You might have noticed that Game of Thrones is back for a seventh season that debuted simultaneously int he US and UK last night.

The premiere episode, titled 'Dragonstone,' kicked off the HBO series' penultimate season in style (here's looking at you, Euron Greyjoy) that featured the return of (almost all of) your favourite characters, Jim Broadbent - with Harry Potter reference to boot - and an Ed Sheeran cameo.

At this stage of the series, it's hard to pinpoint who exactly the show's central character could be considering Thrones boasts one of the biggest ensemble shows on television. Now, one fan has gone well out of their way to discover who the show's most important character could be, judging it by screen time.

IMDb user ninewheels0 watched every single episode and, using an iPhone stopwatch, timed every character's screen time. The results, while largely unsurprising, throw forward some shocks namely in the form of Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) who makes it into the top ten over characters such as Littlefinger (Aiden Gillen), Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) and Brianne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie).

You can see a list of the characters rated by order of screen time below (omitting those no longer in the series).

NB: this not including the season seven premiere

What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Show all 44 1 /44 What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Rory McCann LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 25: Actor Rory McCann attends the 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Sandor "The Hound" Clegane What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Cersei Lannister What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Lena Headey HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actress Lena Headey attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Tyrion Lannister What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Peter Dinklage Actor Peter Dinklage arrives for the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Exposition Center on January 29, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. / AFP / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Daenerys Targaryen What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Emilia Clarke HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actress Emilia Clarke attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Jon Snow What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Kit Harington Actor Kit Harington arrives at the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, in January 30, 2016. / AFP / Valerie Macon (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Sansa Stark What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Sophie Turner HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Actress Sophie Turner attends the 88th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Jaime Lannister What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Nikolaj Coster-Waldau HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Arya Stark What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Maisie Williams HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actress Maisie Williams attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Theon Greyjoy What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Alfie Allen HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actor Alfie Allen attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Brienne of Tarth Game Of Thrones, Series 3 EP302 Featuring Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth Â© HBO Enterprises What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Gwendoline Christie British actress Gwendoline Christie poses on May 23, 2017 during a photocall for the tv series 'Top Of The Lake: China Girl' at the 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. / AFP PHOTO / Anne-Christine POUJOULAT (Photo credit should read ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Bran Stark What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Isaac Hempstead-Wright HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actor Isaac Hempstead Wright attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Aidan Gillen HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actor Aidan Gillen attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Missandei What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Nathalie Emmanuel LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 28: Actress Nathalie Emmanuel attends the Entertainment Weekly Celebration of SAG Award Nominees sponsored by Maybelline New York at Chateau Marmont on January 28, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly) Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Varys What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Conleth Hill NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 18: Actor Conleth Hill attends the "Game Of Thrones" Season 4 New York premiere at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center on March 18, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Melisandre What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Carice von Houten LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 30: Actress Carice van Houten attends the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Samwell Tarly What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character John Bradley HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actor John Bradley attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Gilly What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Hannah Murray LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 30: Actress Hannah Murray attends The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_018 (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Turner) Getty Images for Turner What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Jorah Mormont What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Iain Glen Scotsman Iain Glen poses for the photocall for TV series "Cleverman" during the MIPCOM audiovisual trade fair in Cannes, southeastern France, on October 5, 2015. Held each year on the French Riviera, the audiovisual trade fair brings together the movers and shakers of the global entertainment business to network, talk shop and buy, sell and finance new content. AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHE (Photo credit should read VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Davos Seaworth What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Liam Cunningham LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 29: Actor Liam Cunningham attends the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Expo Hall on January 29, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Tormund Giantsbane What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Kristofer Hivju UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - OCTOBER 10: Actor Kristofer Hivju arrives at the premiere of Universal Pictures' "The Thing" on October 10, 2011 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Bronn What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Jerome Flynn LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 06: Actor Jerome Flynn attends the LFF Connects Television: 'Black Mirror' screening during the 60th BFI London Film Festival at Chelsea Cinema on October 6, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for BFI) Getty Images for BFI What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Gregor 'The Mountain' Clegane What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson



Tyrion Lannister (293:30 minutes)

Jon Snow (268:15 minutes)

Daenerys Targaryen (221:30 minutes)

Cersei Lannister (201:45 minutes)

Sansa Stark (199:30 minutes)

Arya Stark (189:15 minutes)

Jaime Lannister (162:30 minutes)

Theon Greyjoy (123:30 minutes)

Samwell Tarly (121:45 minutes)

Jorah Mormont (117:30 minutes)

Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish (102:15 minutes)

Brienne of Tarth (89:30 minutes)

Davos Seaworth (89:30 minutes)

Bran Stark (86 minutes)

Lord Varys (81:45 minutes)

Sandor “The Hound” Clegane (72:45 minutes)

Melisandre (65:45 minutes)

Bronn (64 minutes)

Gilly (52 minutes)

Daario Naharis (46 minutes)

Missandei (45:45 minutes)

Tormund Giantsbane (41:45 minutes)