5 Game of Thrones episodes that pushed the GRRM classic to its peak (& 5 that almost made it hit rock bottom)

Game of Thrones, the HBO drama that ran for almost a decade and gained a tremendous fan following, resembles television at its most grand. Based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, the show's every season has highlighted the author’s dictum that no character is safe and no victory comes without cost.

However, when the series progressed beyond Martin’s published material, complex character arcs were replaced with rushed endings, and spectacle began to trump logic, which was felt by many fans and critics alike. Therefore, Game of Thrones, though a successful saga, has its lows and highs. Some episodes took the viewer's hearts while some disappointed them. Want to know all about them? Read on.

**Disclaimer: This article is based on the author's opinion. The reader's discretion is advised.

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Here are 5 episodes when Game of Thrones was at its best

Baelor (Season 1, Episode 9)

The execution of Ned Stark shattered any notion that honour guaranteed survival in Game of Thrones’ moral universe. This scene comes in the first season itself and kills the righteous ruler that the episodes have built up for all this time. It was a declaration that realism would always outstrip traditional heroism.

Blackwater (Season 2, episode 9)

The Battle of Blackwater showed the series could do big warfare without sacrificing character depth. Tyrion’s command and wildfire’s horror encapsulated politics, strategy, and spectacle like nothing else, which makes this episode a worthwhile watch if you're looking forward to revisiting the show a bit.

The Rains of Castamere (Season 3, Episode 9)

The catch of the episode was The Red Wedding, which came with television’s greatest devastating twist, ending Robb Stark’s rebellion in minutes. It confirmed Martin’s philosophy that bad political decisions are lethal, no matter how admirable the passion.

Hardhome (Season 5, Episode 8)

This episode turned the White Walkers from legend into an existential menace. Jon Snow’s battle with the Night King helped shift the show from political drama to apocalyptic horror, adding to the backstory of the threat viewers were aware of.

The Winds of Winter (Season 6, Episode 10)

This episode is one of the most satisfying finals of Game of Thrones, as Cersei’s cold-blooded annihilation of the Sept of Bael is as cold-blooded and tragic as it is brilliantly earned. Cersei kills Margaery Tyrell, Loras Tyrell, High Sparrow, Kevan Lannister, and much of King’s Landing’s political leadership in a single, calculated act by igniting hidden caches of wildfire beneath the building just as her enemies gather inside for Loras Tyrell’s trial.

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Here are 5 episodes when Game of Thrones almost sank

Beyond the Wall (Season 7, Episode 6)

What makes this episode disappointing because it isn't driven by grounded logic and consequence-driven storytelling, which is something this show is best at. The episode portrays Jon Snow going on a mission to capture a wight and bring it back as proof of the White Walkers’ existence.

Eastwatch (Season 7, Episode 5)

This episode is critiqued for trading emotions for the set of the narrative anticipated. Certain critical political tensions were erased to shove characters into anticipated places, making the episode more mechanical than organic.

The Last of the Starks (Season 8, Episode 4)

The episode relied too much on surprise rather than earned consequences. The survivors of the Battle of Winterfell mourn their dead and attempt to regroup as the war shifts south toward King’s Landing. This is the episode when Jon Snow also reveals his parentage, further impacting Daenreys.

The Bells (Season 8, Episode 5)

Season is critiqued for abandoning the slow-burning feel the show came with, and this episode is no better. Daenerys’ sudden turn to genocide was missing the gradual psychological unraveling that her plotline needed. What should have been tragic inevitability felt instead like narrative whiplash.

The Iron Throne (Season 8, Episode 6)

The series finale also rushed things up. Bran’s coronation, Jon’s exile, and Daenerys’ death were emotionally hollow, especially when the saga is coming to its end. Fans were expecting Jon to be the king as the show suggests, given his lineage all this time, but in the episode, the angle is betrayed with Jon getting nothing despite proving himself.

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