Disclaimer: This review may contain some spoilers. Reader discretion is advised.
While the Game of Thrones fans – those in India – looked forward to waking up on Monday, as they awaited the most epic battle in television history, little did they know that they would wake up to a hazy, dark and noise-filled footage, struggling to get a clear vision by squeezing their eyeballs. The 1.18 hour-long episode began with the entire army in Winterfell facing towards a dark, unknown abyss with absolutely no glimpse into the enemy's territory.
But it would be too soon to call it a disappointment. After all, it took the makers 55 long nights in below-freezing temperatures to shoot the entire battle. And they have done a meticulous job in making what becomes a jaw-dropping Episode 3.
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The entire warfare looked like a powerful chess-strategy. The ultimate aim in chess is to achieve checkmate against the opponent’s king. In this case, the king was Brandon Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) and the Night King had his own tricks up his sleeve. He sent his pawns, a blizzard and a dragon and kept his knights with himself.
As it happens in a chess game, rather GoT , some have to die. Two Season 1 characters -- Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) and Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) reserved their destinies up to this very moment.
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The living chose to send almost everything, not to protect anyone, but to win the battle. Brandon playing the bait at Godswood Tree and poof! Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) completes a prophesised checkmate. Who'd have guessed that a Season 3 prophecy by Melisandre (Carice van Houten) actually meant the end of white walkers? All it took was a flippy dagger trick.
Eddison Tollett (Ben Crompton), the lord commander of the Night's Watch, kicks off the first significant death in the episode, followed by Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey) and Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer).
The entire battle of Winterfell stands as one of the darkest episodes -- both literally and otherwise. There is a valid criticism from the fans and even from Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) himself that they “might make a difference if they were out there.” But the makers of GoT chose to keep us tensed. No one present in Winterfell was safe. Though, the battle of Winterfell is won -- at least what it looks like -- we all know that the tension isn't over yet because who’s coming next? Cersei Lannister!
