The 50 Most Important Game of Thrones Props, Ranked
Books and swords and jewels, oh my.
In this series…
- Before season 8 starts, read our guide to where every character left off.
- The most beautiful shots of Game of Thrones, curated by One Perfect Shot.
- Every episode of Game of Thrones, ranked by our own resident Maester.
- Read our in-depth breakdown of the Game of Thrones season 8 trailer.
- We rank the best duels in Game of Thrones.
- Explore our guide to the best Game of Thrones scenes by season.
- Gather your tunics and explore Game of Thrones in 50 Costumes.
- We also ranked the villains on Game of Thrones.
- Brush up on who’s left on Arya’s kill list.
- We try to answer the unanswered questions of Game of Thrones season 8.
There’s nothing quite like a good prop—for storytelling, for worldbuilding, for merchandising potential. Over the seasons, there have been a lot of props in Game of Thrones. Some have been game-changing. Others just fill space—for instance, a bowl of garlic next to Bran’s bed at Winterfell (seriously, why? Are there vampires?). From books to jewelry to, of course, more than a few swords, the following list counts down the most important props encountered thus far in the seven kingdoms and beyond.
50. Sansa Stark’s Snow Castle of Winterfell
In addition to demonstrating how the childhood home Sansa once dreamed of leaving has become the place she dreams of going back to, this scene with her Winterfell snow castle also serves as a reminder that Robin Arryn is a little shit who really needs to get punted out his beloved Moon Door.
49. Hot Pie’s Direwolf Bread
Particularly since taking up residence in the kitchens at the Crossroads Inn, Hot Pie has started to make a name for himself as one of the best cooks in Westeros. His relationship with Arya Stark might not have gotten off to the best start, but his somewhat misshapen (but delicious) parting gift goes to demonstrate that rocky beginnings can still make a foundation for true friendship.
48. Daenerys’ Dropped Ring
After escaping from the Sons of the Harpy attack at the Great Pit of Daznak, an injured Drogon lands in some unspecified part of Essos and then refuses to budge, much to Daenerys’ frustration. After wandering a bit away from her dragon, Daenerys is caught by a Dothraki khalasar. With no clear escape route, she lets one of her rings fall to the ground, trusting that her ever-faithful companions (particularly Jorah) will come tracking her down and spot it—a clue towards where she went. And of course, this is exactly what happens.
47. Shae’s Golden Chains
While Tyrion loves Shae, in the wake of his political marriage to Sansa Stark and threats against Shae’s safety from both Cersei and their father, Tyrion realizes that there is no way for them to safely continue their relationship. However, a promise of a comfortable new life across the Narrow Sea does not sit well with Shae, who sees it as a dismissal, and rebukes the golden necklace Tyrion tries to give her as a parting gift as “chains.” By the end of season 4, however, this gift and the argument around it will prove tragically prophetic.
46. Catelyn Stark’s Prayer Wheels
We see Catelyn Stark make two of these prayer wheels before her story comes to an untimely end at the Red Wedding—the first at Bran’s bedside after his fall from the top of the Broken Tower, the second, pictured here, she makes on the road to Riverrun, worried for Bran and Rickon’s safety after Theon’s capture of Winterfell. Do they work? Well, Bran is still alive—as is Jon Snow, who Catelyn revealed she made one for when he came down with the pox as a boy, a departure from book canon that left some fans grumbling at the time. Admittedly, they didn’t work for Rickon. But when you consider Game of Thrones’ overall mortality rate, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad.
45. The Manticore Ball
Shortly after arriving in Astapor, Daenerys makes eye contact with a little girl playing with a ball. The little girl indicates that she wants to pass the ball along to Daenerys, who accepts the offer. However, once the ball is rolled over to her, it proves to be a trap, opening to reveal a manticore—a scorpion-like insect with a lethal sting. Daenerys is saved by the speedy intervention of Barristan Selmy, who uses the assassination attempt, courtesy of the surviving warlocks of Qarth, as the perfect grounds for an introduction. The incident makes not only for a stellar reveal of Selmy but also serves as a valuable lesson about not presuming innocuousness based on appearances alone.
44. Ellaria and Tyene’s Antidote Necklaces
Ellaria Sand and her daughter Tyene wear matching necklaces, which is hardly a revolutionary concept. However, what gives their version of this tradition a bit of an edge is that their necklaces are all small vials of an antidote to the poison known as “the long farewell,” which Tyene is fond of using to coat her weapons. Ellaria uses it to poison Myrcella in retribution for Oberyn Martell’s death, painting it on her lips and then kissing the princess goodbye before drinking the antidote.
43. Roslin Frey’s Wedding Veil
Remember those three minutes when the biggest surprise of the Red Wedding was when Walder Frey revealed Edmure Tully’s bride-to-be and she was pretty? Ah, those were the days.
42. Legends of the Long Night Book
Game of Thrones likes books—specifically, it likes to reveal important information in books. And season 7 has dropped some pretty major hints that some important information about defeating the Night King is probably going to be found in a book, most likely one of those stolen from the restricted section of the Citadel library. We’re all counting on you, Sam and Gilly.
41. Lady Crane’s Bottle of Rum
When a jealous rival enlists the services of the House of Black and White to kill the actress Lady Crane, it is the girl formerly known as Arya Stark who is sent to give her “the gift.” While she had no trouble with the concept of poisoning a man known to cheat bereaved families out of insurance payouts, she ultimately balks at the concept of killing a woman who proves to be kind. Unable to go through with it, Arya stops Lady Crane from drinking her poisoned rum and reneges her apprenticeship at the House of Black and White, officially ending her quest to become “No One.”
