Sex, blood, filth, incest, bodies piled up like firewood and thats just the first hour. Game of Thrones is loaded with heart-piercing surprises right from the opening scenes, as a little boy watches his father chop a mans head off. Some of the biggest moments happen in secret behind closed doors; others stretch out across the kingdoms. But these are the sagas greatest moments, the displays of love and hate that hit hardest and loom largest in Westeros history.
1. The Red Wedding
The Rains of Castamere, Season 3, Episode 9
A lull at the end of a wedding banquet until Catelyn Stark hears the band play the Lannister fight song, The Rains of Castamere. Then she notices the guest next to her is wearing chain mail. She realizes something terrible is about to happen, but neither she nor we have any clue how ugly it will get. The Stark family goes down to defeat in 10 agonizing minutes except for Arya, whisked away by the Hound as he mutters, Its too late. The Red Wedding is Walder Freys ultimate betrayal and the ultimate Game of Thrones twist neither we nor the North can forget.
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2. Ned Starks Farewell
Baelor, Season 1, Episode 9
This is the moment in Season One that served notice that the show was rewriting the rules of television storytelling. Right down to the final seconds of this scene, even as Ned Stark kneels on the executioners chopping block, it seems unthinkable that the ax will actually come down he is the shows central character, just as Sean Bean is by far the casts biggest star. But more than that, Ned is the only hero in the story, the last righteous man in all of Westeros. This shouldnt happen. It cant happen. Until it does. Even at the end, with one cryptic word Baelor! Ned Stark makes a selfless gesture to keep his daughter Arya alive.
3. Daenerys Unleashes the Dragons
And Now His Watch Has Ended, Season 3, Episode 4
The Mother of Dragons earns her name in a spectacularly regal victory. After she buys her Unsullied troops from the slave master of Astapor, he sneers, The bitch has her army. But then Daenerys Stormborn speaks a fateful line of Valyrian: A dragon is not a slave. His face is all horror as he realizes, You speak Valyrian? Her translator Missandei flashes the nastiest side-eye in TV history. The dragon spits fire on command. Daenerys is a queen now. This is her army, bitch.
4. The Trial of Tyrion
The Laws of Gods and Men, Season 4, Episode 6
A lifetime of bitterness explodes as Tyrion goes on trial for murder, framed for poisoning the hateful child-king Joffrey at the Purple Wedding. Its an unforgettable performance by Peter Dinklage. He finally rages at his tyrant father, his twisted siblings and the corrupt family empire hes spent his life defending, as he rants, I wish I had enough poison for the whole pack of you!
5. The Battle of Blackwater
Blackwater, Season 2, Episode 9
The epic battle for the Iron Throne, with Stannis Baratheon going up against Tywin Lannister. As always, Tyrion sums it up, when hes giving his Henry V-worthy pre-battle pep talk to the soldiers of Kings Landing: Those are brave men knocking at our door. Lets go kill them.
6. The Red Vipers Final Duel
The Mountain and the Viper, Season 4, Episode 8
The dashing rogue of Dorne, Prince Oberyn Martell, is Westeros answer to Kanye West he lives large, he loves the ladies, but he doesnt always realize when its time to shut up and just get the job done. The Red Viper takes on the monstrous Mountain in a gladiatorial duel to avenge his sisters rape and murder against the hated Lannister dynasty. For a few minutes there, it looks as if hes got his victory wrapped up. And then this is Game of Thrones, remember? it all goes skull-splatteringly wrong.
7. The Battle of the Bastards
The Battle of the Bastards, Season 6, Episode 9
This showdown between Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton is the most sprawling of Westeros many huge war scenes. It ends with a moment of canine justice as Jon lets his long-suffering sister Sansa deliver the coup de grce: She throws Lord Bolton to his own hounds, who havent eaten in a week. Chow time for some peckish puppies; checkmate for House Bolton.
8. Viserys Gets His Crown
A Golden Crown, Season 1, Episode 6
This was the first time Game of Thrones killed off a major character who, by all the rules of TV logic, should have been untouchable. But there were a lot more deaths where that came from. Royal pretender Viserys Targaryen was a brilliantly despicable villain while he lasted, marrying off his kid sister Daenerys to Dothraki warrior Khal Drogo. Deluded, Viserys still believes hes the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. But when the pretty boy tries to throw his weight around and insults the Dothraki, Drogo gives him the crown hes demanding by pouring molten gold over his head. Daenerys gives her brother the harshest of sisterly epitaphs: He was no dragon. Fire cannot kill a dragon.
9. Hodor Holds the Door
The Door, Season 6, Episode 5
We finally find out what happened to the gentle giant Hodor and its a sadder story than anyone could have imagined. The beloved, mentally disabled stablehand got his name in an accidental disaster caused by Bran Starks time-traveling mind he valiantly holds the door against an attacking mob of wights, but that leaves him unable to say anything but a fractured version of Hold the door.
10. Arya Rides With the Hound
Two Swords, Season 4, Episode 1
So many strange friendships develop on Game of Thrones, but one of the most touching is the bond between the ruthless sellsword Sandor The Hound Clegane and the would-be child assassin he totes around, Arya Stark. He almost-accidentally mentors her in the fine art of murder. They fight together for the first time when a tavern brawl erupts into a full-blown massacre. All the Hound wanted was lunch (Im going to have to eat every fucking chicken in this room!), but for Arya, its the moment she reclaims her childhood sword, Needle, and makes her bones as a killing machine. Even the Hound is impressed. This little princess just crossed the first name off her wish list of dead enemies. It wont be the last.