Game of Thrones fans were treated to another awesome trailer for Season 7 that shows the Great War ahead. It seems that with new alliances forged, and bigger ones at that, we could be in for more romance, action and of course, bloodshed. Jon Snow has lifted the Stark name back up once more in the North and with Cersei taking over the Iron Throne, there's sure to be some backlash for what was done to his family. Daenerys Targaryen is also set to factor in with her dragons, the Unsullied army, as well as the backing of Dorne, the Iron Islands and now, the Dothraki, behind her.
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The march on the throne will be swift and brutal, so Cersei should be battening down the hatches. The Lannisters are in disarray after Jaime saw most of his family die too, so with Tyrion still to swing by, we can expect a lot more family drama. Throughout all of this, the White Walkers are still looking to make their big move, which is what Jon wants to stop. With all these pawns already snowballing, CBR looks at the lies, twists and turns that painted the 15 most sadistic moments we've seen to date on the show!
SPOILER WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for the Game of Thrones television series
15 NO HONEYMOON FOR SANSA
Sansa Stark's wedding night took a turn for the worse after Ramsay Bolton decided to devalue her to the fullest. It wasn't enough that he played a big part in her family's fall in the North. It wasn't enough that he was continuously cooking up ways to torture any friends or supporters she had. It wasn't enough that he was also plotting to kill more of her siblings.
He just had to up the ante and prove how despicable he was by forcing himself onto her and robbing her of her virginity. That scene drew a lot of controversy as fans lashed out against it as one that pushed rape as a plot device for shock value; the last straw for many. She clearly wanted no part of this marriage Littlefinger threw her into and the camera simply showed her tears and Theon Greyjoy's anguish as Ramsay gave us another reason to hate him.
14 THE ROAST OF SHIREEN
Stannis Baratheon was someone you wanted to root for so that he could take the Iron Throne his brother, Robert, vacated. This would mean defeat for the Lannisters and restoration of some sort of sense to Westeros. However, that red witch, Melisandre, kept poisoning his mind with her mystical promises and visions that he was a god in a man's body, waiting to ascend.
This brainwashing led to him doing the unthinkable and giving her a sacrifice that had our stomachs churning. Melisandre requested his daughter, Shireen, be burnt and offered to the Lord of the Light. She was one of the few innocent kids left on the show, but she would not be spared. They even played up how much he loved her so it broke our hearts to see him abide. As Shireen burnt before her family, his adviser, Davos, later echoed our sentiments of disgust.
13 PUSHING BRAN OFF THE LEDGE
If you weren't reading the books, the chain of events that set this game of thrones into motion would have surely shocked you. At the forefront would be the fate of Bran Stark. Readers knew the mystical path he had ahead of him but as the show started setting up chess-pieces, it was tragic to see how he got crippled.
While the twin Lannister siblings, Jaime and Cersei, were engaging in endeavors between the sheets, Bran caught them as he scaled their tower -- a hobby of his. The youngster was shocked as he didn't quite understand what was going on but to protect their secret, especially from King Robert finding out about this incestuous affair, Jaime walked over and shoved Bran off the ledge. He fell to the ground and became paralyzed, but also lost his memory of what he saw. How convenient!
12 TYRION'S LESSON TO DADDY
Tyrion Lannister's arc is a rollercoaster of emotions. He started off as a sinister, untrustworthy character but soon, we began to empathize with him. His family, bar Jaime, scorned him for being a dwarf and were often jealous of his intellect. His father, Tywin, had a special hatred for him as his wife died giving birth to Tyrion. As a result, their rivalry really got heated at times.
Tywin never seemed to trust Tyrion and often belittled him. It would seem he was trying to push Tyrion away, not just mentally but physically. After King Joffrey died, Tyrion was accused of the murder but when Jaime helped him sneak away, he caught up with his lover, Shae, who was shockingly bedding Tywin. He killed her and then took a bow and arrow to his father on the loo. It was sweet revenge, and a very dark turn!
11 CERSEI'S WALK OF SHAME
Cersei thought that with Joffrey dead, her other son Tommen would rectify the wrongs of the past with his rule. She also tried to turn the tables against his wife, Margaery Tyrell, to consolidate power over him. She used the wisdom of the High Sparrow to do so, leaving King's Landing under a militant and religious iron fist. The High Sparrow would stick to his personal code, however, and flip on Cersei, imprisoning her for adultery with her cousin.
This shocked the daylight out of her as the master was now the puppet. She was thrown in jail, tortured and treated like an average criminal. Eventually, she saw the light and was given an out, which included a famous walk of atonement. Cersei walked through King's Landing naked, with her hair cut, and was subject to abuse from everyone. It was a cruel, low point for an otherwise hated character.
10 JOFFREY SHOWING OFF NED'S HEAD
When Joffrey died, everyone rejoiced. He was a scoundrel and played THE key part in killing Ned Stark. He was urged not to do many of the things he did, especially by Tyrion, but as usual, he ignored any counsel. When he was poisoned, many saw it as just comeuppance. The laundry list of things he was hated for is too long but a most heartless and vile moment was when he paraded Ned's head on a stick to his daughter, Sansa.
He wanted to break her down and objectify her to the fullest. This was his way of showing his power and he tortured her with the very sight. Joffrey was merciless as he even threatened her about getting her pregnant just before this act. Sansa suffered immensely because of this, as did the audience who didn't want to relive the death of their beheaded hero.
9 JAIME LOSES A HAND
Jaime started to show signs that he had good in him and that we misunderstood him as the Kingslayer. However, he was captured by some of Roose Bolton's sell-swords, who didn't want an alliance with the Lannisters. To tick them off, they promised to deliver Jaime back, but one of them, Locke, was tested by Jaime's petulance and he chopped off his hand.
This neutered Jaime who was considered one of the best knights in the realm. Even Brienne felt for him as she too recognized there was a bit of hero underneath the facade that he was putting up. It was uncalled for and akin to cutting off his manhood, as it was his main sword-hand. This wasn't only a blow to Jaime's pride and ego, but to his very soul. It was tough hearing him scream in agony in this maiming.
8 RICKON'S TARGET PRACTICE
Joffrey was the series' most hated villain until Ramsay came along. He made Sansa's life a living hell, as he despised all Starks, and more or less did what he wanted to do. He even killed his dad, Roose, to wrest power from him and ensure the North would be run his way. That was the way of war and blood.
When Jon Snow returned to reclaim the North and his family, Ramsay tricked him into a battlefield truce and unveiled Rickon Stark, Sansa's younger brother. He was missing for a bit but ended up being traded as a bargaining chip to Ramsay. As Jon tried to reach him, Ramsay allowed the kid to run to his family, only to have his archers shoot the youngster up before he could make it to his loved ones. This was a demonic act if ever there was one.
7 OBERYN'S SQUASH MATCH
Oberyn Martell had a blood feud to settle with the Lannisters and also, with Gregor Clegane a.k.a. The Mountain. Oberyn lost loved ones to Gregor's hideous actions, and a lot of it was because of Cersei's scheming. He never forgot this and as he returned to King's Landing, he waited for the right time, whichcame in representing Tyrion as his champion in a trial-by-combat.
Victory would set Tyrion free but Oberyn simply wanted vengeance. His spear was coated with poison, earning his nickname of the Red Viper as he ended up killing Gregor. However, the giant would exact revenge before he died as he dropped Oberyn to the ground and squished his head in. He popped Oberyn's skull like a cherry and fans saw it unfold in all its gory glory. It was a bittersweet end because Gregor would return as a zombie bodyguard for Cersei.
6 MYRCELLA'S KISS OF DEATH
Myrcella Baratheon was sent to Dorne as part of a marriage-pact that the Lannisters built with them to stem over bad blood. When Oberyn died, Jaime tried to get her back because he feared that Oberyn's significant other, Ellaria, would exact revenge. However, after a big debate, Myrcella undertook the journey back with Jaime. Before leaving, though, Ellaria kissed her and secretly poisoned her.
The poison kicked in just as the young girl and Jaime were sharing a tender moment. What made it so much more painful to watch was that she acknowledged to Jaime that she knew of his incestuous affair with her mother, Cersei, and that she also knew Jaime was indeed her father. This tore Jaime up because he finally had a weight lifted off but now, she was ripped away from him as a casualty in Cersei's bloodlust.
5 JON SNOW: THE STABBING TOY
Jon Snow took Ollie in and treated him like a brother in the Night's Watch. So when Ollie conspired with Jon's fellow soldiers to kill him, we all shed a tear. Ollie didn't like Jon's partnership with the Wildlings, which the hero made clear they needed, so as to fortify their ranks when the White Walkers came. This was seen as traitorous and Jon was ambushed in an uprising -- stabbed to apparent death.
Of course, Melisandre, would bring him back but each stab, we heard and felt. Every member made it clear that his perceived betrayal was not acceptable and this was done for the Watch. Jon looked on in agony as Ollie seemed to derive pleasure from it, especially as Wildlings had taken the lives of his family. Hell hath no fury like an Ollie scorned!
4 THEON LOSES HIS MEMBER
Ramsay built his maniacal reputation up by making a mockery out of Theon Greyjoy, who betrayed the Starks and helped the Lannisters take control of the North. The Boltons would see to it that Theon was dealt with as they were still playing both sides, but that didn't stop Ramsay from making Theon his toy.
He emasculated Theon and criminally tortured him. This was part of the transition into Reek, who Ramsay used as a slave. The most gut-wrenching part? He cut Theon's manhood off in the process and sent it to his family in the Iron Islands. This was to show that they no longer had a son and that he was a mere puppet. The juxtaposition of this scene to Ramsay eating a sausage drove the point home and had guys cringing with sympathy.
3 CERSEI'S SMUG CORONATION
Tommen killed himself after Cersei took out her haters with a bomb, including Margaery. Now, as prophesied, all her children were dead because of the madness and lust for power she had. However, in this act, Cersei also seized control of the Iron Throne and became the first woman to sit on it. It was quite a swerve but what made this so sadistic was the joy she got.
Despite the losses she suffered, especially with family, she seemed smug as she sat on the throne. She gained full power and this was what she always wanted. She didn't consider the expense, and we saw Jaime and her exchanging looks that showed she didn't even care for his love anymore. Cersei desired the crown and got it. To be so heartless definitely takes work and Jaime finally saw the monster he helped create, setting him up as a potential Queenslayer.
2 CERSEI'S DESECRATION BY JAIME
When Joffrey died, Cersei and Jaime were mourning his body on display as she asked him to avenge their son. Jaime was overcome by emotion and after kissing her, felt rejected when she wanted to stop. A fit of rage engulfed him and he proceeded to rape her next to the body. It desecrated the scene but Jaime stated he didn't care as he was lashing out and punishing Cersei.
It was inexcusable because it took away from the potential heroism many were hoping for. It also showed the dark dynamic the duo had. Cersei begged him to stop but Jaime made it clear his passions had to be fulfilled. Some could argue this was his way of venting anger at Joffrey's death. Many also felt that he saw them both as monsters and this was his way of getting back at her for ruining things for their kids. The truth is, either way, this was a horrible scene for every conceivable reason.
1 THE RED WEDDING
Walder Frey and Roose Bolton plotted like thieves in the night for the Red Wedding. They hosted Catelyn Stark (Ned's wife) and son, Rob, as he got married, but things went downhill as their Lannister loyalties arose. Rob's pregnant wife was killed, as was most of the Stark contingent, breaking a rule where one shouldn't harm the people they're hosting. Rob also died as Roose and Walder cemented their allegiances.
This would be quite a story for seasons to come, especially as it ended with Catelyn's throat slit after seeing her family slaughtered like sheep. The resistance to the Lannisters took a huge blow that night and this would drive the other kids such as Sansa and Arya down a path of revenge. The way in which the wedding party was tricked, then locked in for a bloody ambush left everyone in shock, screaming at their televisions.
Let us know in the comments which Game of Thrones moment was most sadistic to you!