Game of Thrones: 5 Reasons Jorah Mormont Was The Most Relatable Character (& 5 Why He’s Not)

Jorah Mormont, former Lord of Bear Island, son of the North of Westeros, fallen knight, and the Internet’s “Sir Friendzone” was known as many things throughout the eight seasons he (surprisingly) survived on Game of Thrones until the final season.

But while Jorah often has shade thrown in his direction, there is much to be respected about the exiled knight and, perhaps, part of the problem a large part of the fandom has with him is because he is incredibly relatable to many who are not the action star heroes of their own lives. In some ways, Jorah Mormont is just like us (though not all, obviously, or he wouldn’t have survived quite as long as he did in Essos and Westeros).

10 Relatable – Money Trouble

How did Ser Jorah Mormont end up in Essos ready and willing to spy on Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen? Well, that’s because he lost his inheritance by spending it all on his second wife before the pair went into exile due to Jorah’s attempt to sell slaves (illegal in the North) to gain a little extra cash flow.

While most of us have never had to flee our homeland with a price on our heads or resorted to selling slaves as a steady stream of income, being a little the worse for wear in the financial department is definitely something most of us can relate too, and certainly, something that feels just as painful as Jorah makes it our to be.

9 Not – Sword Skills

While many people wish they knew how to wield a sword, or at least wish to be a bit more active and in shape than they are, Jorah doesn’t seem to struggle to be active or a badass. His companions (see Tyrion and Daario) give him a hard time about his age, but he’s not someone to be trifled with. He’s been training since he was a kid, and it shows. He kills a Dothraki Blood Rider in single combat.

Not many people can brag about such a feat, even if it’s not related to sword fighting. Jorah’s strength makes him a character in a story that not everyone can relate to.

8 Relatable – Gets Annoyed with the People He Works With

Speaking of Tyrion and Daario, Jorah is never more relatable than when he’s rolling his eyes or telling his companions to “Shut up”. Working for a Queen means that Ser Jorah does not get to pick the people he works with (most of us don’t), and he suffers like the rest of us with the personalities that he is forced to work around.

While Jorah does get the opportunity to punch Tyrion in the face, dream fulfillment for those of us in an office, for the most part, he is forced to keep quiet and deal with the different personalities his boss keeps close.

7 Not – Respects His Competition

Jorah remains the gallant knight in season eight when he admits to Daenerys that it broke his heart not to be named her Hand of the Queen. What makes him a better man than many people in real life is his ability to admit that Tyrion was the better choice for the job.

He doesn’t only recognize his strengths and weaknesses, he admits them, to both his boss and the woman he loves. It may be a trait many people wish they had, but it’s not a relatable moment, even if its a heroic one.

6 Relatable – All the Effort None of the Glory

Ser Jorah Mormont is largely the reason that Daenerys Targaryen gets anywhere near the Iron Throne. He saves her life countless times, he advises her, for her benefit and often to his own detriment, and he fights for her. Who can forget his face when he returns, bloody but successful, after sacking the city of Yunkai for his Queen. Does she praise his success?

No. Rather she asks the whereabouts of new heartthrob, Daario Naharis. Who hadn’t been in the position of picking up the pieces, finishing the project, succeeding after incredible hard work, only to be stepped over or ignored for their effort?

5 Not – Brilliant One-Liners

Many of us come up without best comebacks and remarks long after the fact and, fortunately for Ser Jorah, he has a talented cadre of scriptwriters behind him so he always has something wise or witty to say. As he tells Daenerys about the realities of war, “There is a beast in every man, and it stirs when you put a sword in his hand.”

Again he uses his experience in war to council Daenerys against playing by all the rules, “Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rahegar fought nobly, and Rhaegar died.” As he tells Daario after Daario makes a comment about getting old like Jorah, “If you grow old.” If only we were all so quick and wise.

4 Relatable – Physical Imperfection

Jorah may be an incredible sword fighter, incredibly loyal, and surprisingly strong, but, as always, he is more relatable than not. Besides being harassed about his age by those around him, he also is infected with greyscale, usually a death sentence, and never a pretty disease as it creeps over the entirety of the skin.

Even cured, Jorah’s left side is forever covered in the scars of the cure he was forced to endure. Whether it’s a scar, blemish, birthmark, or illness, who can’t relate to possessing one imperfection or another that burns or embarrasses.

3 Not – Strength of Ten Men

In the third episode of the eighth season of Game of Thrones, fans get to watch Ser Jorah Mormont protect his Queen to his last breath, stabbed over and over and over again, and yet, he keeps getting to his feet.

Add to that his survival (and silence) as his skin was peeled away to cure him of greyscale, and Jorah Mormont possesses greater strength than almost anyone.  Many may wish they had the strength of ten mainlanders, as the warriors of Bear Island claim, but very very few actually do.

2 Relatable – Doesn’t Get the Girl

Romantic comedies and romantic dramas are both popular genres because of their wish fulfillment. Rather than running into the rain at sunset to kiss the love of one’s life at the last possible moment, many more mortals have experienced the loss of their heart’s desire, rather than finding it.

While the Internet may call Jorah “Ser Friendzone” the nickname exists because the word “friendzone” exists, and that’s simply because the situation is so relatable.

1 Not – Loyal to a Fault

While viewers may wish they could be as loyal and true as Jorah, few ever are. Perhaps it wasn’t a wise choice for Jorah to commit his all to Daenerys and her quest for the Iron Throne, but he did, and it was with his full heart.

Few are ever so dedicated to so singular a cause or person. It’s part of what makes Ser Jorah such a compelling character, though one who only exists in a fantasy world.

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