Television Game of Thrones (TV) • The watch has ended

They were created thousands of years ago to destroy mankind but then disappeared to the point people thought it was myth.

The NK clearly had the resources to do this anytime he wanted, so why now? What was the trigger point (there were dragons between the time of their creation and now. Also he started the march south before Dany got her dragons).

How do you know he had the resources to do this any time he wanted? Didn't he expand his army by getting those babies from that incest guy beyond the wall?

It was repeated often that it would be one of the biggest winters and that his army was the biggest it's ever been. It makes sense that they invade now.

If the fact they didn't spell out everything about it bothers you then watch the prequel they'll make about it.

To make them out to be some sort of 'they are evil just cos' is pathetic. No character in the show has been black/white or good/evil - so to make the NK just evil with a single thought and having no logic is poor writing

This happened 3 years ago when they literally showed them being created and told you exactly why they were created... I'm not sure what the confusion here is.
 
Again, you've ignored my point. Explain to me how allowing 40,000 of your troops to charge directly at an unknown enemy is a good strategy to aid the 'plan' detailed in Episode 2. I've not seen one valid explanation as to how they all thought using a large size of their force to rush the dead would help entice the NK down to Bran? Why if that was the plan would they use only a few Iron Born to protect Bran in the first place? It simply doesn't make sense to me, none of them were even armed with Valyrian Steel. So you're guarding your prized asset with a handful of men none of which were armed with the top dollar goods. Meanwhile you commit probably at least a third of your army at your enemy straight away. It just doesn't make sense.

I don't think the writers needed to explain things better. If the Dothraki rode out without being ordered to then a simple "why are they attacking" shout from Jon to Daenerys would solve it. If they were ordered to attack then thats also a fine, again a simple line of dialogue would have fixed that in Episode 2 or even after they were crushed in Episode 3. You don't need to have a 10 minute war plan council, but having your audience accept that they would order the Dothraki to do what they did is a huge leap of faith.

Noted you don't like LOTR. :(

I didn't ignore your point at all. I just don't think you are trying to understand.

The writers did need to explain things better. Your suggestion of a line of Jon saying their attack was one of passion and not part of the plan is literally the writers explaining it better. And I also said some scenes could have been shot different to be less Hollywood style. I can think of 3-4 reasons why the Dothraki might have charged but I don't know which one it is because they didn't have some explanation.

But the strategy was lure the Night King to attack Bran and then ambush the Night King not Defend the Walls at All Costs. I still don't think you really acknowledge that. The plan wasn't really to protect Bran in the first place but to use him as bait. They aren't trying to fight some battle around Bran but get the Night King himself out in the open.

Also you are ignoring other options like what I believe is Martin's plan for the books (hint: maybe consider the 'Night King' wasn't actually going to kill Bran)
 
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I didn't ignore your point at all. I just don't think you are trying to understand.

The writers did need to explain things better. Your suggestion of a line of Jon saying their attack was one of passion and not part of the plan is literally the writers explaining it better. And I also said some scenes could have been shot different to be less Hollywood style.

But the strategy was lure the Night King to attack Bran and then ambush the Night King not Defend the Walls at All Costs. I still don't think you really acknowledge that. The plan wasn't really to protect Bran in the first place but to use him as bait. They aren't trying to fight some battle around Bran but get the Night King himself out in the open.

Also you are ignoring other options like what I believe is Martin's plan for the books (hint: maybe consider the 'Night King' wasn't actually going to kill Bran)

I understand the strategy. To lure the NK to Bran has two outcomes:

1. You intercept the NK before he gets there (he never tried until the very end).
2. The NK gets to Bran and you need a Plan B.

The Plan B was to have roughly 20 Iron Born and Theon protect him. Not so good. Plan A was to have both Dragons intecept the NK (would be great if the NK didn't know they had Dragons, but unfortunately he does and would be expecting them).

Surely a better plan, is to defend your assets, but have Brans side of the castle slightly weaker, encouraging the dead to attack that side and therefore luring the NK. We can discuss this for days, ultimately the plan worked (although they got extremely luck and it required some OP work from ninja Arya to save the day). To me the plan seemed shite and it resulted in the destruction of all three armies. Not so great.

Next time perhaps they should consider not sending out their troops in a head on collision course with an enemy far stronger.

As for the Books, I hope and I mean really, really hope that the entire storyline is different. I think George delaying the books is simply him protecting his own interests, he doesn't want to see this fail, it's his baby and his life. So if the audience hates the ending he gets a 2nd chance to solve it in his books. I'm probably being very naive though.
 
I liked the Arya twist when I first saw it but I'm appreciating it even more on second view. A sneaky assassin's attack was probably the only way you could beat the NK and she's the only one that could have done it.

On a side note, it amazes me that Dany gets such abuse by fans when Jon Snow is more one dimensional . He's the worst military commander ever and although the circumstances surrounding his character always change, he remains always the same person.
 
Maybe he was waiting on the dragons coming back into the world.

I thought that initially but there were dragons between there creation and now. Also they were marching south before the dragons were born. Or at least active in some form. The first scene of the show shows them, which was apparently the first time in centuries or something - Dany got her dragons at the end of season 1
 
Unbelievable episode. One of the greatest things I’ve ever watched. Some miserable fecks in here though. I agree with some of the gripes, but to think some people thought that the episode was garbage? Cop the feck on. If that was garbage you’ll never enjoy another episode of anything ever again.
My thoughts exactly. I said the same last night, one of the greatest TV episodes in my life.

I've tried to remember other TV episodes that came close but I've struggled. Perhaps the last push in Blackadder 4 or JR getting shot, but even those are a level below last night.
 
One slight complaint is I wish the ones who came out the tombs in the crypt were prominent characters from the past.
Some are saying this guy was Maester Luwin.

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But he's not a Stark so would he have been put to rest in the crypts?
 
I reckon the bulk of the next 3 fecking feature length episodes will be Jon and Dany's tiff, Cersei being bitter, Jack Sparrow, and another big battle. We might get 10 minutes of mountain/hound payoff, Jamie being glum for a moment and more of Arya's no death run.

Cos if you haven't heard the writing is shit. And they have to do more of it now.
 
I thought that initially but there were dragons between there creation and now. Also they were marching south before the dragons were born. Or at least active in some form. The first scene of the show shows them, which was apparently the first time in centuries or something - Dany got her dragons at the end of season 1
He could maybe foresee all that too but needed a full size dragon as a zombie baby dragon could be killed by Sam ffs.
 
it amazes me that Dany gets such abuse by fans when Jon Snow is more one dimensional . He's the worst military commander ever and although the circumstances surrounding his character always change, he remains always the same person.

I've never understood it, I think it probably starts with her "Wheres my Dwagons" meme. She's a far more interesting character than Jon Snow who as you say is very one dimensional, the moral compass for the show. With Daenerys you're never trully sure if she's a good character, she makes questionable decisions at times and seems to have zero empathy for the people she kills. She always teeters between being a good character and being evil.

I tend to prefer hated characters though, I loved Joffers and thought Sansa has had a really interesting character arc. I guess people just like nice guys. *yawns* :p
 
Unbelievable episode. One of the greatest things I’ve ever watched. Some miserable fecks in here though. I agree with some of the gripes, but to think some people thought that the episode was garbage? Cop the feck on. If that was garbage you’ll never enjoy another episode of anything ever again.
Yeah I agree. I’ve never seen anything like that in a tv show. Tactically it was daft and they’ve kinda made the White Walkers seem like a sub plot but I enjoyed that entire episode last night. The Dothraki charging in with flaming swords was fantastic.

I thought the music was on point through out as well.
 
How do you know he had the resources to do this any time he wanted? Didn't he expand his army by getting those babies from that incest guy beyond the wall?

It was repeated often that it would be one of the biggest winters and that his army was the biggest it's ever been. It makes sense that they invade now.

If the fact they didn't spell out everything about it bothers you then watch the prequel they'll make about it.



This happened 3 years ago when they literally showed them being created and told you exactly why they were created... I'm not sure what the confusion here is.

How do you know he didn't have the resources? Other than his, in the end useless 5 bodyguards or so, all he needed was to walk around raising the dead. Pretty sure a lot of people died in those years. He'll, even if in the show they said he spent this time building up strength I'd have taken it but they didn't as far as I can remember.

The biggest winter? I must have missed the actual winter. A few drops of snow in the South is all I remember but that was pointless as nobody really below Winterfell knows what the feck happened. The army being the biggest is a given - he can raise the dead for goodness sake. It was going to be the biggest at anytime in point in history. It's an army that grows the more it advances

Yes they were created to stop the threat of mankind to protect the children of the forest. But unless I have forgotten, why did the NK kill it's creators? Was it because he was created against his will and hated it? If so, then why the hell is he going along with the action of trying to destroy mankind if that's not what he actually wanted? Or was it because they were now stopping him from progressing and destroying mankind? Which still doesn't explain why now he decided to take action. Also how does it fully work with Bran etc.?

In my view there was absolutely no closure to the WW story. They in the end gave up writing about them and just killed them off as quick as they could

An actual reason why now in the last episode, even if it was something idiotic like 'the NK wanted to have a crew of 10 deep before trying to kill mankind' is better than no reason whatsoever.
 
He could maybe foresee all that too but needed a full size dragon as a zombie baby dragon could be killed by Sam ffs.

But wasn't Dany's dad/grandad or whatever, his dragon even bigger? I'm thinking the of skull of the one they saw in the dungeons in the earlier seasons
 
I understand the strategy. To lure the NK to Bran has two outcomes:

1. You intercept the NK before he gets there (he never tried until the very end).
2. The NK gets to Bran and you need a Plan B.

The Plan B was to have roughly 20 Iron Born and Theon protect him. Not so good. Plan A was to have both Dragons intecept the NK (would be great if the NK didn't know they had Dragons, but unfortunately he does and would be expecting them).

The Ironborn were never there to protect Bran They were there to die a warrior's death defending Winterfell to regain their lost honor for Theon's betrayal. That sacrifice was for their redemption not Bran's security.

Also consider:
1. Arya was Plan B. Again, the writers said in the Behind the Scenes bit that they intentionally always had that as part of the plan but they didn't want to show the audience and ruin the surprise. I prefer the surprise.
2. Bran was misleading them to some degree and did not actually care if the human forces won or not.

Surely a better plan, is to defend your assets, but have Brans side of the castle slightly weaker, encouraging the dead to attack that side and therefore luring the NK. We can discuss this for days, ultimately the plan worked (although they got extremely luck and it required some OP work from ninja Arya to save the day). To me the plan seemed shite and it resulted in the destruction of all three armies. Not so great.

Oh no, that's a bad idea. Packing everyone in the castle would have been a horrible strategy and resulted in a loss. Here are the problems with it:
  • Every influential figure there (Tyrion, Varys, Daenerys, Samwelll Tarly, Sansa, Bran, Jamie, Melisandre) knows the story of Aegon the Conqueror and Harrenhal. When built King Harren declared the fortress castle of Harrenhal impregnable and impossible to siege. Then Aegon simply said Dracarys and burned everyone in the castle alive. That Ice Dragon has similar powers and Winterfell is no fecking Harrenhal as Theon proved.
  • You leave the Dragons vulnerable. We already saw the Night King's ice javelin's ability. If you have everyone packed in the castle the two Dragons are either vulnerable or have to keep a long distance away otherwise they risk getting sniped by the ice javelins.
  • They already said the Night King could just sit at the back of the army and they lose to overwhelming numbers in a battle of attrition (the dead don't eat or need supplies or morale either). and again Winterfell is a shit siege defense castle because it wasn't built that way, that's what the Wall was for.
  • You spread out the battle and any potential resurrection of the undead (which had to be anticipated by the minds there) would have less effect than if everyone was in tight quarters.
So there is definitely some easy logic on why they didn't just hole up in the castle like good old King Harren the Toasted. And the Dothraki spearheading and making an unpredictable attack certainly fits a few different plot lines. And you are right they really just needed a handful of liens interspersed to make everything make more sense so they fluffed their opportunities there.
 
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How do you know he didn't have the resources? Other than his, in the end useless 5 bodyguards or so, all he needed was to walk around raising the dead. Pretty sure a lot of people died in those years. He'll, even if in the show they said he spent this time building up strength I'd have taken it but they didn't as far as I can remember.

The biggest winter? I must have missed the actual winter. A few drops of snow in the South is all I remember but that was pointless as nobody really below Winterfell knows what the feck happened. The army being the biggest is a given - he can raise the dead for goodness sake. It was going to be the biggest at anytime in point in history. It's an army that grows the more it advances

Yes they were created to stop the threat of mankind to protect the children of the forest. But unless I have forgotten, why did the NK kill it's creators? Was it because he was created against his will and hated it? If so, then why the hell is he going along with the action of trying to destroy mankind if that's not what he actually wanted? Or was it because they were now stopping him from progressing and destroying mankind? Which still doesn't explain why now he decided to take action. Also how does it fully work with Bran etc.?

In my view there was absolutely no closure to the WW story. They in the end gave up writing about them and just killed them off as quick as they could

An actual reason why now in the last episode, even if it was something idiotic like 'the NK wanted to have a crew of 10 deep before trying to kill mankind' is better than no reason whatsoever.

I'm pretty sure we saw the White Walkers approaching Winterfell this episode and there were like a dozen of them? But they only had 6 or so visible during the Bran scene.

Given that several White Walkers have already died since Season 1, it probably meant the NK had like 15+ White Walkers. Which seems to tally up because I seem to recall there were like a dozen or so figures when the NK turned the baby way back in Season 3?
 
The Ironborn were never there to protect Bran They were there to die a warrior's death defending Winterfell to regain their lost honor for Theon's betrayal. That sacrifice was for them not Bran.

Also consider:
1. Arya was Plan B. Again, the writers said in the Behind the Scenes bit that they intentionally always had that as part of the plan but they didn't want to show the audience and ruin the surprise. I prefer the surprise.
2. Bran was misleading them to some degree and did not actually care if the human forces won or not.

Pretty sure last episode Theon specifically said he would protect Bran when the question was raised on who should protect him. Yes there was added symbolism in Theons wish to defend Bran, but that was still his objective. It's like 3am so I can't be bothered to check dialogue.

Oh no, that's a bad idea. Packing everyone in the castle would have been a horrible strategy and resulted in a loss. Here are the problems with it:
  • Every influential figure there (Tyrion, Varys, Daenerys, Samwelll Tarly, Sansa, Bran, Jamie, Melisandre) knows the story of Aegon the Conqueror and Harrenhal. When built King Harren declared the fortress castle of Harrenhal impregnable and impossible to siege. Then Aegon simply said Dracarys and burned everyone in the castle alive. That Ice Dragon has similar powers and Winterfell is no fecking Harrenhal as Theon proved.
  • You leave the Dragons vulnerable. We already saw the Night King's ice javelin's ability. If you have everyone packed in the castle the two Dragons are either vulnerable or have to keep a long distance away otherwise they risk getting sniped by the ice javelins.
  • They already said the Night King could just sit at the back of the army and they lose to overwhelming numbers in a battle of attrition (the dead don't eat or need supplies or morale either). and again Winterfell is a shit siege defense castle because it wasn't built that way, that's what the Wall was for.
So there is definitely some easy logic on why they didn't just hole up in the castle like good old King Harren the Toasted. And the Dothraki spearheading and making an unpredictable attack certainly fits a few different plot lines. And you are right they really just needed a handful of liens interspersed to make everything make more sense so they fluffed their opportunities there.

The problem with your argument here is that Harrenhal had no Dragons, Winterfell did. The Dothraki died instantly anyway whilst they did a charge, if they remained in the castle and sacrificed their horses (left them outside the castle walls) then they'd have been able to hold out longer. Feck they could have had the Dothraki behind the Unsullied/Northners. Jon seemed to survive ok against several blasts from the Ice Dragon whilst hiding behind a rock (sigh). The Dragons were already vunerable to being sniped no matter what they did, that was always part of the risk, but firing a javelin from a flying Dragon is extremely difficult. He found it difficult to hit Drogon last Season during the Lake Scene when he was on the ground and missed again this Episode. It seems more of a case that he actually got lucky taking down the Dragon last season.

Alright, if point 3 is to believed thats all fine. So attack during the day when all the humans can actually see whats coming. Instead they decide to wait for darkness and then attack because they believe that will help...?

Being unpredictable is a good strategy, having flaming swords at night which means that you stand out reduces all stealth approach and renders the whole thing pointless. There was no unpredictable strategy because the NK could see the Dothraki charging with the flaming swords. Whats worse is the Dothraki with the flaming swords can't actually see anything, so all you've done is give away your position. Ironically Mel actually aided the Night King with that 'aid' but it did look cool from Daenerys hilltop position.
 
But wasn't Dany's dad/grandad or whatever, his dragon even bigger? I'm thinking the of skull of the one they saw in the dungeons in the earlier seasons
He perhaps didn't have the numbers then since his original army in the long winter was decimated.
And he may also need a real winter to descend on the lands before he brings his own winter before he can go south.
 
Pretty sure last episode Theon specifically said he would protect Bran when the question was raised on who should protect him. Yes there was added symbolism in Theons wish to defend Bran, but that was still his objective. It's like 3am so I can't be bothered to check dialogue.



The problem with your argument here is that Harrenhal had no Dragons, Winterfell did. The Dothraki died instantly anyway whilst they did a charge, if they remained in the castle and sacrificed their horses (left them outside the castle walls) then they'd have been able to hold out longer. Feck they could have had the Dothraki behind the Unsullied/Northners. Jon seemed to survive ok against several blasts from the Ice Dragon whilst hiding behind a rock (sigh). The Dragons were already vunerable to being sniped no matter what they did, that was always part of the risk, but firing a javelin from a flying Dragon is extremely difficult. He found it difficult to hit Drogon last Season during the Lake Scene when he was on the ground and missed again this Episode. It seems more of a case that he actually got lucky taking down the Dragon last season.

Alright, if point 3 is to believed thats all fine. So attack during the day when all the humans can actually see whats coming. Instead they decide to wait for darkness and then attack because they believe that will help...?

Being unpredictable is a good strategy, having flaming swords at night which means that you stand out reduces all stealth approach and renders the whole thing pointless. There was no unpredictable strategy because the NK could see the Dothraki charging with the flaming swords. Whats worse is the Dothraki with the flaming swords can't actually see anything, so all you've done is give away your position. Ironically Mel actually aided the Night King with that 'aid' but it did look cool from Daenerys hilltop position.

1. The dragons would be much more vulnerable if everyone else was inside the castle because they would have have to hover (which was bad) or keep away. Then the Night King could just sit back and let the dead win in a battle of attrition as they mentioned in previous episode.
2. Also already explained several reasons but even beyond that its pretty silly to expect a horse riding culture of honor to fight on the walls. (In the Behind the Scenes its already explained that the Dothraki just attack because thats what they know and Daeny can't stand to see them die which messes up the plan - again could have been explained better.
3. Plot armor. I already said some scenes should have been shot different. Jon's ice blast was obviously one of them. Yes the blast that took down the Wall could be stopped by a stupid rock pile. That shot was indeed awful, agreed on that.
4. Its not Drogon and Daenerys I would be worried but Rhaegal and inexperienced dragon riding Jon Snowgaryen. I wouldn't trust Jon to evade an ice javelin.
5. The Night King brings the Night. Literally. There is no "attack during the day" option mate ;)
 
I thought it was amazing. I’m sure some will pick it to pieces, as that’s part of the fun of a TV show that everyone is talking about, but as a spectacle it was epic. My only gripe is that we may never know more about the night king’s motives and origin, which would be a bit slack and not really fitting with the nuance of most of the characters.

On to the real game of thrones to finish the series!
 
Your suggestion is illogical though. Their goal was not to defend the walls and prevent a siege. Their goal was to lure the Night King out in the open with Bran as bait.

They already explained in the last episode that they couldn't have "held out comfortably". That was the whole point of last episode.

As I said they needed to explain it better but the suggestion that they "should have just defended the walls" like this was some bog standard siege is nonsensical and misses the point of the entire battle (Lure Out the Night King not Defend the Walls at All Costs).

The original plan was for Jon and Dany to isolate and take out the Night King whilst their forces held off the dead army, but that plan was fecked immediately because Jon and Dany had to jet off to stop the dead slaughtering the army they unaccountably left the wrong side of the huge stone walls.

Surely the best way to lure the Night King out would have been to thwart his zombie-rush Plan A by holding the most defensible position and forcing him to take to the field to intervene? As it panned out, the decision to attempt to fight outside the castle directly harmed the plan, because it meant that the Night King barely had to involve himself in the battle and where Jon and Dany were spending half their time napalming zombies instead of trying to kill the Night King.
 
The original plan was for Jon and Dany to isolate and take out the Night King whilst their forces held off the dead army, but that plan was fecked immediately because Jon and Dany had to jet off to stop the dead slaughtering the army they unaccountably left the wrong side of the huge stone walls.

Surely the best way to lure the Night King out would have been to thwart his zombie-rush Plan A by holding the most defensible position and forcing him to take to the field to intervene?
As it panned out, the decision to attempt to fight outside the castle directly harmed the plan, because it meant that the Night King barely had to involve himself in the battle and where Jon and Dany were spending half their time napalming zombies instead of trying to kill the Night King.

They couldn't win a battle of attrition. They couldn't just turtle.
 
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I think this was Arya, just before the NK tries to pull out his sword to kill Bran, this scene was shown and the WW looked at the camera. This was Arya taking a WW's face. Just after this scene, she attacks the NK.
 
They were created thousands of years ago to destroy mankind but then disappeared to the point people thought it was myth.

The NK clearly had the resources to do this anytime he wanted, so why now? What was the trigger point (there were dragons between the time of their creation and now. Also he started the march south before Dany got her dragons).

To make them out to be some sort of 'they are evil just cos' is pathetic. No character in the show has been black/white or good/evil - so to make the NK just evil with a single thought and having no logic is poor writing

It was craster sacrificing all his sons to the NK to remake all the WWs.
 
I would agree with those saying the ending was very anticlimax and plot armour for main characters certainly took away from episode what otherwise was a great battle. NK you’ll be missed.
 
I think it’s implied she has some sneaky shadow stepping speciality shit she’s showing. Hence the noise of the blood drops giving her away, but not her footsteps.

I mean, she rips the faces off dead people and takes on their appearance and mannerisms. Some soft stepping specialization shenanigans isn’t a big leap from there.
That's one hell of an alliteration!!
 
How do you know this and surely Bran wants the humanoids to win, and if not, why not?

I don't know, its just my guess.

And I just use Bran as short hand for what is actually the Three Eyed Raven which Bran has repeatedly said he is more than just Bran. I believe there is some connection between the Three Eyed Raven (who was once Bloodraven Brynden Rivers and is now Bran) and the Night King.
 
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I think this was Arya, just before the NK tries to pull out his sword to kill Bran, this scene was shown and the WW looked at the camera. This was Arya taking a WW's face. Just after this scene, she attacks the NK.

Not Arya. He felt the breeze of something moving fast behind him.
 
I was expecting a big reveal about who NK actually is. That was a huge disappointment for me. I really hope there's some backstory to NK and they don't leave it just like that.