Despite Game of Thrones offering some truly unforgettable television moments, it’s no secret that the show’s reputation has suffered over the years. While it doesn’t take away from the thrilling battle sequences or impactful character moments, some scenes are especially hard to look back on.

  • Despite the pressure the spinoff series had to succeed, House of the Dragon seems to have impressed critics and audiences so far. Of course, while Game of Thrones also found praise early on, there were aspects of the show that were met with less enthusiastic responses. Even with all the highlights of the series, fans can remember those stand out moments on Game of Thrones that made them cringe.

These moments might have tried to deliver something fans would enjoy, but ended up feeling very awkward. Poorly thought-out scenes, misplaced tones, and sloppy storytelling have led to these Game of Thrones moments that Redditors see as the most cringeworthy in the entire series.

Convenient Reinforcements

The massive battle sequences in Game of Thrones set the show apart from anything else on television and helped change the kinds of stories that TV was capable of. But fans found a common trope that emerged in these scenes that was hard to ignore.

In multiple battles, fans point out that the hero is seemingly doomed only for reinforcements to come out of nowhere and save them at the last moment. Redditor joncanoe found that the “first couple seasons of the show didn’t abuse this trope” but it became all too common later on.

Arya Recognizing Daenerys Killer Instinct

By the end of the series, many fans saw Daenerys as Game of Thrones’ true villain as she burnt down most of King’s Landing, murdering countless innocent people. So it makes Arya Stark’s line in the finale confusing and laughable for many viewers.

In the aftermath of the destruction, Arya tries to convince Jon that Daenerys is a threat by telling him she knows a killer when she sees one. Given that Daenerys just killed countless people, it feels like a very unnecessary line, and Redditor gondolafan2 claimed that they “couldn’t believe my ears” when the line was said.

Bran Chosen As King

The biggest question throughout the entire series was who would sit on the Iron Throne at the end. The final decision that it would be Bran Stark was one of the most derided aspects of the heavily criticized finale.

But it is perhaps less about whether or not Bran would make a good king and more about the reasoning behind choosing him. Tyrion thinks Bran is the obvious choice because he has the best story. But Redditor theecosmicunicorn pointed out that the show doesn’t even seem to believe this as Bran “was cut off season 5 because his story wasn’t interesting enough.”

The Song Of Ice And Fire Book

Even casual Game of Thrones fans are aware that the show ended up outpacing the books George R.R. Martin was writing around season 5. As a result, the show seemed to divert considerably from the source material. But they did pay tribute to Martin’s series in the finale.

When Sam presents the collected history of the War of the Five Kings, essentially detailing the events of the show, he says it is called “A Song of Ice and Fire.” However, fans found it to be a pointless inclusion rather than a fun nod and one Redditor insisted Tyrion’s exclusion from the book “is insulting to the audience.”

Ed Sheeran

There have been some great one-episode characters on Game of Thrones who added a lot to the show with their brief appearances. However, one quick cameo left fans shaken with an unexpected appearance from pop star Ed Sheeran.

In a single scene, Sheeran plays a Lannister soldier who Arya meets on her journey. Redditor JazBKK admitted “that campfire scene was awful” but Sheeran seemed especially out of place on the show which had always avoided big guest stars.

New Daario

With such a large ensemble of characters as Game of Thrones had, it is no surprise that some roles had to be recast throughout the show’s run. This is not really the fault of the show, and it was easy to take in most cases. However, the recasting of Daario Naharis didn’t sit right with everyone.

Michiel Huisman replaced Ed Skrein in season 4, but some felt the abrupt and noticeable change didn’t work. It is true that there was seemingly no effort to make the character look the same and Redditor Luciditi89 couldn’t help but think. “Are we all just going to pretend he’s the same guy?”

Daenerys Becomes Leader Of The Dothraki

Daenerys had some truly badass moments in the series where she defeated her enemies in epic ways. However, when Daenerys killed all the Dothraki Khals in season 6 and became the leader of those people, some fans felt it was too much.

Along with being a moment that foreshadows that Daenerys is the true villain, it felt like rushed character development to some. Redditor wastelandr0mance saw it as “compressing an entire season’s worth of politics” into one over-the-top scene.

Briennes Ignore Jaime’s Backstory

Everyone has different opinions about Game of Thrones, and some people see cringe-worthy moments in some of the show’s most acclaimed scenes. The bath scene between Jaime Lannister and Brienne was a pivotal one for Jaime. It also made him somewhat of a tragic character as he explains the way he earned the insulting title of Kingslayer.

After Jaime gave an emotional speech, he fainted and Brienne called out for help for the Kingslayer. Redditor Jerg found it a cringey moment as Jaime had just poured his heart out about “why he hated being called that.”

Euron’s Threatening Line

While there were some very clever villains on Game of Thrones who used their cunning to thwart their enemies, Euron Greyjoy was not a subtle bad guy. It seemed like the show wanted so badly to convince the audience how evil he is that it led to some cheesy moments.

Euron returned to the Iron Islands and promptly won the Kingsmoot. He was then baptized by the Drowned Gods and immediately after waking up, he asked where Theon and Yara are before saying “Let’s go murder them.” Redditor jk0805 claims they liked most of the scene but that line “made me laugh and ruined it.”

The Sand Snake Fight Scene

There were countless amazing action sequences on Game of Thrones, from huge battles to one-on-one fights. And perhaps that high expectation of action makes a lackluster fight stand out more.

Such was the case for many during the short fight with Jaime and Bronn taking on the Sand Snakes. The buildup of the secret mission in Dorne led to this moment that was over as quickly as it started. Redditor Stormbringer- complained that the “choreography was awful, and the whole thing just felt forced and rushed.”

Pycelle’s Fart Humor

Though there were some intense and heartbreaking moments, Game of Thrones could be funny at times as well. In fact, some of the comedic scenes stand out among the show’s most popular. But there were other times when the humor didn’t land.

In one particular scene that felt out of place, Pycelle was complaining about the horrific newly resurrected Gregor Clegane only to turn around and see the massive knight standing behind him. As a result, Pycelle let out a frightened fart. One disappointed user said, “when I first saw that I just sighed.”

Loras Gives Up

Over time, the show began to deviate quite differently from the books they were based on. As a result, certain Game of Thrones characters were quite different from George R.R. Martin’s novels, and some felt like a betrayal of fan favorites.

After Loras was arrested by the High Sparrow and kept in prison, Margaery went to visit him and found her brother to be a broken man who begged her to do anything to allow him to be released. Redditor ok2nvme suggested, “Book Loras would like a word,” as it differed quite a bit from the valiant and brave knight he was in the source material.

The Waif Hunts Down Arya

Though she was one of the most popular characters on the show, some of Arya’s storylines were filled with plot holes. Her adventures in Braavos were particularly frustrating and the eventual climax of the story didn’t sit well with many fans.

After being stabbed to the point of certain death, Arya was hunted through the city. Redditor InfiniteGest recalled the “Terminator-style Waif chasing Arya” as particularly bad and another Redditor pointed out it was “the exact opposite from what they were taught” by the Faceless Men about being stealthy.

Yara’s Failed Rescue Mission

With so many storylines and characters to juggle on Game of Thrones, it occasionally felt that some scenes were forced in just to remind audiences that particular characters were still out there. Many fans felt this was the case with Yara’s rescue mission to get Theon back.

After a big build-up for an epic showdown, the sequence was only a few minutes and featured a brief fight with no real impact on the story. Redditor drumlip felt the whole scene came off “as silly and unnecessary.”

The Sand Snakes’ Dialogue

Given how unpopular the Dorne storyline was in season 5, it’s not too surprising that it made for more than a few cringeworthy moments on Game of Thrones. The underdeveloped characters of the Sand Snakes were particularly disliked.

According to Redditor Pksoze, “a lot of the Sandsnakes dialogue” was particularly bad. Redditor Memstyle agreed and saw it as a problem from their first scene when Obara Sand launched into a cliché “‘when I was a little girl’ speech.”