The goriest moment of Game Of Thrones occurs towards the end of the show's fourth season. Doomed to a death sentence for the murder of King Joffrey, Tyrion Lannister requests a trial by combat in a last-ditch attempt to save his life. None of his usual allies will volunteer to fight the prosecution's champion - the Mountain - but Tyrion finally finds a competitor in the shape of Prince Oberyn Martell. During the battle, Martell shocks the onlookers by getting the better of his much larger competitor. He seems moments away from victory and proudly demands that the Mountain confess to the murder and rape of his sister, Ella. However, this pause gives the Mountain time to recover and trip Martell before bringing him to the ground. The Mountain kills him by brutally gouging out his eyes and crushing his skull in bloody fashion. It is, without doubt, the most shocking moment of violence in the show's history. As a culmination to a brilliantly tense fight sequence, it immediately portrays the Mountain as an almost unbeatable, dominant force. It takes a lot to shock someone who has watched everything Westeros has to offer, but the conclusion of this fight certainly managed that feat.
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