10 Shocking Deaths That Changed Game Of Thrones

6. The White Walker Sam Killed

To most of the characters on the show, the White Walkers are simply the stuff of legend; a part of the tall tales told by Old Nan types, who no longer exist in this world if they ever truly existed at all.

To the viewers, the wildlings, and many members of the Night's Watch, it's a different story. Although they'd only been hinted at through most of the first two seasons, the Season 2 finale brought with it a jaw-dropping look at the White Walker army. It showed the scale of them, just how terrifying they appear to be, and above all else that they're very much a real and current threat.

They've constantly been used sparingly in each season, and after their huge introduction at the end of Season 2, the third season brought about a quieter - but just as important - moment, when a White Walker attacks Sam and Gilly.

Assuming this is the end of Samwell, it's a major surprise when he manages to get ahold of a dragonglass dagger and kill it. This changes the perception of White Walkers, because we now know they can very much be killed, and also cements the change in character of Sam from a scared boy to someone who could be truly heroic.