Looking back at the TV show that caused us so much heart ache over the years, “Game of Thrones” was a show were none of your favorite characters were safe. After hours of pondering, I created this list of most memorable deaths on the show. Deaths that were surprising, devastating, satisfying, shocking or cruel. I narrowed it down to a list of 25. Please let me know what you think.
WARNING! THIS POST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!
25. Jaime and Cersei Lannister (Crushed by falling bricks – Season 8, Episode 5: “The Bells”)
Although it’s not the way we wanted to see either one of the characters go, it’s still a memorable moment. Seeing two of the most important and well-known characters on the show die in each other’s arms. Telling themselves that they are the only thing that matter.
24. The Night King (Stabbed by Arya Stark – Season 8, Episode 3: “The Long Night”)
The entire show worked to this moment: the death of the Night King. Even though he went a bit too quickly, it’s still an epic moment. In an episode that desperately needed something good to happen, it’s a satisfying death. Especially being it by the hand of Arya Stark, my favorite character from the start. Everyone expected it to be Jon, since he’s been the one fighting hardest for this moment, but I was glad it was an unexpected character.
23. Varys (Burned by Drogon – Season 8, Episode 5: “The Bells”)
Varys is almost always right and so he was this time about Daenerys not being the right person for the Iron Throne. In a last try to convince Jon he’s the true king, Daenerys finds out Varys has betrayed her. She brings him out to the beach and has Drogon burn him. Varys isn’t surprised he’s going to die, he stand by what he did. Varys is one of the most important characters on the show.
22. Theon Greyjoy (Stabbed by the Night King – Season 8, Episode 3: “The Long Night”)
Theon had quite the journey to get to this moment. From betraying Robb Stark to his horrible life as Reek, to saving Sansa from Ramsay Bolton, to volunteering to protect Bran. And this is what eventually kills Theon, when he sacrifices his own life to save Bran’s. Ultimately, Theon died a hero.
21. Ygritte (Shot with a bow and arrow by Olly – Season 4, Episode 9: “The Watchers on the Wall”)
No one in Westeros lives happily ever after. The same goes for Ygritte and Jon, who fell for each other north of the wall. Her being a wildling and his being a brother of the Night’s Watch put them at opposite sides of the fight when Mance Rayder showed up to attack Castle Black. Jon managed to talk Ygritte out of killing him, only to have her shot by Olly. Ygritte died in Jon’s arms, telling him she wished they never left that cave.
20. Lysa Arryn (Pushed down the moon door by Littlefinger – Season 4, Episode 7: “Mockingbird”)
Lysa was Catelyn’s sister and the wife of Jon Arryn, Lord of the Vale. Petyr Baelish, aka Littlefinger, manipulated her into killing her husband. Lysa eventually married Littlefinger and he became Lord of the Vale. Because of Littlefinger’s love for Sansa Stark and Lysa’s cruelty against her, Littlefinger pushes her down the moon door.
19. Ser Meryn Trant (Killed by Arya Stark – Season 5, Episode 10: “Mother’s Mercy”)
Meryn Trant was a member of the King’s guard. After killing Arya’s sword master Syrio Forel, she swore to kill Ser Meryn as vengeance. When he visited a brothel in Braavos, she got her chance. Ser Meryn abused various young girls there. Arya disguised herself as one of the girls and brutally killed him by cutting out his eyes and stabbing him multiple times, before finally cutting his throat.
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8. Margaery Tyrell, Mace Tyrell, Loras Tyrell and The High Sparrow (Blown up by wildfire – Season 6, Episode 10: “The Winds of Winter”)
Cersei wanted revenge and did it with a bang. She used wildfire to blow up the Sept of Baelor, which had several important players within the game of thrones in it at the time.
17. The Hound and The Mountain aka Sandor Clegane and Gregor Clegane (Killed each other – Season 8, Episode 5: “The Bells”)
The fight we’ve been waiting for for so long. We even gave it a name: Clegane Bowl. And with this fight, it tied up a storyline we’ve been waiting for since very early on. When The Hound finally faces his older brother, it’s the beginning of a very epic battle. The Hound manages to knock of The Mountain’s helmet, finally revealing his face. And he looks awful. The two fight to the dead and eventually they plummet into the flames
16. Tywin Lannister ( Shot down with a crossbow by Tyrion Lannister – Season 4, Episode 10: “The Children”)
Most of the Lannister family are terrible people, but Tywin is probably the worst of them all. Tyrion, who was sentenced to die by his own father, escapes his prison and heads to his father to find his lover Shae in his bed. His father is on the toilet, where Tyrion shoots Tywin with a crossbow. Not a very graceful or honorable death for Tywin Lannister.
15. Viserion (Speared down by The Night King – Season 7, Epsiode 6: “Beyond the Wall”)
While Jon and his team go behind the wall to capture a wight, The Night King has other plans. They end up in an epic battle and Daenerys comes to the rescue. But Viserion gets speared down by The Night King and crashes down. Later he is touched by The Night King, becoming an important weapon in the army of the undead.
14. Jon Snow (Stabbed by his own men of the Night’s Watch – Season 5, Episode 10: “Mother’s Mercy”)
I know, Jon was resurrected in Season 6, but he still died even if it was for a while. His death in the Season 5 finale was a major blow for all the fans. The season had been leading up to a mutiny at Castle Black, with the mutineers each taking turns stabbing Jon.
13. Walder Frey (Killed by Arya Stark – Season 6, Episode 10: “The Winds of Winter”)
Taking on a face of another, Arya Stark finally gets her well-deserved vengeance on Walder Frey after him being responsible for the deaths of her mother Catelyn and brother Robb. And she doesn’t only kill him. Before Arya slits Walder Frey’s throat, she feeds him a pie with his sons in it.
12. Jorah Mormont (Killed by Wights – Season 8, Episode 3: “The Long Night”)
This death was particularly hard on me, since Jorah has been one of my favorite character from the start. As ‘king of the friendzone’, he died in the only way that makes sense for his character: protecting his beloved Queen Daenerys to the end. It’s a touching scene, dying in Daenerys’ arms and her weeping like her heart is breaking.
11. Lyanna Mormont (Killed by a giant – Season 8, Episode 3: “The Long Night”)
She became Lady of Bear Island on a very young age and from the moment we met her, we couldn’t get around her and she will be forever in our hearts. As the battle rages, Lyanna rushes to the giant. He crushes her body in its fist, but she holds on long enough to stab him right in the eye.
10. Viserys Targaryen (Burned by liquid gold over his head – Season 1, Episode 6: “A Golden Crown”)
One of the show’s first brutal deaths was this one. After trying Khal Drogo’s last nerve, the Khal melts down some of his gold medallions and pours the molten remains over Viserys’ head, giving him the crown he always wanted. Long live the king.
9. Littlefinger (Killed by Arya Stark – Season 7, Episode 7: “The Dragon and the Wolf”)
Littlefinger still tries to win over Sansa and also attempts on turning her against her sister Arya. When Arya is confronted by Sansa, publicly, it’s actually Littlefinger who is on trial. In his last attempt to proof how much he loves Sansa, Arya slits his throat.
8. Ramsay Bolton (Eaten by his hounds – Season 6, Epsiode 9: “Battle of the Bastards”)
Ramsay was one of the vilest villains on “Game of Thrones”, taking pleasure in torturing and mutilating people. After being put into an arranged marriage with Sansa Stark, Ramsay repeatedly rapes and mentally tortures her. When Sansa gets away and reaches Jon, they beat him in the Battle of the Bastards. And Sansa finally gets the last laugh, seeing him being devoured by his own hounds.
7. Daenerys Targaryen (Stabbed by Jon Snow – Season 8, Episode 6: “The Iron Throne”)
She finally did it, Daenerys defeated Cersei and her people and claimed the Iron Throne for herself. But before even getting to sit on that throne, Jon stabs her and she dies in his arms. Even though he loved her, Jon knew she wouldn’t have been the Queen Westeros needed. The moment when Drogon sees his mother dead on the ground, is truly heart breaking.
6. Joffrey Baratheon (Poisoned – Season 4, Episode 2: “The Lion and the Rose”)
Never have I cheered so loud for a character’s death as this one. And if you’ve followed the show from the beginning, you understand why fans were dreaming of this death for so long. Joffrey died, at his own wedding no less, after choking on poisoned wine. Tyrion and Sansa were accused of murdering him, but it eventually turned out to be Olenna Tyrell with Littlefinger’s help. No tears of sadness here, just tears of joy.
5. Shireen Baratheon (Burned alive by Melisandre – Season 5, Episode 9: “The Dance of Dragons”)
Melisandre managed to brainwash Stannis several times, about the Lord of Light. But never had it such a huge impact as when Melisandre convinced Stannis to burn his own daughter Shireen at the stake, as a sacrifice. Shireen’s cry for help still echoes in my head.
4. Hodor (Killed by White Walkers/ Wights – Season 6, Episode 5: “The Door”)
Hodor’s death is one of the most devastating four minutes of television. Not only because he may have been the only truly good person in the entirety of Westeros, but that he was preordained to die this way his entire life. Hold the door….
3. Oberyn Martell (Head crushed by The Mountain – Season 4, Episode 8: “The Mountain and the Viper”)
Oberyn is one of the most-beloved “Game of Thrones” characters, even if he was only in a few episodes. While fighting for Tyrion in a trial by combat, against The Mountain, he made a big mistake by becoming too cocky. He started monologuing instead of finishing the job. What followed is probably the most brutal kill in “Game of Thrones” history, as the mountain knocks Oberyn to the ground and crushes his skull with his bare hands.
2. Eddard “Ned” Stark (Beheaded by Ser Illyn Payne– Season 1, Episode 9: “Baelor”
Ned Stark was probably the most important character when “Game of Thrones” started and he only lived for 9 episodes. His beheading in the first season’s ninth episode is the most significant and important death to date. Since that’s what started the game of thrones truly. And Ned Stark’s death meant that no one was truly safe.
1. Catelyn Stark, Robb Stark and Talisa Stark (Stabbed/ slit throat by Walder Frey’s men and Roose Bolton – Season 3, Episode 9: “The Rains of Castamere”)
The Red Wedding, the knife through viewers’ hearts. At this point, people are used to fear for their favorite character’s lives, but seeing Robb, Catelyn and Talisa being brutally murdered like that still was a huge shock. Talisa being repeatedly stabbed in her pregnant belly, Robb being stabbed by Roose Bolton, it’s like being stabbed yourself. And then Catelyn’s cry for her son before her throat is slit, it still gives me chills.
Honorable Mentions:
Ser Barristan Selmy (Killed by the Sons of the Harpy – Season 5, Episode 4: “Sons of the Harpy”)
Ser Barristan is a legendary member of the King’s Guard, wanting no more than to find a monarch worth serving. He got that with Daenerys Targaryen. He defended her with his life as she sought to end slavery in Slaver’s Bay. When the Sons of the Harpy attack Grey Worm, Ser Barristan intervenes and eventually gets killed himself.
Shae (Strangled by Tyrion Lannister – Season 4, Episode 10: “The Children”)
Shae was Tyrion’s lover. He went to great lengths to keep her safe in King’s Landing, but Tyrion also forced her to leave after his marriage to Sansa Stark. Shae was so hurt, that she testified against him when he was tried for murdering Joffrey, a crime he did not commit. When Tyrion went to confront his father after escaping execution he found Shae in Tywin’s bed and he strangles her.
Khal Drogo (Died after an infected wound – Season 1, Episode 10: “Fire and Blood”)
Fearsome Dothraki leader Khal Drogo was gearing up to help Daenerys invade Westeros, but succumbed to an infection from a wound sustained fighting one of his own men. He was left in a coma-like state after Daenerys used blood magic to save him. She eventually smothered him with a pillow, so he wouldn’t have to live a half-life.
Dolorous Edd (Killed by a Wight – Season 8, Epsiode 3: “The Long Night”)
The acting Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch is the first to die during this epic battle, after saving Samwell Tarly as the Night King’s army begins their assault on Winterfell. He’s stabbed in the back in dies right in front of Sam.
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eric Dondarrion (Sacrificed himself for Arya and The Hound – Season 8, Episode 3: “The Long Night”)
Beric Dondarrion had died and was resurrected many times before, but during the battle of Winterfell he falls for the last time. He dies a true hero’s death, rousing The Hound to go find and save Arya from getting overrun by the dead. Once they find her, he scarifeces himself to ensure that The Hound and Arya can get to safety. Melisandre later tells Arya he was brought back for a purpose, and that now he’s served it.
Missandei (Beheaded by the Mountain – Season 8, Episode 4: “The Last of the Starks”)
Missandei is one of the only true good people in all of Westeros. She has a kind heart and is very loyal to the ones that she loves. Defending and standing by her Queen Daenerys, the breaker of her chains. And she eventually died in chains. With her final words being ‘Dracarys’, she was beheaded by The Mountain on Cersei’s command.
Rhaegal (Shot down by Euron – Season 8, Episode 4: “The Last of the Starks”)
His brother Viserion’s death had a bigger impact on us and on Daenerys, Rhaegal was probably the bigger shock because it came out of nowhere. Leaving all logics behind on how Daenerys never saw Euron’s fleet from up above, seeing Rhaegal being shot down and crashing into the sea like this still hurts.
