Episode: Kissed by Fire There are enough trials by combat to fill this list and then some - George R. R. Martin having learned quite some time ago that the Seven's customary method of dispensing is an effective way to amp up the stakes in any given fight scene, with its one-on-one rule and the potential that more than one person might die pending the trial's outcome. This sword fight/brawl deserves some kind of award for special effects, if nothing else - pyrotechnics are notoriously difficult to utilise on film or TV without resorting to CGI or clever camera tricks, a fact that makes the staging of this fight so very impressive. In a behind-the-scenes interview, director Alex Graves cited Star Wars as an inspiration for Beric Dondarrion's fighting style, a flowing and graceful technique that is completely different from anything the show has ever portrayed. Contrast this with The Hound's more traditional melee fighting and you have an interesting setup already - and that's before you light one of their swords on fire. Yet it somehow works. This fight scene builds at such a steady pace that it never outstays its welcome, and Sandor Clegane's fear of fire adds a layer of subtext to all of Rory McCaan's actions - even though he has very little dialogue to speak of. The magical revival of Beric at the end of this scene is a complete shock, but an effective cherry on top of this very brilliant scene.
Self-evidently a man who writes for the Internet, Robert also writes films, plays, teleplays, and short stories when he's not working on a movie set somewhere. He lives somewhere behind the Hollywood sign.
