Game of Thrones - Inc Spoilers to last aired UK TV episode.

[Billy Whiz]

Sam must be for the chop pretty soon - he's been set up for a fall.

I also think Dany won't last the course. Since the whole drift of the main narrative arc is her becoming Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, we can safely assume that is one thing that's not going to happen.

[forestfan]

Sam seems to be top of the odds to survive the series, as he’s widely viewed as the “storyteller” of the saga (GRRM’s avatar of himself?)

If Dany does take the throne then it will no doubt be with a massive twist, i.e. she’s quickly deposed, or gives it up, or has to do something extremely brutal to get there so “wins” as the clear villain. It’s very unlikely to be the Hollywood ending anyway...

[Billy Whiz]

Hasn't Bran Stark become the "storyteller"?

Of course, one of the key protagonists has already died - Jon Snow. Maybe that's why he appears so lifeless

[forestfan]

Hasn't Bran Stark become the "storyteller"?

Of course, one of the key protagonists has already died - Jon Snow. Maybe that's why he appears so lifeless

Well, the multi-resurrected Beric Dondarrion said that a bit of him disappeared each time...

Where’s Melisandre at the moment? Perhaps her powers will be required again!

[forestfan]

OK, here goes... think I’ll need a whole bottle of Dornish Red for this one

[Lister]

Have been wanting to comment on this all day but don't want to give anything away.

[forestfan]

Have been wanting to comment on this all day but don't want to give anything away.

Not today

[bluenosey]

Blimey

[Smurphy Paw]

Oh my goodness

[Billy Whiz]

Wow.

That was bloody amazing.

I'm lost for words.

[Zimmerman]

Overall, fantastic and captivating television.
Also loved the score, beautifully done (I’m assuming it’s Ramjin)?

Some wonderful moments... but some ridiculous and unplausibly safe cop outs.

Now a case of seeing whether Cersei can rock up and finish them off whilst they are on their knees and without defences?

Oh, and was it just my television not being very good... or was a lot of it pitch black and really difficult to see?

[forestfan]

Certainly didn’t disappoint in terms of spectacle and relentless action, though plenty of people seemed to comment on the visibility issue... I did play around with my TV settings before it anticipating that! It’s probably the first thing made for TV that I really wished I was watching on a cinema screen though, pity those (and there will be plenty) who watched it on smartphones and tablets

Maybe it has gone a little bit too Hollywood, too many Bond/Skywalker-style unlikely escapes for the main characters, but that’s been the case to an extent since the middle series and I suppose you can’t do “false protagonist” narratives this late on. Still a bit surprised all of the big eight (well, seven, as Cersei was never likely to appear in this episode...) survived, plus the two living dragons (I think). Hope they have real narrative plans for them all, not just contractual obligations... We did lose a couple of significant characters who had been there since the very first episode though, even if I expected more carnage.

The most ambitious thing ever filmed for TV though, and have to say they pulled it off. Certainly up there with Spurs v City as the most gripping 90 minutes of the year...

[Billy Whiz]

After 5 minutes we switched all the lights off bar one, then soon after switched them all off. Much better! I assumed a lot of people were doing the same.

Was that the longest battle scene ever filmed? You could argue that the entire episode was part of the battle scene.

Arya had all the best lines, on top of delivering the denouement. "Stab them with the pointy end". Classic!

[DavidLloydIsAHero]

Most expensive TV episode of all time and the longest battle scene ever filmed I believe (certainly longer than anything in LOTR which I believe held the record at one point).

Still found myself somewhat disappointed, it was undeniably brilliantly directed, choreographed and shot but I felt a little lacking in the plot. No A list characters fell, although a couple of longstanding B list did and they felt like their story arcs were complete. It somehow felt over too quickly and that they were filling with some of the battle scenes that didn't really advance the plot. I really was expecting to be heartbroken at the end of the episode with the losses but I just wasn't.

An awesome spectacle nonetheless.

[Zimmerman]

Sums up my position perfectly.

It’s was just all too ‘nice’. No twists, no loss of main characters (that we’re aware of), nothing even radical with Bran... I mean, why/what was the purpose of him worging in to the crow? I’m assuming he might be able to say that he knew how it was all going to play out so sat and waited for that to occur.

As Luiz says even those we did lose, we got nice poetic endings - which goes against my usual cynicism - I quite liked. Theon and young Lord girl had good heroic closures.

Raising all the dead from the crypt was a neat byproduct (I didn’t expect that) can’t imagine that they’ll be using that as a place to go and seek solitude any more... in fact, does this effectively end Winterfell? It’s obliterated right?

I’d forgotten the Melisandra/Arya meeting previously. She foretold that she’d shut a lot of eyes (brown, blue and green). She’s done the brown and blue... now just Cersei’s green to come.

[DavidLloydIsAHero]

Even the dead in the crypt seemed like an element they added because it was obvious to do rather than because it had any great plot basis. The only thing to come from it was that Tyrion and Sansa seemed to reconnect properly. I was half expecting Sansa to kill both of them when she pulled that dagger out though, that was the kind of twist I thought might come last night.

[Zimmerman]

Yes, me too. A tragic suicide pact.

[Lister]

Really enjoyed it I suppose the only twist was the night king died with half the season left. Really has opened up the rest of the season now with some potential great twists to come.

[Billy Whiz]

Yes, me too. A tragic suicide pact.

And me. I even thought they were going get intimate at one point, the way she was looking at him ("you were the best"); but suicide pact more likely. Glad they didn't though

[DavidLloydIsAHero]

Yes, me too. A tragic suicide pact.

And me. I even thought they were going to snog at one point, the way she was looking at him (and "you were the best"); but suicide pact more likely. Glad they didn't though!

There is definitely more to come from those two I think.

I guess that is why we didn't have a major loss in episode 3, all the main characters feel like they have unfinished business. Does make me think we could be heading for a very non GoT ending where the good guys win and live

[Spinynorman]

Great stuff although I think I would have liked the last battle to be with the dead rather than Kings Landing. For ages I had thought that Arya might kill the night king but then they fooled me completely by getting me to focus on John Snow throughout the end of the episode and then up she popped.

[Billy Whiz]

I have to say I'm not wild about Jon Snow and Daenerys riding on the back of dragons. Apart from there being no way they could ever have held on, it smacks too much of Harry Potter for me. In order for us to believe in what is a very sophisticated fantasy it has to make sense within its own parameters, and not start wandering into a different genre. Dragons yes, but people riding around on top of them? Nah

[Zimmerman]

Twitter is ace at times like this.

Loads of geeks sharing the little tidbits that have led to this.

Bran gave Arya the dagger whilst under the tree
Arya sneaked up on Jon under that tree and he asked her how she managed that
Arya sparring with Brienne and she did the old dagger juggle before going for the kill (although the finale last night was a bit cuter than that).

[forestfan]

I have to say I'm not wild about Jon Snow and Daenerys riding on the back of dragons. Apart from there being no way they could ever have held on, it smacks too much of Harry Potter for me. In order for us to believe in what is a very sophisticated fantasy it has to make sense within its own parameters, and not start wandering into a different genre. Dragons yes, but people riding around on top of them? Nah

That one certainly isn’t a case of the showrunners getting carried away for the sake of TV spectacle, though - Targaryens riding dragons appears to be a mainstay of the author’s backstory associated with the Westeros world. Presumably it’s just another one of their inherited powers, like the immunity to fire... although why Jon agreed to try it before he (or Dany) knew he was “qualified” is perhaps questionable!

[DavidLloydIsAHero]

The show has avoided a lot of the magic/fantasy elements of the books to lend itself more realism, but certain parts are so plot central they have to bring them in and they do appear out of place at times compared to the books, in which the magic is a more integral part of the narrative.

[Arch Stanton]

Hated the second episode, they opted for a calm before the storm approach whereas I would have prefer a ramping up of tension focussing on the approaching wight army. It was slow and a bit boring.

I have to say I loved the battle episode, I was tense all the way through it. Unfortunately in order to create that tension they presented the undead as blood thirsty, relentless maniacs which is absolutely right but makes it very unlikely that anyone could survive being isolated and surrounded by them for any period of time but that is exactly what Jon Snow, Jamie, Brienne and Sam did. Hell even Theon managed to hold them off for an unrealistic amount of time. I can buy how Arya survived using stealth but the rest of them in that situation - nee chance. Following on from this, I also feel that they fall into the marvel/superhero trap of making a villain so powerful that he appears unbeatable but ultimately is beaten in quite an unspectacular way.

I know it is a very common criticism but it was far too dark, it was such a spectacle that it deserved to be seen properly. They could have lit it so it was dark but still visible at least, the way they chose to light it made some scenes completely incomprehensible. Imagine the Jack Nicholoson scene in a Few Good Men where he says 'you can't handle the truth' being whispered or mumbled instead of shouted. Some things are meant to be seen/heard properly and that battle was one of them. I kept thinking this is too dark or I can't see it properly, when really i should have been totally immersed.

Those gripes and frustrations aside, it was epic.

[Billy Whiz]

I think the darkness helped create an appropriate sense of confusion and chaos, so I didn't really mind it. It also helped disguise the fact that, as you say, Jon Snow, Jamie, Brienne etc couldn't realistically have survived the onslaught.

[Beerfuelledman]

On the one hand I agree with you, but on the other its hard to accede completely to cries of "realism" in a battle where an imaginary race all had their swords set on fire by the Magic of The Lord of Light and charge against the risen dead accompanied by two fire breathing dragons

[Arch Stanton]

That is the suspension of disbelief and believe something surreal and/or illogical for the sake of enjoyment which of course is necessary to enjoy something like this or Star Wars, Marvel stuff etc. Personally my suspension of disbelief is fine with dragons, wights and magic because they are cornerstones of the show but tends to weaken a bit at lone individuals being able to single handily fend off what has been built up throughout the show as a super army - either it is a super army or it isn't. Of course, I take your point though.

[forestfan]

So, what next then? When the dust settles on Winterfell (and there will be plenty of it), Dany and Jon will realise they’ve lost nearly all the Dothraki and Unsullied... while there’s a number of “big name” survivors, there surely won’t be an army in any shape to take on Cersei and her mercenaries.

While I suppose Dany could possibly send a raven to Daario Naharis in Meereen for reinforcements, the only obvious weapon she has immediately available to her is the dragons, and the nuclear option she wanted to avoid in the last series - burning King’s Landing to the ground, and following her father’s intended route...