The 60 Most Important Deaths on Game of Thrones

43. The Hound and the Mountain

Two deaths for the price of one! The drama between Sandor and Gregor Clegane, aka the Hound and the Mountain, was never a huge focus for the show, but it was simmering for pretty much the entire run. We found out very early on that the Hound got his horrible facial scars when his older brother the Mountain shoved his face into a fire when they were kids. Ever since then, they’ve hated each other, and it comes bursting out during their climactic fight in “The Bells.”

That said, the conflict was always a little one-sided. We spent a good deal of time getting into the Hound’s head, with actor Rory McCann delivering a performance that was by turns ferocious and tender. The Mountain, on the other hand, was played by three different actors over the course of the show, and none of them were very verbose. The third and final actor, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, spent most of his time on the show with his face covered by a helmet, so there was only so much tension the show could sell between them.

Still, it made up for that with a knock-down, drag-out brawl for the ages. The final battle between the Hound and the Mountain is suitably dramatic, with the two of them finally tumbling into the flaming wreckage of the city below after beating the tar out of each other on a crumbling stairwell in the Red Keep. Whatever led up to this sequence, it was fun to finally see Cleganebowl happen. Get hype. – Dan

42. Janos Slynt

What a broken record old Janos Slynt was. Slynt first came into our lives in season 1, when he was the commander of the City’s Watch of King’s Landing, something he enjoyed repeating. After he betrayed Ned Stark, Tyrion Lannister sent Sylnt to the Wall where he allied himself with Alliser Throne, Jon Snow’s longtime rival. Jon eventually beheaded Slynt for refusing an order, and his death proved far more important than his life ever did.

First, Slynt’s execution solidified Jon’s authority as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, even if it wouldn’t last. Had Jon left him alive, Slynt would have never stopped conspiring to replace Jon as Lord Commander, with the support of select brothers of the Night’s Watch who believed that Slynt’s experience in King’s Landing counted for more than sense, bravery, and know-how. After Slynt’s beheading, Thorne was forced to regroup and Jon was free to head north of the Wall to rescue the wildlings at Hardhome. If both Slynt and Thorne were still around, such a trip would be too risky.

Slynt’s death was also cathartic for the audience. It gave us some measure of revenge for Ned Stark’s death way back in the first season — you’ll note that Jon beheaded Slynt much in the same way that Ilyn Payne beheaded Ned. Jon matures a lot in that moment, and learns a harsh lesson about leadership.

Finally, there’s the fact that the whole execution sequence is just badass. Even Stannis approved.