Best episode of the season and maybe of entire series

[Greenmonsterff]

I know this will be wildly unpopular and I don’t know if anyone will even read it, but after a week of reflection, I have decided that this episode was my favorite perhaps of the entire series. And I know all the reasons why it shouldn’t be. (It ruined many storylines and prophesies, the battle plan was dumb, all the mains lived despite insurmountable odds, Sam lived while lying down and crying, I could go on and on.) But, this brought the climax of the WWs, which was amazing. It had awesome effects. It had Dany and Jon on dragons fighting the NK. It had badass moments for Melisandre, Dothraki flaming swords, Theon’s heroic end, Jorah dying for Dany, Arya saved the world. The music was epic. I felt genuine emotions during the episode. I was rooting for it like I was watching my favorite sports team. Literally on the edge of my seat. I never felt those things while watching GOT before that episode and definitely not after. What episode was your favorite?

[jonsnowknowseverything]

I actually created my account just to reply to this. I totally agree with you. While the episode of course had its flaws as you  mentioned, it was my personal favorite episode of the entire series. To me, it had everything. Amazing setting, anticipation and tension, epic battle sequences (both as groups and some more intimate moments like with Arya), some epic deaths (Lyanna/Jorah), insanely good and familiar music, Drogon and Rhaegal fighting together and then against Viserion, Dany actually picking up a sword, Melisandre's moments...I was literally at the edge of my seat the entire episode and almost couldn't breathe. And when Arya killed the NK, I jumped off my couch and cheered (as did everyone at my apartment that night). I had seen Avengers: Endgame the night before, and I actually enjoyed The Long Night more. To me, this is definitely the best episode of the series without a doubt.

[John Meta]

On 5/26/2019 at 12:33 PM, Greenmonsterff said:

I know this will be wildly unpopular and I don’t know if anyone will even read it, but after a week of reflection, I have decided that this episode was my favorite perhaps of the entire series. And I know all the reasons why it shouldn’t be. (It ruined many storylines and prophesies, the battle plan was dumb, all the mains lived despite insurmountable odds, Sam lived while lying down and crying, I could go on and on.) But, this brought the climax of the WWs, which was amazing. It had awesome effects. It had Dany and Jon on dragons fighting the NK. It had badass moments for Melisandre, Dothraki flaming swords, Theon’s heroic end, Jorah dying for Dany, Arya saved the world. The music was epic. I felt genuine emotions during the episode. I was rooting for it like I was watching my favorite sports team. Literally on the edge of my seat. I never felt those things while watching GOT before that episode and definitely not after. What episode was your favorite?

Well, let's first be real in that popularity isn't really an indicator of anything except the movement of groups. It certainly isn't an indicator of justified criticism - usually I find the opposite to be the case. At any rate, I personally enjoyed the entire series, and absolutely this past season was one of my favorites and this episode the same. That, of course, isn't to say that I don't understand anyone that doesn't like it - like is a subjective thing based on, who knows what - why do we like what we like and dislike what we dislike? 

BUT, I will say that I find it somewhat of a shame that you "know all the reasons it shouldn't be [your favorite]" because I would propose those "reasons" are nonsensical and absurd, even hypocritical. I've not seen a single criticism of the story line that wasn't completely subjective and/or reasonably unjustified.

1. It ruined many story lines. How so? Bear in mind, to make that statement you have to first have a certain frame of reference by which to draw the conclusion of "ruined" and I don't believe anyone has that certain frame of reference. For example, to conclude someone "ruined the meal" you have to first have the directions (certain frame of reference) by which to determine the "ruining" of the meal (used too much salt/didn't cook at right temp/etc.). But a statement such as "ruined Jon's story" isn't a reasonable claim since Jon's story line is what it is, and there is no certain frame of reference by which to reasonably conclude it as "ruined". What is usually the case in such "ruined" statement is the unstated proposition that the one making the claim expected/wanted a certain story line to be written in a way they expected/wanted it to be written, and any other write is called "ruined" - but the conclusion is objectively wrong. It may "ruin" a person's expected story, but it doesn't ruin the story as it is. 

In other words, "ruined many story lines" is a subjective statement based on egotism and in no way a justified or reasonable criticism of the actual narrative.

2. The battle plan was dumb. I propose it was fine. There is a thread on the tactics in which I propose my counter-arguments to this unreasonable criticism. 

3. All the mains lived despite insurmountable odds. How can this be stated as a reasonable criticism? This happens in the real world, how is it used as a criticism here? 

4. Sam lying down and crying. How is this a reasonable criticism?

I bring this up so that people can feel free to acknowledge their favor of a story without feeling the need to acknowledge "reasonable problems" which don't actually exist at all, but are simply awful criticisms being disguised as reasonable in order to forward some unstated and subjective agenda.