Over the years Game of Thrones has become a cultural phenomenon, drawing people in with its mix of fantasy and political intrigue. One thing the show is known for, however, is having jaw dropping moments that blow the audience away, often killing important characters in the process. We’re going to take a look at the most shocking episodes Game of Thrones has had so far, although they’re not ranked in any particular order. It goes without saying that massive spoilers are ahead for the entire series, all the way up to season 7. So don’t go in if you aren’t completely caught
We’re going to take a look at the most shocking episodes Game of Thrones has had so far, although they’re not ranked in any particular order. It goes without saying that massive spoilers are ahead for the entire series, all the way up to season 7. So don’t go in if you aren’t completely caught up unless you don’t mind getting spoiled.
FINAL SPOILER WARNING
Dark Wings, Dark Words – Season 3 Episode 2
Top 10 Most Shocking Game of Thrones Episodes
Dark Wings, Dark Words may not have world-altering revelations or massive battles, but it does show us the depraved depths of a certain heartless character, Ramsay Bolton. Things start out simply enough with plenty of exposition and conversation before Robb Stark receives word that Winterfell has been burned down with no sign of Bran and Rickon, and no word from Theon. Next, we’re reintroduced to Theon himself, captured in a dungeon and being tortured. The scene is horribly brutal, and you can’t help but feel a bit sympathetic for Theon, no matter how easy he is to despise as a character. This would of course eventually lead to Ramsay completely emasculating the Greyjoy, and warping him into Reek.
This episode also has a chilling scene with Joffrey and Margaery, where he almost threatens her with his imposing crossbow, accusing her of sleeping with Renley the traitor. As if we needed a reason to think Joffrey was any more of a creep. Finally, things end with a climactic and impressive battle between Jaime and Brienne, which unfortunately ends up with him being captured (again) by the Boltons. Things started out slowly enough for this episode, but the chilling scenes with Ramsay and Joffrey made it quite clear how dangerous these villains are.
The Rains of Castamere – Season 3 Episode 9
Top 10 Most Shocking Game of Thrones Episodes
Of course, who can forget this episode, possibly the most heart-breaking and shocking episode of the entire series. The Red Wedding is infamous in Game of Thrones, and for good reason. This doozy of an episode mostly focuses on Robb and the Stark army arriving at The Twins, where Walder Frey rules. The Freys grant the Starks their hospitality, as that night is the wedding of Edmure Frey. Things take a chilling turn however as deception begins to show its head. The musicians at the wedding start to play “The Rains of Castamere,” and then the bloodshed starts. Robb’s pregnant wife, Talisa, is the first to go, brutally stabbed in the stomach repeatedly. Then Robb falls, Catelyn falls, and the rest of the Stark bannermen both inside the castle and out are brutally murdered. For anyone that didn’t know this event was coming, it was a nightmarish picture that saw our heroes completely and utterly annihilated.
For whatever else may have happened in the episode with other characters, you can only sit in shock and awe as the credits roll to The Rains of Castamere, and the song takes on a whole new meaning.
Baelor – Season 1 Episode 9
Top 10 Most Shocking Game of Thrones Episodes
Game of Thrones started its trend of the second to last episode being the big world changing event with its very first season. For many fans, Baelor remains one of the most gut-wrenching episodes out there, and it’s the first time we really had to deal with the death of a beloved character. There’s a ton that happens in this episode honestly. We find out some backstory on Tyrion, and the horrible things Tywin did to him when he found out that Tyrion married a prostitute. Daenerys starts a dark ritual to try and save Kal Drogo, then goes into labor. Without a doubt though, Baelor hits hard because it finally shows us the fate of Eddard (Ned) Stark.
The hero of the first season has been trapped in the dungeon for a while now and is finally being put on trial. With both his daughters present, Ned swallows his pride and makes a fake confession about Joffrey being the true heir to the Iron Throne. Alas, Joffrey’s cruelty truly shows itself and the most honorable man of the show loses his head. This was Game of Thrones’ first grim reminder that the Westeros is a cold and cruel place, where the good and honorable often lose everything.
Hardhome – Season 5 Episode 8
Top 10 Most Shocking Game of Thrones Episodes
Plenty of big events happen in Hardhome, like Tyrion finally meeting Daenerys, Arya learning more about becoming a Faceless Man, and Sansa confronts Reek (Theon) about why he betrayed her yet again. But for all the events that happen, Hardhome remains absolutely shocking for one thing alone, the battle at the end. Jon Snow and Tormund head to the Wildling encampment of Hardhome in order to try and convince them to leave before the White Walkers arrive. No sooner are they boarding the ships than the dead arrive. What follows is a viscerally overwhelming battle sequence that sees the dead army storming Hardhome and slaughtering thousands. It’s easily one of the most incredible sequences in the entire series, and completely gripping through the episode’s final minutes, as the cinematography gets up close and personal with the battle.
Jon and the others narrowly escape as the Night King faces them from the shore, mocking the living as he raises every dead soldier on the battlefield for his army, and giving us a chilling look at the White Walker’s true power.
The Dance of Dragons – Season 5 Episode 9
Top 10 Most Shocking Game of Thrones Episodes
The Dance of Dragons is one packed episode featuring multiple shocking events. Jon and the others return to the Wall seeing tensions flare between the Night’s Watch and the rescued Wildlings. Three events in particular, though, make the episode stand out. The first has to do with Arya, who while fulfilling her mission of assassinating the Thin Man finds Ser Meryn, a vile knight who’s on her list. We see Meryn at a brothel requesting frightfully young subjects, which only makes you despise him more. Luckily justice is on its way, and Meryn brutally meets his end at the hands of Arya, who kills him in cold blood.
The episode also includes Daenerys overseeing the opening of the fighting pits in Meereen, where Jorah fights for his life to gain the favor of his queen back. The Sons of the Harpy disrupt things, however, launching a huge ambush to kill Daenerys and her followers. Although the episode ends with Drogon swooping in to save the day, that’s not even the most shocking element. That comes with Stannis Baratheon and his daughter Shireen, the sweet and charming young girl. Things look grim for Stannis, and somehow Melisandre convinces him that the only way to save his army is by sacrificing his daughter to the Lord of Light. An absolutely gut-wrenching scene sees Shireen being burned at the stake alive, with the horrible reality of everything hitting Stannis and even Melisandre as her screams rip through the air. It’s a terrible event that impacts multiple characters, including Davos and Melisandre.
The Children – Season 4 Episode 10
Top 10 Most Shocking Game of Thrones Episodes
The Children is yet another packed finale for Game of Thrones, hopping between different characters and areas. This episode sees a huge leap forward for Bran Stark’s story, as they finally make it to the heart tree Bran has seen in his visions. The party is set upon by Wight’s, losing Jojen in the process. Then we see Bran come face to face with perhaps the most mysterious character of the series, the Three Eyed Raven.
In spite of all this, the real star of The Children is Tyrion Lannister. Poor Tyrion has seen some tough days, but it’s all about to get much worse for him. Having been sentenced to death by Tywin, Tyrion now awaits his fate in the dungeons of King’s Landing. As a final act of kindness, Jaime sets him free having no idea what Tyrion will choose to do. In a heartbreaking ending Tyrion kills his lover Shae, after finding out about her betrayal with his father. Finally, Tyrion takes the crossbow from his father’s room and finds him in the toilet, where a tense conversation happens before Tyrion kills Tywin. The end of season 4 shows Tyrion being spirited away from Westeros with the help of Varys, living to see another day and burdened with the weight of his recent actions.
The Winds of Winter – Season 6 Episode 10
Top 10 Most Shocking Game of Thrones Episodes
As if Game of Thrones finales couldn’t get any more bombastic, the final episode of season 6 quite literally blew things up. Cersei Lannister finally faced her trial and day of reckoning with the High Sparrow, except she was nowhere to be found at the Sept of Baelor. As all of her enemies gathered, the High Sparrow, the Tyrells, and even her own uncle, Cersei hatched a devious plot. As tension begins to build the Sept explodes in a huge flame of wildfire, ending the lives of countless prominent characters. We’re used to seeing death on Game of Thrones, but seldom do we see so many characters erased in one split second. This puts Cersei on the map as one of the most dangerous and unhinged people in all of Westeros, and ultimately leads to the king, Tommen, committing suicide.
It’s hard to top the events in King’s Landing, but The Winds of Winter holds a few other big revelations too. Bran jumps into the past and discovers that Jon isn’t Eddard Stark’s child but instead Lyanna Stark’s, and an incredibly tense scene between Davos, Jon, and Melisandre takes place. All in all, the finale of season 6 leaves you breathless and anxious for the next season to roll around.
Beyond the Wall – Season 7 Episode 6
Top 10 Most Shocking Game of Thrones Episodes
Season 7 may not have had as many episodes as the others, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t packed with just as many surprises and death. Besides showing a bit of the drama unfolding with Arya and Sansa at Winterfell, the entirety of the episode sees Jon and his ragtag group traveling beyond the wall to take a Wight captive. They manage to succeed in their task, but not before being set upon by the White Walkers. Trapped in the middle of a frozen lake, the group can do nothing more than bide their time and hope Daenarys comes to their rescue. It’s a tense episode, where any one of our favorite characters could die. After a desperate battle, Daenerys does indeed come to Jon’s rescue with all three dragons in tow.
However, once again we get to see the terrifying power of The Night King, as he hurls a javelin right into Viserion and kills the dragon, felling the fearsome beast in one blow. The party escapes with their lives, but the end of the episode shows us a shocking revelation, The Night King has resurrected Viserion into a frost dragon, adding a deadly weapon to the White Walker’s armies.
The Mountain and the Viper – Season 4 Episode 8
Top 10 Most Shocking Game of Thrones Episodes
The Mountain and the Viper moves along a few different plotlines, but two, in particular, solidify its spot in fan memory. In Meereen Ser, Barristan receives a document from a small boy, which turns out to be a royal pardon for Jorah. This is when Daenerys finds out about Jorah’s betrayal and ends up banishing him from the city and her service. This would set Jorah on a mission to regain Daenery’s trust, and eventually would bring Tyrion to meet her.
Speaking of Tyrion, the meat of the episode once again lies with his plotline. Now we get to see the lead-up and execution of Tyrion’s trial by combat, pitting Oberyn Martell against the hulking giant known as The Mountain. This is easily one of the best fights of the entire series, as the nimble Oberyn takes on the physically superior Gregor Clegane. The fury and vindication Oberyn feels is completely evident, as he continuously taunts The Mountain for the rape and murder of his sister. Things look to be squarely in Tyrion’s corner when Oberyn defeats Gregor, until Oberyn gets careless. The Mountain manages to catch Oberyn by the leg, and then proceeds with the most brutal kill of the entire season, if not the show. After smashing out all his teeth, The Mountain literally crushes Oberyn’s head between his hands, leaving Tyrion and the crowd just as stunned and sickened as us watching.
Mother’s Mercy – Season 5 Episode 10
Top 10 Most Shocking Game of Thrones Episodes
You probably notice a lot of later episodes here, and for good reason. Game of Thrones packs some huge revelations and moments into its final two episodes, leaving fans hanging on the edge of their seat for the next season. Never has this been truer than with Mother’s Mercy, which left the fate of one of its biggest characters up in the air. Before we get to that, however, we need to talk about Cersei’s walk of shame. The High Sparrow and The Faith force Cersei to strip naked and parade her around the streets of King’s Landing, for the common people to mock and harass her. This is a key turning point in Cersei’s character, helping to twist her mind that much further toward revenge and domination. Not to mention the scene itself is quite intense.
Still, not to be done at one shocking scene, the end of the episode held one hell of a twist. At Castle Black, Jon is still dealing with the precarious relationship between the Wildlings and the Night’s Watch, while Ser Davos advises Jon to ask for the Wildling’s help. One night Jon’s steward Olly bursts into his room, saying that a Wildling knows the location of his thought to be dead uncle. In a tragic turn of events it turns out to be a mutiny from members of the Night’s Watch who ambush Jon and stab him to death. Most tragic of all though, is that one of these traitors is Olly himself. The episode literally ends with Jon bleeding out dead in the snow, killed by the men he trusted most in the wold. Talk about one heck of a cliffhanger.
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