This weekend, “
Game of Thrones ” will wrap up its fourth season on HBO… and only the readers of George R.R. Martin’s novels know what’s coming next.
“Game of Thrones” recently surpassed “The Sopranos” as
HBO’s most watched series of all time , and it’s easy to see why. No other show on television delivers an experience like “Game of Thrones.” Series creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss seem to enjoy staying true to Martin’s twists and turns, which have been extremely shocking to the fans who haven’t read the books. The Red Wedding and the demise of Ned Stark still stand as some of the most shocking moments in TV history.
The fourth season of “Game of Thrones” has had more than its share of shocks and surprises as well. Ahead of this Sunday’s fourth season finale, we’ve assembled a list of the biggest moments of “Game of Thrones” Season 4. Once the season finale has been broadcast, we will update this list to reflect the new order and include a few moments from the finale.
Needless to say, there are major spoilers ahead for “Game of Thrones” Season 4! If you haven’t seen the season up through the ninth episode, then you should probably skip this list until you catch up.
Game of Thrones Biggest Moments of Season 4
10. Arya The Killer
Season 4 Episode 1: "Two Swords"
Over the course of “Game of Thrones,” Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) has been hardened by the tragedies that have befallen her family. Arya has seen unthinkable brutalities inflicted upon the people that she loves and she has had enough.
While traveling with Sandor “The Hound” Clegane (Rory McCann), Arya came across Polliver (Andy Kellegher), the twisted Lannister soldier who murdered her friend Lommy. In the fourth season premiere, Arya reclaimed her stolen sword from Polliver and she took great pleasure in reenacting the murder of Lommy while stabbing him to death.
9. Davos Gets The Loan
Season 4 Episode 6: "The Laws of Gods and Men"
Davos (Liam Cunningham) hasn’t had much to do this season, but his actions in the sixth episode may prove to have long-lasting repercussions.
After the Battle of Blackwater, Stannis (Stephen Dillane) had little hope of raising another army to take the Iron Throne. When faced with the rejection of the Iron Bank, Stannis had too much pride to beg for a loan. Thus it fell to Davos to make an impassioned plea on behalf of his king as Davos also laid out the very good reasons why the Lannisters are no longer the safe bet in King’s Landing.
In the end, Davos got the loan and Stannis once again has an army.
8. "I've have only loved one woman... my entire life."
Season 4 Episode 7: "Mockingbird"
Lord Petyr Baelish aka Littlefinger (Aiden Gillen) has revealed himself to be the architect behind several of the suspicious deaths in “Game of Thrones” that have destabilized the seven kingdoms and paved the way for his ambitions.
After lecherously making a move on Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), Littlefinger had to talk his wife, Lysa (Kate Dickie) off the ledge and keep her from throwing Sansa through the Moon Door to her death. Littlefinger then declared his love... for Lysa’s sister before pushing Lysa to her death in front of a shocked Sansa.
7. Lair of The White Walker
Season 4 Episode 4: "Oathkeeper"
Even among readers of the books, the origins of the White Walkers haven’t been fully explored. At the end of the fourth episode this season, viewers and readers were surprised when a White Walker took one of Craster's last sons and presented him to a White Walker who didn’t look like any White Walker that we’ve ever seen before.
Moments later, the White Walker leader began transforming the newborn infant into a White Walker as well.
6. Daenerys Takes Meereen
Season 4 Episode 4: "Oathkeeper"
Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) may not be in a hurry to reclaim the Seven Kingdoms, but she is passionate about freeing all of the slaves in Essos. Through her Unsullied army, Daenerys “encouraged” the slaves of Meereen to rise up against their masters and take the freedom that they wanted.
Later, Daenerys ordered the execution of over 100 masters in retaliation for the slave children who had been crucified on the road to Meereen.
5. Jorah Is Exposed As a Spy
Season 4 Episode 8: "The Mountain and the Viper"
Daenerys’ victory celebration has been short lived. The other cities that she liberated have fallen back into slavery while her actions have made her feared among the citizens of Meereen.
But the revelation that Ser Jorah (Iain Glen) was once a spy in the service of King Robert has been the last straw.
Jorah’s protests fell on deaf ears as Daenerys ordered him into exile... just as Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) planned it.
4. The Trial of Tyrion Lannister
Season 4 Episode 6: "The Laws of Gods and Men"
Somebody had to take the fall for killing the king. And it seems that the Lannisters and Littlefinger found the perfect patsy in the form of Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), as he had the misfortune of holding the king’s cup moments before he was fatally poisoned.
On trial for his life, Tyrion listened as former friends and foes painted him as a murderer. But it was the betrayal of Shae (Sibel Kekilli) that drove Tyrion to angrily deny the charges while telling the people of King’s Landing just what he thought of them. Tyrion went on to defy his father by demanding a trial by combat... which Tyrion probably regretted after the fact.
3. The Purple Wedding
Season 4 Episode 2: "The Lion and the Rose"
Everyone loved to hate Joffrey (Jack Gleeson). And in his final episodes, Joffrey seemed to take glee in reminding everyone just what a little s*** he was. Joffrey took joy in his cruelty and he lacked any true sense of self-awareness as he flaunted his monstrous impulses.
That’s why everyone watching the second episode of the season cheered when Joffrey was fatally poisoned before painfully choking to death. It would have been even more enjoyable if Tyrion hadn’t immediately been accused of regicide.
2. The Battle for Castle Black
Season 4 Episode 9: "The Watchers on the Wall"
For over two seasons, “Game of Thrones” has been building towards an epic showdown between the Wildling army and the few remaining members of the Night’s Watch.
When the Battle for Castle Black finally arrived, Jon Snow (Kit Harington), Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) and the rest of the Night’s Watch narrowly emerged as the victors... but just barely.
Along the way, Jon was briefly reunited with his former lover, Ygritte (Rose Leslie), When she couldn’t bring herself to kill Jon, a young boy fatally shot Ygritte and she died in Jon’s arms.
To cap everything off, Jon realized that Castle Black can’t withstand another full scale assault and he went beyond the Wall on a dangerous mission to find and kill Mance Rayder (Ciarán Hinds).
1. The Red Viper takes on The Mountain
Season 4 Episode 8: "The Mountain and the Viper"
Prince Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal) came to King’s Landing to find justice for his murdered sister and her children. Oberyn found his chance to take out her murderer when “The Mountain,” Gregor Clegane (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson) was named as the crown’s champion in Tyrion’s trial by combat.
Oberyn eagerly embraced the challenge as Tyrion’s champion and he even had Clegane on the verge of defeat. But Oberyn was too theatrical in his quest to get Clegane to confess his crimes and implicate Tywin Lannister. While Oberyn was distracted, Clegane tripped him up and confessed to his crimes while gouging out Oberyn’s eyes and smashing his skull in.
In the aftermath, Tywin sentenced Tyrion to death in one of the show’s most shocking cliffhangers.