The 8 scariest and most disturbing Game of Thrones episodes

7. “The Mountain and the Viper” (Season 4, Episode 8)

I feel like the showrunners decided it had been way too long since we last were deeply emotionally damaged, and decided to add this absolutely soul-crushing episode.

In “The Mountain and the Viper,” Game of Thrones takes us on an emotional ride where the exhilaration of a potential triumph quickly turns into the horror of a tragic downfall and has us begging to get off the ride. The ultimate Dornish sex symbol charismatic Oberyn Martell, blinded by his desire to settle a score over the rape and killing of his sister and her children years before, faces off against the monstrous Gregor Clegane. It’s like David vs. Goliath, but with a Westerosi twist that we really didn’t need to see as up close as we did.

The episode cleverly plays with our feelings. We’re all rooting for Oberyn, not just because of his flashy spear skills and good looks, but also for the justice he represents. His fight is personal and his cause is righteous. As he dances around the Mountain, skillfully striking with the precision of a viper, you can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. Stop showing off and finish him, Oberyn!! It’s not just a battle; it’s a spectacle, a high-stakes drama where every thrust and parry holds the weight of years of pain, not to mention the fate of Tyrion Lannister.

But then, in true Game of Thrones style, the show hits us with a death that leaves us all slack-jawed. Just when victory seems within Oberyn’s grasp, the Mountain, in a shocking display of brute strength, turns the tables. What follows is absolutely not for the faint of heart. The sheer brutality of Oberyn’s death is not just visually disturbing, it’s emotionally shattering. It’s like the show sees us enjoying the fight and evilly says, “Hold my wine!”

This gut-punch of a moment is a reminder of the merciless world of Westeros. It’s not just the gory details that haunt us, but the utter destruction of hope and the cruel reminder that, in this game of thrones, even heroes can fall in the most horrific of ways. This episode doesn’t just scare us; it shakes us to our core, leaving an imprint that’s really hard to shake off for the remainder of the series. And that, my friends, is storytelling at its most chillingly effective.