"Oh Shit" Moments: 'Game of Thrones' Edition

On Sunday the greatest spectacle in television history begins its final chapter. Game of Thrones season eight premieres and—36 days after that—it finally comes to its long awaited end. Before we get there, I thought it would be fun to reminisce on all the moments that made our jaws hit the floor in the previous seasons.

10. Rickon Stark forget to zigzag.

In the ninth episode of season six of Game of Thrones, the brooding commander of the Wall Jon Snow and his wildling army faced off against the sadistic and brutal Ramsey Bolton in the Battle of the Bastards. This entire episode was unbelievably entertaining and featured a variety of different, memorable moments, but the truly jaw dropping occurred when Rickon Stark was given the opportunity to reunite with his brother. All little Rickon had to do was run across the battlefield while Ramsey shot arrows. I doubt the phrase “zigzag” has ever been screamed in fury throughout history more than it was during those 30 seconds. Alas, the forgotten Stark decided to run straight and true and a Ramsey arrow ended his life.

9. Viserys Targaryen gets his crown.

Viserys Targaryen, the middle of the three Targaryen children and older brother to the fan-favorite Dany, was a whiney douche-nozzle from day one. He cared about only one thing—regaining control of Westeros and his crown. He sold his sister to a Dothraki horse lord and then had the whined his way across the Dothraki Sea. He refused to learn about foreign cultures, instead pretending that simply being from Westeros made him better than everyone else. I think most everyone wanted to see Viserys die. But holy shit his death was brutal. After drawing steel in Vaes Dothrack, Viserys demanded that Khal Drogo (Dany’s husband) give him his crown. Drogo obliged. After melting down gold, the great Khal poured the molten metal onto Viserys’ head, killing the whiney Targaryen. The final clunk of Viserys coincided with the clunk of my jaw as it hit the floor, witnessing the first of many memorable deaths in the series.

8. Jon Snow's true identity is revealed.

So I’ll be honest—internet message boards kind of ruined this one for me and it would probably be higher up if I didn’t see this theory beforehand. But regardless, how can I not mention the reveal that Jon Snow is actually a Targaryen. In the early seasons of Game of Thrones we hear the history of Robert’s Rebellion. We are made to believe that, in a supremely stupid act of lust Rhaegar Targaryen (the eldest son of the mad king and the oldest brother of Dany) kidnapped Lyanna Stark and stole her away from her future husband, Robert Baratheon. We are made to believe that Jon Snow is the one and only bastard of Ned Stark, the most honorable man in Westeros. But everything we came to know and believe was a lie. Ned didn’t have a bastard, Lyanna wasn’t kidnapped, and Jon Snow isn’t Jon Snow, but is, instead, Aegon Targaryen. He is the son of Lyanna and Rhaegar who were married in secret. His father died in battle against Robert and his mother died during childbirth so Ned took Jon as his bastard to raise in remembrance of his sister. The true oh shit moment wasn’t the initial reveal (again, the internet ruined that), but the seconds after when I realized all of the consequences that have resulted from this lie. The Targaryen dynasty fell, Robert’s Rebellion was based on a lie, Dany isn’t the rightful heir to the throne, and Jon Snow is a much, much more powerful player than I believed him to be in season one.

7. The Wall comes tumbling down.

We are first introduced to the Wall in the very first season of Game of Thrones. It is the dividing line between the kingdoms of Westeros and the wildlings that live on the other side. The Wall was created over eight thousand years ago (apparently by Bran the Builder) through the use of magic. The Wall is a wonder of the world in the Game of Thrones universe and it was thought that it would never fall. But the final episode of season seven flipped the bird to that idea as the Night King, riding on the newly acquired undead Viserion, simply burned (melted?) down the wall. The first thought after this scene had to be “oh shit” because now there is nothing separating the people of Westeros from the dangers that can be found in the wild places north of the Wall.

6. The Purple Wedding

The best villain in Game of Thrones history has to be King Joffrey, the bastard son of Cersei Lannister and her brother, Jamie. Joffrey assumed the throne after his fake dad, Robert, died at the tusks of a boar. King Joffrey was a sadistic, cruel ruler who gets a lot of enjoyment from tormenting those below him, specifically Sansa Stark. After being betrothed to Sansa, Joffrey changes his mind and instead decides to marry Margaery Tyrell, the oldest daughter of the powerful Tyrell family. After four seasons of dealing with this infamous villain, Joffrey finally meets his end during the Purple Wedding. He drinks a glass of poisoned wine and, in a moment that I will always remember, dies in the hands of his mother. This moment was the first time in a long time that we, as fans, were given a real moment of happiness and was truly one of the most memorable moments of the show.

5. "The Kind in Da North" (x2)

After the untimely death of Ned Stark (more on that later), his eldest son Robb, along with the rest of the men of the north, is at a crossroad. He was intending to ride south and demand the release of his father and two sisters, but now there is no Ned Stark to bargain for. Those men of the north make the decision easy in an epic moment where they declare the annexation of the North and the Riverlands from the Seven Kingdoms and name Robb Stark the King of the North. This moment was epic because it set the stage for the War of the Five Kings and was the first major step in the conflicts that would continue for the next three seasons.

But wait, there’s more. This series gave us a second “king in da north” moment in season six. After the Battle of the Bastards, Jon Snow reestablished the “Kingdom of the North” and was named the new king by Northern houses and the Knights of the Vale. For the first time in the shows history, Jon had a full army under his command and was given control of both Winterfell and the entire north. He was finally realizing his destiny and this moment was even more amazing because of it.

4. The Night King raises the dead.

In season five of Game of Thrones, Jon Snow and wildling Tormund Giantsbane go beyond the wall in a desperate attempt to bring the wildling army south of the wall to the land of the living. After lengthy arguments, Jon and Tormund finally convince a small group to accompany them south, but it’s too late—the White Walkers had arrived. In a fantastic battle, Jon and the living fight the White Walkers and the army of the dead. After killing a White Walker with his Valyrian steel sword, Jon and his crew escape on the last boat. They turn to face a beach covered in the dead and see the Night King who is locking eyes with Jon Snow. Like the quiet badass that he is, the Night King slowly raised his arms. Like marionettes drawn by an unknown power, the dead wildlings slowly stood up, their eyes now blue. This moment was shocking and actually portrayed the full power that our heroes, the heroes of the living, would be fighting against.

3. The Red Wedding

The Starks are the heroic family of Game of Thrones and for three seasons, we as a fan base cheered for the Young Wolf, Robb Stark. King Robb waged a war against the Lannister family and for three seasons he seemed invincible. He out maneuvered Tywin Lannister, captured Ser Jamie, and won our hearts. Talisa, a healer from Volantis who eventually becomes Robb’s bride, stole his heart. This act of love broke a vow with the vengeful Walder Frey, and the plans for the Red Wedding were put into place.

This episode had a series of “Oh Shit” moments that happened in rapid succession. First, the Lannister song “The Rains of Castamere” played. Oh shit, something bad is going to happen. The Freys silently filed out of the room, barring the door on their way out. Oh shit, something bad is going to happen. Catelyn, Robb’s mom, notices that Roose Bolton is wearing chainmail. Oh shit, something bad is going to happen.

Walder Frey calls a halt to the celebrations and begins talking to Robb and Talisa. And then a man stabs Talisa in her abdomen, killing both her and her unborn baby as Lannister men rain arrows down on the Starks. Robb dies. Catelyn dies. Fan’s hopes for a happy Stark ending die. The series has never looked bleaker for the Stark family than it did at the Red Wedding and it truly was an epic “Oh Shit” moment.

2. Ned Stark's Trial

The second biggest “Oh Shit” moment in Game of Thrones history occurred all the way back in season one when fans still had some hope that this would be a classic fantasy story that had one honorable hero to follow all the way until the end. Ned Stark was the cornerstone of honor, but this honor would be his downfall. After discovering the dark truth about Cersei and Jamie, Ned attempts to stand between Joffrey and the Iron Throne. He is betrayed by Littlefinger and held prisoner in Kingslanding. Ned is given a choice- either he admits he lied about Cersei and Jamie and take the black, or stand by his statement and be executed. Ned, in a moment of character weakness, makes a false confession stating that he lied about Joffrey in order to seize the throne. He lies, hoping to save his two daughters from imprisonment by the Lannisters. But, as we know, Joffrey is a cruel king. Instead of sending Ned to the Wall, Joffrey instead decides to have him executed. As Ser Ilyn Payne’s sword slices through Ned’s neck, we as an audience are shell-shocked. This was the first moment in the show where we realized that anyone could be killed off. Game of Thrones wasn’t a traditional fantasy story and no one was safe. Many people have died since then and there have been quite a few other “Oh Shit” moments, but nothing can quite compare to the death of Lord Eddard Stark.

1. Hodor holds the door.

Hodor was the loveable, intellectually disabled giant who lived in Winterfell that we as fans fell in love with throughout the first six seasons. He was unable to say anything other than “Hodor.” This affliction was a mystery that we as an audience didn’t even realize we needed an answer too. But in season six, we received that answer and it was amazing. Bran Stark, also known as the Three-Eyed Raven, had the unique ability to warg into humans. After accidently alerting the Night King to the secret cave north of the Wall, Bran, his companion Meera, and Hodor attempt to escape, but the undead come on too fast. Hodor, paralyzed with fear, was unable to pick Bran up until the young three eyed raven wargs into the man. The three companions dash through the cave towards a back entrance, but the undead are gaining on them. Knowing she has to save Bran, Meera shouts at Hodor to “hold the door” against the undead, screaming the order over and over again. We see through Bran’s flashback that this order, combined with the stressful situation and Bran himself warging into Hodor, was the reason a young Hodor had collapsed and forgotten about everything except this one order—to hold the door.