea. Most of all, she fights to claim the Iron Throne.
3. Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie)
Brienne rebukes gender stereotypes with her armor, her sword -- and her ability to stand up to any male knight.
4. Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner)
Sansa has come a long way. Once a naive political pawn, the Stark clan's now-steely elder daughter is considered a favorite (by oddsmakers, at least) to capture the Iron Throne.
5. Gilly (Hannah Murray)
In Season 7, Samwell's life partner cracked open a book -- and unlocked the secret to Jon Snow's parentage. Reading is definitely power.
6. Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey)
This tween leader from the North does not plan on "knitting by the fire while men fight for me" -- and that's a (Season 7) quote.
7. Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan)
Though we last saw her in chains, thanks to her uncle Euron (Pilou Asbæk), Yara is a strong and capable heir to her father's seat as Lord of the Iron Isles.
8. Melisandre (Carice van Houten)
Never underestimate the power of someone who can produce a Shadow Baby -- especially if that someone is also the priestess of the Lord of the Light.
9. Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey)
She who rules from the Iron Throne is the toughest of all. Period. (Now as to whether Cersei will still have the throne by the end of Season 8...)
10. Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg)
We can't stop marveling at how Lady Olenna went out in Season 7: accepting her poison death sentence from Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), and then letting it drop that she killed Joffrey (Jack Gleeson).
11. Alys Karstark (Megan Parkinson)
In Season 7, Alys calmly -- but bravely -- faced the possible wrath of Jon Snow (Kit Harington). Speculation is high that the Lady of Karhold will figure into Season 8.
12. Meera Reed (Ellie Kendrick)
In Season 7, Meera bade farewell to Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) after countless hours (and seasons) of dragging the Lord of Winterfell across frozen tundra. It sounds like the character's portrayer won't be too sad if she doesn't get the call for Season 8: "I was ... slightly relieved for my spine," Kendrick said in an interview.
13. Nymeria Sand (Jessica Henwick)
This fierce and "feral" Sand Snake is offed in Season 7 during an onslaught by the forces of Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk).
14. Obara Sand (Keisha Castle-Hughes)
Another Sand Snake fatality of Season 7, the bold Obara engages Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk) in combat, but comes away impaled.
15. Tyene Sand (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers)
Seen in happier, heavily armed days, the third Sand Snake is likewise offed in Season 7: the victim of the kiss of death, literally, courtesy of Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey).
16. Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma)
The last we saw the leader of The Sand Snakes, Ellaria, she was watching Tyene die in a dungeon in an act of revenge for Ellaria having killed Cersei and Jaime's daughter, Myrcella Baratheon (played by Nell Tiger Free in Seasons 5 and 6).
17. Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel)
This force of nature went from enslaved translator to the most trusted adviser to Daenerys Targaryen's Mother of Dragons (Emilia Clarke).