The 10 most iconic 'Game of Thrones' moments in 2017
Those wintery winds of hiatus are blowing mighty strong across the plains of Westeros. Our supplies of patience are nearly depleted, and morale is low for the Game of Thrones fandom, with news that Season 8 might not reach our shores until 2019.
But fear not, because we still have the whole of last season to rewatch, and what better time than during the holiday break? There were a lot of iconic moments in Season 7 that warrant revisiting, dissection, and just plain old appreciation. (The less said about Ed Sheeran, however, the better.)
So please enjoy our collection of the most memorable moments of Game of Thrones Season 7, otherwise known as the season when winter got REAL.
1. Incestuous Boat Sex: Episode 7
The anticipation for this long foreshadowed hookup would have been enough to make it onto the list. But it's the bonkers, ominous awkwardness of the whole scene that really solidifies its status as an iconic moment. I mean, we're with Tyrion on this one: This auntie/nephew hook up can't end well.
2. Arya and Brienne Show Off: Episode 4
Just a few seasons ago, Brienne battled the Hound in order to protect Arya. When the young, formerly defenseless Stark girl returns from Assassin school in Braavos though, we see that the tables have turned deliciously. The best part of this scene isn't just the sheer female badassery on display -- it's also the look of surprised pride that crosses Brienne's face. Catelyn clearly underestimated her daughters when she made Brienne vow to keep them safe -- Westeros needs protecting from them.
3. Jaime Leaves Cersei on the Heels of Winter: Episode 7
This was a long time coming -- perhaps, some might argue, too long. But finally, when Cersei and Jaime find themselves on opposite sides of how to deal with the White Walker threat, we finally see the siblings' cycle of loving abuse come to an end. Jaime trades his white Kingsguard cloak for black, as the first flakes of snow make it clear that winter has come for King's Landing at last.
4. Drogon Gets Arrowed: Episode 4
Where to begin with this moment of utter horror and trauma? One of the best parts of the so-called "Loot Train Battle" (AKA the Lannister BBQ, see below) was how it pitted our favorite characters against each other. We didn't know who to root for -- Tyrion or Bronn; Jaime or Dany? But the minute we saw that ballista headed straight for Drogon's gullet, the battle lines became clear: Bronn must die. Bronn must die, because Drogon's shriek of pain after getting skewered felt as devastating as the way your dog yelps in pain after you accidentally step on his paw. Never. Again.
5. The Lone Wolf Dies, But the Pack Survives: Episode 7
One of the season's biggest criticisms was just how unbelievable the tension between Sansa and Arya was at Winterfell. All was forgiven, however, when it culminated in Littlefinger's death scene. Perfectly mirroring Baelish's betrayal of their father in Season 1, the Stark sisters ambush the puppet master and cut his strings once and for all. As Littlefinger's shit-eating grin slides off his face, he realizes his greatest mistake was underestimating these two women, who make a perfect sibling power couple as judge and executioner.
6. Tell Cersei. I want her to know it was me: Episode 3
In true Olenna Tyrell style, the Queen of Thorns made sure to stick one more devastating barb in Cersei's side before going down. In one of the most memed mic drops of the season, she tells Jaime the truth about who killed his evil son, Joffrey. Outmaneuvering Cersei even from the grave, Olenna sowed the first seeds of doubt in Jaime that eventually led him to lose all faith in his sister-lover.
7. Frey Pies: Episode 1
Starting off the season with a bang, the premiere's opening scene with all the Freys gathered at the scene of their literal crime felt like rubbing salt in a fresh Red Wedding wound. But it didn't take long for the tables to turn in a delightfully twisted reveal. We might not have gotten Lady Stoneheart on the show, but Arya was a fantastic substitute, delivering ice cold retribution as winter finally came for House Frey.
8. Mr. Night King, Tear Down This Wall: Episode 7
We all saw this song of fire made ice coming. The dragon may have three heads, but the entire Game of Thrones fandom lost their damn minds after the threat first introduced seven years ago finally crossed into the realm of reality, as the Night King and his undead army finally marched into Westeros.
9. The Birth of an Ice Dragon: Episode 6
With the death of Viserion, we didn't just lose a legendary symbol and strategic advantage -- we were forced to watch as his carcass was fished out of the lake by the Night King like a common guppy, before the stone cold ruler transformed his catch into a soldier for the undead. That icy blue dragon eye not only made us gasp; it seemed to seal the fate of every living soul in the Seven Kingdoms.
10. The Lannister Army BBQ: Episode 4
The battle at the heart of "The Spoils of War" was by and large the most unforgettable scene of Season 7. It's so solidified in the cultural zeitgeist that it spawned countless memes, with fans relating it to the annihilation of their work emails or comparisons to Season 2, demonstrating just how fast reptilian children grow. After Dany's refusal to use her best weapons up until that point, the Lannister BBQ was not only cathartic, but awe-inspiring. We can't wait to see how Season 8 tries to top it.
Topics Game Of Thrones
Jess is an LA-based culture critic who covers intimacy in the digital age, from sex and relationship to weed and all media (tv, games, film, the web). Previously associate editor at Kill Screen, you can also find her words on Vice, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, Vox, and others. She is a Brazilian-Swiss American immigrant with a love for all things weird and magical.
