"Winter is coming."
Three iconic words known to Game of Thrones fans -- and likely non-fans -- that have no doubt been uttered thousands of times since the television show premiered in 2011. The words were said in the very first episode of season 1, helping set us up for using the phrase for years to come.
Eight seasons of Game of Thrones have given fans plenty of quotable phrases, from characters like to Tyron Lannister (Peter Dinklage) to Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) to Melisandre (Carice van Houten). These lines of dialogue might have only been said once, only to leave a lasting impact. Others, such as "winter is coming" have leaped out of the show into our daily lexicon. It's become standard to state this when the first snowflakes appear every year or even simply to announce something bad is about to happen.
Five episodes remain in this powerhouse of a series. Top-ten lists, debates, and votes have exploded on the internet, on topics involving favorite episodes, favorite characters, choosing the winner of the Iron Throne, and in some cases, deciding what the favorite Game of Thrones meme of all-time is.
I figured I'd join the fray as we head down the homestretch of this series. In the spirit of the Best Summer Movie of 1998 tournament and the Favorite Holiday Film tournament, we'd have a tournament for the 16 greatest quotes. These are lines of dialogue, phrases, and more that have stuck with us over the years. Voting for the first round will begin this week, whittling down the list over the next four weeks until we have a winner just before the finale.
Let the games begin (possible spoilers ahead, if there is anyone concerned with that sort of thing.)
The number one seeds
Sixteen quotes means I have divided things into four brackets. The first seed will play the fourth seed in each bracket, alongside number two facing off against number three.
Said by numerous characters over the last eight season, Winter is Coming was an easy choice for a top-seed. Not much more is needed to say about this phrase, given the implications it's had over the years.
Also sliding into a top-seed is A Lannister always pays his debts (or variations thereof). True to their word -- just ask Bronn (Jerome Flynn) -- gold and land has been handed over as part of repaying their debts. Or, in some cases, murder.
The third number-one seed belongs to the character Hodor (Kristian Nairn). And the line is Hodor! We later find out, in a very emotional episode in season 6, the origin of why Hodor plays this line on repeat.
Rounding out the set of top spots is You know nothing, Jon Snow. Though it's use on the show has long since disappeared -- RIP Ygritte (Rose Leslie) -- it's still often a popular thing to tweet, or yell at the screen, when Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) fails to realize something or make a move in error.
The matchups
- 1) Winter is Coming
- 4) The things I do for love
- 2) I drink and I know things
- 3) When you play Game of Thrones, you win or you die
- 1) A Lannister always pays his debts
- 4) A girl lies
- 2) Chaos is a ladder
- 3) Lannisters send their regards
- 1) You know nothing, Jon Snow
- 4) King of the North!
- 2) I want her to know it was me
- 3) The North Remembers
- 1) Hodor!
- 4) Night is dark and full of terrors
- 2) Arya's death wish list
- 3) What is dead may never die
I'm sure there are a few I'm forgetting. There's been so many great exchanges over the years, so many well-written characters, that there is very likely something else out there. Feel free to comment if a favorite of yours isn't on the list and we'll see about including them as a wildcard along the way.
photo credit: en.wikipedia.org
Coming in May: The greatest summer movie of 1999 tournament.
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