Game of Thrones is known for its cruelty, which is first shown in the series’ opening scene as Night’s Watch rangers are butchered by what we later learn are the White Walkers. The unfortunate ranger who survives then runs, only to be put to death for deserting at Winterfell. The world of Westeros would then be defined by death, both just and unjust.
There are various ways one could create a ranking of something based on shock value. Does the importance of death to the plot make it more shocking? Considering how brutal it is specifically? Because it makes a brand-new character revelation that you weren’t aware of? This list combines these criteria in an attempt to show the many ways in which Game of Thrones handled the deaths of its numerous characters and how the character’s death directly wasn’t always the most crucial lesson learned. Having said that, I don’t believe there could be any more spoilers than what is mentioned here.
Here are the Most Shocking Deaths In Game Of Thrones:
Varys In “The Bells”
Varys was the personification of the phrase “the canary in the coal mine” if ever there was one. Varys knew the real truth behind Jon Snow’s parents and witnessed firsthand Daenerys’ fall into madness. Seeing the writing on the wall, Varys tries his best to prove Jon as the legitimate successor to the kingdom in the closing hours before King’s Landing is destroyed.
But of course, Tyrion informs Daenerys of his plans, and she executes him by having Drogon burn him alive. Varys and Tyrion’s figurative separation was heartbreaking for two characters who frequently shared the most interesting interactions, especially in light of how right Varys was. However, there is undoubtedly a much greater surprise in this episode than Lord Varys’ death; we’ll talk about that later.
Viserys Targaryen In “A Golden Crown”
One of the first antagonists in Game of Thrones was Viserys Targaryen. Viserys takes on the responsibility of being one of the first truly horrible characters. Meanwhile, the Lannisters are established as the enemy of the Starks practically right away.
He goes much beyond what one might consider spoiled, treats his sister like (sexual) property, and is, at his core, a whiny little brat. The first truly notable death of the series happened when Khal Drogo broke Viserys’s arm and dumped a kettle of melted gold over his head after his “I want my crown!” stupid rant in season 1.
Viserion In “Beyond the Wall”
Viserion, one of Daenerys’ three dragons, was named after her less-than-great brother, but it does not make his passing any less terrible. The episode “Beyond the Wall” was always tense, but when our group of heroes was stranded in the far north and surrounded by wights, Daenerys’ appearance with her dragons looked like a miracle from god.
Unfortunately, you’ll have difficulty getting away unharmed if you face off against the Night King. The Night King strikes Viserion directly with an ice spear, killing him instantly. It’s the first time we witness a dragon’s death, but horrifyingly, Viserion’s death is not his final appearance. Although Rhaegal’s death was unsatisfactory — with a scorpion, really? The death of Viserion was likely the start of Daenerys’ downfall towards her madness. Next, we saw the Viserion as a full-ice zombie dragon wanting to attack Winterfell in Season 8. He ultimately dies after Arya kills the Night King.
Petyr Baelish In “The Dragon and the Wolf”
The fact that the majority of evil characters receive their deserved punishments while the majority of good characters survive is one of the reoccurring themes in Game of Thrones’ later seasons. Ramsay Bolton, Walder Frey, Meryn Trant, and Petyr Baelish are all killed in unexpectedly Westeros-specific ways. The difference in Littlefinger’s death is that the season had been building up to a different narrative before it happened – Littlefinger pitting Arya Stark and Sansa Stark against one another.
As Sansa pulls the cards on Littlefinger, we see him using his manipulative mind and beg for mercy before Arya slashes his throat. It seems fitting that, before conceding defeat, he would be willing to try any trick, no matter how ridiculous or likely to fail it would be.
The People of King’s Landing In “The Bells”
Throughout Game of Thrones, we witness Daenerys Targaryen’s gradual—and sometimes quick—progression into madness. She ultimately loses what’s left of her mind as she sits atop Drogon after forcing King’s Landing to surrender. She immediately unleashes dragonfire on the capital city of Westeros, wiping out the majority of its people. Due to the final seasons’ inconsistent pace, Danaerys’ decision to go nuclear at this point is abrupt and shocking because it represents a complete betrayal of all that has motivated her character for the previous eight seasons.
This symbolic death is, in some ways, more shocking than Danaerys’ actual death in the next episode. She is clearly more like her father (Aerys Targaryen, the Mad King) than anything else at this final stage in the series. Although the narrative is poorly executed, she fittingly comes full circle with the Mad King’s last order to burn the people of King’s Landing.
Also Read: Top 10 Most Popular Game Of Thrones Characters: Jon Snow Is Not On The Top
Shireen Baratheon In “The Dance of Dragons”
Shireen Baratheon, the Stannis Baratheon’s daughter, lives in a tower and is essentially kept locked up by her mother, who also neglects her. Shireen also suffers from facial skin deformation brought on by a case of Greyscale. Despite everything, she constantly wants to do anything she can to help her father.
What she doesn’t realize is that her dad has lost his sense of reality huge thanks to his following of Melisandre, leading Stannis to actually believe that the only way that he can overcome his losses on his way to capture Winterfell is to burn his baby girl at the stake. This is without a doubt the most upsetting sequence in the entire series, regardless of your feelings toward the narrative choice. Because the night is certainly dark and filled with horrors.
Tommen In “The Winds of Winter”
Even though the deaths of the other main characters rank a little higher, it was still quite unexpected to see King Tommen meet his death in such a casual way. He was the youngest of Jaime and Cersei’s children, and he was not quite as ruthless or wicked as his older brother. He was a good kid who loved cats and was simply a victim of the Game of Thrones after seeing his mother detonate the Sept of Baelor.
Watching his kingdom in ashes, realizing that his queen was dead, Tommen ended up taking off his crown and jumped right out of his window, having fallen to his death. The death of Tommen, Cersei’s last surviving child, caused her to fall even farther into suffering and dictatorship.
Jon Snow In “Mother’s Mercy”
Even though almost all fans thought Jon Snow would return after being ruthlessly betrayed by his Night’s Watch brothers, it was nevertheless a chilling scene at the conclusion of the fifth season when Jon was stabbed to death and left bleeding out on the snow. Poor Harington had to avoid questions about whether or not his death was real throughout the following break between seasons.
Given that Jon has basically been one of the main protagonists from the start and because it was widely believed that he is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, his reappearance seemed inevitable to those who knew this theory. But after Ned’s death, we learned a lesson, that anyone could die at any time, and Jon’s uncertain fate left many wondering whether the Stark bastard was seeing his final days or not.
Joffrey Baratheon In “The Lion and the Rose”
Olenna Tyrell poisons King Joffrey as he is celebrating his marriage to Margaery Tyrell. The cruel king struggles to breathe, scratches his throat, turns purple, and begins to bleed various body fluids out of his nose and mouth. There was no death too horrifying to make us feel sorry for this monster of a person. They finally got rid of that jerk, and perhaps rather than shock, there was joy as his last breath left his body.
High Sparrow In “The Winds of Winter”
The sixth season’s final episode opens with an eight-minute build of unsettling piano music, Maester Pycelle being stabbed and killed by children, candles burning slowly toward barrels of wildfire, and Margaery, who is growing more nervous, warning the High Sparrow that Cersei Lannister’s absence from the trial is a sign of impending disaster. Margaery was inevitably correct, and Cersei settles everything in a violent bloodbath: a wildfire breaks out, blows up the Sept of Baelor, and erases everyone inside.
This scene seemed like the showrunners acknowledging they had a great number of plotlines that were still going on, and they needed to pluck the fold before the series began its final narrative. Margaery, Mace, Lancel, High Sparrow, Loras, and Kevan Lannister all died as a result of this event, which also put an end to the Sparrows’ religious cult and caused King Tommen Baratheon to kill himself.
Tywin Lannister In “The Children”
Tywin Lannister, the head of the Lannister family, was likely expected to die at some point. And while it is simple to focus on the details of his death—killed by his son Tyrion, murdered while using the bathroom, and the political conflict that predictably follows—as the shocking components, the revelation that he is having an affair with Tyrion’s ex-girlfriend Shae and that a significant portion of his character sketch is a lie are probably more shocking. We learn that Tywin isn’t all that different after all, despite his relentless emphasis on family, legacy, and claims of moral superiority. Or, to keep things in context, he doesn’t actually “shit gold.”
Oberyn Martell In “The Mountain and the Viper”
It’s hard to find a more horrific scene in Game of Thrones than that of the trial by combat between the Mountain and Oberyn Martell. Even though Oberyn’s loss in this duel was inevitable, the way he loses leaves a lasting impression. Following his lead over the Mountain, Oberyn starts to press the Mountain to confess to raping and killing his sister Elia.
Of course, in the Game of Thrones world, this goes just as you might expect. The Mountain knocks Oberyn to the ground and knocks out his teeth. The Mountain then plunges his fingers deep into Oberyn’s eyes, finally blowing out his brain. This scene’s sight and sounds (*shudder*) make it the most straightforward type of shock on the list.
Hodor In “The Door”
Hodor’s death in Game of Thrones may be the most masterfully written dramatic death of all time. The most shocking thing about Hodor’s death, despite the fact that it brings strong emotions because of the innocence and durability of his character, is the realization that Bran Stark is to blame for his lack of vocabulary beyond the word “hodor.”
When Meera Reed orders Hodor to “hold the door” as an army of wights pursues the group, the emotional devastation reaches its peak. This may be proof that Hodor was been aware of his impending death ever since Bran came into his life many years earlier. The way the episode ends with just Hodor’s speech slowly changing from “hold the door” to “hodor” has a devastating effect.
Eddard “Ned” Stark In “Baelor”
Eddard “Ned” Stark’s death has become such a defining moment in pop culture that it is difficult to recall how shocking it was at the time. Ned Stark was firmly positioned as the main character in a series filled with characters.
Therefore, when Ned is arrested at the conclusion of the seventh episode of Season 1, it only seems like a plot device to set up the following chain of events. You wouldn’t have known the show was going to kill off its lead character if you hadn’t read the books. Game of Thrones successfully established the “no one is safe” rule when Ned is put to death at the end of episode nine.
Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, And Talisa Stark In “The Rains of Castamere”
As I was making this list, I was trying to come up with an alternate list where the Red Wedding Deaths didn’t come in at the top. Obviously, I wasn’t able to make one. The death of Catelyn Stark, Robb Stark, Talisa Stark, Robb’s direwolf, Grey Wind, and a large number of Stark bannermen at the hands of Walder Frey and Roose Bolton was not only the most shocking event in Game of Thrones, but it also might have been the most shocking event ever seen on television.
The Red Wedding blew the show’s plot, gave one of the greatest blows to the good guys, and unintentionally started an endless flood of Game of Thrones “reaction videos” that destroyed the online landscape up until the end of the show. Even though the Red Wedding was horrifying, it contained one of the most famous quotes in a series that was packed full of them, cementing the Lannisters’ reputation as strong antagonists. The Lannisters send their best wishes, said Roose Bolton as he plunged a knife into Robb Stark’s heart.
Also Read: Top 10 Best Game Of Thrones Episodes Ranked: From Battle Of The Bastards To Blackwater
