First of all, I disagree with all this "Deus ex Arya" stuff---like @
Austruck has said repeatedly, her stealth was laid out repeatedly for us, so her sneaking into the Godswood past the White Walkers didn't bother me----there was a moment right before it happened when one of the White Walkers felt wind blowing in his hair and turned around to look behind him---was this something to do with him feeling Arya "flying" past him (on quiet feet)? Everyone (every "thing" else) were so intent on what the Night King was doing, his WWs, the wights, that Arya just got past them. I think they were in a daze when they parted to let the NK in. They just stood there to let Theon charge the WK...it's almost as if, like someone said, his hubris was what brought him down. He basically was thinking, "I'm in charge now" and nobody challenged that. Even though the show led us to believe that it was Jon who would kill him (like Melisandre, perhaps), the bait-and-switch worked perfectly for me. The Arya moment worked perfectly for me. Yes, it was an audience-pleasing moment and dammit, I wanted to be pleased by that point in the episode. (plus, Melisandre did pep up Arya and we plainly see Arya going off for
something). So, no, not totally Deus ex Machina or Arya, at least for me (and Austruck).
I did kind of laugh at the "Sam crying his way through every battle" or whatever it was---but, poor guy, he's a sensitive soul, and he
did fight and kill a bunch of wights, so he was due his tears.
Now, to things I loved about the episode. Yes, it was dark, but it was war and it was chaos, and the Night King was using winter weather and darkness as his ally, so I believed it. I had a grandfather who fought in the trenches in WWI and the way he talked about it, it was indeed like this, madness to the point where you didn't know who you were killing as you were being overrun. Sure, I would have liked it a bit brighter but it might have killed the whole point. It just made it more scary and effective when you didn't know what was happening and who was triumphing---but let's face it, it was the NK who was triumphing almost the whole way.
I loved the NK mocking Jon when he raised his wights around Jon and smirked at him. And damn if Jon didn't kill every stinking one of them before Dany and Drogon killed the rest. But he is a badass in battle, that's been proven time and again. That's his true strength, not sitting on a throne and I believe he'll tell Dany that because she looks mostly happy from next weeks previews. I'm sure he's told her.
Whether or not she should have landed her dragon on the field of battle, I still loved it. She was trying to help her man and that clouded her judgement, proving she is not a heartless, power-mad beeyotch. And I thought it was great when Drogon went up into the air with all the wights clinging to him, twirling and shaking them off. Nice visual.
The people who got their heroic (at least to some extent) deaths: Ser Jorah---loved his big moment, killing wights when he was half-dead himself. And his, "I'm hurt" utterance. Dying words perhaps, but maybe repeating that he's hurt that Dany didn't chose him, both as Hand and as lover? He was a badass in my book! And her crying over her dear friend who stuck with her all the way. Then Drogon, feeling her pain, coming down and wrapping around her like a faithful pet. I almost lost it there, pet lover that I am. P.S. -Dany got her hands dirty at last, killing a few wights herself. I was pleased to see that.
Brienne, Jamie, and Pod, all backed against a wall and killing everything that came at them, even when they were dogpiled.
Beric telling the Hound to get back into the fight by pointing to Arya and saying that she's not giving up, which did indeed pump him back up. And the Hound and Beric saving Arya from the wights. Greatness.
Viserion blasting blue flame everywhere and Jon trying to get around him, then finally facing him down right before Viserion collapses after his master dies. It makes me wonder: Jon is Targaryen, so I guess he can survive dragon flame or fire like Dany, but would he be able to survive Viserion's blue flame? We'll never know but it was interesting---And the Night King surviving Drogon's flames---makes you wonder if he was ancient Targaryen? Hmm.
Lady Lyanna Mormont standing bold before that giant, getting in his grip, getting crushed, but still poking out his eye---I loved her character to the very end. I'm glad, that after we see her eyes turn blue, that things ended before she could do damage.
I did want to see more of Gendry---to see him swing that hammer and wipe out more than a few wights but, oh well, he was shown smashing a few as they came over the battlements. And at least he survived.
Sansa and Tyrion in the crypts and he kissing her hand like the gentleman he's become (all his "get back to whoring" talk aside).
Just a small moment but in the aftermath of the crypt troubles, seeing Varys holding the hand of the little girl that was going to fight for Gilly. Nice.
The dragon fights in the air. Jon doing a crash-landing with Rhaegal in the aftermath. Glad the previews show that Rhaegal survived. The dragons flying high above the clouds. Beautiful scene, only to have Viserion break it up with his blue flame.
Everyone asking where Ser Davos was during the battle. EDIT: We see Ser Davos on the battlements, looking bloody with a sword in his hand after Arya does her spinning and killing with the weapon Gendry made for her. They lock eyes for a sec but that's all it shows of him being in the battle to my knowledge. Then him watching Melisandre remove her necklace and die old and worn out, denying him the kill.
Bran warging into the ravens---they did go up and see what the Night King was doing---I don't know if they stayed with him all the way but it seems like that---I mean what else could he do? Chat with Theon and company as they fought for him? I think he did the only thing he could do, warg and not be a distraction to his protectors. Loved his words to Theon: "You're a good man, Theon. Thank you."
In truth, I did think Melisandre had more story to go, with the backstory of Azor-Ahai and what he has to do with his sword. Maybe that will never happen.
My thoughts for now. Was rapt the whole episode and tensed-up as hell. Arya, my favorite character, let me relax a bit at the end after I shouted, "Yes!"
And I can't wait for the next episode, even if it's all talk. I know there will be burials and/or funeral pyres. Be sure and watch the previews on slow-play if you're a preview watcher that is. You'll see some stuff. Heh-heh.
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