| "The Watchers on the Wall" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Game of Thrones episode | |||
| Episodeno. | Season 4 Episode 9 | ||
| Directed by | Neil Marshall | ||
| Written by | David Benioff D. B. Weiss | ||
| Featured music | Ramin Djawadi | ||
| Cinematography by | David Franco | ||
| Editing by | Katie Weiland | ||
| Original air date | June 8, 2014 (2014-6-8) | ||
| Running time | 50 minutes[1] | ||
| Guest appearances | |||
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| Episode chronology | |||
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| Game of Thronesseason 4 | |||
| List of episodes | |||
"The Watchers on the Wall" is the ninth and penultimate episode of thefourth season ofHBO'smedievalfantasy television seriesGame of Thrones. The 39th episode overall, it was written by series co-creatorsDavid Benioff andD. B. Weiss, and directed byNeil Marshall.[2] It first aired on HBO on June 8, 2014.[3]
Likeseason two's "Blackwater" (also directed by Marshall), the episode focuses exclusively on one storyline: the wildling assault on Castle Black at the Wall, and the Night's Watch defense, led by Ser Alliser Thorne andJon Snow. In the episode,Mance Rayder's army attacks Castle Black from both sides as the undermanned Night's Watch struggle to fight them off; Ygritte is eager for revenge against Jon; and Gilly hides from the battle.
The episodeachieved a viewership of 6.95 million during its initial airing in the United States,[4] and received acclaim from critics and viewers, highlighting the episode's battle sequence and the emotional depth. For the episode,Neil Marshall was nominated for thePrimetime Emmy Award forOutstanding Directing for a Drama Series.[5]
As they keep watch on the Wall, Jon and Samwell discuss his relationship with Ygritte during his time with the wildlings. In the library of Castle Black, Sam and Maester Aemon discuss Gilly, who later arrives at the castle with her baby. With a massive forest fire to the north, the brothers continue preparations for battle. Sam finds Gilly shelter in the kitchen and promises her that he will not die. Their reunion is cut short by horns signaling thatMance Rayder's army has arrived.
At a nearby camp, a Thenn warg scouts the Wall using an owl, while Ygritte declares that Jon is hers to kill. Ygritte reports that the castle's entrance is undermanned, and Styr orders the attack. As Thorne readies the archers, another alarm informs him the castle is being attacked from both sides. Thorne leaves Slynt in charge and heads down but Slynt proves incapable and Grenn tricks him into also going to the castle. Two giants and awoolly mammoth then attempt to open the outer gate and Jon sends Grenn and others to defend the inner gate. At the castle, Thorne is wounded by Tormund. Pyp shoots at the wildlings with crossbows while Sam reloads for him, but Pyp is killed by Ygritte.
Sam ascends the Wall and informs Jon that the courtyard is overrun, and Jon leaves Edd in charge. Descending, he leads the remaining Night's Watch, and has his direwolf released. Jon kills Styr and is confronted by Ygritte. She hesitates, and Olly shoots her in the back. As she dies in Jon's arms, they reminisce. Tormund, hit by several arrows, is captured on Jon's orders. Above, Edd leads a successful defense and the wildling army withdraws.
In the morning, Jon tells Sam that he will go north to kill Mance. They find Grenn and his men have died killing a giant, and Jon tells Sam to have their bodies burned. Jon tells Sam to mind his sword before departing.
This episode adapts content from theA Storm of Swords chapters Jon VII, Jon VIII and Jon IX.[6]
"The Watchers on the Wall" marks the return of directorNeil Marshall, whose previous episode for the show as director was "Blackwater". Marshall also makes a cameo appearance in the episode as an archer on the Wall.[7]
The episodeachieved a viewership of 6.95 million people during its initial airing in the United States.[4] In the United Kingdom, the episode was viewed by 1.75 million viewers during its broadcast onSky Atlantic, making it the highest-rated broadcast that week.[8] The episode also received 0.07 milliontimeshift viewers.
The episode was acclaimed by critics and audiences. On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 94% of 52 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 10/10. The website's consensus reads: "While 'The Watchers of the Wall' lacks the emotional punch of previous episodes this season, it succeeds as an action-packed hour with cinema-worthy visuals."[9]
James Hibberd ofEntertainment Weekly wrote, "[the episode] was an intense rousing hour of heroism and heartbreak that set a new bar for what this show – and TV – can do."[10] Another positive review came from Terri Schwartz of Zap2it.com, who wrote, "As the most expensive episode of the series, the Battle at Castle Black felt like an equivalent ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersBattle of Helm's Deep."[11] David Malitz ofThe Washington Post was more negative about the episode, writing, "Aside from the major moment with Jon Snow and Ygritte it was hard to feel too emotionally invested in anything that happened. And as visually exciting as it was to watch everything unfold, the ending was surprisingly unfulfilling."[12]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | Neil Marshall | Nominated | [13] |
| Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series | Tim Kimmel, Jed M. Dodge, Tim Hands, Paula Fairfield, David Klotz, Bradley C. Katona, Brett Voss, Jeffrey Wilhoit, and Dylan T. Wilhoit | Nominated | [14] | |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One-Hour) | Ronan Hill, Richard Dyer, Onnalee Blank, and Mathew Waters | Nominated | [15] | ||
| 2015 | Visual Effects Society | Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal/Live Action Broadcast Program | Dan Breckwoldt, Martin Furman, Sophie Marfleet, and Eric Andrusyszyn | Won | [16] |
51 MIN
