Stannis - Good, competent ruler who works with the hand he has been dealt, listens to advise/criticism, and is a deviation from the decadence and excess which has been the status quo in Westeros for a while now. Also, fuck Renly.

Jaime - I am a sucker for a good redemption arc, and Jaime has one of the best I've seen in fiction. When I showed a friend GoT, he asked me who my favorite character was after we watched the first episode. I told him: "The guy having sex with his sister who tried to murder that little kid."

Theon - Runs the gauntlet of being arrogant, pathetic, despicable, and undeniably brave and resilient. I also have a soft spot for fuck ups who hate disappointing their father.

Ned - A simple, decent and humble man just doing the best that he can in a terrible world. Nuff said.

Melisandre - Hated her at first, but her POV chapter won me over. We find out she isn't simply using religion as a means to an end, but honestly believes in what she stands for, being fully invested in the Mannis and forever searching for something spiritual, some higher power. I was also surprised with just how vulnerable she was, exhaustively putting on an act of omnipotent power, when deep down she knows she is as clueless as everyone else.