Game Of Thrones Season 6: All 10 Episode Ranked From Worst To Best
6. Oathbreaker
No matter how expected the reveal of Rickon was in the end, it was still a sharp punctuating shock - particularly as it seemed to encourage rumours that Smalljon Umber was actually a sleeper cell waiting to turn on Ramsay. Obviously that proved to be false, but the hope seemed indicative of Smalljon's impact as a character, no matter how brief a time he had on screen.
In the long term, this episode is most likely to be remembered as Jon's cleansing of the traitorous crows who killed him, and the end of his Watch. The power of the writing and directing here also made for one of the most haunting moments in the entire season: since the end of season 5, we'd all collectively called for Olly's death after he turned on his hero. But here, the show dared us to crow victory in the face of his death, the camera lingering on his bulging eyes and pained expression.
It was almost as if HBO were daring us to feel some contrition, as well as inviting us to realise that Alliser Thorne and his loyalists were actually acting in the line of duty. They were, in a round about way, more men of honour than Jon.
Best Moment: Alliser and Olly get what's coming to them.