15 Game of Thrones Ships That Make No Sense (2024)

Game of Thrones is filled with toxic romantic relationships. At the beginning of the series, Sansa is convinced that Joffrey is the love of her life, Daenerys is sold to Khal Drogo, and Jaime pushes Bran off of a building to protect his affair with Cersei. These relationships are all incredibly toxic, though the characters often work to convince themselves otherwise.

Because there are so few positive relationships between characters, the shipping community has been forced to create some elaborate — and often confusing — relationships. While some common ships, like Jaime and Brienne, are positive, some either make no sense or are downright toxic. That hasn't stopped many weird, bizarre, impossible, or downright awful ships from being written on Archive of Our Own (AO3).

Updated on November 22, 2024, by Michael Colwander: Game of Thrones features an impressively vast universe full of complex characters and intriguing lore. It's no surprise how much the franchise has cultivated a passionate shipping and fanfiction community. Even so, many of those Game of Thrones ships are just outright perplexing. More bad Game of Thrones ships have been added.

15 Robb Still Had His Eyes On Another Even If He Married Roslin Frey

Number Of AO3 Stories: 176

Robb Stark met a tragic end in Game of Thrones. His shocking death at the unforgettable "Red Wedding" sent shockwaves throughout the Game of Thrones viewer base and became the subject of joy for anyone who had read the books, eagerly anticipating the reaction of others. There are plenty of fans who felt this fate could have been avoided had Robb simply carried on his lordly duties and committed to the arranged marriage with one of Walder Frey's daughters. While Roslin Frey wasn't explicitly mentioned as the wife-to-be for Robb, her immense beauty set imaginations off when she made her first and only appearance in her marriage with Robb's uncle, Edmure Tully.

The problem with Robb/Roslin is that Robb still had his eyes on another. Robb subverted the agreement made by his House and the Freys to marry Talisa Maegyr, ultimately becoming one of the reasons for his and her demise. Robb's feelings toward Talisa would've still persisted, which would've likely thrown a wrench in a potential marriage with Roslin. This could've led to Walder Frey still feeling slighted and possibly orchestrating a similar betrayal, or Robb and Roslin would've simply had a loveless marriage in the event Talisa had died previously.

14 Tyrion Respected Sansa Too Much To Even Consummate Their Arranged Marriage

Number Of AO3 Stories: 975

In a world of arranged marriages, there is no shortage of couples who are bound not by love, but by circumstances and potential gain. Sansa Stark has been a focal point in many arranged marriages, whether planned or fulfilled, given her high status as a Stark. She was arranged to be married to both Joffrey Baratheon and Loras Tyrell before later marrying Tyrion Lannister and Ramsay Bolton – both against her will. Sansa was arranged to be married to Tyrion by Tywin Lannister in order to mitigate any potential loyalty gains the Tyrells could make in pursuit to the Iron Throne.

With Tyrion being a fan favorite character and Sansa being one of the most shipped Game of Thrones characters, it was only natural for stories of Tyrion/Sansa to emerge. However, it's tough to see it ever happening. Tyrion respected Sansa too much to put her through an undesired marriage. He never attempted to consummate the marriage and gave her all the space she needed. Even if Tyrion did fully develop feelings for Sansa, he knows that Sansa deserves to finally have full agency in her choice of spouse given all that she had to endure.

13 Petyr Baelish Is Only For Himself And Would Have Used Sansa

Number Of AO3 Stories: 1466

Throughout Game of Thrones, Petyr Baelish, or Littlefinger, has scratched, clawed, and manipulated his way to immense power and influence in Westeros. As high as he was able to climb, there was always one thing forever out of his reach – Catelyn (Tully) Stark. Littlefinger loved Catelyn, which played a part in his eventual betrayal of Ned Stark. After Catelyn's death, the void she left was difficult to fill for Littlefinger. He bore no feelings toward Catelyn's sister, Lysa Arryn, whom he later married and killed to seize the Vale. However, Sansa did catch his eye, and he saw her as a valuable pawn.

Sansa is easily the most popular Littlefinger ship, far eclipsing Littlefinger/Catelyn, Littlefinger/Lysa, and yes, Littlefinger/Varys combined by over four times as many stories on AO3. Littlefinger/Sansa is immediately problematic given Littlefinger's manipulative and abusive ways. With Catelyn dead, the only thing in life that brings him satisfaction is accumulating more power. It's tough to believe there's an outcome where Sansa changes him or brings him peace assuming she ever reached the point where she didn't detest him. It would just be another way for Littlefinger to use Sansa to chase the next power high.

12 Ramsay's Frequent Abuse Of Theon Makes For A Horrid And Terrifying Ship

Number Of AO3 Stories: 1241

It's tough to adequately put into words just how horrid a Ramsay Bolton and Theon Greyjoy ship is. For much of Theon's story in Game of Thrones, he was held captive by Ramsay. Theon was forced to take on the humiliating name "Reek" and subjected to immense physical and psychological torture, which includes Theon's castration and Ramsay's subsequent sausage taunting. Theon wasn't a good person, but even then his scenes with Ramsay were difficult to watch and it was tough to not pity him at times.

Ramsay later got his comeuppance after the Battle of the Bastards while Theon redeemed himself to an extent by liberating Sansa from Ramsay. Theon later perished at the blade of the Night King in the battle against the White Walkers. Ramsay/Theon makes very little sense and it's extremely difficult to envision it without that relationship being overwhelmingly plagued with further abuse. The less this ship is thought about the better.

11 Cersei And Ned Wanted Very Different Things In Life

Number Of AO3 Stories: 215

It's tough to come up with two greater oppositional forces in the first season of Game of Thrones than Cersei Lannister and Ned Stark. Cersei, the husband of King Robert Baratheon, and Ned, the longtime friend of King Robert and Hand of the King, were polar opposites. King Robert's selection of Ned as his Hand of the King proved to be the catalyst for future emerging conflicts. It was through Ned's digging that he correctly theorized that Cersei's children were not King Robert's, but instead her brother Jaime Lannister's. This revelation could have been devasting for the Lannisters, forcing Cersei and her father, Tywin, to concoct a scheme to put her son Prince Joffrey on the Iron Throne. This ultimately led to King Robert's assassination and the later execution of Ned.

There's a strong incompatibility between Cersei and Ned. Ned is a man of honor who was already married and wouldn't have dared pursue the wife of his friend even after that friend's demise. That's assuming he would have even been interested or vice versa. Cersei and her family strove for great power while Ned was reluctant to enter the viper's nest of King's Landing to serve as the Hand of the King. Only chance would have been an arranged marriage had Catelyn died in order for the Lannisters to shore up power and for Ned to protect his children. It would've been a miserable marriage, nonetheless.

10 Cersei Would Have Hated Rhaegar

Number Of AO3 Stories: 166

Rhaegar was seemingly the perfect man. He was noble, a proud prince, and he was as intelligent as he was brave. He was the perfect partner for any medieval bride. That's why Cersei expressed how much she loved the idea of marrying Rhaegar. Unfortunately, her hopes were dashed by Robert, who killed Rhaegar and later married her.

Despite Cersei's hopes — and the hopes of many fan fiction writers — the Rhaegar and Cersei ship is a mismatch. Rhaegar was a noble figure who was hoping to fulfill a prophecy, while Cersei was a scheming player who had already found a partner in Jaime. Given Cersei's paranoia, it's likely that any partner she found would eventually have disappointed her. That would always lead her back to Jaime.

9 Shireen Baratheon and Rickon Stark Never Even Met

Number Of AO3 Stories: 275

Despite being two halves of a fairly popular ship, the idea of a relationship between Shireen and Rickon makes absolutely no sense. The two never met at any point during the story, as Shireen was held on Dragonstone with Stannis, or else being dragged through the North. Rickon, meanwhile, lived in Winterfell before fleeing for the Last Hearth. Rickon spent most of his Game of Thrones tenure offscreen before being killed to kick off the Battle of the Bastards while Shireen was kept mostly in isolation before being sacrificed by her father.

The two have extremely different personalities. Rickon is a wild child with immense power and a strong connection to the North. Shireen is an innocent young girl who just wants to help people. The only reason that the two are even associated is that they seemingly share a similar age. In reality, however, Rickon is younger than Shireen throughout Game of Thrones, making even the basis of this pairing flawed.

8 Robb and Daenerys Would Have Killed Each Other

Number Of AO3 Stories: 221

Robb and Daenerys never met in Game of Thrones, and it's highly unlikely that they would have liked each other. Their interests wildly diverged from one another, leaving little room for the compromise that relationships need. Robb was determined to free the North, while Daenerys was desperate to see it under her rule. Jon may have agreed to bend the knee, but Robb was much more stubborn than his brother.

Their familial ties also would have posed a threat to their relationship. Daenerys' father murdered Robb's grandfather and uncle, and Robb's father helped to send Daenerys into exile. Both were fiercely loyal to their legacies. Any comment about Stark or Targaryen's honor would have led to a battle — not a partnership.

7 Brienne Didn't Even Really Like Tormund

Number Of AO3 Stories: 313

When he found a tall warrior woman with the strength and skill of Brienne, Tormund fell in love. He found her incredible, brave, and frankly perfect. Unfortunately, Tormund may have loved Brienne, but she never found him too impressive. She was someone who valued nobility and honor, and Tormund had little of that.

Any ship between Brienne and Tormund would need to be one-sided at best. Brienne had already found the loves of her life in Jaime and Renly, and she wasn't interested in exploring anything else. That was something that she proved by joining the Kingsguard twice, which meant that she was sworn to celibacy. Tormund might dream of her but Brienne is just not interested in Tormund.

6 Arya and Jaqen Were Co-Workers at Best

Number Of AO3 Stories: 358

It's hard not to see a potential love story between a character who saved another from a certain death. In most medieval stories, the knight in shining armor would save the princess and win her hand. Jaqen's charming nature meant that his early connection with Arya resulted in a prominent ship.

Unfortunately, the relationship would never have worked. Even setting aside the age difference, Jaqen was downright abusive to Arya, and he seemingly wanted her to erase all aspects of her sense of self. Arya's strong connection with her Stark identity completely conflicted with Jaqen's own goals. Since Jaqen didn't have a concept of his own self, he never would have been able to enter a relationship anyway. The ship just doesn't make any sense.

5 Stannis and Davos Are Just Incompatible

Number Of AO3 Stories: 456

Long before the events of Game of Thrones, Davos saved Stannis and all of Storm's End by smuggling onions through a siege. To honor his heroic efforts, Stannis raised Davos to nobility, then took the ends of his fingers as punishment for smuggling. It was a bizarre treatment that still somehow secured Davos' eternal loyalty.

Realistically, however, the ship never could have worked. Despite his allegiance to Stannis, Davos is just as devoted to his family. He has a wife and multiple children, and he is far too honorable to consider abandoning them for Stannis. The two are also downright incompatible, as Stannis regularly jails Davos for minor offenses. Davos would also never forgive Stannis for burning Shireen, the little girl that he loved immensely.

4 Jon and Arya Were Close Siblings

Number Of AO3 Stories: 888

One popular Game of Thrones ship involved Jon Snow and Arya Stark. The siblings became close during their childhoods because both always felt that they were unwanted and unsuitable in their then-current lives. To cement their bond, Jon gave Arya her sword before the two parted, seemingly forever.

As both are powerful warriors with undeniable skill, it makes sense that they would be shipped together. Yet shipping them makes little sense. After all, their memories of one another are about sibling bonds, and they always kept their relationship familial and platonic. Unlike Jaime and Cersei, they were nothing more than brothers and siblings, and that's why their bond is so charming. A romantic ship just corrupts a touching relationship. Learning that they weren't actually siblings by blood wouldn't have changed anything. They would've found the idea disgusting because, in their minds, they're still brother and sister.

3 Margaery Was Just Using Sansa

Number Of AO3 Stories: 1,570

The Margaery and Sansa ship was born out of the strong friendship that the two seemingly shared early on in Game of Thrones. While Sansa was still a hostage in King's Landing, Margaery befriended both Joffrey and Sansa. She quieted the worst of Joffrey's impulses, and she also did her best to protect Sansa from harm.

As kind as Margaery was, her friendly behavior was little more than a strategy to win Sansa's favor. Margaery used Sansa to get information about Joffrey's temperament, and she planned to use Sansa as the Key to the North just as much as the Lannisters did. The Tyrells would go on to frame Sansa for murdering the king, proving that their friendship was little more than a feint. The ship was a lie all along.

2 Sandor Was Abusive to Sansa

Number Of AO3 Stories: 3,961

When the Hound first became prominent in Sansa's life, it was when she was trapped with the Lannisters. At the time, Sandor was rough with Sansa and even seemingly cruel. Under Joffrey's rule, he often tried to save her but still regularly allowed her to be abused. He may have offered her an escape, but his presence will always be a reminder of some of Sansa's darkest moments.

Sandor saw Sansa as little more than a little bird trapped in a cage. As proud as he was to see her escape that gilded cage, he can no longer truly relate to her. Sansa is now a queen with immense power over the North. Even if he was still alive, Sandor could never have truly stood by any Northern ruler after suffering through Lannister and Baratheon's rule. After all, he doesn't like to be controlled, and Sansa will need to be a strong presence to secure the loyalty of the North.

1 Sansa and Jon Are Too Different

Number Of AO3 Stories: 7,574

After Brienne and Jaime, the Sansa and Jon ship has the most AO3 works. It has a strong presence within the fandom, largely because of the strength of the on-screen bond between the two. While their childhood relationship left much to be desired, they found each other in adulthood and made up for lost time as siblings and friends.

As a ship, though, Sansa and Jon just don't make sense. Jon is always shown to be interested in physical fighters, including Daenerys and Ygritte. Sansa just doesn't fit that same mold, as she is much more interested in political power than any physical alternative. Sansa has also seemingly sworn off relationships, which would put a damper on any ships involving her.

Game Of Thrones

TV-MA

Drama

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for a millennia.

Release Date

April 17, 2011

Creator

Cast

Kit Harington , Isaac Hempstead Wright , Iain Glen , Peter Dinklage , Nikolaj Coster-Waldau , Emilia Clarke , Maisie Williams , Sophie Turner , John Bradley , Lena Headey , Liam Cunningham , Aidan Gillen , Alfie Allen , Conleth Hill , Rory McCann , Jerome Flynn , Jacob Anderson , Kristofer Hivju , Gwendoline Christie , Nathalie Emmanuel , Carice Van Houten , Natalie Dormer , Stephen Dillane , Charles Dance , charlotte hope , Michelle Fairley , Jack Gleeson , Richard Madden , Hannah Murray , Sibel Kekilli , Julian Glover , Brenock O'Connor , Rose Leslie , Michael McElhatton

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

8

Production Company

Number of Episodes

Network

Streaming Service(s)

Max

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