While Game of Thrones had a rather lackluster final season, there is no denying that the show made a great impact on pop culture when it comes to television. In honor of its influence, here is a ranking of the ten best episodes from the series.
10. Winter is Coming (Season 1, Episode 1): The first episode of the show introduces us to the family of House Stark, and wastes no time in setting up the other major players on this show. From the honorable head of his house Ned Stark (Sean Bean), to the clever black sheep of his family Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage). Each character introduced in this episode lets the audience know what type of character they are and what they will be.
9. The Spoils of War (Season 7, Episode 4): After waiting for seven seasons, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) finally fought the Lannister army with her dragons, and it did not disappoint. The battle from this episode showcases just how powerful the “Mother of Dragons” is compared to the Lannisters, a family that has beaten nearly every other faction of characters on this show.
8. The Door (Season 6, Episode 5): Game of Thrones has always been known for its tragic moments, and it seemed that many fans would be used to those moments by the sixth season. However, The Door takes the tragic moments from this show to a whole new level by answering a question that not many fans have been asking about the character Hodor (Kristian Nairn), only for that answer to break the hearts of viewers.
7. The Lion and The Rose (Season 4, Episode 2): Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) is one of, if not the most hated characters in television history. Nearly every fan of this show was waiting for this psychotic spoiled brat to receive comeuppance for his horrific actions. It was surprising that it would happen so early in the fourth season. However, many fans were extremely satisfied to finally see karma arrive for the vicious young king.
6. The Mountain and The Viper (Season 4, Episode 8): Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal) instantly became a fan favorite when he was introduced in the fourth season. However, all viewers who were watching witnessed one of the most gruesome moments in the entire series when he fought Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson). This episode solidified the show’s rule of not getting attached to any characters.
5. Blackwater (Season 2, Episode 9): In the second season, the show presented its first episode with the major battle that has been building up in the previous eight episodes. Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) steps up to lead the Lannister army against Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane), who intends to become the king of Westeros and kill all of his enemies. The action is at the forefront of the episode with a large explosion, gruesome casualties, and some of the characters showing a different side to their personalities not seen before.
4. Hardhome (Season 5, Episode 8): Even though the threat of the White Walkers had been present on the show, it never really took center stage. However, Jon Snow’s (Kit Harrington) visit to a village far north proved to both him and the audience that the war to become king does not really matter when compared to the dangerous threat of the undead attempting to ravage their home. The thought of winter has never been more frightening until now.
3. Baelor (Season 1, Episode 9): It was this episode that introduced the show’s cryptic message that no character is safe. The death of Ned Stark (Sean Bean) has become one of the most shocking moments in the show’s history, as no one believed that the primary main character of a tv show would be killed off by the end of its first season.
2. Battle of the Bastards (Season 6, Episode 9): It seemed unlikely that Blackwater would ever lose its title of having the best battle on the show. However, Battle of the Bastards immediately snatched it once the fight between Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) and Ramsay Bolton’s (Iwan Rheon) armies commenced. Fans rejoiced once House Stark finally made their comeback by defeating the psychotic Ramsay Bolton and retaking their ancestral home.
1. The Rains of Castamere (Season 3, Episode 9): When Robb Stark (Richard Madden) arranged for his uncle (Tobias Menzies) to be married in order to seal an alliance, it seemed that things were finally looking up for the Starks. However, in quite possibly the show’s most infamous moment, all hope was ripped away, as Robb, his mother (Michelle Fairley), his wife (Oona Chaplin), his unborn child, and his entire army were brutally murdered by their so-called allies. Now known as “The Red Wedding,” this scene brought Game of Thrones to true glory, as it proved it to be a show that does not pull any punches, and treats their audience with respect but also reality. The slogan of the show’s plot becomes very clear in this episode. “When you play the game of thrones you win, or you die. There is no middle ground.”
