Episode: “Battle of the Bastards” (Season 6, Episode 9)
Original Air Date: June 19, 2016
Director: Miguel Sapochnik
Plot (via HBO)
Slaver envoys demand terms of surrender in Meereen. Ramsay plays the odds in defense of Winterfell.
Best Moment: The Battle of the Bastards
HBO and the entire Game of Thrones crew could not have done a better job with the Battle of the Bastards, as the open-field, medieval-like battle might be the best war scene in history—television or movie. “BOB” was set up perfectly with the scene from the night before, with Jon Snow challenging Ramsay Bolton one-on-one, and Sansa Stark stoically telling the Warden of the North what was going to happen to him. Then the actual battle, which starts with Ramsay setting Rickon Stark “free”, only to strike him down with an arrow in front of Jon. From there, the fight was on, as the former Lord Commander’s own cavalry came in just in time as the Bolton cavalry was near him. As indicated in the “Inside The Episode”, Jon is a skilled warrior, but he also had some luck to survive the chaotic scene in which weapons were being swung, arrows were flying, horses were getting taken out, and people were dying left and right.
When Ramsay’s forces successfully set up a double envelopment (which Jon was hoping to have his outnumbered army do), it looked like the man that came back from the dead was only brought back to meet his end again. The moment where he was getting trampled, it appeared Jon was going to suffer a soul-crushing death of suffocation in middle of the battle. Even when Jon emerged from the pile to catch his breath, the battle looked lost for his side; until, a warhorn sounded and the Knights of the Vale swooped in to wipe out the Bolton line.
When the coward Ramsay retreated back to Winterfell, Jon, Tormund Giantsbane, and Wun-Wun chased him to the castle. After the giant breached the sealed doors, Ramsay put an arrow in his eye, killing him before taunting Jon. Finally, after picking up a Mormont shield and blocking three arrows, Jon had his hands on Ramsay and beat him with his bare hands—until he looked up and realized Ramsay was Sansa’s to kill. The Stark banner promptly getting put back up was long overdue for the family that has gone through so much since leaving the castle.
Best Quote
“You’re going to die tomorrow, Lord Bolton. Sleep well.” – Sansa Stark
Trivia
The Battle of the Bastards took 25 days to film and had 600 crew members, including four camera crews and seven principle actors.
Character Deaths
-Belicho Paenymion
-Razdal mo Eraz
-Slavers armies
-Rickon Stark
-Battle of the Bastards soldiers
-Smalljon Umber
-Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun
-Ramsay Bolton
MVP: Sansa Stark
She decided against telling Jon Snow and the others ahead of time, but Sansa Stark, with the help of Littlefinger, was able to secure the Knights of the Vale to join the Battle of the Bastards, and the battle almost certainly would have been lost without them—which would have meant the death of Jon Snow and his allies. And later that night after the Battle of the Bastards, Sansa was the last face Ramsay Bolton saw before his formerly-loyal dogs ate him alive—a fitting end to a brutal villain. Finally back in her home and safe, and a changed person from the last time she was in Winterfell comfortably, Sansa’s smirk as she walked away was a perfect end to Battle of the Bastards.
Inside The Episode
SO AWESOME. So happy they got the budget and showed a battle like this. Maybe the best episode.
Deserving of all the praise it gets. Epic.
Perfect recap and episode.
GOAT
GOAT
Along with the Loot Train Battle, best battle scene of all time.
Fact.
Simply thrilling. 9.9 IMDb rating well deserved.
This show is just unreal.
Yea Jon actually lost the battle until the Knights of the Vale came. Still a legend for the battle though.
Best show ever.