Game of Thrones: 8.03 - The Long Night

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Daenerys and Jon - where are their hats?

The Night King and his army have arrived at Winterfell and the great battle begins.

This episode is going to be 82 minutes long, making it the longest so far in the GoT history.

 

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[Al Jackson]

I wish it was 120 minutes long!

 

[Al Jackson]

I wonder if it will be called The Battle of Winterfell?

 

[Al Jackson]

Daenerys and Jon - where are their hats?



This episode is going to be 82 minutes long, making it the longest so far in the GoT history.

Where are their hats? Indeed! As far as I can tell many characters on the show don't have ears! Lost to frost bite! I don't know what is is with D&D they hate head gear. In particular helms! After the 2nd season or so all major characters who wore armor stopped wearing a helm, this is never explained, I just guess D&D don't like helms?
Also why the hell does Dany ,now, going into battle with a dragon looking like she belongs on the cover of Vogue?!
What happened to the Targ armor? Must be some stored at Dragon Stone.

 

[-K2-]

I wonder if...

Spoiler: Wonderin'

since the Night King was impervious to fire, if he was a Targaryen ancestor?

K2

 

[Al Jackson]

Well that ending was a surprise!
Now I am totally in the dark as to how episodes 3,4 and 5 make a beginning middle and end! God know what the story is in 6!

 

[zmunkz]

Well holy f@&k.

Spoiler: S8e3

Not what I expected at ALL. Fantastic episode, but a little anti-climactic when it comes down to it. That’s the end of the night king? All that power and horror and mystery, and he was lured out to Bran for reasons and that’s it? Exactly according to plan?

The episode itself was absolutely brilliant. Dozens of fan theories are in ruins now, among them my own Night Queen suspicion. If he’s really gone, what’s left...defeating Cersei? I mean, yeah, but is that more dramatic than the Night King? Guess we’ll see.

Arya rocks. Didn’t expect that until this episode... I thought Cersei was her last mark.

Also, way fewer deaths than I expected. Still a rough one, but not that bad.

I’m not 100% convinced the night king is gone. Might just be shock, but it seems to leave so much unaddressed. Guess we’ll see.

I like the longer format. That was great.

 

[The Big Peat]

Spoiler

I'm both surprised and un-surprised by the Night King's death, simply because the defenders got so badly beat up there was no logical way they were escaping. I was more expecting a cliffhanger and resolving it next episode... but this works.

Anyway, I spent most of the episode being grumpy about shoddy military tactics because I'm that guy but the crowning moments of awesome were awesome. What on earth are they feeding those little girls up in the north?

 

[Dave]

The Walking Dead with a bit more fur! ...and with Dragons.

The predictions about the dangers of hiding in the Crypt were spot on, but no cameo appearance from Sean Bean breaking out of his own grave?

The key to their success was always going to be defeating the Night King, but it didn't seem to me that they had any plan. They could have drawn him in and isolated him in a trap much earlier. I think it is likely that he would be drawn to Bran, but why not to the Lady of Light? I was surprised that Dragonfire didn't kill him. If it couldn't then why did the Dragonglass? Isn't Dragonglass simply glass made with Dragonfire? And given the real danger to him, wouldn't his supporters defend him better?

I'm surprised he is gone, if he really is, because his rise was not well explained, and I'm now confused. I was under the impression that he had been driven out, w'up North and beyond the Wall, once before by men with Dragons. Therefore, I thought it was the lack of Dragons in Westeros that had allowed him to rise again. If all the undead are now wiped out, then he can't rise again, nor even any replacement. In which case, it begs the question of why, with more Dragons to hand, they hadn't been wiped out the first time? So, maybe he hasn't gone.

 

[REBerg]

The Walking Dead with a bit more fur! ...and with Dragons.

I'd go more with World War Z, given the speed and fury of this undead family branch.

The predictions about the dangers of hiding in the Crypt were spot on, but no cameo appearance from Sean Bean breaking out of his own grave?

Possibly carrying his head in a bowling bag?

I agree with those who are questioning the sequence of the conflict resolution in these final, precious episodes. It would seem that the battle to save all of humankind should have been saved until the end. Taking out Cersei and her mercenaries could have served as a brief training exercise for the United Dany Army in preparation for battling the Night King. Iron Throne possession be damned.

As things stand, Dany's boys and girls were seriously depleted by the Winterfell battle. It didn't look like more than a couple of Dothraki survived the Melisandre Charge of the Flaming Swords, and it appeared that the Unsullied were reduced to a couple of squads in the retreat behind the castle walls. Will the remaining troops be enough to defeat the remnants of the Lannister army and its Golden reinforcements?

I wish that the Lord of Light had shed a little more illumination on the battle. The scenes were so dark that I frequently could not tell if a character lived or died. I don't even know if Jon's dragon survived. And what about Ghost?

Jorah got a great death scene using his last ounce of strength to defend the love of his life. Beric, with considerable help from the Hound, fulfilled his destiny by saving Arya. I would never have guessed that Arya would be the one to save the night. When the Knight King had her by the throat, I heard noises indicating that she was a goner.

What on earth are they feeding those little girls up in the north?

Lyanna Mormont died even more defiantly and valiantly than I expected. When she was swatted aside by the zombie giant, I was disappointed. I should have known she wasn't done. I didn't need to see her zombie resurrection.

I'm anxiously awaiting a head count at the start of next week's run. For the Gods' sakes (old and new), I hope that they assemble the survivors in the daylight.

 

[Susan Boulton]

Just a note, the knife that did the deed was the Valyrian steel one. Wielded first by an assassin who attempts to kill Bran Stark in Season One. It previously belonged to Petyr Baelish, but he claims he lost it in a bet to Tyrion Lannister. Given by Petyr Baelish to Bran Stark who in turn gave it to Arya Stark in Season Seven. Arya used it to cut Little Finger's throat if I remember correctly.

 

[Al Jackson]

Just a note, the knife that did the deed was the Valyrian steel one. Wielded first by an assassin who attempts to kill Bran Stark in Season One. It previously belonged to Petyr Baelish, but he claims he lost it in a bet to Tyrion Lannister. Given by Petyr Baelish to Bran Stark who in turn gave it to Arya Stark in Season Seven. Arya used it to cut Little Finger's throat if I remember correctly.

Spoiler: spoiler

So in the end it was a victory for Essos.
Arya’s stealth training (in Braavos) and Old Valyera’s magic steel.
(I guess Mel helped too.)
So just why is V-Steel so deadly for big Mother Ice Dudes?

 

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I wonder if it will be called The Battle of Winterfell?

I got the title from an article saying that's what HBO had claimed. The Official title however is The Long Night, and I think it's quite fitting taken all of this happened in the darkest hours, just before the dawn. The Long Night for us Finns and other Northern people would mean the very long period of darkness that we go every year, when the Winter arrives. To HBO and GoT producers it meant the waiting before the clash.

The predictions about the dangers of hiding in the Crypt were spot on, but no cameo appearance from Sean Bean breaking out of his own grave?

I am quite surprised that they continued building up tension and not started with an action scene as they'd used two episode to hype the clash already. I personally like tension build-up's but recently I've gone straight into the action, as they should have done. Even the smallest one of them would have been a relief, instead of seeing everyone going through the emotions, as if they were waiting to go on the top at the fields of Somme.

Thing is what there is to do when the battle is already upon you? Quicker you get into it the better. What really surprised me was that everyone destined to the crypts were standing out in the open, or were on the walls as if it meant something. But in the last episode most of them were getting merry or making love.

Still, when they got to the battlefield, most of them were not wearing hats. Not even bloody helmets, unless you were Unsullied linesman or some other person without a name.

I find it surpremely weird that none of the hero's, generals or veterans said: "...since we are facing the north, and the battle is before the dawn, should we put down some range marks for the siege machines?"

As artillery veteran how are you going to direct fire or even know where the enemy is, if you don't mark your range? How do you know since you have no forward observers that they are there? The enemy if they'd have a brain could have put down a siege to starve the living, instead of advancing towards them in the night. That's what I would have done, but there's clearly some lessons to be learned from this fiasco in the Necromancer's school.

Why is that the Wizards always arrive, when the hour is late? The Red Woman didn't even had a pointy hat and yet she managed to perform one of the biggest battlefield magic in eight seasons. It gave me a confidence but I would have loved that she would have illuminated the darkness.

Coming back to the artillery, if their plan was always to send in the Dothraki first to get slaughtered in the artillery fire before they clashed with the Dead, it was a foolish thing to do. What point was there? The cavalry needs as much eyes as the heavy field pieces.

Goodbye Dothraki, Unsullied, Wildlings, and Northmen! You served well. Your leaders had stupid ideas. They understood what they needed too late!

War. War never changes.

It took blood to light up the trenches. The Red Woman looked super scared when the wood didn't lit up, despite her continued conjuring on the Lord of Light. She always claimed that blood is the most valuable commodity and the rest meant nothing, because it had no power. I guess that's why she needed to sacrifice the Dothraki and horses first.

The problem is what next, because the wood in the trenches can last so long. If they could have filled it with tar or oil, the burning would have last for days ... and probably suffocated most of the people in the castle.

It too would worked better against the Dead filling the moats. They also made a wrong decision by keeping the arches from the walls and towers, where they could have been aiding the battle for a long time. I also don't understand why they didn't had oil to pour over the dead in key locations.

So many of you predicted that this would happen. I didn't believe it. At least she did take the dead giant with her.

Goodbye the poor, the sick, the elderly and otherwise frail people, including those incapable of committing to the fight. You should have never been in the crypt, but on the trail, heading South. The only real soldier were Tyrion, fully plated in his favourite armour, getting stupidly drunk in the meantime.

I loved that he was sarcastic and grumpy that he couldn't be out there, killing the enemy like a true dwarf. At least he saw that he should have stayed married to Sansa, even if she said: "...that without the Dragon Queen, we would be dead already!"

It was horrifying to hear the fight going above and then a complete silence, as if the death has arrived to all. No crying. No veiling. Just silence.

Can the Dead kill an immortal man? Why the Lord of Light wouldn't bring him back again and again in the hour of need? Is it because his plot armour ran out of charge as the Red Woman said: "The Lord brought him back for this. Now that purpose has been served."

Then she asked: "What do we say to the guard of Death?"

"Not today," Arya answered as if she knew her destiny.

I shouted Ef Yeah when the Nightking was engulfed by dragonfire.

since the Night King was impervious to fire, if he was a Targaryen ancestor?

I was surprised that Dragonfire didn't kill him. If it couldn't then why did the Dragonglass? Isn't Dragonglass simply glass made with Dragonfire? And given the real danger to him, wouldn't his supporters defend him better?

I don't get it, but I do get that not all Targarian's have blond hair. The Old Three Eye Raven and the Children of the Forest also said that he became invulnerable to fire, when Bran visited him in the dream state. Since then he was invulnerable to fire.

Jon should have never tried to attack him, when he was surrounded by freshly killed. What else he needs to refill his ranks? The necromancers are super hard to kill because of the resurrection power. It surprised me that his powers included the dead in the crypt.

At the end, they could have never won the battle, and to be honest most of them could have been saved by heading to South instead of committing to a fight in the only castle after the Wall. If it not had been Arya's Hail Mary, all would have been lost.

Goodbye Theon the Redeemed and Sir Joran Mormoth. You fought well against the overwhelming odds. Goodbye Red Woman, why did you had to sacrifice so many?

 

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So just why is V-Steel so deadly for big Mother Ice Dudes?

Magic.

 

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I wish that the Lord of Light had shed a little more illumination on the battle. The scenes were so dark that I frequently could not tell if a character lived or died. I don't even know if Jon's dragon survived. And what about Ghost?

Ghost is gone with Dothraki. No more budget for the dog.

I'm slightly surprised that you also noticed the battlefield lighting issue. No range markers. Nothing. Where did that mysterious winter storm come from? Did the Red Woman do it?

 

[REBerg]

It took blood to light up the trenches. The Red Woman looked super scared when the wood didn't lit up, despite her continued conjuring on the Lord of Light. She always claimed that blood is the most valuable commodity and the rest meant nothing, because it had no power. I guess that's why she needed to sacrifice the Dothraki and horses first.

Melisandre’s chain-reaction lighting of the Dothraki swords was visually striking. I did wonder if the act might have been hazardous to fur and feathers for the unprepared Dothraki warriors.
Mel’s pyromaniac personality proved again useful when she lit the trenches after the dragon plan failed under adverse weather conditions, but I don’t think she reached full redemption for her crimes. There could be no atoning for burning sweet Shireen Stannis alive at the stake.
By the way. Where had the Red Witch been before she made her 11th-hour riding entrance from the dead-occupied north? Swapping tall tales with the Night King?

The problem is what next, because the wood in the trenches can last so long. If they could have filled it with tar or oil, the burning would have last for days ... and probably suffocated most of the people in the castle.

The individual zombies sacrificially stepping into the fire until their bodies had created a narrow bridge seemed like a waste of time. The thousands swarming en masse toward the flames would have almost instantly achieved the same result.

I loved that he was sarcastic and grumpy that he couldn't be out there, killing the enemy like a true dwarf.

I shouted Ef Yeah when the Nightking was engulfed by dragonfire.

That seemed extremely anti-climactic. I knew that when the flames cleared, he would still be there. I did expect, however, his spiffy NK uniform to be at least slightly smoked.

 

[REBerg]

I also don't understand why they didn't had oil to pour over the dead in key locations.

Probably only would have succeeded in moisturizing them.

 

[Dave]

My apologies, if the knife that killed the Night King was Old Valyerian steel and not Dragonglass.

So just why is V-Steel so deadly for big Mother Ice Dudes?

Yes, it still leaves that question all the same.

I wish that the Lord of Light had shed a little more illumination on the battle. The scenes were so dark that I frequently could not tell if a character lived or died. I don't even know if Jon's dragon survived. And what about Ghost?

Yes, I felt like I needed a torch.

Can the Dead kill an immortal man? Why the Lord of Light wouldn't bring him back again and again in the hour of need? Is it because his plot armour ran out of charge as the Red Woman said: "The Lord brought him back for this. Now that purpose has been served."

Does this have any significance for Jon Snow? When will his plot purpose be served?

I don't get it, but I do get that not all Targarian's have blond hair.

I wondered about this also. I mean, none of the Stark children or the Lannister children look very alike either. However, I know that they are actors playing the parts. In real life, they ought to look very alike, so that you would be able to easily tell they were related. Jon and Dany ought to be similar enough that you could easily believe they were close relations but no one is making that deduction.

 

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By the way. Where had the Red Witch been before she made her 11th-hour riding entrance from the dead-occupied north? Swapping tall tales with the Night King?

That's what I think. I seriously believe she was agent provocateur and her plan was to be there, when the NightKing slaughters Bran so that she can live forever. At first I even wrote that they should have burned her for coming from the North, after the battle horn was blown.

Nobody invited her. Nobody thought that they should have a wizard or a witch on their side, before the battle started.

Does this have any significance for Jon Snow? When will his plot purpose be served?

Exactly. I get that the Red Woman is as much her God's avatar as Bran is the Three Eyed Raven. Jon was saved because he had plot armour. I expected him to get eaten outside the gates.

. I did expect, however, his spiffy NK uniform to be at least slightly smoked.

Yeah. Maybe they can add it to the BR version.