If, like us, you’re still reeling from that epic Game of Thrones finale and can hardly contain yourself for the show’s much hyped prequel (there’s still two years to go), it’s time to revisit some of series’ most unforgettable storylines.
From murderous massacres to seriously questionable decisions, we’re revealing the show’s ten most shocking moments, as picked by the Digital Spy team.
Do you agree with our choices? Relive all the drama on NOW TV, where you can stream S1-8 of Game of Thrones and pick your own most shocking moment.
Warning: spoilers ahead.
1. Bran’s Defenestration (S1, E1) – chosen by Kate Goodacre, Managing Editor
Sky
“The show’s tone was set right from the start (well, the end) of the very first episode when Jaime Lannister nonchalantly shoved Bran out of a window after he saw something he shouldn’t have.
“Sure, we’ve all done pretty out-there things for love, but wouldn’t a raven to the Iron Bank of Braavos have been a less drastic way of making sure that Bran didn’t spill about Jaime and Cersei’s incestuous relationship?”
2. Ned’s Beheading (S1, E9) – chosen by Chris Longridge, Associate Editor
Sky
“When the show killed off its apparent lead in the penultimate episode of series one, we realised all bets were off. Anything could happen on this show, and it was a moment that really cemented Game of Thrones as something more than just a well-made fantasy drama.”
3. Jaime Loses His Hand (S3, E3) – chosen by Owen Gough, Technology E-commerce Editor
Sky
“Of all the shocking twists that Game of Thrones relentlessly threw at us, this was one moment that didn’t feature a horrific death – though it was still certainly gory. Jaime, a fallen knight of the realm who spent much of S3 in captivity, pushed his luck with his captors who had no patience for games. A swift and sudden drop of a sword and Jaime’s juggling days were over.”
4. The Red Wedding (S3, E9) – chosen by Laurence Mozafari, Editor
Sky
“Even people who’ve never watched Game of Thrones are fully aware of this horrendous moment; Robb Stark and his men are murdered by Walder Frey after Robb marries his newly pregnant love, Talia Stark, instead of Walder’s daughter.
“Catelyn, Robb’s mother, survives just long enough to see her son stabbed to death and the scene begins with Talia being repeatedly stabbed in her baby bump. Horrendous. There’s never a nice day for a Red Wedding.”
5. Oberyn’s Death (S4, E8) – chosen by Laurence Mozafari, Editor
SkySky
“This shocking moment encapsulated Game of Thrones’ power to pull the rug from under you at the very last moment – and by rug, we of course mean Prince Oberyn’s acrobatic legs, shortly before Gregor Clegane rolls over and squishes his head like a handsome pack of over-ripe strawberries. You see *so much* of his vicious head implosion. Every. Bloody. Bit.”
6. Arya vs Ser Meryn Trant (S5, E10) – chosen by Sam Warner, Freelance News Writer
Sky
“Arya’s murder of Ser Meryn Trant was certainly one the most brutal deaths in the show’s history – and this is Game of Thrones we’re talking about. Not only did she stab his eyes out and then stab him in the chest, she managed to keep him alive long enough to let him know just who she was. A satisfying (if harsh) riddance to one of the show’s nastiest characters.”
7. Why Hodor Was Hodor (S6, E5) – chosen by Chris Longridge, Associate Editor
Sky
“Not all the shocks on Game of Thrones involved savage death. Actually, this one did too, but the emotional punch of finding out why gentle giant Hodor got his name (and nature) – involving a psychic possession, a time slip, a door and a heroic self-sacrifice – dwarfed that of his actual death at the hands of the wights. And he held the door. He HELD THE DOOR.”
8. Cersei Blows Up the Sept of Baelor (S6, E10) – chosen by Owen Gough, Technology E-commerce Editor
Sky
“We knew that Cersei was a woman who would do literally anything to protect her children, but not many Game of Thrones fans could have guessed she would graduate from petty wolf-slaying to full-on terrorism.
“In one of the most beautifully composed but explosive scenes in the series, the Mad Queen’s great plan to violently wipe out her competition slowly comes together.”
9. The Death of King Tommen (S6, E10) – chosen by Ali Griffiths, Social Media Editor
Sky
“Shortly after Cersei ordered the death of King Tommen’s wife and set fire to half of King’s Landing, a young King Tommen took his own life in a superbly crafted moment of tragic drama.
“The camera stayed steady on a shot of the burning Sept of Baelor and we saw Tommen walk out of frame, then back in and out of the window with barely any hesitation at all. It’s not bloody or gory, but it remains one of Game of Thrones‘ most visually striking deaths.”
10. Arya vs The Night King (S8, E3) – chosen by Abby Robinson, TV Writer
Sky
“Arya Stark delivered one of the show’s biggest ‘You what?!’ moments in shows’ eighth and final season. The Night King, after slaughtering Theon with his own spear, was poised to bump off Bran – and with him the collective memories of Westeros.
“But in the nick of time, Arya plunged her Valyrian steel dagger into the demon kingpin, shattering him and his army of the undead to smithereens. And best of all, no one saw it coming.”
Relive every single dramatic moment by streaming Game of Thrones on NOW TV
