Game Of Thrones – Misuse Of Dragons

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Hey Guys,

I’m writing because no one during your 3
podcasts this week pointed out what two
dragons and Bran’s reconnaissance birds could
have accomplished during the days and weeks
before the battle of Winterfell. They should
have gone on the offensive. The defenders
knew dragon fire is effective against wights,
so the dragons plus at least one rider — as
when Daeny and two dragons wiped out the
slaver fleet in Slaver’s Bay and defended the
dirty dozen north of the wall — should have
strafed as many wights as possible, because
that would ultimately save the lives of many
defenders when what remained of the Dead army
eventually reached Winterfell. They should
also have sought to strafe white walkers, and
the Night King if the opportunity presented.

Dragon sorties would have gained a lot of
knowledge of the Dead’s capabilities and
military tactics. For instance, if the Night
King can summon his “fog of war” during the
daytime (which we don’t know) he would have
had to choose between revealing that power
early or letting the dragons ravage the Dead
army. They might also have learned whether
dragon fire can kill the Night King…
crucial knowledge.

Since their battle plan rested on the hope
that two dragons could defeat the Night King
when he came for Bran, a better plan would
have been to use the dragons to attack him
sooner, during the daytime. Bran’s birds
could find him and lead the dragons directly
to him.

If the Night King was smart, he practiced
dragon combat techniques during the days and
weeks before the battle. Daeny and JonAegon
should have practiced too. Because they
didn’t, the only thing JonAegon accomplished
during the battle at Winterfell was holding
on while his dragon fought as it wanted.

Two final thoughts:

Since one of Arya’s talents is dagger
throwing, why didn’t she attack the Night
King from a distance? She could also have
shot arrows fitted with dragonglass
arrowheads; surely many spent arrows were
available at the perimeter of the Godswood
for reuse. And why did she, the mistress of
stealth, scream during her approach, alerting
the Night King? If she screamed to trick him
into turning to face her so his Achilles’
heel would be exposed, how did she learn that
was needed?

No one knew what might kill the Night King.
Perhaps other things besides Valyrian steel
would have succeeded too. I theorize that
the spit of someone “dead who can never die,”
such as Theon, would have worked. He was the
Prince who was Promised, but he ignorantly
wasted his opportunity.

–Steve Eppley

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