The Watchers on the Wall

"The Watchers on the Wall" is the ninth and penultimate episode of the fourth season of HBO's medievalfantasy television series Game of Thrones. The 39th episode overall, it was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Neil Marshall. It first aired on HBO on June 8, 2014.

Like season two's "Blackwater" (also directed by Marshall), the episode focuses exclusively on one storyline: the wildling assault on Castle Black at the Wall, and the Night's Watch defense, led by Ser Alliser Thorne and Jon Snow. In the episode, Mance Rayder's army attacks Castle Black from both sides as the undermanned Night's Watch struggle to fight them off; Ygritte is eager for revenge against Jon; and Gilly hides from the battle.

The episode achieved a viewership of 6.95 million during its initial airing in the United States, and received acclaim from critics and viewers, highlighting the episode's battle sequence and the emotional depth. For the episode, Neil Marshall was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.