If there’s one thing I’ve noticed in the lead up to the final season ofGame of Thrones, it’s that if you mention a long-gone supporting character by name, you get met with a lot of blank stares and confusing. Fair enough! The series has a seemingly infinite laundry list of absurdly named characters, and they’re often dead before you even get the chance to say, “Wait, who’s that guy?“George R.R. Martinloves to kill his characters, it’s just what he does. In fact, he does it so often that you probably forgot about some of the saddest and upsetting deaths along the way. After all, there have been a lot of executions, murders, sacrifices, suicides, stabbings, spearings, decapitations, and poisonings on the path that got us here.
Now, if you’re a book enthusiast or a diehard who watched every season multiple times, you probably didn’t forget any of these. But for the casual viewer or those who started watching late, some of these heart-breaking deaths may have understandably slipped by in the relentless carnage. So, with the final season upon us, it’s time to pour one out for the forgotten ones. Here are the saddestGame of Thronesdeaths you might have forgotten.
Mycah: Killed by The Hound on Joffrey’s Orders
Episode:1.2, ‘The Kingsroad’
What Happened:Mycah, aka, the butcher’s boy, we barely knew ye. The young boy only appeared in one episode of the series, and the second one at that, but his death also demonstrated just how brutalGame of Throneswas going to get (and how truly despicable Joffrey was.) Mycah befriended Arya on the Kingsroad during the Stark’s fateful trip to King’s Landing and indulged her penchant for playing swords to his own demise. Arya and Mycah were playing by the riverbank until Sansa and Joffrey arrived, and the terrible prince showed his true colors for the first time when he took the opportunity to showboat and bully, pulling his real sword on the boy, who was carrying only a wooden plaything.
As things tends to do inGame of Trones, everything elevated quickly, ending with bloodshed when Nymeria jumped in to protect Arya and bit Joffrey’s arm. That one doomed encounter led to Lady’s death, Ned’s first power struggle with Cersei, and of course, the death of poor Mycah, who was run down by The Hound on Joffrey’s orders. The young boy’s corpse rode by on a horse, and suddenly you understood how deeply dark this series was gonna get. Audiences may not remember Mycah, he may not even have died on-screen, but the North remembers, Arya remembers, and this is the crime that landed the Hound on her list in the first place.
Jory Cassel: Stabbed in the Eye by Jaime
Episode:1.5, ‘The Wolf and the Lion’
What Happened:This one definitely hurt more for book readers, who were given a better sense of Jory’s loyalty to Ned and honorable service to the realm, but even on the show, it sucked when Ned’s right-hand-man took a knife to the eye. Way back in Season 1, when the shit officially hit the fan between the Starks and the Lannisters, Jory Cassel died in the streets of King’s Landing after Jamie Lannister (thoroughly villainous and unreformed at this point) surrounded Ned and his men with Lannister soldiers in a show of power. In retaliation for Tyrion’s kidnapping, he orders his men-at-arms to leave Ned alive, but kill his men.
Jamie himself stabs dear Jory through the eye — a particularly disgusting and dishonorable act from Jamie in full self-loathing Kingslayer mode considering he and Jory battled the Iron Born together in the Siege of Pyke (where Jory almost lost an eye). Jaime’s assault on Ned in the streets of King’s Landing pretty much marked the start of war between the Starks and the Lannisters, and In pre-Ned Stark decapitation world ofGame of Thrones, Jory’s death felt about as bad as it could get — we were such sweet summer children.
Septa Mordane: Killed by Lannister Men
Episode:1.8, ‘The Pointy End’
What Happened:Understandably, viewers may have a sour taste in their mouth about the Septas after the Faith Militant’s takeover of King’s Landing. After all, the last Septa we knew well was the horrid Septa Unella, who took pleasure in tormenting the Lannisters and Tyrells from her sanctimonious high horse. But they aren’t all bad! Septa Mordane served the Faith of the Seven at Winterfell, where she tutored the Stark daughters and took a particular liking to Sansa.
Mordane was seen as something of an antagonist for her treatment of Arya, who she insistently tried and failed to train as a lady. To be fair, that was her job, and she proved herself a brave woman in her final moments when she helped Sansa escape the chaos in the Red Keep following Robert’s death and Cersei’s room for the throne. She’s last seen alive sending Sansa to safety and staring down a team of Lannister soldiers. After Joffrey takes the throne, he forces Sansa to look at the decapitated heads of her father and Mordane, displayed on spikes lining the castle walls.
Lommy: Stabbed with Needle by Polliver
Episode:2.3, ‘What Is Dead May Never Die’
What Happened:Lommy was pals with Hot Pie, Gendry and Arya back in the day, when they journeyed north on the Kingsroad with Yoren. Lommy and Hot Pie tried to bully Arya at first, but you’re able to guess how well that went and before long they were friends. After Yoren died in a Lannister attack, the group ended up in the hands of the Lannister soldier Polliver, who takes Needle off of Arya and sticks it through Lommy’s throat. See, the boy was just shot through the leg by a crossbow, and when he points out that he can’t walk, Polliver offers him a hand up pulls him right into the sword. That little bit of child murder earned Polliver a spot on Arya’s list and he paid for it in Season 4 when Arya stuck Needle through his throat – just the same way he killed Lommy.
Ser Rodrick Cassel: Executed by Theon
Episode:Season 2.6, ‘The Old Gods and the New’
What Happened:Poor Ser Rodrick Cassel, a loyalist to House Stark, who served his keepers of the North dutifully, up until his bitter end. As the Master-at-Arms in Winterfell, the knight trained the Stark children for battle – including our great heroes like Robb Stark and Jon Snow, and one Theon Greyjoy. In the early seasons, Ser Rodrick escorts Catelyn to King’s Landing and on her ill-fated journey to kidnap Tyrion, and after they reunite with Robb, the King in the North sends him back to Winterfell to keep Bran and Rickon safe.
Unfortunately, that puts Rodrick right in the cross-hairs when Theon launches his ill-advised Winterfell takeover, and Theon executes the man who helped raise him with a grisly decapitation that makes a mockery of the swift justice he was taught in the North. Unlike Lord Stark, Theon lacks the strength and skill to cutoff Rodrick’s head in a single sweep, and he hacks and hacks at Rodrick’s neck before kicking whatever’s left off his neck. A terrible way for anyone to go, but especially poor Rodrick, mutilated by a boy he taught in the place he once called home.
Irri: Killed in Pyat Pree’s Dragon Heist
Episode:2.6, ‘The Old Gods and the New’
What Happened:Irri was one of Daenerys' very first faithful servants, who helped her make her transition into becoming a Khaleesi. As one of Dany’s handmaidens, she tended to the Khaleesi’s needs, served as her translator, and helped introduce her to the Dothraki language and customs. When you think of the quote “It is known,” she’s probably the one you picture saying it. Irri remains loyal to Dany after Khal Drogo’s life and follows her queen all through the Red Waste to Quarth. Unfortunately, that’s where she meets her doom. Irri dies when Pyat Pree comes to steal Khaleesi’s dragons, and it’s later discovered that Dany’s other not-so-faithful handmaiden Doreah (the one who taught Khaleesi how to sex the Khal into some sensitivity) played a part in it. You’ll noticethat traitor’s death isn’t on this list.
Mattos Seaworth: Killed by Tyrion’s Wildfire in the Battle of Blackwater
Episode:2.9, ‘Blackwater’
What Happened:So Davos had a son, remember that? You’d be forgiven if not since it’s only come up a few times in the aftermath and devoted young Mattos Seaworth never did much in the first place. Mattos was first seen on Dragsonstone during Melissandre and Stannis' horrifying offerings to the Lord of Light (aka burning people alive) and after that, he offers to teach his father to read (before Shireen finally breaks down that wall) and helps Davos execute some of Stannis' orders. That faithful service takes him to the Battle of Blackwater, where he dies in Tyrion’s wildfire attack. But for a heart-to-heart with Gendry in Season 3 and a well-placed jab at Tyrion in Season 7, Davos never much speaks of his loss, but it’s an added layer of heartbreak to the beloved Onion Knight.
Maester Luwin: Speared by the Iron Born, Mercy-Killed by Osha
Episode:Season 2.10, ‘Valar Morghulis’
What Happened:The other super sad death to come out of Theon’s pitiful reign at Winterfell comes from dear, sweet Maester Luwin, the Maester of the Stark castle. A respected advisor to the adults, and beloved caretaker of the children, Luwin does his best to offer wise counsel to Theon after his Winterfell takeover and also helps Osha mask her escape with Bran and Rickon. When Ramsay lays siege to Winterfell, Luwin advises Theon to head for the Wall, but the proud Iron Born attempts to rally his troops. When they turn on him, Luwin tries to step in and gets a spear in the gut for his troubles.
Even though he’s mortally wounded, Luwin manages to crawl to the Godswood, where he gets to see Bran, Rickon and Hodor one more time and urges them to head north. After sending the children away, Osha puts the old man out of his misery at his request.
Jeor ‘The Bear’ Mormont: Killed by Night’s Watch Mutineers
Episode:3.4, ‘And Now His Watch Has Ended’
What Happened:Once the head of House Mormont and the Lord of Bear Island, Jeor Mormont joined the Night’s Watch later and life and climbed the ranks to become the 997th Lord Commander. A wise and respected leader, Jeor took Jon Snow on as his steward and grew close to the Stark Bastard during his service. After hearing lots of tall tales about White Walkers north of the Wall, Jeor assembles a team of the Night’s Watch for an expedition north. He’s murdered by some of his own men during the Mutiny at Craster’s Keep, when the more violent and power-hungry of his men rebel against his continued alliance with Craster.
He is also Jorah Mormont’s father Lyanna Mormont’s uncle, who saw shame come to his family name when his son was caught poaching slaves, (which is how Jorah ended up in Essos.) Jon carries the great Valyrian steel sword Longclaw, passed down to him from Jeor, and when Jon tried to give it back to Jorah in Season 7, the disgraced son said he was not worthy and entrusted it to Jon. Because of his relation to Jorah, Jeor’s death is a bit fresher in the memory since it’s been mentioned once or twice during Jorah’s return to Westeros, but he was still a great figure worthy of remembering, just in case you didn’t quite recall what they were talking about.
Ros: Shot Full of Arrows by Joffrey
Episode:3.6, ‘The Climb’
What Happened:RIP Ros, Queen of “Sexposistion,” ever may she reign. Ros was a prostitute from the north (and a favorite of Theon’s), who hopped aboard the wagons to King’s Landing when the Starks went south and never came back. Once she made her way to the great city, she set up shop in Littlefinger’s brothel and became a favorite of Tyrion’s. As you can imagine, getting tangled up with the Lannisters brought her plenty of misery – she was forced to beat another prostitute by Joffrey and beaten herself by Cersei – so much so that she became a spy for Varys. That decision ultimately cost her her life when Littlefinger found out she was feeding information to the Spider and gave her to King Joffrey to dispose of. It was just about as bloody and horrific as you’d expect, and the last time we saw Ros, she was tied to a bedpost, shot full of arrows from the boy king’s crossbow.
