Entertainment

Analysis

Analysis Interpretation of the news based on evidence, including data, as well as anticipating how events might unfold based on past events.

An illustrated guide
to all 6,887 deaths in
‘Game of Thrones’

Deaths by season

After years of frame-by-frame analysis, here it is: a complete database to every on-screen death from “Game of Thrones,” including who, how, why and where. And after eight seasons of continually rising body counts, we can definitively confirm — “Valar Morghulis” — all men must indeed die.

Jump to Season:

1 — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — 6 — 7 — 8

Season 1

59

deaths

The season that started it all. When Ned Stark, the main hero and character supposedly least at risk, was beheaded, viewers everywhere realized that no one was safe.

Characters are organized according to level of importance: Major, secondary major, minor and background extra. Higher levels of importance get larger illustrations.

= Method of Death. Hover over each icon for details.

To see more information on how a character was killed, click on the illustration or the “more info” button to the bottom

Khal Drogo

Ned Stark

Robert Baratheon

Viserys Targaryen

Click on the illustration for more info

Jory Cassel

Lady

Mirri Maz Duur

Mycah

Septa Mordane

Syrio Forel

The deadliest locations

Winterfell

3,709

deaths

King’s Landing

1,357

deaths

Beyond the Wall

1,092

deaths

Meereen

154

deaths

Goldroad

116

deaths

Season 2

130

deaths

Season 2 may have the fewest major characters killed, but it also gave viewers the show's first big battle scene: the Battle of the Blackwater.

Here's a fun fact: Next time you watch a battle scene, pay close attention to the battle sounds vs. the actual action. You'll notice that death noises are often inserted into scenes in which no one is actually dying. The illusion of a higher body count, perhaps?

Renly Baratheon

Click on the illustration for more info

Doreah

Irri

Maester Luwin

Matthos Seaworth

Pyat Pree

Qhorin Halfhand

Rakharo

Rodrik Cassel

The Spice King

Xaro Xhoan Daxos

Yoren

Season 3

87

deaths

The infamous Red Wedding claimed the lives of four major characters in one fell swoop. The fallout also led to Arya Stark's vicious killing of a Frey soldier who bragged about sewing Grey Wind's head to Robb Stark's body. Lesson learned: Don't get on that girl's bad side.

Catelyn Stark

Grey Wind

Jeor Mormont

Robb Stark

Talisa Stark

Click on the illustration for more info

Beric Dondarrion

Craster

Kraznys mo Nakloz

Orell

Rickard Karstark

Ros

The background extras who died the most often

Wights

2,900

deaths

Horses

755

deaths

Dothraki riders

743

deaths

Golden Company soldiers

567

deaths

Lannister soldiers

290

deaths

Season 4

181

deaths

Whether it was Joffrey's poisoning, Oberyn's “mind-blowing” end, or Tywin's unglamorous death in the bathroom, “Game of Thrones” proved it could still shock viewers four seasons in.

Prior to Season 5, season 4 had boasted the highest body count: a whopping 181 deaths. The Battle of Castle Black was responsible for 86. (Despite its name, the battle in fact spanned across Castle Black, The Wall and Beyond the Wall.) In comparison, 58 characters died in Season 1.

Joffrey Baratheon

Jojen Reed

Oberyn Martell

Shae

Tywin Lannister

Ygritte

Click on the illustration for more info

Dontos Hollard

Grenn

Karl Tanner

Locke

Lysa Arryn

Polliver

Pypar

Rast

Styr

Season 5

246

deaths

Though Season 5 had fewer deaths in between major battles, the Massacre at Hardhome and the two revolts by the Sons of the Harpy were enough to catapult Season 5 to a body count of 246. The Massacre at Hardhome alone had 98, surpassing even the Battle of Castle Black's 86 deaths.

Here's a question though: If everyone who died at the Massacre at Hardhome is revived as a wight, has anyone truly died? And if Jon Snow is revived in Season 6 (which is looking likely), has he technically died? Is he on his second life? Who knew this show could cause such existential angst?

Jon Snow

Mance Rayder

Stannis Baratheon

Click on the illustration for more info

Barristan Selmy

Faceless man

Hizdahr zo Loraq

Janos Slynt

Karsi

Maester Aemon Targaryen

Magnar Loboda

Meryn Trant

Mossador

Myranda

Myrcella Baratheon

Selyse Baratheon

Shireen Baratheon

The deadliest weapon categories

Animal

1,756

deaths

Magic

1,244

deaths

Blade

801

deaths

Fire/Burning

307

deaths

Arrow/Bolt

209

deaths

Season 6

540

deaths

Season 6’s massive body count comes as no surprise thanks to the deadly Battle of the Bastards and its whopping 168 on-screen deaths. With 540 deaths, Season 6 has a higher body count than Seasons 1-4 combined. Three major houses also got wiped out almost completely: Houses Baratheon, Bolton and Tyrell no longer have any heirs.

However, you might be surprised to learn that Cersei’s use of wildfire at the Great Sept of Baelor easily surpassed the Battle of the Bastards. The explosion killed 198 people in one fell swoop. The killer move put Cersei on top of not only the Iron Throne but also, at the time, our list of deadliest killers.

High Sparrow

Hodor

Loras Tyrell

Margaery Tyrell

Ramsay Bolton

Rickon Stark

Roose Bolton

Tommen Baratheon

Walder Frey

Click on the illustration for more info

Alliser Thorne

Areo Hotah

Balon Greyjoy

Brynden “the Blackfish” Tully

Doran Martell

Grand Maester Pycelle

Kevan Lannister

Lady Crane

Lancel Lannister

Leaf

Mace Tyrell

Olly

Osha

Summer

The Waif

Three-Eyed Raven

Trystane Martell

Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun

Season 7

1,096

deaths

With just a handful of the original main characters left, Season 7 actually has the lowest total count of deaths for named characters. (After all, you can whittle only so far.) Just 13 out of 1,096 deaths weren’t background extras or nameless one-and-dones.

Viserion’s death, however, was a game changer. His untimely end and subsequent resurrection as a wight single-handedly gave the army of the dead a way past The Wall, setting up the epic human-vs.-wight war the show has been foreshadowing for years.

Olenna Tyrell

Petyr Baelish

Viserion

Click on the illustration for more info

Benjen Stark

Dickon Tarly

Nymeria Sand

Obara Sand

Randyll Tarly

Thoros of Myr

Tyene Sand

The deadliest battles

Battle of Winterfell

3,512

deaths

Burning of King’s Landing

1,020

deaths

The Wight Hunt

849

deaths

Battle of the Bastards

168

deaths

Destruction of the
Great Sept of Baelor

198

deaths

Season 8

4,548

deaths

Winter is finally here, and the Night King came with it. Halfway through the season, the living met the dead in the climactic Battle of Winterfell. Thousands died (including this reporter’s sanity), but Arya Stark came in as the MVP at the last minute and slew the Night King. After all, what do we say to the God of Death? Not today.

But the war didn’t stop there. Things took a dark (and heavily criticized) turn when Daenerys Targaryen “went mad” and burned King’s Landing to ashes, killing Lannisters and civilians alike. Her death at the hands of Jon Snow was, fittingly, the last one of the entire series. The show that once ended its first season with the hopeful birth of a dragon has now ended its final season with the mournful departure of one.