8 Game of Thrones characters who were secret villains

Robb Stark

Robb Stark is a questionable character to include on this list, there’s no doubt. Robb is seen as one of the “good guys” of Game of Thrones, but judging by his actions, the young lord of House Stark may have a bit of a villainous streak. Early in Game of Thrones, Robb seems like an honorable, good-natured character, but he reveals himself to be a bit of a schemer who can’t control his impulses.

Following the death of Ned Stark, Robb is dubbed, “King in the North,” rallies the Northern bannermen, and leads the fight against the Lannisters and other southern houses arrayed against the North. Robb proves his battlefield acumen with victories against Jaime Lannister and others. He values honor and duty, which is why he kills Lord Karstark, but he mishandles Roose Bolton and flagrantly breaks a promise to Walder Frey, which leads to his undoing. Yes, you can claim Robb did it for love — he was promised to one of Walder’s daughters but then married someone else — but he used Walder Frey for a military advantage and then stabbed him in the back. That doesn’t excuse Frey from his own villainy, but it shows Robb’s true nature.

Pursuing his own interests while sacrificing those who follow him is villainous behavior, in my opinion. There’s little difference between Robb’s actions than those of Varys, who is up next on the list. While their methods are different, they both use people to get what they want and sacrifice others for the “greater good.”