A Game of Thrones Theme of Strength and Skill

Strength and skill come in super handy in the struggle for power. It's all about deciding who is better: stronger, smarter, more skilled, meaner, or just better dressed (in armor). Whoever has more strength and skill may just take home the trophy in A Game of Thrones. After all, this is a game, and skill is the key to winning just about any game. Or is it? Where does luck come into play in this novel? Are there any right-place-at-the-right-time moments? Or worse: wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time? As important as strength and skill are in the game of thrones, the world wants what the world wants. And sometimes it wants you dead.

1. What is the most important skill in A Game of Thrones? Discernment? Strength? Intelligence?
2. Does any character have all the skills he or she needs to survive? Or do characters need to work together in order to prosper?
3. Do skills ever get characters into trouble? For instance, Tyrion is a great speaker, but as he notes when he's in the Aerie's prison, his big mouth sure is a problem sometimes (39 Tyrion 5.12). Is Tyrion in trouble because of his skill – or is it because he's not skilled enough?
4. Could any of the skills that the characters have be considered superpowers? Or are they all pretty this-worldly?