‘Game of Thrones’ Documentary Reveals Exactly How Arya Stark Pulled Off that Epic Move Against the Night King

Published May 28, 2019

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2:57pm

*Warning: Spoilers ahead*

One of the most pivotal moments of all eight seasons of Game of Thrones was when Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) killed the Night King (Vladimir Furdik). Just when it seemed like he was about to kill Bran the Three-Eyed Raven (Isaac Hempstead Wright) and get one step closer to taking out everyone in Winterfell, Arya appeared seemingly out of nowhere. She jumped through the air and plunged a sword right through his heart. It was an artful moment, but it wasn’t exactly clear how Arya got those hops.

So how did the Girl with No Name kill the biggest villain in the Seven Kingdoms? Last night, HBO’s two-hour documentary, Game of Thrones: The Last Watch, finally broke it down. Watch below.

It all started with footage from a season eight table read. The cast and producer Bryan Cogman sit at a table (hence the name table read) and read through the script. When they get to the part about Arya and the Night King facing off, they get seriously excited.

Cogman, serving as narrator, reads “She vaults off a pile of dead wights, leaps at the Night King.” Kit Harington, who played Jon Snow, can’t contain his excitement and audibly gasps. Cogman goes on to read, “and she plunges the dagger up through the Night King’s armor. The Night King shatters.”

Hearing this, the entire cast cheers and Williams looks overjoyed. Even Rory McCann, who played the perpetually grouchy Hound, is stoked. Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) is pretty much shocked and Sophie Turner, Williams’s on-screen sister Sansa and her IRL best friend, smiles knowingly.

So, there you have it: Arya accomplished the best kill on her list thanks to a pile of dead wights. Guess they were good for something.

Ugh, we miss you, Game of Thrones.

Lex Goodman

Cat mom, yogi, brunch enthusiast

Lex is an LA native who's deeply obsessed with picnics, Slim Aarons, rosé, Hollywood history and Joan Didion. She joined PureWow in early 2017.

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