Sebastian LimThe following article is a recap of ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8 Episode 3.
SPOILER WARNING! If you have not seen the latest episode, click here to read Neue’s (spoiler-free) article – “Top ‘Games of Thrones’ Questions For Season 8”.
Neue’s back once again, for another quick-shot analysis on what the **** happened in Game of Throne’s third episode of the final season.
Titled “Battle of Winterfell”, as the episode’s title says, it is a battle alright, and a long one – at 82 minutes long!
Episode 1 was a long-needed heartfelt reunion between all families and friends, episode 2 was all about the preparation before the long-battle, with little naughty moments sprinkled about. But episode 3 was quite frankly, a nice slap in the face.
Ready for a quick explanation on what occurred in this blood-gushing, undead-turning, last-standing episode? Let’s go.
Winter Has Come
We begin with The Unsullied and the Dothraki prepping-up for their inevitable battle. But right before they even begin marching, the Red Woman, Melisandre shows up and starts chanting. The blades of the Dothraki go aflame, and we get a nice panoramic-shot of the whole frontier wielding flaming curved-blades (see main photo at top of page). It gets increasingly tense and with a battle-cry, they rush towards the coming mist. Shortly after entering the fog, we start to see the flames go out one-by-one until none is alight.
The Crypts
Sansa retreats down to the Stark Crypts, where she and Tyrion have emotional one-liners. “Maybe we should have stayed married”, said Tyrion. “You were the best of them”, Sansa replies, Tyrion interjects with “What a terrifying thought”.
While things are cosy down-under, Bran and Theon make their way towards the Tree (you know, that weird tree!), once settled, Bran takes a look at Theon and says, “ I’m going now.” And voila, he controls a bunch of ravens and flies off to take a quick glance at the Night King, who is seen riding the now undead Dragon.
The Battle Breaches The Walls
The front-lines have been too easily breached by the White Walkers, and now making their way up the walls of Winterfell. Arya is acrobatically swinging her newly-made weapon onto the likes of Wights, it looks like her training came to good use.
Arya wasn’t the only lady who is fiercely fending off the undead army. Little Bear Lyanna Mormont was smacked right in the face by a Giant Wight, she gets back up, bruised and battered, picks up a dragon-glass battle axe. She roars as she makes her way towards the Giant, only to be picked up, bone-crunched. But right before her demise, she gives the Giant a good eye-poking, which ends with both of them on the ground.
Up above the battlefield, we get scenes of Jon and Dany, both riding the Dragons who are aimlessly flying and bumping into each other. As the fog thickens, the mortals only hope of survival depended on the Dragons, and with no Dragon fire, the mortals are left to fend for themselves.
Back to Arya, surviving pretty well by her lonesome, weaponless, she finds herself inside Winterfell’s library, which is now littered with Wights. She eventually gets spotted and darts away in the halls and halls, and halls of corridors. (The scene we see in the trailer!)
She meets up with The Hound and Beric who does not seem to have anymore revive points, as Beric gets stabbed in the back, more times than he can count. They end up locking themselves in a room with the Red Woman, who tells Arya that she has a mission to carry on.
We then get a skin-tingling reminder from the Red Woman, “What do we say to the God of Death?”
“Not today!”
Fire Does Not Melt Ice
With Winterfell falling to the grotesque arms of the Night King, we see a Bran, who’s still off in his own world fortified by Theon and his Greyjoy mates, a volley of arrows after arrows of Dragon Glass does seem to put them in a good position against the Wights. (Well, so far)
Going back up to the clouds, we see a Good Ol’ Dragon fight. Jon and the Night King are neck-to-neck, talon-to-talon. Dany soon ambushes the Night King, knocking him off Viserion, and rains hellfire onto the Night King.
We get an eerie top-down shot of the Night King, who survives the Dragon Fire, shortly then shooting a spine-chilling smile over to Dany. He throws but misses his Ice Spear over to Dany.
Jon, whose dragon is out of fuel, finds himself trailing the Night King, only to find himself circled by newly risen Wights.
The Storm Before The Calm
The music shifts into a more intense height, with slow-motion emphasising on how hopeless the mortals of Winterfell are. The predicament only goes for the worst when Jon finally keeps up to the Night King, but only halted by a hot-steaming Viserion spitting hotter-bluer flames everywhere.
Dany, on the other hand, has gotten the shorter straw. After creating a distraction for Jon to chase after the Night King, she ends up being overswarmed by the Wights. Ser Jorah (the only true MVP) comes in the last minute to save his princess.
This is where tears start rolling down cheeks, with slow-piano music entering the stage, we see a final heroic stand of both Jorah and Dany as then fend themselves off the Wights. Brienne is cornered up against the walls, and we see a Sam who probably got too tired from fighting, sitting on a pile of his once-alive brethren.
The Moment Of Redemption
Bran comes back from sight-seeing and finds himself, and Theon surrounded by Wights, though they don’t seem to be moving. This only means one thing. The Night King and his compadre walk up in a slow-cool fashion.
Bran looks up at Theon and says, “Thank you, you’re a good man.”
Theon, as if knowing his death was imminent, accepts his fate, with a tear down his cheek, charges as the sounds of Cellos and Piano tracks ring aloud. Dragon Glass spearing towards the Elite Gang, he is easily outmanoeuvred and stabbed, left to die.
Remember how I mentioned we cried? Well, this is why – Ser Jorah using his body, shielding Dany from the incoming attackers is stabbed, multiple times. He falls into the arms of the Woman he loves. (The Real MVP!)
The Night King walks up towards an emotionless Bran, readying his (its) blade for a swing off the creepy kid.
And when all hope was lost for the Mortals, we see a surprising face … Arya. (RIP Night King!)
As a tribute to the Night King, here’s a rare footage of the Night King and Arya joining forces in an alternate universe 🙂
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Final Thoughts …
There were dead and undead soldiers dropping every second, with three more episodes left for this Finale, what will happen next? I honestly have no clue after watching this bloody episode. Plus the women in this episode were, to say, bad*ss!
Have you seen the episode? What are your thoughts on Game of Throne’s eighth season so far? Let us know in the comments below or reach out to Neue on social media on Facebook or Instagram. (All photos courtesy of HBO)