Game Of Thrones: Ranking EVERY Major Death Worst To Best
21. Shireen Baratheon
Death: Sacrificed to the Lord of Light by Stannis and Melisandre in order to allow his army to win against the Bolton forces. Of course, that didn't actually happen.
Shireen's (Kerry Ingram) death being so high might be controversial, but you'll probably appreciate this one a lot more on re-watching it.
It is a completely horrible scene, but it is also very well-executed and acted, while it was ultimately necessary for Stannis' character arc. He committed this appalling act in order to further his quest for the crown, but he failed anyway and lost everything, including his own life. As such, this death is a powerful illustration of just how destructive the quest for the throne can be.
As well as this, George R.R. Martin said to the show-runners that this would happen in the books, so it was included for a reason. Still, it would've been better to set Stannis up as someone who'd sacrifice his daughter, as this did feel a bit out-of-character on his part, so this death didn't work seamlessly.