The 30 most iconic moments from Game of Thrones, ranked

8. The Night’s Watch murders Jon Snow

The fifth season finale of Game of Thrones leaves fans with a cliffhanger unrivaled by anything else in modern television, save maybe the season 7 finale where the Night King knocks down the Wall. In “Mother’s Mercy,” Jon Snow is stabbed to death by members of the Night’s Watch, a retaliation for letting the wildlings cross into Westeros.

Prior to this scene, fans of the A Song of Ice and Fire book series had a general idea of where the story was going—and even those who hadn’t read the books could Google characters’ fates. Jon Snow’s death, however, is one of the last scenes taken from Martin’s novels. Not knowing what would happen next left every Game of Thrones fan on edge, wondering whether Jon was really gone. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time the series killed off an important character. Book-readers and show-watchers, we all held our month for months.

The murder also opened many doors for the characters. Given that they’d betrayed their Lord Commander, the Night’s Watch members who murdered Jon are sentenced to death. This paves the way for the wildlings and the Night’s Watch to form a more genuine peace, something that will be much needed during the fight against the Night King.

Jon’s death also frees Jon from his obligations to the Night’s Watch, as his vows state that he must serve until his death…well, check that box. Only after he’s been betrayed, killed, and brought back to life can Jon return to his family and his former home in good conscience. And given that Sansa turns up right after Jon’s resurrection, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.