7 most disliked Game of Thrones characters, ranked

5. Littlefinger (Petyr Baelish)

Ah, Littlefinger, or as he's formally known, Petyr Baelish. Where do I start with this guy? (I will preface this and say he's always been one of my favorite characters in the show, and it's probably for the same reasons others dislike him.)

Imagine that one friend who's always scheming, always whispering, and somehow always ends up at the top of the food chain at parties, and you've got Littlefinger in a nutshell. He's the master of manipulation, the wizard of whispers, and the king of "I'm going to stab you in the back, but make it feel like a compliment."

Littlefinger is basically the reason why you can't have nice things in Westeros. He's got his fingers in so many pies, it's a wonder he didn't end up on the business end of a carving knife much sooner than he did. From sparking the conflict that kicks off the entire series to his beyond creepy obsession with Sansa Stark, he's like that chess player who thinks 12 moves ahead, except the chess pieces are real people, and the game board is an entire kingdom.

But despite being a total sneaky-sneak, he's also kind of... impressive? It's like watching a car crash in slow motion; it's terrible, but you just can't look away. His intelligence and strategic mind are undeniable. He rises from a relatively modest background to become one of the most powerful figures in Westeros, all through his cunning and manipulation.

So why is Littlefinger one of the most disliked characters in Game of Thrones? It's simple: he's too smart for his own good, and his actions cause a lot of pain and suffering while he benefits from it all. But at the same time, many fans have a grudging respect for the guy. He plays the game of thrones like a pro, always staying one step ahead of the rest. Until he doesn't. But that's a story for another day.

Littlefinger is the definition of a character you love to hate and hate to love. He's a walking, talking reminder that in the game of thrones, it's not the strongest who survive, but the most cunning. And boy, was he cunning, until his luck finally ran out.