15 Years Later, No TV Show Has Beaten HBO's Biggest Twist Of All Time

HBO is the undisputed home of prestige drama, and many of the best shows on HBO have changed TV. One of these is a series that packed such a punch with its major twist that it has still not been beaten even 15 years later. When done well, plot twists are a strategy that can turn a good show into a masterpiece that you have to watch twice to pick up on hints and foreshadowing. On the other hand, HBO's biggest twist only came with one warning, leaving viewers to analyze earlier scenes to work out where everything went wrong. When Ned Stark knelt on the platform in front of the people of King's Landing, it still looked as though there was hope for him. Game of Thrones introduced complex political maneuvering to the fantasy genre, and the likelihood that another character would save him from execution was high. However, in a move most did not see coming, Game of Thrones killed its main character, changing the series forever. While this is far from the first TV show to kill a main character, the impact and shock of Ned Stark's death has still never been beaten, even by HBO. Game Of Thrones' Main Character Death Was The Show's Biggest Twist Arya Stark holding onto the statue of Baelor in Game of Thrones season 1 The eight seasons of Game of Thrones introduced plenty of twists, and before the ill-fated last season, the show often gave its audience the sense that it was building to something huge. The reveal that Jon Snow was a Targaryen was clearly intended to be the moment that the show turned a corner, but with Game of Thrones becoming a victim of its own success with audiences sharing fan theories and discussing every scene, this twist did not land nearly as well, especially taking into account the show's dramatic drop in quality, which overshadowed the key moments. It is easy to forget that the first season of Game of Thrones was smaller, using just a few locations and largely focusing on three central families. By the time Samwell Tarly discovered the truth about Jon's lineage, Game of Thrones had already had some wild moments, including The Red Wedding, one of its other jaw-dropping twists. However, while the scene killed off multiple main characters in a bloodbath that has become infamous even among people who did not finish the show, season 1 had already used Ned Stark's death to prove the same point: that no character is safe. HBO series like The Wire and The Sopranos changed the game with their twists, like Tony Soprano revealing himself as a cold-blooded killer and Prez having a very human and devastating moment of panic which resulted in a death. However, Ned Stark's execution revealed something new about the show, rather than just the characters. Watching season 1 feels more ominous knowing that Game of Thrones is about political games which do not always benefit the honorable, but when watching for the first time, the story was just unfolding and the heroic Ned Stark appeared surrounded by plot armor. Game Of Thrones' Big Twist Would Have Been Even Better With One Change Sean Bean as Ned Stark in Game of Thrones Game of Thrones has been a star-maker, introducing actors like Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke, and Jason Momoa to a much wider audience. Still, even during a time in which movies were considered the more glamorous creative projects, Game of Thrones was attracting A-list actors. Playing Richard Sharpe in ITV's Sharpe , before starring in 007 's GoldenEye and The Lord of the Rings had made Sean Bean into the most recognizable actor among the Game of Thrones cast, but this came with a major problem. By the time he was cast as Ned Stark, he was a walking spoiler. Sean Bean was one of the first actors cast in Game of Thrones , even appearing in the unaired pilot before the show was picked up. Many of the actors in Game of Thrones have played into their most common character types, especially Jason Momoa and Lena Headey, but this presented an issue when it came to casting Ned Stark. Sean Bean's many character deaths had been noticed so much that he was often expected to die in his subsequent projects, and people knowing this could reasonably have guessed his Game of Thrones character's fate. It is hard to imagine anyone but Bean playing Ned Stark, but his death would likely have come as even more of a shock with another actor playing the role. Based on George R. R. Martin's ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North.