Bella Ramsey's Game Of Thrones Character Explained

Long before she was a star thanks to The Last of Us, Bella Ramsey's Game of Thrones role as Lyanna Mormont made her a standout in the show's massive ensemble. Running from 2011 to 2019, Game of Thrones is an epic fantasy series that boasts an enormous ensemble cast. Actors like Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, and Peter Dinklage gained prominence, with the latter winning four Emmys for his role as Tyrion Lannister. The show also featured several child cast members in crucial roles, including Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner, and Ramsey.

Coincidentally, Ramsey's Last of Us co-star Pedro Pascal, who played Joel, also had a significant role in the fantasy series, as Oberyn Martell. While Pascal didn't last long on the series, Ramsey remained a key player for the rest of Game of Thrones after their character was first introduced in season 6, and they quickly became a fan favorite, which is even more impressive considering how young they were when they were first cast. It is a role that likely helped Ramsey earn their role on The Last of Us years later.

Bella Ramsey Played Lyanna Mormont In Game of Thrones

Lyanna Was Introduced In Season 6

Lyanna Mormont was the head of House Mormont, a vassal house to House Stark, and the niece of Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Jeor Mormont. When most of House Mormont's army was slaughtered in the Red Wedding, Lyanna was forced to come to power despite only being 10 years old.

However, regardless of her youth, Lyanna proved to be an incredibly effective and inspiring leader. She was not only the first to proclaim Jon Snow as the new King in the North, but she also harshly criticized the Manderlys, Glovers, and Cerwyns for refusing to aid Jon Snow and Sansa Stark in the Battle of the Bastards.

What made Lyanna such an entertaining character was that the way she spoke and presented herself almost made it seem like the character was much older and more mature than she actually was. It's impressive to see that kind of screen presence in a child actor, and it is because of Ramsey's excellent performance that allows Lyanna to be fleshed out in Game of Thrones. It also further highlights Ramsey's talents, because when comparing Lyanna to Ellie in The Last of Us, they couldn't be more different characters, but Ramsey plays them both with equal skill.

Ramsey Was 11 Years Old When They Were Cast In Game of Thrones

Ramsey's Age Helped The Impact Of The Character

When Ramsey was cast as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones, they were only one year older than Lyanna. This made Ramsey a great fit not just because they share a similar age, but they are also able to use their youth to their advantage, heightening Lyanna's no-nonsense personality and turning her into a believable character.

Ramsey would later use this same tactic when playing Ellie in The Last of Us. Considering the character is supposed to be rash and foul-mouthed but vulnerable, Ramsey is able to use their age to embody Ellie's adult personality while also possessing the innocence of a child.

How Lyanna Mormont Is Different In The Books

Lyanna Mormont Makes An Impression In A Surprising Way

Despite the fact that Lyanna Mormont is such a memorable part of the show, the character has not yet actually appeared in the book series. It is confirmed that she exists, but is only mentioned for the first time in the most recent of George R. R. Martin's novels, A Dance with Dragons. It is revealed that Lyanna's mother Maege Mormont was killed at the Red Wedding alongside Robb Stark and Lyanna took control of their ancestral home of Bear Island.

The first time Lyanna is mentioned in the books comes when Stannis Baratheon is speaking to Jon Snow. He reveals that he wrote to Lyanna and requested that she bend the knee and declare House Mormont for Stannis. However, despite her young age, Lyanna showed her strength of character when she wrote back with a reply:

"Bear Island knows no king but the King in the North, whose name is Stark."

Without ever appearing in person, that one phrase endeared Lyanna Mormont to many fans. Not only did she have the bravery to turn down Stannis' request in such a powerful way, but she declared her intention not to support House Bolton in their attempts to take over as Warden of the North. Likely fueled by her mother's death, Lyanna remains loyal to Robb Stark even after his death and to the Stark family as a whole. With that first impression, it set up a lot of excitement for Lyanna to be introduced in the show.

Lyanna Mormont Compared To Ellie From The Last Of Us

Bella Ramsey's Two Iconic Heroes Have Similarities And Noticeable Differences

It cannot be denied that Lyanna Mormont was a role that led to Bella Ramsey being cast as Ellie in The Last of Us. The two characters show similarities in their bravery, but it is a different kind of bravery. Lyanna is a warrior at heart, feeling wise far beyond her years, showing no fear in charging into battle and even taking on an undead giant. In many ways, Ellie finds herself in a similar situation. She is living in a world filled with danger where she is not given the luxury of living life like a normal young person.

Ellie is not as fearless in the face of death as Lyanna is. In fact, throughout The Last of Us, she is often shown to be terrified and running from danger instead of towards it. This shows the difference in depth for these characters. Lyanna can steal scenes in Game of Thrones as a hugely entertaining young warrior, but this would not work as well if she were a main character. The Last of Us presents Ellie as a vulnerable and grounded character, which makes her fight for survival more interesting compared to if she was always ready for the next fight.

Where Ellie's bravery comes from is in her compassion for people and her desire to force some normalcy into the chaotic life she lives. She is friendly to others and shows concern for those in need. She also wants to laugh and have relationships with people when the rest of the world is too afraid to look for the positive moments in life. Ellie is not the warrior that Lyanna is on Game of Thrones, but her fight is no less heroic.