Top 5 Most Powerful Swords in Game of Thrones and Their Wielders

Valyrian steel is the legendary metal that defines the epic battles of Game of Thrones. Forged in dragonfire with ancient Valyrian magic, these swords stand out for being lighter than common steel, unbreakable, and capable of destroying White Walkers and wights. In Westeros, possessing one grants a supernatural advantage.

The Legendary Power of Valyrian Steel in Game of Thrones

Their true power lies in their iconic wielders and historical feats. Ned Stark dispensed Northern justice with Ice, beheading traitors. Jon Snow wielded Longclaw, forged for him, to defeat a White Walker at the Battle of Castle Black, a pivotal moment. Brienne of Tarth carries Oathkeeper with unwavering loyalty, inherited from Renly Baratheon. Samwell Tarly uses Heartsbane with unexpected cunning. Joffrey Baratheon stained Widow’s Wail with cruelty. In House of the Dragon, Daemon Targaryen brandishes Dark Sister with Targaryen ferocity.

Fans of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon fervently debate the top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones. Do we prioritize lethality against the Dead, the prestige of ancestral lineages, or victories in battles against dragons and humans?

Here we reveal our ranking of the top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones. We analyze Valyrian steel properties, legendary wielders, and feats in A Song of Ice and Fire, from ASOIAF to the series. Longclaw for its magical deeds? Ice for its symbolism?

Find out if your favorite sword makes the top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones and ignite the debate in the forums of Westeros.

#5 Heartsbane: The Sword of the Tarlys and Its Legacy of Violence

Heartsbane, the ancestral weapon of House Tarly of Horn Hill, holds the #5 spot in the top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones. Forged over 400 years ago in the Valyrian era, its wide and dark blade, four feet long, features runic engravings and a bleeding heart pommel. It symbolizes centuries of violence in the Reach and the Stormlands.

Randyll Tarly, a disciplined and undefeated lord, was its primary wielder. A feared general, he never lost a battle. During Robert’s Rebellion, he triumphed at the Battle of Ashford, destroying the royal army. In Game of Thrones, at the Battle of the Goldroad against Daenerys, Heartsbane cut through Dothraki and Unsullied with deadly precision until Drogon burned him.

Samwell Tarly, the disinherited son and scholar, stole the sword when fleeing with Gilly to the Citadel in Oldtown. Not much of a warrior, Sam took it with him, highlighting its wandering destiny. Jorah Mormont, an exiled Northern knight, meets him there; fans speculate if he will inherit it in future ASOIAF books.

Despite limited screen use compared to Longclaw or Ice, it enters the top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones due to its ancient pedigree, Randyll’s undefeated feats, and its violent legacy. Better than Widow’s Wail for real battles? This ranking sparks debates: is tactics enough against supernatural deeds in A Song of Ice and Fire?

Heartsbane proves that Valyrian steel forges eternal legends, regardless of the wielder.

#4 Widow’s Wail: The Corrupted Legacy of Ice in Lannister Hands

Widow’s Wail claims the #4 spot in the top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones. It arose from the desecration of Ice, Ned Stark’s sword, melted down by Tobho Mott under Tywin Lannister’s orders after Ned’s beheading in King’s Landing. Half of its blade retains the characteristic ripples of Valyrian steel, with a gold Lannister hilt adorned with rubies and roaring lions.

Joffrey Baratheon, the sadistic boy king, received it as a wedding gift at the Purple Wedding. He brandished it with cruel delight, slashing Tyrion Lannister’s face in a fit of rage at the dwarf’s taunts. Although his death by poison cut short greater feats, this iconic scene stained the sword with royal blood and symbolizes the corruption of the Stark legacy in Lannister hands.

After Joffrey’s death, Widow’s Wail passed to Tommen, but Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer seeking redemption, claimed it. In Game of Thrones, Jaime carries it in several sequences, demonstrating its sharp precision in duels and threats. In the A Song of Ice and Fire books, Jaime uses it on the march toward the Trident, cutting down deserters and enemies with surgical mastery.

Its practical power lies in the Valyrian steel: light, eternally sharp, and capable of splitting armor. Symbolically, it represents the fall of Northern honor before Southern ambition, elevating it in our top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones.

Does it deserve to surpass Heartsbane because of its Ice pedigree? This ranking of ASOIAF Valyrian steel swords invites debate on whether its corrupted legacy weakens or strengthens it.

#3 Oathkeeper: The Guardian of the Starks in Brienne’s Hands

Oathkeeper holds the #3 spot in the top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones. Born from the reforging of Ice by smith Tobho Mott, it retains the smoke-red ripples of Valyrian steel. Jaime Lannister customized its hilt with red leather and a direwolf to honor the Stark legacy, giving it to Brienne of Tarth.

Jaime entrusted Brienne to protect Sansa Stark with this sword, an act of redemption for having failed his oath to Aerys II. Brienne, the Maid of Tarth, accepted the task with solemnity, transforming Oathkeeper into an emblem of unwavering loyalty and knightly honor.

In Game of Thrones, Oathkeeper shines at the Battle of Winterfell. Brienne wields it against hordes of wights, cutting through the undead with lethal precision thanks to the Valyrian steel that destroys their magical essence. She saves Podrick Payne and others in the chaotic fray, proving superiority against supernatural threats.

It also stands out in the duel against Sandor Clegane, the Hound, where Brienne narrowly prevails, highlighting the skill of both wielder and sword. In the A Song of Ice and Fire books, Brienne uses it in her search for Sansa, facing dangers along the Trident.

Oathkeeper elevates the top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones for its symbolic role in oaths and feats against the Dead. Better than Widow’s Wail for moral purity? This ranking of ASOIAF Valyrian steel swords generates passionate debates.

#2 Ice: The Ancestral Sword of the Starks and Epic Executions

Ice, the greatsword of House Stark, stands at #2 in the top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones. Forged some 400 years ago in Valyria, it measures over six feet long with a broad smoke-gray Valyrian steel blade, adorned with the direwolf on the hilt. Its massive size makes it ideal for solemn executions in the North.

Eddard Stark, Warden of the North, wielded it to dispense Winterfell’s justice. In the pilot episode of Game of Thrones, he beheaded the Night’s Watch deserter with a single clean stroke, symbolizing Northern honor and \”the hand of the first man.\” He executed other traitors, consolidating his reputation as a just lord.

Although rare in battles, its presence was intimidating. Captured after the betrayal in King’s Landing, Tywin Lannister ordered it melted into two swords: Widow’s Wail and Oathkeeper, desecrating its ancestral legacy. This reforging dispersed its power, but not its tragic symbolism.

In A Song of Ice and Fire, Ice represents Stark purity against Southern corruption. Its Valyrian steel promised invincibility against White Walkers, though never tested on screen.

Ice elevates the top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones for its unmatched pedigree and iconic executions. Does it top Oathkeeper for its complete original form? This ASOIAF Valyrian steel sword ranking questions if size and legacy are enough against magical feats.

#1 Longclaw: Jon Snow’s Best Valyrian Sword Against the Dead

Longclaw is crowned #1 in the top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones. Forged 500 years ago for House Mormont of Bear Island, Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, bequeathed it to Jon Snow after rescuing him from a wight. Initially with a bear’s head pommel, Jon had it refitted at Winterfell with a direwolf head, symbolizing his hidden Stark lineage.

Its defining moment came in the episode \”Hardhome.\” Jon Snow faced and beheaded the first White Walker shown in Game of Thrones, proving that Valyrian steel negates their necromantic power. This solitary victory in the frozen North changed the course of the war against the Dead.

Longclaw accompanied Jon through epic feats: the rescue of Ygritte beyond the Wall, the Battle of the Bastards where he cut down Bolton knights, and the Battle of Winterfell during the Long Night, decimating wights alongside Valyrian steel and dragonglass. In the A Song of Ice and Fire books, Jon brandishes it against the Others, consolidating his prophetic role.

Longclaw surpasses Ice due to real feats against the existential threat, a heroic wielder, and the dual Mormont-Stark heritage. It dominates our top 5 most powerful swords in Game of Thrones.

Do you agree with Longclaw at #1, or does Ice deserve the throne? Share your ASOIAF Valyrian steel sword ranking in the comments and fuel the fan debate.

Do you want to know the best sword replicas from this saga?

To own a piece of Valyrian steel is to own a fragment of Westeros history. For collectors seeking the utmost fidelity in every detail of the pommel and blade, the inevitable question arises: do you want to know the best sword replicas from this saga?

Beyond the Wall or in the heat of the Battle of the Blackwater, an authentic sword makes the difference between victory and oblivion. Do you want to know the best sword replicas from this saga?

SEE ALL GAME OF THRONES AND HOUSE OF THE DRAGON SWORDS