Director wanted to depict ‘the birth of a new weapon’

Hardhome.

The Battle of the Bastards.

The Battle of Castle Black.

Macall-B.-Polay—HBO-(Photo-10)[1]

Macall B. Polay/HBO

He’s never done a major battle like this.

And it worked because of the massive planning he put into it and the crew really coming together.

We’ve never really blown s up like we’ve done in this episode."

The sequence also set a record for themost people simultaneously set on firefor an entertainment production.

Jaime, especially, is a great soldier and realizes this is going to be a new era."

“And when he charges, it’s meant to be the most beautiful death you’ve ever seen.

He’s charging through the ash and, in a way, tilting at windmills like Don Quixote.

Then he’s obviously saved at the last second from the dragon fire at least.”

EW’s Game of Thrones podcast

Game of Thronesairs Sundays on HBO.