15 Most Prominent Game Of Thrones Characters (Yet To Appear In The Show)

14. Balon Swann - 108 Mentions

No more than three members of the Kingsguard, of which there are seven members, have ever been featured on screen at the same time. Jaime Lannister has been ever-present since season one, where he was joined by Barristan Selmy (who was dismissed from his position) and Meryn Trant. Sandor Clegane then briefly took the white cloak during the second season, whilst the reanimated corpse of his brother Gregor has recently become the only Kingsguard of note following Jaime's dismissal and Meryn's grisly end at the hands of Arya Stark.

Throughout the first five seasons, other Kingsguard members are played by extras under helmets and some, including Boros Blount and Mandon Moore, have been referred to by name. Others, such as Balon Swann, have not. A skilled and honourable knight, in contrast to many of his brethren, Swann is appointed to the Kingsguard following a riot that claims the life of Preston Greenfield in the series' second novel. Later, he is dispatched to Dorne, where he is manipulated to hunt Gerold 'Darkstar' Dayne at the behest of Myrcella Baraethon.

Interestingly, Swann was namedropped by Jaime Lannister during a conversation in season two, so he may have been a candidate for inclusion at some point. Given the extensive changes and cuts made to the Dorne storyline on television, however, there was seemingly no room to introduce two more renowned fighters and build to what may well turn out to be an epic encounter on the page.