How to mourn your favorite ‘Game of Thrones’ characters
Spoilers ahead, proceed with caution.
Usually, the of Game of Thrones season finales are relatively understated. By the time the end of the season rolls around, generally the BIG EVENT (the Red Wedding, the Battle of the Blackwater, Ned Stark’s beheading) has already happened. For season 5, we all thought things couldn’t get any more intense than the battle with the White Walkers, or Stannis’ stone cold sacrifice of his own daughter. Well clearly we know nothing, because Sunday’s Game of Thrones season finale was probably the bloodiest yet, at least in terms of major characters going down swinging. There was Brienne cutting down a repentant Stannis (too late, dude), Myrcella Baratheon biting the dust in her newly minted father’s arms, and of course, the tragic fall of Jon Snow, slain by a boy he’d tried to protect and convert to the Night’s Watch.
We haven’t had this many feels since Oberyn Martell’s death, but how do you express your GOT emotions other than tweeting “NOOOOO HBO WHY???” Well, our friends at Slate have provided the perfect solution: A virtual graveyard where you can mourn your favorite deceased Game of Thrones characters.
Besides providing an outlet for our immediate sorrows, the “Game of Thrones graveyard” also provides a heartbreaking and unintentionally hilarious history of the show’s many, many deaths.
Not adjusting for the time between seasons, the three most popular Thrones characters: Ned Stark, Robb Stark, and Oberyn Martell, all rack up more than 150,000 “flowers” at their graves. Close behind are Ygritte, Catelyn Stark, Khal Drogo, and touchingly, Sansa’s long-deceased direwolf Lady. Clearly, these were all fan favorites or pivotal introductions to the world of Westeros, and viewers felt those characters’ losses keenly. Expect Jon Snow’s and Shireen’s graves to fill up soon.
Then, of course, there are the major deaths that gave viewers satisfaction, aka no flowers on their graves. Lysa Arryn, Viserys Targaryen, and Janos Slynt are all neglected — and as for Joffrey, he has fewer mourners than Pyp and Grenn, the two members of the Night’s Watch who passed in season four.
Slate‘s graveyard will change as the seasons go on; given the nature of death on the show, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see some even more beloved names added. But until next season, we’ll surely express our sorrow by leaving virtual flowers on these virtual graves. And who knows, maybe not all of these names, thanks to the White Walkers, will remain in the graveyard.
(Image via.)