All the Game of Thrones Deaths We Somehow Made It Through
This post is dark and full of spoilers. You have been warned.
On Sunday night, the world said goodbye to Game of Thrones, arguably one of the most beloved shows in television history. And yeah, it's upsetting we will all have to find something new to do on Sundays, but at least our Mondays will no longer be ruined by an impending sense of doom over which of our favorite characters will make it out alive and who will end up on the Iron Throne.
But really, the show has been preparing us for the sadness and loss of our faves from the very start. Right from season one, fans learned that nothing and nobody was precious or sacred in the world of GoT. That included children, women, direwolves, the elderly, and the show's main character, Ned freaking Stark.
Because this show has been running for the better part of a decade, though, it's easy to forget all the notable people who've come and gone to meet the gods. So before we retire Game of Thrones from our queues (until we're ready to binge it again; well, some of us anyway), let's take a look back at the characters we parted with—a few in some seriously grisly ways. RIP.
Season One
Jon Arryn
Episode: 1
Cause of death: The audience never even got to know Jon Arryn, the former hand of King Robert Baratheon. However, we do quickly learn that he was poisoned to death, kicking off the entire mess with the Lannister vs. Stark battle that would rage on for years to come.
Mycah
Episode: 2
Cause of death: Poor Mycah, the butcher's boy, was only trying to play with his pal Arya. But when Prince Joffrey got involved, things went haywire fast. Mycah was later killed by The Hound, Joffrey's protector, for fighting the young prince. It's the reason The Hound's name landed on Arya's kill list…for a time at least.
Viserys Targaryen
Episode: 6
Cause of death: Viserys is one of those characters who just had it coming from the very start. Since he was the worst brother in the world, no one was really that sad when Khal Drogo, his sister Daenerys' husband, poured molten gold over his head. "A crown for a king."
Robert Baratheon
Episode: 7
Cause of death: Robert Baratheon drank too much wine, went out for a hunt, and got attacked by a wild boar. Little did we know then, but it was actually Cersei who ordered Robert's squire (and her henchman/cousin/lover), Lancel, to keep giving Robert wine so it'd dull his senses and slow him down during the hunt.
Syrio Forel
Episode: 8
Cause of death: Arya's beloved water-dancing coach died protecting his little protégé from Lannister soldiers. Although fans didn't see his death onscreen, it had a lasting impact on Arya, who continued to use his line "not today" for seasons to come.
Ned Stark
Episode: 9
Cause of death: In perhaps the most shocking death in the entire series, Ned was beheaded by executioner Ilyn Payne at the order of the newly crowned King Joffrey. The reason? He confessed to "treason" against the crown for telling Stannis Baratheon about his real claim the throne, since Joffrey wasn't really Robert's son.
Khal Drogo
Episode: 10
Cause of death: The short answer: Daenerys Targaryen smothered him by putting a pillow over his face. The long answer: Drogo was wounded during a fight with another Khal but dismissed it as a cut, and the wound became infected. It got so bad that Drogo was about to die, so Dany tried to save him by asking the witch/slave Mirri Maz Duur to perform blood magic. Not only did it require killing a horse, but also—to Dany's dismay—her unborn child. The magic did end up saving Drogo, but he was like a shell of the person he'd been, so Dany killed him out of mercy.
Season Two
Renly Baratheon
Episode: 5
Cause of death: Renly made it surprisingly far in the war for the throne. And he probably would have made it even further if his brother, Stannis, hadn't turned to Melisandre's black magic. Renly was officially killed by a shadow creature, but it sure did have the face of Stannis.
Pyat Pree
Episode: 10
Cause of death: Pyat, a magician in the House of the Undying, led Daenerys on a wild goose chase to find her precious baby dragons. He expected the young queen to bend the knee to him, but she roasted him by throwing out her first official "dracarys" and letting her children do the rest.
Season Three
Jeor Mormont
Episode: 4
Cause of death: The last of the good guys in the Night's Watch was stabbed in the back by Rast while the watchmen were north of the wall. It's OK, Rast later got his, thanks to Jon Snow and the gang.
Ros
Episode: 6
Cause of death: Ros, the prostitute who had a serious glow-up to businesswoman through her three-season run, was tied to a bed and shot with a crossbow by Joffrey. But really, Littlefinger has her blood on his hands too. He turned her over to Joffrey after finding out she'd been spying on him for Varys.
Talisa Stark
Episode: 9
Cause of death: As the first victim of the Red Wedding, Talisa never saw it coming. She and her unborn baby were repeatedly stabbed in the stomach by Lothar Frey.
Robb Stark:
Episode: 9
Cause of death: Yet another victim at the Red Wedding, Stark was shot by arrows from nearly every direction and got stabbed in the heart by Roose Bolton before finally dying beside his wife.
Catelyn Stark
Episode: 9
Cause of death: The last of the brutal murders at the wedding was that of Catelyn Stark. The mother witnessed her child, and future grandchild, die in a ridiculously brutal way. Then, Walder Rivers mercilessly slit Catelyn’s throat.
Season Four
Joffrey Baratheon
Episode: 2
Cause of death: In one of the more satisfying death scenes, Joffrey was poisoned at his wedding to Margaery Tyrell, which we later find out in season seven was all because of Margaery's grandmother, Olenna Tyrell.
Lysa Arryn
Episode: 7
Cause of death: During an argument with her new husband, Littlefinger, Lysa was betrayed and pushed through her own Moon Door.
Oberyn Martell
Episode: 8
Cause of death: Again, in one of the more upsetting deaths in the show's history, Oberyn had his head squished in by The Mountain during a battle scene. If only he hadn't gotten cocky at the end of the fight...
Ygritte
Episode: 9
Cause of death: Jon Snow’s first true love was shot with an arrow in the back by Olly, the youngest of the watchmen, during the Battle of Castle Black. She died in Jon's arms and we are still crying forever.
Jojen Reed
Episode: 10
Cause of death: Jojen was first attacked by a wight while attempting to get Bran to the Three-Eyed Raven. His sister Meera slashed his throat in a mercy killing.
Shae
Episode: 10
Cause of death: Tyrion strangled Shae, the prostitute he had fallen in love with, after realizing she had betrayed him and was consorting with his father.
Tywin Lannister
Episode: 10
Cause of death: Tyrion shot his evil, twisted father with a crossbow while he was paying a late-night visit to the loo after seducing Tyrion's love, Shae.
Season Five
Mance Rayder
Episode: 1
Cause of death: Mance, a one-time night's watchman turned Wildling leader, was shot by Jon Snow as a mercy killing right before he was set to be burned alive.
Barristan Selmy
Episode: 4
Cause of death: As a loyal advisor to Dany, Barristan was posed to play an important role in her assent to the throne. But all that was cut short when he was killed by the sons of the harpy.
Shireen Baratheon
Episode: 9
Cause of death: This one is almost too hard to discuss. Young Shireen was burned alive by Melisandre as a sacrifice to the Lord of Light as she screamed for both mercy and for her mother. Her mother later died by suicide after witnessing her daughter's death.
Stannis Baratheon
Episode: 10
Cause of death: Looks like sacrificing his own kid did little to help him win the war. Stannis was beheaded by Brienne of Tarth, who served his brother Renly, just one episode later.
Meryn Trant
Episode: 10
Cause of death: Arya got to work on her list by brutally murdering Meryn Trent as he assaulted a group of young women. And it was satisfying as hell.
Myrcella Baratheon
Episode: 10
Cause of death: Myrcella, perhaps the most innocent Lannister of them all, was poisoned with a kiss by Ellaria Sand. She died in her real father's arms just moments later on the way back to King's Landing.
Jon Snow
Episode: 10
Cause of death: How could anyone forget? Jon Snow was repeatedly stabbed by his own men from the Night's Watch because he let the Wildlings past the wall. But as we all know, that only lasted a night.
Season Six
Roose Bolton
Episode: 2
Cause of death: The horribly evil Roose was stabbed to death by his equally horrible son Ramsay.
Osha
Episode: 4
Cause of death: Osha, who did an outstanding job protecting the Stark children for several seasons, was savagely stabbed in the neck by Ramsay Bolton.
Hodor
Episode: 5
Cause of death: Hodor was killed doing his absolute best to give Bran a head start to get away from a swarm of wights. He held the door to save Bran’s life and we will all always be grateful.
Rickon Stark
Episode: 9
Cause of death: Rickon was shot in the back with an arrow by Ramsay Bolton, right before the Battle of the Bastards began.
Ramsay Bolton
Episode: 9
Cause of death: The Starks got their sweet, sweet revenge in the same episode when Ramsay was captured and Sansa fed him to his own dogs.
High Sparrow, Margaery and Loras Tyrell
Episode: 10
Cause of death: Both the High Sparrow and the two younger Tyrells were killed after Cersei burned part of her own palace to the ground with wildfire.
Tommen Baratheon
Episode: 10
Cause of death: Immediately after the death of his bride, King Tommen jumped out of his window.
Walder Frey
Episode: 10
Cause of death: Walder Frey finally got what was coming to him after the Red Wedding when Arya put her many faces to use and slit his throat at his own dining table.
Season Seven
Olenna Tyrell
Episode: 3
Cause of death: Everyone's favorite grandmother was poisoned by Jaime Lannister. But not before she went out like a boss and admitted to killing Joffrey.
Randyll and Dickon Tarly
Episode: 5
Cause of death: Randyll was kind of the worst, but Dickon! A gem! Both of them refused to bend the knee to Dany, so she burned them alive, dracarys style.
Viserion
Episode: 6
Cause of death: Well, this one was hard! The first of Dany's dragons to go, Viserion was killed by the Night King with a rather cool ice spear.
Littlefinger
Episode: 7
Cause of death: Arya and Sansa decided it was time for Littlefinger to stop his lying. So Arya slit his throat.
Season Eight
Lyanna Mormont
Episode: 3
Cause of death: Bear Island's tiny hero died after being crushed by a wight giant. But she managed to kill it in the process by jabbing a spear into his eye. Like we said, hero.
Beric Dondarrion
Episode: 3
Cause of death: After helping Arya escape, Beric finally died, for real this time, at the hands of wights—and we finally learned why the Lord of Light kept bringing him back.
Jorah Mormont
Episode: 3
Cause of death: After surviving grayscale and every single thing Dany threw his way, Jorah was finally killed by wights while protecting his one true love.
Theon Greyjoy
Episode: 3
Cause of death: Theon truly redeemed himself in the end when he died trying to protect Bran from the Night King.
The Night King
Episode: 3
Cause of death: ARYA!!! With the dagger move to end all dagger moves, Westeros' best assassin jabbed the Night King with a Valyrian steel blade.
Melisandre
Episode: 3
Cause of death: After surviving for centuries, Melisandre finally decided it was time to give it up and join the Lord of Light. All she had to do was take off her necklace.
Rhaegal
Episode: 4
Cause of death: In a supremely quick and surprising way, Rhaegal, Dany's second dragon, died after being shot multiple times by Euron’s giant crossbow.
Missandei
Episode: 4
Cause of death: After being captured by Euron, Dany's ultimate ride-or-die friend was beheaded by The Mountain at Cersei's order.
Varys
Episode: 5
Cause of death: It turns out Varys really may have had everyone's best interests in mind the whole time. Sadly, he was burned to death by a dragon after betraying Dany.
Euron
Episode: 5
Cause of death: Euron is likely the most annoying character in Game of Thrones history. Luckily fans didn't have to deal with him in the final episode, as he was killed by Jaime on the beach.
The Hound and The Mountain
Episode: 5
Cause of death: Clegane Bowl! The brothers finally got to battle it out to the death. And in a poetic twist, the two finally died by falling into the fire together.
Cersei and Jaime Lannister
Episode: 5
Cause of death: These two somehow got the sweetest death of all. Jaime and Cersei fulfilled the prophecy of dying in one another's arms as King’s Landing literally crumbled on top of them.
Daenerys Targaryen
Episode: 6
Cause of death: Welp, we definitely didn't see this one coming. After burning most of King's Landing, Dany took her seat on the Iron Throne and Jon Snow stuck a dagger through her stomach—bringing an end to "the wheel" Dany wanted to break after all. To say fans had mixed reactions is an understatement.
Originally Appeared on Glamour
