This post covers what I expected for the Game of Thrones Ending and was written between airings of episodes 3 and 4 of Game of Thrones, Season 8. We just watched the Battle of Winterfell three days ago and I’m completely aware that what I’m doing is Monday morning quarterbacking, but it’s just for fun, so please read it with that in mind :)
Well we have three episodes left to go in the final season of Game of Thrones. Three nights ago the world watched the Battle of Winterfell unfold and I dare say that many of us were astonished to see the Night King’s army shattered – the long-heralded Winter was apparently just a one night stand.
A lot of people I’ve spoken with have expressed a concern that no matter what happens from this point forward, the ending will be anti-climactic because the mystery associated with the Night King has passed.
As I was discussing the show with some friends today I explained how I would have staged the final showdowns.
First of all, I wouldn’t have killed the bloody Night King in Episode 3.
That was just dumb.
I would have made the plan to hold Winterfell a feint to fool the audience, revealing that it was simply done to cover a retreating action southward, in hopes that the Night King’s power would be diminished and to give the fighters more food, better conditions and a chance to allow more civilians to escape to safety.
To bolster that plan I’d have shown that Cersei had sent an invitation to the Winterfell group to fall back to join her stronger (but slower) forces someplace down south.
We’re not sure what mysterious fate Bran might yet hold in the remaining 3 episodes, but in my alternate universe ending I’d have given the boy some sort of ability to warg in to the Night King’s army, allowing Bran and the Night King to fight a war of psychic control while their forces fought physically.
Nipping at Their Heels
And speaking of physically, I would have had 2 or 3 visitations of the Night King’s army upon the rapidly retreating Winterfell group – to emphasize the desperation of their flight and the terror of the endless horde of the dead.
More Dead Main Characters
I’d have killed some major players as well, and had them return as animated corpses to attack their former fellows – a horrifying fate that smacks of Games of Thrones of previous seasons.
Sneaky Fleet
I’ve got to be honest, I don’t remember if we’ve been told where Euron’s fleet is heading at this point, but in my version they’d be heading around to the rendezvous point with the Winterfell group, with instructions to fall in behind and decimate them.
Cersei’s Pincer Movement
Meanwhile, Cersei would have led one wing of a pincer movement directly up to face the Winterfell group, while the second part of the pincer came in from the south and west. Cersei hasn’t quite expressed a full realization of the horror of the Night King’s army, so her head would still be filled with courtly plans for power.
All along the way our faithful group of friends would be continuously under fire, attacked on three (then four) fronts by the Night King, Euron’s forces, and the forces from King’s Landing.
It would be a desperate place, with multiple baddies to fight and the resolution would have to be absolutely epic.
Of course, we still have 3 episodes to go, so there’s still time for the show’s producers to pull a few rabbits out of their hats!
