Sibling Rivalries in Fantasy, Ranked

Boromir and Faramir — The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
The sibling rivalry here can be more accurately classified as a case of “severe daddy issues.” While Tolkien takes pains to point out there was no overt jealousy or hostility between Boromir and Faramir, their father, Denethor, made clear in all he did that Boromir was the preferred son. That kind of enduring under-the-surface tension eats at a person, even one so gentle and noble as Faramir. The dynamic is a similar to the one between Imogen and Marin, whose mother bestowed all her affection on the younger, fairer Marin and saved most of her animosity and physical abuse for Imogen. Just like Boromir and Faramir, the trauma actually brought them closer together as children.

Percy and Weasleys, et al — The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
Everybody hates Percy, but any exclusion or estrangement was conceived of and carried out by Percy himself, not the family. As soon as he came crawling back, they welcomed him with open arms, which just goes to prove that the Weasleys are, collectively, far better people than I. As far as sibling relationships go, this rivalry is fairly tame, which is incredible considering the fact that it was triggered by that whole whole “standing on opposite sides of the Voldemort Is Real line” thing.

Imogen and Marin — Roses and Rot, by Kat Howard
That brings us to today’s sister act; this duo walks a tenuous tightrope between reconciliation and a permanent severing of their relationship. The love between them is deep, but the uniquely intense circumstances surrounding the Melete arts program magnify the fissures left by their traumatic, dramatic childhoods. There’s no direct sabotage between the sisters, though plenty by proxy—a fact that becomes apparent once you’re introduced to the supernatural elements of the novel. Yet the lingering animosity and hurt feelings rise to the surface, nearly to the point of fracturing the sibling bond. The enemy isn’t Mommy Dearest anymore; the enemy is whoever stands in the way of your dreams, even if it’s the one person you trust most in the world.

Esmerelda and Lilith Weatherwax — Witches Abroad, by Terry Pratchett
It’s Discworld, so the hijinks are all rather zany and amusing, but there’s no denying that this is a cold relationship. The reasons are plentiful. First, the Weatherwaxes are just genuinely not easy to get along with—they’re feisty and ill-tempered, even if Granny is well-intentioned. Second, Lily is rather a fairy tale tyrant, imprisoning citizens for crimes against stories when they don’t fit the part, like a fairy godmother from hell. And that’s why you don’t feel too bad when Esme traps her in a mirror for the rest of forever. When it comes to sibling rivalries, eternal torment ranks right up there, even if it’s not fatal.

Stannis, Robert, and Renly Baratheon — A Song of Ice and Fire series, by George R.R. Martin
“Fatality” is something Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum, and Tweedle Don’t Do That! know a lot about. How different would events in Westeros have turned out if a single Baratheon had trusted the other two? We might have just the one king (certainly the War of Five Kings could have been downsized by a king or two). We can’t say for certain which one would have come out on top, but we might have been able to preserve at least one of them. Instead, simmering suspicion is the modus operandi (though rightfully so, in some cases). If I’d survived for a year on corpse ears and stubborn will like Stannis, I’d be bitter about Robert’s flippant treatment too. Still, when there are other enemies at play, maybe wait to kill your annoyingly charming little brother until after you’ve smote the Lannisters.
What hateful fantasy siblings do you love to hate?