Calling all Game of Thrones Fans!

wanderlustsoul

So GOT doesn't air here until 24 hours after the American premiere, which means I spent Monday on a complete social media blackout to avoid spoilers and have to do it EVERY SINGLE MONDAY. AH. 

Anyways, I liked the episode! They got a lot out the way for the season (reunions, telling Jon about parenthood, etc.). Tormund is ALIVE yayyyy. Potential babies with Brienne!!! Haha. 

I'm so excited for next episode.

I also liked the new intro! It was so detailed and great to see things that we haven't seen before in that way. 

Cersei...I can't even. Bronn would never kill Jamie or Tyrion. He is loyal to both so I hope he joins their side though I did think Jamie had taken him on his journey so I was surprised to see him in King's Landing. I liked how Cersei was all "you should earn a queen" and then turned around and gave him it all. I hate Euron so much and I can't even watch his scenes. The actor is terrible to me. 

MamaK225

@AKuzReve - I'm right there with you with Euron. And don't feel bad, we don't watch GOT until Mondays because everyone in our house is asleep by 8:30-9:00. We've basically done it since DD1 was born (she's July, so thankfully it was after the season was over ). Can you get an HBOnow subscription via Hulu or Sling? It might be worth the $30-40/mo for those few months to be able to watch it "on time" ... one of my friends actually gets up at 5a to watch it Monday mornings before work. I'm not *that* committed, Monday at 18:30 works just fine for me.

Now, thinking back on it ... I absolutely LOVED Jaime's reaction to seeing Bran and weird-@ss Bran barely even had a reaction. Is a little smirk too much to ask? Sometimes being all-knowing/all-seeing makes you kind of lame.

zamoraspin

I never joined in this thread before the premiere but I'm also a fan...

On theories: I hope Tyrion is not a Targaryen. While I get the theory and it makes a certain level of sense I don't think anyone is going to ride the third dragon aside from the Night King and possibly Bran (in the sense that Bran may be able to warg into the dragon). I also think the emotional weight of Tyrion's fraught relationship with Tywin and the way that ended is a little lost if Tyrion is really not Tywin's son. I think he kept saying that because he didn't WANT Tyrion to be his son. I also don't think there should be a second big reveal of lineage in general. The show took SO LONG to confirm Jon's parentage that any attempt to hurriedly establish a similar second reveal is going to fall flat and seem lame.

I am fascinated by the Bran - Night King theory and I think there's something to it, although it may be more of a connection than him actually being the Night King. The Night King seems to know something about the future, or at least that's the only reasoning I can see for what happened with the northern expedition in Season 7. He and his horde had that little band of heroes surrounded and they basically just waited it out until the dragon got there. The unfrozen lake between the horde and the heroes should mean nothing to a dude who can freeze stuff, andplusalso, he could have ice javelined the heroes easily. Instead he just hung out and waited for the dragons to show up, as if he knew they would. 

Wants: I really hope we find out what the Night King wants. Does he just want to kill and terrify every living thing or is there something he is looking for? I like the theory that there is something important under Winterfell, which was built by Bran the Builder. Is that what he's after?

I also went from team Dany early on/most seasons to really hoping she is NOT in charge of the 7 kingdoms at the end. She talks the breaking the wheel talk, but she doesn't walk the walk. I think that became apparent in season 7 especially and was on full display this last episode. What was she about to say she was going to do to Sansa if she doesn't obey her? 

Predictions: Most characters are going to die, but Sansa and Arya are going to live. The battle of Winterfell is going to go poorly for the living. Cersei is going to get those elephants, dammit. 

suzycupcake

Does anyone else wish the writers of the show would pass the baton to @zamora_spin after reading that?

sourlemon

There's a few lineage paths that are hinted at in the books but I don't see how they can get to it in time. 

Cersei and Jamie being the children of the Mad King. Tyrion being Tywins only bio kid. 

Night King being either a Stark or Targaryen. 

There's a few more but those others have already been killed off by how the show has progressed. But like I said, the show can't possibly do too many more tangents with only 5 episodes remaining. 

The symbol the Night King keeps leaving looks slightly like a Targaryen sigil. It's probably a hint to either what it wants or who it is. It's a possibility that it needs the Targaryen to help break the spell (ie fire to break ice). 

One thing we can be sure of: we will know a lot more in 5.5 weeks.

zamoraspin

@suzycupcake Oh dear no, I definitely don't have the aptitude and would not want that responsibility! With the exception of much of season 7 (too rushed and that may not have been entirely the writers' fault) I think the writing is really good on GOT. 
@sourlemon Agree. I haven't read all the books but understand there's a fair amount left out. Another lineage reveal might make more sense in the books than it in the show at this late stage. I have seen that re: Night King symbol and Targaryen sigil. My understanding is that it's more clear in the books but Targaryen's are the only ones who can ride a dragon, so that has also made me wonder what the Night King's lineage is although maybe it's different if the dragon has been wighted/white walker'd. Not sure exactly how they'll pull off a reveal like that but hopefully they can do so in short order if true. It would be an interesting timeline thing since in theory the Targaryens came to Westeros well after the Long Night. 

olivemomma

2 episodes in! What were everyone’s thoughts on lasts nights show??

I thought it was a GREAT episode. One of the first in a long time to not really rely on special effects - just great character interaction. Tormund may officially be my favorite character, he’s so great and I appreciate the comic relief. I think Brienne receiving her long overdue and well deserved knighthood is a top 10 moment in the series in an episode packed with many great moments.

Next week we will obviously be losing a lot of characters and I’m fearful that some of the heartwarming moments from last night are setting the stage for their departures. I don’t want to lose any of them!

I am also starting to be convinced that one of my big theories coming into this season (that Jon and Danny made a little love baby and she will die in childbirth) isn’t going to happen. I felt really confident of this one but the next episode will obviously be all about the battle and I don’t think they can introduce a pregnancy, have enough time pass for it to be viable, and then kill her from said pregnancy over the course of 3 episodes - it would be too rushed. Which begs the question what will happen to her because I really thought I had that one in the bag??

aukeev

I agree, great episode. With as little "action" as there was, it never felt slow, which to me just further reinforces the outstanding writing and character development. 

Brienne being knighted was everything. Part of me wants Jaime to love her back, but the Tormund fangirl inside me is always rooting for him. I just can't see Brienne with someone as goofy as Tormund. 

Knowing the Battle of Winterfell will take place in the third episode as opposed to later in the show, it has me almost completely convinced the humans will win. What would they do with the other episodes if the Night King won at this point? Yes, I'm also afraid to lose some favorites. My heartbreaking predictions are that we will lose Brienne (especially after seeing that she was on the front line leading the North into battle), Tormund, Barrick (sp?), perhaps Jorah, Grey Worm, Theon (could not care less. I'm over that family.) and Bran. I'm also assuming Daeneryus will lose at least one more dragon, but I don't think it will be turned into a white. 

After Jon and Daeneryus' conversation in the crypt, I think she'll have to choose between saving Jon and saving one of her dragons in the next episode, so I'll be interested to see what she chooses. Her hunger for power seems to have grown so insatiable, like all Targaeryens, that they're set us up for her to let him die. 

I think Bronn will arrive in Winterfell on Cersei's orders, but will maybe end up dying saving Tyrion or Jaime instead of killing either of them. 

@olivemomma I agree with you on the pregnancy taking too long at this point. There are so many other story lines already unfolding. 

bluebonnet15

I loved Arya and Gendry’s steamy scene. If I thought I was about to die, pretty sure I’d take an Arya approach to it too! 

zamoraspin

@olivemomma I think the theory of Dany dying in childbirth is a good one but I agree it may be difficult to accomplish that in the remaining 4 (!) episodes. I agree with you and @oklahomak that it was a great episode and it was really nice to have an episode that relied entirely on the writing and acting instead of special effects and dramatic events. 
@oklahomak My initial prediction was that the battle for Winterfell is going to go poorly for the living. I am going back and forth on this. On the one hand the story is so much about the characters and the Night King is an unemotional antagonist so saving his defeat for the end of the season doesn't make as much sense as if the remaining part of the season is Cersei versus everyone else. At the same time they have built up the Night King as such a mighty foe that if he goes down to quickly and easily that also feels wrong. DH commented a fight between Cersei and everyone else as the focus on the second half of the season makes sense is if all the dragons die in the Winterfell battle/as a result of fighting the dead. 

Favorite moments from this episode (I'm probably missing some):
Sansa's reaction to Theon. Sansa has become an iron lady and it was moving to see her be emotional for a minute.
Arya and Gendry getting together!
Sam giving Jorah his family sword. 
Ser Brienne, at last. 
Finally having some idea what the Night King wants - he wants to kill the Three Eyed Raven. Although, this begs the question that I feel Bran should know the answer to, what does/is the Three Eyed Raven do to prevent stop the Long Night? What is Bran not telling us? 

Predictions for next week: Just so much death. Surely Theon will sacrifice himself to save a Stark, probably Bran. Guessing Jorah is also going down while defending his queen. I think Grey Worm is going to die by the end of the season but now do wonder if he'll make it through this battle and die later. Arya is going to cause a lot of destruction. At least one dragon dies, possibly more. 

Miscellaneous: Guys, can someone give the Hound a Valyrian steel sword? I liked that Jorah got that huge two-handed weapon but the Hound would physically be a better match for it. I guess he's going to have a big dragon glass axe and hopefully that does the job. 

sourlemon

I'm probably the only person around that thinks Arya's scene was out of character. I get why they did it though...she's been such a cold human for so long that they want to show the humanity. That was basically the entire point of last night's episode...show the humanity of all of these characters so that we cry next week when at least half of them die.

Overall, I thought the episode was good. Curious to find out what Bran told Tyrion about his strange journey and think (hope) it will have some significance later on. Dany is pissed that Jon has a stronger claim to the throne. She didnt seem concerned one bit that she was screwing her nephew and that the relationship is going to have to change, she was only concerned with power. The song that Pod sang probably foretold how that is going to work out for them.

My loose guess is that Winterfell will essentially fall next week. The humans wont "win", but some will survive and escape. There's going to be a lot of carnage. I'll definitely cry.

olivemomma

I’m also on team Winterfell is going down next week. It seems very unGOT to wrap up that huge story line in 1 episode with 3 still remaining after. Plus, Cersei needs to fight the dead! If anyone deserves their wrath it’s her!

So basically every major character save Cersei is currently at Winterfell. I feel there are really 6 big ones there (Jon, Danny, Sansa, Jamie, Tyrion, and Arya (Honorable mentions for Sam and Bran). At least a couple of them must fall next week, right? I keep just saying in my head it will be more of the secondary characters but I think at least 1 or 2 of the major players has to eat it. I can’t figure Out who makes sense though.

also, does anyone else feel it’s a little spooky that they keep saying the safest place is down in the crypts and that’s where they are hiding the non fighters?? The place that houses all of the dead while an army of dead capable of resurrecting the dead is passing through? They said it was safe so many times I lost count and makes me think it may actually be the most dangerous. 

Lotus_2008

@olivemomma I thought that same thing re: the crypts! If that is the case, it does not bode well for Gilly and little Sam. :-( 
Maybe the Night's King can only raise the dead that the white walkers and/or his army kill? 

zamoraspin

@olivemomma and @lotus_2008 That is very astute, I think you're right something bad is going to happen re the crypts. Poor Gilly. 

zamoraspin

Oops, and also @olivemomma idk, I could see most or all of the main characters surviving this fight, but do expect to lose some main characters by the end of the season. I hope Sansa makes it. She went from being so lame at the beginning of the series to being probably my favorite main character. 
@sourlemon I actually agree with you the Arya/Gendry thing was out of character somewhat. I was glad they got together anyway though. 

MamaK225

I didn't particularly "like" the Arya/Gendry thing, BUT I thought it was kind of a cute nod to one of the first episodes where Robert said something along the lines of "let's marry my son to your daughter" - though that was Joffrey/Sansa (? - this "geriatric pregnancy" has me forgetting EVERYTHING).

I don't like the idea of the crypts because I - too - feel something super creepy is going to happen, but I also think that the Night King can only animate/control those that have been killed by him/his army. So I'm thinking something supernatural along the lines of Bran being near the Weirwood might give him some sort of "super" ability to call on the Children of the Forest to get down there (can they travel through vines/roots?) and help defend or hide the women/children/non-fighters in the crypts at the very last second at some point. I don't know, just a thought.

TBH, I haven't been much Team Dany since the slaughter of the masters (though, I understand the sentiment) because that's when her Targaeryn started showing and I was pretty much immediately turned off by them via her brother/stories of her father/brother/etc; I cringed when Sansa made the point - though, I'm glad she did - to her about the North and Dany pulled away. I really wanted them to get along, but NOW I *know* that there's going to be a point where Jon's going to have to choose between Dany & The Starks (I'm assuming Sansa, but most likely Arya) AND it's going to be after Dany has to choose between Jon & a Dragon (and she will choose a dragon - and then be super sad/angered when Jon chooses Starks). I'm glad Sansa is coming into her own, but there's something about her I just can't get fully on-board with. She's got all the loyalty of the Starks and diplomacy of the Tullys ... but she's becoming a bit cold/self-righteous for me. I get it, she's been through more than nearly everyone - but ... let's take it down a notch.

Avrilmai

I know I'm super late to this, but I wanted to add I completely agree with the crypts concerns. I don't know if they could've hit us over the head with that any more. The safest place is the crypts. I lost count how many times it was said. So, clearly not safe. 

@zamora_spin I agree it seemed a bit out of character, but I thinking it was their attempt to show us that Arya is softening and being less robot-killer. I also think in any other season there would've been a lot more time of them flirting and it eventually going somewhere, but this shortened season has done away with some of that. 

@olivemomma @oklahomak I agree, I really enjoyed the episode and thought it was great to get back to the characters and away from the big set-pieces. Sure, those are great too, but the character building is what sets this show apart. 

As for losing characters, I'm super concerned about several people going down this week. I'm really worried about Arya, but I hope I'm wrong on that one. 

zamoraspin

@avrilmai I had Arya down to survive the season at the outset but I'm worried we got a send off for her last week 

agpandme

I loved Aryas steamy scene.  I 100% agree with the foreshadowing of the crypts.  Kind of hope Sansa doesn't make it out.  I can't stand her face anymore. She reminds me of Cersei and I don't trust her. 

MamaK225

@agpandme - Hahaha. That's one of my favorite phrases "I hate/love your face!"  

olivemomma

@Avrilmai I also worry about Arya (probably the most of the major characters left in play followed by Jamie for this episode) but feel before she dies she has to use a face as a way to help defeat the dead - if she doesn’t, what the heck was all that time spent in Bravos for?? I’m excited to see whose face it is

bluebonnet15

The GoT fans at my office all filled these out: 

A lot of my choices are wishful thinking...

Lotus_2008

How is everyone coping after last night's episode? 

Just in case:

RIP Lyanna Mormont!  

bluebonnet15

I was prepared for everyone to die, so the fact that anyone lived was a pleasant surprise.

We were all correct about the crypt being the FREAKING WORST IDEA. 

I just loved Sansa and Tyrion’s moment.

I almost peed when Arya jumped out. Def pregnancy problems! 

zamoraspin

@Lotus_2008

Rest In Power, Lyanna Mormont of Bear Island. 

I thought it was a great episode and if I weren't pregnant I would have been hitting the wine to calm the anxiety. 

My nits: 

• I gotta be honest I expected more named characters to die last night. I thought the deaths were all good deaths, but Grey Worm and his beach retirement plan making it through the night was very unexpected. Jorah had to go out fighting to protect Dany, I almost cared about Theon, Berric's end made a lot of sense, and the Red Witch finally nailed a prediction AND was arguably a top 5 MVP of the battle before she seemingly exhausted her magic and died. 

• I thought there were some tragically terrible tactics, "hey, let's have our un-armored cavalry rush into the darkness at the horde of undead." Nope, didn't work well, did it. Cool visual though. To Monday morning quarter back it, those trench/dragon glass combo things were the only really effective ground defense and they should have had multiple concentric arcs of those with the ends also closed off so that they did as much damage to the undead as possible with as little loss of life on the living side (guys, did Jon not give you the note that the Walkers can just RAISE UP YOUR DEAD?). They also should have planned to man the wall more heavily and with some method (boiling oil and fire?) to stop the wights from getting to the top. Instead they relied on a bunch of named characters who, unlike the Dothraki, wore a surprising amount of plot armor. 
• ETA -- Also it was very (visually) dark. The Twitter comments on that made me lol. "all jokes aside I’m very happy for the dark person shaped blur that did the thing with the other dark person shaped blur and [squints] a cat? I think?" https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/game-of-thrones-dark-battle-of-winterfell-cinematography-1203199892/

I want to brag on myself that DH and I did prediction sheets prior to the first episode and I had Arya down to kill the Night King. I also said to DH, when Jon was trying to get to Bran, "This is what's going to happen, Arya is going to kill the Night King." Between the reminder on the eyes -- "Brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes" -- and the fact that Arya looked like she was on a mission and then disappeared from view while everything was going to further $hit, that was the only thing that made sense to me. 

Cersei has green eyes, guys. I have been all for Jaime to kill her but keep in mind the show version of the prophecy about Cersei is missing the valonqar part. It's also been hypothesized that the word "valonqar just means "younger sibling" and not necessarily Cersei's younger sibling (Arya is a younger sibling). At the same time what is the point of Jaime living through the battle if he's not going to kill Cersei? Thoughts? 

Also, what do you think, can Jon and Dany repair their relationship and continue to work together or will their clash be the final battle? I'm torn on this. 

Lastly, what's up with the Night King giving Jon his most meaningful stare three times and not actually killing him? 

olivemomma

Okay I have a lot to say!

I’m going to give last nights episode a solid B+. All and all I thought they did a good job - I thought the opening shots were great and the appearance of the red woman/lighting the Dothraki swords only to see them all extinguish moments later was an amazing opener. Also just the sheer volume of white walkers was thrilling and really spoke to the ultimate killing power of them as a group. Really wonderful moments sprinkled in (The smallest fighter taking out a giant, Sansa and Tyrion in the crypts, the library scene, Jorah saving Danny and her dragon coming to console her, etc.).

However, I had several problems with the episode. I found the first 15-20 minutes (after the Dothraki vanished) really hard to watch. We have a top notch TV and I almost felt certain scenes were blurry and had aweful lighting. I think they were trying to disorient you to a point but I need to know what I’m looking at. Particularly the dragon scenes - I need to re watch it to see if I can piece it together a little more but the quality just seemed to be lacking.
The death toll - I think they did a great job showing the destructive capabilities of the dead, however, almost all of the characters we know survived. I’m not necessarily mad about that but I just don’t find it realistic. They showed them time and time again completely outnumbered by the dead yet they almost all prevailed. Even Jon - when the Knight King resurrected the dead all around him yet he made it out just isn’t believable. The crypts especially bothered me in this regard - I thought it was really exciting when the dead started breaking out but not one character of note down there was wiped out or even injured, just a bunch of extras. Does hiding down a little hallway really save you from the dead?? I don’t think so. It just seems to very not GOTs to give everyone an easy out.
i also think they gave the Arya killing the Knight King away a little too soon - as soon as she spoke to the red woman and left the hall looking all determined DH and I both thought it was pretty obvious she was the one to kill the Knight King. However, I do think using the dager that was meant to kill Bran back in season 1 to save him and all of humanity was pretty solid.
Finally, I think it’s a little anti-climatic that the dead are actually gone. Like this was the war to end all wars and now they are going to go fight Cersei?! That almost seems petty after what they all just went through. 

I guess i have to see how they wrap it up. It was obviously an incredibly difficult battle to shoot and I appreciate the complexity and a lot of what they did, but overall I found it a little too easy going giving way too many unrealistic outs to the characters and I’m not quite as pumped for the final 3 episodes now that the main threat of the show is gone.

EmilyA724

I agree with everyone's comments above. Overall it was a bad-ass intense episode. As strategically dumb as the dothraki plan was, watching their fire distinguish almost immediately freaked me the f out.

I LOVED Arya's killing of the Night King just because it was an absolute power moment and what her character has been working towards this entire time. I heard a theory a while ago that Jamie was going to reclaim the king-slayer title by killing the Night King, which I really liked, but I'll take Arya doing it over that. I do agree though, that it feels weird to have the Night King dead with just one night of battle and now we're just moving on. I read though that George R.R. is not nearly as interested in the supernatural as he is in the politics of humans so it makes sense that he wouldn't want too much time spent on it. 

Completely agree though that not enough main characters died. It just seems unrealistic. Lyanna Mormont though. That was amazing.

sourlemon

I dont think the White Walkers are really gone forever. Yes, this batch is...but Bran has been touched by the Night King. But!!! With only 3 episodes left I dont see them getting into that possibility. Maybe a few hints but that would be it. It at least provides HBO with a sequel opportunity to pursue after they do the prequels.

sourlemon

I was disappointed by the low body count.

Glad we chose Arya as DD1's middle name.

zamoraspin

@olivemomma I agree with your criticisms. Including/especially the visibility issue.

From an emotional standpoint it makes sense for the final episodes to be centered around the human drama. For one thing there are a lot of newly fortified relationships that may be tested due to different allegiances -- especially if Jon and Dany don't see eye to eye anymore. 

From an intellectual standpoint, yeah the big bad was built up season after season only to go down in one episode, and that seems almost too easy (although it was NOT an easy fight in general). I'm trying to to view it as this -- almost every single decision and event in the entire series led up to the events of this battle, including and especially Arya being positioned (physically and due to her extensive specialized training) to kill the Night King.

My biggest questions are still about Bran and the Night King and what their powers are really all about (I suspect that frustratingly we won't get answers on the Night King until HBO does the prequel). Aside from Bran warging into crows what in the heck was he doing all that time? Was he more involved in the events leading up to the battle than we think? Are there things he changed to make sure every major player was there that night? 

cato99

First and foremost, when I'm hunkering down in my medieval fortress to battle the undead I am hands down naming @zamora_spin Head Zombie Fighting Strategist. Also I really enjoyed that episode overall (though I was surprised at how few major characters died), and on a meta level really loved that so many people all over the place were watching and reacting at the same time. I wonder if there will be many entertainment events like that anytime soon again, since streaming distorts a lot of that timing. 

A friend of mine had posited forever ago that they'd defeat the Night King by/in Episode 4 and that the rest of the season would be the intra-Westeros political struggle, and that was spot on! I agree that while watching the episode last night, the prospect of then squabbling over the iron throne felt petty, but I know that when the time comes I'll be invested. I know GRR Martin's historical modeling comes from later medieval periods, but that whole dynamic is resonant with Ancient Greek history (which is broadly my field): in the 5th c BC a bunch of quasi-independent quasi-squabbling Greek city-states teamed up to defeat the big bad, the Persians, and then after that threat was over, in the 4th c BC those city-states that now had built up a huge military presence and capacity and momentum turned on each other for intra-cultural Mediterranean supremacy (primarily Athens vs Sparta). 

While I ultimately loved the old-fashioned hero narrative of Arya slaying the Night King, I had been expecting something a little more complex between him and Bran, perhaps implicating Bran in something questionable or morally dubious. Like, in the slow buildup to the Night King approaching Bran so ominously, I seriously thought that when he reached Bran he would unexpectedly kneel to him, and that would close the episode. 

agpandme

It was great. I also noticed the darkness as well as I was told that most people are upset about it. I right away felt that it was done purposefully to let the viewer accurately feel what the characters are feeling. A vast ominous presence that you can't see until they are right on top of you. With that in mind, I thought it was extremely effective.  I'm really impressed with the production of this show.  

I do have ONE complaint regarding them breaking a "rule".  The part when the WW created a land bridge with their bodies.  According to their rules they should have burned immediately like the other ones which would not allow the others to cross. By stifling the fire, they squeaked by the rules.  But of course, what other choice did they have. 

MamaK225

@heml - You seem to be doing pretty well, so far. Why do some have asterisks by their names? Just curious. Also, Arya nearly made me pee, too ... and I definitely shed a few tears (and I am NOT a crier, btw) during that moment. So touching.

@Lotus_2008 - OMG, Lyanna almost crushed me. I was sooo sad when she went flying, but - at the last second - SO happy it happened the way it did (if she *had* to die). I loved her character so much.

I'm with @cato99 & @zamora_spin - I was waiting for some sort of revelation between Night King and Bran. And I feel Bran needs to get to talkin' because he is certainly more invested/involved than he's letting on. I like the theory that maybe he used his warging to influence events to keep the "major players" alive.

I agree, though, I was SHOCKED that Jaime, Brienne, and Podrick seem to be alive. I did see Gendry get taken out at the top of Winterfell, right? Even with ALL the lights off and it being dark when we watched (we watch Monday nights because ain't-nobody-up at 9p in our house), I could barely make out about 40% of the episode.

That library scene, though, Lord Help Me. Watching these things pregnant take my anxiety to a whole new level and it took me almost 2.5 hours to watch the 96 minutes. I was super shocked to see Melissandre, though I'm not sure why I didn't catch on about it - I'm usually good at that.

There were definitely several WTF!-moments (specifically Jon & the newly-raised soldiers and Brienne being covered/tackled no less than 3 times) and I somehow wonder if they were "spared" only to be taken down by Cersei and her mercenaries. I also wouldn't mind if GRRM gives the survivors some "time off" before they march down South because - you can't fight two end-of-the-world battles back-to-back.

Let me just finish my questions and observations with: (1) I'm so sad Tormund is gone. I secretly want Brienne to "have it all" and I don't see her catching feelings for Jaime. Plus, how amazing would those babies be!? (2) Did we decide if Sam did die? Last I remember seeing him, he was lying with some dead fighters and crying after failing multiple times to wield the dragonglass. (3) Bran. WTF? I'm so lost/confused and all my thoughts are jumbled around this. (4) Arya. F@ck yeah.

sourlemon

@MamaK225 Tormund, Gendry, and Sam all survived.

Deaths: House Mormont (Lyanna and Jorah), Commander of the Night's Watch (Edd), Melisandra, Theon, Beric, Night King, undead dragon Viserion. Honorable mention deaths go to 99% of the Dothraki, a ton of Unsullied, probably most of the Night's Watch and the Knights of the Vale, most of any other houses that were on the open field, lots of the "safe" women and children in the crypts.

Not dead: basically everyone else.

MamaK225

Whew - thanks @sourlemon. I know I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw some people being covered by the undead (see: Brienne). Did we ever find out about that sweet, brave girl who wanted to defend people in the crypts? I was kinda hoping we'd see her prove out.

sourlemon

shes alive too

agpandme

I was hoping Sam would find some sort of strength in him to fight but I suppose his weaknesses may have saved him in the end.  

MamaK225

Oh geeeeez, @sourlemon. I swear I can't keep any of them straight now (again, the repeated "welp, XXX is dead now!" and then seeing them in the next frame. Sigh.

olivemomma

I had a dream last night that DH and Tormund were best buds. It was pretty cool although I wanted him to be my BFF instead 

bluebonnet15

Are there any knights of the vale still at the vale with Robin Arryn? I’m just real worried we’re about to go try to defeat Cersei with like 12 soldiers and 2 dragons.