Who is the worst war criminal in Westeros? Does wildfire inflict superfluous injuries? And does the use of dragons in battle breach international humanitarian law?

Key points: The Red Cross says there have been 103 law violations across the series

The Red Cross says there have been 103 law violations across the series That's an average of one-and-a-half war crimes per episode

That's an average of one-and-a-half war crimes per episode The humanitarian organisation works to educate people about the laws of war

Volunteer lawyers from the Australian Red Cross have spent hours glued to HBO's blockbuster television series Game of Thrones, in a bid to answer some of these questions.

They looked for breaches of the real-world laws of war, the framework that is meant to govern all armed conflicts.

The main revelation from their analysis will shock absolutely zero fans of the show — the fictional land of Westeros, where the show takes place, is full of violent war criminals.

In fact, the humanitarian organisation identified no fewer than 103 violations of the laws of war in the first seven seasons, at a healthy clip of one-and-a-half war crimes per episode.

The list of misery and illegal brutality runs long, including torture, summary executions and mutilation.

But this is Westeros we're talking about, so there are also shades of grey.

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If you're not up-to-date with Game of Thrones, you may want to stop reading now.

Don't say you weren't warned.

Is Daenerys Targaryen a war criminal?

Daenerys Targaryen's dragons could cause "unnecessary suffering" to her enemies. ( HBO )

Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons, uses the ferocious beasts to terrifying effect while destroying her enemies' armies.

But is that a breach of the laws of war?

The manager of Australian Red Cross International Humanitarian Law program, Yvette Zegenhagen, said the answer wasn't straightforward.

"It's actually kind of complicated. Sometimes the dragons can target military targets specifically, and it's the most effective weapon in Daenerys' arsenal. So that might be OK," she said.

But the laws of war prohibit actions which cause "superfluous injury and unnecessary suffering" or which target civilians as well as soldiers.

And dragons are not always discerning when they are raining down hell and fury.

"Sometimes when Daenerys uses dragons they are operating outside of her control," Ms Zegenhagen said.

"They're attacking not just soldiers but innocent civilians. And that's where it starts to become a bit more fraught."

In its analysis, the Red Cross concluded that Daenerys — one of the show's most popular characters — was responsible for 15 violations of international humanitarian law.

Game of Thrones Worst Offenders ( ABC News: GFX by Jarrod Fankhauser )

This included six instances of the use of means or methods of warfare that inflict "superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering", mainly through her use of dragon fire.

Surprisingly, this made her the second-worst war criminal in Westeros, with only one other character racking up more violations than her.

Ramsay Bolton the biggest law-breaker

When it comes to violent excess, Ramsay Bolton stands out among the rest of the show's characters. ( Supplied: HBO/Helen Sloan )

The laws of war might sound like a utopian dream, but they're grounded in decades of jurisprudence — they recognise that conflict is a constant in human history, but try to regulate it to curb its worst excesses.

And when it comes to violent excess, there's one character in Games of Thrones who stands head and shoulders above the rest.

The Red Cross has awarded the title of the worst war criminal in Westeros to the Warden of the North, Ramsay Bolton.

He notched up 17 separate violations of the law, including six counts of cruel or inhumane treatment, and two offences relating to sexual violence.

"Ramsay committed awful violations of the laws of war, particularly indiscriminate killing and torture. He really was a monster," Ms Zegenhagen said.

But violence breeds violence, and Ms Zegenhagen said Ramsay — who suffers a horrible death when he's captured — is a victim of war crimes, as well as a perpetrator.

"He wasn't afforded the protections he was due as a prisoner of war. He should have been provided adequate protection and care," she said.

"The laws of war really aren't about how you treat your friends, but how you treat your enemies — including those who have done really terrible things."

Former Libyan leader Moamar Gaddafi was killed without trial which the Red Cross says makes him both a victim and perpetrator of war crimes. ( Reuters: Max Rossi, file )

There are echoes of this in the real world, where several vicious despots including Saddam Hussein and Moamar Gaddafi were sentenced to death or killed without a full or fair trial.

Even fan favourites have blood on their hands

Tyrion Lannister, played by Peter Dinklage, is often seen as the show's moral core. ( HBO )

Identifying the most violent character in Westeros wasn't too hard, but the Red Cross struggled to find anyone with a clean sheet.

After all, there are no heroes in Game of Thrones.

Tyrion Lannister is often seen as the show's moral core, but he still masterminded the destruction of a vast fleet of battleships during the Battle of the Blackwater using wildfire — a napalm-like substance that burns with terrifying speed and ferocity.

Did that inflict the "superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering" on enemy forces that is banned under the laws of war and the Geneva Convention?

Absolutely, said Ms Zegenhagen. In fact, Tyrion has committed no fewer than four violations of the laws of war throughout the series.

But the Red Cross gives Tyrion credit for an act of mercy in the most recent season, when he persuades Daenerys not to unleash her dragons on the city of King's Landing, sparing countless lives.

Ms Zegenhagen wants one thing to be clear — the laws of war are very serious, but this exercise is not.

Yes, they know Games of Thrones is fiction.

No, they don't want to drain the series of fun.

"We are giant nerds. We love the show, and we want everyone else to enjoy it too," she said.

"But we need to remember that these laws of war have stood the test of time. We need all countries to reaffirm and recommit to these laws [that] bring humanity to the darkest situations on the planet."

Westeros might make for great television, but it would be a hellish place to live.