29 Times Game of Thrones Actually Made You Smile

If you think that any other Game of Thrones couple is better than Jon and Ygritte, then — just like Jon — you know nothing. The star-crossed pair have a genuine romantic connection, and their beautiful love story is a joy to watch. The scene between them where they pledge themselves to each other on top of a mountain is almost enough to make us forget that Ygritte later dies a tragic, terrible death. ALMOST.

Just when Daenerys and Drogo's relationship finally hits its stride in the first season, she accidentally kills him and then loses their baby. Not the best way to keep a marriage strong, you know? When the Dothraki burn Khal's body on a giant funeral pyre, Dany, overcome with grief, walks into the flames holding her three eggs. It's a scene that should be heartbreaking (is she going to burn to death, or what?), but it ends up being one of her character's most empowering moments throughout the entire series. She steps out of the flames naked, but otherwise totally fine, with three brand-new baby dragons in tow.

Just thinking about what happens to Shireen — a beautiful cinnamon roll, too good for this world, too pure — is enough to make us want to hurl ourselves into the abyss, but let's not focus on that. Instead, let's remember the adorable, tender scenes in season three when Stannis's little girl helps Davos overcome his embarrassment over being illiterate, and patiently teaches him how to read.

By the second episode of the series, it's already abundantly obvious that Joffrey is a spoiled little turd who needs to be taken down a peg (or ten). His good ol' Uncle Tyrion happily steps up to teach him a lesson, slapping him numerous times across the face when he acts like a fool.

In the campaign to turn Jaime Lannister into a hero instead of an incest-loving, smug, heartless warrior, this season three scene really clinches the deal. After being freed in Harrenhal, Jaime makes the selfless decision to return so he can save Brienne from the bear pit. He pulls off the daring rescue, earning back a few of the brownie points he lost after shoving a small child out of a window and paralyzing him forever. NBD.

The sweet, boring relationship between Sam and Gilly takes a fun, somewhat unexpected turn when Sam breaks his Night's Watch vows by sleeping with Gilly. Few people in Game of Thrones get a happy ending, but when they escape to Old Town with her baby at the end of season five, it seems like there might be a light at the end of the tunnel for them. This is confirmed once more in season eight, when Gilly reveals she and Sam are expecting a baby of their own. Cute!

Daenerys's dragons are cool and all, but the Stark family's adorable direwolves are where it's at. They're cute, cuddly, and they protect their masters at all costs. Just look at that fluffy little face and try not to smile! (But, while we're on this topic, let's agree to never discuss what happens to Ghost, cool?)

In a season three scene that is basically the physical embodiment of the phrase "deal with it," Dany gets to stick it to the d-bag slaver in Astapor who tries to take a young Drogon as a pet. With one mention of the word "Dracarys," she regains control and strikes instant fear into the heart of her enemies. It's a stand-up-and-cheer moment, if there ever was one.

In the midst of the Battle of Blackwater, Sandor Clegane decides that he is O-V-E-R it. He retreats from battle, struts up to Tyrion and King Joffrey, and exits with a truly epic line: "F*ck the Kingsguard. F*ck the city. F*ck the king." Right on, sir.

Follwing Jaime's rescue of Myrcella from the clutches of Dorne, he musters up enough courage to finally her the truth: he's her real dad, not Robert Baratheon. "I'm glad that you're my father," she responds, after admitting that she's known for a while. Then she promptly dies. At least they got those five minutes though, right?

The world's unluckiest bastard finally gets his due when he's elected Lord Commander of the Night's Watch at the start of season five. As the only member of the Night's Watch who's actually concerned with the whole White Walker issue, it's totally deserved. Furthermore, it's heartwarming to see him finally be recognized for his heroism.

Sansa spends a good deal of her time in King's Landing being brutalized by King Joffrey, so the moment she's pawned off to Tyrion, it's like breathing a sigh of relief. Tyrion treats her with respect and protects her as best he can, which is a lot more than Sansa would've ever received by Joffrey's side. She and Tyrion reflect on their marriage when they reunite in Winterfell in season eight, and their conversation proves just how far Sansa has come, and how strong she is now.

The courtship between Khal Drogo (forever the sexiest Khal) and Dany has an extremely rough start, to the point that we could barely stomach the idea of her being trapped in a marriage with him. But the eventual love that blossoms between them is strong and real. She embraces the title of Khaleesi, and their relationship gives her the strength she needs to begin her quest for a seat on the Iron Throne.

As the dashing eldest Stark, Robb is on a mission to be the next great King when he falls for Talisa. His love for her is so consuming that it derails his plans for war, and he risks an alliance with Lord Walder Frey by canceling the arranged marriage to one of his daughters, and marries Talisa instead. The look of happiness on Robb's face when he finds out she's pregnant is pure joy. (*Desperately tries not to think about the Red Wedding.*)

Literally the only thing that could make the scene of Joffrey dying better is if Tyrion had walked up and slapped him across the face while he was choking. You suck, Joffrey. The end.

YASSSSSS, DANY, YASSSSSS! Everybody's favorite Khaleesi escapes the Sons of the Harpy in Meereen on the back of Drogon in season five, and it's beyond epic. See what happens when you let your dragons out of their basement prison, Daenerys? SEE?!

In the season six opener, there is a nail-biting moment after Sansa and Theon escape the Bolton's when it seems like all hope is lost, and some guards have them cornered. Then, like a tall, blonde beacon of hope, Brienne arrives on horseback to save the day. For once, a little optimism shines into the bleak abyss Sansa had been living since season one.

In the first few minutes of the fourth episode of season six, there's a glorious reunion between Jon and Sansa, and if you didn't shed a tear of happiness, you have a heart colder than a White Walker. They're the first two Stark siblings to truly reunite after being separated for what feels like an eternity, and the emotional moment is worth the wait.

As the perfect bookend to the episode's opening with Jon and Sansa, it ends with a badass scene featuring Daenerys. She tells the khals holding her hostage in Vaes Dothrak that she doesn't have time for their threats of violent rape, and instead she's going to take over the Dothraki people and lead them herself. They don't take kindly to her idea, so Dany starts a fire in the hut where they've convened, burning the khals and the building to the ground. She emerges from the flames naked and unscathed, and the Dothraki people immediately bow at her feet.

I mean, just look at that face! How could any flirtatious scenes between these two not make you smile?

Amid all the chaos, blood, torture, and backstabbing Missandei's love for the strong and silent Unsullied soldiers remains one of the purest relationships on the series. Their season seven love scene ended up being a big f*cking deal for a number of reasons on a show as misogynistic as GOT. Let's collectively choose to remember them this way.

Oh, did you think we were done discussing all the sexy times that happen in this show? Think again! This scene in particular was a long time, uh, coming, for the couple/aunt and nephew, who finally sealed the deal after months of longing glances and Jon's fateful decision to bend the knee to his new queen.

In season eight, Arya and Gendry have been separated for years since Gendry was kidnapped by the Brotherhood and sold to Melisandre, but being back together again proves that their childhood crushes have the potential to be more. It starts out with a bit of flirting between the two when Arya comes to check up on the weapon she asked Gendry to make for her. It's obvious that the two know there's chemistry between them! So, the night before the Battle of Winterfell, Arya seeks the blacksmith out and says that she wants to know what making love feels like before she possibly dies. So they do!

Even if you're someone who might want Brienne to end up with Tormund, you can't ignore the palpable tension between the two knights who have been through so much together. Especially after Jaime made Brienne's dream come true by knighting her. So when the years of friendship, trust, and unresolved sexual tension finally culminated in passion when Jaime decides to take her virginity the night before the big battle, you can bet we were cheering them on from our couch.

Of all the Stark siblings, these two had perhaps the closest bond. That's what makes their reunion in their home of Winterfell such a sweet, satisfying moment.

This season eight scene is basically straight out of The Bachelor, with the couple being whisked away (on their dragons, mind you) to a gorgeous icy waterfall safe from any prying eyes.

Sure, Sam's confession didn't have the best consequences — Jon proceeds to tell basically everyone and put a number of lives in danger — but it's wonderful that the warrior FINALLY knows the truth about his parents. Someone had to tell him!

Where does Arya come from? How did she sneak by those White Walkers? Is stabbing the Night King really that easy? We still have quite a few questions about this shocking scene, but at the end of the day, we relish it as one of Arya's most badass moments.

Yeah, this is a little gruesome, but this guy was the worst. Seeing him get tossed to the side and brained by his own creation (aka The Mountain) was beyond satisfying.