Game of Thrones’ final season is nearly here and with it comes a host of predictions, not only for how everything will end but also for the smaller things: Who will betray whom, who will die and when, who will get married and have happy little babies, and who will ride off into the sunset like Shane.

You can read all my predictions in the link below. It’s a year and a half old, but it’s still mostly what I think will happen…

Theorizing the final season of Game of Thrones

Instead of looking ahead, let’s look back. If there’s one thing that has defined the show over the past decade it’s a willingness to shockingly and brutally murder fan favorite characters. And not only that, Game of Thrones has been willing to kill off characters we would have considered the “star” of the show up to a half-second before his or her death.

Personally, I think this reputation—while earned—is a bit overblown. When you look back on the show’s most notable deaths, it’s easy to explain them away or justify them from a writer’s perspective. So let’s consider some of Game of Thrones’ most famous deaths (note that we’re discussing things from a show-only perspective)…

Robert Baratheon was the first major death in the show (not counting Jon Arryn, who is dead as the story begins). When you kill a King it’s almost always a big deal (and this show does love killing Kings); Bobby B’s death was perhaps a surprise but from a storytelling perspective it was a logical thing to happen. We had reached a crossroads where either the King would learn his wife had betrayed him or…well that’s just it. There was no way he wasn’t going to learn it without dying, and him learning it would have effectively ended a major part of the story right at the beginning. He had to go.

Ned Stark’s death was the big Season One twist. Those unfamiliar with the books no doubt looked to him as the “star” of the show. He was very much the protagonist, and even while other plots relating to Daenerys or the Night’s Watch had little to do with him, the show still felt like his show. But really, when you look back on it, was it that big of a surprise? “Killing the mentor” is a plot device as old as time. Killing the parent(s) so that the children can be forced to mature has been a storytelling trope from the beginning of fantasy stories. If anything, the fact that the show convinced everyone he wouldn’t die is a testament to the great writing: It was so easy to envision him being sent to serve on the Wall with Jon, plotting his eventual revenge…only to have it all end so abruptly.

Khal Drogo and Viserys both had to die in order for Dany to fly solo. It was immediately obvious that Dany was the central character in the Essos storyline, and Viserys was such a sniveling, pompous, entitled jerk, it was only a matter of time before he was axed. Drogo’s death was maybe more surprising but not when you think of his story in relation to Robert B’s. Both had reached the point where their next step would be the end of the story: Either Drogo amasses his army and sails to Westeros or…he dies. This being the first season should have made it clear that he was not long for the world.

Robb Stark’s death was obviously a surprise, but more for the time and place of it all. We had conditioned ourselves into seeing the Young Wolf as the true successor to Ned Stark’s storyline, but in hindsight, it should have been obvious that he was dead meat: The moment he broke his vow and married another woman he sealed his fate. Storytelling 101: Actions have consequences.

Joffrey Baratheon was such an odious little toad it was only a matter of time before cosmic justice caught up with him. As with Robb, the timing might have been a surprise, but few watched him take his final pathetic breathes and thought “I didn’t see that coming.”

Tywin Lannister had a death that was sort of the bizarro-version of Ned’s. Eddard Stark needed to die so his children could evolve into the next phase of their characters. So too did Tywin. His death was the catalyst for Tyrion, Jaime, and especially Cersei taking their next steps. As incredible as he was (maybe the best-realized character in the series), he was holding too many other great players back.

Jon Snow is still dead in the books and his death there was not as big a shock as Robb’s or Ned’s; it’s pretty clear that Jon warged into his direwolf Ghost at the end of A Dance with Dragons. There’s no warging into Ghost in the show, but still, Jon’s death lacked the same oomph that Robb’s had a few years earlier. By the time we reached season five, it had become clear who the two main heroes were (Jon and Dany) and there weren’t any other obvious contenders (except maybe Jaime) like there were when Robb was killed. Jon’s death always seemed more like a “cliffhanger” than a “finale” and his almost-immediate resurrection only proved everyone right (personally I think George RR Martin will keep Jon dead for almost all of The Winds of Winter, just to better-sell the impact of his death). Most were just waiting for him to come back, whereas everyone moved on from Robb and Ned as soon the screen went black.

Ramsey Bolton, meet Joffrey Baratheon.

Everyone in the Sept dying wasn’t really a shock since the show spent a whole slow-burn sequence building up to it. It was shocking in the method and in the number of bodies it claimed, but from a writer’s perspective, it felt like the Game of Thrones showrunners were clearing the deck of some characters they no longer had a use for, paving the way for the tighter, smaller-in-scope final two seasons. But still…what a sequence, right? The music is incredible.

Please accept YouTube cookies to play this video. By accepting you will be accessing content from YouTube, a service provided by an external third party.

YouTube privacy policy

If you accept this notice, your choice will be saved and the page will refresh.

Littlefinger is arguably the most important villain in the whole Song of Ice and Fire. There’s good reason to believe he started Robert’s Rebellion by lying to Brandon Stark (Ned’s older brother), saying that Lyanna had been “abducted” by Rhaegar, when in fact they were lovers running off to elope. Littlefinger certainly is to blame for the War of the Five Kings because he was the one who told Lysa to poison her husband Jon Arryn, which brought Ned to King’s Landing to finish Jon’s investigation about the illegitimacy of Robert’s children. Littlefinger has been a scheming manipulator from before the start of the show. It was always just a matter of time before he was taken out, and while I think his death will be “bigger” in the books, it was hardly a surprise in the show when he finally got outwitted.

*****

So there you have the ten or so biggest and most shocking deaths in the show’s history (so far). All of them can be explained away as “not so shocking when you think about it…” except for one. There’s one more death that stands the test of time. There’s one more death that, every time I watch it, I shake my head in disbelief and sadness at the injustice of it all. One death breaks all the rules of Storytelling 101.

Oberyn Martell.

Oberyn Martell was a man on a mission of vengeance. What he sought was the cleanest, most honest, black-and-whitest kind of justice in the whole saga. Typically Game of Thrones has characters with shades of grey. The villains often have some trait or background that makes us, at least understand why they are so evil. Even Joffrey is a product of incest and terrible upbringing. Ramsey was an unloved bastard son of a man who got his jollies flaying men alive. Littlefinger was a scorned lover and a small man in a big man’s world.

And so on.

But Oberyn’s enemy was the Mountain. His was a grudge against a mammoth of a man who raped and murdered his sister and slaughtered her children. There is no honorable quality to the Mountain. There is no “other side” to consider. He’s depicted as the most black-and-white, simply-evil bad guy in all of Game of Thrones. More than any other, this should have been the most cut and dried of all fights in Game of Thrones.

Oberyn agreed to fight on behalf of Tyrion after the single greatest “dialogue” scene in the show’s history…

Please accept YouTube cookies to play this video. By accepting you will be accessing content from YouTube, a service provided by an external third party.

YouTube privacy policy

If you accept this notice, your choice will be saved and the page will refresh.

Everything about this was so perfectly set up. Tyrion had already been in a similar situation in season one. He got out of it when Bronn fought as his Trial By Combat champion. Bronn fought and Bronn won, and Tyrion walked away smug and alive. That was just for jollies. This was serious. This had stakes.

Unlike Joffrey or Tywin or Littlefinger or everyone at the Sept of Baelor, Tyrion still had a story to tell. Oberyn was introduced earlier in the season in a big, “this guy’s important” sort of way; he seemed poised to have a multi-season arc. Meanwhile the Mountain hadn’t uttered more than three lines and had changed actors twice over. The writing was on the wall: Oberyn would get his revenge, Tyrion would go free, and a season would end with a little happiness for a change. A little justice. A little—

SWERVE!

If you watched this without knowing the books, this was the death that made you scream the loudest. Or maybe it’s just me. Even knowing what was coming, even after all these years and many rewatches, I still cry out “NO you idiot!” This was the death where Game of Thrones perfectly pulled the rug out from the viewer. No other death has been so…unfair. No other death has felt so needless. No other death has been so unsatisfactory.

I have a hunch, long after the show is ended and we look back on its legacy, the death of Oberyn Martell will remain Game of Thrones most shocking.

What do you think?

Let us know in the comments below!

COMMENTS

Please read our Commenting Policy before you join in with the discussion.

Note: If you have email notifications enabled, please check your email spam folders to ensure emails are not missed.

3 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Arabella

1 year ago

I’ll never forget when Shireen was burned alive. I was chilled to the bone when she started begging her parents to save her. She was just a child and hadn’t hurt anyone. Shireen was such a delightful character. I was furious at her parents for offering their daughter as a sacrifice.

Snarky-Guru

For me it was Myrcella Baratheon who was poisoned by Ellaria Sand. Jaime Lannister came to save her and they made it to the ship and thought all was well. She let Jaime know that she knew Jaime was really her father and that she was glad about it. Then she died in his arms. It was tragic!

Stargazer

I have the same reaction when Oberyn was killed. I haven’t the book yet, but that death was very undeserving. The death of Joffrey did not even give justice to the death of Oberyn because he did not feel the pain that Oberyn felt before dying, both physically and emotionally.

Cookie	Description
_pxvid	This cookie is used for detection of the browser and distinguishing whether it is a real user or malicious bot.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	This cookies is set by GDPR Cookie Consent WordPress Plugin. The cookie is used to remember the user consent for the cookies under the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-non-necessary	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Non Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	This cookie is used to keep track of which cookies the user have approved for this site.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-preferences	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Preferences".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-uncategorized	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Uncategorized".
CraftSessionId	This cookie name is associated with the Craft web content management system, where is functions as an anonymous session identifier.
csrftoken	This cookie is associated with Django web development platform for python. Used to help protect the website against Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks
DSID	To note specific user identity. Contains hashed/encrypted unique ID.
JSESSIONID	Used by sites written in JSP. General purpose platform session cookies that are used to maintain users' state across page requests.
PHPSESSID	This cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
viewed_cookie_policy	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Cookie	Description
b30msc
btc
CMST
cref
d
gpl
i
icts
ig_did
mdata
na_rn
na_sc_e
na_sr
na_srp
session_depth
visitor-id

Cookie	Description
__gads	This cookie is set by Google and stored under the name dounleclick.com. This cookie is used to track how many times users see a particular advert which helps in measuring the success of the campaign and calculate the revenue generated by the campaign. These cookies can only be read from the domain that it is set on so it will not track any data while browsing through another sites.
__stid	The cookie is set by ShareThis. The cookie is used for site analytics to determine the pages visited, the amount of time spent, etc.
_ga	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, camapign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assigns a randoly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gat_gtag_UA_60765351_1	Google uses this cookie to distinguish users.
_gid	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
ad-id	Provided by amazon-adsystem.com for tracking user actions on other websites to provide targeted content
demdex	This cookie is set under the domain demdex.net and is used by Adobe Audience Manager to help identify a unique visitor across domains.
DigiTrust.v1.identity	Registers data on visitors’ website-behaviour. This is used for internal analysis and website optimization.
dmvk	This cookie is set by DailyMotion who display videos, it registers statistical data of visitors' behaviour on the website.
gid	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
GPS	This cookie is set by Youtube and registers a unique ID for tracking users based on their geographical location
is_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
is_visitor_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
sc_is_visitor_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
v1st	This is set by DailyMotion to display videos.

Cookie	Description
__asc	This cookie is used to collect information on consumer behavior, which is sent to Alexa Analytics.
__auc	This cookie is used to collect information on consumer behavior, which is sent to Alexa Analytics.
__qca	This cookie is associated with Quantcast and is used for collecting anonymized data to analyze log data from different websites to create reports that enables the website owners and advertisers provide ads for the appropriate audience segments.
_cc_aud	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_cc	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_dc	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_id	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_kuid_	The cookie is set by Krux Digital under the domain krxd.net. The cookie stores a unique ID to identify a returning user for the purpose of targeted advertising.
_px2	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
_pxff_tm	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
_pxhd	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
ab	This cookie is generally provided by agkn.com and is used for advertising purposes.
ad-privacy	Provided by amazon-adsystem.com for tracking user actions on other websites to provide targeted content to the users.
ayl_visitor	This cookie registers data on the visitor. The information is used to optimize advertisement relevance.
bafp	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bafp_t	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_pl	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_rf_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_rt_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_t_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_td_2d31c94105a0aa6d1ceaea0c86c6b656	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bito	This cookie is generally provided by bidr.io and is used for advertising purposes.
bitoIsSecure	This cookies are generally provided by bidr.io and is used for advertising purposes.
bsc	The cookies is set by ownerIQ for the purpose of providing relevant advertisement
CMID	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
CMPRO	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
CMPS	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
dc_id	This cookie is used to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising networks with the website operator's permission. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers.
did	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
didts	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
dpm	The cookie is set by demdex.net. This cookie assigns a unique ID to each visiting user that allows third-party advertisers target that users with relevant ads.
eud	This cookie is from Rocket Fuel and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
euds	This cookie is from Rocket Fuel and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
everest_g_v2	The cookie is set under eversttech.net domain. The purpose of the cookie is to map clicks to other events on the client's website.
evo5_popin_instance	Prevents an interaction from reoccurring for visitors not accepting 3rd party cookies.
id	This cookie is set by DoubleClick (which is owned by Google) to build a profile of the website visitor's interests and show relevant ads on other sites.
IDE	Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile.
io.narrative.guid.v2	This cookie is generally provided by io.narrative.io and is used for advertising purposes.
KADUSERCOOKIE	This cookie is generally provided by pubmatic.com and is used for advertising purposes.
KTPCACOOKIE	This cookie is generally provided by pubmatic.com and is used for advertising purposes.
matchliveramp	This cookie is provided by w55c.net and is used for advertising purposes.
mc	This cookie is associated with Quantserve to track anonymously how a user interact with the website.
mxpim	This cookie is generally provided by mxptint.net for advertising purposes.
na_tc	This is a Social Media sharing tracking cookie.
NID	This cookie is used to a profile based on user's interest and display personalized ads to the users.
nnls	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
pxrc	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
pxvid	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
rlas3	The cookie is set by rlcdn.com. The cookie is used to serve relevant ads to the visitor as well as limit the time the visitor sees an and also measure the effectiveness of the campaign.

Cookie	Description
__jid	Cookies set on the website by the third-party commenting platform Disqus.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
disqus_unique	These cookies are set by Disqus so that users can comment on website/platform.
G_ENABLED_IDPS	The cookie is used by Google and is used for Google Single Sign On.
mid	The cookie is set by Instagram. The cookie is used to distinguish users and to show relevant content, for better user experience and security.
na_id	This cookie is set by Addthis.com to enable sharing of links on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter
ouid	The cookie is set by Addthis which enables the content of the website to be shared across different networking and social sharing websites.
ov	This is a generic functional cookie that provides enhanced functionality and personalisation.
ts	This cookie is generally provided by PayPal and supports payment services in the website.
vuid	These cookies are used by the Vimeo video player on websites.

Which was the most shocking death in Game of Thrones’ history?

*****

Oberyn Martell.

SWERVE!

You might also like

FIND THE TOPICS YOU WANT...

Recommended for you