As a die-hard fan who’s watched every episode of Game of Thrones more times than I care to admit, I must say I was rather taken aback by Jon Snow’s performance during the Battle of Winterfell. It seemed odd that our valiant hero, who once took down a high-ranking White Walker at Hardhome, would be reduced to yelling at Viserion, a dragon he once knew and loved.
The eighth season of “Game of Thrones,” to be frank, didn’t live up to expectations. In fact, it was so poorly received that fans petitioned for a complete rewrite following the airing of the finale, “The Iron Throne,” in May 2019. One of the ongoing debates among fans is the Battle of Winterfell, a significant battle occurring in the third episode of Season 8, due to the seemingly anticlimactic way the Night King was defeated by Arya Stark (Maisie Williams). This raises the question as to why Arya, rather than a character like Jon Snow (Kit Harington), who had multiple encounters with the Night King throughout the series, was chosen for this task.
In James Hibberd’s oral history of the series, “Fire Cannot Kill A Dragon: Game of Thrones and the Official Untold Story of the Epic Series,” it is revealed that showrunners David Benioff opted not to make Jon Snow the hero because they found it too predictable. Benioff explained that for the identity of the character who wields Valyrian steel, capable of killing White Walkers, it had to be someone with a credible claim to such weapons. The Valyrian steel catspaw dagger, which Arya Stark acquires in Season 7, served as this reference. Benioff continued that they wanted to avoid Jon because he frequently saves the day and, ultimately, choosing him or Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) or the Hound (Rory McCann) would not have felt fitting for the storyline.
Maisie Williams and Kit Harington were shocked by the major Battle of Winterfell plot twist
As a dedicated gamer, I’ve got to say, Arya isn’t just carrying a lethal blade that could strike down the Night King – she’s honed her skills under the watchful eyes of the stealthy, shape-shifting assassins in Braavos for quite some time. People know Arya as a relentless killer, but let’s not forget Jon Snow isn’t exactly a slouch in battle either; he’s got Valyrian steel (Longclaw, the ancestral sword of the Mormont family) at his side. It’s only natural that, given Jon’s past ties to the Night King which Arya lacks, he’d be the one to deliver the final blow… but Maisie Williams was thrilled by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’ ingenious move to defy our expectations as viewers.
In a 2020 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kit Harington himself admitted that he thought Jon Snow’s arc would unfold in a similar manner, going so far as to say, “I was told it would go that way back in season three that I would kill The Night King.” However, upon reading the script, he discovered it was Arya who took on the role instead. (Laughs.) truthfully, I’m relieved it was Arya. I believe she had the most compelling storyline during the final season.
Still, Maisie Williams thinks Arya Stark was the right person to kill the Night King
There’s a point to consider that Arya Stark killing the Night King might seem illogical at first glance, but let me clarify this soon. Following the episode, Maisie Williams shared with Entertainment Weekly in April 2019 that she remains convinced by the plot twist. She expressed her excitement over it, admitting to being anxious about public reaction.
She added, “Initially, I felt everyone would dislike it; Arya doesn’t seem worthy of it.” She explained, “The most challenging aspect in any series is when you create a villain that seems invincible and then defeat them. It needs to be executed smartly because otherwise, people might think, ‘If a 100-pound girl can kill him, the villain couldn’t have been that dangerous.’ We need to make it exciting. Later, I shared my thoughts with my boyfriend, and he said, ‘Hmm, shouldn’t it be Jon instead, don’t you think?'”
Williams went on to justify the entire thing by discussing a moment in the episode, titled “The Long Night,” where Arya reunites with Carice van Houten’s Melisandre after last encountering the Red Priestess in Season 3. In that episode, Melisandre tells Arya she will “shut many eyes forever,” and in “The Long Night,” she reminds Arya that that includes “blue eyes” — like the Night King. “When we did the whole bit with Melisandre, I realized the whole scene with [the Red Woman] brings it back to everything I’ve been working for over these past 6 seasons — 4 if you think about it since [Arya] got to the House of Black and White,” the actress said. “It all comes down to this one very moment. It’s also unexpected and that’s what this show does. So then I was like, ‘F**k you Jon, I get it.'”
How does Kit Harington feel about Jon Snow’s lack of heroics during the Battle of Winterfell?
In simpler terms, the character of Jon Snow in the Battle of Winterfell doesn’t appear capable of overcoming immense evil, which is a stark contrast to the fearsome Jon we saw in Season 5’s “Hardhome” episode when he killed a high-ranking White Walker. Although Jon fights off many wights, his encounter with Viserion, Daenerys Targaryen’s dragon (played by Emilia Clarke), which was turned into an undead creature in Season 7, leaves much to be desired as Jon merely shouts at the dragon instead of defeating it. This is surprising, given that Kit Harington admitted he expected Jon to confront his longtime enemy, but ultimately accepted the decision.
“I was taken aback, I honestly thought it would be my character in that moment! Yet, I appreciate it. It provides Arya’s journey with a definite objective, adding depth to her storyline. I believe some viewers might be disappointed by the absence of an epic clash between Jon and the Night King, but it’s fitting for the characters. And let’s face it, ‘Thrones’ often surprises us by not being what we expect. The young lady certainly proves the power of unexpected victories.”
Actually, Jon Snow should have killed the Night King
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but feel that Jon Snow should have been the one to vanquish the Night King in “The Long Night.” Despite his momentary lapses during that episode, Jon’s character arc and the series setup make it narratively sound for him to be the hero. After all, since Season 1, Jon has been a member of the Night’s Watch, guarding the realm from the North where the White Walkers and their minions dwell. This makes him the only major character who is fully aware of the threat posed by the Night King and his army. In contrast, none of the other main characters have encountered a White Walker or wight before Jon does (he kills a wight halfway through Season 1), and they are so preoccupied with their power struggles for the Iron Throne that they’re oblivious to the impending doom from the North.
The main issue is that, story-wise, Jon should’ve been the one to slay the Night King, but David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’ decision to deviate from audience expectations in this instance seems unsuccessful. It would be similar if, in the finale of “Harry Potter,” someone like Luna Lovegood had killed Voldemort instead of Harry (spoiler alert). Nevertheless, Maisie Williams and Arya both had their significant scenes, and now fans must come to terms with it.
“Game of Thrones” is streaming on Max now.
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2024-09-02 18:00