Save this article to read it later.

Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.

Game of Throneshas a history of making the odds look longer than they really are.

Article image

Instead, theyve made a crucial mistake by putting all their eggs in one basket.

Even if the undead army shamble nonstop, this means Joneryss forces had nearly two weeks to prepare.

Scorpions, or ballista, like the oneBronn used against Drogonlast season, have beenkilling dragons inGOTlore for centuries.

Without ballista, Jonerys are at a major disadvantage.

The Night King has a three-tier (possibly four-tier) air-defense system in his army.

The Night King himself has javelined a dragon.

If he is like the White Walkers, then he is likely resistant to fire.

(Every time a White Walker even walks near a fire, itbegins to sputter.)

But Viserion was dead before he was turned, likely making him a wight.

Wights arent just vulnerable to fire: According to both thebooksandthe series, wights are extremely flammable.

If the Night King sends wights after Bran, then the dragons and Ironborn can defend him.

If they kill the Night King, theyll stop the army of the dead in its tracks.

(As Jon said, The Night King made them all.)

Jonerys didnt need to commit to this strategy.

Rather than just fortifying Winterfell, they could have used the terrain to their advantage.

The next step is flaming arrows.

The fire wouldve cost the Night King time and scores of wights with every mile advanced.

Meanwhile, fortifying Winterfell with ballista could negate undead Viserion and cost the Night King his anti-air defense.

In the worst-case scenario of Winterfell getting overrun, Jonerys could also arrange a rendezvous point for a retreat.

After all, every civilian not evacuated from the Night Kings southern march is another soldier in his army.

As for Cersei down in Kings Landing, she likelyremembersthat the wights cant swim.

She should destroy any bridges over the rivers that connect the North and South.

Quite simply, the odds facing Jonerys in the Battle of Winterfell dont need to be so steep.

Tags: