Game of Thrones/HotD: Every Character Killed By A Family Member

The moment in House of the Dragon when Daemon decapitates uncle-in-law Vaemond Velaryon is one of the most shocking yet in the series. In part, this stems from the fact that, by marriage, the two men are family (Daemon having been married to Vaemond’s niece, Laena).

However, this is not the first time in the Game of Thrones franchise that a family member has taken the life of another. Indeed, if anything, in Westeros the odds of either being killed outright by a member of one’s family or being killed on their orders is pretty significant, showing just how precarious life in Westeros so often is.

10/10 Tywin Lannister

Tywin Lannister was one of the best characters in Game of Thrones. Stern and unbending, he was also a formidable leader in his own right. Of course, he was also killed by his son, Tyrion, largely because he was far too willing to throw his youngest child under the bus when it became convenient to do so.

There is, though, something a little tragic about his death. This is particularly true in that it continues to haunt Tyrion for the rest of his life, for he can never live down the stain of committing patricide.

9/10 Roose Bolton

Roose was, in his own way, one of the most evil villains in Thrones. He is the man, after all, who betrayed his lord, Robb Stark. But, as so often was the case in Game of Thrones, he ultimately met his own form of justice in that he was betrayed and murdered by his bastard son, Ramsay.

It’s a brutal scene, to be sure. It is also a powerful reminder, to both Roose and to the audience, that there is absolutely no certainty in this world. Anyone can die, assuming that their doing so benefits someone else who yearns for their particular power.

8/10 Shireen Baratheon

The death of Shireen Baratheon was one of the most shocking in the history of the show. It was bad enough that she was sacrificed by Melisandre. More distressing was the fact that this was done with her father’s connivance and at his orders.

Unlike so many other characters in this series, Shireen was genuinely good, and she cared a great deal about others. It’s thus all the more tragic that she met such a gruesome fate. Her death showed everyone that the innocent are often the first to be sacrificed in the brutal world of Westeros.

7/10 Renly Baratheon

Renly was, of course, one of the most notable members of House Baratheon. Kind, charismatic, and handsome, he was everything a king should be. Unfortunately, he was also in the way of his brother, Stannis, who believed that his was the true and rightful claim to the Iron Throne.

His death at the hands of a shadow creature given birth to by Melisandre was one of the most shocking and disturbing in the series. Though it seemed to ease Stannis’ way to the throne he so desperately desired, it also ensured that House Tyrell ultimately allied itself with the Iron Throne, with kingdom-changing consequences.

6/10 Alton Lannister

There are, of course, many notable members of House Lannister, one of the most notable houses in Westeros. Though he wasn’t one of the major players, Alton still has the dubious distinction of being killed by his own cousin, Jaime, who uses his death as a means of escaping his imprisonment.

His death at the hands of his own cousin is another of those periodic reminders that, in the world of Game of Thrones, there is no life that is truly safe from being taken by another, even a member of one’s own kin.

5/10 Gregor Clegane And Sandor Clegane

The Cleganes were two very important characters in the story. The Hound, in particular, was a fan favorite, with his sardonic and cynical approach to almost all things in life. The final confrontation between the two brothers was one of the most notable fights in the entire series, and it was one that many viewers anticipated seeing.

Brutal and ugly, it was the culmination of the two brothers’ longstanding hatred of one another, and when they both tumbled from the ruins of the Red Keep, it seemed as if they both might find some measure of peace.

4/10 Balon Greyjoy

Balon Greyjoy was one of those people who constantly sought to play the various power players of Westeros against one another. To some extent, he managed to succeed, at least until the point where he was murdered by his own brother, Euron, when the latter came upon him in the middle of the night.

Though he survived longer than he did in the book, he eventually became yet another casualty in Euron’s quest for power. It is a particularly ignominious end for someone who has ruled over the Ironborn for so long.

3/10 Harwin And Lyonel Strong

In House of the Dragon, members of House Strong come to play a significant role in the affairs of Westeros. This is especially true of Harwin and Lyonel, the former of whom is a notable member of the Kingsguard (and putative father of Rhaenyra’s children) and the latter of whom serves as Hand of the King.

Unfortunately, they are both victims of a family member’s scheming. In this case, it’s due to the scheming of Larys, who ensures that they both perish in a terrible fire at Harrenhal. No one is as dangerous as a family member in this series.

2/10 Daenerys Targaryen

Daenerys Targaryen was one of the most powerful characters on Game of Thrones. She was the one, after all, who sought to remake all of Westeros in her own image. Unfortunately, her own hubris started to overcome her good intentions, and she became the very sort of tyrant she sought to depose.

When she was killed by Jon Snow it was wrenching for so many reasons, not the least of which was the fact that she was his aunt (since he was the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark). Just as had been the case for so long, the Targaryen dynasty was marred by tragedy and the murder of a family member by another.

1/10 Robert Baratheon

Robert Baratheon might not have been one of the most evil kings of Westeros, but he was still a very bad king. He was far too willing to turn over power to others, with terrible results. He was also killed by a member of his own family when his wife schemed to ensure that he was killed while on a hunt.

This proved to be an event with kingdom-spanning consequences, as it set in motion a sequence of conflicts that consumed every season of the show. Even one death in this world has tremendous significance.

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