15 Times S**t Got Real In Game Of Thrones
1. The Massacre Of Hardhome
This is where the whole series got real.
In an attempt to save the remainder of the Wildling population, Jon Snow and Tormund attempt to convince the Wildlings to evacuate Hardhome and journey South. Instead the situation decides to journey South and they are soon overrun by the dead.
When they start to breach the gate, Jon leads the Watch to save the people and retrieve the Dragonglass, running into a building that even a giant didn't want to remain in. When inside, he and a Thenn are confronted with a high ranking White Walker warrior.
This is about as real as it ever got, With no plausible means to resist him, the Thenn is killed and John catches a good beating. Many main character deaths felt like this and heightened by the episode nine effect, it was all but certain doom.
Blocking with Longclaw, the Valyrian steel blade doesn't shatter like all other weapons and using the Walker's surprise, Jon swipes at his torso, shattering him into a million pieces. This was a huge revelation and a big win for Snow.
Sharing a moment among enemies, Jon and the Night's King stare at each other as the latter turns all of the people he just slaughtered. This glimpse at the White Walker army's numbers and the seeming hopelessness of the situation is a sobering sight and just by sheer scale renders everything else insignificant.