Rank 1: The Rains of Castamere
- Season: 3
- Episode: 9
- Rating: 9.9/10
Tragic weddings with brutal outcomes have almost become a trademark of Game of Thrones. This all started with the infamous “Red Wedding,” which ultimately gave the series its reputation for killing beloved characters left and right.
A political marriage is to be arranged between Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey. But it is a trap. The wedding turns into a massacre, claiming the lives of the Tullys and Starks. In particular, Robb Stark, his pregnant wife Talisa, and Catelyn Stark are killed. House Stark is almost wiped out in one fell swoop.
It is arguably the most iconic scene of Game of Thrones, immediately associated with the series. “The Rains of Castamere” has more than earned its number one spot on this list.
Fun Fact: This is the only episode in which no music is heard during the end credits. Instead, there is complete silence.
What stands out? Particularly two seasons frequently appear in the ranking, namely Season 4 and 6:
- Season 4: 4 episodes
- Season 6: 3 episodes
- Season 2, 3 and 5: 1 episode
The particular popularity of Season 4 is also reflected in the ranking of the most popular seasons (via IMDb), where it ranks number 1. Interestingly, the second most popular season, which is Season 1, is comparatively unpopular regarding individual episodes.
This is probably because Season 1 is greatly appreciated by many fans as the start of the series. However, due to the significantly lower budget at the time, the episodes were not produced as elaborately yet. Additionally, of course, there is a lack of preceding plot on which to build.
Many episodes on this list stand out primarily because long-standing storylines culminate in an epic scene. Another commonality is that the episodes often feature particularly many casualties. In which locations in Westeros and Essos most characters died, you can find out here: At these locations, most characters died in Game of Thrones
