ACT TWO
EXT. ISLE OF FACES – DAY
Sansa, Bran, and BRIENNE OF TARTH form a semicircle in the middle of the weirwood grove.
A few CHILDREN OF THE FOREST observe from the shadows.
BRIENNE OF TARTH
If the Night King is on his way, it’s not safe here. We should fall back to Harrenhal immediately.
BRANDON STARK
It’s not safe anywhere.
BRIENNE OF TARTH
At least in a castle we have some hope of defending ourselves. Here we’re open to attack on all sides.
ASH moves toward them.
ASH
There is another option. I can help Bran into his destiny.
BRANDON STARK
I’ve already accepted my fate as the Three-eyed Raven.
ASH
You’ve learned tricks and gained wisdom, certainly. But you have yet to embrace what it fully means to hold that title.
Ash places a hand on the trunk of the weirwood. A twiggy tendril starts growing from a low branch, twisting its way toward Bran. Sansa moves to grab it.
SANSA STARK
What are you doing? Stop!
BRANDON STARK
You made a promise.
The tendril touches his skin. Bran is thrown into a warg with a gasp. His eyes roam white, searching for something they can’t see.
Within seconds he’s back to Bran.
BRANDON STARK (CONT’D)
It doesn’t matter now. The Night King is on his way.
They all look at one another, concern etched on their faces.
EXT. SKY – NORTH OF KING’S LANDING – DAY
Viserion flies over a frozen Westeros.
The Night King sits on Viserion. A spiral of smoke catches his attention.
Viserion gently banks, and they fly toward it. Only a moment passes before they see the fire.
It’s a pattern –– burning bodies arranged into the ALPHA symbol.
The Night King looks into the air, across the land toward the Gods Eye. Another burning Alpha symbol is a distance away, beckoning him.
His azure eyes flick to milky white as he wargs into…
EXT. ISLE OF FACES – DAY
…Bran. Bran’s dark brown eyes flash to blue, the Night King’s eyes. He begins seizing, gasping for air.
His arms thrash in front of him, as though attacking someone trying to strangle him.
His hand grabs onto a weirwood and holds fast. The seizing gets worse.
Brienne rushes to slice the tendril with her sword.
ASH
You cannot. The Three-eyed Raven made a promise.
BRANDON STARK
They say the best swords have names.
This stops Brienne short.
Sansa moves to help Bran, but Ash grabs her wrist. Ash is stronger than she looks.
ASH
You cannot.
SANSA STARK
The tree is killing him.
ASH
You made a promise.
SANSA STARK
He’ll understand if I break it. He can’t breathe.
BRANDON STARK
I will shield your back and keep your counsel…
Sansa turns to Brienne.
SANSA STARK
That’s what you said to me.
BRIENNE OF TARTH
And I pledged it to your mother.
ASH
You both made promises. The gods see everything that happens in front of the weirwoods. Do you think they’ll react well to a broken pact?
Brienne grips Oathkeeper. Sansa puts her hand out.
SANSA STARK
Brienne, stop. We must let this happen.
Brienne nods to her Lady.
EXT. GODS EYE – NIGHT
The lake surrounding the Isle of Faces is quiet, its glassy waters reflecting the stars.
Ripples disturb the serenity as a rowboat glides across. The Mountain pulls at the oars. Powerful. Methodical.
Cersei and Qyburn sit opposite each other in the body of the boat. Cersei carries the baby, who is sleeping soundly. She looks at the baby’s sleeping face. Her face softens. Almost imperceptible. But there.
Qyburn sees this.
QYBURN
I think that went rather well. I’d be shocked if he didn’t take the bait.
CERSEI LANNISTER
If your research holds true.
QYBURN
Oh, it will. Of that I have no doubt.
The baby wakes and cries, cold and hungry. Cersei moves to hand him to Qyburn.
CERSEI LANNISTER
Shut it up.
QYBURN
Of course, My Queen. Do you have a method you recommend?
CERSEI LANNISTER
Are you challenging me?
QYBURN
Never. You’re known for your skills as a mother. You were so doting on your children.
CERSEI LANNISTER
It is not my child. I had three perfect angels. Now I have three perfect ghosts. Take it and shut it up.
The icy glare she levels at Qyburn could rival the Night King. He takes the infant without another word.
EXT. KING’S LANDING – NIGHT
Still raging wildfire illuminates the war-torn streets.
Burned and bloody, smallfolk wail. The remaining wights terrorize the city, intent on killing as many as they can.
Beric carries Daenerys’ body in his arms. He looks at the carnage.
A HOODED MAN walks toward him. Beric tenses, glances at the sheathed sword strapped to his own hip. He can’t reach it, not without dropping Daenerys’s body.
The man pulls back his hood, revealing himself to be VARYS. He looks at Daenerys, crestfallen.
VARYS
My birds were right. I had hoped they would be wrong, in this instance.
BERIC DONDARRION
I’m to keep anything from happening to her, keep her from changing. But it’s going to be nearly impossible getting to safety through this.
VARYS
I know a way. Follow me.
Varys pulls his hood back up and walks away. Beric follows.
INT. RED KEEP – PASSAGE – NIGHT
It is dark and dank in the tunnel under Aegon’s Hill. Varys carries a torch. Beric follows.
Dragon skulls loom from carved crevices. Their shadows dance on the walls in the torchlight.
BERIC DONDARRION
Do you think Rhaegal will ever get so big?
VARYS
That would require him surviving this long night.
BERIC DONDARRION
This is not what I saw in the flames. I don’t see how this can possibly be what the Lord of Light intended.
VARYS
The entire city is on fire. Seems fitting for such a god.
BERIC DONDARRION
What do you know of Him?
VARYS
I don’t presume to know anything where gods are concerned. But a god of shadow demons and burned children…it’s not a stretch to think this is exactly what he wanted.
BERIC DONDARRION
Those had a purpose. We came here to fill a prophecy. The prophecy to save us.
VARYS
Prophecies are tricky things. More often than not, they are misread. Or, carried out differently than expected.
They near the end of the tunnel.
INT. RED KEEP – THRONE ROOM – NIGHT
The throne room is a shadow of its former glory. The ceiling is blown away, its charred rafters letting snow and ash drift in. The hall is coated it a soft white layer.
The stained glass windows are shattered.
The IRON THRONE sits at the head of the room. The glass panel behind it is gone. The iron outline of the seven-pointed star remains.
A door opens on the side of the room. Beric and Varys walk in, footsteps muffled. They marvel at the great hall, once so regal, now just another ruin.
Beric gently places Daenerys’ body at the base of the Iron Throne. He sits on the steps, looking bleakly across the hall.
BERIC DONDARRION
This is not the future I came back six times to fight for.
VARYS
This is what all battles lead to, even for the most just and righteous of causes.
BERIC DONDARRION
I really thought she was the answer. That we had enough to beat that icy bastard.
VARYS
It’s easier to have more living at the end of a war when your dead don’t fight for the enemy.
The men start as a door creaks open. Beric draws his sword.
MELISANDRE enters, her eyes as red as her hair. She has been crying.
MELISANDRE
So this is where our hope is laid to rest.
VARYS
Jon Snow could still prevail.
MELISANDRE
Daenerys was to play a role in bringing the light back to this world. Now there is nothing to stop the Great Other.
They all stare at Daenerys’ body.
EXT. ISLE OF FACES – NIGHT
The rowboat gets closer to shore. The baby, still in Qyburn’s arms, is crying harder than ever.
Qyburn pulls out a small vial of a dark liquid and pops the stopper out.
CERSEI LANNISTER
What do you think you’re doing?
QYBURN
Putting a stop to this incessant crying.
CERSEI LANNISTER
I don’t want to give this Night King spoiled goods.
QYBURN
This is merely a sleeping draught.
CERSEI LANNISTER
Not at the expense of my deal. Put that vial away or I’ll see to it that you get the first drink.
Qyburn glances at the shore and is awestruck.
The Night King stands at the water’s edge, torch in hand.
Determined, Cersei smiles. It’s finally time to make this deal, to seal her fate as the last living Queen of Westeros.
The boat scrapes against the icy shore. The Mountain climbs out and pulls it onto land. Cersei steps onto the snow.
EXT. SKY – ISLE OF FACES – SAME
High above, Jon circles on Rhaegal. He sees the boat landing, sees the Night King waiting for its occupants.
The weirwood grove is just over a ridge, blocking it from the Night King’s view. It’s too small to land Rhaegal.
Jon angles Rhaegal down to a clearing.
EXT. ISLE OF FACES – CLEARING – NIGHT
Jon leaps off and draws his sword.
Rhaegal takes off into the sky as Jon moves silently toward the Night King.
EXT. ISLE OF FACES – WEIRWOOD GROVE – NIGHT
Bran sits nestled in the weirwood trunk, eyes white. Sansa studies her brother’s face for insights on his condition.
Brienne stands guard.
Brienne sees a dragon dive down, then take to the sky once more.
BRIENNE OF TARTH
Lady Sansa, stay here.
Brienne heads for the clearing.
EXT. ISLE OF FACES – NIGHT
On shore, Cersei strides toward the Night King, baby cradled in her arms. The baby has finally stopped crying.
Across the ridge, Jon moves closer, taking time to keep surprise on his side. Longclaw is ready for blood.
Cersei and the Night King face off.
CERSEI LANNISTER
Do you understand the common tongue?
(no response)
They say you were of the First Men. Shall we be of the last?
Cersei holds the baby out to the Night King. The baby giggles and waves, oblivious to its impending transformation and demise.
Jon raises his sword as he rushes in. He’s intent on saving the child, murdering everyone else.
The Night King turns to look at this new attacker.
Brown eyes meet blue. The Night King’s face is filled with hate as he draws his sword DAWN.
Cersei slips the CATSPAW DAGGER from her cloak.
Brienne charges over the ridge to kill this evil bitch of a woman.
CERSEI LANNISTER (CONT’D)
No, Brienne!
Alarmed, Cersei’s hand moves to her neck, pulling skin away to reveal…
…ARYA STARK.
Jon skids to a halt, shocked
JON SNOW
Arya!
The Night King wheels around as…
…Arya plunges the dagger toward the Night King’s chest. Steel arcs toward ice, closer and closer until––
The Night King grabs her wrist just before the tip of the blade connects. He wrenches Arya’s wrist, forcing her to her knees.
Jon sees his sister in peril and runs harder. He won’t lose Arya like he lost Rickon.
Furious, Qyburn turns to the Mountain.
QYBURN
Kill that bitch!
The Mountain draws his monstrous sword. He looks at Arya, then back at Qyburn.
The Mountain swipes his sword down, cleaving Qyburn from shoulder to groin. The Mountain pulls off his helmet, showing he’s THE HOUND –– SANDOR CLEAGANE.
SANDOR CLEAGANE
Fucking smelled like death in there.
BATTLING THE NIGHT KING, Jon brings Longclaw down in a deadly strike. The Night King releases Arya and parries Jon in one fluid motion.
Jon kicks the Night King solidly in the chest. The Night King stumbles back, stunned by the blow.
Suddenly, a red-eyed blur of white fur LEAPS past Jon. Snarling, jaws snapping, GHOST sinks his teeth into the Night King’s arm and knocks the creature over.
Jon pulls up Arya. He looks at the baby in her arms.
JON SNOW
Get to safety!
ARYA STARK
I can help.
JON SNOW
You already have.
Brienne steps in.
BRIENNE OF TARTH
I’ve got her.
JON SNOW
Please, keep her safe.
JON whirls as…
…Ghost YELPS. The Night King shoves the direwolf off.
The Night King stands. Jon advances on him. Snarling viciously, Ghost circles behind the Night King.
Jon and the Night King duel. Each time Jon advances, he presses the Night King back. Ghost is there, snapping at the Night King’s heels and preventing the Night King from retreating.
Even so, the Night King is better. Parrying every strike, giving as many blows as he gets.
The Night King looks off to the distance, sensing the arrival of another presence.
EXT. ISLE OF FACES – RIDGE – NIGHT
Bran and Sansa crest the ridge. Bran examines the duel with grim serenity. He’s making a plan.
Bran’s eyes go milky white as he wargs into the Night King, who suddenly cannot force himself to move or fight.
The Night King is frozen.
BRANDON STARK
Jon! Now!
EXT. ISLE OF FACES – NIGHT
Seizing this opportunity, Jon angles his blade for the Night King’s chest. He hits the Night King perfectly in the heart.
As the blade stabs into the icy chest, it SHATTERS. Longclaw is destroyed.
Jon looks at the fragments of Valyrian steel in the snow, at the hilt in his hand. Hope drains from his face.
END OF ACT TWO