Game of Thrones Season 7 has been very exciting, full of the fire and fury that viewers want in a bit of Sunday night distraction. But what moments have been the most thrilling so far? The answer to that may surprise you.
According to Cardiogram—a startup that’s working to make mobile health data meaningful, useful, and actionable—the show’s biggest moments aren’t when the dragons take flight. With more than 100,000 people opening the Cardiogram app every day to monitor their stress, fitness and sleep, the company has tabulated the HBO show’s biggest moments by analyzing more than 4.3 million heart rates. Here are the most exciting scenes through the first five episodes of the Game of Thrones’ seventh season.
#5: Episode 3—”Then it doesn’t matter whose skeleton sits on the Iron Throne.”
When Ser Davos and Jon Snow plea with Daenerys to fight the living dead in the North, fans’ hearts started racing—specifically to 83.0 bpm.
#4: Episode 1—Euron Greyjoy proposes to Cersei Lannister.
Things got awkward from the get-go this season, when the Salt Throne-holding Ironborn sailor extraordinaire proposed to Cersi, right in front of her brother/lover Jaime. Hearts afire, indeed—viewers pulses pounded to of 83.2 bpm.
#3: Episode 5—Jon Snow and his band sets out toward Eastwatch-by-the-Sea.
In an Avengers-like scene full of suspense Tormund, Jon Snow, Gendry, and Davos realize they’re age-old enemies who must now march north together. Viewers took the three-minute scene to heart, with their pulses shooting up to 83.3 bpm.
#2: Episode 1—”Tell them the North remembers. Tell them winter came for House Frey.”
The opening scene of episode 1 may be one of the series most memorable ones. Disguising herself as Walder Frey, Arya Stark gets revenge for the Red Wedding—and drove viewers wild with heart rates climbing to 83.4 bpm.
#1: Episode 4—Jaime charges against Daenerys and Drogon.
You might think watching one of Daenerys’ dragons eviscerate an army would be the most exciting moment, but you’d be wrong. Instead, suspense carried the day as Jaime’s charge towards the Mother of Dragons had hearts pounding at 91.1 bpm.
Stay tuned to the final two episodes of the first half of season 7, and keep your eye on this space, as we’ll update the top five scenes with each passing episode.