"Non book readers" - Season 8 Episode 3 "The Long Night" - Spoilers post 2 forwa

shrewdness · 29-04-2019 10:58AM

Not sure if it's been answered already, but where the hell did Ghost run off to? He was seen at the start with the Dothraki, but unless I missed something he wasn't seen again. And I doubt he's been killed as I'm sure we'd have seen some evidence, even him coming back as a wight direwolf before they all died. So he must be in the wilderness somewhere, no doubt he'll show up like nothing happened in next week's episode. I'm just not sure why he was in it at all if the start was the only time we seen him. Even if there was one more appearance where he saved Jon or even Sam, that would have made sense.

29-04-2019 10:59AM

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

I find that I am usually in the miniority.

I was in the minority that read the books long before the TV show.

I was in the miniority that enjoyed the character episodes.

And I am in the minority that has invested over 20 years into this series as a reader and fan to be presented with that ridiculous cartoon and call it for the joke of an episode that it was.

That is disappointing for you, definitely.

Sure, there were moments in this episode which made me go 'That shouldn't be right'....like Jon Snow should be dead 10 times by now, but I don't feel insulted or that it was all ridiculous. These are heroes in a fantasy story, and some things for whatever reason my own mind will let them slide. Even with fantasy and magic there have to be consistency to the rules of the story-world, but tbh I've long given up looking at Jon Snow as a mortal character bound to these rules.

For good and bad, this is likely the only ending we'll get to ASOIAF. Those years you/we have invested, I'd be more insulted by the now disinterested author tbh. And that's all I'll say about that in this non-readers thread.

The Iron Giant · 29-04-2019 10:59AM

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

This is literally nonsense.

Well done. I can't take you seriously at all any more if you're that blind to what's in front of you and hellbent on finding a way not to enjoy it.

I'm sorry you're so hurt by this episode but the rest of us will just enjoy the story we've been told.

Nody · 29-04-2019 10:59AM

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Thinking hypothetically, I think it likely helped in the end that Cersei didn't send her armies down. Extra men likely would have still been too few against the dead and it may have meant extra dead warriors and a force far too big to overthrow and too big to allow Arya, Jon etc. do their thing...

Any thoughts?

Seeing how much of the undead army was still outside the castle in the "dying of NK scene panorama" Cersei's army would not have made a difference in the initial fight. The main reason for the fight by the looks of it was to get an excuse to kill of Dany's army to make them the underdog for when they march South rather than having an overwhelming elite army that can't lose (Unsullied being the best foot soldiers and the Dathraki being unparalleled as cavalry due to their skills on horseback backed up by two dragons).

BoJack Horseman · 29-04-2019 11:00AM

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

It was quite literally courage. He literally refused to give up against all odds and found the ability to survive.

Lol..... don't be silly.

Imagine a WW2 film where the lead takes a tank shell to the face at point blank.... but "courage" keeps him alive.

Ferajacka · 29-04-2019 11:00AM

RickBlaine wrote: »

Big question is what was Bran doing during the battle. He warged into some ravens and flew away. Why? There has to be more to that.

I also would have liked to see characters like Jaime and Brienne fight and kill some of the white walkers with their dragonglass weapons.

I have to rewatch but was he not guiding the dragons or something?

The Iron Giant · 29-04-2019 11:06AM

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

Lol..... don't be silly.

Imagine a WW2 film where the lead takes a tank shell to the face at point blank.... but "courage" keeps him alive.

When did he take a shell tank or equivalent of to the face? He survived in amongst a horde of the dead and also of his allies. Its nowhere near a tank shell to the face.

It's not a game of top trumps where the weakest physically gets killed by default and they work up?

Bonzo Delaney · 29-04-2019 11:06AM

Watched it this morning from 5am.
I tought it was brilliant real edge of the seat stuff on its own.
But afterwards thinking about the story line what was the point of the night king in the grand scheme of things over all
I was really looking forward to the good living and the not so good living comming together to battle the evil dead with numerous twists and doublecrosses along the way.
I wonder are Euron and the GC already on their way to winterfells maybe stoped off at hotpies place for bite and missed the fun or maybe when the north are sorting out what's left of winterfell they'll find Euron and Co as wights had already been over come by the night king and sent to battle winterfell . Leaving kings landing only defence as the mountain and a few queens guards which shoukd be disposed of easily enough now .

29-04-2019 11:07AM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It's ham-fisted negotiations between the good guys and the bad guys. There isn't any intrigue. "Chaos is a ladder" was many years ago.

Cersei pulling a double-bluff wasn't interesting? 'Chaos is a ladder' happened when the show was still building the world, characters, mystery and story. I'm really not expecting that now when the show is winding down to a conclusion which all those politics built towards.

Some NK/Whitewalkers insight would have been nice though.

NuMarvel · 29-04-2019 11:08AM

Ferajacka wrote: »

I have to rewatch but was he not guiding the dragons or something?

Don't think so. I thought

he was sending ravens for reinforcements from somewhere. Just don't ask me where.

GottaGetGatt · 29-04-2019 11:09AM

Really wasn’t the expecting the Whitewalker's to be dealt with in that episode.

29-04-2019 11:10AM

GottaGetGatt wrote: »

Really wasn’t the expecting the Nightwalker's to be dealt with in that episode.

The cheek calling it "The Long Night". Should have been called "The One Night."

JoeyJJ · 29-04-2019 11:12AM

That was epic, i'm not going to read a lot of the negative posts about it being dark and how did that happen, it was magic tv experience, I think I stood up for most of the episode it was that tense, trying not to shout at 6am waking up the kids.

How did Aryia sneak up on them? This was positively reinforced in last episode behind Jon and in this episode in the library when the whits heard her blood drop but not her scampering around the library, it was amazing scene, the NK 2nd in command thought he heard a wind of something and bam she was there. I was glad NK is over and we have time to play the Game of Thrones, however how much of an army can they really call on now?

Yes it was dark, its CGI and budgets only go so far.

Jon and Daney plan changed when the Darkraki got easily slane however they really should have explained that better.

What was Jon at shouting at the whit dragon ffs get the valaryian steel on out.

29-04-2019 11:13AM

Would have been cool if some WWs called in to say hello to their sister, Gilly. There must be a few. Actually, where are all the young WWs? In that episode, they looked pretty damn old.

Mr. Incognito · 29-04-2019 11:16AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ1yC3yESLQ[/url]

The Inside the Episode-Doesnt answer much tbh

Penn · 29-04-2019 11:18AM

NuMarvel wrote: »

Don't think so. I thought
he was sending ravens for reinforcements from somewhere. Just don't ask me where.

I thought he

just wanted to avoid making awkward smalltalk with Theon.

29-04-2019 11:19AM

Gamer Bhoy 89 wrote: »

I have a feeling this will be one of the most divisive episodes in the series history.
I have not seen so much differing of opinions in my life.

I have to say I'm fairly split myself even though I really enjoyed it. Will have to watch it in HD tonight before I make comment on the darkness of those first 20 -30 minutes which was a poor viewing experience.

As it is right now, it's not in my own top few episodes of GoT, but that could change in time. It wasn't even the best episode of a HBO show for my viewing last night - I watched 'Barry' after GoT and holy shìt was that a perfect episode of television. In GoT's defense though, Barry hit it out of the park last night and produced its best episode yet.

Nody · 29-04-2019 11:22AM

Deleted User wrote: »

I have to say I'm fairly split myself even though I really enjoyed it. Will have to watch it in HD tonight before I make comment on the darkness of those first 20 -30 minutes which was a poor viewing experience.

As it is right now, it's not in my own top few episodes of GoT, but that could change in time. It wasn't even the best episode of a HBO show for my viewing last night - I watched 'Barry' after GoT and holy shìt was that a perfect episode of television. In GoT's defense though, Barry hit it out of the park last night and produced its best episode yet.

But on the other hand this was the culmination of a story arch starting back in Season 1 and the reason for the Nightwatch existence (to guard against the darkness north of the wall); this should have been a hit out of the park episode as you climax a 8 season story arc with the biggest and longest fighting scene in GoT to date with the most CGI to date (i.e. big budget to make it awesomesauce).

Beric Dondarrion · 29-04-2019 11:22AM

There have been much better episodes in GoT throughout the years and much better battles. This one was in the " just alright" category, not terrible but definitely not great IMHO.

I do think the NK story/battle was just a tool to level the playing field though as has been said on here already. The Dothraki are gone, the unsullied have been decimated, the Nothern houses are in bad shape as are the wildlings......With the forces coming from the South (Lannister army, GC etc. It'll be interesting to see how things play out.

I was expecting a bigger cull of main characters but with three episodes left, that's still a possibility I suppose.

The Hound Gone Wild · 29-04-2019 11:23AM

-Jon S8E1: Infront of the weirwood tree

- Arya appears

Jon: "how did you sneak up on me?"

; ]

The Iron Giant · 29-04-2019 11:23AM

Cleganebowl is still on the cards - a fact that has made me super happy!

29-04-2019 11:28AM

My girlfriend said to me afterwards, "There was too much action, they could have condensed that to 10 minutes". I couldn't help but laugh as that was the main gripe people had with the previous two episodes, except it was conversations rather than action.

podgemonster · 29-04-2019 11:28AM

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Cleganebowl is still on the cards - a fact that has made me super happy!

I can see it now.

Sandor: Well brother its just you and me
Mountain: Grrrrr
Sandor: I've waited for this all my li....

*Arya jumps out, stabs Mountain in the neck, job done.

Sandor Clegane · 29-04-2019 11:30AM

Its hard to see how Danny and Jon mount a challenge for the throne now, their armies have been largely decimated.

We still have the Danny - Jon conflict too, that needs to be sorted.

29-04-2019 11:31AM

J. Marston wrote: »

Did Gilly die in the crypt?

Hopefully

29-04-2019 11:36AM

Sandor Clegane wrote: »

Its hard to see how Danny and Jon mount a challenge for the throne now, their armies have been largely decimated.

We still have the Danny - Jon conflict too, that needs to be sorted.

Armies have to camp. Surely a middle-of-the-night attack with the two dragons when the Golden Company / Lannisters are sleeping would do a huge amount of damage. Varys could even be useful again and use his spies to find out if they have that big ballista waiting.

Same with the Red Keep. Fly in without warning and decimate where Cersei is sleeping.

IvySlayer · 29-04-2019 11:36AM

Having the unsullied face them head on with the knights of the vale flanking one side and the dothraki the other side sounds better :P

muddypaws · 29-04-2019 11:37AM

Sandor Clegane wrote: »

Its hard to see how Danny and Jon mount a challenge for the throne now, their armies have been largely decimated.

We still have the Danny - Jon conflict too, that needs to be sorted.

I don't think it's as much of a conflict as it appeared last week, she came back to save him.

Paddy Cow · 29-04-2019 11:39AM

vetinari wrote: »

God, no one has any capacity to analyze race based stuff.
No idea why people are so touchy.

The Dothraki scene only worked because we were meant to think of them as something akin to "ignorant savages". It was a suicidal charge. Game Of Thrones has been good up to now of humanizing all groupings and making their decision making seem plausible. As I said, if the northerners has just charged the army of the dead and been slaughtered instantly, it would have looked ridiculous.

I can't believe you'd turn this into a race thing. The Dothraki are savages, akin to Vikings who raped, pillaged and took slaves where ever they pleased. They got slaughtered instantly because they only had their curved swords. What they should've had was curved dragon glass swords and they might have stood a chance but I don't think Gendry had time to make them.

They charged because that's what they always do. It was dark and they had no idea of the numbers they were facing. They had never faced the dead before. They behaved exactly as they always have, expect this time they got annihilated.

29-04-2019 11:40AM

vetinari wrote: »

That was some ending! Did not expect that.
The first half of the episode though, what a mess!

The Dothraki all getting wiped out at the start was very ridiculous. Multiple really annoying things about it.

1) They've been portrayed as an elite fighting force since the start. They all get killed straight away but main characters can spend minutes battling 10s of wights one on one.

2) Why did they even charge in the first place. That seemed insane. Tbh it struck me as a bit racist.
They caricatured the Dothraki as "noble savages". I don't even know what a successful charge for the Dothraki would have even been.
Yet they all supposedly willingly decided to charge to their deaths for no reason. If the white northeners had done the same thing, people would rightly question the show's writing.

Come to think of it, the entire tactics were baffling, why were any of the armies outside the wall. Can someone explain to me how the "plan" was supposed to work?

In general, they would have been better served shortening the episode. I've loved all the other battle episodes in the series. This one was way too long and drawn out. It started bordering on slapstick in terms of the number of near deaths for main characters. There must have been nearly 10 of them. And the lighting, my god. I'm glad I had the lights turned off.

The last 15 minutes does redeem the episode at least. I expected the Night King to be around till the end.

The dothraki are supposed to be best at fight on an open field with their horses. Fighting like that played to their advantages. Everything you said, will be said in hindsight by the characters. They couldn't have known that the dothraki would be decimated like that.

"Non book readers" - Season 8 Episode 3 "The Long Night" - Spoilers post 2 forwa

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