When Game of Thrones premiered in 2011, few could have predicted just how massive it would become. What started as a gritty fantasy drama based on George R.R. Martin’s novels turned into a global phenomenon. It dominated pop culture, broke records, and redefined what TV could achieve. Week after week, millions of viewers dropped everything to watch dragons fly, kingdoms fall, and characters make impossible choices. And for HBO, it was lightning in a bottle. They’ve said it themselves: Game of Thrones is their most-watched series ever. No contest.
But when you zoom in, it’s not just the series as a whole, but the episodes that accomplished this feat. Specific ones at that. The ones that made people cancel plans and refresh streaming apps. Across eight seasons, certain chapters pulled in insane viewership numbers, and not just because of the hype. These episodes had big battles, long-awaited reunions, devastating twists, and the ever-present feeling that everything was about to change. Here they are, the 10 most-watched episodes of Game of Thrones.
10
“Stormborn”
Season 7, Episode 2 – 12.37 Million Views
In “Stormborn,” a storm lashes Dragonstone as Daenerys begins to assert her authority. She questions Varys’s loyalty and receives Melisandre’s cryptic counsel about prophecy and alliances. Tyrion proposes a tactical siege of Westeros, while Daenerys dispatches Yara, Ellaria, and the Sand Snakes to rally Dornish support. In King’s Landing, Cersei manipulates lords, and Qyburn unveils a dragon-slaying ballista. Meanwhile, Arya learns Jon is King in the North and changes course toward Winterfell.
Despite only being the second episode, this is a turning point in Season 7, because it is where strategy begins to fracture and characters are forced to confront their pasts. Daenerys’s confrontation with Varys and her decision to summon Jon Snow lay the groundwork for one of the series’ most consequential alliances. Theon’s breakdown and Euron’s brutal rise brings chaos to the Targaryen cause, while Arya’s pivot toward home brings emotion.
9
“The Spoils of War”
Season 7, Episode 4 – 13.94 Million Views
In line with the previous episode, we have “The Spoils of War.” Fresh from sacking Highgarden, Jaime and Bronn escort the Tyrell gold back to King’s Landing, but they are not aware of the firestorm that awaits them. At Winterfell, Arya reunites with Sansa and Bran, but the reunion is tempered by how much they’ve changed. Arya’s sparring match with Brienne is a highlight. Meanwhile, Daenerys, frustrated by losses, mounts Drogon and launches a surprise attack on the Lannister convoy, and it all ends in a near-fatal plunge for Jaime.
“The Spoils of War” is widely hailed as one of the most visually stunning episodes in the series, which is obvious, because close to 13.94 million viewers tuned in to witness its cinematic scope. But it’s not just the battle. Daenerys’s fiery assault is terrifying, but the moral ambiguity forces viewers to reconsider her role as liberator. And Jaime’s near-death moment deepens his tragic arc. The episode essentially destabilizes loyalties and redefines heroism, all while reminding the world of the consequences of war.
8
“Eastwatch”
Season 7, Episode 5 – 14.41 Million Views
Season 7 of Game of Thrones was extremely popular in terms of viewership. “Eastwatch” finds Jaime surviving Daenerys’s attack and warning Cersei of her overwhelming power, but she remains unruffled. Jon receives word of the Night King’s advance and proposes capturing a wight to prove the threat to Westeros. This leads to the formation of a team (Jon, Gendry, the Hound, Beric, Thoros, and Jorah) who set out beyond the Wall on a suicide mission. At Dragonstone, Jon’s bond with Daenerys deepens, and Bran’s visions reveal what the Night King is up to.
The episode thrives on anticipation and momentum, and its 14.41 million viewers reflect how effectively it builds toward the season’s climax. It excels in assembling threads related to the political, mystical, and personal arcs of each of the characters, tying them into a cohesive drive for survival. The formation of the suicide squad is a fan-service moment done right. The tone is urgent but measured, which is a rare balance in the series overall.
7
“Dragonstone”
Season 7, Episode 1 – 16.10 Million Views
Season 7 of Game of Thrones opens with a reckoning. In a chilling cold open, Arya Stark, disguised as Walder Frey, poisons the entire male line of House Frey, avenging the Red Wedding with insane precision. At Winterfell, Jon Snow consolidates power as King in the North, urging unity against the White Walkers while Sansa challenges his decisions. In King’s Landing, Cersei and Jaime regroup after Tommen’s death, and Euron Greyjoy arrives with promises of allegiance. Sam Tarly, now at the Citadel, starts uncovering secrets about dragonglass.
The episode ends with Daenerys’s long-awaited arrival at Dragonstone, where she silently surveys the war table and utters just three words: “Shall we begin?” Drawing in 16.10 million viewers, “Dragonstone” is all about reflecting the power shift. Instead of focusing on spectacle, it repositions key plays for the final act. Jon’s leadership, Arya’s revenge, and Daenerys’s return mark the convergence of three major arcs. It also signals that the endgame has truly begun.
6
“The Dragon and the Wolf”
Season 7, Episode 7 – 16.50 Million Views
“The Dragon and the Wolf” is the season finale, and it brings nearly every major character to the Dragonpit in King’s Landing for a tense summit. Daenerys arrives late, riding Drogon, while Jon presents a captured wight to convince Cersei of the looming threat. She feigns cooperation but later reveals her plans to betray the alliance. Jaime, disgusted by her duplicity, finally walks away. In Winterfell, Sansa and Arya turn the tables on Littlefinger by exposing his manipulations and sentencing him to death.
Sam arrives at Winterfell and, with Bran’s help, uncovers Jon Snow’s true parentage. He is Aegon Targaryen, the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne. The most-watched episode of Season 7, its strength lies in its layered diplomacy, long-awaited revelations, and emotional payoffs. Littlefinger’s downfall is a satisfying resolution to seasons of manipulation and lack of Stark justice, while Jon’s lineage changes the entire power dynamic. The summit scene is a glorious moment. It recaliberates loyalties, identities, and destinies, and it’s delivered with the kind of tension only Game of Thrones can pull off.
5
“The Last of the Starks”
Season 8, Episode 4 – 17.20 Million Views
In the aftermath of the Battle of Winterfell, the survivors mourn their dead in a funeral pyre sequence. Daenerys publicly names Gendry Lord of Storm’s End, which is a strategic move. Tensions rise between Jon and Daenerys as his siblings find out about his truth. At a celebratory feast, Brienne and Jaime grow closer, while Daenerys feels increasingly isolated. In the end, everything changes when Rhaegal is killed mid-flight by Euron Greyjoy’s fleet, and Missandei is captured and executed in front of Daenerys.
“The Last of the Starks” is the second-highest watched episode in the series’ history. It is an episode of tonal whiplash. There’s grief, joy, betrayal, and rage, all colliding at once. Missandei’s death and Rhaegal’s sudden fall are a turning point for Daenerys, who watches in silent fury but is slowly unraveling. The episode’s somber tone, coupled with that extra layer of dramatic tension, proves that this war isn’t just about lives lost, but about identities reshaping.
4
“Winterfell”
Season 8, Episode 1 – 17.40 Million Views
Game of Thrones’ final season opens with a certain stillness, where a royal procession enters Winterfell, time led by Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow. The North watches with wary eyes as dragons soar above them and foreign armies march through snow. Jon reunites with Arya and Bran, but they have too many secrets between them, particularly about Jon’s lineage. There’s tension between Daenerys and Sansa, while Tyrion and Varys observe quietly. Meanwhile, Cersei accepts Euron’s proposal and plots a war from King’s Landing.
The episode ends with Jaime arriving at Winterfell and locking eyes with Bran, the boy he once pushed from a tower. “Winterfell,” with its 17.40 million viewers, is proof of how much anticipation there was around the final season’s return. It is an episode built on reunion and silence speaking louder than action. The restrained tone allows for a lot of moments to land powerfully, like Jon’s reaction to his parentage, which Sam reveals in the crypts. Directed by David Nutter and written by Dave Hill, the episode sets the chessboard.
3
“The Long Night”
Season 8, Episode 3 – 17.80 Million Views
Darkness falls over Winterfell as the living prepare for their most desperate stand. The Night King’s army arrives in silence, and the battle begins with Melisandre igniting the Dothraki blades, only for them to vanish into the void. Then, it’s chaos. Arya stalks through corridors, Beric dies saving her, Lyanna Mormont slays a giant, the dragons clash in the storm above, and Jon and Daenerys struggle to gain control. In the crypts, the dead rise.
The climax comes when Arya, in a moment of stealth, leaps and kills the Night King, shattering his army in an instant. “The Long Night” is the longest episode of the series and one of its most ambitious, with 17.80 million viewers watching a battle that took 35 nights to film. Directed by Miguel Sapochnik, it’s a visual masterpiece. Arya’s triumph is where her arc ends and even though the relentless pace sparked debate, its impact on the ending is undeniable.
2
“The Bells”
Season 8, Episode 5 – 18.40 Million Views
King’s Landing braces for siege as Daenerys, grieving and enraged, mounts Drogon for a final assault in “The Bells.” The city’s defenses crumble when Euron is defeated, the Golden Company is obliterated, and the bells ring in surrender. But Daenerys doesn’t stop. She razes the city, burning soldiers and civilians alike, leaving even her allies stunned. Jon watches in horror, Tyrion mourns the cost of loyalty, and Arya navigates the collapsing streets.
“The Bells” is the most controversial episode of the series, but also one of its most watched, with 18.40 million viewers sitting and watching the fall of King’s Landing. Directed again by Miguel Sapochnik, it’s a study in descent. We watch Daenerys transforming from a liberator to destroyer in a swift minute, even though it is seeded throughout the series. It is uncomfortable to watch because it forces viewers to confront the fragility of morals. Emilia Clarke delivers a breathtaking performance and Lena Headey’s final moments bring unexpected tenderness.
1
“The Iron Throne”
Season 8, Episode 6 – 19.30 Million Views
Season 8 may have been the weakest season of all, but that’s what made it unforgettable. The series finale, titled “The Iron Throne,” begins in the ruins of King’s Landing where Tyrion walks through ash and silence, discovering the bodies of Jaime and Cersei. Daenerys addresses her army, promising liberation across the world, but her vision is met with fear. Jon confronts her in the throne room, and in a moment of heartbreak and duty, kills her. Drogon melts the Iron Throne and flies away with her body. The council of lords and ladies convenes and chooses Bran Stark as king. Tyrion becomes Hand once more, and Jon is exiled to the Night’s Watch.
The final scenes show Arya sailing west, Sansa crowned Queen in the North, and Jon leading the Free Folk beyond the Wall. Drawing in 19.30 million viewers, “The Iron Throne” is the most watched episode of Game of Thrones and the most-watched episode in HBO history. It is a reflective finale. The death of Daenerys is tragic, the melting of the throne is symbolic, and the core message is that power corrupts. The episode doesn’t aim to please. And while the reactions were mixed, it marked the end of an era and viewers showed up in record numbers to say goodbye.