Celebrate Game of Thrones’ 7th anniversary with the 7 best episodes

HBO

Season 5: “Hardhome”

This episode marks the first time Jon Snow encounters the Night King with his own eyes.

Jon, Tormund, and other Night’s Watch brothers attempt to recruit wildlings to live beyond the wall so that they are there to help them in the impending war against the White Walkers. After some convincing, about 5,000 wildlings decide to go with them.

Suddenly, they are attacked by wights. Jon, himself, goes toe-to-toe with a White Walker, whom he defeats with his Valyrian steel sword, Longclaw. Many of the wildlings are killed and Jon, Tormund, and the rest who survived fled. But not before the Night King revives the dead wildlings and Night’s Watch brothers, their eyes turning that crystal blue.

This episode is significant because these characters, and the audience, finally understand what they’re up against when it comes to the army of the undead. Jon is the only one who truly gets it. He no longer cares about politics, and he never cared about the Iron Throne. All he knows is nothing matters if they can’t defeat the Night King.

His heart was in the right place by bringing wildlings beyond the wall. But this leads to his eventual downfall with a small group of the Night’s Watch. STUPID OLLY!

This episode also contains the first meeting of Tyrion and Daenerys and the beginning of their beautiful friendship. That’s because Tyrion not only convinces her to spare his life, he also convinces her to employ him as an advisor.