Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 2
Writer: Bryan Cogman
Director: David Nutter
Runtime: 58 minutes
Content Warnings: TV-MA: Adult Content, Adult Language, Brief Nudity
Video Preview: Season 8 Episode 2 Trailer
Join us now for live discussion, filled with hopes and predictions, in advance of tonight’s episode, with the Night’s Cast:
For those new to Watchers on the Wall or needing a refresher on the guidelines, here they are!
Please use spoiler coding when discussing ASOIAF/book or filming spoilers- any material that has not aired or been discussed on Game of Thrones. Please do not post extensive spoilers in this Open Chat! Instructions on coding/showing/hiding spoilers are found at the top of the Comments section.
Spoiler coding is required in the Open Chat post prior to the episode official airing (9PM EDT tonight!). We are aware that some material has leaked today online. We ask that fans use consideration for your fellow viewers- please cover and label your spoilers appropriately. After the episode has aired, you don’t have to cover spoilers from the episode anymore!
And…the episode has leaked. Be careful, there be spoilers.
apparently, the episode has leaked?
HODOR
Twitter users beware – apparently tonight’s episode has leaked online (come ON HBO!) and people on Twitter are already discussing scenes and posting gifs without any spoiler warnings.
Lord of Coffee,
I’m beginning to think that these leaks must be intentional to get people talking on social media. There’s no way that HBO is THAT incompetent.
Apparently it was amazon prime in Germany that let users watch episode 2 after watching episode 1. I had that happen with The Orville season 2 a couple of months back on the UK amazon site. I was able to go to the next episode even though it wasn’t listed and hadn’t been officially released yet. Shame that they have suffered a second leak.
Four hours to go!!!!! I’m staying up till 2am again to watch, but as I haven’t got the last few episodes of season 7 to rewatch now, it’s going to be a long 4 hours!! Will rewatch episode 1 again though.
The episode has leaked and there are lots of clips all over social media. I decided to watch it myself rather than wake at 2am (the copy is very good quality) all I will say is I thought it was brilliant from start to finish.
I would advise you all to watch out for predictions in this post as lots of people are watching it and it only takes one to spoil it for others.
Literally cannot wait to discuss this with everyone in the morning!
It’s only 480p… I’ll wait 3 am to get 1080p myself.
Even though I already watched the first 10 minutes… couldnt resist.
Nooooo! Now I’m going to have to avoid this thread instead of getting hyped with everyone.
Lord of Coffee,
Please stop talking about leaks leaking !
🚱🚱🚱🚱🔞🚱
Invariably, one clueless or inconsiderate interloper actually starts describing them without spoiler coding.
So how about not mentioning them at all? There are hundreds of other sites where people can ruin the episode in advance for other readers. This is not one of them.
Please! There are only four hours left until the official air time.
In addition to Fearless Leader Sue’s explicit, bold-faced warning at the top of this page, allow me to reproduce co-moderator Luka’s explicit directive from April 7, 2018:
“This is a moderated community, not an open forum or social media. There are clearly established rules you gotta follow. One of them is to cover spoilers not discussed in the article with proper spoiler tags; another is to not discuss script leaks at all…..
Now, can we please try to engage in intelligent discussions about what we’re hoping or expecting to see tonight?
Personally, I’m interested in any theories about the mystery weapon Arya designed.
Lol at HBO holding episode titles because of spoilers and instead the entire episodes leak.
I hope next weeks episode doesn’t leak since it is likely to have major deaths. I’m not optimistic though.
Jon Snowed,
Please do NOT say anything about what you saw, even in general qualitative terms – like you just did.
Jon Snowed,
Very very uncool and inconsiderate. You ought to ask the moderators to delete your post.
Agree. I would love to see this thread be spoiler-free, even with spoiler coding, until the episode airs for the rest of us. Please and thank you :).
Ten Bears,
Ten Bears,
I absolutely will not post any spoilers you can be sure of that but I do want to participate a little in this thread, appreciate that’s a fine line so will also be mindful of your request:-).
I’m be leaving until the episode airs for fear of spoilers, so Happy Easter everyone for those that celebrate and enjoy 802!
Ten Bears,
Why are you yelling at me? Several others also posted that the episode has leaked. I only warned people to stay off Twitter so they don’t get spoiled. Geez, calm down.
Jon Snowed,
And if you just can’t help yourself, at least use spoiler coding. It’s not rocket science.
🚱🚱🚱🚱🚱🚱🚱🚱🚱🚱
Jack Bauer 24,
Agreed. These first couple of leaks are frustrating, but pale in significance compared to some of the leaks we’ve had in the past. The episode is after all less than four hours away from airing. That said, I would be so annoyed if I came upon any spoilers here today (or in future weeks if there are similar leaks), so I’m going to check out of this thread. Looking forward to the episode in a few hours!!
Honestly Ten Bears, I like you and respect you but I am a miss by you comments. For the final time, I definitely will not post any spoilers you can count on that. Let’s get back to bringing this thread back on topic.
Lord of Coffee,
Because it gets other people talking about the leaked episode … and that is exactly what’s happening.
Hodor
Happy Easter if you celebrate
🐲🌷🐇🐉🐇🐦🐲
Happy GoT Day
Jon Snowed,
Fair enough my friend. We cool, right?
OOOOOOOOOOOOF.
Ten Bears,
It looks like a weird primitive gun that fires dragon glass projectiles to me.
Ten Bears,
Yep absolutely, glad we could resolve amicably:-)
It’s not terribly comfortable having people in this chat who have already seen the episode and are clearly bursting at the seams to talk about it. Even if you don’t *want* to spoil it, I’m not sure what kind of conversation can happen when some of us are having fun speculating and some of you actually know what’s going to happen.
Unfortunately I think I’m also going to have to check out until it’s over.
Ten Bears,
People are talking about the episode leaking because the episode leaked. Period. People trying to warn others about spoilers is not a bad thing and is definitely not the same as actually posting spoilers.
So, was today’s Cubs’ game a big foreshadowing of tonight’s episode? Discuss!!!
(Narrator’s Voice: It was not…..)
Yeah, you’re exactly right. You pinpointed the problem.
And like you, I feel I’ve got no choice but to check out until the episode is over.
For those complaining about AP accidental leak. You probably get to watch it a 9pm where as some of us would have to stay up to 2 am to watch it. Again not going to say anything about the story until I’ve seen episode four but over all it was a satisfying prelude.
Ugh
Byeeee lol
Next week is episode 3…
Edit: Yes, I did say I’m checking it until later 😃
This happens to every widely distributed series. At some point, things are out of the distributor’s hands some time before a show air or before the official sales date arises. There is some small chance of a screw-up at every place broadcasting or selling the product. When you have a lot of places distributing the product, the probability of none of them screwing up becomes low.
The alternative is to not distribute things until immediately before showing or selling. However, that pretty much guarantees an even worse outcome: a mistake leading to the product not being available because of mistransmission, incorrect sales, etc. Moreover, this mistake would leave far more outlets without the product than we get with outlets showing things too early.
(The other thing that we fans forget is that, to most other people, GoT, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, etc., is just another series about which they are only generally aware.)
sucks that the episode leaked early again, but i’m really hyped to watch it tonight.
i’ll re watch episode 1 for fun and then get ready for episode 2 🙂
And this is a Bryan cogman episode, besides D&D and George, he is one of my favorite show writers.
So….. back on topic.
Who reckons we are going to see a Sansa and Sandor scene this week? I really missed seeing one last week and hope we get one this week.
I also hope we get the Stark kids together in a scene altogether (I’m counting Jon in that, he’s as much a Stark kid as they are, just a different. Stark). They’re clearly all together in the trial scene, but I want one with just them. Maybe too much to ask. Perhaps him telling them what he has learnt about his true parents?
Also want to see some Arya/Sandor love! I feel their reunion was honest and realistic, but I hope they show some more positive feeling towards each other before the battle. On my wish list is Arya training and wowing Jon, Sandor and Gendry.
I’ve seen the episode.
Ten Bears,
When Arya met with Gendry I immediately thought of Daredevil meeting with Melvin. Daredevil definitely wasn’t flirting with Melvin though. The weapon could be something similar to daredevils’ retractable nunchucks. I know Tommy Dunne was quoted that he created a weapon this season that is a “show stopper”. From Arya’s diagram it just looks like the blade comes off as a longer dagger but I really wonder what else it might do. Do you think it has a blade on both sides? I know it will be fighting stick length so she can do her Waif action.
Well I’m hanging around tho it does feel like we have discussed this episode to the max anyway . Not sure there is more to say till it’s over but I could be surprised
If there is anyone here, that is.
Feels quieter than last week. Leak sucks! And that people can’t stop bringing it up, even in generalities.
I’m waiting till 2am. Shame this chat won’t be a fun place to wait it out as it seems like most are avoiding it. Damn.
Ten Bears,
In all fairness, Jon Snowed never even mentioned anything even mildly spoilery, so I don’t get where that beef came from?
It’s worth noting that if you act like hall monitor when someone even mentions the leak (without any spoilers), you are in fact, continuing the discussion about said leaks, thus generating numerous responses (mine included), which increase the risk of actual spoilers.
Hey folks,
While you are waiting for Episode 2, here is neat article about how Babylon 5 really set up the public appetite for series like Game of Thrones. For you youngsters, it might make more sense about what old blasts of flatulence like me and Hodor’s Bastard are discussing!
(Seriously, there are a lot of parallels in the stories and in the authors; the endings might have a lot in common, too.)
Jon Snowed,
Oh, no!
You spoiled that the episode was good!
Noooooo!!!!!!!!!!!
This has now ruined my enjoyment of the entire episode.
But seriously, I don’t blame you for watching and I trust you to not spoil anything. I remember when parts of The Spoils of War were all over YouTube before the episode had aired. I couldn’t resist the temptation back then, but I will now.
I can wait a few hours (this time).
I scrolled down quickly and looked for people I knew but yes disappointing with only a few hours left. I watched some 1 year old Ellie Kendrick interviews today to pass the time and started watching one of her movies. I watched some old interviews with Joe Dempsie and Maisie! But I’m still checking here. Hopefully folks got the message.
I don’t even want to see the vaguest of episode 2 reviews or comments without them being covered by spoiler coding, before 9PM Eastern time. I thought that was clear. COVER IT.
I confess I always feel slightly ill before a new episode. Lol.
Sorry.
Hello WotW Family. Just want to say hello, and that I like to spend these times with you guys! Can’t wait!
PS: I HOPE THAT HOT PIE COMES BACK!
Always fun to watch Leslie’s enthusiasm – this is how I want to be when I watch ^_^
But I tend to watch with trepidation just waiting for my heart to be broken ^_^
Game of Jones: Leslie Jones and Seth Watch Game of Thrones’ Final Season Premiere
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2xtE2umMHM
Waiting until 3am, SA time over here.
I have a weird feeling about this episode. I have ever since the preview.
The way it was done made it look like this is a set-up, just a prelude to the big battle next week. And it probably is.
But I feel like there’s a gut punch coming. Like they’re gonna blindside us with something major – it doesn’t even have to be a character death, but something…
Sorry if I’m rambling. It’s really late and I’m working so I can stay awake until the episode airs.
No content warning for violence? I guess that means no deaths in this episode. They must be saving them all up for next week.
I’m hoping for a Brienne-Tormund interaction tonight. Like others, I’m also interested in the Arya weapon.
I’m also hoping we’re not done getting Bran visions.
I feel the same way, I think I will for each of the remaining episodes
We KNOW people are going to die, and I’m not ready!!! ^_^
What vision are you looking to see? Other than NK status visions?
anything left in the past?
I saw the episode.
Hey, I resemble that remark! I’m still holding onto my theories about LSH taking the throne! Beric —> LSH …right? 🙂
Love B5! Planning a re-watch this summer. Straczynski forever! Z’ha’dum will rise! Shadows == WWs (I respect your analogy)
Does B5 hold up? I mean is it still watchable if you don’t already have a fondness for the property? Is the series streaming anywhere? Prime, Netflix? I’ll need something after GOT, been thinking about starting The Expanse, but B5 could be another option.
It’s quiet here.
kind of funny they made it so they got the Dave hill episode out of the way first, really looking forward to the last 5 episodes.
Jon – Tormund discussion on how long they get till the Others and their wight army is at the doors of WF from the preview has my stomach doing summersaults! I always liked these two characters together, before I even knew Kit and Kristofer and how they’ll play them on the show. Such a joy to see now the actors side by side one last time! 🎉
I don’t know exactly. Maybe something from when the original long night was finally brought to an end? It doesn’t seem like his powers exist only for parentage reveals.
I always say The-ron because of Leslie Jones.
I wonder if Theon will make it to Winterfell before the big battle. Looking forward to hearing him echo Jon’s counsel right back to him, about it being okay to be both a Stark and someone else at the same time.
I felt that Jon’s offer of forgiveness to Theon last season was lip service – Jon trying to be noble as Ned. These two need to bond a little more over their shared outcast status in order for the absolution to seem heartfelt. If and when Theon dies (though I still cling to some small hope that he might survive), I want him to feel freed of his crushing guilt and shame first.
I’m old enough to remember Babylon 5 – it came out right around the time I graduated from college. I was a huge Star Trek fan, but I could not get into Babylon 5. I found it a bit drippy. I have been rewatching Star Trek TNG with my kid, and as much as I love that show, it can be hard to watch b/c it’s so cheesy and the special effects are really comical to the point of distraction sometimes. Patrick Stewart grounds it and he’s the only reason it holds up, although I think later seasons will work a bit better when their budget shot up. I kinda doubt Babylon 5 holds up – it didn’t have the mainstream popularity that the various Star Trek shows had at the time, and never seemed to get a decent budget. And I’m a little biased b/c my uber-nerd dad was super into it… he’s so uncool that he almost becomes cool. lol But he still couldn’t get me into B5.
All that said, we are huge fans of Expanse over here. It’s a really good show and they are filming the fourth season b/c Amazon saved it. Also, I kind of like Last Kingdom if you haven’t gotten into that one. Both are based on book series. I haven’t read Expanse but the husband has – he says the show stays pretty close to the books. I have read the Last Kingdom books (the ones out so far), and they also stay close to the books (with some exceptions esp anything to do with boats – I don’t think they have the budget for a lot of boat action).
yeah, that would make sense. I agree, but Bran having a connection to the NK and being able to appear before him and ‘spy’ on him is powerful too. But, yeah some clue to the past to help in the present would be a nice one to see.
After the first episode when we learned that Theon is heading back to WF, it occurred to me that maybe Bran’s voice over from the trailer was directed at Theon. I mean who has the biggest beef with Theon that is still alive? Bran! I could imagine bran acknowledging that were it not for Theon’s misguided capture of Winterfell, Bran wouldn’t have set out on his journey to become the 3ER.
IOW, I think Theon makes it back and Bran has a chance to talk to him before the S* goes down. And I’m wondering if there are major spoilers revolving around Theon since he’s been so absent from the trailers and promo photos. Before Ep 1, I figured it was because he was barely going to be in this season. Now I’m not so sure.
viki,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the Game of Jones link! Always gold!
I think that it does, at least through the first 4 seasons. They realized that they might not be given the 5th year that they intended to use to tell the entire over-arching tale, so they sort of rushed to the end in Season 4. Season 4 actually worked out OK: but that left Season 5 as a sort of ad hoc sequel to the first 4 seasons.
A lot of aspects of the storytelling are very similar in both tales: both JMS & GRRM adhere to similar theories on that score. Both also are sort of rebuttals to traditional TV SciFi / Literary Fantasy, too.
So how come no one is discussing the fact that spoiler spoiler spoiler? Or that spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler, spoiler spoiler at spoiler. And then spoiler spoiler, and of course spoiler spoiler which was spoiler spoiler, spoiler spoiler spoiler!! Spoiler spoiler?
Well, Luwin did tell Theon about the secret escape through the crypts. Bran didn’t know about them: otherwise, he would have used them to escape while hiding down there. Sansa did not know about them: otherwise, she would have tried to use them. Theon did not seem to remember them: but, then, it might have been Reek that did not remember them; Theon might now recall what Luwin told him.
That’s an old gun on the wall, and we got a newer one last week: people can flee to the Iron Islands. Obviously, not everyone can or will, but it’s quite possible that Theon will lead some survivors (or at least help some survivors) escape to the Iron Islands through the Crypts. And, of course, this would fire the Crypts as a gun, too.
I am skipping to the end without reading any comments, as I am certain that the sort of people who can’t resist leaked episodes are the same people who will make sure everyone else knows that they already know what happened. I don’t want to be told how great it will be, I don’t want to hear how surprised I will be, I don’t want to know ANYTHING about it and those people can’t be trusted to just stay quiet and let the rest of us find out on our own.
Heck, that works for me these days! (Of course, I’m about to go from Saturn to Jupiter on the gas giant front, myself… :-P)
So, what is your bet on Winterfell: stand or fall?
I think it’s a sure thing Theon gets to Winterfell before the AOTD. His storyline is a total surprise to me; I thought it would be all about Euron and saving Yara this season, so this is a big surprise. I reckon he must get there before and sadly, I think his ultimate redemption-sacrifice will be dying for a Stark or in the battle to protect the home he betrayed.
Just under an hour to go!!! Rewatched episode one and now rewatching the Star Trek Disco season 2 finale (a show I am trying to enjoy after being a Trekkie since forever). That’ll bring me within touching distance of episode 2. Woo! On a normal day I can stay up till 2am no problem, but when I know I have to, it goes by at snail’s pace!!!
And that is how Wyllis was forever known as Spoiler…..
Firannion,
Oh yes, we can all give advice but how difficult it is to actually follow one’s own advice!
I also thought that Theon will surely echo Jon’s words back to him but I’m doubting now that he’ll ever get that chance. Jon may not say anything about his parentage to the world at large, just Dany. Maybe. Or Theon May die in battle before he finds out Jon is sort of in the same place he was.
By the way, Tuesday is Game of Thrones night at Wrigley.
70 more minutes to kill….
Yes, I remember that. I hope there is a bit more to it than that. Theon was meant to be a good marksman and a fairly decent fighter (from post-battle bragging with Robb). I’d like to see him in the wight melee and do something good there too. 🤞
Look, you can’t just throw that third one out there like that!!!!! 😳😲😆
Seriously though – I get the concern some people have, but I’m certain that at least the regulars here wouldn’t want to spoil it for anyone!
No One Is Coming,
Well, obviously
is going to kill
during the
of the
in
.
spoiler spoiler spoiler spoilt brat
spoiler
spoiler.
Be honest, in light of the leak, who’s scared to click on the hidden text?
Here’s a real spoiler for you:
Jon Snowed,
Then you shouldn’t have watch it and waited like the rest.
Che,
Blegh I hate it. Already 3 or 4 people posted that they watch it. Good for them, but they made there choice. So stay away here. Even saying it was amazing is annoying. I want to know nothing about the episode. We who wait till it airs can’t discuss it normally anymore and our fun is being taken away.
Can’t the mods just delete those posts.
Sue the Fury,
Thx sue your amazing. Can’t wait for your recap review.
Hodors Bastard,
LSH is not in the show. And we know the ending of the books and show are the same. So no LSH on the throne.
Firannion,
I hope he does. If he comes back after the battle I think he feels like he failed.
Che,
Same. I though he will fight euron around episode 4 and after that going back to winterfell. I hope he survives and kill euron at the end of the show.
I’m off to bed. When I wake up I can watch the episode. Everybody have much fun watching the episode.
Soon, if you don’t maintain self-control, you’ll become a nebula.
I’m sticking with the “There must always be a Stark in Winterfell” assertion. I guess it is a strong ‘stand’ for me. Given how they are highlighted in the new GoT title sequence, WF’s weirwood garden and the crypts (with Bran as glue and obsidian/valyrian steel as defense) will be key in the standoff. But many of our friends will be compromised in the melee.
It would be funny if Howland, Meera and the crannogmen hold a deus ex machina key to victory and stop the AotD if they get past WF.
I’m sure that is probably a generic scenario compared to the vision of other more consistent posters. How about you?
viki,
Count me in as a B5 fangirl. Excellent storytelling & writing hold up. Each season has 20+ episodes, and S1 is slower paced. The story arcs and character evolution pay off beautifully. I’d say it’s worth a watch-and don’t forget the series premier is a 2 hour movie “The Gathering”.
Man, if this isn’t the nerdiest first world problem sentence I’ve ever read.
Will you idly stand by while our fun is being taken away?
Or will you join the rebellion and fight the spoilers before they take over all that we hold dear?
Time to stand up and fight for what you believe in!
Only 20 minutes!
I’m hoping they start showing us Sansa is worthy of ruling, because it’s my prediction she will end up on the throne. Just seems like they have been telling us for awhile.
And telling us Jon will be sacrificed. I hope it’s death, or a quiet life away from the throne…not the new NK. Please not that. There is no sweet that can remotely compensate for that bitter. He’s too good, and deserves so much better.
I’m (still) curious if they’ll open the episode with a Jaime-Bran discussion, basically starting where they left off. I’m actually leaning towards them inexplicably saving that for later and make us wonder how they possibly avoided it when Jaime saw him in the courtyard… 😜
Duh. Lighten up, oh serious one.
Clob,
Oh this is gonna be good! Now I’m sure Jaime will find support in the weirdest place when it comes to his many crimes.
Holy shit! Deadwood is coming!!!! Omg the trailer I’m HiDef is amazing
I am now at the point where I am thankful GRRM did not finish Book 7 before Episode 3 of GOT will be released.
As I was just chatting with my brother, when we watched The Battle of Helm’s Deep, or The Battle of the Pellinor Fields in the Lord of the Rings, we were not AFRAID for beloved characters. It was just a spectacle. Are we not entertained? Sure we were. But we were not afraid; we were NEVER afraid.
Next week? We are going to be watching that episode with FEAR and TENSION. It is going to be like watching an elimination hockey game in the playoffs – one we deeply care about – in OT. It is going to be glorious – and tragic, too.
And that folks, is some bona fide, cinematic story-telling.
TormundsWoman,
I’m glad appears like they’re “expanding” Deadwood so it’s scope might be a bit broader and less like a play. I thought it was a decent show but I wished it was… bigger…
Anyone notice that in the opening credits last week the tiles were flipping over to blue on the way to Last Hearth and this week it was already covered in blue? Just a cool little addition.
Queen of Nothing,
Hot Pie for the Throne!
Its on here in California! Have fun everyone. XOXO
Oh shit: how do you know there’s an afterwards?! Poop Bran is such a buzzkill
Oh Jaime and Brienne, swoon, I love them!!! Get it on already!!!
Loved Sansa in that trial scene. Yay, no snarking!! Reminds me how much I like her when she is able to keep the attitude in check.
Loved the Arya and Gendry scene as well as Jaime and Tyrion bonding again.
Promising start!!!!!!
Tormund and Jon!!!!!! ❤️ My little crow with the little pecker ☺️
THE BIG WOMAN IS STILL HERE?! Aaaaaaaahhhhh
Did Davos forget about Blackwater?
Omg this pair is perfect! Missandei and GW are just love. And the Northerners are bit of xenophobic, aren’t they?! Eh whatever.
Fuck yeah you tell them Sam! No one gives him credit. You shut up Ed Tollett!
Hahaha Tormund listing his Giantsbane story!!!! To impress Bri and scare Jamie! I LOVE THIS MAN
I like the way they gathered these peeps together btw, Sandor with Beric and Arya. I hope Gendry comes by. OR maybe meet him on the courtyard. Yay
No Sandor and Sansa scene yet 🙁 come on!!
It may be the wine talking (how else to stay awake till 2am?), but my husband and I just laughed absurdly much at Tormund’s story.
Excuse me, I need a cold shower.
Holy shit! Between Tormund and Jamie she’s getting her dream!!!! You go Bri!
IM CRYING LIKE A BABY HERE! You did well Bri.
Are you bloody Arya/Gendry shippers happy now???
My eyes, my eyes!!!! 🙈🙈🙈😱
Ship-mate.
Apollo,
Shush you. Girl wanted to know what is like to live.
Also: was the first line of attack of the Others made up by all the 12 Others?! That’s a bold move.
This was the perfect episode. It was light on plot progression, but it had character development in spades. All of the meetups and reunions were given their just dues. A lot of standout meetings and implications to come for endgame.
This was probably the best “table setting” episode the show has ever had, imo.
Gods, do they have t torture us so much?! 😭
I can’t wait for Episode 3! (I can and I will, but still!)
Apollo,
I expected something between the two… I did not expect THAT! 😘
Okay, and Sansa and Theon…. Hmm??
I’m willing to bet that no one saw the Arya sex scene coming this episode. Lol.
Gh3ttoK!nG.,
Episode 3 is going to result in a lot of deaths of beloved characters. This is going to be the Red Wedding on steroids, and none of us know who is going to be killed, and who will live.
It is going to be the most tense 84 minutes of TV drama ever. Ever.
They’re all gonna die, who gives a crap if Arya banged Gendry or Brienne is a knight? Or the iron fucking throne.
S8 E2 title should be – Family Duty Honor
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT SEVEN MORE DAYS
I’ll save it for Recap, but will say that I LOVED the episode!! Calm before the storm and all that…
Brienne be being knighted by Jaime had me in tears. One of the most moving scenes in the entire show.
Loved the reunion between Sansa and Theon.
Arya and Gentry…adorable together.
I’ll be a mess next week.
Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you can find next week’s episode of Game of Thrones. I’m sure you will be greatly rewarded by our fan base.
I loved everyone and everything this episode. Well, that’s the season. Great job, all! It all ended so well! Phew, can’t believe all my favourite characters lived! Now I….what? 4 more episodes? No. Nope, that was the end. Lalalalalalalalalalalala.
Jon should have been a little quicker to say ‘I don’t want the Iron Throne’. Uh oh.
The rendition of “Jenny’s Song” from the credits was performed by “Florence + the Machine”. That takes me back to the season 2 “Seven Devils” trailer.
Edd is dead. Theon is dead. They’ve done an excellent job of setting both of these characters up to die in what I presume will be called the Battle of Winterfell. Theon making reparations with Bran and reuniting with Sansa – the perfect way to die. And Dolorous Edd was practically smiling in this episode! They mentioned Grenn and Pyp and that only Jon, Sam, and Edd were left. And then there were two.
And did you see the enormous stone statue of the king and his direwolf in the crypts?!!! One of my greatest hopes for this season is to see them come to life, and I hate to raise these hopes higher, but they put them in the trailer for the BoW!!!!
They did exactly what I said a couple days ago that I wouldn’t be surprised by to start… doing the ‘trial’ first and saving Jaime-Bran for later. How they managed to not talk in the courtyard is left a mystery. 😄
Finally, Ghost makes an appearance. Dragons || Ghost…there is no &.
Arya covered all the bases tonight. Like Brienne, she be ready.
The episode sat well with me. Next week, the edge of wetness.
On a positive note… this was beautiful episode. The acting was simply superb and the sprinkling of humour and camaraderie before the coming storm were balanced perfectly.
As for Episode 02, I thought it was brilliantly written. The scenes flowed one in to the other and the tension was mounting throughout.
For an episode in which “nothing happened” as such — well, not until Jon and Dany in the crypt perhaps — it was a master class on what makes Game of Thrones so excellent. It was about the characters.
The arc of resolution and forgiveness was real. Bran of Jaime, Sansa and Dany, Sansa and Theon, Arya and The Hound, Arya and Beric, Jorah and Dany, Jorah and Lady Mormomnt (who is NOT going to live), Sam and Jorah. The beats with Ser Davos and Gilly and the scared little girl. The knighting of Brienne (and her beaming smile!) And yes – Arya and Gendry — and Jon and Dany.
“One more before the war”, indeed.
Yeah that’s the last reunion scene we need at WF.
That cardboard cutout of Ghost could have been bigger.
And we got a Ghost sighting. It’s a shame what they’ve done to the direwolves. I hope both make it.
What an amazing episode, it exceeded any expectations I had. That song Pod sang was so hauntingly beautiful. I know they’re going to break our hearts in the next few episodes and I realize that I’m not ready to say goodbye to any of these characters.
AMAZING EPISODE.
Pigeon,
Hahaha!!
kathy,
I fear for everyone shown during the Pod song. Especially Jorah. 😢
Trarecar,
They set up a conflict there with Dany spelling out the problem but I’m not sure that it will really be that much of a conflict for the IT as she thinks it will. A pity the Dead chose that specific moment to make their appearance. Because I really thought Jon was working out to emphasize the blood relationship between them and how it’s going to be awkward them as lovers as he’s her nephew. However Dany single goal for the IT seemingly made her think that’s the real reason why he’s telling her this. And you can see she’s hurt when Jon’s turns his head away.
I think they’ll be fine though. Jon is slow. Always has been but he’ll explain himself eventually when he will finally come to terms with his parentage.
Che,
Sansa/ Dany was pretty intense as well and at the same time scary:
“What about the North?”
Just W O W
W
O
W
W O W
OMG I CANNOT HANDLE NEXT WEEK I DIDNT EXPECT A BATTLE SO SOON
Also, I have to say Dany is allowed to be shocked and hesitant at the news she received, her whole life had been built on the belief that she is the last targ and the throne has been her goal
Anyway what an amazing emotional episode
If I had to guess who dies, I’m definitely thinking Edd, Theon, Tormund, Pod, Greyworm, & Lyanna Mormont are fucked. And Gendry, Missandei, Jorah, & Varys are up in the air.
Ghost!
So Bronn is going to arrive during the battle? Where’s Melisandre?
My best guess of who dies next episode is Theon, Gendry, and Grey Worm.
Wow! Someone called this a one act play – yes, I could see every stage and players. Haven’t read any of the above discussion, just an observation:
That love making scene between Arya and Gendry wasn’t pretty, but it was cool, and sweet (kept thinking she was going to start by saying ‘want to make it four?’ Anyway, I have a theory
Everyone saying it was a great episode because a character sang a damn song. Boooooooooring. Half of the episode was good the other half was everyone sitting around talking. Great.
Pod might make it. Gendry will survive I think; Varys, too.
The others you listed? All toast.
I was saying to myself, “Ohhhh, that’s what he did with the whores. He sang to them and broke their hearts.” Maybe…
Epsiode title is “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”.
I loved all the fan service in this episode. It was just beautiful!
As I found out from Llosa when I was very young, physical love is a great weapon against death. But I think it’s more between Arya and Gendry. I liked how the scene was filmed and the whole tension. The after look on Arya’s face made me wonder what was on her mind. She didn’t seem happy, but who could be before battle?
I’m curious, Ten Bears, what do you think about this scene?
I didn’t know that a knight can knight someone else, but I guess it doesn’t matter. Brienne becoming o knight might have a symbolical value. And done by Jaime!
Both scene made me cry. But I still want to see love between Brienne and Jaime, not only respect and honour.
Great stuff,
Of course it is following up reunions from last episode but I don’t mind, this is wrapping up arcs and plot points across the previous seven seasons and from E3 onwards it is sharp action
Funniest moment of course has to be Tormund still persisting with Brienne and the Bear song. Great props to the actor on how he is portraying Tormund in both ability to fight but also some hilarious humour
The follow up scene of Brienne was excellent also, she is used to being roundly mocked but in that Hall she was amongst friends who truly respected her and gave her her due
So in the preview for 803, was that NK and Viserion? My screen is too dark to see who was on the dragon.
LOVED THIS EPISODE!
And did you see the wooden stake pit thingies surrounding Winterfell that actually got installed this episode?!!! I know there are better names, but this tells me that the changes we see in the opening are likely to appear in the episode.
Too much! Just too much wonderful ness all in one place! Bed now as it’s 3:20am, but i need to rewatch tomorrow to fully appreciate the genius of that episode.
Was Tyrion foreshadowing him killing Cersei or were they trolling us with his line of stumbling South as a wight & killing her?
She’s not there. She was told if she was ever in the North again, she would be put to death.
She will appear sometime in Episodes 4-6. Like The Red Priest — her last act is not yet done.
And we already know she will not honour Jon’s request about refusing to bring him back again. She serves the Lord of Light.
Why did the shrink Ghost?
Che,
I do agree with you but great writing
Oh nice! Didn’t notice that.
Shy Lady Dragon,
Yeah that’s what Beric is doing (in the books anyway), everyone in the BwB gets Knighted, and Dany asks Ser Jorah to Knight “Arristan” right after Ser Barristan saved his life
Tbf the arc isn’t about “love”, for Jaimie that revolves around Cersei and his children + his family. The arc with Brienne is about honour, courage etc
It was a tough week, I hated episode 1. Man…what a huge improvement. Yeah there was fan service, yeah Arya was way out of character, but man was that a thousand times better. We’ve still putzed around for 1/3 of the season, but this was a gigantic improvement. Finally, Ser Brienne, so cool to see everyone clapping. No one in that room was mocking her.
Kior,
Maybe it was boring if one is a little kid and can’t enjoy great character moments. 😒
I absolutely loved that episode. Not ashamed to admit Brienne’s scene had me in tears. Is it time for episode 3 yet?!?
Also, what was the title of this one?
That didn’t seem realistic. Kids aren’t like that. They might stare at someone who is different from anything ever seen before and ask embarrassing questions, but I don’t buy they’d behave that way.
Che,
Sabes como se llama la canción del final del capitulo 2?
So Brienne is related to Dunk after all!!! Seven cheers! 🙂 Egg would be proud.
I like talking and getting to love the characters even more… all I could think of when watching was how much I like/love all these characters – I wanted more moments, because we all know next week is going to be brutal, for those who have a heart ^_^
That episode was AMAZING. It was intimate yet powerful. Beautiful and haunting. Bryan Cogman, you magnificent gentleman. You outdid yourself!
I remember James Hibberd mentioned Episode 2 being almost like a play, and it definitely had that feeling. It’s only the third single-location episode in GOT history, and the first not to center on a major battle (though obviously it includes the lead-up to one, and next week’s episode – which is also likely to be a single-location showcase – will be pure carnage).
All of the interactions between Jaime, Brienne, and Tormund sound pitch-perfect. In fact, all of those scenes with Jaime, Tyrion, Davos, Brienne, Tormund, and Pod were. Jaime knighting Brienne had me in tears. I had been wondering if Brienne would ask Jaime to knight Podrick before the battle, but I must admit I didn’t really consider the possibility that he would knight her. That was beautiful!
Loved the Sansa-Dany scene as well! Sophie and Emilia killed it. Obviously they’re still not entirely on the same page, but they came a long way tonight.
Tyrion getting called out for his mistakes now makes me more optimistic that he isn’t heading for a fatal fall at the end of the series. This way, there’s still time for him to make things right.
And Arya and Gendry had sex! I was shipping them hard last week, but I didn’t expect that it would come to fruition this quickly. I’m here for it though. I can certainly understand anyone who would be weirded out by it given that Maisie was so young when the show started. But Maisie is 22, Arya is at least 18 (see HBO UK’s tweet), and Gendry is meant to be younger than Joe Dempsie’s current age. This is clearly where the show is going, so I have no issue with them just getting there. The whole “we could all die tomorrow” sense of foreboding that hangs over this episode definitely affords a sense of urgency to the characters facing this apocalyptic threat. People coupling up because they know they might never get the chance if they don’t do it now is a very human impulse.
(Sidebar: I was very confident Gendry would survive the series, but now that he and Arya have coupled up this early … I’m terrified for them. Please don’t rip our hearts out, GOT!)
The whole “Jenny of Oldstones” song montage was AMAZING. Podrick fucking Payne … who knew Daniel Portman could sing like that?! I got heavy Lord of the Rings vibes from that sequence – a combination of Theodon’s “Where is the horse and the rider?” speech from Helm’s Deep in The Two Towers as his army prepares for battle and Faramir’s charge toward Osgiliath as Pippin sings to Denethor in Return of the King. It was definitely stylistic departure for Thrones, but I think that’s why it worked so well. Nothing will be the same after this battle, and they’re letting us know it.
Dany took Jon’s parentage reveal and claim on the Iron Throne better than I expected. Or, at the very least, there wasn’t time for her to really get mad about it before the dead arrive. That’s a point in favor of their relationship surviving that bombshell, and, I expect, the eventual reveal of Dany’s pregnancy.
And next week … the battle! Season 8 is off to an incredible start, and I have every confidence it will only get better!
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”
https://twitter.com/SueTheFury/status/1120144890975989766
Hmmm.
I’m wondering if Dany’s third betrayal is not someone betraying her, but her betraying someone else (e.g. Jon).
ANYTHING BUT…*sob*….DIALOGUE!!!!!!!
WTF happened to Gilly?? She look´s like Melissa McCarthy!!!
Brienne and Jaime this episode made my heart burst. Too much perfection for me to list, it was all so divine.
Ginevra,
Since I heard your theory for the first time I have thought it be great. But I fail to understand how you envisage it ending and I fear for all the characters I love. I fear for them anyway.
Apollo,
Darn right I am 😍
What an delight this epi was with all of the characters coming together with a single purpose- survival.
I was very moved by Jamie knighting Brienne. It was beautifully done by the actors.
Easy, Jaime ran away up the nearest flight of stairs 😉
No KL this episode or next?
The more touching scenes there were, the more scared I got for next week. I think I’m going to need some wine to get through it. Or giant’s milk. Whichever.
I was going back and forth between grinning and nearly crying the whole time. And leave it to Bryan Cogman to be the writer whose ep has Jenny of Oldstones in it.
I’d agree that Theon and Edd are looking pretty doomed. Same goes for Beric Dondarrion, perhaps. But I’m really, really scared for Brienne.
Is anyone else starting to think that with the politics of the show being based on the War of the Roses, Tyrion and Sansa are going to pick their political marriage back up and wind up king and queen? Tyrion would be Henry VII and Sansa would be Elizabeth of York.
Now I want the next episode to get leaked, I can´t wait till next sunday!!!
It´s gonna be a carnage!!!
As soon as Tyrion mentioned to Jaime that at least Cersei would never get to kill him, Jaime became distracted by a commotion in the courtyard below, and I thought for sure it was Bronn’s arrival. When they were talking about missing Tywin, I was like, his bow is on the way to great you.
We need Melisandre closure, but do we know if she contracted to do this season?
And here I thought it was a fantastic episode, and perfect for the night before the big battle.
It was exactly what I would envision actually happening, not a bunch of contrived action for the sake of action. It was The Calm Before the Storm. The introversion. The human connections. The nostalgia. The regrets. The humanity. The love. The forgiveness.
10/10 for me.
Ghost’s Lunch,
Thanks for clarifying it for me, it’s been a while since I read the books.
I fully agree with you about Brienne’s arc, but imo this doesn’t exclude love and I think Jaime accepting he loves Brienne would mean the necessary final rejection of Cersei.
Lol,
I’m putting my hopes in a disgruntled insider downloading it onto a USB and giving it to Assange…
Seriously though the desire to avoid spoilers has been a double-edged sword, as it has made me avoid sites like this and discussion
The discussion is great when no one is any the wiser and it is pure theorising (we still get this with the Books at least)
The live chat is so much better in here when there are no leaks
(Written before reading any of the comments above)
Someone connected with the show said there was an episode that was written like a play, and I assume they meant this one. And a fecking good (tele)play it was. So many great scenes, including a beautiful Shireen/Ser Davos callback, Podrick sings!, everyone drinks and says things, Arya crack (wrong, just wrong). and Ghost even made an appearance.
Anywho, I’m off to read the comments from my fellow Watchers…
Ginevra,
I’m not sure. I think it depends on how they are raised, Ginevra. I believe technically you are right, kids don’t show that kind of behavior on their own but (and this is the real) if you have raised the kid in a xenophobic environment where different is not to be trusted but to be feared, you may have a problem. Kids learn fast from parents. The good news they are very young and those kids can learn different if taught. Maybe someone with a degree in child psychology who know more about these things can confirm or deny this.
That being said, the Northerners are not trusting of outsiders and that is already established in the series, it’s something like a culture thing (tradition?) for them, so I think that may be a realistic reaction. But that’s just the way I see it.
I think the Northerners should do what Tormund suggested: fuck tradition! ☺️
Exactly
100% agree,
These stories, songs and interaction are all about humanity, which people still have despite having been through so much together (and against eachother)
It is a perfect counter-balance to the intense action we are set to have in E3
This is one of my favorite episodes from all 8 seasons so far. Up there with Blackwater and The Winds of Winter. I hope that Cogman gets an Emmy for the screenplay.
I hope not, mostly because that would be too easy – it is one thing to be inspired by history to write your story, it is another to simple copy it, make the ending too predictable, especially since everyone already knows about the connections and can simply look it up… or watch endless YT videos on it ^_^
Top 5 ever (and it’s just a setup episode)… Thanks D&D for the great gift you’ve made us. Game of thrones has been a worlwide cultural revolution, and a part of our last decade. I feel so lucky to have lived the GOT generation. However it will end we all should be greatfull for this entertainment masterpiece. I wish for once the presumed Haters will politely keep their silence.
I loved this episode, interesting that it was all in Winterfell, and next episode should all be in Winterfell … I don’t recall back to back same setting episodes.
Boy even not knowing what happens next episode even tho it is a long battle, that leave episodes 4-6 hard to figure ! (Since a lot still had to happen.)
I don’t mind the Arya/Gendry thing. But I had to close my eyes during that part when I knew what was happening. Had to confirm that Williams wasn’t nude on screen, lol. She was like 6 running around in a helmet in season 1 ffs.
Can anyone make out if the dragon in the preview is Viserion? I see someone on top flying him, but I can’t tell if it’s the NK?
Ginevra,
I was thinking the same. My students are that little girls age, and they’d be filled with non stop questions…but they were afraid to begin with, so anything out of the ordinary would scare them I guess
He must have been singing the entire time he was rowing, right?
Jared,
Good to see you back, Jared!! Totally agree with your post, And Lulus moms here too!
I know they’re keeping me fat and happy before they rip my heart out. I’m ok with it.
What an episode …this is the episode which reminded me of the old seasons where we get to have lots of conversations and wonderful moments that I loved..
I can’t come out of the song and it’s so beautiful..pod sang good but the lady voice in the post credit is hauntingly touching..
And I just hate HBO and GoT for making the teaser so dark ..iam not able to see anything…how am I supposed to wait for another week
Dave and Dan are going to totally stun everybody, and have the Army of the Dead take a detour and attack King’s Landing. So not to worry.
I’m not crying, your crying! I’m guilty of expecting more plot progression, but as a calm before the storm, with most characters expecting they are about to die, it really turned out quite beautiful.
Arya and Gendry, what more can be said? I don’t know if it would ever happen in the books, but it made perfect sense for the show. I hope those two kids survive and get to travel the world together. But of course Arya will probably have to kill wight Gendry next episode.
When Jaime told Brienne to kneel, the waterworks began. Ser Brienne Of Tarth, lover of handless dirty blondes! Please, let them have their Arya-Gendry moment!
Podrick has a lovely voice, and the song he sang was so melancholy that you could have mistaken him for Rhaegar. Speaking of which, Dany wasn’t happy about finding out about AeJon. This episode really made Dany’s isolation and lack of a family really stand out. When Sansa hugged Theon, the look on Daenerys’ face seemed so sad, perhaps even envious. I do feel sorry for her character. And now it looks like she may Choose to walk away from her relationship with Jon.
Only 4 episodes left. Gods, that is a sad thought!
Dance of Dragons next week.
Imagine if they just turned around and left and everyone at WF look at each other like wtf 😀
Guys, is this the only battle with the walkers? Ughhhhhhhhh
😱😱😱😱😱
Ginevra,
Yes! It was so exciting, I had to pause the credits to puzzle over them but then when the episode was underway, it became clear. So, my guess is that they play a major role in the battle, maybe? I’m envisioning that first the wights are impaled, then tar or oil floods them and they burn.
weirwoodtreehugger: chief manatee,
Yeah Ive thought the same during this off season Each one has made comments about the other that were good memories, and thought their reunion last week was a good start.
Gonna be real interesting after next week when all our theories get shot to hell and we gotta start over.
Next week’s episode will be titled The Long Night or War for the Dawn.
I also loved the moment with Davos and the tender moment that he and Gilly shared with the little girl with the scarred face. Heavy Shireen flashbacks there … my heart cracked.
Probably has to do with there maybe not being any parents, it may not necassarily be simply because “muh racism” but there have been two brutal wars with Robb calling up the most competent soldiers leading the the Red Wedding
Then there was Theon Ironborn invading and occupying certain key areas, and perceivably killing Bran and Rickon and “sacking” Winterfell
Then there was Stannis’s Southron invasion from a northward direction
Then there’s the fact Jon let a whole heap of foreigner Wildlings through the Wall who have had a history of invasions which children will be aware of and we don’t know if they have been “behaving”
Then the North ripped itself apart even further when Jon/Sansa vs Ramsay and all of this was done in the name of independence
Then we have Vale troops who have come up from the south though relations are rather murky (as in uncovered)
Going back previously, Torrhen Stark knelt before Targaryen armies marched into the North so there is no historical precedent for Targaryen-led foreign troops en masse. Even small children will be aware of most recent history with Mad King Aerys burning Lord Stark and his heir
As Stannis said, the North was tricky enough for Robert when he had Neds full support
Sansa/Dany was interesting, she historically despised the North and related more to the South. In the books she will be more of the Riverlands and Vale IMO (which is why she is around Royce a lot, oh if only they had kept the Blackfish alive as well but anyway) but now she seems strongly pro-North
IMO just give the North the same deal as Dorne, they’ll have a Prince/Princess and Royal family presiding over it and it can be argued they inter-married back into the 7 Kingdoms and voila we have something of a balance and middle ground
While I think she becomes Queen of RL and Vale in the books, I suspect they are setting her up for leadership in the North in the show. Not that I think the show has done a proper job of her arc and deserving of it, I can see how it ties back to S1 and I reckon the Alayne arc of the books will see her earn Queenship
Well, I definitely don’t know how it will all end. In the books, there are hints that tell us the Others will make it much farther south than Winterfell. So even with the stone kings, the Starks won’t have a total victory here. I doubt they hold Winterfell, even. My best hope is that the dragons, the Unsullied, the Northmen, the Dothraki, and the stone kings (under the control of a Stark) will significantly reduce the size of the Army of the Dead and the number of Others, with the majority of our beloved main characters alive to fight another day. Stone kings should be significantly more indestructible than humans and so great for fighting the wights.
One thing about GOT fandom I’ve never understood is the hysteria about leaks, The show airs at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, and as far as I’m concerned that’s all one needs to know. The rest is soap opera.
Jack Bauer 24,
It is the NK
Im thinking the character was 10, and Maisie was 12 or something.
Tyrion & Sansa ruling at the end is like setting 8 great seasons of storytelling on fire and taking a piss to put it out. I pray that’s not how this all ends. With Sansa pushing this independent North narrative, if she survives maybe the 7 kingdoms return to 7 independent kingdoms? I’m personally expecting Sansa to die and Arya (with Gendry & their children) ruling the North.
ThisGirlHasNoName,
The episode was perfectly done, so emotionally deep, characters so true to who they are, no missteps, no false behavior – I loved it so much. Brienne made me cry, and Jaime has redeemed himself – both characters have matured and grown. It was so beautiful, everything this episode was so beautiful.
I saw a comment by someone who says they watch with trepidation, waiting for their heart to be broken. Me, too. And I’m very worried about Ghost, if Jon is on a dragon, who will be with Ghost?
I brightened and slowed it to .25x speed, and to be honest I don’t know if that’s the NK or Dany. 😆 I couldn’t see the eyes of the dragon, and it’s wing didn’t look torn up…do you think she could be flying him during the battle?
Great episode! Standout moments:
Arya and Gendry. Although I have been shipping them, it was very weird and awkward for me. I’m more weirded out by that moment than Dany/Jon or Cersei/Jaime. That’s WEIRD!
Tears for Brienne getting her knighthood from Jaime.
But all the feels in the world for Sansa and Theon!! Oh. My. Gosh!!
Why do you even watch this show?!?
If the prequel ends up being called The Long Night, I’m not sure if they’ll use that as an episode title.
Jamie’s comment about war, Sam
Arya, The Hound, Beric…”old”…too funny and touching.
Ser Davos has a Shireen to fight for.
Tormund is a fool one moment and a wise man the next.
What did Tyrion and Bran talk about, did Tyrion get a heads up about Jon? Dany could use someone to talk to after tonight.
Grey Worm and Missandi don’t feel welcome and just want to go home. What is home, a place you don’t remember or where you are known, and welcome.
We can fear Dany will lose it to get the throne but she isn’t her father and she now has family to consider. There is forgiveness but hopefully the ability to not repeat the mistakes of the past.
Jack Bauer 24,
That could be why they’ve been hesitant to name the prequel The Long Night?
Well played. Only disconnect was Grey Warm saying he doesn’t feel like he belongs in the north and needs to leave. Odd because he knows Danerys isn’t planning on staying there. Her eyes are set on the warm southern city of Kings Landing. A place they’d be living the life they are more accustomed to. So what’s up with saying he’ll leave his pledge to Danerys?
Everything else flowed well. Was only surprised by Arya’s decision to stop being a virgin. She’s the one I got wrong, as I sort of though Gendry was better suited to Sansa.
I’m more convinced Tyrion is not turning on Danerys, which feels more natural to the story line. Lots of theories are too far fetched from GRRM’s story, and I couldn’t figure Tyrion as a betrayer. Varys? yes perhaps.
Did sort of expect the red witch to arrive with secrets to help kill Night King. So guessing now that the battle isn’t completely finished next week and will have a phase II in which she provides a critical function.
I do think it’s Dany now. I was able to brighten it on another screen and the dragon doesn’t look like Viserion, like you said, because the wings aren’t torn up. Dany looks like she’s sideways though and not facing forward. Can you see that or am I imagining things lol?
Kior,
Its one of the best episodes. If you want battles thats next week which should be in the top 5.
Well played.Only disconnect was Grey Warm saying he doesn’t feel like he belongs in the north and needs to leave.Odd because he knows Danerys isn’t planning on stayingthere.Her eyes are set on the warm southern city of Kings Landing.A place they’d be living the life they are more accustomed to.So what’s up with saying he’ll leave his pledge to Danerys to get away from people who find him an outsider? I dont’ buy it. Not his character, so this was the only jarring plot point to me.
Everything else flowed well. Was only surprised by Arya’s decision to stop being a virgin. She’s the one I got wrong, as I sort of though Gendry was better suited to Sansa.
I’m more convinced Tyrion is not turning on Danerys, which feels more natural to the story line. Lots of theories were too far fetched from GRRM’s story, and I couldn’t figure Tyrion as a betrayer along with the conversations. Varys? yes perhaps.
Did sort of expect the red witch to arrive with secrets to help kill Night King. So guessing now that the battle isn’t completely finished next week and will have a phase II in which she provides a critical function.
At 13 seconds, we see the stone king and his direwolf. At 18 seconds, a panicked Arya runs through the crypts.
The dragon is at 20 seconds in, with the person on the back looking less hairy to me than Jon or Dany, but I could be wrong.
I thought that Grey Worm convo was a bit odd as well since they won’t be staying in WF.
Can’t Dany just torch the AotD then? They don’t know if dragonfire works on the NK, but what about the WW’s?
She’s not there. She was told if she was ever in the North again, she would be put to death.
She will appear sometime in Episodes 4-6. Like The Red Priest — her last act is not yet done.
And we already know she will not honour Jon’s request about refusing to bring him back again. She serves the Lord of Light.
I still think she will return in Episodes 4-6, but there is ONE “cavalry” to the rescue we might do well to remember:
Jon ordered the “Night’s Watch” that was manning the rest of the Castles at the Wall to return South to Winterfell. The Maester sent the ravens; the Watch and Wildlings have not arrived. (Edd and Tormund were at Eastwatch and fled south on their own).
So some of the Night’s Watch and what is left of the Wildling Army are on the way to Winterfell. If you are looking for a Gandalf and the Riders of Rohan moment at the dawn? That will be it.
Jack Bauer 24,
I think it’s dany
http://Check out @yeahclarke’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/yeahclarke/status/1120161783241682944?s=09
Oh I think one of them at least will be staying – and probably both.
Inside the Episode.
Much better, thanks! Yeah that’s Drogon and Dany.
Is the NK even going to WF? Maybe he’s going to KL.
I think Grey Worm meant Westeros in general, not just the north. I said way back before the season started that Theon would sail them to Naath after the fighting was over and I am still counting on those 3 to live. GW and Theon are literally the 2 people you’d most expect to die. Let’s go back to subverting expectations like the olden times, GOT.
Surely it will! But Dany may have to do battle with the ice dragon (or blue fire dragon, which makes the title of the series seem stupidly irrelevant) to destroy many of them.
It takes a while to get going. There are lists of *must see* episodes of B5 that will tell you which are skippable.
Straczynski’s main plot and mythology of the series is wonderful. The effects are old, but I don’t think they matter that much. Some of the major reveals are just amazing. Mindblowing even.
Here’s a good list of essential episodes. Some of the summaries are spoilerish, so watch the named ep before you read the summary for that episode.
But if Dany is fighting the NK in the air, why can’t Aegon use Rhaegal to do the burning?
+1 😁
Thank you! Looks like it.
I reckon it is Dany.
I was looking very close at the lineup of WW’s (and there were a few) for the NK
As I’ve said before, this is a feint IMO, he is making a beeline for KL and the Iron Throne, and the surviving characters will have to follow. Eg Hound, Jon, Dany, Tyrion for starters
Sansa will survive and stay in the North as the Stark in Winterfell and be alive at the end IMO
It was a bit weird given they started off as children and the same time hasn’t passed, but given Mercy chapter is a pseudo sexual appearance that ends in an assassination I think the Showrunners had just enough leave to do the scene.
Still, they could have just had them make out and fumble with the shirts and imply it all…
A great episode for sure. Loved every minute of it.
So Arya finally lost her virginity – and with none other than Gendry. Never thought I’d see Maisy Williams in the buff :p
Ghost’s Lunch,
Perhaps those kids were indeed orphans. And perhaps they were raised by the community to be fearful and distrusting of strangers or foreigners because of the history the North had that you listed above. Fear and mistrust of anything foreign though is the definition of xenophobia. I think everyone at WF including those kids knew that Missandei and GW are allies and that they are there with Dany’s army at Jon’s request so they would help them live a little longer. And yet that didn’t count because they are foreigners. It was just sad as GW and Missandei felt that rejection and spurred GW to talk about not belonging in Westeros and going away.
Anyway, mine was just a simple observation during the watch and I didn’t mean for this comment to go that long, or for this discussion about those kids either, it’s just that I’d wish you wouldn’t have quoted at me “muh racism”. It just looks like you’re bringing an overtired argument that pissed you off somewhere else here, where not once I mentioned racism.
11:35 pm. I started watching late.
Just got up to two unexpected moments.
1. Sandor, looking into Arya’s eyes, speaking earnestly: “I fought for you, didn’t I?” 😢
2. And then, holy god almighty, ASNAWP
Oh Maisie, you rule!
I’ve taken an intermission after that. Never thought they’d go there on the show. But now – especially considering that love scene came shortly after Gendry revealed to her he’s Robert Baratheon’s son… is there another, better baby drama now in play?
Okay here’s my full review :).
Loved it. Like I said in my last comment, it was the perfect episode right before the monster battle.
Arya/Gendry: So perfect. I always hoped they’d be a thing after their traveling days. What better way for Arya to lose her virginity than to jump the hot sweaty studly weapon’s maker? I also love that he confessed to being Robert B.’s kid. No secrets. I’m a bit worried for both of them but I’m still hoping they have a longer endgame.
Arya/The Hound: “I fought for you.” Broke my heart. I’m not sure she knew until that very moment how much he cared.
Jaime/Tyrion: I just felt like there was more to be said here. Same with…
Jaime/Bran: I wish Bran had just touched on Jaime killing the mad king, and how he knew why he did what he did. I thought this conversation was a wasted opportunity to do SO MUCH.
Sansa/Dany: So close, yet so far away. For a minute I thought they might actually bond, but I think they left that conversation further apart. And I think this division is going to further drive Dany and Jon apart (more on that later).
Sansa/Theon: Brought tears to my eyes. I’d almost forgotten the circumstances under which they last parted. I’m almost shipping them now, but I think Theon is going to be the sacrificial hero that saves Bran. Poetic justice.
The Mormonts: Perfect. I didn’t expect all hugs and tears here, and so to see them together, as all business, was stellar.
The Night’s Watch: So many smiles and tears for Edd/Sam/Jon. It’s been an epic journey for these three men. I suspect only one survives the day. Maybe two.
The gathering by the fireplace: I loved this so much. I don’t care what y’all think, Tormund is the perfect man for Brienne.
The knighting of Brienne: There have been many GoT moments that have brought tears to my eyes. Only a few have made me sob. As a woman working in a very male-dominated industry, I cried BUCKETS when Jaime knighted Brienne. I’m not an militant feminist or activist. And you could say my line of work chose me. I’ve loved working with almost all men and I totally respect them. But over the years, it’s been hard. It was just nice to see Brienne get the recognition and respect she’d long earned.
Jon/Dany: I LOVE that he avoided her for most of the show. It’s such a guy thing to do. And to have Ghost make an appearance!!! (I yelled at my screen, even though Nymeria dwarfs him). He was totally ghosting her lol. But when he told Dany he was Aegon…interesting that one moment she’s professing her love for Jon to Sansa, and the next she’s totally suspicious that he’s going to steal her crown. Sigh. Her ambition is clouding her judgement. I’m still rooting for her, but all of this is not boding well for her future.
That’s it. Overall I loved having a character-focused episode leading into the giant battle. I laughed and I cried.
Here are my predictions as to who survives/dies in the big battle:
Lives
Jon
Dany
Arya
Sansa (I do think that one of the Stark kids may bite the dust, and if so, my money is on Sansa. But given her tension with Dany, it wouldn’t make sense to fill her off yet.
Bran
Tormund
Ghost (and Nymeria, whom I’m hoping makes an appearance)
On the fence:
Jaime (On one hand, I’m not sure where his character goes from here. On the other hand. Cercei becomes one dimensional without him as foil).
Lyanna Mormont
Jorah (if Jorah dies, I think Tyrion will survive. I think one dies. But why go to all that trouble to bring Jorah back, only for him to die now?)
Varys (I’m not sure why he’s still there. I think they set him up for something but ran out of time. I give this one 50-50 shot).
The Hound (He could die heroically. Or could still have a role to play in the final battle for the throne, if there is a throne.)
Dies:
Tyrion (The queen can’t have two main advisors. Plus I am betting either Jaime or Tyrion dies, and my money is regrettably on Tyrion).
Gendry (I want him to have a bigger part of the end game with Arya, but their sexcapade made me think he’s a goner and Arya survives, perhaps with a Baratheon parting gift)
Theon (I watched Ep1 again. Sure looked like a goodbye-forever with Yara.)
Brienne (SOB. But her being knighted was the kiss of death.)
Davos (He’s old. One recurring theme is the old making way for the new. I suspect he’s toast).
Sam: I suspect it’s the end of the road for these two. When I saw Sam/Edd/Jon together, I had a bad feeling that Sam was going to be gone. It felt like goodbye. Sam’s done all he was supposed to do – found Jon’s parentage, found the dragon glass. But now his watch has ended. However I suspect Gilly will survive).
Edd: I love Dolores Edd, but I think either him or Tormund will survive, and my money is on Tormund. Only because I’m half in love with him.
Royce: We hardly knew ya.
Ser Beric: You’ve had enough lives.
Steel_Wind,
All of a sudden I find myself wanting Greyworm to live. Not that I ever wanted him to die, just that I wasn’t invested (or didn’t know I was until now) but he and Missandei’s scene here was so sweet and seemed final 🙁
HBO posted the full Florence and the Machine version of “Jenny” song with on screen lyrics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTa1jHk1Lxc
Ginevra,
Thank you! Now I have a clearer picture in my head and it doesn’t sound that bad.
TormundsWoman,
Sansa’s so steely, wow. She matches Dany in determination and confidence. If both survive I betcha Dany gives Sansa the North.
I like how Dany showed kindness/forgiveness to Tyrion after Jorah’s complimentary remarks. He’s such a stand up guy.
https://ew.com/tv/2019/04/21/game-of-thrones-maisie-williams-gendry/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
But Williams says what’s most important to her about Arya’s battle-eve night of romance wasn’t reading the scene or even filming it, but rather what this moment meant for her character. Year after year, Arya has been laser-focused on survival and training and revenge. Being with Gendry meant that, for one night at least, Arya had an experience that put her back in touch with her humanity.
Over on the HBO site they have the Game Revealed posted for Ep 2. In it Brian Cogman says he wrote this episode as a love letter to the characters. That came across loud and clear. Also, NCW and others were commenting that because this is “the last night together” and everyone has so much invested in the characters and story, it felt right to spend a whole episode having this time with them. Such a great episode before all the heartbreak that will come next week.
I’m not very skilled with tech, this link may or may not work, but I’m giving it a try
https://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones
So is Dany pregnant? 4 episodes left, but next week is the big battle.
Now I’m worried that the crypt has tunnels and the NK will come in through them, and turn everyone who was sheltering there, and that’s why Dany said “the dead are already here”?
It could happen that way, or Jon may be too busy guarding Bran. Or they may not want to risk both dragons being airborne simultaneously.
Wow, what a great episode! I loved everything! Which sucks because now I am properly primed to be gutted and devastated by the next episode, dammit…
Loved the Sansa-Dany conversation, the Hound and Arya stuff, Tormund glomping Jon, the Sansa-Theon reunion, the alcohol party of Brienne, Jaime, Tyrion, Pod, Davos, and Tormund, the last Watch gathering (sob) of Sam, Jon, and Edd, the Jon-Dany conversation, all the Jaime stuff! I can’t think of much I didn’t like – and that Jenny of Oldstones song was foreboding. Sure, there’s some fanservice but I don’t care because everything will be going to sh!t soon, I’m not ready ;;;;
Wimsey,
I think it’s Friday for the Giants. Saner Half is totally jonesing for a bobblehead of Bruce Bochy on the Iron Throne, but is mortified to admit it.
King in the North East,
/chokes on Dornish red
King in the North East,
I was TRYING to cut back on my alcohol consumption, but since you keep making me blow wine out my nose I keep having to refill my glass.
My would-be sobriety is in your hands, Your Grace. Or are you the Warden of the North East?
Clob,
Nice greenseeing abilities, Clob. What do you really do?
Apollo,
For a second there I thought I was watching Independence Day. If Randy Quaid shows up next week to take out a White Walker or two (“Remember me? I’m baaaccckkk!!!”)…
In all seriousness, though: I’m not surprised. They’re horny teenagers. And Death is coming.
/prepares for sharp scolding
Shy Lady Dragon,
Jaime is now head of House Lannister, I guess he can knight away..
ash,
Thank you, ash! Great to see you here as well! 🙂
Ginevra,
Given that Carice van Houten was on one of the GoT covers of EW with Liam Cunningham, I’m sure she was. There’s no way we’re getting to the end without Lord of Light resolution!
Lady MarMar,
I think you are right. Next Sunday is going to be heartbreaking. I wonder who it is that Arya is running from. I think I want to be spoiled for this one cause I need to be prepared lol.
Raven,
Thank you!!!
Camille,
Thank you! I had forgotten it was possible.
Jack Bauer 24,
Melisandre is in Winterfell as that little girl with remnants of greyscale on her face who took porridge from Davos, resembling Princess Shireen. When all will be seemingly lost that girl will unleash some serious whoop ass as the lord of light.
Steel_Wind,
While she refused to honor his wishes, the irony is that it won’t matter if and when she dies first. After all, she predicted her own death as well as that of Varys. She dies, and Jon is officially on his last life.
GHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOST!
With that out of the way, great episode!
Loved reading everyone’s comments and I agree whole heartedly. Fantastic episode, one of the best ever!
I cried, I laughed, I worried….throughout.
I’m dreading Episode 3. I love them all now and so many are set to die. Not sure I can cope with the stress of 80+ minutes of holding my breath 🙈
Jack Bauer 24,
I strongly suspect there will be KL next episode and I’m not sure why people are assuming there won’t be. It’s 82 minutes long, about 45-50 of which are supposed to be spent on the battle. There’s still plenty of room for other material.
OK as promised no spoilers posted by myself so here is my recap/review having seen the episode 3 times last night.
– I thought the episode was absolutely stunning, with so many human moments, some humour (Tormund especially), some fear, some sorrow, some moments which almost made me cry (Theon/Sansa and Jamie/Brienne), all under an over arching sense of impending doom and death.
– Bryan Cogman wrote a fantastic script which made me think of how soliders must feel just before going into war, perhaps how the allies felt on the boats going over to France.
– The acting was amazing from everyone. As I said last night and last week, I’ve been heavily critical of Sophie Turner but she’s come on leaps and bounds.
– The episode really doesn’t bode well for Dany, she comes across horribly throughout, I suspect this is what Emilia was hinting at. The possibility of her breaking bad is greatly increasing by the episode. The interaction she had at Jamie’s trial with Sansa though was fabulous where Sansa makes a decision, then Jon just gets up an ignores her. Later she tries to make piece with Sansa in a fantastic scene with Sophie and again it goes pear shaped, you can see she is not willing to give up the North. Finally oh boy does she look p1ssed with Jon when he tells her the truth, great acting by Emilia but I wonder now is she’s going to turn on them soon, her last scene makes me think she will betray them. Also the whole pregnancy seems pretty unlikely at this point unless they introduce it in E4 as a way to reconcile their relationship.
– Regarding Tyrion, well all those conspiracies about a secret pact with Cersei are almost certainly false. If he turns on Dany now, it will be because of her actions clearly.
– Greyworm/Missandei. This couple bore me however it seemed pretty heavy foreshadowing that they will leave Dany at some point and also that one of them will die next week; my guess is Missandei.
– Jamie. I loved the extra focus on him but I really fear he’s going to be the big death next week. Bran hints at it too.
– Theon & Sansa as a couple anyone? It seemed to hint at that however I think he’s going to die defending Bran. Also again Dany got hit with a sledge hammer when Theon wanted to fight for Winterfell, it was almost like she couldn’t understand his loyalty.
– Arya/Gendry. This scene made me feel very uncomfortable, although it’s totally human and Maisie is now legal age I didn’t like the scene for personal reasons.
– Looks like no Kings Landing for back to back episodes which is a big surprise. I highly doubt the Golden Company will show up next week either.
I was thinking this too. It’s going to be a shock if it doesn’t contain the most death of named characters in any GOT episode. I suspect Jamie, Missandei, Gendry, Theon, Jorah, Pod and Lady Mormont are all going to die. Next week is just going to be so damn tense.
When I watched it, I even wondered if she is going to leave at that moment. She was super angry and horrible throughout the episode, it was more nuanced than her being evil and you could almost have some sympathy for her but boy she is making it hard to like her.
Honestly Dee, we simply do not know. There have been no leaks this season (other than a few snippets from the red carpet premiere), we knew there was going to be a big battle at Winterfell but nobody knows how it will go down at all. We are all unsullied at this point.
Cogman wrote a love story to the GOT characters. What a perfect way to describe episode 2.
Only, in the process, as we are pulled back into the meaning of their lives and loving them, next week will be even harder on us. Damn you, oh you GOT! Achk!
This episode felt like the first half of Blackwater and Watchers on the Wall.
Looking unlikely at this point, but they may pull it as a last minute switch to stop her breaking bad and reconcile her relationship with Jon in episode 4. We clearly won’t see any baby born unless there is a significant time jump though.
ash,
Hi Ash *waves*. Sorry I’m a bit late catching up, but great to see you too! I’ve not been able to watch the last two episodes yet but will hopefully by sorted out before this Sunday and can join in properly. I’ll be all over the comments like a rash 😀
No, that’s not what’s being shown in that clip. It is not Arya running through “the crypts”; it is Arya running through a passage in Winterfell’s castle. Now she is clearly running with some Mojo so we can well guess that the dead have made it into the castle and she is probably running from one or more of them.
But she’s not in the crypts in this clip.
YES Arya/Gendry shippers are pleased! Wooo Hooo!
I did NOT expect the Arya sexy time scene! So happy that it blindsided me. Loved LOVED Briene finally becoming a knight! Great show.
Ghost’s Lunch,
“The follow up scene of Brienne was excellent also, she is used to being roundly mocked but in that Hall she was amongst friends who truly respected her and gave her her due”
Ghosts Lunch! That was a beautiful statement and I could not agree more! Thank you
??? Lol. Your ‘Gendry’fication of Pod is both funny and troubling.
Hodors Bastard,
Bless. That’s what happens when we get old. Actually, I confuse folks all the time, which doesn’t bode well for when I get truly old. I used to call my girls by each other’s names all the freaking time. It was so bad. My eldest when she was only in kindergarten I think said, I could wear a nametag if you’d like. Such snark from one so young!
Seven blessings upon Brian Cogman. That was the highest-thread-count episode we’ve had in ages. And I’m delighted that its title turned out to be “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.’ What a perfect Easter egg for readers who love the character of Dunk and the concept of Brienne being his legacy! Her being knighted was the high point of an episode with many high points.
I also loved Arya acting on her feelings for Gendry. Had zero problems with her having a sex scene – especially one in which the nudity was more of an excuse for a reveal of her lingering scars (clearly a shock to Gendry, who knows so little of her journey since they parted ways) than of Maisie’s sideboob. Of all the sex scenes in the entire series, this was one of the most sex-positive and least “squicky,” IMO: no rape, no brutalization, no leeches, no monetary exchange, no incest, no emotional blackmail, no manipulation, no obligation. Just two mutually attracted people in their prime of lusty youth doing something life-affirming in defiance of impending doom – a visceral way of saying to Death, “Not today.” I cheered them on.
Everyone’s saying that Theon is toast, but he still has a couple of things left to do:
1) Remind Jon that it’s okay to be both a Stark and someone else, returning the favor from last season.
2) Casually drop the info that Maester Luwin gave him about the crypts of Winterfell having a handy bolt-hole via the caverns. I believe the survivors are going to need that escape route in order for us to have four more episodes.
The Sansa/Theon scenes made me nearly as teary-eyed as “Arise, Ser Brienne.” I never thought of shipping them before, but there’s a kind of logic to it: She probably wants nothing to do with any sort of male penetration anymore, so a gelded-but-devoted man might be a good mate for her. There’s just the little issue of succession, but they might end up with someone else’s pregnancy complication to raise.
🙂 Snarky youth are a treasure to behold, as is a parent’s prudent balance between reality, fiction and sanity. Carry on, kind Ginevra!
Absolutely. A yummy treat for those who find the written and theorized clues fascinating. I let out a cheer and stood up involuntarily during that scene…then released another cheer when the title of the episode was revealed on Twitter. An “Easter Egg” indeed! Small things can bring many grins.
I fully expect that Jaime and Brienne will have a great love scene – the most intense of the entire series.
I think the only virgin remaining the story will get her man. No virgin at the start of an HBO series goes on to end the series without some good lovin.
If that lovin does not happen I want my money back from HBO.
(extra credit if we also have a happy wedding!)
This, 100%. Arya wanted him, let him know it, went for it, and he reciprocated. Totally consensual, confident, voluntary, positive. I thought it was natural, not contrived, and the scene leading up to it (her face when she watched him working, HIS face when she threw those spearheads, lol) – well damn. 😆
Firannion,
I did not see the Easter Egg and Dunk&Egg connection until I read this note. Thanks! These guys have really planned their series so well.
Perhaps. I also offer for your consideration that the presence of Melisandre, real or imagined, allows for Jon (or possibly others) to be “resurrected” even if they actually are not. In other words, through the presence and reputed magic of Melisandre, someone can be “raised from the dead” when that resurrected person might just be Arya.
Complicated? Yes. But it might provide a nice twist.
K.please tell me that somone else notice that old man put somthing on greyworms girls back while they were having a deep convo on what they were to do after the war was done. Lits od manyface men in this episode on my opion. Hummm
Firannion,
Yes to ALL of this!!! You have articulated my own reactions and post-show feelings very well.