The Nights Watch: GAME OF THRONES SEASON 8 EPISODE 4. May 6th UK. SPOILERS AFTER 2 am.

[OneInAMillionYou]

Hail survivors of The Battle of Winterfell.

The 'mysterious' episode 4 premieres tonight.

Who will be with us at 2am?

I am desperate to find out if Arya's kill is openly discussed and acknowledged, or does Bran take the credit, or does it remain a mystery.

Given Emilia Clarke has said Episode 5 is the one for which we will need 'bigger television screens' what will lead up to it?

Jon and Sansa have the least close relationship out of all the Stark siblings. Sansa never really accepted Jon and you see her question his judgment countless times. She doesn't think he should be king in the north or warden of the North. She's had enough of her life being controlled by men and by queens. Jon choosing Dani is him choosing Targaryen over Stark. Why should she be loyal to him? It's not in her or her families best interest as far as she's concerned.
Tyrion was the best person to tell. She has a relationship of sorts with him, he is a fan of Jon and Tyrion and Dani have been rocky lately.

I just don’t understand why the writers insisted on shortening the episodes on the final stretch that’s took us ten years to get to

It must be financial reasons, surely? The first 5/6 seasons were so patient, detailed, surprising and just brilliant to watch. Then the show overtook the books and the writing fell to screenwriters instead of Martin, and it all started unravelling, unfortunately. Everything feels rushed, we get way more tropes and plot holes. Maybe because they kept upping and upping the "epicness" of everything and it all became to expensive. That's why the final season is only 6 episodes, isn't it? They couldn't afford to make 10?

I have my reservations about Sansa but since day 1 I have been Team Stark, and Sansa is looking out for the Starks (I include Jon Snow in that even though he isn’t actually).

It was a dick move but no one ever wins a war by being the nice guy!

This series has been a huge letdown and I'm gutted.

Arya killing NK has been the only good bit. And as much as I love Arya (and that's alot) it should have been Jon. The NK storyline was Jon's from day one. Nothing to do with Arya.

They have fucked it. Most shows do in the end. But I never expected GOT to be one of them.

Nuno yes I agree with your points. A little part of me also thinks they just want it off their hands as it’s so big and global they just want shot of it and shoehorned it all in six episodes.

The Brone scene was crap. How the hell would he be even to manage high garden with all the other important families under it? It just doesn’t make sense. The whole scene offered nothing to the plot.

I’m really thinking of getting the audio books and reading the books but he writes so slow!

The NK storyline was Jon's from day one. Nothing to do with Arya

After watching throne cast it was set in stone many years ago when she was practicing with I liked it and I’m glad they stuck with GRRM.

The NK was nails and they needed an assassin.

That's why the final season is only 6 episodes, isn't it?
S7 and 8 where actually meant to be one season I think, but they decided to split it into two separate ones which is why they are both shorter.
S8 is supposed to be viewed like a really long movie rather than a typical season. Not sure if the extra mins in most episodes this season would amount to an extra episode or two of typical run time.

I'm loving the theory Ayra could use the NK face! THAT would be some scene! (If it's possible?)

If it's possible?)
No, unless she can put his million shards of ice back together to re-create his face.

Danny should have followed Oleannas advice and gone for Cersei immediately, then the final scene could have been with the NK.

They have also moved KL further inland on the credits too.

The biggest disappointment for me was Cersai. She had all of her enemies within arrow-shot and...nothing. Not even Tyrion which should have been a forgone conclusion. If she really was the power hungry queen of the day, why the hell not?

Agreed. She should have ordered her archers to loose just after Missandei was beheaded. (For maximum effect obvs)

I didn’t like this episode at all.

Jamie and Brienne?? No, totally unbelievable and such lazy writing. In fact the whole episode seemed stuffed with clichés. Like every person being told about Jon’s parentage promising to keep it secret and promptly telling people, but making them promise to keep it secret, ffs.

Jon not bothering to say goodbye to Ghost, yeah right.

No one thought, ooh we’d better scout out Dragonstone before we go wandering blindly in. Even I thought there would be something bad waiting for them, and I never think ahead strategically.

Even Missandei’s death scene just had me thinking, so she’s stood next to Cersei and knows she going to die, why not grab Cersei and jump??

I’m really concerned now that the show has descended into farce and will end up like exactly every other us tv show, with banal cliche and obvious plots.

The most shocking thing was actually the ridiculous Starbucks coffee cup not being spotted by anyone on set at all. I’ve loved GoT for years but I’m now going about it all!

TheABC I hear you. But what would they have done for the last two episodes?

So frustrated with the writing.

I’m wondering if it’s only people that have slowly watched it over the last ten years feel frustrated by it as people that I’ve spoken about it to that have speed watched it recently just think it’s totes amazing

@BookShopSally
I pronounce it 3 (rhyme with Harry). People are now calling their babies Arya and pronouncing it like that and also seen it spelt Aria.
Would very much depend on local accent though I imagine

catlady I hear you. The coffee cup

I’m way to invested now not to watch it play out. I just hope it’s not as bad as I fear it will be

Ahh didn't consider the shaming of his face lol! Still would be brilliant though.

*smashing

I’m wondering if it’s only people that have slowly watched it over the last ten years feel frustrated by it as people that I’ve spoken about it to that have speed watched it recently just think it’s totes amazing 

I've watched from the beginning in 2011 and have read all the books, spent hours of my life reading the lore, even got through Fire and Blood and I still love it. It changed after season 4 and whilst that's a shame, I still think this season is better than 5&7. By this point I think a lot of people have got used to the poorer writing and have accepted it. I also try not to associate the show with the books overly much, there is no comparison as far as I'm concerned (as with most books and tv), I think it's helpful to appreciate them as separate things.

I also think whilst theory crafting is fun and keeps us busy waiting for episodes and seasons, it leads to disappointment more often than not and fans have over complicated everything. It's a huge task and considering everything, I think it could be a lot worse.

The biggest disappointment for me was Cersai. She had all of her enemies within arrow-shot and...nothing. Not even Tyrion which should have been a forgone conclusion. If she really was the power hungry queen of the day, why the hell not?

She's enjoying the drama of it all. She WANTS the big fight, the bloodshed and the (perceived) inevitable triumph. Shooting them where they stood - with the ground troops still on the way - wouldn't have been entertaining enough for her.

It’s all over the fan verse and has been for years. There’s a contingent of fantasy fans who can’t cope with a high social class female who works within societal norms rather than against them. They’re used to these characters being eye candy and nothing more.

Absolutely. Back in the early series on certain fan pages I read nothing but dislike and mockery about Sansa as a 'silly little girl' who was naive. Elements of this were true (I certainly wasn't her biggest fan at the time) but there was a strong misogynistic streak through most of the comments. In my eyes she's had the most interesting character development of anyone, but she doesn't get the same plaudits you see for Arya, or Dany, or Jon.

Brienne and Jaime together were very out of character for me. Them sleeping together was too fanservicey for me and doesn't reflect Jaime's dedication (sexually) to Cersei. The only way this will make any sense would be if he is the one to kill Cersei and their baby.

Back in the early series on certain fan pages I read nothing but dislike and mockery about Sansa as a 'silly little girl' who was naive

I’ve seen far worse than this. I’ve seen her called a whore who deserves to be raped and killed for having betrayed Ned the Perfect.

Of course, murdering people and baking them into pies just makes Arya a badass and crucifying and burning people makes Dany a good leader.

Arya I'm coming to like again, I went off her when she was training to be a faceless man

I was bored to tears by that whole storyline. It went on forever and basically turned Arya into a robot. Thank god she's showing more human emotion and expression now. I tolerate her again. Still think she's just too Creepy to really love as a character.

Much was made on Thronecast about Jon being heartless when he sent Ghost the direwolf north with Tormund. However, I think he did it to protect Ghost. Also, GRRM uses the direwolves to represent/foreshadow what happens to the Stark children, so I think this is a sign that Jon will ultimately end up in the north (so not at KL).

R/freefolk is absolutely brilliant for memes. There have been some hilarious ones.