Contains spoilers for season six episode nine, Battle of the Bastards

When we first met Ramsay Bolton – then Ramsay Snow – in season three of Game of Thrones he came in the guise of a rescuer, promising poor tortured Theon (Alfie Allen) that he would lead him to safety. It was, of course, a ruse, and a supremely sadistic one, that blended innate psychological expertise (Ramsay knew how to mess with people’s minds) with twisted childish glee. The diabolical playfulness of the whole thing – the “Surprise! I tricked you!” element – was essential.

All in all, it was a perfect introduction to the man who went on to be the show’s nastiest villain. Throughout his time on Game of Thrones, Ramsay was one of the most irresistibly watchable characters, even when engaged in acts of near-unwatchable depravity.

His hobbies – castrating a man then tucking into a sausage in front of him, for instance, or feeding a newborn and its mother to a pack of ravenous hounds – were all firmly in the “don’t try this at home, kids” box. Actor Iwan Rheon’s impish grin and sparkling blue eyes only made the character’s malice even more unsettling.