We’re pretty surprised by this one.
There’s no point having great heroes unless you’ve got villains and when it comes to Game of Thrones, you could argue that the antagonists are the best thing in the show.
Think about it.
Cersei is probably the best character in the Seven Kingdoms, Joffrey was so loathsome that he got under your skin, Ramsay Bolton was a vicious delight – we still miss him – and as for the Night King, well, he’s the main raison d’être for the final season.
While we love the likes of Jon Snow and Arya Stark, there’s no denying the fact that viewers get a sadistic pleasure from seeing these villains meet their maker.
It’s almost like years upon years of pent-up hatred, anger, and loathing are unleashed in one euphoric moment of pure bloodlust.
Did you cheer when Jon Snow landed every single punch on Ramsay’s face? What about Joffrey? How satisfying was it to see the life drain from his vindictive face as he slowly turned purple and choked on that poison?
On this note, one death holds the accolade of being the most gruesome and expensive in the history of Game of Thrones. It’s a bit of a surprise though because this death has absolutely nothing to do with White Walkers, epic battles, or dragons- just good old fashioned revenge.
Ladies and gentlemen, cast your mind back to that scene when Ser Meryn Trant meets his grisly, grisly end thanks to Arya Stark.
Of course, he was one of the names on Arya’s list after the malicious Kingsguard murdered Syrio Forel – Arya’s former teacher.
As you may remember, at the time of his death, Ser Meryn was sent off to Braavos as a bodyguard for Mace Tyrell, who was meant to be negotiating a deal with the Iron Bank of Braavos regarding the Crown’s debt.
At the time, Arya had been training as a Faceless Man at the House of Black and White and after noticing his arrival, she follows him into a brothel.
Rather than confront him straight away, Arya watches on as he rejects a number of prostitutes for being “too old.” Ultimately, he settles on a group of young girls – no more than 12-years-old in appearance- and proceeds to beat them.
Unbeknownst to him, Arya has assumed the identity of this girl that he’s currently beating.
What unfolded was one of the most gruesome scenes in the show’s history as Arya jumps on Ser Meryn’s back and stabs him in both of his eyes, as well as his chest, before slitting his throat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4O9IWLoABU
In an interview with Her.ie journalist Keeley Ryan at Throne Legends in Dublin, Ian Beattie (Ser Meryn) said: “To this day, it is the most expensive single death ever filmed in Game of Thrones 1) because it took 12 hours; 2) because of the special effects; 3) because of the CGI; 4) because of the amount of blood and the technical issues involved in it. It was a very long, sticky day.”
With regards to his final scene, Beattie said that he saw the whole experience as “a gift.”
“I was phoned by David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss] at the start of Season 5 to say ‘This is it, mate, this is your lot. Valar morghulis.’ They told me that everyone was going to get to see a really nasty side to Ser Meryn, [but] they didn’t tell me what it was – and when I saw it, I was like ‘Oh my goodness, no!’ And then they also said I would get a pretty good death. Pretty good didn’t begin to cover that death. That was the Sonny Corleone of deaths. As far as I was concerned, it was them telling me: ‘listen, good five years – well done. Here’s a little gift for you.”
With Game of Thrones entering its final season, we wonder if this incredibly gruesome record is still going to stand as the credits roll in the final episode?
Somehow, we think not.
Valar morghulis.
Clip via – Davos Seaworth
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