So… that happened.
Unless you've already read the novels that HBO's "Game of Thrones" is based upon, I'm guessing that a whole bunch of you are rivaling Justin Bieber for Best Jaw-Dropping Moment right now. But pick those jaws up off the floor, folks — it happened. And, believe it or not, it's going to be okay.
If you haven't seen the most recent episode of "Game of Thrones," let me warn you now — watch it before reading the rest of this post, unless you want to ruin the biggest twist of the season for yourself. One last time, louder and clearer now: MAJOR SPOILERS LIE AHEAD. You have been warned.
Still with us? Sure you want to be here? There's no turning back now…
…because Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Lord Paramount of the North and Warden of the North — not to mention the freshly appointed Hand of the King in service of the late Robert Baratheon — is dead.
The single biggest name actor on the show, Sean Bean, is no longer on "Game of Thrones." For longtime readers of George R.R. Martin's best-selling novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire," it was a blow we saw coming several miles (or at least nine episodes) away. For everyone else who's been tuning into the series, I can only imagine that this was a devastating sucker punch. Even for those of us who did know what was coming… man, that was not easy to experience again.
Your regularly scheduled "Game of Thrones" episode recap is coming in just a little while, but for now, I didn't want to leave you without a place to air your sorrow, rage, complaints or, heck, even praise. Let us know what you thought of tonight's massive "Game of Thrones" game-changer in the poll below, the comments section and on Twitter, and tune in later for our full "Game of Thrones" recap.
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