The Winds of Winter is taking a long time, as author George R.R. Martin has struggled to write the sixth novel in his epic fantasy series. That's not necessarily all bad, though, as it at least means he is committed to getting it right, and it's certainly understandable given the scale and complexity of the story.

While there are a lot of unknowns about where it's headed, we can, again, expect Tyrion Lannister to be a big part of things. That's not just because he survived Game of Thrones' ending, but that he remains a key player heading into The Winds of Winter, having made it to Meereen in A Dance with Dragons. Tyrion's story, alongside Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow, is one of the most important in the entire series, and one record shows just how important.

Tyrion Lannister's A Song of Ice & Fire Record Explained

It Shows Just How Key He Is To The Story

After five books - and a few preview chapters from The Winds of Winter - Tyrion boasts the honor of having more point-of-view chapters than any other character in the entire series, and it's not even really close. So far, Tyrion has 49 chapters from his perspective, and his closest rival is Jon Snow, who has 42. Beyond those, no one else is even within touching distance of the record, which is impressive given the Lannister only had nine chapters in the first book (fewer than Ned Stark, Catelyn Stark, and Daenerys), and he was missing entirely from A Feast for Crows.

Tyrion's importance has grown throughout the series, and so too has Martin's fondness for the character. The Imp is not only a fan-favorite, but one of the author's favorite characters to write, and that shines through in the books. A Clash of Kings is where Tyrion is at his best, as he serves and schemes as Hand of the King, and that's reflected in his chapter count, with 15 in that book alone. Only one other character has had that many POV chapters in a single book: Ned, in A Game of Thrones.

This record not only speaks to how entertaining Tyrion is, but how important and varied a POV character he is.

This record not only speaks to how entertaining Tyrion is, but how important and varied a POV character he is. After all, he's journeyed to the Wall with Jon Snow, been taken to the Vale by Catelyn Stark, engaged in the politics of King's Landing alongside Cersei Lannister, Varys, et al, and now sailed across the Narrow Sea. More than that, he's both one of the most knowledgeable characters, and one of the most perceptive, meaning we can learn a lot about the wider story and other characters by viewing things through his lens, which should be fascinating when he meets Daenerys.

What To Expect From Tyrion In The Winds Of Winter

The Lannister Has A Major Role To Play

Based on preview chapters for The Winds of Winter, Tyrion will begin the story amid the second Siege of Meereen, also dubbed the Battle of Fire. Loosely similar to the battle Daenerys fought in Game of Thrones season 6, episode 9, "Battle of the Bastards," this will find the slavers attacking Meereen in an attempt to reinstate slavery to the region, fighting against forces of House Targaryen commanded by Barristan Selmy (Dany is currently away from Meereen at this point in the story).

Tyrion is already showing his nous and skill with people, convincing sellsword group the Second Sons to re Dany's side and fight in the battle. He has proved his worth in similar situations, such as commanding troops at the Battle of the Blackwater, and could be of value in the same way here. That, though, is just the precursor to the long-awaited main event: Tyrion meeting Daenerys.

These characters coming together should be a pivotal moment, and one that will give Dany's arc more drive to finally sail for the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, which could well happen later in The Winds of Winter, with Tyrion as a key advisor.

These characters coming together should be a pivotal moment, and one that will give Dany's arc more drive to finally sail for the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, which could well happen later in The Winds of Winter, with Tyrion as a key advisor. It's worth noting Tyrion is much darker in the books than Game of Thrones, with vengeful, murderous plans for his remaining family, and so he could be a voice of violence and bloodshed at Dany's side, rather than a voice of reason.

As of a December 2024 update from Martin on The Winds of Winter, the author confirms it's still "the priority," but that "it happens a day at a time."

When Dany does arrive back in Westeros, she may be shocked to learn there's another Targaryen there: Aegon Targaryen, aka Young Griff, the believed-dead son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell. Tyrion has sailed with him, and is one of the few to know his true identity, so he could prepare Daenerys for the showdown, whether that's to encourage a political arrangement, or pushing her towards a second Dance of the Dragons civil war.

With Tyrion set to have another crucial role in The Winds of Winter, and almost guaranteed to survive until at least close to the end of Martin's planned seventh and final novel, A Dream of Spring, then his record should only grow. He'll likely be among those with the most POV chapters in both makes, which would suggest, unless there's going to be a lot more Jon Snow (who, currently, looks to be dead) than Tyrion, his record should be quite unassailable.