# Game of Thrones 8.03 "The Long Night" 4/28/19 \[Show discussion\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 28, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190 "2019-04-28T20:36:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 37
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/721 "2019-05-02T18:18:31Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I don’t know, we already did the “one of our protagonists is sinking deep in water with no way to escape but is miraculously fine next week with no explanation” scene last year. I think we need something new. Maybe drop our protagonists off a 5000 foot cliff, with no chance of anything but going splat, only to find them just fine for no apparent reason two scenes later. Didn’t we just do that with one of our antagonists when the Night King fell off the undead Viserion and plummeted to the ground in the last episode? I don’t think we ever saw him hit the ground, but he was unscathed a couple of scenes later. Of course, the NK is “magical,” so all bets are off, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/722 "2019-05-02T18:20:22Z")
Hmm. Maybe a giant meteor large enough to split the planet in two hits westeros, and everything is instantly melted into molten magma, and the planet splits in two, and then two scenes later our protagonists are all having some wine together near a fire and telling old war stories with no explanation. Still wouldn’t be as dumb as Lost. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/723 "2019-05-02T18:40:08Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Sounds kinda spoilery so you thought you’d come and post it in the non-spoiler thread!? I edited it to spoiler it. **HammerJoe** , Please do not post information from outside the show itself. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/724 "2019-05-02T19:00:30Z")
Robert Farley, military historian, gives his [somewhat tongue-in-cheek analysis](https://slate.com/culture/2019/04/battle-winterfell-military-analysis-tactics.html) of the battle: > [@](#): > > Most armchair analysis of the battle thus far, particularly on social media, has concentrated on the mistakes made by Team Alive, to the exclusion both of a careful account of Team Dead’s errors and of an appreciation for why Team Alive made the decisions it did. Here, using expertise developed through study and instruction at the United States Army War College, we examine with care how Team Alive overcame cultural and organizational impediments to develop and carry out the plan that defeated Team Dead. Kidding aside, I think Farley is correct that conjuring the snowstorm was a strategic mistake on the Night King’s part. > [@](#): > > Anti-dragon missiles represented one of Team Dead’s asymmetric advantages. The Night King had used such a missile to down Viserion, and many of the other White Walkers carried them. Used properly, these would have provided a deterrent against dragon attacks, as well as an opportunity to create a trap that could down one or more dragons. These missiles made Team Alive’s decision to use dragons in a ground support role extremely dangerous, especially without good intelligence about the disposition of the Walkers. In the event, the snowstorm made it difficult for Team Alive to even take note of the weapons, and Team Dead squandered one of its biggest advantages. Read the whole thing, it’s fun. I’ll spoiler the key part of the wrap-up analysis: [spoiler] > [@](#): > > The inexperience of Team Alive in waging battle against the dead was palpable, but Team Dead also lacked experience fighting a battle of this scale against a multifaceted force of the living. Unfortunately, the “lessons learned” department of Team Dead likely crumbled to dust shortly after the Night King [/spoiler] ETA: Arya Stark appears in this analysis under the heading of Special Forces, naturally. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/725 "2019-05-02T19:04:30Z")
> [@Pedro](#): > > There were two decent scenes in the whole episode. The fight between little Lady Mormont and zombie Wun Wun. So far as I could tell it was just some wight giant … no reason to believe that it was necessarily Wun Wun. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/726 "2019-05-02T19:08:55Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > So far as I could tell it was just some wight giant … no reason to believe that it was necessarily Wun Wun. I believe the wight giant was missing the same eye that Wun Wun took an arrow to. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/727 "2019-05-02T19:13:27Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > no reason to believe that it was necessarily Wun Wun. This is a good point. We saw Mag the Mighty (?) die earlier when Mance Rayder(?) attacked the Wall – he might have been reanimated. However, the only giant we’ve previously seen in the NK’s army is Wun Wun (from the evacuation of Hardhome), right? EDIT: TroutMan, good point. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/728 "2019-05-02T19:17:20Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I believe the wight giant was missing the same eye that Wun Wun took an arrow to. Well, lots of giants could have eye patches, because as we saw with Lady Mormont, Giants seem to be really bad at eye protection in hazardous working environments. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/729 "2019-05-02T19:17:30Z")
On the giant question, here’s an article that addresses (but doesn’t solve) the mystery. Spoiling because it has extra-TV elements: [spoiler][https://screencrush.com/game-of-thrones-giant-wight-wun-wun-premiere/[/spoiler]](https://screencrush.com/game-of-thrones-giant-wight-wun-wun-premiere/%5B/spoiler%5D) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/730 "2019-05-02T19:19:56Z")
Same hairline & beard too ---
**Author:** ![Nauplius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nauplius/32/51_2.png) [@Nauplius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nauplius)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/731 "2019-05-02T19:20:09Z")
I’m pretty sure Jon would have burned all the bodies after the battle of the bastards including Wun Wun. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/732 "2019-05-02T19:27:21Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Same hairline & beard too \So we all “look the same,” huh? Okaaaay …\ ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/733 "2019-05-02T19:31:55Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > This is a good point. We saw Mag the Mighty (?) die earlier when Mance Rayder(?) attacked the Wall – he might have been reanimated. However, the only giant we’ve previously seen in the NK’s army is Wun Wun (from the evacuation of Hardhome), right? > EDIT: TroutMan, good point. Wun Wun survived Hardhome and joined Jon’s forces for the Battle of the Bastards. He was killed by Ramsay with an arrow in the eye after he broke down the gates at Winterfell. However, the arrow was in the _other_ eye to the one missing in this one. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/734 "2019-05-02T19:39:38Z")
Ramsay shot him in the [right eye](https://youtu.be/QACt2jqXRKU?t=69). M’lady poked out [his left](https://youtu.be/mc9cjvkFrFs?t=50). ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/735 "2019-05-02T19:47:50Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > Robert Farley, military historian, gives his [somewhat tongue-in-cheek analysis](https://slate.com/culture/2019/04/battle-winterfell-military-analysis-tactics.html) of the battle: > > Kidding aside, I think Farley is correct that conjuring the snowstorm was a strategic mistake on the Night King’s part. > > Read the whole thing, it’s fun. I’ll spoiler the key part of the wrap-up analysis: [spoiler] > > > [@](#): > > > > The inexperience of Team Alive in waging battle against the dead was palpable, but Team Dead also lacked experience fighting a battle of this scale against a multifaceted force of the living. Unfortunately, the “lessons learned” department of Team Dead likely crumbled to dust shortly after the Night King > > [/spoiler] > ETA: Arya Stark appears in this analysis under the heading of Special Forces, naturally. Great analysis in that artlicle, but it was already linked to upthread [here](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=21617175#post21617175). Both of your “spoilers” from the article were [already noted upthread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=21617442#post21617442) as well. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/736 "2019-05-02T19:48:36Z")
Everyone knows giants have three eyes! I mean, it’s SO FUCKING OBVIOUS that I’m starting to feel like I MUST BE TAKING CRAZY PILLS if I’m the only one who’s NOTICED THIS!!! - three-eyed raving. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/737 "2019-05-02T19:50:21Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > So far as I could tell it was just some wight giant … no reason to believe that it was necessarily Wun Wun. Could be but I thought the scene strongly suggested it was Wun Wun to elicit an emotional response, and it kind of worked for me. It’s not explicitly told and that’s fine. If indeed Wun Wun was shot through the one good eye the zombie had I would tend to believe that’s a mistake by the show producers. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/738 "2019-05-02T19:57:58Z")
I need to watch the episode a second time, but assuming the wight giant wasn’t Wun Wun, does that mean none of the army of the dead were previously known (aside from Dany’s dragon)? ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/739 "2019-05-02T20:03:48Z")
> [@infinitii](#): > > The baby forming in Arya’s womb will most likely come out on top. I enjoyed when Arya dropped the dagger down to the just-conceived Azor Ahai, who also happens to fit the criteria for The Prince That Was Promised and Claimant To The Iron Throne, but it’s disturbing that the subtext here suggests that life begins at conception. We’ll have to revisit those misogyny theories, especially if the child is male. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190/740 "2019-05-02T20:05:29Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > However, the arrow was in the _other_ eye to the one missing in this one. Whoops. I was misled by something posted elsewhere. It’s the same eye. Ramsay shot Wun Wun in the [right eye,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QACt2jqXRKU), which is [the one missing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc9cjvkFrFs) in the giant that attacks Lyanna. She stabs him in the remaining eye. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190.md?page=36) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-03-the-long-night-4-28-19-show-discussion/833190.md?page=38)