Game Of Thrones: 5 Reasons Tommen Had The Making Of a Great King (& 5 He Didn’t)

Game Of Thrones rarely has a character whom the viewer can consistently root for, but Tommen may have been one of the few. By the time he is appointed king, we know the small boy well enough through even subtle moments with him amongst the rest of his family to see that his reign won’t end well.

Tommen is the only member of his family who had the making for a truly ‘good’ king, but perhaps not a great one. In the world of Game Of Thrones, to be great often involves getting a lot more than one signed on for, and it is not always the same thing as being good.

10 Did: He’s Kind

Tommen differs from his evil big brother from the start. He’s notoriously the smaller, more gentle brother frequently put down by Joffrey. Cersei says herself when Tommen becomes king that he will be a better choice for king than Joffrey was. Tommen genuinely wants to do the right thing, and frets over his attempts to be good.

9 Didn’t: Cersei’s Pawn

Tommen can try as hard as he wants, but as long as he allows his mother in his life, he remains under her influence. Cersei is sneaky, and even when she tells Tommen she has his best interest at heart, this doesn’t mean she isn’t using him to influence changes she desires. This is something holding Tommen back from his ability to rule as himself.

8 Did: Loving

Tommen knows who he loves, and he loves them thoroughly and truly. Even when he is objectionably being naive in his efforts of love, such as with queen Margaery, it is still a testament of the goodness in him, as his love is rooted in holding on to the goodness in others. Both Cersei and Margaery use Tommen for their own benefit, but he can see the goodness in them.

7 Didn’t: He’s Young

Tommen, like many young boys, made kings in the series, is too young to be king. All rulers are subject to the confusing influences of those around them–people forcing their way into the mind of the king through manipulation–and this challenge is even more difficult for a child, who is too innocent and vulnerable to know who to rule a kingdom.

6 Did: Sensitive

What many rulers would see as weakness had the potential to be a strength of Tommen’s. Too many rulers before him were blunt and cruel, where Tommen is sensitive and empathetic. He is interested in people’s happiness and well-being, and it’s not as easy for him to brush off the needs of the people as it is for more callous rulers.

5 Didn’t: He’s A Lannister

Being a Lannister meant the Tommen would always be influenced by his family, whether it be Cersei, Jaime, Tyrion, or any other Lannister.

The Lannisters have a toxic relationship amongst themselves and anyone who gets involved with them, meaning Tommen was doomed to be negatively impacted by them from the start.

4 Did: Selfless

When Tommen began he was not driven by ego as much as other rulers. His timidity caused him to be more interested in what it meant to serve as a good king and what that really looked like, versus how he could benefit as king.

This contrasts greatly with Joffrey, who used the throne to abuse his power and compensate for his insecurities, and it also contrasts with Robert Baratheon, who spent his days drinking and ignoring the city’s needs.

3 Didn’t: Impressionable

Tommen being kind and open-minded is a refreshing contrast to the cruelty of former kings, at first, but viewers know enough from the history of other gentle rulers how well that works out.

A king who isn’t able to make the tough decisions and be hard-handed sometimes is no good for the people when times are tough–and won’t earn the respect of the people if they know they can get away with anything.

2 Did: He Was Loyal

Tommen was loyal to the people he vowed himself to. He was perhaps the most honest Lannister in the series. Granted, Tyrion is also a good-hearted Lannister, but not as innocent as Tommen.

Tommen knew the reality of betrayal and wrongs in the world, and he knew the crimes of those he loved, but he valued their goodness and loved them anyway.

1 Didn’t: He Was Too Good

If the show hasn’t proved enough already, real-life history shows us that good rulers last briefly, if they make it to a position of high power at all. Tommen exists in a world of extreme corruption and betrayal, even amongst those who claim to love him.

Cersei’s love for Tommen is true, and he knows this, but her selfishness still stops her from being a good mother to him. Tommen could never succeed as a great king because the cruelty of the world swallowed him first.