Desperate Attack is one of the latest works I made for the Game of Thrones TCG by Fantasy Flight Games.

As always, I have no memory whatsoever of which specific expansion pack/rulebook/product this was made for.

And as it happens regularly, this had been sitting in my hard drive for several months, until the day I did some housekeeping and went “aw, I don’t think I posted this on my website, shame”. So here we are.

Now, Desperate Attack describes the fruitless attempt of Loras Tyrell to take Dragonstone, which – if memory serves – ended with his ass being handed to him, and his pretty face being disfigured forever.

I remember being mildly displeased by Loras Tyrell’s demise back when I read the book. But considering the massacre of major characters occurred up to that point, I have to place this about mid-height in my list of favourite dead Game of Thrones personalities.

In fact, the list goes abut this way, from most emotionally devastating to least.

– Robb Stark
– Ed Stark
– Catelyn Stark
– Hodor
– Khal Drogo
– Lord Varys
– Jorah Mormont
– Oberyn Martell
– Edd
– Pyp
– Yoren
– Ygritte
– Rickon Stark
– Syrio Forel
– Jory Cassel
– Maester Luwin
– Jeor Mormont
– Beric Dondarrion
– Lyanna Mormont
– Osha
– Myrcella Baratheon
– Robert Baratheon
– Maester Aemon
– Shireen Baratheon
– Mance Ryder
– Loras Tyrell
– Danaerys Targaryen
– Jojen Reed
– Olenna Tyrell
– Theon Greyjoy
– Rodrik Cassel
– Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun

So, all in all, sorry for Loras Tyrell, but at least he wasn’t beheaded in front of a crowd, or burned alive by a dragon, or gutted by a boar, or had his throat slit by an betraying ally, or ran over by a crowd of undead, or skinned, or torn apart, or poisoned, nor had his head crushed barehanded by an impossibly strong dude.

He died doing what he loved: storming a castle with his sword held high and all that.

Good for you Loras.