Top 10 Battles in Game of Thrones, Ranked

The central focus of Game of Thrones is on numerous conflicts, making it inevitable that there will be a variety of assaults, battles, sieges, and other forms of warfare. While some may be unremarkable and brief, others are truly remarkable and captivating.

Top 10 Battles in Game of Thrones

Chapter 10: The Sack of Winterfell

The Sack of Winterfell was a significant event that greatly impacted the early stages of the show. It brought forth the character of Ramsay Snow, also known as Roose Bolton’s Bastard (though his true nature was not yet known), and had a profound effect on Theon Greyjoy’s destiny and masculinity.

Upon learning of Winterfell’s seizure, Roose Bolton relayed to Robb Stark that his illegitimate son could lead a small force to retake the castle for the King in the North. Robb granted his permission, with the condition that Theon be spared for his own personal retribution. He proposed that Bolton’s troops offer clemency to all Iron-Born soldiers except Theon, in order to encourage them to betray their feeble leader.

The events that followed were not unexpected. The Iron Born, unable to defend themselves, surrendered Winterfell to the Bolton forces. As a result, Ramsay’s army brutally flayed several Iron Born soldiers and claimed Theon as his victim for torture. In the midst of this chaos, the Boltons set Winterfell on fire, presumably causing harm to any innocent civilians within the castle walls.

Game of Thrones Greatest Battles — Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones | Source: IMDb

9. Battle of the Fist of the First Men

The Game of Thrones series impresses with its visually stunning and unpredictable conflicts that effectively drive the story forward. The show’s shocking revelations are often intertwined with brutal violence.

From the start, Thrones possessed all the characteristics of a traditional medieval(ish) narrative, despite its exceptional storytelling and character evolution. However, after five seasons, it evolved into a fully-fledged fantasy, featuring elements such as magic, resurrection, armies of the undead, and dragons.

The Battle of the Fist of the First Men marked the initial direct clash between humans and White Walkers, providing a glimpse of the immense size of the undead army beyond the Wall. The Night’s Watch was overwhelmed by the Walkers at the Fist, resulting in the deaths of numerous soldiers. However, amidst the chaos, Ghost, Jon’s dire wolf, managed to defeat a White Walker.

This may not have been an entirely fair battle, but it marked the point at which the White Walkers ceased to be a distant and unknown threat and instead became an imminent and inevitable danger.

8. Assault on the Dreadfort

One of the most emotional moments in the entire series occurred when Yara Greyjoy bravely led a group of about fifty Iron-Born to rescue her brother Theon from the cruel Ramsay Snow, who had been holding him captive.

Despite her initial success, it became apparent that Theon (now Reek) was completely broken and had lost all hope when he chose not to escape with his fellow citizens. As the assault continued, we also witnessed Ramsay’s true abilities – not only as a psychopathic torturer, but also as a skilled fighter who excelled in a brutal fight while wearing only slacks.

7. Battle of Winterfell

Despite the fact that his adviser Melisandre had foreseen him being crowned at the Battle of Winterfell, Stannis Baratheon ultimately faced a crushing defeat as his forces were greatly weakened and unable to secure a victory. This proved that visions hold little weight when it comes to determining the outcome of a battle.

Despite appearing insignificant at first glance, Stannis’ mistake and ultimate defeat did not have a significant impact on the overall power struggle for the throne – however, there were numerous lessons to be learned from the battle.

It was most notably the final appearance of Stannis Baratheon, who met his demise soon after his army was defeated by the Bolton forces. During Stannis’ unsuccessful battle, Sansa managed to flee Winterfell with Theon, having been imprisoned there by Ramsay for a majority of the season.

In addition, the sequence provided another example of characters almost reuniting, as Brienne and Sansa narrowly missed each other due to the chaos and commotion surrounding them.

6. The Raid at The Weirwood

In Game of Thrones, The Raid at The Weirwood holds great significance as it provided significant clues for the plot and delivered one of the most heart-wrenching scenes in the show’s history. During the raid, the White Walker’s army launched an attack on Bran, Meera, and their group in the weirwood cave, following The Night King’s touch on Bran during a vision.

In addition, it was revealed that The Night King’s marking on Bran enabled him to find their hiding place and override the defensive magic that had previously shielded them.

Consequently, the undead army swiftly descends upon Bran’s whereabouts and launches an attack. Despite the Three-Eyed Raven, Leaf, and Bran’s dire wolf meeting gruesome ends, Bran and Meera are able to flee and escape the onslaught.

Throughout the sequence, it is depicted that Bran has the ability to communicate with Hodor in either the past or present, which remains a topic of discussion. In the past scenes of the show, we witness Bran using his power to cause Hodor’s mind to break, providing an explanation for his condition in the previous seasons.

In the current episode, the unfortunate Hodor was being viciously attacked by the undead, creating one of the most heart-wrenching scenes in this consistently emotional show.

Uprising at Daznak’s Pit

Despite initially agreeing to open the fighting pits, Dany was present for the ceremonies alongside her then-fiance, Hizdahr zo Loraq. However, the day quickly took a dark turn when a group of rebellious Sons of The Harpy launched a surprise attack, killing innocent onlookers and targeting the Queen herself. As Dany and her Kingsguard found themselves outnumbered and surrounded, Drogon swooped in just in time to incinerate the assailants.

The ninth episode of season five proved to be yet another consequential one, highlighted by an impressive sequence. As with the most epic battles in Game, the pit fight served as a major turning point in the story. Viewers were treated to the dramatic return of Jorah, who had previously been banished by his Queen.

We were also witness to Drogon’s return and were amazed by the dragon’s immense size and ferocity. This was a crucial moment as we discovered that Dany was capable of riding a dragon, which not only provided important information but also served a significant purpose in the show’s overall structure by physically moving a character.

In the show, it has been evident that when characters are stuck in one location for extended periods of time, the plot tends to suffer (as seen with the situation in Meereen). In order for the story to progress, characters must embark on journeys, discover new territories, and encounter new individuals. During the rebellion in the fighting pit, we were enlightened to the fact that Dany possesses the ability to ride a dragon. This proved to be crucial as she rode the dragon over a great distance to the Dothraki sea, allowing for further development in both her own story arc and the overall narrative of the show.

Massacre at Hardhome

The Massacre at Hardhome only further solidified our fear of the White Walkers, following the Battle at the Fist of the First Men.

Despite Jon Snow and Tormund’s efforts to recruit as many wildlings as possible to return to Castle Black and seek refuge on the other side of the Wall, their journey to the wildling outpost ended in an ambush by the vastly outnumbering undead army. The free folk suffered devastating losses as they were mercilessly attacked by the White Walkers, resulting in a massacre.

The episode, which was the second directed by Miguel Sapochnik, showcased his masterful skills in handling the action.

The winter imagery is intense and suffocating, creating a sense of insanity. The long tracking shots add to the disorienting action and take viewers on a journey. Iconic moments, such as a White Walker lieutenant walking through flames or a Giant emerging from a hut surrounded by the undead, are captured in striking images.

Countless wights launched themselves off a cliff, only to resurrect and continue their assault. And in one of the show’s most iconic scenes, The Night’s King revives the victims of the massacre before Jon Snow, emphasizing the futility of any attempt to resist the Walkers.

We were informed at Hardhome that Valyrian steel has the ability to defeat the White Walkers, as Jon successfully defeats a lieutenant in battle – an occurrence that had not been previously shown on screen.

3. The Battle of Castle Black

Those were the days when the scariest thing north of the Wall was a group of Wildlings. The Battle of Castle Black marked the climax of an entire season’s worth of buildup towards a showdown between the Night’s Watch and Mance Rayder’s army of free people.

In the episode “The Watchers on The Wall,”we witnessed the first night of the conflict, making it one of the few installments in the series that took place entirely in one location.

Despite appearing less significant in hindsight due to the events that ensued, the battle was still the most grandiose one that the show had presented thus far. Mance’s sizable army launched an attack on the Castle from the North, accompanied by giants mounted on mammoths, while Tormund and Ygritte’s smaller group attacked from the South.

Throughout the night, the battle continued to rage on as the Wildlings were forced to retreat, though only to regroup and gather their forces again.

Despite the current threat that has emerged, the ongoing conflict between Wildlings and The Night’s Watch remains significant. This is evident in the Battle of Castle Black, where Jon Snow’s exceptional leadership and performance resulted in his election as the new Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.

It ultimately resulted in Tormund aligning himself with the Northerners, effectively eliminating the danger posed by Mance’s army. This scene was undoubtedly one of the most visually stunning moments in the entire series.

2. The Battle of the Blackwater

The Battle of the Blackwater marked Game of Thrones’ first major large-scale battle and was truly awe-inspiring to witness. The naval clash featured an unprecedented amount of visual effects for the show, and the episode – “Blackwater”- notably dedicated its entire sixty-minute runtime to a single storyline.

The clash took place between the armies of Stannis Baratheon and the Lannisters in King’s Landing. It is unnecessary to retell the details of the fight in this space as it was a pivotal moment for both the series and many characters, and is etched into the minds of the audience. The bravery displayed by Tyrion during the battle solidified his position as the beloved character on the show, while Joffrey’s cowardice only intensified our dislike for him.

Bronn, The Hound, and Podrick Payne, all playing important roles, had unforgettable moments during the battle. The explosion of wildfire in the bay is arguably one of the most remarkable visual effects in TV history.

Subsequent battles have followed and will continue to do so. However, the Battle of Blackwater marked the true display of Game Of Thrones’ strength, showcasing unprecedented action for a television series.

1. The Battle of The Bastards

The highly anticipated Sunday night showdown lived up to expectations and nearly claimed the top spot for epicness.

Despite the significant resources invested in the production of this episode, including time, money, and manpower, it is undeniable that the catharsis and relief experienced by the audience was priceless and well worth any expense. While the show’s budget should be acknowledged, the emotional impact of this episode far outweighed any monetary cost.

From a cinematic perspective, the Battle of The Bastards showcased numerous breathtaking scenes. From Rickon’s attempt to escape in a zigzag pattern to Jon Snow’s struggle under a pile of bodies, this episode presented warfare in a unique manner that had not been seen before on television.

The method in which horses were captured on film during this battle was noteworthy. As the fighters charged through the frame, the animals collided with each other in a chaotic manner, similar to cars on a freeway without control.

The Knights of the Vale charged through the Bolton Troops, resembling bowling balls toppling pins. The intense physicality of the fight was unlike anything we had witnessed before.

About Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones, an American fantasy drama series created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for HBO, has become a television phenomenon.

In the made-up world of Westeros, nine noble houses compete for control of the Iron Throne and to govern the Seven Kingdoms. The HBO show is adapted from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels and follows various intertwined storylines complicated by power struggles between different groups.

The show boasts an extensive ensemble cast, which includes Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Nikolaj-Coster Waldau, Kit Harrington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Emilia Clarke, and numerous other talented actors.