After last week's episode where the bad guys just kept getting the upper hand, and one of my favorite good guys was dealt a crushing defeat, I expected nothing but the worst on
The Watchers on the Wall. I prepared for Jon Snow and Sam to die. I expected the Wildlings to burn Castle Black to the ground. And I expected the Thenns to feast on dead Crows. To my utmost surprise, none of that happened, and I got to save my adorable cat videos for another day.
The episode was pretty straightforward. The men of the Night's Watch fought off the Wildling attack from both sides, brave Crows died defending the gate against a giant, Ygritte died in Jon Snow's arms, and it's all just a reprieve because the Wildlings are going to attack again the next night. Let's run through the episode's most memorable moments.
Note: I haven't read the books so any commentary I make is completely based on the show.
Sam's Maturity
Not really one specific moment, but throughout the episode Samwell Tarly really stepped up, much like another famous Sam, namely Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings. Neither Sam's are stars but they both shone brightly and provided support when needed. In this episode, Sam protected Gilly by stashing her in a locked cellar. While he was out, he calmed down Pyp multiple times, helped him reload, and even kept up with the witty one liners. After Pyp died, he killed a Thenn, and motivated Olly to fight, all without seemingly breaking a sweat.