For seven incredible seasons (before its incredibly despised last) Game Of Thrones took fan's expectations and subverted them in a way that added intrigue, heartbreak, brilliance, and shock to the narrative in the best possible ways. One of the most essential tools used for this was the death of major characters, of which there were many.
This all kicked off in season one with the execution of Ned Stark, and from that shocking death onwards, anybody and everybody was fair game for death, proved time and time again throughout the show's seventy-three episodes.
Season 1, Episode 9 - "Baelor"
The penultimate episode of the first season of the show was home to the death of the honorable Eddard Stark, changing the course of the show's history, and manipulating the expectations of fans.
Executed at the behest of King Joffrey, Ned did not deserve to die and was a brilliant main character to that point. His death shocked fans who believed an actor like Sean Bean would, by the rules of TV, survive until the end.
Season 5, Episode 10 - "Mother's Mercy"
The finale of season five sees the last pathetic effort from the wholly hateable Stannis Baratheon, and he finally, after all his deluded, heinous acts, gets killed.
His death came at the hands of Brienne of Tarth after a battle against Bolton forces at Winterfell. Executed for the killing his brother, whom Brienne swore an oath for, his death was poetic, but arguably not painful enough considering all he had done.
Season 7, Episode 7 - "The Dragon & The Wolf"
Petyr Baelish, more commonly referred to as Littlefinger, attempted so sneakily, and with such cunning, to climb the ladder of chaos. And after seven seasons of being a master manipulator and grade-A creep, he got the death he so deserved.
While Baelish was fun to watch, the pain he caused the Starks with the setting in motion of the War and betrayal of Ned earned him his throat-slitting at the hands of Arya, after the last failure of manipulation of her and her sister.
Season 8, Episode 3 - "The Long Night"
The final season of GoT had so many problems, from the reduced number of episodes, the lack of care from Benioff & Weiss, and bad writing. While the first seven seasons shone with subversion of expectation, the final season sunk with surprises for the sake of surprises.
The third episode, perhaps the most anticipated episode in history, was the Battle of Winterfell. T he heroes against the Night King and his army and was disappointing to many. It has a few deaths, such as Theon Greyjoy, Beric Dondarrion, and Jorah Mormont, but the biggest was, of course, the death of the Night King at the hands of Arya, a remarkable moment with a death that very much divides fans.
Season 6, Episode 9 - "The Battle Of The Bastards"
From one battle that disappointed many to another than blew everybody's mind, the Battle of the Bastards is the best battle in the show, period.
The ending of the battle provided the most satisfying death in the show, the death of its most sadistic, cruel, and evil individual, Ramsay Bolton, who is fed to his dogs by Sansa Stark in one of her best moments.
Season 8, Episode 5 - "The Bells"
Jumping back to the final season, while the Battle of Winterfell was pretty incredible, just with some slight issues, the fifth episode of the season is where many lost all hope.
As Daenerys becomes the Mad Queen and burns down Kings Landing, murdering innocent civilians, the divisive deaths of Jaime and Cersei Lannister occur, as the two die in each other's arms as their home crumbles on top of them.
Season 4, Episode 10 - "The Children"
GoT has many villains who are easy to hate, but from a performance and narrative standpoint are incredible characters. Tywin Lannister fits that description more than perhaps anybody.
The season four finale sees an end to the process of Tyrion's trial as he gets sentenced to death, only for Jaime to allow him to escape. On his way out, Tyrion discovers Shae in his father's bed, proceeding to heartbreakingly kill her before murdering his father as he sits upon the toilet.
Season 8, Episode 6 - "The Iron Throne"
The series finale of GoT may be the worst episode in the show's history, with so many awful decisions, capped off by Tyrion pretty much handing Bran the title of King of the Seven Kingdoms for reasons that make no sense, an outcome Bran apparently predicted.
The catalyst for the change in power came when Jon Snow murdered the Mad Queen, Daenerys Targaryen, a central character of the show from the very beginning and the source of so many theories. Many fans were disappointed by her arguably predictable death, but only because everything that surrounds it is so bad.
Season 4, Episode 2 - "The Lion & The Rose"
It was pretty clear that Joffrey Baratheon was never going to win the Game of Thrones and would eventually get killed by some enemy of his or another, and his death coming in the second episode of season four during the Purple Wedding.
While at the celebration of he and Margaery's wedding, while ridiculing his uncle Tyrion, Joffrey chokes to death, having gotten poisoned, a crime for which Tyrion gets blamed despite it being the work of Littlefinger and Lady Olenna. It is another incredibly satisfying death, and one of the biggest in the show.
Season 3, Episode 9 - "The Rains Of Castamere"
There are so many major deaths in GoT that stick with fans long after the show and that have penetrated the pop culture zeitgeist, so even those who do not watch it know about the deaths. Examples include Ned Stark's execution, Jon Snow's death, and subsequent resurrection, and, of course, the Red Wedding.
Coming in the penultimate episode of season three, the Red Wedding is one of the most famous, brutal, and tragic events in the show's run. It sees the Stark's betrayed by Roose Bolton and his forces, as well as Walder Frey, with the Stark forces present at the wedding killed alongside Robb Stark, Talisa, their unborn child, and Catelyn Stark.