As a global phenomenon, Game of Thrones is as iconic a show as they come. Despite falling off horribly in its last season and facing a ton of backlash because of this, the show is still remembered fondly by many fans for its overall success. In that sense, it was littered with amazing performances, brilliant characters, and unforgettable moments that made it one of the most-watched shows in history. Part of that charm came from its world building. Though not as expansive as the books they were based on, the show did a pretty good job of bringing through just how vast a world George R.R. Martin had created. This was no more obvious than it was with the many family lines that exist in the GOT universe. With so many characters and so many unique and intriguing stories behind them, fans were often treated to a myriad of them to get behind. This also often led to many characters either being left out entirely or having their role minimized in comparison to the books. This was usually to accommodate production budgets and simply because there were too many characters to showcase everyone fairly. However, in the case of young Lyanna Mormont, things didn’t quite go according to the original production plan.

Lyanna Mormont Was an Inherently Engaging Character

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Lady Lyanna Mormont can be considered a relatively special GOT character for a couple of reasons. Firstly, she was just a child but already thrust into the throes of leadership. Secondly, despite being the Lady of Bear Island at barely 10-years-old, she carries herself with degrees of grace, dignity, and courage that puts many grown men and soldiers in the show to shame. All of this added up to one popular character and made her a real firecracker who was instantly engaging from the first moment we met her. She was played by English actor Bella Ramsey, who was fiercely brilliant in the role. Bella’s inherent likability in the role also made the young star an instant hit among fans. As a result, the character began generating tons of traction online. Across Twitter, back then, before it became X, fans of the show around the world were quick to sing both the character’s and Bella’s praises. All that attention eventually led to other great roles, like a starring one in The Worst Witch and, of course, Bella’s extremely popular role as Ellie in The Last of Us.

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What It All Meant for the Character

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In the end, what all that popularity and attention meant for the character was that she needed to play a larger part. This upended the show’s original plans for her, as Lady Lyanna Mormont was only supposed to appear in one episode. As much as the concept of such a character was cool in the books, there seemed to be an inherently unrealistic expectation that she could be faithfully adapted to the screen. This was further complicated by Westerosi culture. In that sense, despite George R.R. Martin confessing to being a “feminist at heart” and creating many strong and complex female characters in his books as a result, it also can’t be denied that the world of GOT also has a patriarchal society. It’s the men that are usually recognized for their strength. And, like in reality, it can also be a brutal and unforgiving world for women — one where abusive relationships and sexual violence are rampant. However, this was all precisely why Lyanna Mormont stuck out so much. In that world, rather than becoming the quintessential damsel in distress, she was built differently. Even at 10 years old in the book, though the show made her 13, she was already capable of holding her position as the Lady of Bear Island, commanding the many strong men with vigor, earning their respect rather than forcing it.

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Who Lyanna Mormont Truly Was

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There are reasons why she was able to do this. For one, Bear Island was known to be a place where one needed to be strong. She’s also the niece of Jeor Mormont and the cousin of Jorah Mormont. Despite Jorah’s harsh ending as the man who became a meme for putting the “friend” in friend-zoned after his unsuccessful attempts to pursue Daenerys Targaryen, he was known for being a skilled fighter. On the other hand, Jeor Mormont was as strong-willed as they come — being the Commander of the Knights Watch can have that effect, but it was also his family name that made him so. In that sense, House Mormont’s words are “Here we stand,” words that are meant to impart their loyalty, determination, and immovable character. And these are traits that molded Lyanna Mormont into who she was. In the end, she tragically met her end, as so many characters inevitably did in the show. However, Yahoo perfectly summed up why people loved her so much:
“Because even though Lyanna is small (and just 13 years old), she’s a badass warrior. After charging at the giant, she was scooped up and squeezed to death in his massive fist-but just before she died, she managed to stab him, fatally, in the eye.”
This was also why, when Jon Snow came calling, it was her who helped rally the Northerners to the Starks’ cause against the Boltons. It came after she pledged to fight and made it clear that her men were up to the task:

We are not a large house, but we are a proud one, and every man from Bear Island fights with the strength of ten mainlanders.

By reminding them of where their loyalties were meant to lie, it was then Davos Seaworth who said it best when he recognized why her men would be such an asset.

If they’re half as ferocious as their lady, the Boltons are doomed.

Game of Thrones can be streamed on Max.