Game of Thrones: Strongest Valyrian Steel Sword Wielders, Ranked

Magically forged, Valyrian Steel is the strongest type of steel in the A Song of Ice and Fire universe, used to make the most powerful weapons imaginable in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. Valyrian Steel weapons are introduced immediately in Game of Thrones, with Ned using the Starks' ancestral blade, Ice, to execute Will in Game of Thrones Episode 1, "Winter is Coming."

Game of Thrones Season 5, Episode 8 ultimately reveals that Valyrian Steel can even kill White Walkers in a single blow (as well as take down wights instantly). Throughout Westeros history between House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, only a select few warriors have gotten the privilege to wield Valyrian Steel swords on-screen – not everyone has the combat prowess or training to use their Valyrian Steel weapon to its fullest, however.

10 Aegon II Targaryen (Blackfyre)

As the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, King Aegon II Targaryen wields Blackfyre at his coronation in House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 9, "The Green Council." Blackfyre was the personal Valyrian Steel sword of Aegon the Conqueror, Westeros' first (and arguably greatest) Targaryen king. Hardly a fighter, Aegon II never uses Blackfyre in a duel and it doesn't take long for him to lose the blade.

In House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 4, "The Red Dragon and the Gold," Aegon II brings Blackfyre with him to the Battle of Rook's Rest (while also donning Aegon the Conqueror's original Valyrian Steel armor). During the battle, Aemond burns Aegon with Vhagar, crippling his brother and leaving him unfit to sit the Iron Throne. Now Prince Regent, Aemond takes Blackfyre from Aegon as is currently the sword's wielder heading into House of the Dragon Season 3.

9 Aemond Targaryen (Blackfyre)

After becoming Prince Regent following his attack on his own brother, Aemond takes Blackfyre away from Aegon II as a show of his own power, and likely a means to assert some legitimacy in his reign. Like Aegon before him, Aemond actually has no major combat experience. He was personally trained by Ser Criston Cole (one of the greatest knights in Westeros history), however, and has proven himself to be a gifted dragon-rider and legitimate threat atop Vhagar.

While Aemond has no sword-fighting feats, he's one of the most dangerous men in Westeros at the time of the Dance of the Dragons. Likewise, the fact he's Criston Cole's best student speaks highly to his combat prowess. Aemond is without a doubt a stronger and better sword-fighter than his drunkard brother Aegon II, but when it comes down to it, he's never actually proven himself in a battle without his dragon, unlike other Valyrian Steel weapon users.

8 Arya Stark (Catspaw Dagger)

Despite her young age, Arya Stark is actually one of the most skilled fighters by the end of Game of Thrones. She spends the entire series undergoing a training arc, learning how to survive off the land, mastering water dancing, and then training with the Faceless Men to learn stealth and assassination techniques. By the Long Night, Arya ends up the Army of the Living's best chance at defeating the Night King, other than Jon.

During the Long Night, Arya primarily uses a Dragonglass spear as her weapon, but she keeps the Catspaw Dagger on her during the battle. This is the same dagger Arya uses to kill Littlefinger, defeat Brienne in a duel, and later destroy the Night King once and for all. Arya doesn't have as much real battle experience as other Valyrian Steel users, but her skills and feats during the Long Night speak for themselves.

7 Ned Stark (Ice)

George R.R. Martin confirmed that Ned never used Ice during battle, primarily treating is as a ceremonial weapon for beheading purposes, but this doesn't mean Ned is a poor fighter by any means. Ned Stark played a major role in multiple battles during Robert's Rebellion, as well, as the Greyjoy's Rebellion years later. Ned also held his own against Ser Arthur Dayne outside the Tower of Joy (albeit needing to be saved by Howland Reed before dying).

In Game of Thrones, Ned is depicted as being a skilled enough fighter to duel Jaime Lannister – and while Ned absolutely would have lost had the battle kept going, the fact he was able to keep up with Jaime at all is a massive feat considering Jaime is one of the greatest swordsmen in history. Had Ned made a point of using Ice in battle, he likely would have had an even better military career than he already did.

6 Jaime Lannister (Widow’s Wail)

Jaime Lannister is his generation's Criston Cole in more ways than one. When he still had both hands, Jaime was arguably the greatest knight alive in Westeros. After losing his hand in Game of Thrones Season 3, Jaime has no choice but to start from the basics and re-teach himself how to fight left-handed. While Jaime never gets back to the level he was at in Season 1, he does gradually improve with each season.

After Joffrey's death in Game of Thrones Season 4, Jaime becomes the primary wielder of the Valyrian Steel sword, Widow's Wail. With Widow's Wail, Jaime is able to hold his own in fights with the Sand Snakes, survive combat on an open field against the Dothraki, and make his way to the end of the Long Night, cutting down wight after wight. Jaime ultimately loses Widow's Wail before returning to King's Landing in Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 5.

5 Jorah Mormont (Heartsbane)

The Tarly ancestral greatsword, Sam steals Heartsbane from his father in Game of Thrones Season 6. Before the Long Night in Game of Thrones Season 8, Sam lends Heartsbane to Jorah Mormont, since Sam wouldn't be able to use the weapon as effectively. Jorah ends up putting the weapon to great use, leading a Dothraki horde against an onslaught of wights.

While the Dothraki maneuver is often ridiculued by fans, there are less White Walkers at the end of the Long Night than there were at the end of Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 2, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," suggesting that Jorah actually did manage to kill some White Walkers with Heartsbane during the charge. Jorah dies at the end of the Long Night, but uses Heartsbane effectively enough to keep his queen, Daenerys, alive through the ordeal.

4 Brienne of Tarth (Oathkeeper)

After Jaime returns to King's Landing and can no longer continue his search for Sansa Stark at the start of Game of Thrones Season 4, he gives Brienne of Tarth his Valyrian Steel sword, Oathkeeper, and charges her with finding Sansa and keeping her safe – ensuring that his promise to Catelyn Stark lives on even after her death.

Brienne is one of the strongest sword fighters in Game of Thrones and Oathkeeper only gives her a greater advantage. Using Oathkeeper, Brienne of Tarth defeats the Hound in single combat and mortally wounds him. In Game of Thrones Season 8, she commands her own section of the Army of the Living, as well as Jaime Lannister. Together, Brienne and Jaime survive the Long Night and takes out countless wights back to back.

3 Jon Snow (Longclaw)

Jon Snow is a living legend by the end of Game of Thrones, gradually improving as a sword fighter with every season of the show. In Season 2, Jon defeats Qhorin Halfhand in single combat; in Season 3, Jon kills the warg Orell while escaping from the Wildlings; in Season 4, he fights off Karl Tanner and then kills the Magnar of Thenn; and in Season 5, Jon manages to cut down a White Walker at Hardhome.

This is to say nothing of Jon Snow surviving the Battle of the Bastards, cutting his way through hundreds of wights beyond the Wall and in the Long Night, and making it out of the Battle of King's Landing unscathed. Even without Longclaw, Jon Snow would be a force to be reckoned with, but the Valyrian Steel weapon puts him in a league of his own. Notably, Jon's combat prowess is exclusive to the show, as book Jon is much younger than his Game of Thrones counterpart.

2 Daemon Targaryen (Dark Sister)

Daemon Targaryen is one of the most skilled fighters in Westeros history, and might very well be the single strongest Targaryen. In House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 3, "Second of His Name," Daemon single-handedly ends the War for the Stepstones by baiting the Crab Feeder's army and then using Dark Sister to kill virtually the entire army himself. After Corlys arrives with reinforcements, Daemon continues storming the Crab Feeder's base and defeats him off-screen.

Other than Jon Snow's exploits during the Battle of the Bastards, Daemons' showing in the Siege of Bloodstone is the simple most impressive on-screen feat between Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. The trailer for House of the Dragon Season 3 also shows Daemon wielding Dark Sister in several fights, meaning he'll continue to cut down foe after foe even without the need of his dragon, Caraxes.

1 Cregan Stark (Ice)

Although he's yet to do anything major in House of the Dragon, Cregan Stark was widely considered to be one of the greatest warriors alive during the Dance of the Dragons, if not the greatest. Cregan holds the distinction of being one of the only Starks in history strong and skilled enough to use Ice not as a ceremonial weapon, but an actual tool of mass destruction, using Ice as an actual fighting weapon.

If all goes well, House of the Dragon Season 3 and 4 will finally show Cregan in action and give Game of Thrones fans something they've been wanting to see since Season 1: a Stark using Ice to do battle. Cregan's reputation will only continue to grow throughout House of the Dragon and his amazing fighting prowess is why. Between GoT and HotD, Cregan is far and away the strongest Valyrian Steel sword wielder in the franchise.