5 Most Shocking Plot Twists in Fantasy TV Shows

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Be warned: the following contains spoilers for the shows mentioned. Fantasy TV shows are often grand in scope, but remain less common than other genres, even in 2025. Because they’re costly to produce, many get canceled before their time. However, some truly exceptional stories still emerge, creating immersive worlds that stand alongside the best in any genre.

Fantasy stories captivate us with their intricate worlds, magical rules, political intrigue, and fascinating characters. But often, it’s the unexpected twists that truly stay with us – and the fantasy genre is full of them! Here are some of the most shocking plot twists in fantasy television history, moments that completely upended everything and remain unforgettable even today.

Joyce Summers’ Death (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Season 5, Episodes 15 / 16: “I Was Made To Love You” / “The Body”

Disney

For five seasons, Buffy Summers fearlessly faced any danger and always managed to protect her loved ones. But that changes in the episode “I Was Made to Love You.” Buffy returns home and discovers her mother, Joyce, has unexpectedly passed away from an aneurysm. This deeply emotional moment was a stark departure from the show’s typical format, breaking away from its usual pattern of weekly monster battles.

We’ve seen Buffy face challenges with a tough determination, even though she didn’t want the burdens placed on her, but this is the moment she truly grew up. Unlike other episodes, there isn’t a monster to fight or a quick fix at the end – it’s a continuation of the powerful Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, “The Body.”

While Buffy often features heartbreaking deaths, this particular twist was surprisingly shocking not because of how someone died, but because of how utterly unremarkable the death itself was.

Ice King Was Simon Petrikov (Adventure Time)

Season 3, Episodes 19 / 20: “Holly Jolly Secrets”

Warner Bros. Discovery

By its third season, Adventure Time had begun to build a richer history for the Land of Ooo, suggesting a complex backstory related to the Great Mushroom War. The biggest surprise came in the episode “Holly Jolly Secrets,” which revealed the Ice King’s past. What starts as seemingly innocent recordings gradually show that the Ice King was once a man named Simon Petrikov.

As a huge fan of the show, I remember when that reveal completely blew my mind! Before that moment, Ice King was just this silly villain Finn and Jake loved to mess with. But then those tapes came out, and suddenly everything we thought we knew about him was turned on its head. It totally changed the whole direction of the series.

We briefly saw what the world was like before the Land of Ooo, about a thousand years before the devastating Mushroom War. We also discovered that Simon was once a gentle and considerate person, but the crown he found gradually corrupted him.

Vander’s Death (Arcane)

Season 1, Episode 3: “The Base Violence Necessary for Change”

Netflix

Even from the very beginning, Arcane felt sure of itself, and I was immediately hooked without needing any flashy extras. The show’s steampunk style, amazing animation, and the story of Vi and Jinx growing up made for a captivating start to the world of League of Legends.

Episode 3 delivers a shocking moment that completely shifts the story. Vander’s death felt surprisingly sudden and unfair, especially so early in the season, and it dramatically changed where the plot was headed.

Vi and Jinx had already lost their parents in a war, so the loss of a father figure during another conflict is devastating, shattering the fragile peace they’d created. The scene is particularly impactful, shown through slow-motion from Jinx’s point of view as she desperately tries to help, ironically reinforcing the reason she’s called ‘Jinx.’ This heartbreaking moment fundamentally changes the sisters’ lives and remains the most shocking scene in Arcane.

Vecna Is Number One (Stranger Things)

Season 4, Episode 7: “Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab”

Netflix

It took four seasons of Stranger Things to finally reveal the main villain, and the reveal was incredibly satisfying. Vecna is introduced as the terrifying force behind Will’s disappearance in the first season, but the story goes much further. We discover how Henry Creel gained his powers, his connection to the Mind Flayer, and how his past explains the origins of the government’s experiments with children.

The shocking reveal worked so well because the show had deliberately established Vecna as someone separate from Number One. Throughout Eleven’s flashbacks, Number One came across as kind and even caring – like an older brother who genuinely understood her, not someone secretly dangerous.

The reveal that Number One and Vecna are the same person is shocking, both for the characters in the show and for viewers. Henry Creel quickly becomes central to everything that’s happened in Hawkins, connecting all the major storylines – from Eleven’s powers to the very first strange events experienced by Will Byers.

The Red Wedding (Game of Thrones)

Season 3, Episode 9: “The Rains of Castamere”

HBO

While Game of Thrones had many shocking moments, nothing compared to the Red Wedding in terms of its impact and how widely it was discussed. Viewers had become accustomed to harsh deaths in the series, but the feast for Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey initially seemed like a safe haven.

The Freys and Roose Bolton committed an unthinkable act by violating the sacred custom of guest right, and the resulting betrayal and bloodshed were shocking. Seeing so many members of the Stark family killed in one ambush felt surreal and unbelievable.

Beyond the overall storyline, the scene was shockingly violent. The deaths of Talisa and her baby, and Catelyn Stark, were particularly brutal and remain some of the most graphic moments ever shown on television.

The Red Wedding remains a hugely talked-about moment in television history. It’s often referenced in all kinds of media and is seen as the event that dramatically changed the power dynamics in the world of Westeros. It’s not just a famous twist in fantasy storytelling, but one of the most memorable surprises ever shown on screen.

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2025-11-16 05:30