‘Game of Thrones’ Drops 19-Minute Behind-the-Scenes for Episode 4

Loss was one of the central tenets of the latest Game of Thrones episode, aptly titled “The Last of the Starks.” As characters’ relationships became further complicated by heartbreak and bloodlines, or both if you’re Jaime Lannister, its indubitable  these complex alliances and rivalries will remain focal points for the remainder of the series. HBO gave viewers an inside look into Episode 4, and how the various losses were orchestrated behind the camera. 

*Game of Thrones spoilers below*

After the living defeated the Night King and the army of the dead, the surviving armies celebrated their successes at Winterfell. In  Sunday’s Game Revealed featurette, Game of Thrones creators gave fans an inside look into the episode’s key scenes, and how they were able to bring the various moving parts together. The inside look includes interviews with core cast members like Lena Headey and Kit Harington, who knew a certain shot was over after he saw Bran running past him. “I was like, ‘Well it’s got to be over if Bran has started to walk again.'”

Showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff explain how the culmination of events created the climate for Episode 4, and even revealed that they both made cameos during Tormund’s horn-drinking scene. They also note how the goodbyes which so many characters were forced to deliver weren’t entirely fictional, as these farewells are signaling the end of an era for the Game of Thrones cast.

The weapons and animation effects used in the chilling scenes when Dany loses her second dragon Rhaegal, and later her trusted advisor Missandei were also explained during the behind-the-scenes segment. You can watch the full Game Revealed above, and if you missed the inside look into the epic White Walkers battle, you can find that 40-minute “The Long Night” featurette here.