5 of the most memorable Game of Thrones death scenes in illustrated GIFs

From the very first episode, Game of Thrones established that it was going to be one of the bloodiest shows on TV. Author George R.R. Martin and the show's writers have gone to great lengths to come up with some of the most disturbing, gruesome and talked-about ways to, well, let's say write off characters from the show. And over six seasons, with the seventh starting July 16, they've proven that no character, no matter how big a role they play, is safe.

"I think a writer, even a fantasy writer, has an obligation to tell the truth and the truth is, as we say in Game of Thrones, all men must die," Martin, who wrote the original A Song of Ice and Fire book series, once said.

With that in mind, we look back at five of the most memorable death scenes in Game of Thrones, which we've done as GIFs, illustrated by Heather Collett. Warning: violent images and spoilers below.

The Mountain crushes Oberyn Martell's skull
Season 4, Episode 8, "The Mountain and the Viper"

This is one of the most haunting, vicious scenes in all of Game of Thrones, which is saying a lot. Short of the Red Wedding (which is so horrifying even Martin had trouble writing it, and we'd rather not illustrate it here), this is the scene forever etched in our nightmares: the Mountain, named for his enormous size (in real life he is one of the strongest men on the planet), is battling Oberyn Martell, "the Red Viper," in a trial by combat. What Martell lacks in size he makes up for with speed and cunning, and just as it looks like he is about to get the upper hand, the Mountain trips him, knocks out his teeth and crushes his skull. "You could at least wear a helmet," Peter Dinklage's Tyrion Lannister warns him before the match, although that wouldn't have helped much in the end.

Ramsay Bolton eaten by his own dogs
Season 6, Episode 9, "Battle of the Bastards"

This was the showdown Season 6 was building up to: Jon Snow, the supposed illegitimate son of Ned Stark, against Ramsay Bolton, née Bolton, the illegitimate son of Roose Bolton. Easily the most vilified character on a show rife with infamous villains, Ramsay's death at the jaws of his own canines (after being defeated in an epic battle that was also one of the most expensive episodes to make) was the catharsis the Starks, not to mention the audience, needed.

Viserys Targaryen gets the crown he deserves
Season 1, Episode 6, "A Golden Crown"

It was established early on in Season 1 that Daenerys Targaryen was one of the characters to root for. She and her brother Viserys — exiled since their father, the Mad King, was overthrown — were determined to take back the throne, even if it meant selling off Daenerys to a powerful warlord, Khal Drogo. Ironically, it results in Viserys's death at the hand of Drogo, which is also the moment that Daenerys finally takes control of her own destiny toward becoming the "mother of dragons" and, possibly, the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. It's clear Daenerys is aware of this after Viserys (who was really not a great brother or person) has a pot of molten hot gold dumped on his head. "He was no dragon," Daenerys says stoically. "Fire cannot kill a dragon."

King Joffrey drinks poison
Season 4, Episode 2, "The Lion and the Rose"

King Joffrey was one of the most loathed characters on Game of Thrones, vying for the number one spot with Bolton. A cruel, irrational child known for violent outbreaks, his entire reign was overshadowed by an undeniable sense of tension. His death at his own wedding, poisoned by his soon-to-be mother-in-law and the conniving social climber Little Finger, was greeted with such fanfare that it was quickly dubbed the Purple Wedding, named after the colour of his skin. It also stood in stark contrast to the horrified reactions following the Red Wedding. Joffrey's death was one of the all-too-rare moments of relief on Game of Thrones, and further proof that no character is safe from Martin's imagination.

Tywin Lannister shot on his throne
Season 4, Episode 10, "The Children"

Tywin Lannister definitely gets the World's Best Dad mug in the Game of Thrones universe, as he somehow manages to be one of the most despicable fathers on the show, but also one of the most liked by fans (for all the wrong reasons). Whether it's arranging his family's marriages against everyone's wishes, turning a blind eye to his children's incest, blaming his son Tyrion for the death of his wife during Tyrion childbirth or, later on, blaming Tyrion for Joffrey's poisoning and sentencing Tyrion to death — no one moves the plot forward as well as Tywin. Take, for instance, Tyrion's eventual liberation, both from prison and from a lifetime of being shamed by his father, shortly after discovering his father had slept with the woman Tyrion loved. Tywin's death by crossbow at the hand of Tyrion, on the toilet no less, is certainly not the most graphic ending on Game of Thrones, but definitely one of the most gratifying.   

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