Skip to Content

Best Moments of Game of Thrones Season Four

Best Moments of Game of Thrones Season Four

When Game of Thrones show-runners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss promised the season four finale would be their finest yet, they weren’t lying. Some very huge, notable moments sent the show out of the year in style, but more importantly, “The Children” changed the playing field dramatically. It is such a big episode (with extra time allotted) that it features three of the best scenes of the series so far. Here are the best moments of season four. Enjoy!

 article-2657635-1EBF903700000578-609_634x350

#19. How to Chain Your Dragons

One of the most heartbreaking scenes of season four comes when The Mother of Dragons and Breaker of Chains is faced with a tough decision, and has to chain her own dragons who have become a major threat to the people of Meereen. This is one of Emilia Clarke’s best emotional moments of the series, and a sure sign that Dany isn’t prepared for the burdens of ruling. And without Jorah around, things will only become more difficult for Daenerys.

#18. The Judgement of Jorah 

Daenerys banishing Jorah Mormont, her most trusted advisor, after discovering that he was originally sent as a spy for King Robert is flat out heartbreaking, and perhaps the most shattering thing that’s happened in her storyline in quite some time.

#17. Mole’s Town Invasion

The opening sequence of the eight episode “The Mountain and The Viper,” is bound to be overlooked by the climax, but the sequence is noteworthy for several reasons: As The Wildlings swarm the village, Alex Graves and cinematographer Anette Haellmigk work their magic, creating exciting action set-pieces while setting the stage for what is yet to come. Take note of the reflection in the well of a man slitting another man’s throat, or the blood dripping from the ceiling as Ygritte spares Gilly’s life. The opening offers gorgeous cinematography and scenery, loads of gore, and an atmospheric score to help sustain the mood.

#16. The Hound Recalls His Childhood Trauma 

The wonderful, yet odd friendship between Arya and the Hound continues to be one of the best partnerships of the series. In “Mockingbird” Rorge and Biter make a brief appearance, attacking our favourite duo from behind, with Biter sinking his teeth into The Hound’s flesh. The scene culminates with The Hound snapping his neck and Arya sticking the needle right through the heart of Rorge. As the young Stark is growing stronger, and quite adept at killing people, The Hound is slowly showing signs of vulnerability. After the Hound is wounded, Arya suggests they use fire to cauterize the wound, but as we all know, The Hound is only afraid of one thing in life: fire. Just the sight of the flames approaching is too much for the great Sandor Clegane to handle, and just like that, Arya learns his weakness. Over four seasons, we have grown to like the Hound despite his sometimes cruel ways, and it helps to have an actor has talented as Rory McCann in the role. We’ve seen the fearsome younger son of the Clegane family show off his brute force and superior fighting skills, but we’ve never seen him drop his guard — until now. The scene in which he tells Arya his account of the childhood incident that left him scarred is just amazing to watch. We’ve heard a version of his story before, but it’s so much more powerful coming from the Hound himself.

#15. White Walkers

“Oathkeeper” ends with a White Walker riding some sort of zombie horse with the male Craster baby in tow, and headed to some sort of Fortress of Solitude. Before the credits role, the White Walker touches the baby’s cheek, and its eyes turn ice-blue. In this brief scene, the show reveals more about the mysterious White Walkers teasing audiences for what is yet to come.

#14. Bran Stark’s Visions

To the north, we catch up with Bran who gains some valuable insight on what is to come. By simply touching the Heart Tree, he is awarded with prophetic vision of dragons flying over King’s Landing. The montage is beautifully edited with an assortment of jump cuts, flashbacks, and even a final shot that left many bewildered. There’s a certain poetry to his journey, a journey that constantly drops clues to the epic conclusion. And while many criticize Bran’s scenes as boring, I can’t help but think they are all beautifully shot with wonderful atmosphere and an appropriately dark tone. If his visions come true, expect that dragons will arrive in Westeros and The Lannisters will abandon the Iron Throne.

#13. The Purple Wedding 

Alex Graves directs an extraordinary instalment, grandly conceived, brilliantly executed and incredibly entertaining. It has passion, raw emotion, true terror, and a palpable sense of evil. Despite knowing George R. R. Martin insists on ending each wedding with a gruesome death, as a non-book reader, I was shocked with the end result. It’s also worth mentioning that Martin himself wrote this particular episode, only the third after “Blackwater” and “The Bear and the Maiden Fair.” This time around, he’s given us a royal wedding and in doing so, kills King Joffrey, His grace, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm. Martin’s teleplays are so well structured, constantly subverting fantasy tropes and switching things up, I can’t help but wish he wrote more. As it turns out, the person we hated the most in this series falls victim in whats is perhaps the show’s most triumphant death. Had Joffrey suffered the physical torture that say Theon Greyjoy suffered, he would have been labeled a martyr. Had Joffrey died in battle, he would have been remembered a great warrior and a great King who fought for his land. Instead, Joffrey is made to look ridiculous in death, and in front of hundreds of his guests on his wedding night. There’s something to be said about watching him gasp in agony, while staring directly at Tyrion, a man he’s tortured for far too long. As he dies, Joffrey goes out believing his uncle is responsible for his death, and that my friends, is the best kind of revenge Tyrion can have.

#12. Arya Takes Back the Needle

Some of the best scenes of season four are without a doubt those that involve Arya and The Hound. Arya is turning into a little psychopath with her list of people she intends to kill, and we start seeing this change when she takes revenge on the Lannister soldier Polliver, and gets her needle back.

#11. The Watchers On The Wall

Expectations were high for “The Watchers on The Wall;” the ninth and the most expensive episode of the series so far. And who better to helm this instalment, than Neil Marshall, the same man responsible for the triumphant, epic “Blackwater”. “The Watchers On The Wall” features many spellbinding moments, big battles, raw emotion and pure poetry. All honour and praise are due the visionaries behind the project. Marshall and his crew, deliver something operatic and beautiful – striking an ideal balance of combat and camaraderie. “The Watchers On The Wall” is such a crowning achievement, such a pure spectacle, that it can be enjoyed even by those who have not seen a single episode of the HBO series. This is 50 minutes of total mastery, with extended, epic battles handled with flourish and coherence. Like “Blackwater,” “The Watchers On The Wall” has an exciting rhythm, and leaves viewers gripping their seats right up until the closing credits roll. This episode is everything a fan could want and possibly more. In size and scale, Marshall has brought new meaning to the word epic. From a pure visual standpoint, “The Watchers On The Wall” may be the most accomplished episode Game Of Thrones; one that seizes your attention, and holds you through the action-packed hour. There is a cast of hundreds of extras, loads of practical effects, and brilliant use of CGI to flesh out the backgrounds and expand the universe. Castle Black is hit from all sides, and the geography is ever so clear. Notice the expert camera work as the actors are clearly visible battling through the wreckage; and what about those beautiful POV shots of Ygritte firing at her targets. For one hour, “The Watchers on the Wall” entertains with such highlights as Alliser fighting Tormund – Edd dropping that massive anchor scraping alongside the wall and killing the ascending wildlings – Jon Snow killing Styr with a hammer – the giants riding mammoths – the giants firing off their giant longbows – the 360 arial shots of everyone fighting – and the stunning long-take as the camera sweeps across Castle Black and over the Wall – which remarkably, featured no CGI.

“It was one take. It was all the work of the ADs — and the stunt guys, for keeping out of the way of the camera,” Marshall told Rolling Stone. “The camera was on the end of a crane arm and swinging around at high speed. It doesn’t necessarily look it from the camera’s point of view, but if the camera had hit someone in the head, it could have killed them — it was moving that fast. That was one of the worries. But nobody got killed by the camera, so that’s good.

#10. Jamie and Tryion – The King Slayer Brothers

“Mockingbird” features three great scenes involving Tyrion, who receives three visitors to his suite of squalor, Jaime, Bronn, and Oberyn. Each of these scenes is a series highlight, questioning who could be Tyrion’s defender now that Cersei has named The Mountain as the crown’s champion. Jaime’s scene with his brother is a prime example of how well the series is written and acted. Tyrion admits his weakness was falling in love with Shae, and that he couldn’t stand watching her testify against him. In the end, Tyrion also admits his actions were partly driven by the desire to deny his father of the deal he’d crafted with Jaime. Somehow Tywin’s plan backfired in the worst way possible as his two sons continue to let their father down (Tyrion won’t be exiled to the Wall, and Jaime won’t be Tywin’s heir after all). Tyrion and Jaime joking at the thought of Tywin seeing the family line end with them in one single stroke is nothing short of brilliant. In spite of everything that has happened, Tyrion knows he can always count on his big brother Jaime for help… except this one time. When Tyrion expresses the hope that Jaime will be his champion, the Kingslayer admits that without his right hand, he isn’t strong enough to walk away as the victor. And since he can’t do it, Tyrion is forced to turn to another man – Bronn.

#9. Arya’s Poker Face

The fight between Brienne and The Hound is the best way for The Hound to go out (that is if actually dies). Both believe they are looking after Arya’s best interests, and for once The Hound goes in fighting with good intentions. What I wasn’t prepared for, was the cold look on Arya’s face when The Hound was begging for deliverance while she just stared him down for several minutes and than snatched away a bag of silver from under his belt. Why did she leave him like that? Was it mercy, or was it so that he would suffer excruciating pain until his death? Or maybe Arya is just grown up?

#8. Bronn and Tyrion, Best Friends Forever 

The second best scene of the episodes comes when Bronn finally stops by to visit Tyrion in his cell. As expected, Bronn’s loyalty is challenged as Cersei has apparently made him an offer he can’t refuse: The sellsword will be marrying the noblewoman Lollys Stokeworth. Like Shae, Bronn is someone whose company Tyrion paid for, and like Shae, Bronn can be bought. Unlike Shae, Bronn at least still values whatever relationship he and Tyrion shared. Tyrion promises that if Bronn will fight for him, and if he can defeat Ser Gregor, he will provide Bronn with a comfortable living in Winterfell. Bronn has fought for Tyrion once in the past, but the circumstances were different then. And so who can blame Bronn for turning his back on his friend. Not only is he offered a title and a castle (provided his sister-in-law will prematurely die), but as Bronn points out, the chances of him defeating The Mountain are slim. “It’s not that I don’t like you,” he tells his former Imp employer, “I just like myself more”. And so the two part ways, affably, with a stern handshake. It’s a bittersweet end to one of the show’s more interesting friendships, and for that, Bronn still earns this critic’s respect.

#7. Oberyn Martell visits Tyrion Lannister

Of three tremendous scenes featuring Tyrion hosting visitors in “Mockingbird”, the writers save the very best for last. His third and final visitor is the somewhat surprising Oberyn Martell, who begins lightheartedly in talking about the cunning nature of Cersei and the one and only thing they have in common; a shared enthusiasm to see some Lannisters die. The scene starts with two of the best actors simply exchanging quips, but takes an unexpected turn when the Dornishman tells the tale of how he first met Tyrion as a baby. “Your head was a bit large, your arms and legs were a bit small. No claws, no red eyes, no tail between your legs,” Oberyn recalls. “‘That’s no monster,” I told Cersei, “that’s just a baby.” Oberyn then reveals his true purpose for the visit. He came to King’s Landing to seek some measure of revenge against the man who killed his sister Elia and her children. That man is The Mountain, and so as fate will have it, Oberyn offers to be Tyrion’s champion against Ser Gregor Clegane. What sets Game of Thrones head over heels above most television programs is the superb acting by the entire cast. Of the long list of great actors, Peter Dinklage and Pedro Pascal are among the five best, and this is one of their best scenes. As great as Dinklage was a week ago in “The Laws of God and Men”, he may have outdone himself here. Dinklage is given a tougher task this week, having to express a wide range of emotions Tyrion is feeling (frustration, anger, heartbreak, humiliation), and all with little words. It’s a tour-de-force performance, and one that is sure to help Dinklage come award season.

#6. Arya’s Laugh 

And than there is Arya’s burst of laughter. How perfect is Arya’s laugh? The Hound and Arya showing up at the Bloody Gate only to be told that Lysa had died was without a doubt the highlight of the night. Not only does it add some much needed levity to go with the bloodshed, but it puts to question the little Stark’s sanity.

#5. Tyrion’s Trial

The big moment in “The Laws of Gods and Men” comes well into the episode, half of which is spent at King’s Landing for the trial of Tyrion Lannister. We’ve seen Tyrion in this position before, when Catelyn Stark and her sister Loco Lysa had him on trial for commissioning the attack on Bran Stark. This time around however, Tyrion gets to suffer through two shocking betrayals. First Varys, who chooses his words wisely so he doesn’t lie, nor does he have to fear the Lannister’s wrath; and second comes Shae, who delivers the final, heartbreaking blow. Tyrion’s achilles heal has always been his big heart, and like Ned Stark, his attempt to protect whatever decency is left in Westeros, doesn’t end well. Only unlike Ned, Tyrion still has his head on his shoulders allowing him to deliver his unforgetable speech. Kudos to Peter Dinklage for a performance that is sure to make him a contender for an Emmy this year. “I wish I was the monster you all think I am!”

#4. Beetleslayer  

Why did Tyrion’s younger cousin keep smashing the beetles? That’s the question posed immediately before the climactic battle in a remarkable exchange between the Lannister brothers. It’s a question the show seems to answer several minutes later in excruciating, painful detail. If anything, the trial by combat underlines the monologue’s importance but the metaphorical hand stretches across every character in this world. Maybe the lesson is that the cost of life in this world is cheap, and while intelligence, riches and eloquence can get you what you want, sometimes it’s the simplest minds who get the last word.

#3. The Mountain vs. The Red Viper

Clearly the highlight of season four comes during the duel between The Mountain and The Viper. On this episode’s big finale, we see fan favourite Oberyn Martell crushed under the weight of Gregor Clegane, the notoriously fearsome warrior with a tendency toward extreme violence. The sequence has some of the intensity of old Hollywood in terms of setting, spectacle, and heroics, but from a traditional storytelling aspect, the scene defies expectations. Everything seems designed so Oberyn will walk away the victor, but as Game of Thrones does so well, it surprises us once again. The show has done a marvellous job of fleshing out the Prince of Dorne in such a short span of time, and although his end is abrupt, it seems only fitting he goes down swinging in search of justice. Everything about the scene is pitch perfect, from Oberyn’s dazzling entry to the fight choreography intercut with the reactions of the spectators, to Oberyn’s monologue as he challenges the Mountain to confess to raping and murdering his sister. The duel is a thing of beauty; a visually astonishing set-piece that brings script, performance and, alas, displays of violence up to the high standard we come to expect from HBO. This is filmmaking on a grand scale; poetic, horrific and brutal. As it gradually becomes clear through the scene, the Prince is not fighting for Tyrion Lannister, he is instead fighting the trial by combat of Gregor Clegane. No one can be blamed for believing Oberyn would win, especially given that Tyrion’s life is also on the line, but leave it to this show to kill off a new character just shortly after he’s introduced. As Oberyn is caught unexpectedly and pulled to the ground, audiences can’t help but hold on to that false hope that Game of Thrones will maybe, just once, let the good guy live. As Clegane proceeds to sadistically admit to Elia’s murder, before crushing Oberyn’s eyeballs with his thumbs, what little hope we have is squashed,  much like Oberyn’s skull. Ellaria looks on in horror, as does Tyrion, knowing that through the rules of trial by combat, his fate is sealed.

#2. Tyrion’s Rampage

How ironic is it, that the season four finale happened to air on Father’s Day? A Storm of Swords is full of many surprises, but Tyrion’s murderous rampage ranks among the most unexpected. It starts with him exacting revenge on Shae, after the revelation that she has been sleeping with his father, and ends with him putting two arrows right in his father’s chest. The most emotional moment of the two, is with Shae, for whom Tyrion has always loved as evidenced by the emotional resonance in his face when she betrayed him at his trial. Tyrion killing Shae was a crime of passion, and a moment born out of pure revenge. Hearing her call out for his father as “My Lion”, was the final nail in the coffin. After an entire life of being mistreated, Tyrion finally snapped. Deep down, it destroyed him, and in true Tyrion Lannister form, he apologizes even after strangling her to death. It’s not every day you feel bad for a cold-blooded murderer. There’s an overwhelming amount of joy in watching Tywin’s children lashing out against their father, beginning with Cersei who throws her relationship with Jaime in his face, and ending with Tyrion who escapes to settle all family business, and end Tywin’s life with Joffrey’s weapon of choice. Tyrion’s detour left viewers at the edge of their seat, biting on to their finger nails, in knowing that the show tends to chasten those characters who deviate from safety. Thankfully, that didn’t happen this time as Tyrion and Varys make it out of Kings Landing once and for all.

#1. Brienne vs. The Hound

The confrontation between the two seasoned fighters Brienne and The Hound is extremely personal and one of the most brutal brawls since Roddy Rowdy Piper’s Nada fought Keith David’s Frank in John Carpenter’s They Live. “The Children” has the honour of having the season’s best single combat sequences, which is saying a lot considering what happens in “The Mountain and The Viper” and “The Watchers On The Wall”. The scene is framed with breathtaking shots set against the rocky cliffs just outside the Bloody Gate. It begins with the two soldiers showing off their swordsmanship and technique, and soon becomes something completely outrageous. “There’s no safety,” Sandor tells Brienne who tries to convince Arya to come back with her. “You don’t know that by now, you’re the wrong one to watch over her,” he continues as he calls her out in carrying valerian steel. What follows is several minutes of exceptional fight choreography directed by Alex Graves and his stunt doubles.

[wpchatai]