‘Game of Thrones’: ‘Beyond the Wall’ Is the Show’s Worst Penultimate Episode

Game of Thrones viewers know by now to expect lots of explicit sexual situations and lots of brutal violence — but they also know that there is one tradition they can count on every season: an epic penultimate episode.

Indeed, Game of Thrones viewers expect the episode before the season finale to be just as exciting — if not more so — than the finale itself, and they’ve had six seasons of reason to have faith in that promise. That’s why it’s so surprising that season seven’s penultimate episode, “Beyond The Wall” finally broke that tradition.

Sure, the episode gave us a odd-pairing of fan-favorite characters for an expedition beyond The Wall, some big deaths, and big twists — but as you’ll see below, when compared to the penultimate episodes of every other season, “Beyond The Wall” falls short.

“Baelor” – Season 1

This was the episode that set the precedent for Game of Thrones having an epic penultimate episode. 

There’s any number of things that happen in the episode, but what viewers remember the most is seeing the series’ main character (Ned Stark) put in a a position of extreme peril — only to actually get his head cut off. 

This episode didn’t just set the precedent for Game of Thrones penultimate seasonal episodes — it changed the landscape of television, entirely. 

“Blackwater” – Season 2

“Blackwater” changed the entire scope of what Game of Thrones could do.

Up until that point, the show had cleverly circumvented big battle scenes, but with “Blackwater,” The Descent director Neil Marshall brought a movie-caliber Medieval battle to the small screen. 

“The Rains of Castamere” – Season 3

This was the episode that traumatized many viewers and solidified Game of Thrones‘ as a pop-culture phenomenon. 

It’s a really great episode in that a lot of near-perils are avoided for characters like Jon and Daenerys — before things go seriously sideways for the Starks, in the infamous event known as “The Red Wedding.” 

“The Watchers on the Wall” – Season 4

As the spiritual sequel to “Blackwater,” director Neil Marshall returned to do another episode that’s more like a mini-movie than an episode of television. 

After a lot of buildup, this episode finally show the battle between Jon Snow and The Night’s Watch trying to defend The Wall from Mance Rayder’s Wildling army. 

This episode both showcased an epic Medieval battle sequence, and made it intensely personal, as Jon was forced to make some hard choices in the heat of battle. 

“The Dance of Dragons”

Even though season five’s penultimate episode did more table setting for the future than servicing the immediate moment, it still delivered some pretty big moments that made it a satisfying lead-in to the finale. 

Out of everything that takes place in the episode, two moments remain standouts: Stannis Baratheon and Melisandre burning Stannis’ kindly daughter Shireen alive; and the epic battle between Daenerys and The Sons of the Harpy, within the Daznak fighting pits. 

The sight of Daenerys being saved at the last moment and flown to safety by a full-grown dragon was a geeky thrill that fans wholeheartedly responded to. 

“Battle of the Bastards” – Season 6

The third epic battle episode of the series, “Battle of Bastards” saw Jon Snow go up against the diabolical Ramsay Bolton, for control of Winterfell. 

This battle was in many ways the most cinematic endeavor that Game of Thrones has pulled off — thanks to director Miguel Sapochnik, who won a DGA award for it— and images from the episode still haunt our mind. 

More so than other penultimate episodes, it was a rare positive turn for major characters in the series, as Jon, Sansa, Daenerys and Tyrion all achieved some important victories over dangerous enemies. 

How do you think season seven’s penultimate episode “Beyond The Wall” compares to the rest of seasons? Let us know on Twitter! 

Game of Thrones season seven finale airs on Sunday, Aug. 26 at 9/8 CST on HBO. 

Photo Credit: HBO