Spoilers! Watch it before reading
I was expecting far, far worse. All the main characters survived, even when their armies didn't. Tormund, but not the wildlings. Grey worm, but not the unsullied. Ghost and Jorah, but not the dothraki. Brienne, Jaime and Podrick were against a wall fighting, Sam was surrounded, the crypts were overrun... but if we knew their name, there's a good chance they lived.
The show has gone ahead of the books at this point, and that might have something to do with everything going so well. George RR Martin wouldn't have let us get off so easy. Alas, he told the producers how the show ends, so I expect the next few episodes to be more his style; heart wrenching.
This episode was still the ending for a few notable characters. Theon, for one. When Robb died, Theon was angry he wasn't beside him, and now he has gotten what he wanted. He went home, to Winterfell, to fight. Sansa embraced him and Bran told him he was a good man, words I'm sure he never heard before. Theon died a Stark.
Lyanna Mormont was thirteen, but she refused to stay in the crypts. She was the head of her house and protected her people until her last breath. She was the only one going up against the giant, coming back even after he tossed her aside, and managed to kill him while he was crushing her. A true warrior.
Jorah died protecting the woman he loved and had stood beside for years. Not only that, but she held him and cried while Drogon protected her. Him and Lyanna were the last Mormonts, meaning their house died this episode.
Melisandre walked into Winterfell knowing she would die, but she bought them time with the fire swords and trench, and she put Arya on the right path which helped win the battle. She did some bad shit over the years, but when she walked out into the snow and died, all was forgiven. She did her duty, and she did it well.
Beric was brought back to life multiple times to play his role, and just like Melisandre, it was for Arya. He kept her alive so she could defeat the Night King.
Edd Tollett was the only one with a sad death because it was less than he deserved.
One of the reasons I hate battles like these is because the main characters are the only ones with plot armor. Thousands of nameless men died, but we don't mourn them. They are more resources than people.
There are some really awesome moments in this episode, Arya killing the Night King being the obvious one. She was also kicking ass before that with the weapon she had made, while Davos watched her, probably thinking "Shireen who? This is my girl now." Sneaking around in a room full of wights had us all on the edge of our seats too, but if anyone can do that, it's her.
The Hound sitting out the fight, practically have a panic attack with all the fire, but jumping up the second he sees Arya in danger, scooping her up in one arm to pull her away from the wights. I love their relationship, he's so protective, even back when she wanted to kill him. Beric helped her too, even sacrificing himself to hold the wights off. Was he aware that she was his purpose, the one the lord of light was trying to protect? I wish he lived long enough to know what she did, and that the battle was won.
Dany sword fighting! She has no experience, but her and Jorah kicked some wight ass together. She's been told that without her dragons, she is nothing, and we got to see her fall off her dragon and still pick herself up and fight. A queen.
The people in the crypts had their own little battle, and for some reason they weren't armed, or at least didn't look it. Sansa was, and like Dany, she had no fighting experience but Arya gave her a dragonglass dagger and she was prepared to use it. They filmed a scene where her and Tyrion kill a wight but it didn't make the cut. (which has people calling her useless, ew) Messandei had a good line about Daenerys being the reason they were still alive, she's so loyal, and right. I understand the north not wanting to bow to Dany, but she did come to help, and they would have lost without her. You have to give her some credit.
Sansa and Tyrion have changed so much since they met, and since they were married. They have both grown to respect each other, even thought their houses were enemies and they were both thrown into a marriage against their will. Tyrion saying they should have stayed married and Sansa saying he was the best of them, just wow. It added 10 years onto my life. 15 if you throw in the hand kiss and the looks they gave each other before getting ready to fight.
I was overall expecting more for this episode considering all the talk of it being the biggest and best battle ever recorded. The ending was 10/10 though.
feel free to discuss with me below!