Before the episode aired, I saw different blogs and tweets about how the battle on this episode would be better than the battle of the bastards. I agree. I’m sure you do too as you read that.
The episode begins with small dialogue and wide pan shots of our key players and their locations as they wait for death to arrive. The music and background noises grow quiet as the shots move from inside the castle to the front of the troops. When we finally reach the front where the Dothraki and Sir Jorah are, it’s dead silent. I was in full suspense mode when finally, The Red Woman appeared from inside the darkness.
Finally, after what feels like 10 minutes of suspense, she lights the swords of the Dothraki with fire to aid them in their fight. This event begins the war.
The dead and the living fought the entire episode. After the living troops outside the gates manage to get inside, the dead swarmed the walls like ants. They piled on one another and got inside the castle in different ways. Everyone fought hard, but the living were losing horribly. Everyone would have died if it was not for the best to ever do it, Arya Stark.
R.I.P To all those who were lost in the war. Let’s take a moment to appreciate those who were lost this episode.
1. The Red Woman. She was surprisingly a huge help this episode and she truly goes out with a bang. Not only did she light the swords to start the war, but she also finds a way to hold off entire swarms of the dead by creating a fire ring around the Winterfell gates. When the war seems to be over, she reminds Arya of her a very classic quote. “What do we tell death?” “Not Today” It was the conversation that gave our hero the motivation to go find the Night King and save the living. The last shot of the episode is her disappearing into nothing. Her purpose had been fulfilled.
2. The Dothraki. We hear the shrieks as they gallop forward into the darkness on their horses for the first wave of the war. They look like stars in the sky as they blink in the distance. Just then the lights begin to disappear and the shrieks begin to fade out. As it grows quiet again, you can almost feel the chill of the night. Sir Jorah comes back bloody with some empty horses behind him, and it’s understood that the Dothraki have been killed.
3. Dolorous Edd. In a classic Castle Black brotherhood moment, Dolorous went out protecting Samwell. As the acting commander of the night’s watch, this was honorable and appropriate. However, it’s a bit frustrating that he made it so far just to die because Sam wanted to lay on the floor scared and needed to be helped up. Truly the shield that guarded the house of men.
4. Theon Greyjoy. As much as I couldn’t stand Theon, this episode truly made me thankful for him and respect him in his last moments. He killed every single white walker that came towards Bran and even when everyone else died and he ran out of arrows, he kept fighting. He went out like a true G and died at the hands of the Night King himself trying to protect Bran. This was an epic scene.
5. Beric Dondarrian. After dying a few times before, he really dies this episode. The red woman tells us that he finally lived out his purpose so the lord of light wasn’t going to bring him back again. He did die trying to save Arya, who then goes on to kill the Night King, so I guess this is true.
6. Sir Jorah Mormont. I had a feeling he was going to die this episode after Samwell gifts him with his father’s sword. I knew it meant he was probably going to die being honorable. As predicted, he died after fighting valiantly for Danerys who would have been dead without him. He literally puts his body in front of hers and takes a sword in order to save her life. This is exactly how he would have wanted to die.
7. Last but not least, Lyanna Mormont. Who didn’t love Lyanna? She was a little girl who was full of leadership and fury. It was sad to see her go but she died in such a badass way that I still cheered. She really managed to take out a whole giant on her fall to death, an icon if you ask me.
It was sad to see these characters go, but their sacrifice was not in vain.
There are a few characters that I’m unsure about their status:
1. Gilly and her son – I hope they are alive since Sam just found out he lost his father and brother. But they showed her running from a dead crypt thing and then we never see her again.
2. Jamie – He was being attacked by a ton of white walkers when we last saw him. Brienne was also swarmed.
3. A dragon – I think another dragon dies but it’s unclear. This would not help the war with Cersei that’s about to happen next episode at ALL.
4. The Unsullied – I know a lot of them were killed but just how many? I’m just glad Greyworm is alive.
Arya truly saved the day by killing the night king. It was certainly the most shocking moment of the episode because it happened just as soon as it was looking like the war would be lost. Not only did we lose some key players, but the Night King literally re-woke up the dead towards the end. So not only did he have a lot of his original army, but he then also had the newly dead soldiers and the dead that were in the crypt. This part freaked me out the most. I was also mad that NO ONE thought of that. I mean, who’s idea was it to put the women and children where dead people are?
Nonetheless, We watched women and children get slaughtered, and Tyrion and Sanza were down there losing hope. Theon died and the Night King approach Bran. Sir Jonah got stabbed beyond the point of repair helping Dany, and Jon Snow stood in front of the white walker dragon as the dragon got ready to blow him away. Just then, Arya comes FLYING from behind and drops her knife – into her other hand as she jabs it into the Night king – and ends the war of the dead.
While I’m glad that the imminent threat of the army of the dead is finally over – or should be over – I know that this is not the end of the wars. Another war is on the horizon for the next 3 episodes, between the living.
Moving forward into next week I have 3 main questions I am wondering about in order to predict the ending.
1. Who will leave the army of the north to fight alongside Cersei, or will everyone stay?
2. How much of an army is even left up north?
3. Who will win the game of thrones?
Answer the questions below and tune in next week!
