New York: From a poisoning to a skull crushing to a death on the chamber pot, the show is not without surprising demise. At the red-carpet premiere of the show's final season on April 3 here, stars recalled their favorite death scenes.
In a show that follows George R. R. Martin's novels about the deadly power-struggle between royal families across kingdoms, no sooner is a viewer attached to a character that they meet their untimely end. Even season one ends with lead character Ned Stark (Sean Bean) beheaded in a surprise twist that sets the stage for seasons to come.
Sophie Turner, who plays Sansa Stark in the series, said there were two scenes that stood out to her.
"It's difficult. Sean (Bean)'s was amazing because it was just so shocking, because no-one knew that they were going to kill off main characters," she said. "But my favorite death is probably Oberyn Martell's, the skull crushing. That was pretty spectacular."
Maisie Williams, who play's Sansa's sister Arya on the show, agreed.
"When Oberyn Martell got his head squished. Loved that scene," she said. "So sad, though, because I miss Pedro (Pascal)."
Another Stark sibling also chose the death of Oberyn Martell. Isaac Hempstead Wright, who plays Bran Stark, agreed with his on-screen sisters.
Choosing a less honorable death than a fight to the end was Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth).
"Charles Dance on the toilet, thank you," said Christie, referring to a scene in which Charles Dance's character, the villainous Tywin Lannister, is shot dead on a chamber-pot with a crossbow.
Another villain death appreciated by a cast member was that of Joffrey Baratheon.
Pilou Asbaek, who plays Euron Greyjoy, said his favorite death belonged to Ramsay Bolton.
The two deaths that seemed to garner the most sympathy belonged to Shireen Baratheon and Hodor. The young Baratheon girl meets her death when her father, misled by a witch, sacrifices her to a god.
Another powerful death was that of Hodor. The actor who plays Hodor in the series said he even cried when watching the scene.
"I definitely cried the first time I watched it," said Kristian Nairn. "It's very different watching it back, than it is doing it at the time. Yeah, I still get teary when I watch it sometimes, although I don't watch it very often."
Conleth Hill, who plays Varys, said the two deaths that stand out to him belong to Hodor and Ned Stark.
"The first was Sean Bean, Ned Stark, because even while we were filming, I kept thinking, oh, someone'll save him," said Hill. " And then the second one was Hodor. I never saw that coming either. I was like, 'What?'"
Aidan Gillen, Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish, said the scene of Hodor's death is not only his favorite death, but favorite scene in the series.
"Just the way it was put together, intercutting his death with, you know, the scenes of him as a child. Very emotional, hard-hitting, devastating," he said. "And Ned Stark, same reason, hard-hitting, but, you know, extremely heartbreaking. So I like seeing good guys die, I guess."
With one final season, fans can only guess who will make it out of the series alive.
Jerome Flynn says his character Bronn's sense of humor is what he believes has allowed him to stay alive so far. Other characters were not as lucky.
Both Mark Addy, who plays Robert Baratheon, and Esme Augusta Bianco, who plays Ros, said they saw their deaths coming. Bianco knew when filming approached and she hadn't received a script. Addy knew because of his character's position that he wouldn't last long.
"I knew before I auditioned that it was a limited, it was a limited time because until that throne is available the game can't commence," he said. "So, you know, being on it from the start, OK, you're not going to be there for long."
Hill said he felt OK not knowing from season to season if his character would survive.
"Yeah, but none of us do," said Hill. "That's like real life, isn't it?"
Season 8 premieres April 14 on HBO.
With inputs from APTN
