If you've ever wondered what they mean by "plot armor" Jon Snow surviving this episode is a perfect example. I'm sure the trendy critics are all applauding Sansa's idiotic and pointless complaints to Jon during the war council, because "agency" or some other bullshit, and her show of "strength" which basically consists of stopping to her rapist's level, and calling on a sugar daddy to bail her out. Or maybe she's strong because she intends to die rather than risk recapture by Ramsey, because fuck the army of White Walkers and zombies bearing down on them, rape is the worst thing ever and trumps all reason and rational thought these days!

Remember when the direwolves were big? Remember how big Grey Wind's head was atop Robb's corpse, compared to the tiny head of a wolf that lived twice as long?

Aside from the nonsensical choreography, that absurd battle really had no stakes, since the most significantly invested character was never going to die, what with the magic resurrection and all a year ago.

When you consider how obviously intended to subvert common tropes this story originated, they keep having the day saved by the last minute arrival of cavalry an AWFUL lot. Twice in this very episode.

I like that Tyrion put Dany in her place, but they ruined it by having her go right on being a smirky bully, and compounded it with Tyrion's getting his own back with Theon. Presumably having fapped themselves into insensibility over the last fifty or so episodes, the showrunners are now getting their gratuitous thrills by having favorite characters be uncharacteristically unpleasant in getting their own back and gloating. Does anyone remember how they introduced the Stark family with Ned's philosophy on executions, and doing it yourself and cleanly? Was there any point to that? Ned might have been stupid about tactics and politics, but the point was that the Starks were ethical and responsible. Sansa has now ditched the latter, while Jon adheres entirely to the former. If the show is advocating a mentality like "tradition and morals are stupid, and sneakiness, pragmatism and viciousness are better" why should we give a damn that Daenerys is freeing slaves and outlawing rape & pillage? The sole redeeming point in her story line is that she mostly, sort of, stands up for certain absolute moral principles. But if they're playing the Starks this way, why should we care that Dany, Tyrion and the Greyjoys have vowed not to continue their fathers' evil?