White Walkers are one of the most interesting threats in all Game of Thrones, which makes its underwhelming ending all the more disappointing. AND I’m still mad about one specific part of the Night King’s conclusionbut it’s not the fact that Arya Stark killed him. Arya Stark defeating the villain during Game of Thrones season 8 is among the biggest criticisms of the final release. While I understand why people are disappointed with this twist, I don’t think it’s as big of a problem as people make it out to be.
There are bigger problems with the Battle of Winterfell, and I think the backlash surrounding Arya’s role is a symptom of them. Resolving White Walker’s story in a single episode is a questionable choice, as is making Game of Thrones’ ending more about the Iron Throne than the threat to the North. However, The Night King’s Biggest Flaw Could Have Been Fixed without someone else killing him. All Game of Thrones what needed to be done was to first include a confrontation with another character.
Why Arya killed the Night King and why it was a good choice
This tied together Game Of Thrones’ character arc very well.
Arya isn’t the person many viewers believed would kill the Night King, so it was a surprise when Game of Thrones season 8 took the characters in that direction. It seems that was precisely the point, as Arya killing the Night King was intended to change expectations. Game of Thrones’ showrunners admitted as much on HBO’s Inside the Segment for Season 8, Episode 3 (via YouTube). “We hoped to avoid the expected,” Benioff noted. And Maisie Williams echoed that sentiment, saying The Hollywood Reporter that Jon is doing this”It would have been too obvious.“
Having Arya kill the Night King is a success in that regard and, in some ways, a good choice for the series. Not only is it a genuinely shocking moment, but it also ties her character’s arc together very well. As of Season 8, there doesn’t seem to be much reason for Arya’s Braavos storyline – other than getting revenge on her enemies. The Night King’s death gives him a journey along Game of Thrones a purposeand even waves to “not today“Line. I appreciate how this all leads to the twist, although I wish it was a little different.
I really wish Jon Snow had fought the Night King without killing him
Game Of Thrones Needed To Make Up For Their Rivalry Somehow
While I’m fine with Arya killing the Night King, I wish the villain had fought Jon Snow before it happened. The Night King and Jon have an inexplicable rivalry throughout Game of Thrones, with the two clearly respecting each other as major threats. They come into contact several times throughout the series and it seems inevitable that they will face each other in combat. However, this never comes to fruition, which is part of why Arya killing the Night King is so disappointing. However, it wasn’t Jon who killed him; he just needed to confront him.
Jon could have faced the Night King, finally releasing all the tensions between the characters.
If the Battle of Winterfell had lasted more than one episode, this would have been possible. Jon could have faced the Night King, finally releasing all the tensions between the characters. Even Daenerys Targaryen has a moment with the enemy during “The Long Night,” but Jon doesn’t really come into contact with him. This is a wasted opportunity, especially after Game of Thrones spends a lot of time building for this purpose. Jon losing to the Night King would still have been surprisingand could have even made Arya’s success more powerful.
Jon fighting the Night King could have made Arya kill him even better
It would have been more shocking and added weight to it
Jon fighting the Night King before Arya killed him would have added more weight to this moment, as This would have proved how impressive Arya’s victory was. Game of Thrones it never actually shows the Night King in combat, so we have no idea how he would fare against Jon or any other skilled swordsman. Arya only defeats him because it has the element of surprise, or at least that’s how the show makes it seem. Demonstrating the Night King’s abilities on a battlefield would make this moment more impressive, highlighting Arya’s quick thinking and resourcefulness.
Additionally, Jon fighting the Night King first would have done Game of Thrones Season 8’s Arya twist is more surprising. It would have met the viewer’s expectations first, making it seem like they were right about Jon being the hero of Winterfell. This would make it that much more shocking when he doesn’t win, leaving Arya to defeat the enemy. Overall I think this solution would have helped Game of Thrones tremendously. It would have given viewers and creators what they wanted, wrapping up White Walker’s plot in a satisfying way.
Source: YouTube, The Hollywood Reporter