Game of Thrones was full of iconic moments. Heroic and honorable deeds intertwined with gruesome deaths, war, and betrayal. The result was an often cruel but always compelling blend of stories that kept audiences engaged and invested.
The many characters in Thrones got their chance to shine throughout the show's eight seasons. And while some had shorter roles than others, they all left their mark on the narrative and in the audience's mind. All these moments, even those that are too vicious or unforgiving, are unforgettable in their own way and a big reason why Game of Thrones was, at its peak, the best show on television.
Jorah's Sacrifice
For eight seasons, Ser Jorah Mormont was Daenerys' loyal protector. He loved her in silence, although his love was painfully evident to anyone with eyes, except for Daenerys herself. And despite his betrayal, he atoned for his mistakes and made his way back to his beloved Khaleesi's side.
Jorah meets his ending during season 8's climactic Battle of Winterfell. He dies protecting Daenerys from a horde of wights, refusing to give up even though he's literally bleeding to death. The sequence is long and gruesome, but it's a fitting ending for the character, who died like a true knight.
Sam Kills A White Walker
Sam is perhaps the most underappreciated character in Thrones. Everyone always takes him for granted, believing him incapable of ever achieving anything noteworthy. In the end, Sam gets the last laugh, as he ends up getting everything he ever wanted.
During the season 3 episode "Second Sons," Sam surprises everyone, including himself, by killing a White Walker. Forced to defend Gilly and her son from the ice zombie, Sam rises to the occasion and, wielding his dragonglass dagger, stabs the White Walker.
Theon Dies A Stark
Arguably no character goes through a wilder journey than Theon Greyjoy. He begins as the Stark's ward before betraying them and (briefly) taking over Winterfell. He then gets captured by House Bolton and suffers unspeakable torture at the hands of Ramsay. After helping Sansa escape from the Bolton-controlled Winterfell, he begins a gradual process of atonement that ultimately ends with his sacrifice during the Long Night.
Theon's death confirms that, despite his many mistakes, he was a Stark who eventually found his way back home. Seeing him give his life to defend his true family is a heartfelt but earned moment and the perfect ending for his traffic character.
Jaime's Confession
While some characters become worse as the show goes on, the opposite seems to happen with Jaime Lannister. Due to his many traumas and experiences, he becomes more moral and honorable with each season, atoning for his sins and possibly earning his redemption.
Jaime's time with Brianne of Tarth, in particular, has a profound effect on him. The two develop a close bond that allows him to lower his defenses and open up to her. As they take a bath, Jaime recounts the details of his infamous killing of the Mad King. It's an intimate scene that humanizes Jamie and one of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's finest acting moments.
Tyrion's Trial
Peter Dinklage is a tremendously gifted actor. And Tyrion Lannister was, at least during the first four seasons, the show's best-written character. Dinklage's take on Tyrion was a unique blend of pain wrapped around a very distinctive panache. The result was one of television's most complex and compelling characters and one of the show's most sympathetic figures.
Tyrion gets some of his best moments during season 4 when Cersei accuses him of Joffrey's murder. His trial scene remains one of Thrones' most iconic and violent moments, and not a single drop of blood gets spilled. Instead, he fights his battle with an impassionate and furious speech that remains as powerful today as it was back then.
Cersei Burns The Sept Of Baelor
Going from arguably the best Lannister to the absolute worst, Cersei was, by season 8, the show's main antagonist. She was always power-hungry, but things took a turn for the worst after her Walk of Shame. Alone, numb, and broken after the deaths of her children, Cersei allowed her worst instincts to take control and became more shameless and violent than ever.
To rid herself of the Sparrows, a threat she created in the first place, Cersei blows up the Sept of Baelor, officially becoming the Mad Queen, long before Daenerys went berserk in season 8. Cersei's wicked smile of fulfillment at the sight of green flames is one of the most chilling yet oddly satisfying moments in Thrones history.
Sansa Becomes Queen In The North
Sansa begins the show as a spoiled and entitled little girl but ends it as an experienced, hardened, and capable young woman, ready to be Queen. Her journey is full of trauma, all of it undeserved and some of it wholly unnecessary. Yet, Sansa keeps going, never allowing it to stop or define her. She becomes strong not because of it but in spite of it.
The show ends with Sansa becoming Queen of an independent North. She succeeds where her father and older brothers failed by putting the North first, always. A skilled politician, Sansa proves herself as a worthy leader and the Queen that the North needs and deserves.
Arya Stark From Winterfell
Like Sansa, Arya also goes through a lot during her journey. Audiences practically see her grow up before their eyes, watching her go from spirited and defiant child to hardened and skilled assassin. Arya is, arguably, the show's greatest hero, a self-made warrior who overcame every obstacle in her way and lived life by her own rules.
Arya has plenty of memorable moments in the show, including killing Meryn Trant, eliminating House Frey, and ending the Long Night. However, none come close to the ending of the season 6 episode, "No One." After her savage training in the House of Black and White, Arya kills the Waif and finally becomes no one. However, she reclaims her identity, at last understanding that what she looked for always existed within her.
Daenerys Burns Kraznys
For seven seasons, The Mother of Dragons was Thrones' most inspiring character. After literally being reborn from the flames, Daenerys became a savior, a beacon of hope for the oppressed and mistreated. She always was a conqueror and had no problem with killing people she deemed unworthy.
Like Arya, Daenerys has a plethora of memorable moments in the show. Nevertheless, her final scene in season 3's "And Now His Watch Has Ended" is both shocking and satisfying. After pretending to exchange Drogon for the Unsullied army, she surprises the slavemaster Kraznys by revealing her fluency in Valyrian. She then burns him and sacks Astapor, ordering her army to kill every slaver and free every slave. Finally, she frees the Unsullied, who nonetheless remain with her as free men.
Jon Fights The Battle Of The Bastards
Jon Snow may know nothing, but he's still the show's de-facto lead. A classic hero, Jon is honorable, honest, brave, courageous, and noble. All his qualities make him a sitting duck for Westeros' most ruthless, but Jon never gives up. His sense of duty forever outranks his wants and needs.
Jon's most memorable moment has to be his fight against the Bolton army in season 6's pivotal episode "Battle of the Bastards." The battle itself is exhilarating and brilliant, a non-stopping sequence of thrills that keeps audiences at the edge of their seat. And it's Kit Harington's performance that keeps the whole thing together. Grounded, vulnerable, and raw, he is the audience's eyes and ears on the battlefield, taking them straight into one of Thrones' most unforgiving and jaw-dropping battles.