Where is Eastwatch-by-the-Sea and why is it important?

The name “Eastwatch-by-the-Sea” has come up several times during Game of Thrones season 7, most notable in the first episode. One of the many castles along the Wall, it’s where Jon sent Tormund Giantsbane back in “Dragonstone.” It’s also where the Brotherhood Without Banners was heading last we saw them, after the Hound had a vision of dead men marching on it in the flames. And now, this Sunday’s new episode of Game of Thrones is called “Eastwatch.” Events seem to be converging on this place, so we thought we’d take a closer look at it.

First, where exactly is Eastwatch-by-theSea? As the name implies, it’s the eastern-most castle on the Wall, and it’s on the coast. Take a look at it on the map below:

The castle is first mentioned back in the season 1 episode “You Win of You Die,” when a member of Jon Snow’s Night’s Watch class is assigned there. Around the time a wight attacks then-Lord Commander Mormont, wights are also discovered near Eastwatch, but burned by the men there. Eastwatch is commanded by Cotter Pyke, and is one of three remaining castles along the Wall that’s actually manned in these, the waning days of the Night’s Watch. The other is the Shadow Tower near the west coast. Outside of that, Eastwatch has largely remained unmentioned on the show.

That was, until season 7, when the Hound, Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr and Tormund Giantsbane all seemed on their way there. This low-profile castle gained notoriety overnight? The reason? Geography.

As Jon correctly points out to Tormund, of all the castles on the Wall, Eastwatch is nearest to where the Night King was last seen: Hardhome. Jon was making a strategic guess as to where the Night King would hit, but the Hound’s vision appears to confirm its accuracy. The Night King and the army of the undead are headed for Eastwatch, which means it leapfrogs from afterthought to ground zero in the war with the undead.

Why might the Night King choose Eastwatch for his point of attack? Once again, we turn to geography, or more accurately topography. First, again, it’s near where they were last seen. But more importantly, Eastwatch is on the coast. The Wall itself contains powerful spells that block the army of the dead from passing, but we don’t know how far that magic extends into the Narrow Sea.

The Night King might be planning to circumvent the Wall in some manner, either via a Pirates of the Caribbean-like march along the ocean floor or by somehow freezing the water near the coastline. That theory got some play when fans noticed that the water around Eastwatch-by-the-Sea now looks frozen in the opening credits.

Or he could try another method entirely. The point is: the Night King is coming, and he’s coming for Eastwatch.

With Tormund most likely arrived at Eastwatch by now and the Brotherhood nearby, Eastwatch should be well-garrisoned. Throw in whatever Night’s Watch brothers are already stationed there (perhaps with a few ships) and it’s as secure as any castle along the Wall…which still isn’t that secure when the army of the undead numbering in the hundreds of thousands. And also it has giants, as we saw in the premiere.

Hopefully Jon manages to convince Daenerys to join him in this fight; something tells us he’s going to need all the help he can get.

Next: Small Council: What did we think of “The Spoils of War?”

“Eastwatch” airs this Sunday at 9:00 p.m. EST.

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