Tyrion Lannister ~ "And you, you're Ned Stark's bastard, aren't you? Did I offend you? Sorry. You are the bastard, no? Let me give you some advice bastard. Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you. All dwarfs are bastards in their father's eyes".

Tyrion Lannister, mockingly nicknamed the Imp, Demon Monkey or Halfman, is a malformed dwarf and is the third child of Tywin Lannister. He is intelligent, witty and shares his father's skill for political maneuvering. Because he is an outcast, he also has great sympathy for outcasts and the mistreated. His mother died giving birth to him, and Tywin has never forgiven him. Tywin also hates him for his dwarfism, sharp tongue, and frequent use of prostitutes. While Tyrion is hated by Tywin and his sister Cersei, his brother Jaime treats him with kindness and respect.

Spoilers Ahead!!!

In his youth, Tyrion married a young woman named Tysha after rescuing her from a band of rapists. When Tywin discovered this, he commanded Jaime to tell Tyrion that Tysha was a prostitute and that Jaime arranged everything. Tywin had his garrison rape Tysha and forced Tyrion to do the same. The event traumatizes Tyrion, but he is grateful to Jaime for allowing him to taste love, even if briefly. He is arrested by Catelyn Stark, who accuses him of trying to murder her son. He is brought to the Eyrie, where he demands a trial by combat and is championed by Bronn, a mercenary he befriended.

Tyrion is acquitted, and he and Bronn make their way to the Riverlands. They are stopped by the hostile hill tribes, but Tyrion wins their support by promising to help seize the Vale of Arryn. With his new allies, he joins his father's army. Shortly after, Tywin sends him to serve as King Joffrey Baratheon's Hand of the King in his stead. Against the orders of his father, he takes his concubine Shae with him to King's Landing and takes great pains to hide her.

He arrives in the capital and immediately enters a bitter power struggle with Cersei and Joffrey. With his small army of hill tribe warriors and mercenaries and the unsteady support of the city watch, he becomes one of the most powerful men in the city. When Stannis Baratheon attacks the city with his fleet, Tyrion has already prepared a counter-attack with a massive chain boom and ships filled with the Greek fire-like wildfire. During the battle, he is betrayed and nearly killed by a knight of the Kingsguard. Although he loses his nose, he is saved by his squire Podrick Payne. When Tyrion recovers, he finds that Cersei and Tywin have removed him from power and have sent away his men.

Tyrion is made Master of Coin, the treasurer, and is left to untangle Petyr Baelish's labyrinth of investments. He is also forced to marry Sansa Stark to prevent her from marrying Willas Tyrell and to claim Winterfell. He does not force her to consummate the marriage, for which she is grateful.