"The most intense episode in television history" – The internet reacts to Game of Thrones season 8 Battle of Winterfell

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The Game of Thrones season 8 battle everyone was waiting for certainly split opinions

Game of Thrones season 8
Image credit: HBO

Game of Thrones season 8 was always leading to this point. Heck, the argument could be made that ever since the show’s very first scene, the Battle of Winterfell was its natural conclusion. And so it proved. We got everything that made us fell in love with Thrones in the first place: Shocks, deaths, shock deaths, and a battle that left us well and truly fatigued.

What a week it’s been – and Twitter was still in top form at the end of it. Here are the best reactions to Game of Thrones season 8, episode 3: The Battle of Winterfell. Spoilers follow…

The Red Woman returns

The Red Woman was lit AF. Literally. Melisandre returned this week, seemingly out of nowhere and for matters of plot convenience, after a gap year in Volantis. She didn’t find herself over there, but she did find out how to light everything on fire, which is handy.

A giant sacrifice

Lyanna vs. A White Walker giant. There’s only one winner there, right? Wrong. In one of the episode’s first gut-wrenching deaths, the mini Mormont took to the frontlines and slayed the giant where it stood and fell in the process.

So. Many. Deaths.

But Lyanna wasn’t the only one to pour a cold one out for on Sunday night. Theon, Beric, Edd, and Jorah also fell. Fans paid tribute to those who gave their life in battle – while others wondered why there weren’t a few more major deaths. 

The Night King falls

Wait, what?! Yep. The Night King problem has been dealt with, and there are still three episodes to go. Whisper it, but it never seemed like Game of Thrones was all that concerned with making the White Walkers part of the finale, but Arya’s killing blow left people disappointed all the same. 

The show is dark and full of terrors

Do not adjust your televisions. In fact, maybe you should. The opening half an hour of The Battle of Winterfell was plagued by blurry battles and dodgy darkness. And Twitter let everyone know about it. 

A gruelling week

Of course, Game of Thrones season 8 wasn’t the only show in town this week. A little production called Avengers: Endgame also broke our hearts and left us emotionally scarred. For many, it’s been the toughest week in forever. 

An epic or a let-down?

Did it live up to expectations? It honestly seems like a 50/50 split out there. Many took umbrage with the fact that everything was wrapped up a little too neatly without consequence, while others revelled in the show’s ability to break us down before building us back up again.

Check out the real casualty from Sunday night: A fair few of the best Game of Thrones theories have fallen by the wayside.

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.