The Battle of Winterfell saw the defeat of the Night King, but at a cost.
Oh, and can you believe this: The crypts?
Not safe during a zombie attack.
Not safe at all!
Have there ever been so many different types of action intercut into one story?
There was a field battle, zombie horror, a castle under siege, and an aerial dragon-on-dragon fight.
Yet none of the storylines were only focused on fighting.
Each had moments where the characters could shine, often in heartbreaking or rousing ways.
(Skip the next three paragraphs if you don’t care).GoThas always had some really dark scenes.
I often get murky photos from HBO that I sneakily brighten up a tad before posting online.
I guess the question is: How optimal of viewing conditions should be required to watch the show?
Ultimately, the way “The Long Night” looks is intentional.
The inky black battlefield.
Ramin Djawadi’s jittery score.
The arrival of Melisandre like a lone horsewoman of the apocalypse.
I yell from the couch.
“Let them come to you!").
Arya creeping around the library like the velociraptors-in-the-kitchen scene inJurassic Park.
Theon’s suicidal charge.
Beric’s arms extended in the doorway, Christ-like, getting zombie-shanked.
Drogon swarmed with wights and trying to shake them off like killer fleas.
Daenerys breaking down and weeping like we’ve never heard before at the death of Jorah Mormont.
The Night King’s once-in-a-million fractional smile after surviving a blast of Drogon’s fire.
That long continuous shot following Jon through the castle.
Because we know that under any other circumstances, Jon would have immediately run to save his best friend.
There were several moments like that where you felt this sense of helplessness.
There were also times I wished there were fewer wights shown invading the castle.
Along with earning the respect of his family via Yara, this is what Theon has longed to hear.
He’s now at peace with both his families.
Theon, the show’s resident traitor and coward, demonstrates the ultimate courage: Standing his ground vs.
The Night King himself to protect Bran just a little bit longer.
Ser Jorah Mormont: Like Theon, Ser Jorah had what might be an ideal death for his character.
Also, by the way, like Theon, Ser Jorah been withGoTsince the very first episode.
The Hound: The Hound has had what might be called PTSD for awhile.
“They’re fking death.
The Hound finds his will to fight on.
Sansa Stark: We get a fun moment when Arya gives Sansa a dagger.
Sansa, never trained for combat, says she has no idea what to do with it.
“Stick them with the pointy end,” Arya shoots back, in yet another season 1 callback.
In the crypts, Sansa huddles with Tyrion awaiting their fate.
Tyrion at one point wonders why they didn’t work out as a couple and whether they still could.
One of these zombies has to be Lyanna Stark, right?
I’m assuming a headless Ned Stark is not among them.
Dolorous Edd: Dolorous Edd has been around since the first season.
He was fighting wights with Samwell when he takes one protecting his friend.
And now his watch has ended.
Lyanna Mormont: The Lady of Bear Island refused to hide in the crypt.
Realistically, she was always going to be an underdog to survive, but she went out rather heroically.
Lyanna faced off against a zombie giant.
Lyanna manages to stab the giant through his eye, killing him.
The smallest fighter took out the Night King’s biggest soldier.
(We have anexit interview with Lyanna Mormontactress Bella Ramsey if you’d care to read it).
Beric Dondarrion: Jon Snow’s resurrection buddy has been resurrected six times.
The seventh time’s the charm after he saved Arya Stark from wights.
This is apparently why the Lord of Light kept bringing him back.
Jon Snow: We finally get the epic high-fantasy dragon fight we’ve long wanted.
Dany on Drogon and Jon on Rhaegal vs. the Night King on his ice dragon.
This is the stuff of Anne McCaffrey paperback covers and it brings the fabled past of Westeros alive.
We’ve heard about the Targaryens and their dragon battles of yore, and finally get to see one.
At an hour of effort, Dany finally gets a clear shot at the Night King.
The dragon lets loose, blasting him with an annihilating fireball.
We hold our breath.
How did he survive?
Is the Night King a force projection from planet Arch-To?
But he gets pinned down by zombie Viserion, blocking him with blue fire.
Arya Stark: Arya asked Gendry to make a staff with dragonglass on each end.
She also made a prediction for Arya back in season 3: “I see darkness in you.
And in that darkness, eyes staring back at me.
Brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes.
Eyes you’ll shut forever”).
Melisandre reminds Arya of her training and her prophecy.
Arya’s not here to kill wights, as much fun as she’s having with that.
The “blue eyes” line tips Arya to aim higher.
She leaps onto the Night King like he was Gendry.
She takes her Valyrian steel dagger that she got from Bran.
The Night King grabs her wrist.
He fails at the very last minute.
So I’m hoping that’s a nice switch that no one sees coming.”
Was Arya using the dagger part of Bran’s plan, I wonder?
How much does the Three-Eyed Raven know?
Is he like Doctor Strange, having seen billions of possible endgame outcomes and this is just one?
Melisandre takes off the enchanted necklace that maintains her youth.
We last saw her do this while resting in her Castle Black chamber.
This time she walks into the snow, which has a Thanos finger-snap-like effect on the Red Woman.
She ages, stumbles and turns to dust.
It might be that Melisandre was just tired of wearing the exact same outfit for hundreds of years.
After watching, some fans are asking if Dany’s dragons and Ghost are still alive.
Ghost definitely is as he’s glimpsed in the preview for next week.
So … um… now what?
There are three super-sized episodes left.
Technically speaking, in terms of minutes of screen time,mostof the season is left.
Nearly 20 characters are gathered at Winterfell.
Presumably, the struggle for the Iron Throne will resume in earnest.
Can this alliance hold together?
But how much have the Night King’s attack weakened Dany’s forces?
How many people are still alive from Arya’s kill list?
(We’re not counting The Hound anymore since she’s taken him off).
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