The 60 Most Important Deaths on Game of Thrones

13. Catelyn Stark

Famous last words. Okay, they weren’t technically her last words, but they did come back to haunt her in a big way.

Catelyn was born a Tully, but was loyal to the Stark family down to her bones. During her time on the show, she provided counsel for her husband Eddard, and later to their son Robb. Catelyn was a tempering force, one that blunted the glory-advice advice offered by most of Robb’s bannermen. Robb recognized the value of her more subtle approach when he sent Catelyn south to treat with the Baratheon brothers. Catelyn’s death meant the loss of that steady hand, leaving a void that was hard to fill.

Catelyn’s death also had a catalyzing effect on Jaime Lannister, who decided to keep his promise of protecting Catelyn’s daughters in part because of guilt over what his family did to her family. Sansa was also affected. With Catelyn, Littlefinger started to focus more on Sansa, and we all know how that turned out.

Catelyn Stark’s death was important for another reason: it was a final and complete death. Book-readers know that in George R.R. Martin’s novels, Catelyn is resurrected by Beric Dondarrion as Lady Stoneheart, a vengeful shell of her former self who wrecks havoc on the Riverlands and eventually comes into contact with Brienne of Tarth. And as much as we’d like to see Lady Stoneheart hanging Freys from trees like Christmas ornaments, Stoneheart’s story is a bit of a meandering deviation from the main plot, so we’re okay that the show handed Stoneheart’s job to Arya, who was far more efficient about it.

12. Rickard Karstark

On a show as sprawling as Game of Thrones, its easy to lose track of a character here or there. But just because you may not remember who this guy is doesn’t mean he wasn’t important. Rickard Karstark was the lord of Karhold and headed up one of the strongest houses int he North. The Karstarks are actually blood kin of the Starks, a sort of distant cousin. Lord Rickard was an early and vigorous supporter of Robb Stark, but things soon soured between them, with dire consequences for everyone.

In season 2, Jaime Lannister kills two of Lord Rickard’s sons while trying to escape Stark imprisonment. When Lord Rickard murders two Lannister captives in retaliation, Robb follows his father’s example and executes Lord Rickard for treason. This earns Robb the instant enmity of House Karstark, and all of its soldiers desert. With fewer men than he needs, Robb is  forced to attempt to salvage his alliance with the Freys, and we all know how that went.

I’d also speculate that Rickard’s execution is the moment Roose Bolton decides to switch sides, recognizing that Robb is politically incapable of winning his war.

Finally, let’s get abstract. In killing Lord Rickard, Robb killed someone of his own blood. As Rickard notes right before his head rolls, kinslayers are cursed in the eyes of the gods. Robb insists on executing Lord Rickard himself, as Ned would have done. Rickard curses him, and soon after, Robb is dead.

But that’s only if you believe in that sort of thing. If you do, Tyrion is in for a horrible end.