Game of Thrones is a show comfortable with shocking viewers with terrible plot twists. Mostly in terms of killing off main characters, but also liberally employs other nasty and hard to watch moments. On Sunday night’s episode, it delivered one of its worst. (Read on only if you’ve seen this week’s episode.)
Jaime Lannister rapes his twin sister Cersei while the two are lying right next to the cold body of their recently murdered son. It actually might be the most terrible incident on the show to date. It’s not included on this list because rape (and it was a rape despite the assertion by some commenters on various recaps that it was not) and sexual assault are violent crimes, not perversions. But the presence of a corpse in the room made us think of other line-crossing moments. We’ve picked out eight of the most egregious.
1. The killing of the bastards.
Joffrey orders the death of what has to be dozens of teens, children, and babies in an effort to wipe out all of his father’s illegitimate children, potential heirs to the Iron Throne.
2. He’s my brother, he’s my lover, he’s my brother and my lover.
Game of Thrones ended its very first episode with a moment of great perversion. Jaime and Cersei are caught mid-romp by Ned Stark’s son Bran who, as a result, is pushed out of a window.
3. Attachment parenting.
When Catelyn takes Tyrion prisoner and shows up at her sister home in the Vale of Arryn, she discovers that Lysa is still breastfeeding her boy of 8 or so. The first season episode “The Wolf and the Lion†coincidentally aired within a week of Time magazine’s cover story about attachment parenting, which showed a picture of a mother breastfeeding her rather large-looking 3-year-old son.
4. Half-man.
Following the events of the Red Wedding, the head of Robb Stark’s direwolf Grey Wind is placed upon his decapitated head and inadvertently paraded around in front of his sister Arya.
5. Speaking of those nuptials …
This show has a real thing about babies, children, and family, resulting in some of the most harrowing scenes. In the now-infamous Red Wedding, a pregnant Talisa is stabbed repeatedly in the belly. (Right before her husband, mother-in-law, and all of their bannerman are slaughtered.)
6. Theon gets handsy.
Upon returning to his home in the Iron Islands, Theon is met at the harbor by a woman he takes an immediate liking to. While riding behind her on her horse, he takes an opportunity to feel her up and rub her off. It is later revealed that this is his sister Yara. Terrible.
7. Smoke gets in your womb.
A pregnant Melisandre births a murderous monster made of black smoke. It’s a really bizarre scene.
8. That’s my boy.
Balon Greyjoy received a package in the post — his son Theon’s penis.
