Game of Thrones is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of countless fans across the world. It has redefined what makes great television, providing a cinematic quality and scope to each and every episode. Few series can rival its rich character development and world-building.
Plot twists are another essential component of the show's success, as it is constantly shocking fans with developments that are thoroughly unexpected.
Of course, an effective plot twist can't just rely on surprise alone. It also requires the twist to move the characters and plot forward in new, meaningful, and fascinating ways. The show is most well-known for the demises of significant and beloved characters, but that is only one of the many types of plot twists that the story delivers.
Even a series as masterful as Game of Thrones can provide lackluster plot twists, though.
These twists hurt the show in the long run not because they lack shock value, but because they don't push the characters or story forward in valuable or intriguing ways. A twist can also be harmful if it is counter-intuitive to a character's core beliefs or goals.
This list will only look at plot twists from the television series. Some have occurred in both Game of Thrones and the A Song of Ice and Fire book series, while others have only happened within the show.
It's time to don your boiled leather as we take a look at the 7 Plot Twists That Hurt Game Of Thrones (And 20 That Saved It).
Hurt: Daenerys' Promise To Hizdahr Zo Loraq
In order to combat the Sons of the Harpy, Daenerys allowed Meereenese noble Hizdahr zo Loraq to reopen the fighting pits and promised her hand in marriage as long as Hizdahr put a stop to the Sons of the Harpy.
As the breaker of chains, she needed to rise above flawed traditions of the past and move into a better future.
She didn't even like Hizdahr as a person and only promised marriage for political reasons.
Following the tradition of arranging loveless, purely political marriages turns the wheel that Daenerys says she wants to break instead of destroying it.
The compromise wasn't even worth it, as the Sons of the Harpy attacked when the fighting pits were reopened, during which Hizdahr lost his life, all of which made the deal with Daenerys meaningless.
Saved: Littlefinger Betrays Ned
Ned Stark thought he made an unlikely, invaluable ally in Littlefinger. This alliance would be crucial if Ned was to rule the Seven Kingdoms-- until Joffrey came of age-- as per Robert Baratheon's last wishes.
Betraying Ned thus solidified Littlefinger as one of the show's most unpredictable and cunning characters.
Littlefinger had no more loyalty to the Lannisters than he did to Ned, but he sided with the Lannisters because that's what was best for Littlefinger in his continuing climb to greater power.
This showed that he could just as easily befriend as betray in order to advance his own cause.
Saved: Ned's Demise
Ned Stark was the primary protagonist in season 1 of Game of Thrones, one of the only honorable figures in a cutthroat world. He was too important and too much of a hero to perish, leading fans to believe that he was safe.
That idea was blown to smithereens with Ned's demise. If the story's main character and biggest hero could have his life taken before season 1 even concluded, it truly meant that no character was safe, no matter how important, heroic, or likable they may be.
The stakes were forever raised and characters wouldn't survive or be rewarded just because they did the right thing or fought for what they believed in.
Saved: The End Of Khal Drogo
Khal Drogo was a strong character, integral to the development of Daenerys. His ongoing presence would've overshadowed Daenerys, though, making his end necessary for her growth.
It was a refreshing change of pace to see a male character perishing in service to a female character's development.
There was also a poetic injustice to Drogo's demise in that the mighty warrior's downfall wasn't some epic battle, but an infected wound.
That in her attempt to save Drogo, Daenerys lost her child, Drogo became an invalid, and she smothered him to put him out of his misery lends more tragedy to her character.
Most importantly, these twists proved that Daenerys could use tragedy to make herself stronger than ever before.
Hurt: Littlefinger's Season 5 Schemes
Littlefinger's schemes were brilliant throughout seasons 1-4. He was always thinking ahead of everyone else as he engineered chaos and tragedy that allowed him to profit.
In contrast, this made his schemes in season 5 to control Winterfell and the North feel like a letdown. It's difficult to believe he was ignorant of the fact that Ramsay Bolton was a psychopath.
As much as Littlefinger cared about power, he also loved and cared about Sansa in his own twisted way and would never arrange a marriage between her and Ramsay if he knew the truth.
Littlefinger seemed to think that through Sansa he'd be able to take the North. His plans were very convoluted, and unlike in the past, failed utterly as he walked away from season 5 no closer to having the North.
Saved: Baby Dragons
Between Khal Drogo and the many dynamic individuals in Westeros, the character of Daenerys often felt eclipsed by others in season 1. Emerging from Khal Drogo's funeral pyre unscathed and with three baby dragons completely changed this.
Except for a few encounters with wights by the Wall, the story in season 1 seemed mostly to be medieval fantasy. A woman who couldn't be harmed by fire and could make three baby dragons hatch launched the show into the realm of magical fantasy.
Daenerys became the gateway to the deeper exploration of magic that would follow.
Her actions cemented her as a potential dark horse in the game of thrones, wielding abilities and inspiring devotion like no other king or queen.
Saved: Tyrion Becomes Hand Of The King
The actions of Joffrey and Cersei had torn Westeros apart and sparked the War of Five Kings. With Tywin Lannister's command needed in the field of battle and Jaime captured by the enemy, Tywin named Tyrion Hand of the King, at least until he could return to King's Landing.
Tyrion showed how to play the game of thrones wisely and effectively without becoming a ruthless tyrant, and still managing to do good without being naive.
Despite Tywin hating his son, he turned to Tyrion out of desperation more than anything else, but at least he did recognize Tyrion's talents and potential for once.
Without Tyrion's actions as Hand of the King, the Lannisters most likely would've lost control of the Iron Throne.
Saved: Jaime Loses His Hand
Jaime Lannister proved himself a horrible person throughout seasons 1 and 2, lacking much of the nuance exhibited by other characters.
Losing his sword hand in season 3 forced him to forge a new self-identity, as he could no longer be defined as the greatest swordsman in Westeros.
This twist did the unthinkable, humanizing the same character who pushed a child out a window in the show's very first episode.
Jaime went on to become a complex character and fan-favorite, especially in regards to his unlikely relationship with Brienne of Tarth.
Hurt: Arya's Blindness
Arya Stark's storyline with the Faceless Men in Braavos had a promising beginning and stayed entertaining for a while as she learned how to become a master assassin.
Eventually, the storyline felt as though it had overstayed its welcome.
Punishing Arya's transgression by blinding her felt like an attempt to drag out the Braavos and Faceless Men story until the characters in Westeros were ready for her to return.
After becoming blind and before her final confrontations with the Waif and Jaqen H'ghar, for the most part it felt like the same events were happening over and over again.
Saved: Ramsay's Introduction
There's little that Ramsay loved more than cruel mind-games. This was perfectly established through his character's introduction.
Theon Greyjoy found himself captive at the beginning of season 3. Theon was of course grateful when a stranger arrived claiming he was there to save him on behalf of Yara.
The stranger freed Theon and showed up again to take out those in pursuit of their escaped captive.
It turned out that the stranger was actually Ramsay Snow, playing the world's most brutal mind-game in order to break Theon and bend him to his will.
This was the perfect way to introduce Ramsay.