The most important 'Game of Thrones' characters, according to how much screen time they get

"Game of Thrones" is a colossus of a show. Over the past 6 seasons, it has introduced dozens upon dozens of characters — a large majority of whom contribute something vital to the overall story. 

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But this being "Game of Thrones," most characters don't stick around too long, unless their presence is needed to help decide the fate of Westeros. 

IMDB user ninewheels0 went through all six seasons of the show to find out how much screen time each and every character — from Ned Stark to Ilyn Payne — received on the show. 

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Ned Stark, who lost his head in season one. HBO

 Check it out below:

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30. Daario Naharis — 46 minutes

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HBO

Starting off our list is everyone's favorite sellsword. Being Dany's lover has its upside. 

29. Shae — 47 minutes

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28. Ygritte — 51 minutes

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HBO

27. Gilly — 52 minutes

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26. Bronn — 1 hour, 4 minutes

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HBO

25. Melisandre — 1 hour, 5 minutes

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Carice van Houten as Melisandre on "Game of Thrones." HBO
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24. Ramsay Bolton — 1 hour, 6 minutes

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HBO

Despite only having an hour of screen time, many viewers would agree that it felt like much longer. Thankfully, Ramsay won't be able to torture any more beloved characters. 

23. Joffrey Baratheon — 1 hour, 10 minutes

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HBO

Like Ramsay, Joffrey's stay on "Game of Thrones" felt much, much longer than the 70 minutes it really was. 

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22. The Hound — 1 hour, 12 minutes

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HBO

He's alive! And that means his tally will keep on growing. 

21. Stannis Baratheon — 1 hour, 13 minutes

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20. Robb Stark — 1 hour, 17 minutes

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Richard Madden as Robb Stark. HBO

He was killed on one of the most brutal episodes of the show, but he managed to crack the top 20 before he met his demise. 

19. Margaery Tyrell — 1 hour, 18 minutes

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Macall B. Polay/courtesy of HBO
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18. Tywin Lannister — 1 hour, 18 minutes

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HBO

17. Lord Varys — 1 hour, 21 minutes

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16. Catelyn Stark — 1 hour, 22 minutes

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HBO

15. Bran Stark — 1 hour, 26 minutes

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Helen Sloan/HBO

Despite not appearing in season five, Bran is poised to add to his minutes tally with a strong showing in the final two seasons of "Game of Thrones." 

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14. Davos Seaworth — 1 hour, 29 minutes

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Helen Sloan/HBO

Davos made a big push up the screen time power rankings with 27 minutes in season 6 alone. 

13. Brienne of Tarth — 1 hour, 29 minutes

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Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth on "Game of Thrones." Helen Sloan/HBO
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12. Ned Stark — 1 hour, 39 minutes

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HBO

Despite having his head chopped off before season 1 was even over, Ned Stark has managed to stay within spitting distance of the top 10. It's a testament to how important his character was in the first season of show, and a reminder of just how shocking it was when he was killed off. 

11. Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish — 1 hour, 42 minutes

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Helen Sloan/HBO
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10. Jorah Mormont — 1 hour, 57 minutes

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HBO

9. Samwell Tarly — 2 hours, 1 minute

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HBO

Being Jon Snow's best friend has its perks — especially when it comes to getting on camera. 

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8. Theon Greyjoy — 2 hours, 3 minutes

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HBO

Many viewers likely wish that Theon was not in the top 10 of screen time, as watching him get tortured for multiple seasons was painful. 

7. Jaime Lannister — 2 hours, 42 minutes

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6. Arya Stark — 3 hours, 9 minutes

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Helen Sloan/courtesy of HBO

Many viewers likely wish Arya had spent less time in the House of Black and White, but it helped propel her solidly into the top 10.

5. Sansa Stark — 3 hours, 19 minutes

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Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark on "Game of Thrones." Helen Sloan/HBO
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4. Cersei Lannister — 3 hours, 21 minutes

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HBO
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3. Daenarys Targaryan — 3 hours, 41 minutes

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HBO

Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons. 

And owner of the third-largest amount of screen time on "Game of Thrones." 

 

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2. Jon Snow — 4 hours, 28 minutes

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Helen Sloan/HBO

Jon Snow, for many viewers, is the hero of this story. And being up at the Wall for most of his time on the show certainly helped boost his minutes. If he's able to stick around for good the final two seasons, everyone's favorite bastard may end up with the most screen time on the show. 

1. Tyrion Lannister — 4 hours, 53 minutes

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HBO

With nearly five hours of screen time, Tyrion is the undisputed king of screen time in "Game of Thrones." 

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For the full ranking, visit ninewheels0's list on IMDB.

Click here to go to the full list. 

And check out this chart made by Reddit user EtraStyle.

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