The Long Night (Game of Thrones)

"The Long Night" is the third episode of the eighth season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 70th episode overall. It was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Miguel Sapochnik.^[1] First aired on April 28, 2019, it is the longest episode of the series, with a running time of 81 minutes.^[2]

"The Long Night" takes place entirely at Winterfell and depicts the final battle between the Army of the Dead and the combined armies of the living, ending one of the series' primary storylines. The episode's title refers to the prolonged winter that occurred thousands of years earlier, in which the White Walkers first descended upon Westeros.

The episode received generally positive reviews, with critics praising Arya Stark's storyline, as well as the episode's direction, cinematography and musical score, while criticism targeted its handling of the White Walker conflict and the episode's production lighting. It received eleven Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) for Ramin Djawadi, and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for Carice van Houten for her final performance as Melisandre.^[3] It was later picked by Alfie Allen and Maisie Williams to support their nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, respectively. It ultimately won a total of five Primetime Emmy Awards. According to sources, this is the most elaborate film or series battle. It is also the most expensive episode of the entire series.

This episode marks the final appearances of Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Iain Glen (Jorah Mormont), Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrion), Bella Ramsey (Lyanna Mormont), and Vladimir Furdik (The Night King).