The Watchers on the Wall

"The Watchers on the Wall"
Game of Thrones episode
Ygritte dies in Jon Snow's arms during the Battle of Castle Black.
Episode no.	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 (2014-06-08)
Running time	50 minutes
Guest appearance(s)
Peter Vaughan as Maester Aemon Owen Teale as Alliser Thorne Dominic Carter as Janos Slynt Mark Stanley as Grenn Ben Crompton as Edd Tollett Yuri Kolokolnikov as Styr Josef Altin as Pyp Brenock O'Connor as Olly Joseph Gatt as a Thenn Warg Ian Whyte as a Giant Neil Fingleton as Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg
Episode chronology
← Previous "The Mountain and the Viper" Next → "The Children"
Game of Thrones (season 4) List of Game of Thrones episodes

"The Watchers on the Wall" is the ninth episode of the fourth season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 39th overall. The episode was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Neil Marshall. It aired on June 8, 2014.

Like season two's "Blackwater" (also directed by Marshall), the episode focuses exclusively on one storyline: the Wildling assault on Castle Black and the Wall, and the Night's Watch defense, led by Ser Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington).

As they keep watch for the coming invasion, Jon (Kit Harington) and Samwell (John Bradley) walk on the top of the Wall, and talk about Jon's relationship with Ygritte (Rose Leslie) during his time with the wildlings. At a nearby camp, the Thenn Warg (Joseph Gatt) scouts the wall using an owl, while Ygritte tells the group that Jon is hers alone to kill. In the library of Castle Black, Sam and Maester Aemon (Peter Vaughan) discuss Gilly (Hannah Murray), who soon after arrives at Castle Black, having been spared by Ygritte during the raid of Mole's Town. Their reunion is cut short by horn blasts signaling that Mance Rayder's army has arrived. Jon, looking out over the north side of the Wall, sees a massive fire burning, and he and his brothers complete the preparations for battle. Sam finds Gilly and her baby shelter in the kitchen, and then leaves to aid in the defense after kissing her good-bye.

Ygritte, having scouted the entrance of Castle Black, reports that it is undermanned, and Styr (Yuri Kolokolnikov) orders the group to attack. As Ser Alliser (Owen Teale) orders the archers to nock, another horn blast informs him that the castle is being attacked from both sides. Alliser leaves charge of the Wall to Janos Slynt (Dominic Carter), and heads for the castle to battle with the Thenns. On top of the Wall, Janos Slynt proves to be inept as a commander, so Grenn (Mark Stanley) tricks him to go down to the castle, leaving Jon in charge. Several giants and a woolly mammoth attempt to pull down the large gate at the base of the Wall, and Jon sends Grenn with five men to defend the passage. At the castle, Ser Alliser is wounded by Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) and is taken to be treated. Sam and Pyp (Josef Altin) use crossbows to shoot at the wildlings, but Pyp is shot through the neck by Ygritte. Sam then ascends the Wall, killing the Thenn Warg while he runs through the courtyard. Upon arriving at the top, Sam informs Jon of the events in the courtyard, and Jon leaves charge of the Wall to Edd (Ben Crompton).