'Game of Thrones': Eight Things You Should Know About The Battle of Winterfell in Season Eight

The end is nigh for Game of Thrones (GoT).

And one big highlight of its climactic eighth season will be the Battle of Winterfell where our heroes, led by Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, will tackle the Army of the Dead in the Great War. With much blood, gore and drama guaranteed, the war between the living and the dead is touted to be the longest action sequence ever made for television or film.

The episode, which promises back-to-back action, is directed by Miguel Sapochnik, who helmed, “Hardhome,” in season five, and the Emmy-winning, “Battle of the Bastards,” in season six. As he was appointed to direct episodes three and five of the six-part final season, many are expecting that the mother of all GoT battles will be in episode three.

Here are eight things you should know about the Battle of Winterfell:

1. Longest Battle Ever Filmed

At almost 60 minutes long, the Battle of Winterfell is said to be the longest consecutive battle sequence made in cinematic history. While studying other screen battles, Sapochnik reckoned the longest currently is the 40-minute Helm’s Deep Siege in 2002’s Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. According to EW, it is also the HBO blockbuster series’ longest shoot ever, as 11 weeks of night shoots were required to film the battle’s outdoor scenes, while other sequences of the same battle were then filmed in studio settings for more weeks after that. The previous record was held by the 25-day shoot for Battle of the Bastards.

2. Biggest Ensemble of GoT Major Characters

Scenes of the brutal Winterfell battle will intercut with story arcs of over 20 major Game of Thrones characters. It will be the biggest ensemble of major characters since the series’ debut episode in 2011. In Team Jon Snow, there will be Jon, Ser Davos Seaworth, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Bran Stark,Samwell Tarly, and Gilly. Team Daenerys will include the Mother of Dragons, Tyrion Lannister, Jorah Mormont, Varys, Missandei, and Grey Worm. And not forgetting, the likes of Jamie Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, Podrick, Tormund, Beric Dondarrion, and The Hound. And though there were no glimpses of them in the official GoT trailers (as yet), Bronn and Melisandre (see #7 below) are likely to be part of the battle action too.

Read: 'Games Of Thrones': 10 Essential Reunions At Winterfell We'd Like To See In Season 8

3. Winterfell Set Specifically Enhanced

Located in Northern Ireland, the set for the Stark ancestral home of Winterfell is already quite a huge property. For the Battle of Winterfell, the set was expanded by the production team with the addition of, “a towering castle exterior, a larger courtyard, and more interconnected rooms and ramparts,” according to EW. Akin to, “a sprawling, immersive medieval resort,” you can actually visit this particular Winterfell set, as it will be open to the public–along with the Northern Ireland sets of King’s Landing and Castle Black–once season eight ends in May 2019.

4. Size of the Army of the Dead

Actor Vladimir Furdik revealed to EW that the Night King “has a target he wants to kill” (whom we reckoned to be Bran Stark a.k.a. Three-Eyed Raven), and there will be another showdown between the Night King and Jon Snow just like the dead-raising scene in “Hardhome.” As it is, the Night King’s army is about 100,000+ strong (by Dany's reckoning), with at least 95 White Walkers (since Craster said he had 99 sons and at least four have been killed), and tens of thousands of wights including giants, snow bears and, lest we forget, one ice dragon. The Night King could also increase his numbers if they blazed through other northern castles and villages first, before reaching Winterfell.

5. Size of the Army of the Living

With her two dragons, the Unsullied (<8000) and the Dothraki horde (<100,000), Daenerys will be providing the biggest army for the living. Jon Snow and his banners will total no more than 20,000–with the Knights of the Vale, and the free folk, adding a few thousands more. And as we know, Jamie will not have the Lannister Army with him. The north will thus have to rely on individual warriors such as Arya, Jorah, and Brienne. Here’s hoping the two remaining Stark direwolves, namely Ghost and Nymeria, will figure in somehow.

Read: ‘Game Of Thrones’: 5 Heroic Deeds Jaime Lannister May Achieve in Season 8

6. Warriors with Valyrian Steel Weapons

Wights can be killed by dragonglass or fire, but White Walkers can only be killed by dragonglass or Valyrian steel. The only warriors at Winterfell who have Valyrian steel weapons are Jon Snow (Longclaw), Arya (Catspaw dagger), Brienne (Oathkeeper), Jamie (Widow’s Wail) and Jorah, who appears to be carrying Sam’s ancestral sword Heartsbane as seen in the season eight trailer. As for the Night King–and his ice dragon for that matter–ways of killing him are still under debate, although my money is still on Jon Snow using House Dayne’s ancestral meteorite-made sword, Dawn.

Read: 'Game of Thrones' Season 8: Why Jon Snow May Use Greatsword Dawn to Slay the Night King

7. Melisandre's Role in the Great War

The Red Woman informed Jon Snow in season six that she can help him win the Great War and she told Varys in season seven that she has to return to Westeros one last time to die (she also has to meet Arya once again as prophesied in season three). Some fans believed Melisandre will arrive at Winterfell with the Fiery Hand, the band of slave soldiers that guards the temple of R’hllor in Volantis. Others think that she could be the Nissa Nissa to whoever is Azor Ahai (read: Jon or Dany), to bring forth Lightbringer, the flaming sword that supposedly could bring down the darkness. If Ser Davos doesn't kill her first, the Red Woman will be present at the Great War for sure.

Read: 'Game of Thrones': Who's Likely to Die in Season 8?

8. The Role of the Crypts of Winterfell

In various season eight trailers, the crypts of Winterfell are featured rather prominently. During the Battle of Winterfell, it will be used as a shelter for those who are unable to fight such as women and children like Gilly and little Sam, as well as mild men like Varys. If Winterfell were to fall, the crypts will be where Jon Snow and company retreat to, and hopefully be able to escape via its underground tunnels to somewhere safe.

Read: 7 ‘Game of Thrones’ Fan Theories About the Crypts of Winterfell

Season Eight’s Other Great Battle

Other major characters, the likes of Cersei and the Greyjoys (Euron, Theon and Yara), are unlikely to feature at the Battle of Winterfell. They will be more involved in the final season’s second big battle, when, or if, Jon Snow and Daenerys–or possibly even the Night King, if he wins the Battle of Winterfell–take the fight to King’s Landing. Although some fans believed Cersei will send the Golden Company and Euron's fleets up North to slaughter the weakened Northern armies, the war against Cersei is more likely to occur down South in, and around, King's Landing.

For seven seasons, Game of Thrones has produced some of the most spectacular drama and action sequences ever seen on television, racking up 132 Emmy Award nominations and a record-breaking 47 wins to date for a TV drama series. Which is exactly why it is the biggest show in TV history with almost 30 million viewers per episode. Its eighth and final season promises more of the same with the Battle of Winterfell episode (to name but one) a definite must-see.

Game of Thrones’ final season debuts April 14 on HBO.