You Win Or You Die: Ranking the 99 Game of Thrones Deaths

Image credit: HBO/Helen Sloan

Game of Thrones is notorious for its high death toll. We take a look at every character death, and its impact on the overall narrative.

In a story as rich in plot as Game of Thrones, you need a sturdy cast of characters to play it out. Considering that the world in which they live is a medieval wasteland, you’ve got to expect some casualties. From nondescript secondary characters to major players, no one is entirely safe from a bloody death. Hold onto your favorite characters lightly, because they might not make it through to the end.

However heartbreaking it is to see so many of them go, no death in the Thrones universe is purposeless. Each one serves to propel other characters forward, and in doing so the plot advances as well. At this point, what’s left of the cast is beginning to come together. While this synergy won’t deter them from their individual goals, they will be put on pause in order to tackle the great White Walker threat.

With the final two seasons upon us, it’s. About. To go. Down. There is no better time to look back at those we’ve lost over the past six years, and how their deaths have led us to where we are today. Whatever they offered in life, between heroes, villains, and fools, their deaths were not in vain. They have contributed to the journeys of those who remain to us. And with a rousing total of 99 deaths, these characters have certainly contributed quite a bit.

Grab your flashlights, and let’s hop into these grave plots.