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We’d laugh every time Tyrion would slap Joffrey Baratheon, cheer on Jamie Lannister and Brienne of Tarth’s somewhat requited love affair, and shudder in disgust at the Night King’s hollow stare, but after three years of the HBO hit series, Game of Thrones—we still can’t get enough. No matter which season was your favorite, or if you are still waiting for George R.R. Martin’s “The Winds of Winter” to be released, we can’t help but look back on the series in appreciation over our favorite GOT moments of all time!
HBO’s upcoming series, House of the Dragon (which captures the fall of House Targaryen), is set to be released on August 21, 2022, and has us primed to discover each state’s favorite Game of Thrones character and their top GOT obsessions! To find out which GOT character made a lasting impression on your state—read on! This blog contains major spoilers so if you’re not caught up with the series, then you may want to come back to this blog after you’re finished watching all of the seasons.
Methodology
To discover the most popular GOT characters in every state, we compiled a list of 118 keywords from sources like Fandom, Screenrant, and our own personal fan knowledge. As GOT first aired in 2011, we analyzed Google Trends data over a period of eleven years. To gauge the hype for the upcoming series, House of the Dragon, we pulled search interest over the past year leading up to the premiere of the show. GOT obsession levels were based on the sum of total search interest for each category: house, group, female characters, male characters, battles/episode, capital, season, book, new show, and animal. The results of each state’s favorite Game of Thrones character will be a plot twist you didn’t see coming!
The Most Popular Male Character in Every U.S. State
Some of the most popular Game of Thrones characters were both the ones who died and the ones who survived until the end of the show. Theon Greyjoy had the highest search volume in the District of Columbia. Though he redeems himself in the end, Theon Greyjoy’s betrayal of Robb Stark in a desperate attempt to seize power and prove his worth to his family may be relatable to the political backstabbing D.C. constituents witness firsthand—blood magic not included.
Vladimír Furdík who plays The Night King was one of the most popular Game of Thrones characters according to New Yorkers and had the highest search volume in that state. Before transitioning to a career in acting, Vladimír Furdík worked as a stuntman. Interestingly enough, New York is home to many professional stuntmen (and stuntwomen) and even has a Hollywood Stunts NYC Training Center in Brooklyn, NY, which could explain the state’s interest in this villain.
Hodor—everyone’s favorite gentle giant—had the highest search interest in California, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Washington. Both California and Rhode Island are home to some of the most empathetic citizens, which could explain their sympathy for Hodor’s character and the deep trauma he witnessed as a child.
The Most Popular Female Character in Every U.S. State
From power-obsessed queens like Cersei Lannister to tender-hearted souls like Gilly—GOT offers a host of characters to love or hate. Arya Stark’s glow up from mischievous child to The Night King slayer made her Montana’s favorite GOT character. Arya meets her mentor, Jaqen H’gar in season 2, episode 8, “The Prince Of Winterfell”. There, he teaches her eskrima, a martial arts style that happens to be popular at some dojos in Montana and could explain some of the hype from this state.
Shae, Tyrion Lannister’s lover turned betrayer, was one of the most popular GOT characters in 12 states, including places like Oregon, Arizona, and Kansas. Perhaps residents have been spurned by romantic partners and side with Shae’s trust issues from being treated like a prostitute in public but adored by Tyrion behind closed doors.
Alaska’s favorite Game of Thrones character was Brienne of Tarth. Not only could she whoop three men by herself, but she also held her own against Clegane “The Hound”. Alaskan natives are used to fighting off creatures, dealing with harsh weather environments, and living in solitude—sound like someone we know?
The Most Popular Game of Thrones Topics Overall
Game of Thrones gave us a lot to talk about—from our favorite GOT character to the books that inspired the series—you might be surprised which topics came out on top. Ghost, Jon Snow’s direwolf and the runt of the litter, was the most searched animal that graced the screen according to 19 states.
As George R.R. Martin told producers major plot points before his books were even published, fans can’t get enough of his writing! For those who prefer to read the drama-filled stories, George R.R. Martin’s, “A Clash of Kings” is the top-searched book among 22 states. The yet-to-be-released, “A Dream of Spring” is of second highest interest. Fans are itching to see what the latest book will entail!
One of the most heartstopping moments and the death of several of the most popular GOT characters takes place during The Red Wedding in season 3, episode 9’s, “The Rains of Castamere”. It was one of the most memorable “fights” as more than 20 states searched it more than any other battle in places like Louisiana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Texas.
A majority of the country was most interested in keeping up with The North with 31 states searching Winterfell more than any other capital, which could be the reason why John Snow is a favorite game of thrones character in 5 states!
The Most Obsessed States
Game of Thrones has some seriously complex and twisted storylines, but that doesn’t stop these 5 states from getting sucked into the madness and making their loyalties known! Massachusetts is the most obsessed state with a Game of Thrones obsession level of 10,458 (based on the sum of total search interest for a variety of GOT-themed factors). Boston is home to a one-of-a-kind dog museum, which could explain why Lady Sansa’s direwolf, Lady, was the most searched animal in this state—just don’t watch season 1, episode 2 if you don’t want to cry!
New York’s favorite Game of Thrones character was Yara Greyjoy. Yara’s rise to female leadership is reminiscent of the state’s battle to elect women in government roles, perhaps explaining their love of this fierce sword-wielding baddie. They also had the most interest in The Night King.
Washington, D.C. fans can’t wait for the release of The House of the Dragon as they had a high search interest for the new series. Although Catelyn Stark only appeared in the first three seasons of Game of Thrones, that didn’t stop D.C. from pining over this female character.
While you can certainly argue that Jon Snow gets the short end of the stick throughout the series, his courage was not overlooked by New Jersey, as he was their favorite GOT character. Although Viserion was used as a pawn for evil, New Jersey was enamored with his ability to shoot blue fire and burn Winterfell to a crisp.
Jamie Lannister was one of the most popular Game of Thrones characters according to PA residents. This heartbreaker had a quick wit, serious sword skills, and a mean right hook (if you know, you know). While there are few survivors left from House Targaryen, it doesn’t stop Pennsylvanians from backing this throne!
Closing Thoughts
There you have it! From each state’s favorite GOT character to some of the most iconic battle scenes—it’s clear that Game of Thrones fandom is too strong to ever die, but if it does, it can always be brought back to life (just ask John Snow). The series captured the attention of 44 million people, connecting them to this crazy character-driven story arc.
Just as The Iron Throne connected the Lannisters, Starks, Targaryens, and other families, so too does Versa’s SASE solutions. From WFH sites, mobile devices, and large offices—our SASE network security does it all! Secure your network with our Versa SASE Services or learn more about what SASE entails.
Full Data:
That wraps up our Most Game of Thrones Obsessed U.S. State ranking. Interested in diving deeper into the top characters across the country, or wanting to see your state’s favorites if it’s not listed within the above map?
We’ve compiled our full data study for all 50 U.S. states and the nation’s capital into the interactive map below. Search for the state you call home or click on the map to view each state’s favorite across the categories!
