Which dead character would you most like to see return toGame of Thrones ? vomit your vote now in our bracket tournamenthere– round one ends Monday , April 25th at 3 pm EST .
HBO’sGame of Thronesis a deeply engrossing show , with more persona than there are US Representatives and a mythology that makes even its guidebooks interesting reads . It ’s also an impossibly grueling show that drive a grotesque amount of pleasure in push its own fans to swear off look out for effective .
We always return , like the deviant we are , but we were closest to bailing when these five plotlines reared their unworthy heads . [ Naturally , spoilers surveil . ]
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Theon’s torture
All of Season 3Poor Theon Greyjoy . His betrayal in many ways contributed to the Red Wedding , and there was , initially , some reasonably good schadenfreude to be had at his deserts . But the torture , mutilation , and castration Theon endured throughout time of year 3 at the manus of the sadistic bastard of Bolton quickly diminished viewer exuberance .
Beyond inspiringsome reasonably unsettling fan fiction , most did n’t see the full point in these extended vista of gore and abuse . Now , Ramsay only needs to speak the quarrel " Give me your hand , Reek " to get off fans reel into the corner . call up when Ramsay yield Reek a bath ? Gah .
The Red Wedding
Season 3 , Episode 9 : " The Rains of Castamere"Ned Stark ’s decapitation was airless , but the one result that delineate everythingGame of Thronesstands for is the Red Wedding . In a single episode , an entire branch of the plot of land – incidentally , the one most rapidly progressing toward a happy termination – was culled . The pregnant venter - stabbing , the pharynx - slice , the bone - chilling smirk from Roose Bolton : it was n’t just a going for the respectable guy , it was a decimation . For that segment of witness who prefer their fantasy tales told with fewer murders of pregnant love interests , it was time to tap out .
Jaime’s rape of Cersei
Season 4 , Episode 3 : " Breaker of Chains"This rape , which takes place at a individual viewing of their son Joffrey ’s remains , was called " consensual by the end " by sequence directorAlex Graves , and was one of the first instances in which author George R.R. Martin weighed in to simultaneouslyadd context and outstrip himself from what the show was doing . in the end , the sinister violation is well played off as another wrinkle in Cersei and Jaime ’s profoundly nonadaptive human relationship – as if the incest and multiple incest baby were n’t enough . But the nonchalant use of rape to punch up a scene was enough to reverse off many .
Sansa’s wedding night
Season 5 , Episode 6 : " Unbowed , Unbent , Unbroken"Between Joffrey , Ser Meryn Trant , the Hound , Littlefinger ’s nonconsensual smooching , and that mob of churl during the King ’s landing place thigh-slapper , rape has been the Sword of Damocles dangle over Sansa ’s caput since the beginning of the serial publication . But for many , seeing a part they ’d met as a child raped on her wedding night summarized everything the show gets incorrect with its portrayal of female characters ' struggles .
While the plotline has its defenders – including the instalment ’s writerBryan Cogman , who catch the narrative choice as a showcase for Sansa ’s strength of fibre , as " she ’s not broken by the attack , she immediately sets to getting the perdition out of there and planning her next move " – it was enough forThe Mary Sueto completely step out of theGame of Thronesbusiness , bid the installment " a missed opportunity to do something that would have in reality surprised [ the ] audience . " Instead , Sansa spent much of the season trapped inside Ramsay ’s rapine tug .
Shireen Baratheon’s immolation
time of year 5 , Episode 9 : " The Dance of Dragons"Some people just do n’t consider a little girl screaming for her lifespan as she ’s reduced to ashes appropriate Sunday nighttime amusement . However , if you weregenuinelyshocked by this turn of events – five seasons in , no less – you had n’t been paying aid . Melisandre has been burning the great unwashed alert since her Season 2 introduction , and the fire priestess has had her eyes on Shireen since Season 4 , when she insisted that the endearing princess be brought along their military campaign , citing more of her ominous fire imaginativeness .
Still , Shireen ’s combustion at the stakes was yet another instance of fans skip for the in effect , especially given the fact that her father , Stannis , temporarily seem like the most worthy challenger for the Iron Throne , having just rescued Jon Snow from a wildling ravishment . The show offer us withback - to - backmoments of affectionateness for the princess before subjecting looker to her agonizing scream of torment . time of year 5 added the last straws to a slew of rear , and this development behave as a Basel of hay – especially for young parents .
It ’s no wonder events like these cause fans to tune up out : all these rape and overrefinement scene take away from the thingsGame of Thronesgets right , such as disingenuous landscape painting snap and strong female fibre . Here ’s hoping there ’s a lot more of the latter in Season 6 .
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Ben Philippeis a author based in New York City . The only installment of tv set that ever made him stop watching a show for good was when Ryan Atwood turned to undercover boxing to deal with Marissa Cooper ’s death on The O.C. Find him on Twitter:@GoHomeBen .
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