Every battle sequence on Game of Thrones, ranked worst to best
2. THE MASSACRE AT HARDHOME (“Hardhome,” Episode 508)
Major Players: Jon Snow, Tormund Giantsbane, Karsi, Wun Wun, Loboda, the Night King, Lord of Bones, Eddison Tollet
Deaths: Karsi, the Lord of Bones, Loboda, a White Walker Lieutenant, thousands of Free Folk
The Battle: Once Tormund beats the Lord of Bones to death with his own staff, he and Jon convince Karsi and some Free Folk leaders (not the Thenn Loboda) to join the collective northern resistance against the White Walkers. The Night King’s wight army attacks while the newly allied Free Folk are in the process of boarding the boats Jon borrowed from King Stannis.
Jon destroys a White Walker Lieutenant during the desperate retreat to the boats, learning that his Valyrian steel blade Longclaw can obliterate White Walkers. Only Jon, Tormund, a handful of crows and a few thousand wildings manage to escape.
Importance: Jon proves his leadership qualities by accompanying Tormund beyond the Wall to the Free Folk stronghold of Hardhome and convincing most of the leaders to join his alliance. The resulting massacre and loss of life is a devastating blow to Jon’s hopes of building an effective army to face the looming White Walker invasion.
The Night King makes his first onscreen appearance in “Hardhome” and it’s a doozy, first as he sends his wight army into cliff-diving action and then later as he raises the fallen masses of Free Folk as wights, turning Jon’s losses into his gains. It’s a huge defeat for Jon, who loses his dragonglass and many potential allies.
Cinematics: In a masterpiece of gorgeous cinematic mayhem, director Miguel Sapochnik orchestrates the wight army attack of overwhelming numbers; it’s a brilliant example of his action-in-depth style, where multiple storylines are woven together in a dramatic rhythm of violence, dread and pathos.
Sapochnik delivers a series of unforgettable scenes, including the barking dogs, the Free Folk panic at the boats, Loboda peering through the gate hole, the debut of the Night KIng, Jon’s felling of the White Walker and Karsi falling to the wight children. “Hardhome” is a Thrones classic. The ending, with Jon Snow in the last boat staring across the water at the Night King raising the dead Free Folk, is the most chilling moment we’ve ever witnessed on Game of Thrones.
Quote: “I’m asking you to think about your children now. They’ll never have children of their own if we don’t band together. The long night is coming and the dead come with it.” (Jon Snow, to Karsi and the assembled Free Folk leaders)