Board Thread:TV Show Discussion/@comment-28146644-20160407172925/@comment-96.2.17.51-20160411021140

The Mountain is by FAR worse. He not only killed children (plus a baby, no less), but he's also a violent, raging rapist. He supposedly killed his own father and sister, and regularly kills his own servants at the slightest thing that makes him mad. You saw what he was able to do to Oberyn. Imagine that with everyone that pisses him off.

I won't try to downplay the Hound's killing of that kid as forgiveable, because it's not. But he was literally just following the Prince's orders (a prince that is known for killing those that oppose him). The Mountain acts on his own accord, outside of orders.

He's trying to find his place in the world, as he really has no where to belong. Yes, he captured Arya and planned to ransom her, but she was never really in any harm. He protected her on many occasions, and only wanted to make a bit of gold to buy himself someplace nice while returning Arya to someplace safe. Arya would 100% be dead if he weren't around.

This, coupled with the Hound's troubled backstory makes him a far more sympathetic character than the Mountain could ever be. Plus, he's just an all around badass. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯