The Red Wedding vs. Blood and Cheese: which one was worse?

Grab your dragon eggs and wedding invitations because we're diving into two of the most jaw-dropping, heart-wrenching events in Westeros history: Blood and Cheese vs. The Red Wedding.

These two make Joffrey’s birthday parties look like a picnic in the park.

Let's tackle the grim saga of Blood and Cheese, freshly witnessed on the second season premiere of House of the Dragon, adapted from George R. R. Martin's history-book-like source material, Fire and Blood. This story is like a rat trap (no pun intended) laced with the nastiest poison, and it’s not for the faint of heart.

SPOILER WARNING: if you're not caught up with House of the Dragon's second season, you might want to come back once you are.

Blood and Cheese

First, let's set the scene according to what we witnessed on the show. The Targaryen civil war has started, with dragons and drama to spare. Queen Rhaenyra, fighting for her throne, is devastated when her son Lucerys Velaryon is killed by her brother, Aemond Targaryen. Cue the entrance of our gruesome duo: Blood, a tough-as-nails gold cloak, and Cheese, a sneaky ratcatcher who knows all the secret passages of the Red Keep. These two are hired for a mission of pure vengeance, commissioned by Daemon Targaryen to find and assassinate Aemond, and they are very good at their jobs.

One dark night, Blood and Cheese sneak into the Red Keep like a pair of murderous ninjas. Their target? Queen Helaena Targaryen and her children. They burst into the queen’s chambers, capture her and her kids, and make Helaena face an impossible choice: to tell them which one of the twins is Jaehaerys - the heir to the throne after Aegon. Blood and Cheese saw little Jaehaerys' head off, leaving Helaena shattered as she runs with her daughter in her arms and the p, making it to Alicent's room.

In the Fire and Blood book, this is made to be even worse: Helaena is made to choose one of her children to die. It’s a twisted, horrifying moment that’s straight out of a nightmare. Helaena, heartbroken and helpless, picks her youngest son, Maelor, thinking it might save her older boy, Jaehaerys. But Blood and Cheese, showing no mercy, rape her little girl Jaehaera and kill Jaehaerys instead, leaving Helaena shattered, her screams echoing through the Red Keep.

The murder of Helaena’s son sends shockwaves through the realm. The already vicious civil war gets even bloodier, with both sides seeking revenge in an endless cycle of violence. Blood and Cheese’s brutal act is a grim reminder of the personal, painful costs of power struggles in Westeros.

The Red Wedding

Imagine a grand feast, joyful music, and the smell of roast meat in the air. It’s the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey at the Twins, home to the crusty old Walder Frey. But don’t let the festive vibe fool you – things are about to get darker than a moonless night in the Dothraki Sea.

Robb Stark, our King in the North, has come to make amends with Walder Frey for breaking his marriage pact. Awkward, right? But hey, it’s a wedding! What could possibly go wrong? Well, in Westeros, the answer is everything.

The feast is in full swing. Drinks are flowing, and everyone’s having a grand old time. But then, the doors slam shut. The music changes to "The Rains of Castamere," a tune that should send chills down any Stark spine. Suddenly, chaos erupts - Frey men draw their weapons, and it’s not long before the hall is soaked in Stark blood. Robb, his pregnant wife Talisa, and his mother Catelyn are all brutally murdered in a scene that makes the Battle of Blackwater look like a beach picnic. Talisa is stabbed repeatedly in her pregnant belly, Robb is shot with arrows and stabbed by Roose Bolton (who throws in a “The Lannisters send their regards” for good measure), and Catelyn, after a desperate and heartbreaking plea, gets her throat slit.

The betrayal is as shocking as it is total. The sacred guest right – the promise of safety when breaking bread – is shattered, leaving everyone reeling. The Stark forces are decimated, their rebellion crushed, and we’re left gasping for breath, questioning why we ever trusted anyone in this treacherous world.

Blood and Cheese and the Red Wedding are only two of the most infamous events in the world of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon that have left an undeniable mark on viewers and readers alike. Both events are pivotal in their respective stories, marked by shocking brutality and profound consequences.

So, which event wins as the worst of the two?

And Cam's Worst Event Award goes to...

While both are stomach-churning, tear-jerking nightmares, The Red Wedding takes the cake (and smashes it in our faces).

Why? Because it wasn’t just one kid - it was a massacre of main characters and their followers, all under the sacred guest right. It was a next-level betrayal that made us question everything, including our sanity. This scene alone changed how viewers watch shows. We've learned to be more cautious when picking favorite characters, and we've learned that nothing is promised in a show, that nothing is set in stone until it actually happens.

Whether it’s gruesome revenge with Blood and Cheese or ultimate betrayal at The Red Wedding, Westeros sure knows how to keep things bloody and unforgettable. Let this be a reminder for us to never get too comfortable because, in the world of Westeros, the next shocking twist is always just around the corner.