Throughout its eight season run, Game of Thrones developed a reputation for brutality. The series, along with its source material, George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, killed important characters left and right. By the time Ned Stark (Sean Bean), the show's leading character, lost his head towards the end of the first season, it became clear that no one was safe in Westeros.
Typically, Game of Thrones seasons build towards major character deaths that take place in the final episodes. In addition to Ned, hugely important figures such as Robb Stark (Richard Madden), Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley), Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance), Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane), Jon Snow (Kit Harrington), Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dorner), Tommen Baratheon (Dean-Charles Chapman), Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen), and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), among many others, all die in either the season finale or the grandiose penultimate episode.
However, the recent season premiere of House of the Dragon, Game of Thrones' prequel series, broke this trend by killing off Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) in the first episode. This early exit made Jace's death all the more shocking and heartbreaking, since fans who haven't read the books were taken aback that such a huge character would die so early on in a season. That said, it is worth nothing that Jace isn't the only major player in the World of Ice and Fire to die early on into a season. These five Game of Thrones characters all die a few episodes in, catching audiences even more off guard.
1. Joffrey Baratheon
Game of Thrones fans had been hoping to see Joffrey Baratheon's (Jack Gleason) demise in each new episode. The vicious boy king was responsible for Ned's death, tortured his daughter, Sansa (Sophie Turner), and proved to be as stupid as he was cruel. Joffrey became the ultimate character audiences loved to hate.
Finally, his death came at his own wedding, in season 4, episode 2, "The Lion and the Rose." After tormenting his uncle Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) throughout the entire episode, Joffrey starts choking, before violently coughing, then collapsing to the ground, allowing Sansa to escape King's Landing. While Joffrey's death takes place in the middle of A Storm of Swords, Martin's third book in the series, the show split the third book into two seasons, placing Joffrey's death towards the beginning of season 4 and shaping the entire season around his murder.
2. Mance Rayder
The season 4 Night's Watch storyline ends with the devastating Battle at Castle Black, the climactic clash between the brothers in black and the Free Folk forces. Shortly thereafter, Stannis and his men ride North, setting up a conflict for season 5.
Season 5's premiere, "The Wars to Come," then focuses on the conflict between Stannis and another king, Mance Rayder (Ciarán Hinds), the King Beyond the Wall who united the Free Folk tribes. Stannis asks Jon to convince Mance to bend the knee to him and swear his men to Stannis' cause, but Mance refuses. As such, he is burned alive, showcasing Stannis' ruthlessness and brutality. At least Jon Snow put him out of his misery with a well-placed arrow before he could suffer too much.
3. Doran Martell
Prince Doran Martell (Alexander Siddig), the ruler of Dorne and older brother of Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal) first shows up in season 5, when Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Bronn (Jerome Flynn) head south after Cersei (Lena Headey) believes her daughter Myrcella (Nell Tiger Free) to be threatened. Doran appears very diplomatic, unwilling to hurt his son's betrothed, despite what her family has done to his.
In the season 6 premiere, "The Red Woman," Doran learns of Myrcella's death and instantly deduces that Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma), his late brother's paramour, is responsible. Right then, she stabs him in the chest, watching him die and proclaiming that weak men like him will never rule Dorne again. Although the show's version of Doran disappointed many fans, especially in comparison to his book counterpart, it's still a shame to kill the character off before he could reach his full potential.
4. Roose Bolton
Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton) is arguably best known for his role in the infamous Red Wedding. Despite posing as a loyal bannerman to Robb Stark, he'd secretly been colluding with the Freys and Lannisters to orchestrate the massacre of the Stark forces. In fact, it is Roose himself who delivers the killing blow to Robb, becoming Warden of the North himself shortly thereafter.
In season 6, episode 2, "Home," Roose finally gets a taste of his own medicine. After telling his recently legitimized bastard son Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) about the birth of a trueborn son with his wife, Walda (Elizabeth Webster), Ramsay murders his father, stepmother, and brother out of fear that his claim to the north may be in jeopardy. Ironically, much like Robb, Roose dies to a knife wound to the chest from someone he thought he could trust.
5. Olenna Tyrell
Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg), also known as "the Queen of Thorns" was always one step ahead of the other players, including during her final moments. After the Lannister forces take Highgarden in season 7, episode 3, "The Queen's Justice," Jaime meets with Olenna, offering her a painless poison for a swift and easy death.
However, Olenna, sharp as ever, confesses to Jaime her involvement in Joffrey's death shortly before her own. Her final line in the series, "Tell Cersei. I want her to know it was me," became instantly iconic. Even though Olenna has just lost her home, and is about to lose her life, she appears far more level headed than Jaime in their last scene together.
To see if any more major characters die towards the beginning of a season, make sure to tune into House of the Dragon season 3, airing on Sundays on HBO Max.
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