'Game of Thrones' finally delivered some well-deserved vengeance in Sunday's episode

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones" season six.

For a show known to favor the "bad guys" far more than its "good guys," the ninth episode of "Game of Thrones" just delivered some long-awaited justice to Ramsay Bolton. The sadistic son of Roose Bolton was finally defeated at the hands of the Starks. Ramsay is dead, and long live the Starks!

And this was no ordinary death. Ramsay was killed poetically by his own man-eating hounds, while Sansa Stark watched from the Winterfell courtyard.

Oh, and did we mention that Jon Snow got to beat his face into a pulp first? It'd probably be impossible to tally up the number of times Ramsay Bolton has had a perfectly punchable expression on his face during the course of this season. After winning the battle (thanks to a last minute save from the Knights of the Vale), Jon followed Ramsay into the courtyard of Winterfell.

Jon then beat Ramsay to the ground with a shield, and proceeded to beat his head into the ground over and over again. At that moment, Jon was acting out nearly ever viewer's brutal fantasy.

Miguel Sapochnik, who directed the episode, said he gave Jon Snow actor Kit Harington one piece of advice during a 10-hour shoot where he bloodied up Ramsay.

"The only direction I gave to Kit was, 'It's not human anymore. He doesn't feel any sympathy, empathy for this guy," said Sapochnik in a behind-the-scenes featurette.

The most satisfying part of Ramsay's death was Sansa's direct hand in the murder. Jon might've left Ramsay as a prisoner for all we know, but Sansa was having none of that. She had been on the receiving end of his torment, and was eager to repay the debt.

Back in season six episode two, Roose Bolton warned his bastard son that "rabid dogs" get what's coming to them. Perhaps Ramsay - staring down his starved and bloodthirsty hound - wished he had heeded his father's warning instead of killing him in cold blood.

Ramsay's death means the Starks officially hold Winterfell once more. Sansa and Jon are safely in the walls of the castle, and though they will mourn the death of their brother Rickon, this victory is a huge step for House Stark.