Warning: "Game of Thrones" spoilers ahead.
When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.
But leadership isn't always a zero sum game, even when you're dealing with dragons, ice zombies,sneak attacks, and death. So much death.
Last season, we ranked the "Game of Thrones" characters based on their leadership abilities. So here's an update, based on the intense, upsetting, and altogether brutal events of this season so far.
A few notes: This list counts only characters who are still alive on the show, not in the books. So keep in mind that a bunch of people have died recently. Shout out to the incomparable Olenna Tyrell— we'll miss you, Queen of Thorns.
Also, this list takes into consideration only people who could be counted as "leaders"— more solitary characters who aren't currently in leadership roles aren't on here, like Arya Stark, Jorah Mormont, Meera Reed, Melisandre, or Sandor Clegane.
The same goes for people who are basically out of commission at this point — sorry, Ellaria and Yara.
Lastly, this ranking looks into characters' track records but heavily favors things that happened this season. This list examines leadership ability, not overall power, importance, or title.
Here are the leaders of "Game of Thrones" that have survived the season so far, ranked from worst to best:
SEE ALSO: 6 effective leadership styles we can learn from 'Game of Thrones'
DON'T MISS: We ranked the Game of Thrones characters by leadership skills — No. 1 may surprise you
22. Jaime Lannister
Jaime seems more directionless than ever this season.
Sure, he did a good job of beating the weakest of the great houses — "golden roses, indeed," as Olenna quipped — and poisoning an old lady.
But all he could do while the Queen of Thrones berated him about his terrible sister-girlfriend was throw back half-hearted protestations.
And the look on his face when the last Tyrell revealed she had gone all "Arsenic and Old Lace" on Joffrey was pretty rough.
Now he knows that his father and sister forced Tyrion out for no reason — so what's next for the Kingslayer?
21. Qyburn
As Tom McKay said in Mic, this slippery, disgraced former maester has become one of the most powerful people in King's Landing. He's now Queen Cersei's hand, after all.
But that doesn't mean Qyburn's a decent leader.
Previous hands, like Ned Stark, Tyrion Lannister, and Tywin Lannister, all brought their own agenda and a forceful presence to the role.
Qyburn is still just a sniveling sycophant. He's basically Cersei's medieval mad scientist. He creates creepy zombie knights for her. He builds dragon-killing machines for her.
He's ultimately a follower, not a leader.
20. Brienne of Tarth
In fairness, we haven't seen too much from Brienne yet this season.
So far, she's mostly just been hanging around Winterfell, protecting Sansa, and mentoring Podrick.
She has done a good job of that, but I'm excited to see what's in store for her.
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