Why Lyanna Is One of the Bravest Heroes of ‘Game of Thrones’ Episode 3
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 8, Episode 3 of Game of Thrones, “The Long Night.”]
Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey) proves that heart and courage, not age or years of experience, matter most in the Battle of Winterfell on Game of Thrones.
The battle isn’t as bloody as it could have been, but it does feature several key deaths and heroic moments — and Lyanna’s actions during it earn her a spot on each list.
In Episode 2, Jorah (Iain Glen) asks her to not fight in the war and instead stay safe in the crypt, thinking of the future of their house. However, Lyanna refuses, saying, “I have trained my men, women, and children. I have fought before. I can fight again. … I pledged to fight for the North, and I will fight again.”
And fight she does in Episode 3.
She is among those stationed inside the gate, and the battle comes to them as the Army of the Dead advances on Winterfell. Though Melisandre (Carice van Houten) lights the trench, the Night King has some of his undead fall onto the flames to make paths for the rest of his army to push through and into Winterfell.
(HBO)
Lyanna stands alongside everyone in the courtyard until an undead giant breaks through the gate and swats her to the side all too easily. Still, she gets up, bloody and bruised, and rather than run and hide like anyone might when facing a giant, screams and charges him.
He picks her up and squeezes her in one of his hands, which is bigger than her entire body — and the resulting sound demonstrates the brutality of the action. But by picking her up, he gives her the opportunity to stab him in the eye with dragonglass. Lyanna kills the giant, and in doing so, she sacrifices herself.
(HBO)
Look no further than Lyanna Mormont for one of the most heroic acts of the season (and possibly series) because she has to know as soon as she declares her intention to fight in the battle that she’s likely not going to make it out alive. She doesn’t back down, and she saved lives by giving up her own to take down the giant.
Later in the battle, the Night King raises all those killed from the dead, and she too comes back. But it will be her courageous moments before and during the battle for which she will be remembered.
“I wasn’t sure if she would be really scared or just a slight bit of scared,” Ramsey told Entertainment Weekly of her character in battle. “We tried it several ways. [Director Miguel Sapochnik] said, ‘It’s like someone removed her fear gene.'”
Game of Thrones fans are celebrating Lyanna’s bravery and importance in the episode.
Unpopular opinion: Lyanna Mormont was more useful than Jon and Dany on dragons combined. #GameOfThrones #BattleOfWinterfell pic.twitter.com/0v8PnTpBDR
— GameOfThrones (@GOTseasonfinale) April 29, 2019
Lyanna taking down the giant wight. David got nothing on you, baby girl! #GameofThrones #ThronesYall pic.twitter.com/LwjQgnxWqu
— Black Girl Nerds (@BlackGirlNerds) April 29, 2019
this little girl was braver than most of the men in got. RIP LYANNA MORMONT #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/YmCHD4b0yG
— ARYA STARK (@yaboihamza) April 29, 2019
Lyanna Mormont, lived and died a badass 👏🏻 #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/uL3zrxsfwR
— Aashish Kulkarni (@aashish1212) April 29, 2019
Rest in peace, Lyanna Mormont.
Game of Thrones, Sundays, 9/8c, HBO
