Game of Thrones: The Long Night

Probably contains spoilers so don’t read on if you haven’t watched or don’t care. If you’re one of the apparently small percentage of people that HAVE NEVER SEEN A SINGLE EPISODE OF GAME OF THRONES then this is not a post for you. From now I can assume most people have watched that episode of Game of Thrones and I’ve seen so many reactions to it across social media and from friends and family. As a casual viewer or fan of the show alone I completely see how epic it was and I agree, but part of me is actually a little bit disappointed by the storyline and here’s why.

Firstly, I am not just a casual fan, my knowledge of Game of Thrones doesn’t just span the TV show but the books, the world, the extras and so on. I love the world that George R.R. Martin has created and I am very hopeful that the remaining books will come out and there will be a more complete picture. So I can look at Season 8 Episode 3 through two sets of eyes I suppose. The first as someone that just appreciates the show that has been created by some fantastic writers and the second from someone that is a huge fan of A Song and Ice and Fire (the book series). But it’s not just a currently 5 (actually 7) book saga because there is so much more. And I have read a good portion of them. So, I like to think I know my stuff.

As someone that enjoys the show, I can not dispute that it was epic. The acting throughout was absolutely outstanding. Every sequence was gripping, the cinematography was stunning. There was amazing camera shots, in the thick of it action and fighting shots and the entire time you were thrown from character to character the episode kept you going. It was full of ups and downs. It was insane and no wonder it was the biggest battle ever shown in TV History. I’ve watched the making of the episode and I give real credit and thanks to the people that worked on it and made it so amazing. They delivered something that surpasses all other fights on the show.

But…and they say everything you say before you say But isn’t really important. It’s like I’m just buttering people up really isn’t it? Honestly, the episode I can not fault. As a standalone episode it was brilliant, shocking and surprising but here’s where I do find fault

Arya…Really?

Looking back it does make sense that what Arya was doing throughout lead you to see she would be the one to kill the Night King. Melisandre knew she was vital, Bran knew she would need the Valyrian steel dagger, Melisandre reminded her again of what she had to do and it clicked. The move she used to kill the Night King was brilliant. It was shocking and unexpected. I have to give credit to Maisie Williams too who has played Arya so well. She is my favourite character in the book by far. But Arya wasn’t the prince that was promised so part of me doesn’t really get why it was her.

The Prince Who?

Looking from the book there has been a Night’s King but the Night King we see in the show, the king of the Wight Walkers, hasn’t yet been introduced – if he will be – but the prophecy of Azor Ahai reborn is a really strong theme in the book – the one that will end The Long Night. Arya doesn’t really fit that prophecy. We don’t really know who The Prince that Was Promised (or Princess as the translation is Gender Neutral) but it has pretty much always been assumed it was Jon or Dany. Arya might be considered a “Princess of the North” if Jon was still King of the North – although she isn’t because she’s Jon’s cousin, not brother, and Jon bent the knee. So I don’t know.

I kind of feel what was the point really in introducing the prophecy because it was never about who would sit on the Iron Throne. I feel like I still have questions and I was hoping episode 3 of season 8 on Game of Thrones would answer more of my questions.

The Night King is no more…

He died quickly. Too quickly. I felt like it was done right, I just question why Arya was the one to do it. She’s trained to be a Faceless Man, an assasin, so I get why she was trained to kill but what I don’t get is how that makes her the right one to kill the Night King. I wonder if it will even happen in the books the same way, if it does, because I sort of felt Arya was chosen to do it because the writers wanted a young girl to be the real heroine. We also saw that in Lyanna Morments final moments I think.

But most frustratingly there isn’t a moment in the episode where you find out why. Why did the Night King do what he did, who was he, and why was Bran his target? I don’t know what will happen in the remaining three episodes but I really hope some of those questions are tied up and answered.

Is Cersei REALLY end boss? Really?

I don’t get it that Cersei is the big finale bad guy. I don’t believe she’s actually pregnant and if she is I think we may see a repeat death from the Red Wedding. Euron is just annoying. I don’t see him as being a big threat. He is nothing compared to Ramsay Bolton, or even Joffery to be honest. I know she’s going to die, I am pretty confident Jamie will be the one to kill her and I think it will end a little Romeo and Juliet. But she’s just locked up in her keep with a big army. The next big battle is just not even going to compare to The Long Night.

Where is Bronn?

Bronn is apparently on his way to Winterfell to kill Jamie and Tyrion. I don’t think he’ll do it to be honest. I’ll be surprised if he does. I think we’ll find out what’s going on there in the next episode to be honest.

The Best Moments from The Long Night

There were quite a few stand out moments for me. Firstly, the scene where you see the lights go out from the Dothraki was epic. It just went to show how horrible and huge this fight was going to be. The fighting with Jamie and Briene was a fantastic echo to their first fight on the bridge in season 3. They’re together fighting side by side and helping each other up when the other gets overwhelmed. I think we all realised just how hard the Night King was prepared to fight was during his little showdown with Jon and he raised all the dead back up. It could have been a devastating, never ending Long Night. The moment between Sansa and Tyrion was incredibly touching in the Crypt too.

The Deaths from The Long Night

I honestly expected more big character death’s in this episode. How Grey Worm is still alive I can not even say. I’m currently taking it that if I didn’t see them die then they’re fine so fingers crossed Tormund and Pod are still alive. Sam should be dead the amount of times he was overwhelmed but I think he’s got the protection of plot armor. Ed’s death was expected, and I’m glad it was a quick kill. I also correctly predicted the death of Lyanna Morment and I actually liked her scene with the giant. I also had a feeling we would be saying goodbye to Theon from the moment he said he’d protect Bran in the Godswood. The only one I didn’t expect was Jorah, and that really did get me feeling all the emotions. Particularly when Drogon comes back and curls around them both.

How I’d Love To See it End

Honestly, I think we’re going to say goodbye to Dany and the dragons, I can’t see her being queen after all this. It would almost be too perfect as she’s had so many “wins” that giving her the final win would be overkill. However, it could happen.

But I’d actually like to see Gendry on the throne and Jon remaining king in the north. Two kings bringing peace between Baratheon (because Jon could actually name Gendry as the last living male of the Baratheon line as technically, he is the rightful king) and Targaryen after a rebellion that started it all in the very begining when Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark betraying Robert Baratheon in the very beginning, ran off together to get married in secret.