The 8 scariest and most disturbing Game of Thrones episodes

4. “The Long Night” (Season 8, Episode 3)

“The Long Night” stands as a monument to the series’ capacity for conjuring an atmosphere of unrelenting dread and despair. Set against the backdrop of the ancient and storied Winterfell, this episode helps viewers uncover a new phobia and takes us where darkness itself seems alive (as it completely ate the episode’s lighting). From the opening moments, where the tense anticipation of the characters is palpable, to the relentless slaughter that follows, the episode masterfully escalates the sense of impending doom. The darkness of nighttime, barely pierced by fire and the faint glow of mystical weapons, creates a claustrophobic ambience, making the viewer as blind to the horrors lurking in the shadows as the characters themselves. This plus the haunting score amplifies the terror, making each moment feel like a desperate struggle for survival.

What makes “The Long Night” more than just another episode is its profound understanding of fear, not just the primal fear of death and the undead, but the deeper, more existential dread of annihilation and the futility of struggle. Throughout the episode, beloved characters are pushed to their physical and emotional limits, battling not just the external threat of the Night King’s army, but also their own fear and despair. The episode combines moments of personal heroism with scenes of overwhelming horror, as waves of wights crash against the weakening defenses of Winterfell. The relentless nature of the enemy, a force of death that wants to extinguish both hope and life, creates a sense of inescapable doom. This episode showcases the way Game of Thrones doesn’t just tell a story, but immerses its audience in an experience, in this case a very frightening one.