George R. R. Martin's literary brilliance, A Song of Ice and Fire and Fire & Blood, has been brought to life in recent years as the television marvels Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon respectively. Game of Thrones was incredibly popular, largely thanks to its engaging characters.

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The Starks were generally the most sympathetic characters of Game of Thrones, mainly because of what they had to go through throughout the show. The Starks were torn apart and were victims of the harsh and unforgiving world of Westeros. They only really emerged on top at the end of it all.

10 The Starks Were Split Apart Almost Immediately

Robb, Ned and Arya Stark in Game of Thrones

When Game of Thrones began, there was a clear implication that fans were supposed to root for the Starks and be wary of the Lannisters, namely Cersei and Jaime. The Starks were presented as a close and loving family, except for Catelyn and Jon Snow. However, the show almost immediately ripped them apart. King Robert Baratheon named Ned Stark his new Hand, taking Ned and his two daughters back to King's Landing.

Arya and Sansa Stark would never see their mother or brothers Robb and Rickon again, and neither Robb nor Jon would see Ned again. Robert Baratheon needed Ned to help him in King's Landing, but this poor family just needed to stay together in Winterfell.

9 Jaime Pushed Bran Stark Out Of A Tower

Jaime pushes Bran in Game of Thrones pilot episode

Jaime and Cersei Lannister's forbidden love spawned rumors and inevitable death for those who delved too deeply into discovering the secret. However, it had immediate ramifications when Jaime pushed Bran Stark from a Winterfell tower after the young boy had seen the Lannisters together.

This would ultimately set Bran on the path to fulfilling his destiny as the Three-Eyed Raven, but in the moment, it left the adventurous young Stark unable to run, climb, and live free as he always did. The incident pushed his mother Catelyn to the brink of despair and led her to search for the truth.

8 Eddard's Death Was Shocking And Disastrous For House Stark

Ned Stark's execution in Game Of Thrones.

Season 1 of Game of Thrones was especially tough on the Starks. Ned Stark being named Hand of the King to Robert Baratheon took him away from his home and family into the dangerous city of King's Landing. From there, events spiraled out of control to the point where the brattish boy Joffrey was the new king, and he quickly asserted his tyranny by ordering Ned's execution.

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Ned's death was the first of many major character deaths in Game of Thrones, but the devastation is felt to this day. Ned was such an important character. Ultimately, his honor and being out of his depth in King's Landing brought about his downfall. It was a huge loss for House Stark, and it wasn't the last.

7 Theon Betrayed The Starks And Took Winterfell From Them

Theon Greyjoy betrays the Starks in Game of Thrones.

Theon Greyjoy was raised with care and respect by the Starks, despite being a ward as a consequence of war. Theon showed his loyalty to Ned Stark while he was at Winterfell and held a close bond with the other Stark children, especially Robb.

When Theon went home to seek his father's help for Robb's cause, it turned into a desperate plea for his father's affection, as he betrayed the Starks and took Winterfell. Theon's actions saw the deaths of loyal Stark servants in Maester Luwin and Rodrik Cassel and chased Bran and Rickon away from their home. With no Starks left at Winterfell, it played into the Boltons' hands, especially after they betrayed Robb at the Red Wedding.

6 The Boltons Took Winterfell And Made It Difficult To Take Back

Roose Bolton, Ramsay Bolton, and Walda Bolton in Game of Thrones

The brutal reality of war is that families will find themselves being forced from their homes and the lives they know, which is exactly what happened to the Starks in Game of Thrones. Not only were they all forced out of Winterfell, but the sheer prospect of having to fight and bleed to get their home back seemed unfair.

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The Boltons had Winterfell after Theon had chased the last Starks away, Ramsay had imprisoned Theon, and the Boltons had betrayed Robb Stark. The Boltons were a despicable family, and them taking the Starks' home was just the start of what they would go on to do.

5 Ramsay Was Awful And Even Killed Rickon Stark

Ramsay Bolton at the Battle of the Bastards in Game of Thrones.

Ramsay was easily the worst of the Boltons. Torturing and maiming Theon Greyjoy wasn't enough for him, and he went on to torment Sansa when the two were married. After Sansa escaped and returned with Jon Snow to wage war on the Boltons and reclaim their home, Ramsay antagonized the Starks by capturing and killing the youngest of the Stark children, Rickon.

Rickon was the last Stark to die in Game of Thrones, and the only one who felt like a supporting character in comparison to the others. Still, it was a devastating blow to the Starks, and it threw Jon into a fit of rage as he charged alone toward the Bolton army.

4 Sansa Was Treated With Malice And Disrespect By Multiple Parties

Sansa Stark in her black dress in the Vale of Arryn in Game of Thrones.

Sansa Stark wasn't just mistreated by Ramsay Bolton; she had to endure abuse throughout Game of Thrones. Sansa was the recipient of Joffrey's horrific taunting and general petulance in the early parts of his reign and always found herself being viewed as a pawn in someone else's game.

Cersei and Littlefinger also took advantage of Sansa's innocence and naivety, but by the time Game of Thrones was finished, she was alive, and they were not. Sansa became a survivor and took on all the life lessons that she could and used them to her advantage, even becoming the Queen in the North. Nevertheless, she had an awful time throughout the show.

3 Arya's Disappearance Was A Constant Worry To The Other Starks

Arya Stark practising with her sword, Needle, in Game of Thrones

While Sansa was taking the brunt of Lannisters' torment, Arya was out of their clutches for the most part. This was fortuitous that both Stark girls weren't being held in King's Landing against their will, but it also meant that the rest of Arya's family wouldn't be able to find her.

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The lack of information regarding Arya's whereabouts haunted Catelyn until her death, and she never got any closure. Arya had been imprisoned several times, even right under the nose of Tywin Lannister, and eventually made her way to Braavos. Arya's traumatic journey shaped her into the deadly fighter she needed to be to stop the White Walkers, but it was still an unpleasant route to take her there.

2 The Red Wedding Took Out Several Starks In One Fell Swoop

The Red Wedding about to begin in Game of Thrones

The Red Wedding was another devastating hit to House Stark, as it took out the two eldest remaining Starks following Ned's earlier death. Catelyn, Robb, Robb's wife Talisa, and their unborn child were all butchered in the Red Wedding, a massacre orchestrated by Roose Bolton, Walder Frey, and Tywin Lannister.

It came as a consequence of Robb breaking the terms he agreed to with Walder Frey, who did not take kindly to the betrayal of trust. The Red Wedding remains one of the most shocking scenes in television history, let alone Game of Thrones. In one extra devastating detail, Arya had arrived outside just as the fighting started, but never got to see her mother or brother for the last time.

1 Winterfell Became A Graveyard Following The White Walker Attack

Bodies being burned in the aftermath of the Battle of Winterfell in Game of Thrones

Winterfell saw combat on multiple occasions throughout Game of Thrones, but the Battle of Winterfell had the White Walkers infiltrating and overwhelming the living. After a grueling battle that claimed several lives, the living eventually came out on top when Arya Stark flew from out of nowhere to kill the Night King and bring the fighting to an abrupt end.

Despite the victory, the survivors had a lot of corpses to send off before they could even think about celebrating. Winterfell had become a mass graveyard, as the likes of Theon, Jorah, Edd, Beric, Melisandre, and Lyanna Mormont met their ends there.

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