Decider After Dark

Winter Is Coming: 10 Best Sex Scenes in ‘Game of Thrones’

By Meghan O'Keefe @megsokay

Published April 12, 2019, 9:00 p.m. ET

235 Shares

Dany having cowgirl position sex with Drogo — *Game of Thrones*' sex scenes are notorious, but these 10 are all great in their own way. Photo: HBO ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps

Ros and Tyrion sex scene in Game of Thrones — TYRION LANNISTER/ROS
Season 1, Episode 1, "Winter is Coming"
Our introduction to Tyrion Lannister doubles as the first real sex scene of the series. We meet Tyrion in the arms of Ros, a clever sex worker in the North, and it's one of the few truly fun, debauchery-filled romps of the series. The scene tells us a lot about how Tyrion sees himself, and why he turns to booze and girls to numb his stress. Photo: HBO

Khal Drogo and Dany sex scene in Game of Thrones — DAENERYS TARGARYEN/KHAL DROGO
Season 1, Episode 2, "The Kingsroad"
Daenerys's first sexual encounters with her husband Khal Drogo are straight up marital rape, but by the end of Episode 2, the young Khaleesi has dared to take control. The moment where she resists Drogo's doggy style to climb on top is not only scintillating, but character-defining. From then on, Daenerys is a woman who demands pleasure and power for herself. Photo: HBO

Ros sex scene in Game of Thrones — ROS/ARMECA/LITTLEFINGER
Season 1, Episode 7, "You Win or You Die"
It may be one of the more notorious sex scenes in the series: Littlefinger monologues as Ros and another sex worker in King's Landing (whom the internet tells me is named Armeca) role play as client and customer. As overt as it is, it's also a unique sex scene where we see Littlefinger getting off on his cleverness while Ros uses her physical skills to make the other woman come. Photo: HBO

Melisandre and Stannis sex scene in Game of Thrones — MELISANDRE/STANNIS BARATHEON
Season 2, Episode 2, "The Night Lands"
Melisandre and Stannis Baratheon's impromptu sex scene on Dragonstone is memorable for its over metaphors. The Red Woman is using not only her sexuality, but the promise of power, to seduce the pent up Stannis, while the would-be king throws her on a table that's a map of Westeros. Pieces representing the people of Westeros crash to the floor as they have sex. Stannis and Melisandre's tryst is ruining Westeros. Photo: HBO

Robb Stark and Talisa sex scene in Game of Thrones — ROBB STARK/TALISA
Season 2, Episode 8, "The Prince of Winterfell"
There are literally only a handful of romantic love scenes in all of *Game of Thrones*, and Robb Stark and Talisa's might be the first really dreamy one we see. That said, as ferociously passionate as it is, it is set up with the two lovers acknowledging the doom that their hook up might bring on. (You were supposed to marry that Frey girl, Robb!)Photo: HBO

Jon and Ygritte sex scene in Game of Thrones — JON SNOW/YGRITTE
Season 3, Episode 5, "Kissed By Fire"
As we've previously reported -- or as I've written in the past -- Jon Snow and Ygritte's sex scene in the cave may be the only truly SEXY sex scene in the run of *Game of Thrones*. It's an escape from the bedlam ripping across Westeros and all about female pleasure, not pain. It doesn't hurt that it takes place in a steamy hot spring instead of in a brothel or war room. Photo: HBO

Oberyn Martell sex scene in Game of Thrones — OBERYN MARTELL/ELLARIA SAND/OLYVAR/OTHERS
Season 4, Episode 3, "Breaker of Chains"
Early seasons of *Game of Thrones* gave us the gay romance of Ser Loras Tyrell and Renly Baratheon, but Margaery kept making things awkward in the bedroom for those two. So when Prince Oberyn Martell sauntered into the show in Season 4, in all his pansexual polyamorous glory, we got some queer sex scenes that were full of fun. (And by "full of fun," I mean "full of people.")Photo: HBO

Dany and Daario sex scene in Game of Thrones — DAENERYS TARGARYEN/DAARIO NAHARIS
Season 5, Episode 7, "The Gift"
Maybe not as overtly nasty as earlier sex scenes, this tender moment between Daenerys Targaryen and her sellsword lover is brimming with intimacy. Daario professes his desire to marry the Mother of Dragons, only it's not a romantic overture for the queen. Instead, it's a question that highlights the difference in their stations and her hunger for power and glory. Photo: HBO

Missandei and Grey Worm sex scene in Game of Thrones — GREY WORM/MISSANDEI
Season 7, Episode 2, "Stormborn"
For years, we were told that the Unsullied, uh, couldn't hack it in the bedroom. Then Grey Worm came to blow us all away. We've been watching the gentle romance between Daenerys's two most trusted advisors blossom over the seasons, but last year, they finally consummated their relationship in a rather sexy way. Photo: HBO

Where to Stream:

Game of Thrones

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ Season 3 On Netflix, The Final Chapters For The Adventures Of Leif, Freydís, And Harald

Waking the Dragon: Ewan Mitchell’s Aemond Gives Full Frontal in 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Episode 3

'House of the Dragon' Introduces ANOTHER Targaryen: Who the Heck is Alicent's Son Daeron?

How To Watch HBO's 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 For Free

Game of Thrones may be one of the most beloved television shows in history, but it’s also notorious for the varied ways in which it depicts sex. Set in a medieval fantasy world, the characters of Game of Thrones find themselves caught in a power structure where men believe themselves to be in control and the weak are crumbled. So when sex comes up, it’s not usually champagne and roses, but about lust and violence and power.

Nevertheless, there have been a few scenes over the years that are straight up titillating. These are the moments that introduced us to rapturous new characters, unleashed pent up passion, and changed the game forever. We’re talking about the Northern romp that Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) has with Ros (Esme Bianco). It’s a fun, flirty scene that introduces two of the show’s cleverest characters. Then there’s the wild, unbridled romance of Robb Stark (Richard Madden) giving up his alliance with the Freys to make love with the foreign beauty Talisa (Oona Chaplin), and a similar moment — and the sexiest scene in the show’s run — when Jon Snow (Kit Harington) lets loose with Wildling Ygritte (Rose Leslie) in the cave.

Sign up for Decider’s Game Of Thrones newsletter — it’s everything you need to get you prepared for the final season! Delivered weekly.

Many of the sex scenes in Game of Thrones are uncomfortable as they deal with inequitable relationships and occasional incest. So in ranking these scenes, we did set a rule for ourselves: no sexual assault. Every scene in our list of the ten best Game of Thrones sex scenes is consensual. There is a tiny bit of incest, but it’s not sibling-based. (You know which one we’re talking about.)

These are the 10 steamiest, sexiest, craziest, most important and memorable Game of Thrones sex scenes.

Where to stream Game of Thrones