Game of Thrones has built toward the Battle of Winterfell, pitting the forces of Westeros against the Night King and his army of the dead, the since its first season. HBO's hit fantasy drama has depicted a range of battle scenes over the past eight years, from the brief Battle of the Green Fork to last week's 80-minute spectacle. They've occurred on land, on water and in the skies; with Game of Thrones wars, anything is possible.

A good battle scene combines high emotional stakes, intense action, effective set design, special effects and music to surprise, thrill and, sometimes, devastate the audience. With that in mind, we look back at Game of Thrones' best battles.

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6. Battle of Castle Black

It’s the Wildings vs. the Crows in Season 4’s big battle. This is when the brothers of the Night’s Watch really step up: Sam goes into battle knowing full well he’s not a fighter; Edd takes command of the archers at the top; and Grenn leads a group to defend the gate against a giant. Giants ride in on mammoths and the Wildings vastly outnumber them, so the goal for the Night’s Watch is just survival.

This battle is contained to Castle Black, but there are some very cool shots following Jon and Tormund around. Significant deaths occur during this battle, including Grenn's men, who chant their vows as they face the giant. Ygritte dies in Jon’s arms at the very end, which, combined with slow motion, makes it clear Jon has made the ultimate sacrifice in giving up love.

5. Battle of the Bastards

Season 6’s Battle of the Bastards was a conventional medieval battle with the addition of a giant. The stakes were high because it was a battle for Winterfell: Whoever won would control the most powerful seat in the North. For Jon and Sansa, it meant finally returning home. They fight not only for Winterfell, but also for their fallen brother Rickon, whose death probably could've been prevented if he'd only zigzagged across the battlefield.

Jon is the hero of the Battle of the Bastards. Him, alone, unsheathing Long Claw and facing down the onslaught of Ramsay’s horsemen is an iconic image. What made this battle so visually striking was the utter carnage, with soldiers fighting atop mounds of bodies. We can barely recognize Jon toward the end, as he’s covered in blood and mud. And when he begins to lose all hope, the Knights of the Vale ride in to save the day.

4. Battle of the Blackwater

This Season 2 battle is the first major one of the series, with Stannis Baratheon's superior forces setting their sights on King’s Landing. The only thing that saves the capital of Westeros, and the Lannisters, is Tyrion, who employs wildfire to win the day -- or, rather, night.

The wildfire explosion and its aftermath, with the mix of green and orange flames, was a sensational use of color in this nighttime battle. The Hound’s fear of fire and Tyrion’s bravery were emphasized during the battle, and would both come up again later in the series.

3. Battle at Hardhome

Season 5’s Battle at Hardhome was a prelude of sorts to the Battle of Winterfell. No one was ready for how massive and effective the Night King’s army would be. We see what the wights are capable of — hurling themselves off mountains, for example -- and how they can range from skeletal to relatively fresh, and from children to adults. The White Walkers' blades shatter weapons, except for Jon Snow's Valyrian steel sword; that moment of shock that passes between the White Walker and Jon is great.

All of the movement is choreographed so well in a sequence that didn’t require the entire episode. The moment at the end when the Night King shows his power and raises the dead has since become a staple GIF. What this battle drives home is the Night King is the most dangerous foe Westeros has faced in generations, which broadened the scope of the show beyond fighting over the Iron Throne.

2. Battle of Winterfell

This battle had a lot of hype leading up to it. The fates of our favorite characters were on the line, and we had heard reports that the 80-minute episode took 11 weeks to film. The expectations, therefore, were quite high, as were the stakes.

There were several epic moments: The dragons battled one another in flight; Theon ran out of arrows and fought with only his bow; and Arya escaped a horror movie’s library and stabbed the Night King in a moment that paid off years of training for both Arya and actress Maisie Williams. Yet, it was all difficult to see due to choices made by the creative team. Although the episode's murkiness was a storytelling decision, it hindered the ability for many viewers to see something they’ve been looking forward to for several seasons.

1. Battle of the Goldroad

Commonly referred to as the loot train attack, this Season 7 battle was a result of Daenerys Targaryen's frustration with Tyrion’s advice to do nothing after the Lannisters seized Highgarden, the seat of House Tyrell. She instead goes with her gut and takes Drogon to sabotage the Lannister army’s trek back to King’s Landing. This was the first time two main characters, Jaime Lannister and Daenerys, squared off against each other, which made viewers anxious, as we didn’t know who to root for.

Drogon is the star of this battle. The scene in which Drogon sets the wagons aflame as he slowly flies across the screen is one of the most iconic Game of Thrones images. It's the best Dany's dragons have ever looked. The rewatch potential of this battle is unlimited, even with the anxiety of Bronn using the scorpion to attack Drogon. The emotional stakes are present: Tyrion hopes his brother Jaime survives but also that his queen wins. This sequence took about 15 minutes or so, and was incredibly effective at delivering a great battle, complete with levity provided by Bronn at the beginning.

Airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO, Game of Thrones stars Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister, Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Maisie Williams as Arya Stark and Kit Harington as Jon Snow.