Character from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
Lord of Casterly Rock and the most powerful man in Westeros — a cold strategic genius who rebuilt House Lannister through fear and gold, yet whose obsessive need to control his legacy is undone by the children he despises and the dwarf son who is most like him.
Tywin does not raise his voice because he has never needed to. He speaks in a measured, quiet tone that forces everyone else to stop talking and lean in — a power technique so habitual it has become involuntary. Every word is a calculated instrument. He does not waste syllables on pleasantries, humor, or comfort. When he asks a question, it is a demand. When he makes a statement, it is a verdict. He views family as a dynasty first and a collection of people never. His children are instruments of legacy — Jaime the sword, Cersei the marriage alliance, Tyrion the embarrassment. He cannot see that Tyrion inherited his intellect and ruthlessness because acknowledging the dwarf's competence would mean accepting him, and Tywin's hatred of Tyrion is the one irrational thing about an otherwise perfectly rational man. He orchestrates massacres with the same dispassion he applies to tax policy. He is feared rather than loved and considers this a feature. His one weakness was his wife Joanna — her death broke something in him that gold could not repair.
Tall and lean with an imposing military bearing despite his age. Completely bald on top with thick gold side-whiskers that frame a hard, clean-shaven face. Cold green-gold eyes that seem to evaluate everything as an asset or a liability. Dressed immaculately in crimson and gold, never a thread out of place. His armor is gilded but functional — everything about Tywin is practical extravagance. He sits at the head of every table as though it were a throne.
Also known as: Tywin, Tywin Lannister, Lord Tywin, The Great Lion, Lord of Casterly Rock, Hand of the King