22 'Game of Thrones' Moments Fans Will Never Recover From, From The Red Wedding To Olenna's Goodbye

There aren't a lot of shows like Game of Thrones. With action, romance, and a little bit (OK, maybe a lot) of nudity, the series is one of the most beloved and compelling shows on TV. And fans stick around, even when GoT breaks their hearts time and time again. Through every devastating, shocking moment on Game of Thrones — and there have been many — audiences still keep watching, because the show is just that good, and that addicting..

Season after season, episode after episode, fans are faced with game-changing moments. Main characters die, horrible things happen, and through it all, we're reminded that nobody is safe — not even the animals. Anything that is alive will die, be betrayed, or be forced to suffer some unthinkable fate. It's all, well, a lot.

However, fans just keep coming back for more. If you're a viewer of the show, you know well that quitting is not even an option. It's like a moth to a flame; you know that you're way too emotionally invested in the characters and that they'll most likely get hurt in some way, but you just can't look away. When it comes to Game of Thrones, you've got to stick it out to the bitter, cold end, even through these totally shocking scenes.

The Sad Moments

1. Ser Jorah's Banishment

Daenerys and Jorah have had a long history. First he betrayed her, before falling in love with her. She, understandably, banished him twice. He did come back after both banishments, yet in the meantime contracted greyscale. This is a tearful end (or so Dany thinks) and Jorah exiles himself this time, since they all think he's going to die from this supposedly incurable disease.

2. Rickon Is Shot In The Back

The Stark family seemed like the happiest at the start of the series. Even though not everyone was super close and they had their fights, they were a united front. However, as Game of Thrones has progressed, the Starks' numbers have dwindled, and seeing Rickon die right before his big brother's eyes was tough to stomach. Also, being toyed with by Ramsay was unnecessary.

3. Shae's Betrayal Of Tyrion

Tyrion Lannister has had a rough life. His father hated him for being a dwarf and also for his mother dying during birth (both things that, you know, aren't his fault). Yet Tyrion always used his clever nature to get out of sticky situations — except the betrayal by his mistress Shae. This stung him just as much as it hurt audiences. He thought they loved each other, and maybe she did, but this false and damning testimony was such a blow.

4. Littlefinger Kisses Sansa

Littlefinger (aka Lord Baelish) has always been a bit gross. But this scene, where he kisses Sansa at The Eyrie, in front of Lady Lysa, takes the cake. Saying things like, "In a better world... you might have been my child," followed by the winner, "Call me Peter," just makes your skin crawl, and it's upsetting to watch knowing Sansa's past and future.

5. The Elimination Of The Direwolves

There aren't many things more difficult than seeing animals die on screen. Each member of the Stark family had a direwolf, but one by one they've been killed off. Jon's and Arya's are the only two still alive, but honestly, probably not for long.

6. Ygritte's Death At Castle Black

Ygritte was one of the coolest and toughest characters in the early seasons and quickly stole the heart of Jon Snow. When he leaves to go back to Castle Black, she feels betrayed and rejected, but still holds feelings for him when she and other wildlings come back later on. But it was tragic to se her die, especially when she went out with her most iconic line: "You know nothing, Jon Snow."

7. Shireen Being Burned At The Stake

There's really nothing like being betrayed by your own parents, which happens all the time on good 'ole GoT. However, seeing a little kid like Shireen go up in flames at the command of her father, Stannis Baratheon, was just too much. She deserved better.

8. The Wildfire Explosion At The Great Sept Of Baelor

Everyone knows that when Cersei doesn't like you, you get treated horribly. However, when she feels threatened or humiliated by you, you're a goner. So was the case with Margaery Tyrell who was blown up in a wildfire explosion that destroyed a huge chunk of the city. It also drove King Tommen to kill himself, tragically.

9. The Death Of Khal Drogo

Even though Daenerys' marriage to Khal Drogo was arranged and full of abuse at first, she grew to love him, as he did with her. It was a great romance until a witch put him in a catatonic state, cursed Dany into barrenness, and killed their child. You know, the heavy stuff. And to top it off, Daenerys has to kill Khal Drogo all over again with a pillow.

10. Ned Stark's Execution

One of the first real doozies of GoT came when Ned was sentenced to death in King's Landing. He had done virtually nothing wrong, and it was all a part of Cersei's manipulation from the moment he set foot in her city. Sansa's screams and Arya's look after it happens is enough to make the coldest person cry.

11. Hodor's Sacrifice

In Season 6, while Bran is in one of his visions to the past, the White Walkers and wights (aka the army of the dead) attack the cave he's in with Hodor and Meera. They run to escape, yet Hodor sacrifices himself to give Meera and Bran time to flee. It all overlaps with Bran's vision of Hodor's name, and the scene is heart-wrenching.

12. Sansa's Marriage To Ramsey Bolton (And Everything That Followed)

Ramsay Bolton's treatment of anyone is bad. But his treatment of Sansa is especially hard to stomach, especially on their wedding night. She had no idea what she was getting into, and viewers were screaming for her to run for the hills. This marriage leads to a full season of horrific mistreatment for Sansa.

13. Viserion's Fall

When animals die, all bets are off on how many times you'll cry. Viserion's demise is no different. The dragon was just following his mom's orders and the damn Night King had to throw a spear into the air, killing him. Rude doesn't even begin to cover it.

14. The Death Of Jon Snow

There's just something so horrid about being betrayed by your own friends, especially in a mutiny situation where they nominated you for the position in the first place. And it's even worse when it results in your own death. How does this even happen? The death of a main character was always on the table but Jon just seemed safe. Welp! Guess not.

15. The Red Wedding

In the television event that rocked the whole world, The Red Wedding will go down as the most surprising and heartbreaking thing to occur on the show. Millions saw the tragedy occur on-screen, and fans everywhere still mourn the loss of the lives and what could have been. It also makes you want to slam your hand on a table because Arya was so close to reuniting with her mother. Now it will never be.

The Shocking And Satisfying Moments

16. Littlefinger's Trial And Death

When Sansa says, "How do you answer these charges... Lord Baelish" you can almost hear the audience go "Oh. My. God." Arya adds to the hell-yes situation with, "My sister asked you a question." Two avenging Stark sisters is the best.

17. Grey's Death And Arya's Revenge

After the awful Red Wedding, Walder Frey had his end coming. Arya serving up some justice pie (in the flavor of the Frey sons) and then killing off the whole house was glorious. Is there anything better than this? "My name is Arya Stark. I want you to know that. The last thing you're ever going to see is a Stark smiling down at you as you die."

18. Visaryis' Death

Visaryis was always a horrible person. He sold his sister out, treated her horribly, and just deserved the worst. He placed his crown above Dany, and so Khal Drogo gave him his very own. Piping hot. In the end, it just proved he wasn't The Dragon, and the moment was so, so satisfying.

19. Olenna: "It Was Me"

"Tell Cersei. I want her to know it was me." will go down as the most epic final words ever. Lady Olenna went out with a bang as she dropped this truth bombs. She killed Joffrey, which deserves an award on its own. But the way she rubs it in Jaime's face is legendary.

20. Jon Snow's Return

Viewers and characters alike thought that Melisandre had failed in her attempt to resurrect Jon, but that massive breath he took when he came back was such reason to cheer.

21. Joffrey's Death

This wasn't really a shocker, as Joffrey's attitude made him a walking target for assassins and enemies. He didn't deserve an easy death, so it was hugely satisfying to see him die the way he did.

22. Jon's True Heritage

While there were many theories that Jon was really a Targaryen, it wasn't confirmed until the very last episode of Season 7, right before the long hiatus that followed. And to top it off, it was revealed in a flashback scene layered on top of Jon and Daenerys' love-making on the boat back from King's Landing. Can someone spell "bad timing"?

Oh, man. Game of Thrones Season 8 will have a hard time topping these shocking moments.