[Top 15] GoT Best Samwell Tarly Scenes

Updated:

23 Mar 2023

I will proudly continue to be a Game of Thrones season 8 hater until the day I die. Characters were ruined, arcs were abandoned and the whole thing just didn’t make any sense. But, the biggest problem was without a doubt the horrible treatment of the characters. However, Samwell Tarly was one of the only characters who weren’t ruined in the last season.

His entire story actually made sense and his character wasn’t destroyed to make way for others. Though his best moments were still the ones that were in the earlier seasons, Sam still got to shine in the later 2 seasons in a way that most other characters just simply didn’t and even his arc ended well. So, let’s take a look at the 15 best Sam moments in the show!

1. Introduction (Season 1, Episode 4)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCVlL2EXD9E

The scene that introduces us to Sam is a scene that is very good for character development for both Sam and Jon. It shows us that despite being a brother of the Nights’ Watch, Sam is completely inept with a sword, so much so that he needs Jon to defend him against the people that were bullying him earlier on in the episode.

While this shows Sam as being some sort of a liability, it also tells us about Sam’s other talents like reading books and being smart. He is a gifted maester in training and due to his smarts and affinity for reading, he is quickly chosen as the person to help Maester Aemon in his daily tasks as being the doctor for the Watch.

2. Didn’t know where to put it (Season 1, Episode 4)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLVNrKU0fE4

This is a very great scene from the first season that really shows the budding friendship between Jon and Sam, as well as showing Sam to be a smart and witty character with serious comedy chops! It really shows the start of a bond of brotherhood forming between these 2, one that will continue on until the end of the show.

The scene itself consists of Jon and Sam talking about their experiences with women in the past. When Jon tells Sam about his most vivid experience, Sam makes a very witty joke about it, causing them both to laugh and goof around like any real brothers would. This moment is eventually broken by Ser Alliser Thorne who chastises both of them for slacking off and having fun.

3. Oath of the Watch (Season 1, Episode 7)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsVBo-Gq110

Though this scene is fairly light on content that makes Sam alone shine, it is a very important scene for both him and Jon. This is what makes them official Nights’ Watch members as they swear the oath underneath a Weirwood tree. This shows the willingness and the action of leaving everything behind and accepting your new life as brothers of the Nights’ Watch.

4. First meeting with Gilly (Season 2, Episode 1)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCb7-WcMlsE

Gilly is one of the most important aspects of Sam’s entire character arc on the show as she is always by his side through all his travels. Their first meeting all the way back in season 2 really showed us that Sam is one of the very few morally good characters that the world of GOT has to offer.

Despite never meeting Gilly before and under strict orders to not go close to any of Craster's daughters, Sam still ‘saves’ her from Ghost and tells Jon that they need to protect her and her baby that she is about to have. As brash and foolish as this plan seemed to be under the given circumstances, it showed Sam’s kind and loving nature and introduced the most important character to him.

5. Discovering Dragonglass (Season 2, Episode 8)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca2-q541rOQ

This is the scene that really proves how useful Sam is to the Nights’ Watch, despite not being a swordsman. On their trek through the Fist of the First Men, the Watch finds a hidden stash with some items. Sam’s thorough knowledge of books and the histories of the world lead to him recognizing the hidden stash as having dragonglass. While this stash was seemingly meaningless to them at this point in the story, it would prove invaluable in the fight against the White Walkers, as well as being crucial at saving Sam’s life a little later on.

6. Sam the Slayer (Season 3, Episode 8)

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The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZARwlsmDi0&t=44s

When it comes time to think about it, a really convincing argument could be made that Sam was the most valuable asset that the world of the living had against the White Walkers. Not only did Sam find the stash of Dragonglass and bring it into the fray, which eventually led to everyone knowing its capabilities, he was also the first person ever to actually kill one of them.

On their way back to the Wall, Sam and Gilly found themselves resting inside of an abandoned cabin to wait out the night where they were attacked by a White Walker. This Walker would have easily killed them but was stopped by Sam the Slayer, a name that everyone would call him by from then on. Sam really showed his bravery that night and gave the living the knowledge and importance of dragonglass in the fight against the Walkers.

7. Meeting Bran (Season 3, Episode 10)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5YQ-35MXec

In the final episode of season 3, Sam meets Bran in the ruins of the ancient Night Fort on his way back from North of the Wall. Upon meeting Bran, he finds out that their party is planning to go into the heart of the area where he and Gilly just escaped from.

Though the scene itself merely occurs in passing and there isn’t too much story relevance for it, it is very nice to see characters with different arcs meet each other at a point in the story. Sam offers some sound advice and even says some very beautiful things to Bran about how Jon is a brother to them both, then they go their separate ways.

8. Watchers on the Wall (Season 4, Episode 9)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_J3xtO-Yos

This entire episode and scene is just a masterpiece. It gives us the absolute highs of what Game of Thrones can be at its best. This episode was not only amazing for Sam in particular, but it was just a great episode and moment for pretty much everyone involved in the Nights’ Watch as they all came together to fight off the Wildling invaders.

Sam showed exceptional (and uncharacteristic) bravery in this episode, with him not shying away from any of the fighting and actively taking a small part in commanding. Knowing he was not a strong hand to hand combatant, Sam chose to be in the ramparts and used his crossbow to kill many Wildlings instead of running away and hiding.

9. Sam the Slayer strikes again (Season 5, Episode 2)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HSDDpyrQJk

While this was an overall strong episode for Sam’s character, him putting down Janos was probably the best scene. The first thing was that Sam took it upon himself to give in Jon’s name as a candidate for being the next Lord Commander of the Watch. This is because Sam saw and recognized Jon’s leadership capabilities in the battle against the Wildlings and had always known there was no one better suited to the task.

The real kicker in this episode was when Janos Slynt mocked Jon for this. What Sam said next was incredible, openly mocking and humiliating Janos in front of the entire Nights’ Watch as being one of the only 3 people at Castle Black who hid from the fighting, the other 2 being Gilly and her baby. Sam even took it far enough to the point where he said Janos had wet himself.

10. Protecting Gilly (Season 5, Episode 7)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoV2P_L0NLQ

This scene is a great one showing how brave and fearless Sam is now, truly becoming a far cry from the scared boy that he used to be at the start of the show. Upon Jon having left for Hardhome and Maester Aemon having died, there was really no one left to protect and care for Sam the same way.

This leads to 2 people attacking Gilly, who is then saved by Sam jumping into the fray. Sam puts up a valiant effort but eventually gets overwhelmed and beaten bloody by the 2 attackers. This leads to Sam and Gilly admitting their feelings to each other. Sam is now a different man and his bravery is now one of his most defining characteristics.

11. Stealing Heartsbane (Season 6, Episode 6)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOrpMeb9M-M

Upon going back to his home at Horn Hill, Sam is met warmly by his sisters and mother but very sourly by his father, Randyll Tarly, who is known to have a very deep seated hatred for his son. Early on, he found out that Sam was not a fighter so he disowned him and sent him to the Watch. After mocking Sam at the dinner table, he tells him that Gilly and the baby can stay under their protection but Sam must leave.

As Sam is leaving, he realizes that it would be better if Gilly is with him instead, so he decides to take her and the baby with him. No longer caring what his father thinks, he also ends up stealing the ancient Valyrian Steel great sword that is passed down as an heirloom and weapon. This shows Sam’s growth and newfound rebellious attitude.

12. Thievery continues (Season 7, Episode 1)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX8Cfqch6vc

This is the scene where Sam really starts to do what he is supposed to. Upon entering the Citadel and being tasked with disgusting and inconsequential jobs to do, he realizes that his actual purpose of finding a way to defeat the Walkers is one that is being pushed to the side too much, so he takes it upon himself to sneak in at night to the library and steal some books which eventually tell him about Dragonstone’s underground deposit of Dragonglass, which he is able to tell Jon.

13. Treating the Untreatable (Season 7, Episode 2)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asbBxpkVJeA

This was one of the most agonizing scenes in all of Game of Thrones, as well as the one that made us feel most uneasy. Upon being told by the Archmaester that Jorah’s greyscale is now untreatable, Sam fears that Jorah will be sent to Valyria where he will be left to die. Sam, being the hero that he is, remembers Jorah’s father and takes it upon himself to treat Jorah’s wounds.

Sam silently finds the cure to treating greyscale by himself one night and saves one of the fan favorite characters from dying a slow and gruesome death. Going against order once more, Sam makes it known how much of a badass he is and how he will never go back to being the scared little boy that he used to be.

14. Telling Jon about his destiny (Season 8, Episode 1)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5PrLlpoSiU

Sam telling Jon about his true parentage and destiny is easily one of the best parts about season 8. Upon finding this out himself towards the end of season 7 and confirming it with Bran, he carries this massive secret with him. This is until he finds out that Dany had burnt his father and brother alive for choosing to stand against her.

This news makes him very angry, and rightfully so. Due to this, he openly tells Jon about his parentage and tells him that he must claim his birthright as King as he is fit to rule and Dany isn’t. Jon denies it and says he doesn’t want it (not the last time we will hear this) but Sam persists and tells him that he must still become King because that is his duty and whether he wants it or not, he is still the best suited for it.

15. The Ending (Season 8, Episode 6)

The scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBcW_1kVa4c

The last scene of the series shows the small council for King Bran, which includes Sam Tarly as the new Grand Maester for the 7 Kingdoms. As I said in the very beginning of this article, very few characters in the show get an ending that was worth it or made sense, but Sam is one of these characters. While it does feel rushed like every other thing in the last season, Sam becoming Grand Maester does fit his character and arc.

This selfless and brave hero gets the ultimate occupation as being the best and most esteemed healer in the entirety of Westeros, an ending almost all fans of the show and character would have liked for him.