73 Times "Game Of Thrones" Proved It Was One Of The Best Shows In History

    Let's look back at the highlights of every episode.

    Jenna Guillaume
    by Jenna Guillaume

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    There's been a lot of discussion in recent weeks about how bad the last season of Game of Thrones was, but even if you think that's the case, there's no denying the show was incredible overall. Even the worst Game of Thrones episodes had outstanding scenes in them. With that in mind, let's celebrate the brilliant things the show did do, and take a look back at the very best moments from every episode...

    1. Season 1, Episode 1: "Winter Is Coming"

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    Best moment: When Jaime pushes Bran out of the tower window.

    Yes, that's right, this is the best moment of the episode! I could have chosen something less painful — like, say, the Starks discovering the direwolves — but the truth is, the scene where Jaime tries to kill Bran perfectly establishes the tone of the series. It was brutal and unexpected, which just about sums up Game of Thrones. I'll never forget the horror I felt watching the scene for the first time. It left such a huge impact.

    2. Season 1, Episode 2: "The Kingsroad"

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    Best moment: Tyrion slapping Joffrey.

    There are a lot of great moments in this episode. Catelyn's fierce defense of Bran when the catspaw dagger assassin tries to kill him...Jon giving Needle to Arya, and saying goodbye to Bran and Robb...Ned and Jon discussing Jon's mother...but the truth is every moment is eclipsed by the pure satisfaction of watching Tyrion slap Joffrey over and over again.

    3. Season 1, Episode 3: "Lord Snow"

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    Best moment: Ned's talk with Arya.

    It was hard choosing between Ned's last farewell with Cat and this intimate scene with Arya. But I can't resist Ned Stark in dad mode. This scene really captures what was so good about Ned, and why his loss was felt by the characters and the audience seasons later. He's affectionate, respectful, wise — and he lets Arya keep Needle. BRB I'm going to cry now.

    4. Season 1, Episode 4: "Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things"

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    Best moment: When Daenerys stands up to Viserys.

    While Catelyn arresting Tyrion at the end of this episode is an outstanding moment, the best scene is definitely when Daenerys fights back against Viserys after a lifetime of him abusing her. It's so powerful, and marks a huge turning point for her character.

    5. Season 1, Episode 5: "The Wolf and the Lion"

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    Best moment: Cersei and Robert's conversation.

    It's wild to think that this scene was a last-minute addition to pad out the episode because they were running under time. It's one of my favorites in the whole series. It's so simple — Robert and Cersei quietly discussing their marriage and the realm. The writing is so strong and the performances are impeccable. To me it exemplifies what Game of Thrones was always best at — not big, explosive battle scenes, but characters simply sitting in rooms and talking.

    6. Season 1, Episode 6: "A Golden Crown"

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    Best moment: Dany eating the horse heart.

    Listen, this scene is disgusting. It is also incredibly compelling. The tension over whether Dany can finish the heart, the power and happiness she feels when she does, and the way Viserys realises with horror that his sister is more popular than he is all help to elevate this scene above the rest of the episode.

    7. Season 1, Episode 7: "You Win or You Die"

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    Best moment: The introduction to Tywin.

    This scene is also disgusting, but what better way to meet Tywin Lannister than when he's skinning a stag? The symbolism is almost a bit on the nose, but it works, not least because of Charles Dance's wonderful performance. There's so much set up in this scene in terms of Tywin as a character and his influence over his children.

    8. Season 1, Episode 8: "The Pointy End"

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    Best moment: Grey Wind and Robb standing up to Greatjon Umber.

    Over the course of Season 1, Robb Stark grows from a relatively carefree rich boy to a leader of his people. He thrives in the role, despite being in over his head, and this scene is a goosebump-inducing moment in which we truly see how powerful Robb can be — and how dangerous those direwolves are.

    9. Season 1, Episode 9: "Baelor"

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    Best moment: Ned's death.

    Like Bran being pushed out of the window, this isn't a "best" moment in the sense that it was remotely fun. In fact, it's downright excruciating. But damn, it's incredible television — a total game-changer on so many levels.

    10. Season 1, Episode 10: "Fire and Blood"

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    Best moment: The birth of Dany's dragons.

    This is such a great season finale, and there are several standout moments. Robb being crowned King in the North is up there, for one. But nothing can quite compare to the moment Daenerys emerges from the ashes of Drogo's funeral pyre with three live baby dragons. Iconic.

    11. Season 2, Episode 1: "The North Remembers"

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    Best moment: Cersei's "power is power" move with Littlefinger.

    This scene is a wonderful encapsulation of Littlefinger and Cersei's attitudes toward power and politics. Littlefinger is all about manipulation while Cersei flexes her strength and chooses violence (with a side of manipulation, of course).

    12. Season 2, Episode 2: "The Night Lands"

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    Best moment: Gendry discovering who Arya is.

    This is such a sweet and funny moment that is beautifully referenced in Gendry and Arya's farewell in Season 3, and also in their reunion in Season 8. Not all good Game of Thrones moments are about drama and death.

    13. Season 2, Episode 3: "What Is Dead May Never Die"

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    Best moment: Theon confronting Balon.

    I hate Theon's actions in Season 2, but I understand why he does them. This scene plays a huge part in communicating Theon's inner turmoil, and the pain he's experienced as a result of being given to the Starks at such a young age — and then being treated so harshly by his father on his homecoming. Theon's anguished cry — "You gave me away. Your boy. Your last boy!" — is so powerful.

    14. Season 2, Episode 4: "Garden of Bones"

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    Best moment: Melisandre giving birth to a shadow demon.

    I remember SHRIEKING when I watched this for the first time. This is Game of Thrones at its most bizarre — and its most entertaining. We were all Ser Davos in this scene.

    15. Season 2, Episode 5: "The Ghost of Harrenhal"

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    Best moment: Brienne's pledge to Catelyn Stark.

    I could have chosen Gendry shirtless here, but I can't go past my girl Brienne finding a lady worth fighting for amid her grief for Renly. Brienne's pledge to Catelyn is such a big moment for her character, literally shaping her whole future. The way it's echoed later when Brienne pledges to Sansa is lovely.

    16. Season 2, Episode 6: "The Old Gods and the New"

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    Best moment: Tywin and Arya discussing reading.

    Tywin and Arya's scenes together are one of the best parts of this season. They're so full of tension, but they really add layers to Tywin's character in particular. They were one of the greatest changes from the books to the show. This scene also sheds light on Tywin's dynamic with Jaime, making it extra special.

    17. Season 2, Episode 7: "A Man Without Honor"

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    Best moment: Cersei and Tyrion discussing Joffrey.

    This episode has Jaime killing his cousin and Ygritte saying "you know nothing Jon Snow" for the first time, but those great moments are beaten by this incredible one. Tyrion and Cersei's scenes together are another highlight of Season 2, and this one is especially powerful. Cersei shows a rare vulnerability, revealing just how disturbed she is by Joffrey's actions, and Tyrion reveals he clearly does care for her in spite of everything.

    18. Season 2, Episode 8: "The Prince of Winterfell"

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    Best moment: Arya naming Jaqen H'Ghar.

    Arya is a survivor not just because she can fight, but because she's smart and can be quite ruthless, and this scene is a perfect example of that. She thinks quickly and "names" Jaqen H'Ghar in order to manipulate him into doing her bidding. It's such a great interaction.

    19. Season 2, Episode 9: "Blackwater"

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    Best moment: Cersei drunkenly ranting at Sansa.

    The Battle of the Blackwater was the first real battle Game of Thrones had enough budget to show onscreen, and while the wildfire explosion sure was spectacular, the best parts of Game of Thrones were always the conversations between characters, as I mentioned above. Sansa and Cersei's dynamic was so interesting, and the contrasting ways they deal with a crisis here really highlight this.

    20. Season 2, Episode 10: "Valar Morghulis"

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    Best moment: Dany's vision in the House of the Undying.

    While this episode ends on the epic moment of the White Walkers' army marching past Sam, Dany's vision remains the standout scene of the episode. It's so rich with symbolism and ripe for (years of) analysis and fan theorizing. It foreshadowed how things would end for her in ways we didn't even realize at the time.

    21. Season 3, Episode 1: "Valar Dohaeris"

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    Best moment: Jon meeting Tormund and Mance Rayder for the first time.

    This scene is so tense — and it's also really funny, especially rewatching it when you know who Tormund is and how he'll grow to love Jon. The fact that Jon mistook Tormund for the King Beyond the Wall and actually kneeled before him is perfection.

    22. Season 3, Episode 2: "Dark Wings, Dark Words"

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    Best moment: Catelyn's conversation with Talisa.

    I had a tough time choosing a best moment for this episode. I love Brienne and Jaime's interaction, Lady Olenna and Margaery talking to Sansa, and Bran's emotional flashback dreams. But this conversation Cat has with Talisa, in which she reveals more about her relationship with Jon and the guilt she feels over her treatment of him, is incredibly heartbreaking and powerful. It adds so much to every character involved.

    23. Season 3, Episode 3: "Walk of Punishment"

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    Best moment: The Small Council's chair pissing competition.

    Sorry Pod, whatever you did in that brothel doesn't quite make it to my list of best moments. This Small Council scene is just too good. It's funny, and it also helps to creatively convey the power dynamics at play.

    24. Season 3, Episode 4: "And Now His Watch Is Ended"

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    Best moment: Dany's "dracarys" moment.

    This scene has no competition. It's so epic, displaying the way Dany can actually outsmart and out-manipulate the men around her, and control her emotions to get the upper hand (where was this Dany in Seasons 7 and 8?!). Plus, it just looks really cool.

    25. Season 3, Episode 5: "Kissed by Fire"

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    Best moment: Jaime and Brienne's bath.

    This episode features Jon and Ygritte's cave scene and Arya and Gendry's "I can be your family" moment, so it says a lot about how powerful this scene is that it beats out both of those. This is actually probably my favorite Game of Thrones scene ever. It's quiet, but the writing and performances are so amazing, and it reveals so much about Jaime's character while also pushing his relationship with Brienne forward. This is Game of Thrones at its very best.

    26. Season 3, Episode 6: "The Climb"

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    Best moment: Ygritte and Jon's kiss at the top of the Wall.

    Ygritte and Jon actually share some beautiful moments, and this one is especially stunning. That backdrop is incredible, and it matches the powerful emotion of the moment. It's also a really nice and much-needed reprieve amid a pretty intense season.

    27. Season 3, Episode 7: "The Bear and the Maiden Fair"

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    Best moment: Jaime and Brienne versus the bear.

    Building on the bath scene from earlier, this scene marks an important point on Jaime's path to ~redemption~. The moment Jaime dove into that bear pit, I let go of all my reservations about this character I formerly hated, and decided to love him wholeheartedly. I think it has the same effect on Brienne.

    28. Season 3, Episode 8: "Second Sons"

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    Best moment: Sam killing a White Walker.

    Never forget that Sam the Slayer was the first person to defeat a White Walker! He certainly hasn't. This scene is so stressful. The buildup to it, with the birds flocking around the shelter where Gilly and Sam are hiding, is full of tension. It makes the relief when Sam does kill the Walker all the more palpable.

    29. Season 3, Episode 9: "The Rains of Castamere"

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    Best moment: The Red Wedding.

    Ooft. It's painful. I can't really talk about it without getting emotional all over again. I hate that it happens. But I wouldn't change it. The Red Wedding is an iconic moment for a reason. It's brutal and emotional and strangely beautiful in its horror. The way it unfolds is perfect, especially as we follow Catelyn's perspective as she realizes before anyone what is happening, right through to her last primal scream of grief. Unforgettable.

    30. Season 3, Episode 10: "Mhysa"

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    Best moment: Jon and Ygritte's emotional and violent farewell.

    This is such a moving scene, paying off on all the moments that have built up to it and the way Ygritte and Jon's relationship was given space to develop. These two characters love each other, but they hurt and betray each other, and it tears them apart. It's the kind of treatment we deserved (and needed) for Jon's plot with Dany, and never got.

    31. Season 4, Episode 1: "Two Swords"

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    Best moment: Oberyn Martell's introduction.

    Oberyn Martell was on Game of Thrones for such a short period of time, but like Ned Stark, he more than left his mark. The introduction to him in this episode perfectly sets him up, conveying the character's sensuality, danger, and quest for vengeance all at once. He's irresistible.

    32. Season 4, Episode 2: "The Lion and the Rose"

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    Best moment: Joffrey's death.

    It was the moment we'd been waiting for since the very first season. Joffrey choking to death at his own wedding, in his mother's arms, is violent, disgusting — and so damn beautiful. One of the most satisfying moments in Game of Thrones history, enhanced by the tense interactions that led up to it.

    33. Season 4, Episode 3: "Breaker of Chains"

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    Best moment: Arya and the Hound's fight.

    Arya and the Hound's relationship is one of the most interesting on the show, and their scenes together were one of the best parts of this season. This scene, in which Arya's hatred of the Hound spews out after he hurts the family who gave them shelter for the night, is so great — especially because we know Arya doesn't really hate the Hound at this point. Not fully, anyway.

    34. Season 4, Episode 4: "Oathkeeper"

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    Best moment: Jaime and Brienne's farewell.

    Jaime's writing is all over the place in Season 4 (and for the rest of the series, to be honest), but this is one of the high points. Jaime giving Brienne armor and a sword (reforged from Ned Stark's) in order to fulfill his oath to Catelyn to protect the Stark girls — in defiance of Cersei's wishes — is the character at his best. The way Brienne acknowledges this by calling the sword "Oathkeeper" is beautiful.

    35. Season 4, Episode 5: "First of His Name"

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    Best moment: Jon's reunion with Ghost.

    The whole fight that unfolds at Craster's Keep is great. The way Bran and Jon come so close to seeing each other again is frustrating and painful. The fact we at least get Ghost and Jon reuniting, with Jon saying "I missed you, boy," is the balm we needed.

    36. Season 4, Episode 6: "The Laws of Gods and Men"

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    Best moment: Tyrion's rant during his trial.

    This scene is kind of like watching a car wreck in slow motion. You don't want it to be happening, you know it's a very bad thing, and yet you can't look away. Tyrion has to deal with a lot of shit, but the way he finally cracks when Shae betrays him is shattering. There's something cathartic in watching him unleash on the people of King's Landing, though.

    37. Season 4, Episode 7: "Mockingbird"

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    Best moment: Arya and the Hound's conversation about his brother.

    Another Arya and the Hound scene. There are just so many good ones this season. This one, in which the Hound finally gets to talk about his own trauma (rather than have Littlefinger convey it as he did in Season 1) is wonderful. The way Arya shows some kindness toward him in her own way reveals how her feelings toward him have changed.

    38. Season 4, Episode 8: "The Mountain and the Viper"

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    Best moment: The emergence of "Dark Sansa."

    This episode is most memorable because of the fight between the Mountain and Oberyn Martell. But honestly, it's way too graphic for me. It's just too much. Meanwhile, Sansa's moment here is iconic, externalizing the internal transformation that's happening and revealing the power she's beginning to feel for the first time. It also shows that her needle can be a weapon too, just like Arya's, albeit in a different way.

    39. Season 4, Episode 9: "The Watchers on the Wall"

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    Best moment: Ygritte's death scene.

    This is a stunning episode from start to finish. The tracking shot is a particular highlight. But the emotional gut-punch that is Ygritte's death scene makes it the standout. From the moment Jon and Ygritte lock eyes across the battle to the way he cradles her as the chaos rages around them — it's all so painful, but gorgeous.

    40. Season 4, Episode 10: "The Children"

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    Best moment: Tyrion killing Tywin.

    What a way for the great Tywin Lannister to go. On the privy, shot by his own son. It's fitting in its way. Tyrion and Tywin's dynamic was always one of the most fascinating on the show, and this payoff feels right.

    41. Season 5, Episode 1: "The Wars to Come"

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    Best moment: The Maggy the Frog flashback.

    This is the first straightforward flashback Game of Thrones uses, and it's effective. It sets the tone for Cersei's journey from here on out perfectly, providing important insight into her character.

    42. Season 5, Episode 2: "The House of Black and White"

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    Best moment: Dany and Drogon's moment.

    Dany is not having a good time in Meereen, while Drogon is off in his teenage rebellion phase. But he seems to sense her distress, and it leads to this beautiful moment where he comes to her and she reaches out to him, showing the vulnerability she's feeling.

    43. Season 4, Episode 3: "High Sparrow"

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    Best moment: Jon executing Janos Slynt.

    Command suits Jon Snow. He's underestimated by so many people, and his execution of Janos Slynt is a message that he is not to be trifled with. It's also just damn satisfying to see the smug prick get his comeuppance.

    44. Season 4, Episode 4: "Sons of the Harpy"

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    Best moment: Sansa and Littlefinger's conversation in the crypts at Winterfell.

    This is a crucial moment in the R+L=J plotline. It suggested at the time that Littlefinger knew a lot more than he was letting on, but that never really came to fruition. Still, it was fun to speculate, and if we never got to see the tourney at Harrenhal, at least we got to hear about it.

    45. Episode 5: "Kill the Boy"

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    Best moment: Maester Aemon's conversation with Jon.

    Maester Aemon and Jon's conversations were always interesting — made even more so when you know their family connection. The advice Aemon gives Jon here is something that really shapes Jon's whole narrative. The fact that it's combined with a symbolic nod to Jon being a Targaryen makes it even better.

    46. Season 5, Episode 6: "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken"

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    Best moment: Olenna dragging Cersei.

    No one was as savage as Olenna Tyrell. Watching her insult Cersei was one of the highlights of Season 6. Cersei was no match for her where witty barbs were concerned (no one was, in truth).

    47. Season 5, Episode 7: "The Gift"

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    Best moment: Maester Aemon's death.

    Ah, the only old-age death we got to see on the show. The way Maester Aemon says "Egg? I dreamed that I was old" just breaks my heart every time. It's so moving.

    48. Season 5, Episode 8: "Hardhome"

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    Best moment: Jon and the Night King's stare-off.

    The whole Hardhome sequence is spectacular from start to finish. It remains one of the best battle scenes in Game of Thrones — and TV — history. The quiet moment at the end of all the carnage, in which a retreating Jon Snow stares into the eyes of the Night King and watches as he raises the dead around him, is heart-stoppingly powerful, and shapes Jon's whole arc moving forward.

    49. Season 5, Episode 9: "The Dance of Dragons"

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    Best moment: Dany finally riding Drogon.

    It's kind of wild to think back and realize that it took nearly five whole seasons before we actually saw Dany ride a dragon. It's such a triumphant moment as she narrowly escapes death in the fighting pit.

    50. Season 5, Episode 10: "Mother's Mercy"

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    Best moment: Jon's death.

    This is another of those "best" moments in the sense of it being a damn good twist, not because I particularly enjoyed it. Jon's death was shocking (OLLY!!), and led to a frenzy of fan theories for a whole year that was almost more entertaining than the show itself.

    51. Season 6, Episode 1: "The Red Woman"

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    Best moment: Melisandre revealing her true self.

    We all went into this episode hoping for the reveal that Jon Snow wasn't really dead. Instead, we got to watch his corpse chilling while Davos, Edd, and Ghost tried to protect it and survive the night. And then we got a twist we weren't expecting: Melisandre taking off her choker and confirming the fan theory that she's approximately 400 years old. Same, Melisandre, same.

    52. Season 6, Episode 2: "Home"

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    Best moment: Jon Snow coming back to life!

    We had to endure another whole episode of corpse Jon, but we were richly reward by him coming alive at the last moment. I actually screamed out loud.

    53. Season 6, Episode 3: "Oathbreaker"

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    Best moment: Jon noping out of the Night's Watch.

    This episode gave us the Tower of Joy tease and Olly's death (which was way more satisfying than it should have been), but the most exciting moment was still Jon handing his cloak over to Edd and leaving the Night's Watch for good (or, er, so we thought) with an iconic mic-drop of a line.

    54. Season 6, Episode 4: "Book of the Stranger"

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    Best moment: Jon and Sansa's reunion.

    After seasons and seasons of the Starks being apart, we finally got a reunion. It was so moving and beautiful and perfect and all of the good things. And Sansa and Jon weren't even that close before this — we'd never even seen them in a scene together! It was that damn powerful.

    55. Season 6, Episode 5: "The Door"

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    Best moment: Hodor.

    What a reveal. I honestly still haven't forgiven Bran for this whole mess. The scene was so beautifully done, though. Hodorrrrrr.

    56. Season 6, Episode 6: "Blood of My Blood"

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    Best moment: Benjen's return from the dead.

    This was the season of confirming long-held fan theories, and it was so much fun. The revelation that Benjen was still alive (well, technically?) was so exciting, and the way he entered the plot again was badass. I wish we'd gotten more time with him.

    57. Season 6, Episode 7: "The Broken Man"

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    Best moment: The Hound's return.

    Another fan theory confirmed, another man back from the "dead." We all suspected the Hound would be back, but it didn't mean it was any less exciting to actually see him again. He returns a changed man, and his scenes with Brother Ray are really special.

    58. Season 6, Episode 8: "No One"

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    Best moment: Arya leaving the House of Black and White.

    I loooove Jaime and Brienne's scenes at Riverrun in this episode, but this moment with Arya wins out because it just felt so damn good. Her plot in Braavos was a real drag to be quite honest, so it was such a relief to hear her finally say the words "A girl is Arya Stark of Winterfell, and I'm going home". She could never be "No One."

    59. Season 6, Episode 9: "Battle of the Bastards"

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    Best moment: Jon facing the oncoming charge alone.

    This remains the best battle of Game of Thrones, and one of my favorite episodes of television ever. It's so beautifully shot and features a lot of wonderful moments. The crush scene is breathtaking on multiple levels, while Jon beating Ramsay and then Sansa killing him is pure satisfaction. But it's this one shot of Jon getting ready to face down a whole army by himself that really lingers after the episode ends. It's just stunning.

    60. Season 6, Episode 10: "The Winds of Winter"

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    Best moment: The Tower of Joy scene and its transition to the King in the North scene.

    As good as "Battle of the Bastards" is, "The Winds of Winter" just beats it as the top Game of Thrones episode for me. So much happens in it and it's all fantastic. The opening sequence, building up to the Sept blowing up, set to the "Light of the Seven" music, is spectacular. We also have Arya murdering Walder Frey, and Dany finally leaving Essos for Westeros (although that's not such a triumphant moment, in retrospect). But the Tower of Joy scene beats them all because of the way it confirmed the biggest fan theory in the Game of Thrones fandom, and it did so in such a gorgeous way. The transition shot between baby Jon and adult Jon, flowing into him being crowned King in the North, gives me goosebumps every time.

    61. Season 7, Episode 1: "Dragonstone"

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    Best moment: The Hound reckoning with his past.

    As amazing as the scene in which Arya decimates the remains of House Frey is, it's the Hound who really steals the show in this episode. We see him revisit the house where he stole from the father and daughter seasons earlier, discovering they've died. The way he handles the deaths, giving them a proper burial and even attempting a prayer, highlights just how much he's changed since the last time he was here.

    62. Season 7, Episode 2: "Stormborn"

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    Best moment: Jon Snow choking Littlefinger.

    This episode saw Arya reuniting with Nymeria (all too briefly), but nothing can beat Jon Snow choking Littlefinger just as Ned Stark did back in Season 1. Like father, like son (and yes, Ned is his father, don't @ me). Seeing Littlefinger strangled by Stark men never gets old.

    63. Season 7, Episode 3: "The Queen's Justice"

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    Best moment: Olenna's death.

    It was difficult to choose between Jon and Daenerys meeting in this episode — a long scene packed with layers — and Olenna's death. I chose the latter because, well, it's one of the most iconic deaths we ever saw on Game of Thrones. I was sorry to see her character go, but what an exit. Even though she lost, it still felt like she won somehow. And it birthed one of the best Game of Thrones memes, so there's that.

    64. Season 7, Episode 4: "The Spoils of War"

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    Best moment: Bran, Arya, and Sansa finally reunited in Winterfell.

    I love the sequence of Jon and Dany in the dragonglass cave in this episode (the music in particular is lovely), but wow, did the sight of Sansa, Arya, and Bran, all reunited and home at last, make my heart burst. We'd been waiting for this moment since Season 1, and it was lovely to finally watch it.

    65. Season 7, Episode 5: "Eastwatch"

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    Best moment: Gendry's return.

    Speaking of waiting for seasons for something — GENDRY. He rowed out of the plot in Season 3, apparently never to be seen again. UNTIL THIS MOMENT. And Davos even dared to make a rowing joke. It was cheesy fan service, and you know what? I loved every moment.

    66. Season 7, Episode 6: "Beyond the Wall"

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    Best moment: Dany arriving to save the day.

    This episode is a mess if you apply logic to it, but there are still some great moments. The walk-and-talks at the beginning are actually quite lovely, and I also enjoy the boat scene between Jon and Dany. But the most epic moment was definitely Dany arriving and destroying a bunch of wights just when Jon is losing all hope of survival. This is the Dany we know and love.

    67. Season 7, Episode 7: "The Dragon and the Wolf"

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    Best moment: Littlefinger's execution.

    I like the dragonpit scene in this episode, which brings together so many characters and actually allows them to talk and interact for extended periods of time. And, of course, the reveal of Rhaegar and Lyanna's wedding — interspersed with BOATSEX — is a whole thing. But none of that can quite match the beauty of Sansa, Arya, and Bran turning the tables on Littlefinger and bringing him down once and for all.

    68. Season 8, Episode 1: "Winterfell"

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    Best moment: Arya and Jon's reunion.

    There are so many reunions in this episode, and they are all fantastic in their own way. But Arya and Jon's is undoubtedly the most emotional, and a rewarding payoff after waiting for them to reunite since Season 1. The emotion on Jon's face says it all.

    69. Season 8, Episode 2: "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms"

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    Best moment: Jaime knighting Brienne.

    This was the best episode of the season. I honestly can't fault it; it's full of so many remarkable moments. The very best, though, goes to Jaime fulfilling Brienne's lifelong dream of becoming a knight. It's a huge moment for her character, and a beautiful one for their relationship.

    70. Season 8, Episode 3: "The Long Night"

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    Best moment: Arya killing the Night King.

    I found "The Long Night" incredibly stressful to watch, so the release of Arya charging in and killing the Night King just like THAT was unbelievable. Whatever you may think of whether the death of the Night King in Episode 3 was anticlimactic, this scene in itself was spectacular. And our girl Arya totally deserved the kill.

    71. Season 8, Episode 4: "The Last of the Starks"

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    Best moment: The funeral scene.

    We didn't have much breathing space this season, but the funeral scene in the aftermath of the Battle of Winterfell was one scene where we were given it — and we needed it. The way each mourner had a quiet moment to grieve over their lost loved one(s) was touching. I especially loved Sansa placing a Stark pin on Theon.

    72. Season 8, Episode 5: "The Bells"

    HBO

    Best moment: The Hound and Arya's farewell.

    After everything they've been through together, it's a fitting end. The Hound sends Arya off on a better path and gets a sense of closure before he dies — perfectly captured in Arya's simple "Thank you, Sandor."

    73. Season 8, Episode 6: "The Iron Throne"

    HBO

    Best moment: Sansa being crowned Queen in the North.

    It's what she deserves. Sansa started out as one of the "weakest" characters and finished as one of the most powerful. Everyone underestimated her for far too long. Aside from what it meant, the scene itself was also great — it called back to Jon and Robb's crowning, but with much less of an ominous feel. And the detail in Sansa's costume really elevated the whole thing. She's my queen, now and always.

    (P.S. I can't finish this list without an honorable mention to Jon reuniting with Ghost and finally petting the good boy. It's what he deserves.)

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