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?

I am not convinced on why Jon would be the better option as king - his decisions as commander of the nights watch were so popular that they murdered him... And his lack of control at the battle of the bastards (despite Sansa's warning) nearly killed them all.

In the political structure of the westeros, a successful ruler (especially one coming in as Jon or Dany would be) either needs the support of a broad spectrum of noble houses or a strong and personally loyal army and advisors (though this will cause problems down the line as they are likely to be resented by the other noble houses).

Jon is entirely unknown outside the north where the majority of the houses are relatively weak and poor (and several are now wiped out). What personal army he did have in the wildlings have now gone home as they were not interested in westeros politics and would have been resented anyway.

Dany still has a personal army and some experienced advisors. She also had the sense to attempt to attract broad support from Dorne, the Reach, the Iron Islands and the north and to a certain extent still has that broader appeal. So on the whole she is in the slightly stronger position imo but is going to face difficulties in being accepted as an outsider with a core of foreign/exiled supporters.

Cersei has the throne but her tendency to blow up buildings containing while noble families is not going to win her long term support.

So to be honest, if any of those three end up on the throne I would expect a troubled reign with multiple rebellions and if they die without an heir/with an underage heir, civil war is likely to break out again.

Basically, I reckon the seven kingdoms are going to break up.

I think Danys predicament is a very interesting one. Brought up to believe she’s the rightful ruler of the seven kingdoms. Gets there to find that a) she isn’t and b) no one particularly wants her. That’s a tough truth for any one to process.

The irony that she’s been loved and adored and able to do good elsewhere, but not here.

Again, it would have been good if she’d had more time to come to terms with that.

But as it stands, her dragon can only bring destruction. It’s no use to her. Somewhere else in the books there’s a comment about her knowing how to conquer but not to rule.

GOT has always had very interesting things to say about power and rulership. I think Dany is supposed to be it’s central case study.

Dany as a case study reminds me of Henry VIII who with hindsight was successful but at the time he faced numerous rebellions and the sense of insecurity around his dynasty continued on into Henry VIII reign so not a done deal at all.

sweetsummerschild that is a perfect account of all that's wrong with Dani. She loses her sense of reason when it comes to the throne. It's not about redemption for anyone, freeing anyone or creating a better, fairer world, it's all about her destiny and obsession to sit the Throne and righting the wrongs of her past and to do that she will end up becoming all that she has fought against.

I think Varys and Tyrion summed up pretty well why Jon would make a better King; "because he doesn't want the Iron Throne."
Cersei has no support from her people and if Dani starts burning everything, her support like Cersei's will only be in fear. If Jon stops Dani, I think it will gain him a lot from Westeros and by that point it will be him or Gendry, know who I'd pick.

From a female perspective, I really wish they’d introduced fAegon now. I was listening to a well-known Youtuber after episode 3 who said that having a Mad Queen vs Mad Queen final battle in a TV show would send out a really dodgy anti-female message to a fandom where there is already ridiculous misogynistic hatred towards female characters such as Dany, Sansa dn Catelyn. However, it looks like that’s exactly what they’re setting up.

It could have been done properly, but the writing has been piss-poor.

No wonder D&D were never able to pursue their Confederate project.

I still reckon the best outcome would be independence for the seven kingdoms loosely held together by a government with Jon at its helm.

I watched it again last night and now reckon Jaime is less undecided - he's going south to kill his sister. When he hears Dany has lost a dragon and a lot of her forces and ships he knows they have little chance of defeating her, which is why he goes south. As he sort of said, she's hateful and deserves to die. But he also tars himself with the same brush, which is why Brienne is so upset. He's saying he deserves to die too.

From a female perspective, I really wish they’d introduced fAegon now.
I wish they had too, if Dani definitely is going to go Mad Queen. It's a actually a real pity, as in a series that's both filmed and told from misogynistic views, set in a fictional time where misogyny was the norm, they could have done something really powerful to change it around in the final season. The sane powerful women in GoT are all fighters and non-conforming, but there is no Tyrion or Littlefinger female equivalent and in the last few episodes they've even sexualised those characters.

*littlefinger because he's clever, not because he's a good example of what the women of Westeros should aspire to 😂 bad example.

I actually really liked the character of Ros, the prostitute who was killed off a few seasons ago. The actress was very good and sympathetic too. I think she had the potential to serve as an accomplice to Varys and become a successor to him.

Sorry I disliked Ros. I just thought she was a happy hooker trope. It all seemed a bit 1970s, the laughing wench with unfettered knockers.

Anyhoo, horses for courses.

There is some speculation that in the trailer for next week there's a prisoner going to be revealed. This is just based on a grainy image of what appears to be a hooded figure behind Cerseis army. It's all 100% speculation but people are getting excited at who it might be if it is a sudden prisoner reveal and Cersei has had an ace up her sleeve all along.

But for the life of me I can't remember anyone who I would actually care about being a prisoner and stopping Team Dany in its tracks. Who would Dany give a shit about? Everyone she loved is dead. Tyrion has nobody except Jamie and him being captured already is a stretch as he's on horseback and doesn't fit in with his arc.

Who would Dany give a shit about?
Daario? Although I can't see her giving up the Throne for him, I think he was really just a filler boyfriend for her.
Or Bronn has captured someone at Winterfell- Sansa? That would be really sad.

Brienne cried over a man
Dany and Sansa don't like each other because they are powerful women
A Cersei and Dany show down
Arya probably now doing fuck all
Missaindei gets beheaded (could have been Grey Worm but no)

Slow hand clap for the shit script writers.

I mean the hooded figure could easily be Maester Quai or whatever his name is, or the Mountain, but they don't typically wear hoods. And it's very hooded. Hard to see but people are saying oooooh could it be a bag over someones head?

...... But it could be a red herring.

But I'm wracking my brains nevertheless!

Who would raise the stakes for the audience?

Edmure Tully? Not sure if we'd care enough....

Wtf happened to Edmure Tully? I agree no one cares though.

And the blackfish? Did he die?

I always found the Tully’s a dull house. Apart from batshit Lysa.

Edmure is in a cell in Casterly Rock.

Blackfysh wasn't caught I think so yeah that's a definite possibility. But frankly I don't give a shit about a character I met for only about 4 episodes, if that.

Wtf happened to Edmure Tully?

Busy being married to QE2 I suspect.

She was at the start @ElspethFlashman but I thought the character developed into more than just that.

Blackfysh wasn't caught
He went up the stairs to fight the Lannister's/Frey's saying how he was an old man now and couldn't fight, I think it's safe to assume he's dead and don't think Dani would give a fuck about him or Edmure really.

Maybe Quiburn has made another monstrosity. Pretty sure he does wear a hood though 🤔

Maybe it's Hotpie.

Does Dany even know of Edmure Tully's existence?

Busy being married to QE2 I suspect.

Cersei: (removes hood with flourish and crooked smile)
Audience: goes on Twitter to find out who random bloke is

Yeah Dany gives no fucks about Tully’s.

Maybe it’s the Night King.

Benjen is another missing in action. Dany wouldn’t recognise him in a line up though.

Assuming it’s a hostage of Cersei’s, my best bet would be Yara Greyjoy. That would be a blow to Dany.

It doesn't really look like it's a prisoner tbh, the figure is walking away from the army towards the keep by the looks of it. It will be Jaime or Arya in disguise.

Or Cersei has hired the faceless men and its Jaquen. She should really just do that anyway.