Game Of Thrones: 10 Smartest Changes HBO Made From The Books
6. Hardhome
Forget Season 8's undead battle at Winterfell, this is the real deal and easily the best thing in Season 5. Its intense, ominous and ends, as GOT is want to do, on a note of mild success with signs of impending doom.
Jon and some of his rangers arrive at Hardhome in order to try and save the trapped inhabitants from the Night King's army.
Of course it doesn't go smoothly; this is GOT after all.
As in the battle of Winterfell, the undead attack, only this time you can see what's happening and Jon actually gets to do something: an epic sword fight where we learn that Valyrian steel works just as well as Dragonglass at dispatching White Walkers.
This event was only a mere mention in the books, still dark and desperate but reduced to a series of letters between Jon Snow and Cotter Pyke as well as hearsay.
Any doubts anyone had about the threat of the White Walkers were quickly cast aside.