Only Real Fans Know What's Happening In These Memorable Game Of Thrones Scenes

While the majority of shows are simple and based around fun premises and easy humor, there are still a few gems that are smart enough to trust their viewers to follow complicated plots. Such is the case with HBO's Game of Thrones.

The epic fantasy show adapts George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, which is overflowing with hundreds of characters, steeped in thousands of years of history, and featuring a seemingly endless amount of plot twists and tragic events.

Suffice it to say, this is not some show you can enjoy while it plays in the background; you need to be glued to the screen to truly appreciate this epic series and all of its complexities.

Unfortunately, we're all going to have to wait until next year to see how this series concludes -- and probably much longer than that to see how things are tied up in the books. However, that gives us plenty of time to rewatch the entire series, catch up on the novels, and lay our prediction for how everything might wrap itself up come the end of season eight.

But before then, let's see how many of these iconic moments who can actually remember from Game of Thrones!

Question 1

Jon Snow…

Game of Thrones is infamous for offering a glimpse of hope to their viewers before ripping the carpet out from under their feet and subjecting them to another tragedy. Who knows why we love the show so much when it’s brought us so much sorrow — maybe it’s because deep down we keep hoping that good will ultimately prevail over evil at the end of the final season. But this scene is one of the few instances were viewers got exactly what they wanted, especially after such a heartbreaking season finale the year before.

Question 2

Joffrey Baratheon…

Before Ramsay Bolton ever strolled onto the scene, Joffrey Baratheon was without a doubt the most hated character in the series. He was the epitome of a spoiled brat who knew the world was going to be handed to him on a platter one day, and he wasn’t afraid to reign that power over anyone and everyone. While cruel people certainly seem to last longer in the Seven Kingdoms than those with kind hearts, even the most cold-hearted political strategist knew that they had to snuff out Joffrey’s reign as soon as possible.

Question 3

Ned Stark…

At the time, Sean Bean was easily the biggest star in the series, which made it quite the surprise when this scene came to pass toward the end of season one. Of course, anyone who’s read the Song of Ice and Fire novels knew that this tragic moment was inevitable. But that didn’t make it any easier to see the character leave the series. So even if you’re not 100% caught up on the show, you know doubt know that Ned is beheaded. But do you remember who actually did the killing?

Question 4

Hodor…

The further we get into the series, the more the concept of destiny has come into play. The Starks have finally reclaimed their ancestral home. Daenerys has returned to Dragonstone. Gendry has taken a liking to using a war hammer — much in the same fashion as his natural father. Everything seems to be coming full circle. This is exactly what happened to this character, as we learn how Hodor came to be the simple-minded Stark servant that he is, and it's almost as if he's lived his whole life to complete this one task.

Question 5

Jaime Lannister…

It’s hard to spend seven seasons with a character and not come to develop some sort of respect for them — so long as they’re not a complete monster. Jaime was without a doubt one of the most hated characters at the beginning of the series. He’s done some horrible things. But he’s also redeemed himself on a number of occasions. Now that the characters are finally being brought together, it’s hard to know which side to root for when you want neither character to die — as was the case in this scene.

Question 6

The Night King…

Now that both Joffrey and Ramsay are dead, the primary villain of the last season will undoubtedly be the Night King. Not only does he have an army of undead at his back — which only grows with every battle he wins — he also has one of Dany’s dragons at his disposal now too. While we’ve seen how the Night King was originally created, there’s still much about this villain that remains unknown. Though from this scene, it’s clear he’s not afraid to boast about his powers.

Question 7

Tyrion Lannister…

While you think it would be easier to live as a little person amongst one of the most powerful family’s in the Seven Kingdoms, being a dwarf has actually put a target on Tyrion Lannister’s back at every turn. Whenever anything mildly suspicious happens in Tyrion’s presence, he is immediately accused of the crime by those around him — who simply discriminate against Tyrion because of his physical differences. But as this scene demonstrated, Tyrion’s not afraid to call out people for their prejudices.

Question 8

Theon and Sansa…

Both Theon and Sansa have had a rough go of things throughout the series. However, Theon has largely put himself into many of the unfortunate situations he ended up in. Whereas Sansa had little control over being passed around from one marriage alliance to the next simply because of her last name. Luckily, Theon proved that he wasn’t totally useless when Sansa was forced to marry Ramsay Bolton against her will. But do you remember what the duo are up to in this scene?

Question 9

Arya Stark…

After a couple seasons in Bravoos, Arya has finally returned to the Seven Kingdoms, and with her, she has brought the skills of the Faceless Men — which have made her one of the deadliest assassins in possibly all of Westeros. Of course, that doesn’t mean that killing always comes easy. In one particular scene last season, Arya runs into a group of Lannister troops, and although she no doubt wants to kill them, she can’t help but discover that deep down they’re regular people just like herself. Though in this scene, she absolutely shows no sympathy.

Question 10

Stannis and Selyse…

Here’s one storyline that might turn out totally different in the novels, as Stannis is still alive and well in Westeros with one of the strongest claims to the Iron Throne to boot. However, in the show, his downfall is a slow and painful one, which finds the once tough-as-nails commander looking more like a brittle skeleton with each passing day. This particular scene represented an all-time low for Stannis and his wife, who partake in an unforgivable act to try and swing fortune in their favor.

Question 11

Ned Stark…

One of the most interesting developments of the series to dates its Bran’s ability to see into the past. Not to mention that he might actually be able to affect the past — but that’s yet to be put to the test. In this particular scene, Bran watches a young version of his father who aligned himself with House Baratheon during Robert’s Rebellion. And although Bran has heard this story dozens of times before, the truth is very different from what he’d come to believe.

Question 12

Sam and Gilly…

During the first few seasons of the show, Sam and Gilly were a couple of those characters that just seemed to annoy audiences whenever they came on screen. But over time, their stories have ended up becoming a lot more interesting, and as a result, the characters are a lot more competent and less unbearable to watch. In fact, Sam is the only reason that Jorah Mormont is still with us, and Gilly was the one who actually revealed that Jon has a legitimate claim to the Iron Throne!

Question 13

Balon Greyjoy…

Just like the happenings in Dorne, the story of the Iron Islands is another plot that has been given short shrift in the TV series. Though the new leader of the Islands seemingly comes out of nowhere, in the novels, his rise to power is slow and expected. In fact, this leader even has a dragon horn in the books, which he plans to use to command control of Dany’s dragons. So do you remember what major turn of events transpires during this brutal sea storm?

Question 14

Cersei Lannister…

Remember that one season where the show miraculously made us care about Cersei Lannister? Well, that moment has certainly come and passed. Last season, we watched the Queen seemingly come to reason by agreeing to stop all feuds to defeat the impending war against the White Walkers. But it didn’t take long to discover that her promise was yet another lie meant to destroy her enemies. Even Jaime, her lifelong love, seems to have turned his back on his twin sister once and for all.

Question 15

The Children of the Forest…

Though it’s still uncertain what the Game of Thrones spin-off series will revolve around, there’s certainly a lot of mysteries that are left to be explored about the Children of the Forest. These are one of the earliest races of Westeros, who existed long before the First Men arrived and began to wreak havoc across their woodlands. While a number of these Children survived to help Bran meet up with the Three-Eyed Raven, it appears they've all since met their demise. In the show, at least.

Question 16

Tyrion Lannister…

While he’s still in Westeros, Tyrion Lannister is really a servant of his family. Despite both his father and his sister hating him, he still believes it’s his duty to honor the Lannister name and do everything he can to keep his family at the top. However, after he makes his way to Essos, Tyrion finally starts doing what he believes is right, rather than doing what his family thinks is best. But none of this would have been set in motion without this scene.

Question 17

Bronn…

Everyone’s favorite sellsword, Bronn, first became a major player in the series when he agreed to fight on Tyrion’s behalf during his trial by combat when Tyrion was imprisoned in the Vale for allegedly trying to have Brandon Stark murdered. Since then, Bronn has faithfully served under both Tyrion and Jamie, though it’s unknown whether he’s in it for the money, or if he has any real loyalty toward House Lannister. In this scene, Bronn is traveling with Jaime back to King’s Landing when their troop is ambushed.

Question 18

Oberyn Martell…

Easily one of the most intense duels in the entire series to date came when Oberyn Martell attempt to defeat this savage warrior in mano-a-mano combat. While the other fighter is a clear favorite, Oberyn quickly establishes himself as a competent fighter. And if he would have succeeded, he would have not only avenged his sister but made Tywin Lannister look like a fool in the process. Unfortunately, this never came to pass, as he is eventually undone by his own hastiness.

Question 19

Jon Snow…

Easily one of the most awe-inspiring shots of the entire series came during this moment when Jon Snow is forced to single-handedly stand and fight against the approaching enemy forces. Since it was so easy to get caught up in the moment to moment chaos throughout this long battle sequence, you may have ended up forgetting what each character was actually fighting for. Or which army was fighting which. So do you know what was at stake had Jon Snow been killed in combat?

Question 20

Robb Stark…

So you should well know that all three major characters pictured here — Robb Stark, his wife, and his mother — eventually end up being massacred at this event which would later go on to be dubbed the “Wed Redding.” But do you remember where they were exactly? Or why they were there in the first place? Much like Ned Starks beheading, this tragic turn of events set the stage for following seasons which put the Starks and their withering allies up against pretty much every major house in the Seven Kingdoms.

Question 21

Daenerys Targaryen…

While plenty of the women in Game of Thrones are at the mercy of their male counterparts, Daenerys Targaryen doesn’t want to live in the shadow of her brother for very long. Therefore, when she is betrothed to Dothraki warrior Khal Drogo, she eventually learns to spin the unfortunate turn of events in her favor and have her new husband put Viserys in his place — which happens to be with a crown of molten metal poured over his head. But that hardly means all of Dany’s misfortunes are behind her.

Question 22

Ned Stark…

Ned Stark is easily one of the most noble and straightforward characters throughout the show. His personality is so at odds without almost everyone else in the Seven Kingdoms that he ultimately finds himself way out of his element while living in King’s Landing. However, it’s this nobility and the need to serve the greater good that lives on in his children, influencing their decisions in the seasons to come. Even in this scene, Ned once again demonstrates the price that power often comes with.

Question 23

Stannis Baratheon…

The last we saw of Stannis Baratheon in the novels, he was on route to Winterfell to take on Ramsay Bolton when his troop was caught in a never-ending blizzard — which cost him hundreds of troops. While Ramsay maintained that he defeated Stannis in a letter to Jon Snow, many believe that this was yet another one of Ramsay’s lies to intimidate his enemies. However, in the show, we’ve already watched Stannis try and claim the North as his own before heading south to take the Iron Throne. But it doesn’t exactly go according to plan.

Question 24

Locke…

Locke is actually one of the few characters that was made up just for the show. Here, he pledges his allegiance to Roose Bolton, who uses him for his distinct hunting skills. In the books, this character actually goes by the name of Vargo Hoat, who is often referred to as “The Goat” due to the goat-shaped helmet he often wears. Vargo also has a distinct lisp that causes him to spit when he speaks, and instead of serving the Boltons, he pledges his allegiance to the Brave Companions — a group of merciless sellswords.

Question 25

Myranda…

While Sansa and pretty much everyone else is appalled by Ramsay Bolton’s need to torture his subjects, Myranda is one of the few who actually approves of Ramsay’s behavior, and she even plays a role in his sinister acts. The character is easily Ramsay’s favorite lover, though he knows full well that he will never be able to marry her do to her low birth. Though Myranda knows that Sansa had no say in her marriage to Ramsay, that doesn’t stop her from taunting Sansa at every turn.

Question 26

Tyrion Lannister…

Just as the sigil for House Targaryen is a three-headed dragon, many suspect that there is a third Targaryen that is yet to be revealed somewhere in the show. Of course, we’ve since learned that Jon Snow is indeed the second Targaryen alongside Daenerys — one who actually has a stronger claim to the Iron Throne then his aunt. Though some theorize that Tyrion may be the third Targaryen, as he’s seen to have a way with Dany’s dragon in this particular scene.

Question 27

Jaime Lannister…

Though Jaime Lannister isn’t particularly fond of the Tyrells, he has no idea how much destruction they’ve actually caused his family. So when it comes time to save the Lannister’s home of Casterly Rock, Jaime actually ends up in Highgarden with the Tyrell’s, realizing that they need crops more than they need gold in the coming months. This puts him face to face with Olenna Tyrell, who finally reveals to Jaime that she was the one who poisoned his son.

Question 28

Jon Snow…

Though as tragic as Jon Snow’s death may have been, we knew there was no way this character was going to break his vows to the Night’s Watch without some cataclysmic event — which just so happen to come in the form of his death and resurrection. Finally, within the last few seasons of the show, Jon Snow has been able to make it to the other areas of the Seven Kingdoms that are far from the Wall. In this particular scene, he’s arrived by sea to meet someone he hopes becomes an ally.

Question 29

The Waif…

By and large, the Faceless Men seem to take no pleasure in their killing, seeing it as a duty in their service of the Many-Faced God. But then there’s the Waif, who clearly enjoys tormenting her subjects through the rigorous training process that it takes to become one of these faceless assassins. During Arya’s time at the House of Black and White in Bravoos, the Stark finds little solace in the Waif. But do you remember exactly what the Waif is doing in this scene?

Question 30

The Hound and Jorah Mormont…

At long last, characters who have been hundreds and thousands of miles apart are finally coming face to face for the first time, adding a new and exciting dynamic to the show that we’ve been waiting for for years. But in one of the more interesting turn of events, both the Hound and Jorah Mormont have found themselves in the North, looking to either serve the Red God or, at the very least, help save the Seven Kingdoms from total destruction.

Question 31

Tyrion Lannister…

There’s no mistaking this explosion for wildfire. Unlike regular fire, the substance burns green and is said to be near impossible to put out with water. Instead, it must be left to burn itself out in due time. During his time in King’s Landing, Tyrion learns that there is a large stash of wildfire that is being stored under the city. While this causes him a great deal of stress, he also knows that the substance could be put to good use since their enemies are currently closing in all around them.

Question 32

Cersei Lannister…

There are very few flashbacks in Game of Thrones, which was a conscious choice on the show’s creators and writers who did not want to use this narrative crutch to over explain the current happenings throughout the Seven Kingdoms. However, they eventually found a way around this with Bran being able to see into the past. But in this particular scene, we do get a glimpse into Cersei’s childhood that actually takes place without Bran playing any part — making it one of the show’s true flashback sequences.

Question 33

Drogon…

Though Dany’s dragon count may be down to two, she still has her most loyal and reliable fire-breather by her side. That dragon is, of course, Drogon, who not only has the strongest connection with Dany, but was also the largest of the three due to the fact that he was able to escape imprisonment in the pyramid in Meereen. That being said, Drogon is far from invincible, and he has been shown on a number of occasions to be wounded by men dead set on taking down the beast, including in this epic scene.

Question 34

Tyrion Lannister…

Much like Jaime Lannister, Tyrion is another character that it took a while for the audience to warm up to. Though most found the character amusing from the first season onward, Tyrion was still exceedingly self-serving, unwilling to do anything that wouldn’t directly benefit himself. But like so many characters on the show, we come to sympathize with them by watching them suffer, which is exactly what’s happening to Tyrion in this scene, as he peers over a ledge to a troubling sight below.

Question 35

Jon Snow…

One of the most debated topics on the show since season one was the truth of Jon Snow’s parentage. While we’re lead to believe that he’s the illegitimate child of Ned Stark and a woman he was with during Robert’s Rebellion, Ned just doesn’t seem like the type to break his marriage vows. And when Robb Stark meets his demise at the Twins, it seems like Jon is the only one left to avenge his “father” and restore peace to the North and the rest of the Seven Kingdoms.

See Your Result
Questions Left
Current Score