There’s only twenty days left until the season premiere of Game of Thrones season 7! Can you stand the wait any longer, people? Well, you have to- but we’re going to make that wait a little easier for you all with some entertainment.
There will be plenty of options! Earlier today, we opened up our newly revamped forums, as a place for all our readers (book readers and Unsullied alike) to hunker down together as this Long Night ends. So mosey on over to the WotW Community Forum to find your spot!
You can also look forward to the return of our Game of Thrones Memory Lane, starting July 6th. Last year, we counted down the last fifty days until the premiere of the new season by looking back on the first fifty episodes of the series, one each day. Since we’re completists, we’re going to refresh our memories and recap the season six episodes this year in the final ten days leading up to July 16th’s season 7 premiere.
Now, for today’s entertainment! Well, the title is a bit of a spoiler, isn’t it?
Welcome to Day 1 of The 101 Greatest Moments of Game of Thrones! We’ll be getting revved up for the new season by spending the next five days counting down the 101 most amazing, heartbreaking, game-changing, beautiful, funny, horrifying, memorable and important moments from the past six scenes of our favorite show.
What’s the criteria? Subjective. That’s why everyone hates and loves lists, isn’t it? There’s always controversy, and there will be here, I’m sure, because oh boy, we couldn’t fit some great scenes on the list. We’re spoiled for choice. But the Watchers on the Wall came together to create this list, and tell you a little about these scenes and moments, and here we are. We’ve enlisted a few readers to share their thoughts on the countdown entries along the way, as well.
And if you don’t like our choices? Make your own damn list! No, seriously, make your own list. We’d love to see what you all would choose for your top 101. Or top 101-81, since that’s how we’re organizing today. Or tell us what you loved about these scenes!
Enough with the introductions. Let the countdown begin!
101. Opening Scene, Episode 101 “Winter is Coming”
Where else could we begin our list but with Game of Thrones’ opening? The curtain rises with the Wall’s portcullis as the ill-fated Will, Gared and Ser Waymar Royce depart Castle Black. The Night’s Watchmen riding out give us our first staggering glimpse of the Wall and the lawless lands beyond it, filled with strange shapes and murderous creatures. It’s an effective introduction to the magic, terror and mystery of Game of Thrones; it’s no wonder HBO released the first 15 minutes of “Winter is Coming” two weeks before the series premiered! With this as the bait, fans were hooked from the get-go. – Sue the Fury
100. Arya Says Goodbye to Needle. Episode 503, “High Sparrow”
Though this is one of the most memorable scenes in A Feast for Crows, it’s also one of the many that is not easy to translate to the screen, as it has no dialogue. Without resorting to an uncharacteristic soliloquy, Maisie Williams must express what Needle means to Arya only with the power of her acting… And she knocks it out of the park. Throwing away her raggedy old clothes is easy enough (I imagine Arya was as happy for a change of clothes as Williams was), but Needle is another story. She perfectly captures the deep feelings associated with this blade — her feelings for Jon, the feelings for the whole Stark family and their home, and the tragedy that befell them both. – Luka Nieto
99. Stannis Shares a Memory With His Daughter Shireen. Episode 504, “Sons of the Harpy”
Stannis’ touching conversation with his daughter is one of season 5’s tougher scenes to re-watch for obvious reasons. Still, it remains a powerful exchange that highlights the struggle between heart and duty that made Stannis, well, Stannis. He really did love Shireen. Make of that what you will. – Petra
98. Margaery Bests Cersei in a Battle of Wits. Episode 503, “High Sparrow”
Until this moment, Cersei had always wielded the greater power in the superficially saccharine but fiercely antagonistic relationship she shares with Margaery… but now, the tables have turned, and the new Queen is loving it. In a series of incisive and darkly hilarious remarks, Margaery mocks Cersei’s age and her dependence on alcohol, stokes her mother-in-law’s fears about her dwindling status into a full-blown obsession, and openly revels in her own position as the master of Tommen’s heart (and his … everything else). Cersei, seething but politically hamstrung, has little choice but to stand there and suffer a barrage of insults delivered through a veneer of excessive courtesy that cuts deeper than knives. When the Lioness retreats, the Rose’s laughter ringing in her ears, the murderous look on her face makes it clear that she is determined to silence that laughter forever. Through shame and fire, she would eventually find her way. – Jared Kozal
97. Arya Bids Goodbye to Hot Pie and His Wolf Bread. Episode 303, “Walk of Punishment”
In a sentimental and poignant scene, Arya bade farewell to Hot Pie. He remained at the Inn at the Crossroads to serve as payment for all the meals the Brotherhood Without Banners had eaten there. As the Brotherhood departed, Hot Pie gave Arya a loaf of bread vaguely resembling a direwolf (at least he tried!). It was tender and funny moment, with Hot Pie awkwardly wishing her well and mispronouncing her home’s name (Winterhell – close enough). Here’s hoping they reunite…and that Arya is impressed by his improved direwolf dough-sculpting skills. – Vanessa Cole
96. Robert and Cersei Share an Honest Moment About Their Marriage. Episode 105, “The Wolf and the Lion”
We all know the story; this conversation was a late add, owing to the need to pad the episodes that came in way too short. It’s hard to believe it wasn’t part of the original script, but sometimes inspiration comes from perspiration, and here we see how a marriage between adults who hate each other is still a marriage between adults. Robert here treats Cersei with respect in his explanation of how a Dothraki invasion could expose them; he (finally) doesn’t mince words about their relationship. But the acting, so strong here between Lena Headey and Mark Addy, conveys much about a shared history there that nobody else has. Marriages that end make history like that seem painful, but it remains theirs, just the same. – Greatjon of Slumber
95. Bran Witnesses The Creation of the Night King. Episode 605, “The Door”
This scene felt momentous as soon as it began, with the Children of the Forest creepily sacrificing a First Man by a weirwood tree; it was clear we were in for something big, and we were. The vision (along with Leaf’s later added historical context, much needed for non-book readers especially) may be one of the most striking lore revelations of the whole show: the Children of the Forest used dragonglass to weaponize First Men in the war against them, thus creating the White Walkers. It may be an understatement to say that plan got out of hand. This scene matters because understanding the villain is a key part of making them interesting; and who knows, knowing about the origins of the White Walkers may be crucial to winning the new war for the dawn. – Luka Nieto
94. Stannis Saves the Wall. Episode 410, “The Children”
It was glorious. It was cathartic. The Wall was in danger and in a rare instance for Game of Thrones, someone showed up in time to save the day.
STANNIS!!!! I shouted in the IMAX theater. STANNIS!!!!
Stannis is dead now after doing some bad things. But this was Stannis in his prime: strategic, relentless, willing to change up his whole game because the North is part of the Seven Kingdoms too and he’s the king, goddamnit. – Bex
93. The Hall of Faces is Revealed to Arya. Episode 506, “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”
The beginning of Arya’s assassination training was a moment of wonder and terror for both her and the audience. After becoming as impatient as Arya, we’re finally guided through a chamber of identities and start to understand the power of the Faceless Men. The possibilities of the assassins are horrifying and intriguing as they begin to challenge the identity of Arya Stark. Maisie Williams’ impressive performance paired perfectly with Ramin Djawadi’s beautiful and chilling “House of Black and White” and will leave this moment one of my favorites from the lethal wolf. – Nate
92. Tyrion Slaps Joffrey. Episode 102, “The Kingsroad”
The slaps heard ’round the world! This was the moment Tyrion did what the entire viewing audience wished we could do. Joffrey showed his true colors by acting like a petulant child when Tyrion instructed him to give his condolences to the Starks, and Tyrion took him to task for it. With the show setting the stage for a Lannister/Stark conflict, this scene revealed that Tyrion would be a wild card in the deck – superficially siding with his family, but willing to oppose them when necessary. – Vanessa Cole
91. Theon Stands For His Sister Yara at the Kingsmoot. Episode 605, “The Door”
The Kingsmoot in Game of Thrones deviates considerably from its literary counterpart in A Feast for Crows but to me, this is the moment that makes it all worthwhile. Four seasons ago, Theon Greyjoy committed atrocities to avoid “being treated like a fool and a eunuch by [his] own people.” Here, he endures his uncle Euron’s jibes about his castration and the laughter of other men to endorse his sister Yara as queen of the Iron Islands. It’s a well-earned character moment and Alfie Allen absolutely gives it his all. – Petra
90. Barristan Selmy Offers to Carve Up Some Cake. Episode 108, “The Pointy End”
As a badass mostly by reputation, Ser Barristan Selmy is often accused of getting the shaft in the adaptation. However he had a few great moments, some of them quite emotional, such as when he gleefully told Daenerys stories about her brother Rhaegar and ominously warned her about his father the Mad King. But the first time show watchers sat up and took notice of the good knight was when he was dismissed from the Kingsguard. He faced it proudly, and made it clear that, old as he may be, he was still more than able to “cut through” the other five Kingsguards “like carving a cake.” Who knew Barristan had a way with words, too! – Luka Nieto
89. The Small Council Plays a Silent Game of Musical Chairs. Episode 303, “Walk of Punishment”
Let’s set the scene. Tywin calls his first meeting as Hand, and disposes all the chairs on his left side of the table. Each of the councilors then play out their roles in life in this little game: Petyr pushes past an annoyed Varys to prove just how great of a slimy fuck he is; Varys gets second place, and remains annoyed at life; Pycelle, who survives by never standing out but also never coming last, sits third; Cersei says “fuck it,” breaks the rules and moves her chair to Tywin’s right side; and Tyrion breaks the rules too but in a way that will annoy his father, making the chair creak and placing himself opposite Tywin, as a rival of equal stature. This scene is hilarious, but that might have not been enough to make it into this list. It earned the cut because each of their decisions is the perfect distillation of all of these characters, from Tywin’s mind games and his children’s foul play to the other councilmen’s varying levels of lickspittlery. – Luka Nieto
88. Tyrion Thwarts Death on Trial in the Vale with Bronn’s Help. Episode 106, “A Golden Crown”
Bronn shows up in episodes 4 and 5 of Game of Thrones‘ first season, but all one needs to understand about his character can be conveyed through his fight with Ser Vardis Egen, the first true duel of the show’s run. He “stands for the dwarf” more or less on a lark, wears light armor to avoid weighing himself down, conserves his energy – shown through Jerome Flynn’s lithe, smooth movements – and ultimately wins as a result of it. And true to Bronn, he flicks away Lysa Arryn’s admonition of how Bronn didn’t fight with honor with a quip: “No,” he says, glancing down at the Moon Door. “He did.” – Greatjon of Slumber
87. Littlefinger Pushes Lysa Through the Moon Door. Episode 407, “Mockingbird”
Wait, why is this a fucking “greatest moment?” There wasn’t anything “great” about this moment. This was a sociopathic manipulator taking advantage of a misunderstood, damaged woman who just wanted to be loved, all in the name of personal gain. I’ve told all of you on multiple occasions that this SOB isn’t dying anytime soon. Who submitted this anyway? You people are sick. – Oz of Thrones
86. The Hanging of the Night’s Watch Assassins and Jon’s Resignation. Episode 603, “Oathbreaker”
An oh-so-satisfying scene as Jon gets his revenge on the men that stabbed him. Don’t tell me you didn’t give up a little cheer when Olly copped it (or was that just me?). Owen Teale puts in a superb final performance as Alliser Thorne, his character staying true to himself right until the end. Jon gets another patented misery moment as his watch is finally ended. I can’t help but smile every time I remember that Dolorous Edd is technically Lord Commander now, which will definitely end well. – Geoffery
85. Catelyn Arrests Tyrion. Episode 104, “Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things”
By the time the audience and Tyrion realize what Catelyn is doing by appealing to all the men in the inn, it’s too late for him, and he has a dozen swords in his face. Cue credits! This is arguably the point of no return for the Lannister-Stark conflict, so Catelyn’s decision here is often perceived in retrospect as a fatal mistake, and rightly so. But wasn’t it so satisfying in the moment? One must remember this was a new show, season one, and the political stakes weren’t that high until this exact moment. Before, it wouldn’t have been crazy to assume the show would be all about noble family drama; after this, however, it’s very clear that war is on the horizon. – Luka Nieto
![20160602_ep609_Publicity_still_011.00098649[1]](http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160602_ep609_Publicity_still_011.000986491.jpg)
84. Daenerys Defeats the Masters Once and For All. Episode 609, “Battle of the Bastards”
In an episode dominated by Jon Snow’s near defeat in the North, Daenerys showed her dominance in the east. For those of us tired of the tedious politics of Meereen, Dany’s takedown of the masters was exciting to see. From watching her huge khalasar ride down the Sons of the Harpy to seeing all three dragons unleashed on the Yunkish fleet, this scene drew a collective “Hell yeah!” from the fandom. After six years, we finally got a taste of the “Fire and Blood” for which the Targaryens are known. – Vanessa Cole
83. Tyrion Sends Janos Slynt to the Wall. Episode 202, “The Night Lands”
Tyrion Lannister’s best year is his second according to most fans of both mediums, and that’s in no small part because seeing him in charge is such a delight. In this scene Tyrion gets his first taste of power, getting rid of the insufferable traitor Janos Slynt during dinner, and it’s just…delicious. Slynt being sent off to the Wall was the beginning of the end for him — but for Tyrion, this was only the beginning of a season of power politics, at a time when he got to flex his mischievous mind muscles more often. We miss that Tyrion, and this scene is a large part of the reason why. – Luka Nieto
82. The Legendary Fight at The Tower of Joy. Episode 603, “Oathbreaker”
Some book purists had nitpicks about the show’s depiction of the fabled showdown, but there comes a time when you have to throw aside your quibbles, and glory in a kickass sword fight. The scene is smartly framed as one of Bran’s visions, lending it extra weight as the boy watches his young father Ned (Robert Aramayo) duel the famous Kingsguard knight Ser Arthur Dayne (Luke Roberts) to an inglorious end. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve rewatched this scene for the sheer delight of it. From start to finish, it’s cool as hell and the teasing ending- cutting out as Ned heads up the stairs- leaves us all desperate for more. – Sue the Fury
81. Poisoned Myrcella Dies in her Father’s Arms. Episode 510, “Mother’s Mercy”
A Dornish scene being on this list may scare you off, but if it helps, this scene takes place at sea, away from poorly choreographed fights! For a few precious seconds, Jaime gets to be Myrcella’s dad. He’s never really been a father to his children (or else they would’ve been “stoned in the streets”, as he told Cersei). This is a big change for the Kingslayer, and he couldn’t have dreamed of a better result, as Myrcella already suspected the truth and, more than that, she is glad he is her father — a heartbreaking revelation that Nikolaj Coster-Waldau plays beautifully, in tandem with Nell Tiger Free. But then, of course, because this is Game of Thrones, all of our hearts break in a much less pleasant way as Ellaria’s devious machinations are revealed and Myrcella succumbs to poison. This may appear to be yet another sad step in the tragedy that is Jaime’s life, but for a few seconds there, Jaime got to feel like a father. More than that, a beloved one. – Luka Nieto
And that’s where we’ll leave you today. Tomorrow we resume with number 80, and the next twenty entries on our countdown!
And now it begins……
Hodor?
Edit: No door.
Allow me to get ahead of everyone by saying… ALL OF THESE ARE WRONG! How could you put XYZ in position 123???
Also, if “bad pussy” isn’t #1, then this list has no meaning.
Carry on.
Kingsmoot and Eurons big cock has no place in any hall of fame IMO. And I’d place the TOJ fight scene way higher. But each to their own- and so many great memories all the same 😝
Near impossible to pick 101 moments and even more difficult to rank them. I’ll enjoy the attempt however. 🙂
and psst, Arya with Needle on the dock… Way better than 100! HAHA!! Seriously, just nice to see it make the list.
GeekFurious,
Fun fact: on our google doc of the 101, someone added #999- Bad pussy
Where is the date of the red carpet premiere, where are the name of the episodes, at least the first one??
Good choices so far. None of my absolute favourites, but on my list the creation of the first White Walked would have been nearer the top. I recently saw The Door again and I’d forgotten how awesome that scene is.
The Myrcella-Jaime scene is the one scene from Dorne I’d have put on this list.
GeekFurious:
Dude.
You win the Internet today.
If I had a lick of sense, I’d log off now and go play in the sunshine. Alas, I lack sense and will, instead, spend the remainder of the day dissecting this list.
I won’t bother with my own list but Daenerys and dragons in Meereen is easily top ten on mine. I’ve watched that scene more times than any other in the series. Again though, it made this list of just 101 so tis all good. 🙂
If the LF-sexposition scene from season 1 isn’t getting the top spot, then life literally has no meaning 😛 jk jk
LF pushing Lysa through the moondoor still makes me laugh idc
I have many disagreements with these selections (how are the Tower of Joy duel and Battle of Meereen scenes above 80?!), but each of you have articulated your thoughts so well that it’s hard to argue with your picks. I’m looking forward to having friendly discussions about the relative greatest of various scenes here in the comments and in the forums over the course of the countdown. Thanks for all the new content heading into Season 7. We’re less than 3 weeks away!
Great idea!I agree with most of the choices.Jon’s resignation,Arya not getting rid of needle and Dany’s Meereen are way higher in my list though.
I could comment on each of these, but I won’t ramble on (too much). Just a few thoughts –
1) Arya & Needle; in any adaptation of any literary work, while it is nice to get little details ultimately what I am looking for is for the heart of the book character to come across on screen and for the show/film scene to make me feel the same as I did when I read it in the book. And for me, that is what this scene does. Each and every time I watch it, all I can think of is that passage in the books and those heart-wrenching words Needle was Jon Snow’s smile. Maisie completely knocked it out of the park in this scene; she lets us feel everything Arya is without even saying a word. For some reason, every time I read or watch this scene there is somebody nearby peeling onions. Strange that.
2) Tower of Joy; yeah, I have to admit to re-watching that scene A LOT myself. The fight was beautifully choreographed, and it had the same effect on me as it did on Bran – I wanted to go back to the Tower straight away!
3) Stannis at the Wall; I love this clashing of story arcs, and this scene sets up a lot of the season five Wall/Castle Black stuff. Looking at this scene again pre-season seven, one of the things I actually find most interesting about it is Jon and Davos trying to figure each other out. Yeah, Jon is trying to figure Stannis out, but he’s also trying to figure Davos out at the same time. And Davos’s focus isn’t on the King-Beyond-the-Wall – it is on the Night’s Watchman next to him.
4) The Kingsmoot; I love Alfie in this scene. He has done an amazing job as Theon, taking him to the brink and now trying to build him back up again. In this scene, Theon acknowledges that his sister is ultimately their father’s true heir, and takes Euron’s words on board with stoicism – he has learned that there are worse things you can do to a person than ridicule them. Theon no longer has the sense of entitlement he had in seasons one and two.
5) Jon’s Watch ends; I love this scene and have watched it back a lot! In episode 101 we are introduced to Ned Stark and the idea that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. Jon’s absorption of this teaching is heavily apparent in this scene, as he does so looking upon the faces of the men (and boy) who killed him. Owen Teale is fantastic as Thorne to the end – he and Jon never got along, and it ultimately ended up with both of them killing the other, and both of them feeling the executions they carried out were justified. And then his retirement announcement……..we’ve seen Jon ultimately choose the Watch over seeking out Robb and fighting his war, over Ygritte, over Stannis’s offer of Winterfell and the Stark name. His rejection of the Watch, for which he had fought and given up so much – even his own life – gave us a glimpse into the post-resurrection Jon.
All interesting choices – I would have ranked some higher, but then any list is subjective! Looking forward to seeing the other moments included.
Apollo,
It was really only Theon’s part of the Kingsmoot that made the list, which I agree with. I thought both Alfie Allen and Gemma Whelan were great in that scene. It was only when Euron showed up that the quality of the Kingsmoot took a turn for the worst.
I’m just going to try to look at it as 101 great moments in no particular order. It’s too difficult to actually rank them. Maybe I’ll wait until all 101 are shown and then grab my top 15-20 of the included. 🙂
STANNIS!!!! I shouted in the IMAX theater. STANNIS!!!!
Ah, Bex, I was so hoping there would be another IMAX event. It was a great joy in my little life to attend the one there was with a huge room full of other GoT fans, get the poster, and go home happy that what I had seen that night was definitely worth the money spent. As for that moment, yes, it was Stannis at his finest, most royal. Who could imagine the events that would follow that would undo him?
damaged woman who just wanted to be loved, all in the name of personal gain. I’ve told all of you on multiple occasions that this SOB isn’t dying anytime soon. Who submitted this anyway? You people are sick. – Oz of Thrones
OZ, it’s always fun for me to see your name here – as I’ve posted myriad times over the years, your column was what enticed me in the first place, in that long-ago “other place.” I found WotW because I was so annoyed when I couldn’t find that column again and had to hunt it down. So, thank you for leading me here. But, OZ, you were right about Lysa being damaged. She would have shoved Sansa right down the hole if LF hadn’t stopped her. That’s a little too damaged for my taste. I hate to say it dear, but she had to go. Another thing I remember about that moment: Petyr Baelish showed his true ugly self in that scene. Look at the look of fury, rage and hatred on his face when he pushed her. I’ll be glad to see him go, too.
An oh-so-satisfying scene as Jon gets his revenge on the men that stabbed him. Don’t tell me you didn’t give up a little cheer when Olly copped it (or was that just me?).
It was watching this scene when I realized how much this show had changed me. The old me soppy me would have been sad at the hanging – the GoT “me” was worried that Jon wouldn’t kill them all. I had become such a GoT fan, and such a huge Jon Snow/Kit Harington fan, that I did feel satisfaction at watching Jon cut that line
Sue the Fury,
That was me 😛
with all respect, but already its a really bad list.
Glad Tyrion finessing Slynt made the cut. I like scenes like this much better than the sorts of boffo action set pieces that I suspect are likely to dominate the top 20 or so.
One I’m hoping that someone up there in moderatorland will give some love on this list is the scene at Moat Cailin where Alfie Allen has to play Theon-as-Reek-as-Theon on Ramsay’s orders, and very nearly loses his precarious control when challenged by his fellow Ironborn. His acting is so superbly multilayered in that sequence that I’m just slack-jawed with admiration for the lad’s talent. How could anyone not root vigorously for the slimy little squid’s ultimate redemption after that scene? And why isn’t Alfie getting cast in all sorts of other acting projects, when other, much less talented GoT stars are?
Ryan Neuner,
I think people just don’t realize how many top notch scenes there are until you sit down and try to make a list of them all. They can’t all be at the top of the list. 🙂
I’m too lazy to do 101 moments, but I will do top 5.
5. Ned’s death. I hadn’t read the books yet and managed not to get spoiled on anything during the 1st season. I kept expecting someone or something to save Ned at the last moment. That’s what would’ve happened on any other show. It was quite a shock for me and knowing that no one is ever safe really sucked me in for good and got me to read all the books over that summer.
4. The Sept going up in a wildfire blaze. There were hints all throughout the books, especially AFFC that this might happen. It wasn’t exactly a surprise. But it sure was epic.
3. Dracarys! The first time we get to see that dragons really are a formidable and empire toppling weapon. I always loved how she used the Master’s sexist attitude against them. It never occurred to Kraznys for a moment that she would be able to trick him. It was such a bad ass moment that I named my feisty calico kitty Dracarys.
2. The end of the battle at Hardhome when the Night’s King stares down Jon and then raises all those wights. Sent chills down my spine. I love how the show gives us a little extra White Walker action.
1. The birth of the dragons. Also not a surprising moment. Those eggs were ubiquitous in Dany’s scenes for a reason and anyone could see it coming. But still very cool.
I’m not sure how the red wedding and hold the door didn’t wind up on my top five but they weren’t what sprang to mind right away for whatever reason. They’d be six and seven though.
Is someone going to go back through the posts and count the 101 scenes that one fan or another claims is the one where the show jumped the shark?
😉
Thanks for doing this? I’d been making my own “list” fot a while and was going to see whst other commenters would choose. Now you’ve done it for ne. 🙏
Question, though. …
Does your List rank the 101 best episodes in order ? In other words, is it a countdown until we reach your all-time favorite at #1 ?
I assume that’s the case.
But if the show were really that good, then wouldn’t all of the scenes in the top 100?!?!?
😀
OK, I’ll stop now. Actually, I’m pretty sure that I won’t: this sort of stuff provides such rich fodder for completely illogical assertions!
Ten Bears,
Yes, the list is in order. It’s not meant to be objective (obviously, I hope,) but there was a process, which began with the staff creating individual lists; the more repetition among the lists, the higher up they were in the shared draft composed by Sue. But it wasn’t that simple, and much thought went into the order later on, especially in the top 20, amongst all of us, adjusting against under-representation and for iconic, famous moments. Of course, our editor in chief here, who did most of this wonderful work, had a final say, as it should be. Basically, even setting aside the individual subjectivity of the writers, this isn’t a scientifically created list, nor could or should it be. But yes, in the end, there IS an intent of ascending quality as the list descends.
Sue the Fury,
That was going to be one of my first observations before adding my two cents on #101-#81:
How fortunate we are that there are 101 “best” moments.
One scene I’d put in that list is when Cersie read Littlefinger the riot act and told her guards to cut Littlefinger’s head off and Cersei stops her guards a second before they decapitate Littlefinger.
I’m very glad that Myrcella’s death in Jaime’s arms earned a place on this list. I don’t know why that death affects me so much, though Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Nell Tiger Free’s lovely performances in the moment are certainly a contributing factor. Perhaps because it happened only one episode after Shireen’s sacrifice, I was particularly sensitive to seeing another innocent young girl pay the ultimate price for the sake of someone else’s ambitions. But I vividly remember shouting “NO NO NO NO NO!” at the screen the first time I watched it, and on every subsequent rewatch, it’s never failed to break my heart. Thank you for doing the moment justice, Luka!
Of course, Oz’s statement on the fall of Lady Arryn is perfect. And that Tower of Joy GIF … I could watch that all day. Better yet, I think I’ll go watch the entire scene again, right now!
Flayed Potatoes,
That one’s #998 on the aforementioned Google Doc. True story.
I miss ol Stannis and Barristan.
I had exactly the same reaction. I don’t usually show much emotion when watching a show, even when I feel something deeply, but that time… I literally shouted “No!” repeatedly at the screen. I never do that. I haven’t done it since. This scene was special for me, for the reasons I described: Jaime getting to feel like a father (a father Myrcella is “glad” to have) cut me so deep that my heart was already wide open when the poison struck, so I felt that tragedy like no other.
Alba Stark,
Reply to Alba S, 5:47 pm
+ Clob, 5:01 pm
Re: #100 (????) Arya/Needle on Braavos Dock
• Alba, you said it perfectly: with no words and just facial expressions alone, Maisie Williams translated to the screen the wonderfully written “Needle was Jon Snow’s Smile” internal monologue from the books. I marveled at how she did that.
That scene from the books is one of a handful of excerpts I’ve read because I kept coming across online surveys asking readers to cite their favorite passages, and that internal monologue kept coming up over and over. I never thought it would be filmable, especially because GoT doesn’t do voiceovers. But they did it.
• Clob: No secret. This scene is way higher than #100. Glitch in the voting machine software no doubt.
• Did the scene description say “Arya Gives Up Needle” ? (I can’t scroll up while I type this to check.)
Because the whole point of that scene is that she CANNOT bear to give up Needle.
If I read it wrong or remembered it wrong, forgive me.
I’d have Greyworm’s pez-dispenser-making skills on here, just because he was so casual about it. 😜
Oh gosh yes. Jaime’s face. Ack my feelings.
Agreed. A lesser show may have felt the need to do a voiceover of Jon speaking or even a quick flashback. A lesser actress may have made it necessary. Maisie didn’t need any help.
Now I know for sure this show has changed me. Not only did I love the aplomb with which he dispensed those two, I laughed at your comment.
Yippee! I have two more to watch so I will be sooooo ready!
Great idea
I don’t know about 101 the series is full of iconic moments and people are going to disagree many times ..
But I know what’s my No.1 scene will be and I hope WOTW pick that as number 1 as well..
Just so be clear a scene is selected based or makes the list on what impact the scene had in the entire series ,right?
Edit didn’t work. Anyway, I tried to amend my comment above about #100 to clarify that thr scene description reads “Arya says goodbye to Needle.” She couldn’t bear to throw Needle in the water and hid it under some rocks instead, but no reason to get hung up on semantics.
Sue the Fury,
So many great moments – wondering how you and the group actually did manage to rank these!
Always wanted someone to do rankings on GoT music – I’ll start…
1) Light of the Seven
Clob,
Re: # 84 Dany +3 Dragons vs Masters’ Armada, S6e9
Clob: I’m with you on this one too. This scene was spectacular from start to finish, and is on my Perpetual Rewatch list.
I also thought it eclipsed the Stark v Bolton battle in the second part of the episode.
I don’t knoe where I’d rank it out of 101: Closd to if not in the top 10. but certainly not #84.
But that’s what’s so great about this exercise: we can debate degrees of “best.”
Oh wow, every one of those would be on my list. but my faves were 101 89 87 86 84 Looking forward to tomorrows list!
I know! We’re all just like “Excellent. Well done…bring me more wine.” 😉
Such an amazing scene, I agree with all of this. I could hear those lines going through her thoughts. Maisie can do expression acting as well as Iain Glen.
Ten Bears,
I’m not quite sure how something that fantastic (read ‘great’) ends up behind Tyrion sending Janos to the NW, but you know, whatever. *shrug* 😛
Re: #98: “Margaery “bests” Cersei in a battle of wits” ??!
I didn’t perceive Margaery “besting” Cersei. I saw Margaery sign her own death warrant.
As I’ve said in other recent posts, M’s sarcastic jibe about whether to now call Cersei “Dowager Queen” or “Queen Mother”; boasting about sexcapades with Tommen; and thst dig that she’d offer wine “but it’s a bit early in the day for us” – all in front of her gaggle of friends – sealed Marg’s fate then and there.
I would have preferred the Robb and Cat scene from “Rains of castamere ” to be in this 20 ….
Not the final segment but the opening scene one where they discuss about taking casterly rock and marching towards the Crossing and walder welcoming them..
The KiTN score by ramin djawadi and grrywind leading it was so moving considering what will happen later ..
Or it gets even more high ranking than I thought..
weirwoodtreehugger,
I like your list and all your scenes are in my top 10..
Its my opinion its not about which scene is most surprising but about which scene had greater impact in the story..
And hence I hope scenes like red wedding ,purple wedding and Jon snow dying doesn’t take the top spot…
I agree. This would be at least in the top 20 on my list, as well the Theon plays Reek playing Theon mentioned by Firannion. THAT’S some acting. Right up there with NCW/Gwen in the bath.
Thanks for this, eds/mods!!
Come on. Seriously? You’re joking, right? This is the bottom fifth out of 101. There are 80 to come.
Care to explain why you think this is already “a really bad list”? Were your favorite scenes underrated? Were
any of the selected scenes unwatchable?
This is our chance to celebrate what’s great about GoT. * Let’s talk about that.
* (The Sansa post is still going strong if you’d like to bask in negativism)
Yep, it is hard to come up with a consensus on favorites or bests from such rich source material but I am enjoying the effort and the commentaries with the selections. Glad the Tyrion chair scene got a mention (#89?) and for more insightful reasons than the humor of the long squeal of the chair being dragged across the floor to a position Tyrion wanted at the table. It always makes me laugh…
This is a nice way to review the past seasons without doing a re-watch. Looking forward to future lists. Thanks for putting this together!
Thank you for doing this. I am too lazy to do such an extensive list, but I am certainly enjoying it!
All of these scenes are really good, but the most significant ones for me are: Arya saying goodbye to Needle, Stannis letting Shireen know he loves her, Myrcella telling Jaimie that she suspected he was her father, the hanging of the NW assassins and the awsome fight between Ned and the others against Arthur Dayne.
The first three were very emotional for me, specially Arya’s, because Jon and Arya’s goodbye scene back in season 1 was responsible for making me care for this show, so remembering their special bond after all that had passed in the series made me choke along with her. All these scenes showed/reminded us of a side of Arya, Jaimie and Stannis that we may have forgotten or not known they had.
The execution of the NW traitors was very conflicting for me, because as much as I wanted a payback, I felt Jon’s struggle when killing a young boy that he liked and trusted. I know lot’s of people celebrated and fist-pumped. I could not. Left me soul-searching for a while.
Finally, the fight. Ever since reading the books, I always wanted to know more about the Daynes. Ser Arthur, in particular, is mentioned in every book by different characters as a truly respected figure. I’ve always been curious about him, his family and his friendship with Raegar.
Ten Bears,
Totally agree with you – given how carefully her grandmother instructed her, you’d think respect for others would be one of the top things on the list. But maybe it shows that she has pride, and a bit of cruelty along with her charms, something she may have needed to atone for. But yeah she signed her death warrant right there
I do agree that Arya’s needle scene needs to be much higher! That being said, maybe there really are scenes that are much greater! I look forward to see how the others pan out; so for now I reserve my judgement. But that scene was one of my favs in the book, and in the show
Pigeon,
Grey Worm’s 2-for-1 special was one of the things that made the Team Dany vs. Masters’ Armada opening segment of S6e9 better than the battle of the bastards itself in the second segment.
I cracked up when Grey Worm gave that slight tug on the bottom of his vest when he was done – like “ho hum just another day at the office.”
Dany with three airborn dragons pouring colums of fire on the ship was a great, screen saver-worthy visual. It was little extra details that added levity and elevated the scene further. I liked it that Missandei, Grey Worm, Tyrion and Dany all had a role in that scene. Grey Worm’s surprise neck-slashing of the two eyeliner-wearing * Masters and straightening his vest was a great moment for him. [I’ll bet Missandei was impressed: “Pillar or no pillar, that guy’s hot!”]
I also liked Tyrion patting the trembling surviving Master on the shoulder before doing a walk-off. Another nice touch.
* To be clear, they were executed for violating the peace pact they had made, not for wearing eyeliner.
Nice!
Flayed Potatoes,
How to forget the “Play with her arse” scene from season 1? Hilarious in a “so bad is good” way. Should be somewhere in the list just because of that.
By the way, good list, I will read avidly the next entries.
Alba Stark,
Re: #100, Arya with Needle on Braavos dock [S5E3]
For anyone who has not read the books, and specifically, the passages corresponding to the scene in S5e3, I’d commend you to the book-TV descriptions by Luka Nieto in today’s post, and by Alba Stark, Clob and others in the Comments in the thread above.
To really appreciate why many of us feel Maisie Willuams “knocked it out of the park” in conveying through facial expressions and body language alone, the emotions in Book!Arya’s internal monologue, you might want to read that passage (from “A Feast for Crows”?) and compare it to the show scene.
I’ve excerpted a portion of the internal monologue below. There was additional text before and after the excerpted portion that tracks the show scenes of Arys tossing her clothes and other brlongings in rhe water, and later, secreting Needle under some rocks. I don’t have those portions (sorry).
Still, the excerpt below contains the significant portion of the book’s internal monologue. In an abundance of caution, I’ll spoiler code the excerpt.
Arya on Braavos dock – Excerpt
from book (A Feast for Crows?)
***
Mikken’s mark was on the blade. It’s just a sword. If she needed a sword, there were a hundred under the temple. Needle was too small to be a proper sword, it was hardly more than a toy. She’d been a stupid little girl when Jon had it made for her. “It’s just a sword,” she said, aloud this time…
… but it wasn’t
Needle was Robb and Bran and Rickon, her mother and her father, even Sansa. Needle was Winterfell’s grey walls, and the laughter of its people. Needle was the summer snows, Old Nan’s stories, the heart tree with its red leaves and scary face, the warm earthy smell of the glass gardens, the sound of the north wind rattling the shutters of her room. Needle was Jon Snow’s smile. He used to mess my hair and call me “little sister,” she remembered, and suddenly there were tears in her eyes.
– GRRM
Pigeon,
I don’t want to go too far afield here, but as long as we’re talking about Arya scenes written by GRRM – who should rightfully be credited with many of the “best moments” on the show – there’s another passage I read that didn’t make it into the TV adaptation but (i thought) was on par with the Braavos dock scene.
Book readers can probably identify where it came from. Arya, having escaped from Harrenhall, is a “guest of the BwoB. at an inn or hideout. She sees a bunch of ragtag Brotherhood soldiers file in, and thinks she recognizes one of them from Winterfell, “Harwin.”
I can’t cite the book or chapter. A book reader would probably know wbere to find it.
All great and memorable moments on the list so far – Good choices.
I hope at some point Theon’s classic speech to his men at Winterfell and with Maester Luwen will be high up in the 101 list. I was having my evening meal with the tray on my lap whilst watching the telly and almost choked myself due to laughing so much hearing some of the comments Theon came out with – Great acting from Alfie Allen 🙂
Bex, ha! Yes!! was right there with you “STANNIS STANNIS STANNIS!” Why don’t they do more thrones IMAX!?!?!
Oz: bwahaha… your beloved Lysa will have her revenge. SOON (I hope)!
Did you steal that line from the second season of Star Trek, Spock?
I think you should come up with a list of the 20 greatest “gun-hanging” scenes in GoT thus far! 🙂
20) Olly witnesses Ygritte killing his father with a bow and arrow…
19)….
Hodors Bastard,
YAAASSS.
(Sorry, full of Arbor gold and incapable of intelligent commentary right now.)
Where were you a few days back when I was defending/missing Selmy as the greatest advisor that Dany will ever have? I was beaten and savaged by the unkind, deluded masses, left in a bloody heap, like what those bastard Sons of the Harpy did to the heroic Bold one…. (*still weeping*)
I maintain…Selmy is/was Dany’s greatest advisor….right after Tyrion, Jorah, Drogo, Viserys, Illyrio, Varys, Missandei, Daario, Yara, Duck Sauce and Quaithe of course. 🙂
“Sound the attack!”
Didn’t your maesters ever teach you to share?
Duck Sauce! Hahaha….yes, I still think of it as rather a poor end for him (to quote Ian McElhinney’s Twitter handle, ‘I used to play Barristan Selmy in Game of Thrones. Until he stopped living.’) POW!!!!! The mic drop he did on the Lannisters was classic. I do apologize for coming to your aid too late…just call me Greyworm. POW!!!
Jared,
Wait… Are you saying there’s a list of silliest moments starting with #999? That could be fun to debate.
Hodors Bastard,
Do you think they prematurely killed off Barristan to clear the way for prematurely bringing in Tyrion ?
Hah! I’m still reeling from your pez dispenser comment earlier. 🙂
It was probably right for the show. Can you imagine the sexual tension between Selmy and Tyrion as they competed for the Hand? Jk…it would have been a formidable team, if they trusted each other.
Most likely, the ballyhoo came from the folks who have read Selmy’s TWoW preview chapter. It’s pretty kick-ass and gloomy with a great speech…chaos and pending war without Dany in the picture…and it ends on a cliffhanger for the Bold one….Aaagghhh!
Yeah, that Imagine Dragon or Demanding Dragon guy.
I’m not gonna argue about the list, these are all great moments, and I’m looking for the rest, but…
I find it a bit confusing that each picture is above the title. I usually scroll down to the next title, read the text, and the picture below doesn’t match it… Am I the only one? (first world problems, I know…)
I’m currently on day 31 of my 50 day countdown to the new season on my tumblr blog. I’m posting one scene I love per day. It’s funny to look where my scenes place in your list. 7 of my 50 are already in your place 101-81!
Hodors Bastard,
Really I didn’t think it was that worse.
Ten Bears,
While I was reading the comments somebody had noted that it was already a bad list, or words to that effect. I thought about replying to it but decided well that person was probably just trolling so why bother. I don’t have a problem with people disliking the show – not every show is for every person – and to be fair the person I mentioned above just made a one line comment. When I was in my early stages of enthusiasm for ASOIAF/GoT (about 4 years ago) I read loads of ASOIAF/GoT related posts on websites and came across some cases where people had had the temerity to say something fairly mild to the effect that they found GRRM’s writing style a little quirky or convoluted and they had been jumped on figuratively by other commenters saying they were obviously thick because they didn’t appreciate the complexity of the world of ASOIAF.
I must have missed the vote for the 101 greatest GoT scenes somehow (I still come here fairly often even though I’ve been trying to cut down on visits to avoid new season spoilers – I know spoilers are covered on this site and I don’t have to click on them but “the flesh it is willing but the flesh it is weak”).
Tower of Joy not in the top 10 let alone in the top 50 is absolutely ridiculous
Wait what?! The scene where Arya cannot part with needle is only 100? What shit is this? Maisie William’s beautiful, wordless conveying of a beautiful book scene is right at the very end?
Not surprised though. Arya and Maisie always get the short end of the stick on this website.
I am sure the top 10 scenes will include Sansa being a boss-ass bitch.
The scene you’re thinking of is in Arya’s second A Storm of Swords chapter. 🙂
SerNoName,
Oh, I’ve usually found this site to be an Arya-friendly zone on the whole. It doesn’t necessarily follow that scenes featuring Sansa will rank at the very top.
I’d gone to YouTube to see if American Mum had posted a new GoT reaction video and, crumbs, Demanding Dragon has posted a series of (negative – why doesn’t that surprise me?) videos. I don’t have the patience to watch a 2 hour video on why someone thinks Stannis’ character was badly adapted from the books.
I guess the Hound and Arya and chicken fight at the Inn will rank very high?
This is one of my favorite scenes
If you are referring to the fight alone, we must agree to disagree. However, if you were thinking we were including the whole Tower of Joy sequence here, you must not worry. The show divided the sequence between two episodes, quite far apart too, so we couldnˋt really consider it a single scene or moment. You may just find the second part of the Tower of Joy further down the list, closer to the top.
Great idea for a new way to gap the wait time until Season8. I love the concept and the different comments on the scenes. Keep it up!
This is awesome guys. i obviously, love every scene ever made by the show, so this is great.
It would be really hard for me to make a list of my own lol. It would take a lot of time.
Two thoughts:
-I really think the fight at the Tower in Bran’s vision should be MUCHHHHHH higher 🙂 I actually just watched that yesterday in my GOT rewatch… it was soooooooooo amazing.
– The battle at Mereen should be in the top 50 in my opinion 🙂
Love this list though!
Hands down best scene in the whole show… Euron’s intro on the rope bridge.
#therealEuron
#HeneededSilence
Dee Stark,
In addition to my subjective thoughts above, I also think the scene with Jon’s resignation should be higher 🙂
I LOVED the Stannis saves the Night’s Watch scene… its one of our first major characters reunions and having two story lines that were so far apart meet 🙂
one of Euron’s mutes,
I cant stand Euron, I really hope none of his scenes make the list. Though im pretty sure that rope bridge scene will 🙁
Ten Bears,
HAHAHAHA
Aszusz,
I did the same!
Luka Nieto,
Its funny because I would probably rank the fight portion of the scene higher than the scene inside the tower, though both would be in my top 50. 🙂
I absolutely love both.
Is this confirmation that it isn’t at the top? 🙂
Dee Stark,
I would probably choose Euron’s kingsmoot scene at #997! (since 998 and 999 are already taken)
ghost of winterfell,
LOLSSSS
Hodors Bastard,
You wrote: “… It was probably right for the show. Can you imagine the sexual tension between Selmy and Tyrion as they competed for the Hand? Jk…it would have been a formidable team, if they trusted each other.
For a second there, it looked like you were going to compare events in book! Mereen’s final chapter with show! Mereen in the S6 finale, to set up the punchline,
“I liked the scene where Tyrion got the Hand job.”
(I saw that quip somewhere, without attribution. )
LESS THAN 20 DAYS!! Just updated our work countdown board and damn, so stoked!
Also… ZERO scenes with Ned….
That’s because theyre too amazing. Hahaha
Ned scenes I hope to see on this list.
Arya with Syrio Forel and Ned watching her Dance
Ned executes the deserter from the Night’s Watch
Ned and Jon final scene
Standing up to Robert and resignation from being hand of the king
Fight scene with Jamie
Ned and Lady:(
Luka Nieto,
Tower of Joy fight scene is the best choreographed fight scene the show has had and the weight of it makes it that much better. There’s definitely going to be more fights higher up on this list and that, is pure crazy.
85. Catelyn Arrests Tyrion. Episode 104, “Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things”
The first in a series of dumb moves by Catelyn. Every time I watch this scene I just shake my head knowing how much hell is about to break loose because of her incorrect assumption. Although, without it, we never would’ve gotten to hear Tyrion’s “confessions”, so I suppose it all worked out in the end (sort of).
Dee Stark,
The first scene with Syrio and Arya at the end of “Lord Snow” is perhaps my favorite scene in the entire show. The playful interaction between Syrio and Arya while that incredible score plays out in the background is just too perfect for words.
While wanting to quickly watch the scene again last night I came across this video of it with the audio book reading over the top and flashback shots. It actually sort of wrecks the scene in the way a voiceover would have, but for anyone that hasn’t read the books it’s good to hear:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDMzqafhdY4
Mr Derp,
I totally agree <3
Dame of Mercia,
We fans did not vote; the mods did, and given what had to be a very difficult job, I’ll cut them a lot of snack. Will be interesting in the coming days to see how the entire list plays out.
Dame of Mercia,
We fans did not vote; the mods did, and given what had to be a very difficult job, I’ll cut them a lot of snack. Will be interesting in the coming days to see how the entire list plays out.
Ten Bears,
Yes indeed!
This is a great idea!! Love reading through the scenes, and being reminded of something that I hadn’t seen in awhile (Not a lot of time for a re-watch, would love to do it sometime though)..
Oz ~ LOL I loved yours!
I will also say, the one Dorne scene I loved (If it can even be counted as that) Was on the ship, and the look on Jamie’s face when they passed the Island of Tarth… One of those great, underrated moments <3 🙂
Dee Stark,
This. The look of the amused but proud Ned watching her had me close to tears, knowing what was coming.
Mr Derp,
I really liked book Catelyn probably until she freed Jamie. In the show, I started to really doubted her from her last convo with Jon. Loved the character in all her complexity but she did manage to screw things up pretty badly. But then, so did Robb, Ned, add your favortie here….
Dee Stark,
I don’t like him either, but that bridge scene was pretty amazing.
In the books Barristan may very well survive the battle and still be in dany’s side even when Tyrion gets into the council of dany..
After seeing that promo video of Ramin Djawadi …can we have not 101 but say 50 or 25 greatest soundtracks in Game of thrones ..
When I sit and think about the greatest moments on the show I end up with different methods in which to rank them. It can be done in a number of ways based on specific emotions. It can be done in order of importance to the plot or how much of an impact the scene had on the story. I suppose that’s a reason why it’s hard to do a list such as this if everyone comes at it with a different ranking method.
I believe I’d have Daenerys defeating the Masters so much better than #84 because it would be very high on my list in just about any manner in which I rank ‘greatest moments.’ It induces a plethora of emotions. It has Tyrion in a position of control and command, but it also does for Grey Worm and Missandei as they participated. There were multiple scenes of those two being upset with Tyrion’s method and in the end their method was enforced. The importance in moving the story forward is unquestioned as it’s essentially the show’s version of completely untying the last of the Meereenese knot. Daenerys reunited her dragons and used them together in battle for the first time, her advisors were unified, she beat down the Masters, attained a fleet and brought her army divisions together all in one scene. Truly a great moment. 🙂
Why do people feel the need to pit Sansa against Arya in this thread when it’s not even necessary? There’s enough negativity in other threads.
I really like the scene where Cat arrests Tyrion. It highlights the fact that in GoT you may root for two “good” characters and they’ll still go against each other.
I hope the scene where Cat talks about Jon Snow and her inability to love him makes it to the list. It’s a quiet moment that shows a lot of her character.
Michelle Fairley was one the best actresses in the show, imo. If anyone deserved to be nominated for an Emmy, It was her.
I don’t think i could re watch everything before this season starts but what episode should i pick up with to lead me into this next season?
I think i might watch 5-3 (Jon takes Slints Head) then jump to 5-8 (Hardhome) and watch through to the end of season 6.
Clob,
Very true. You can rank them by how much they moved the plot, how well they were acted, how they were filmed…..but then the list becomes multiple lists that are just too combersom to discuss.
Probably comes down to just a subjective feel for scenes that were in all ways outstanding.
Thinking about it for me its the scenes that break my heart or melt my heart or bring joy to my heart. but thats just me.
I would hope so! That’s one of my favorite scenes also. The look of satisfaction on Arya’s face when she dispatched Polliver with Needle the same way he did to her friend Lommy after taking her sword says it all.
The look of surprise on Polliver’s face also when Arya says – “A nice little blade – Think I’ll use to pick my teeth!” The last think he hears as she plunges the blade into his neck!
‘Poetic Justice’ one could say…. Now – “I think I’ll take two chickens!” 😀
Ten Bears,
I personally feel that Cersei walking away from that interaction determined to bring Margaery crashing down is part of what makes the moment so great, which is why I made sure to mention that eventual outcome at the end of my write-up!
Margaery has bested Cersei in the sense that she has been seeking to become “The Queen” for years – marrying Renly and Joffrey to that effect – and now, she’s finally done it. She’s married Tommen, she’s consummated the marriage. It’s not theoretical anymore – she is the Queen, and Cersei, much as she loathes to admit it, has to acknowledge it. Before this, she had no compunctions about insulting and threatening Margaery to her face … because Cersei was the Queen, and Margaery was merely an ambitious upstart. Margaery was the one who had to watch her words carefully, because if she overstepped her bounds, she risked forfeiting the thing that she wanted above all else. Now, she has her crown, and Cersei is the one who has to watch her words. No more “If you call me sister again, I’ll have you strangled in your sleep.” That’s off the table for good.
So Margaery has bested Cersei in the sense that she has truly and effectively supplanted her, both in title and in Tommen’s affections (this scene is immediately preceded by Tommen – at Margaery’s urging – basically prodding Cersei to go home and live out her days at Casterly Rock. That’s why Cersei goes to see Margaery in the first place). But while Margaery is an expert politician, she’s not above pride and human fallibility. Now that she has locked in the power, she isn’t above gloating a bit, and in this moment, Cersei has no choice but to take it.
Unbeknownst to Margaery, this is essentially the high water mark of her life – before long, she’ll be scrambling to survive and protect her family, thanks to Cersei’s manipulations. If Margaery had been more gracious, would Cersei have been willing to let things stand? It seems unlikely. But there’s no doubt that the humiliation that Margaery inflicts on her here cements her desire to tear the younger woman down. So it’s a fateful exchange, especially with the benefit of hindsight.
In a way, I find it reminiscent of the dynamic between Robb and Tywin. Robb smashes Tywin’s forces on the battlefield, while Margaery bests Cersei in the realm of courtly intrigue and verbal jests. Recognizing that they can’t defeat their opponents in their respective fields, father and daughter resort to more underhanded tactics that could be considered bloody, Pyrrhic, and dishonorable, but ultimately prove to be effective.
So Margaery wins this particular battle, but it’s a costly victory because it compels her opponent to change the game, upping the stakes and changing the weapons with which their conflict is fought. And ultimately, Cersei wins the war.
Ten Bears,
No, it’s just those two. The Doc covers the 101 Greatest Moments, but someone added 999 as a joke, and 998 followed soon after. The rest are up to your own imagination, though I’m personally wary of going too much further down that road here, less this conversation prompt people to start indulging in negativity in what’s supposed to be a celebratory thread. Perhaps you could start a discussion in the new Forums, if you’re so inclined. 🙂
HunterMac87,
Why do you want to see 5-3? Although its a goodie, just curious why 🙂
I think another good one to watch is 5-4 – which I love because its the episode that spells out R + L = J
Hardhome is a good one to watch, as always, and if I were you I would throw in Mother’s Mercy as well… it would bring back all these emotions we had going in to season 6…. and then you watch season 6 🙂
I will hope for that but it did seem like the Bold one was destined for darkness (imho) early in TWoW. I appreciate your optimism. I treasure his speech to his motley crew of fighters before the portcullis is raised, much like I treasured the “Broken Man”, “North Remembers” and “Fire & Blood” speeches, among others. It would be quite fun to read a conversation between Selmy, Jorah, and Tyrion in TWoW, all of them defectors who have gone east before returning west (like Dany). Heck, maybe Penny and Missandei will team up…they could be a force of reason to be reckoned with! 🙂
What about the softcore porn scene with Theon and the captain’s daughter? 😛
Hodors Bastard,
His speech is great and i would Like to see more of him and red lamb having conversations..
I don’t value barristan as advisor like you do …he will play the role of commander in dany’s army ..jorah and tyrion will be the advisors ..
This is exactly the reason why I believe they will all live until dany takes them home …
I understand why show had to make the change with barristan with tyrion but I am willing to bet he got the same treatment of dany’s handmaidens and blood riders in the show..
What I wouldn’t have given to see dany arrive at dragonstone with Jorah and barristan behind her and having her handmaidens and blood riders get all awestruck at the architecture …
I would have been very glad to seem them instead of varys behind her ..
why’s that the 84th just on 84th?
A few scenes I feel safe in saying won’t be on the list:
Ned gives Jon his first ice fishing lesson, during which he coins the immortal phrase “Crappie are coming.”
Bran wargs into Nucky Thompson on “Boardwalk Empire” and returns with a high-pitched Brooklyn accent that only Meera can comprehend.
On a whim, Hot Pie replaces the kidney pie with pineapple pizza and is never seen again.
While I wouldn’t say this segment was better than BotB, I will agree it was wildly memorable for a long list of reasons, most of which you’ve covered. But one favorite part of that scene was watching Drogon fly in over the water, the whole time the Masters are telling Dany what their terms for her surrender will be, then jumping down to her side when she points to the place she wants him to land. Then scattering the whole bunch when he and Dany fly off. You could almost hear him say “move!”
I personally would have the Lysa Moon Door moment waaaaay higher (top 20 for me) but otherwise, a solid list so far.
. @GameOfThrones Jessica Henwick breaks silence on her season 7 involvement http://bit.ly/2uea38e pbs.twimg.com/media/DDV4phgXsAEfwK0.jpg
Jessica Henwick almost disappeared from GoT
101. Opening Scene, Episode 101 “Winter is Coming”
Yes, that’s a good scene, but a few minutes beyond that was the scene with the chopped up horse head circle. I had never heard of GoT Books, didn’t know a thing about the show except that there seemed to be a lot of excitement on the HBO boards about it and a lot of advertising. I was doing chores around the house when that episode played. When that circle showed up, then the little girl with the blazing blue eyes, I said wtf is this? this is different, and sat down to watch. I’ve been hooked ever since.
Jack Bauer 24,
If anyone had a doubt about what´s going to happen with the Sand Snakes….
I am curious what was the original idea with Dorne.
She almost couldn’t return because she was filming Iron Fist. Interesting though because wasn’t she under contract with GoT first?
Loving all this material to hold me over until the season starts! I have to agree with others, I think Daenerys’ fight in Battle of the Bastards would be one of my top picks too. I think what blew me away about it was how unexpected it was for me. Sure she had dragons and would win, but the way everything was done was truly amazing. I wasn’t into the Meereen storyline much but that scene made up for it!
We’re on re-watch and just saw that. The follow-up of her gleeful, smug look as she finally rides that white horse behind the Hound is priceless. BTW, we’re fast-forwarding thru Ramsay-Reek torture scenes. One time (three for me) was enough.
Like many of you, I cavil with some rankings (esp the Braavos scene and ToJ), but this is totally subjective. I trust the mods. Collectively, their choices certainly seem Top best scene material. For specific numbers, we’ll all choose differently. We might as well shoot an arrow into the air–it will fall on the spectrum we know not where. Meanwhile, the photos and capsule summaries are the perfect route to fond recollections of many moments that make GoT great.
Gfx,
yesss my thoughts exactly.
Comprehending that would stretch the limits of even the telepathic circuits of Doctor Who’s TARDIS…
Hodors Bastard,
Hmmm: I think that we need a 12 step program for your Penny obsession. Step #1 is me telling you that you have a problem…. 😉
Most probably on the closest Stark, I would think.
H.Stark,
The original idea was to not include Dorne at all past Oberyn. As they needed to have Jaime do something for awhile while Cersei messed things up in King’s Landing (and they didn’t want two seasons of roaming the Riverlands, I assume), they gave him that abbreviated Dorne storyline. From then on, whether it was because of the negative reception and the filming difficulties or because they hadn’t planned on doing much with Dorne to begin with (or a bit of both), Dorne returned to the background. According to Siddig, his character Doran was supposed to have a larger role in season six. We don’t know whether that means a more elaborate and spaced-out coup by Ellaria throughout the season or that Doran would execute the bastards, keep ruling and ally himself with Dany. Despite the books suggesting the latter, my guess is they had planned a season-long arc of Ellaria taking over, but decided to do a smaller version of that idea, partly because of the reaction to Dorne and partly because filming at the Alcazar, the Water Gardens, was so damn expensive and uncomfortable.
UNDERRATED favorite scenes that I’m looking forward to seeing where they land on the list:
* Tyrion rooting out Cersei’s spy in season 2
* Maester Aemon telling Jon Snow to “Kill the Boy”
* Grenn, Sam, and Edd find the dragonglass and the broken horn
* Viserys finally getting his “crown for a king”
* Anything with Syrio and Arya
* Anything Hot Pie related
* Melisandre telling Arya they will meet again
* The moment Ned realizes Joffrey is not Robert’s son
I could go on forever
Luka Nieto,
It seems that the big problem was: what to do with Jaime? The Riverlands really was kicking a dead horse after the Red Wedding. Sending him to Dorne was better: but a long way from “good.” Ultimately, they needed some way for him to try to be Tywin II but fail spectacularly.
It’s one of those situations where I can say “I didn’t like it, but I cannot offer a better idea.”
Amusingly, by tying the Blackfish’s attempt to reclaim his ancestral home with Sansa’s attempt to reclaim the North based solely on her family connections, Jaime’s venture in the Riverlands was not as bad in Season 6 as it was in the book. Still, he was more of a distal cause to thwart Sansa in many ways! Oh well, at least the scenes with Jaime & Brienne contributed quite a bit to the story, as did the scenes that got Jaime sent to the Riverlands in the first place. Besides, having a main character go on a little side-route to provide dilemmas for another main character beats having some random tertiary character do it. Perfect? No: but it does qualify for perfect’s arch-enemy, good! 😀
Thronetender,
What hooked me was the little girl zinging an arrow into the bullseye, mischievously curtsying, and then running off as the brother she’d just showed up gave chase.
Been there, done that… 🙂 🙂
You know I have fun with it but actually I’m quite fascinated by how GRRM inserted her as part of Tyrion’s west-to-east journey. I know you don’t care much for ADwD but I find Tyrion’s migration from being surrounded by ambitious royalty to being surrounded by humble Penny and a despondent Jorah most intriguing….quite possibly one of the most underrated developments in the story. With all the grand plot points achieved by the tale, there stands/sits/mopes Penny, quite literally representing the smallfolk.
Penny: “You have to be careful around big people. Be jolly and playful with them, keep them smiling, make them laugh, that’s what my father always said. Didn’t your father ever tell you how to act with big people?”
Tyrion: “My father called them smallfolk and he was not what you’d call a jolly man.”
Those small moments make the tale quite enjoyable for me.
If there was even a shred of doubt in Cersei’s mind about handling Margaery, I think Olenna sealed the deal when she called Cersei the worst person she knew, told her everyone in KL hated her, and finished the tirade with “the people despise you. You’re surrounded by enemies, thousands of them. Are you going to kill them all? by yourself? You’ve lost Cersei …” Benefit of hindsight, indeed.
Those remarks totally unhinged Cersei – if everyone was an truly an enemy (just as she had told Joffrey) then she had no reason to spare them, or show any mercy. I even said as much after that scene aired. That’s when I became a little less enchanted with Olenna’s big mouth than everyone else was who was cheering her on. Cersei wasn’t going to stand for that nonsense, not from Olenna, not after everything else that had happened. Olenna truly sealed Margaery’s fate, and her own sorrow.
Did they find a horn then? Hmmm, very interesting. You just know Sam still has the thing tucked away in his belongings, no? Or what did he do with it?
Ten Bears,
What hooked me was the little girl zinging an arrow into the bullseye, mischievously curtsying, and then running off as the brother she’d just showed up gave chase.
Perhaps Jon Snow was right: “We never should have left Winterfell.”
Yes, I was immediately enchanted by Arya, as well. Showing the loving (for the most part, poor Jon), active, vibrant family doing “family” things, right after the supernatural stuff, was an excellent choice. It drew me into the story even further. Then, from the “normal” back to the medieval, supernatural stuff with the beheading, the discovery of the direwolves and the talk of the sigils. What interested me most, on rewatching that scene in the courtyard, is that Jon was subtly featured far more than Robb. Jon helping Bran, Jon looking sideways at Cat, etc. We were shown from the beginning how important he would be to the story, only we didn’t realize it yet.
Thronetender,
I’ve been wondering about that horn for a while. Either it was just some sort of Easter egg by D&D to book readers or it may become significant later on down the road. It doesn’t seem to be anything important as of right now, but ya never know. I wonder if Sam kept it or what. The show hasn’t made reference to it since that scene.
I’m one of those “show only” people who don’t mind hearing about things from the book, as long as the book readers don’t get too testy about things being left out of the show. I know from reading those posts that a horn and the lore surrounding it had some significance in the books, but I didn’t remember Sam finding one. Hmmmmm. Hung gun? but as you say, it hasn’t been mentioned since, and I think one of the criteria of an official hanging is that it be referred to again. So, like you say, egg probably … but still …
You mean it’s not #1????
Mr Derp,
Yes! Tyrion ferreting out Pycelle as Cersei’s spy was a showcase for Tyrion’s talents. The best part of that sequence was when Tyrion, accompamied by his Hill Tribes friend (Shagga?), confronted Pycelle and threatened to have Shagga cut off Pycelle’s manhood and feed it to the goats. Reminded that they didn’t have goats, Tyrion replied with feigned exasperation: “Well, make do!” The way he said that cracked me up.
Syrio-Arya scenes are all gold. I think GRRM wrote those scenes, or they were lifted faithfully from the books. Are they “underrated” though? They are on my Perpetual Rewatch list: always enjoyable to rewatch. “Not today” has become a well-known tag line. Syrio’s final words and actions were one of those emotionally evocative moments that I believe qualify for Top Ten consideration:
Arya: “Come with me. Run!”
Syrio: “The First Sword of Braavos does not run.”
[*shivers*]
In 60 hours full of deaths by backstabbing, senseless slaughter, and execution, Syrio was one of the only characters to go out in truly heroic fashion.
Thronetender,
That scene, and the one while waiting for the royals to show up that Ned finds her hiding in a wagon with a helmet on her head, giggling
Craig Kell,
I am sworn by oath to challenge you, Ser, to a joust.
Thronetender,
Huh. I’ll have to go back and watch those WF scenes with a focus on Jon. Because as a clueless non-book reader who only started watching the show when HBO ran a S1-S2 marathon before the start of S3, I wouldn’t instinctively zero in on him.
Also – and I’m sure this was deliberate – Jon Snow started out as a sullen kid with a chip on his shoulders. I didn’t start to appreciate the character or the actor until I saw them both evolve.
(I had started doing my own “Best Moments” list for each character; my favorite Jon scenes showed him learning empathy in place of self-pity, and starting to promote the concept of “courage to make peace,”
LOL! But I fear it may be so.
Actually, I thought DwD was pretty good: it’s Crows that gets sea snake venom from me! I did think that the narratives were a bit long: for example, I really wish that GRRM had gotten Tyrion to Meereen before Daenerys had left.
The part that I did not like about Tyrion’s narrative was the big “hiccup”: he starts low, meets up with the Griffs and begins to rise from his ashes by realizing how much he loves the game, and then is given a double whammy of capture and then enslavement. I think that really disrupted the flow, and it also sort of disrupted the “Phoenix Rising” that we see will be seeing with Jon in Winter, and that we started to see with Bran, Arya and Daenerys at the end of Dragons (and as we see in Show!Sansa in TV!Winter).
However, I was fine with the whole Penny bit: if I had the magic editors red pen, then Penny would have made the cut! I do not think that it would have worked on TV: but, then, I’d like to see the page version do things that work well on page and the screen version do things that work well on screen.
(At this point, even though I was one of the people arguing in 2001 that Aegon the whatevereth of this name was alive and well elsewhere, I wish that GRRM had cut that part of Tyrion’s narrative; less Griff, more Penny, thanks!)
I find something quite interesting… Not interesting that I think it, but interesting in that so many others seem to think about it as well. Arya is obviously a fan favorite character so people enjoying her scenes isn’t unique. The interesting part is that so many of us really enjoy the characters she spends time with or come to enjoy those characters more during that time.
Think about it…
Syrio – his entire story inclusion was solely with Arya yet people love him and still wish/hope he’s alive.
Gendry – goes without saying with the shipping and all that.
Hot Pie – essentially a throw-away character that was initially a bully but earned a fan following with Arya.
Jaqen – mysterious faceless man that Arya was able to form a sort of friendship with because she helped him.
The Hound – a brooding, selfish beast of a man that in the most unlikely pairing became a fan favorite traveling with Arya.
Even on the show only, Tywin and Arya together was fantastic. Those scenes actually gave us the “tender” side of Tywin, if we could call it such.
Her time/scenes with Yoren, Beric and Thorus all gave us some different or more inner viewpoints of them.
While we never see much of it, her relationship with Jon started us off in this story with a soft spot for both of them because of it.
I never waver from Arya being my favorite character but looking at the relationships she’s had helps me understand why she is.
Luka Nieto,
I think they mercifully pulled the plug on their planned Dorne storyline when it started becoming clear that they couldn’t justify devoting precious screen time to it, in light of the underwhelming fan reception and (I assume) its relative insignificance to the story as a whole. I don’t mean it in a bad way, but it felt like euthanasia -by-rushed-rewrite when from out of nowhere a season began with Ellaria stabbing Doran, the diminutive Sand Snake felling the hulking Areo Hotah (sp?) with a pocket knife to the back, and Tristane getting Karl Tannered by his cousin. Siddig’s griping makes it sound like a broader story had been planned, but later truncated.
As for me? I liked Bronn’s flirtation with Tyene. It’s unfortunate some writer penned those two words that will go down in infamy.
Nor did I at first. It was only after I rewatched the whole series, I think after season 4, that I saw that even from the very first episode, Jon was taking the lead, Jon was the one teaching, encouraging the others. Watch the first episode again and see if you don’t agree, now knowing what we know of him.
Sam entering the Citadel library for the first time, to begin his wizard training. Short and sweet, with no dialogue, but all the feels.
Clob,
Arya’s relationships:
• Let’s not forget Ned. More than anyone or anything, it’s Arya and his moments with her that portray Ned as a good man and sympathetic figure. Arya’s presence on the statue of Baelor and that look of abject grief on her face as Yoren presses her head to his chest made that scene so horrific. I cannot bear to watch it again.
(By contrast, I’ve got swingin’ blue-faced Olly on perpetual rewatch; Janos Slynt’s decapitation paired on mixtape with his goodbye dinner with Tyrion; and Meryn F Trant’s ventilated face spliced to his Mr. tough-guy scenes in S1 beating Sansa and threatening Arya. )
• Lady Crane’s/Essie Davis’s interactions with Arya/Maisie W. were in my mind the best part of the Braavos arc.
• Did you mention Yoren? (I can’t scroll up to look.) Arya’s heart to heart with him, eg how to sleep with “those things…. in your head”, and Yoren’s story about “Willem” was great acting in a quiet moment.
Firannion,
Agreed! Alfie Allen doesn’t get anywhere near the love he deserves for killing it throughout Theon’s arc. Hopefully in the long run he will receive the recognition he has earned, and be deluged with offers for projects that are worthy of him.
Vincent Stark,
Interestingly, it cuts to Jon in the north immediately after that scene, and, upon re-watch, I realized that he was at the heart of the story, although I didn’t know why (unsullied), so it worked as an insight into Caetlyn, and a clue to Jon’s arc.
Ten Bears,
Good points on Ned and Lady Crane.
Essie Davis was MY vote for best guest actress of S6. I wholeheartedly believe she earned and deserved it with not just the amount of work she did but her performance. Her chemistry with Maisie and the joining of those two characters even in a small amount of time made us care about her.
Clob,
YES!! The characters she interacts with aren’t cardboard cutouts with no depth. The actors are also really great and Maisie really has chemistry with all of them. Such a talent! The scene where she asks Thoros if he can revive a man without a head breaks my heart.
Arya makes friends everywhere she goes, which says a lot about her character, considering all the terrible experiences she’s going through. She genuinely cares about others and it shows.
But what was general viewer reaction like? One thing that big franchises like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Doctor Who have shown is that fan-reactions and general viewer reactions are uncorrelated or even negatively correlated. I’m sure that HBO has data on these sorts of things, but I have no idea when (if ever) it becomes publicly available.
nm
Clob,
THIS.
There are several of these characters I enjoyed on their own (e.g., the Hound and Beric), but my appreciation of (and love for) them was greatly, greatly enriched by their associations and relationships with Arya.
Dee Stark,
Why the hate? 🙁
Dee Stark,
I like the whole Nights Watch aspect to season 5 leading up to that ending. 5-3 is when Jon takes Janos Slynts head and its just a huge payoff. Even that brief moment where Thorne gives him up and steps aside with that smirk is great.
Great point, I will definitely watch Mothers Mercy as its sets the scene for season 6 like no other finale does.
5-4 reg R+L=J: Really? I must have missed that set up, or don’t remember what scene you’re talking about.
So I guess i will do: 5-3, 4, 8, 10 and then all of season 6 🙂
Same here! While GOT was my favorite show, I was a more typical (casual, by fan site standards lol) viewer back then, never had I followed this or any other show in the media or been aware of fan sites or forums, or obsessively rewatched (I have since!), so I think my reaction to that scene was the one they hoped for…no theories or preconceived notions, just drinking it in and Stannis was far from my mind. Loved the scene with Mance and Jon in the tent, and was just as clueless as they when the commotion started! I had a vague sense somewhere of Stannis & co talking about the wall weeks before, but I was so captivated by the sweeping cavalry that I didn’t stop to think – so it was so cool to have those “other world” characters come out of the mist! Not a surprise, more of an “oh, yeah” – yet I didn’t really know for sure what was going on until that moment and it was so powerful.
That was my last season as a “casual” fan and the “wow” factor from a lack of preconceived notions is one of the things I miss, even though this year I went back to avoiding spoilers, still I pay too much attention for things to feel that new.
A trade-off I am more than willing to make to enjoy all the GOT excitement on WotW 🙂
And it didn’t stop me from rewatching and enjoying that scene a dozen times since!
And Needle…by then I had read the book and “Jon Snow’s smile” was ringing in my head as I watched…the Jon and Arya goodbye scene is one of my faves and I so hope for a reunion that can make my top 20!!