8 Times Game Of Thrones Booked Pro Wrestling Better Than WWE
6. Bronn Vs. Vardis
Here we have another classic pro wrestling trope done to perfection by GoT:
The Open Challenge Answered by a Member of The Crowd
When Tyrion's initial pick for his trial by combat is rejected by Lysa Arryn on the grounds that Jaime was just too damn far away - a fair criticism if we’re being honest - the littlest Lannister looks to the assembled lords, knights, and assorted onlookers for a volunteer to be his champion, and just when it seems that there will be no takers, a man whose name we do not know steps forward and accepts the challenge.
Up until now we’ve only seen him hanging around in the background as a non-descript member Catelyn Stark’s northern entourage. He’s not a lord, he’s not a knight, he’s not even really wearing armor. But, when the fighting starts, this (young?) upstart from nowhere proceeds to take it to one of the most respected knights in the Vale!
His style is almost sloppy, but it’s clearly meant show that our suspicions about this man were justified, he’s definitely not a knight. He runs Vardis around the whole throne room and uses every dirty trick in the book to slowly flumox and confuse his more polished opponent.
In the end the crafty, no-name street-fighting man drives his sword through Ser Vardis’ torso and drops him through the moon door. The authority figure shows her sour grapes “You do not fight with honor!” Our man cuts a one sentence comeback promo - “No milady... He did” BOOM!
We just made a member of the crowd an upper-midcard star from scratch; he gets drafted into the Lannister stable to further legitimize him and fast forward six seasons of respectful booking and Ser Bronn of The Blackwater is one of the most beloved and well-respected veteran “tweeners” in the game. Ser Vardis never even got his win back.