Warning: Full spoilers follow for Avengers: Endgame and Game of Thrones’ “The Long Night.”
Avengers: Endgame and Game of Thrones’ big Battle of Winterfell episode, “The Long Night,” had a lot to live up to. Expectations were high about how these cultural phenomena would bring long gestating storylines to a close. The pressure on both to provide fitting conclusions to the Infinity Saga and the Night King’s foreboding threat, respectively, meant that there was the potential that we would be left underwhelmed by their endings.
And now, with Endgame and “The Long Night” out in the wild, the question must be asked: Did these much-anticipated tales deliver on the protracted plot threads that have been years in the making? Or did they not justify the hype that surrounded them?
End(game) of the Line
Anticipation levels for Endgame had already reached fever pitch weeks ahead of its release. Like everyone else, I’d shamelessly spent countless hours scrutinising every frame of its trailers and reading way too much into any comment made by the cast and directors.
The possibility of Endgame failing to deliver on its 11-year long journey then was exceedingly high. So much groundwork had been laid throughout the 21 movies preceding it that any major plot holes or threads not being tied up sufficiently would’ve been frustrating. The fact that Endgame followed the critically-acclaimed Infinity War also added to the weight placed on its shoulders.
As it turns out, Endgame was a critical and commercial success. Anyone who had followed the MCU since 2008 was perhaps buying a ticket to the Infinity Saga’s final chapter no matter what, but thankfully the film turned out to be superbly written, acted, and directed — a truly satisfying conclusion.
For more on Avengers: Endgame, be sure to catch up on our review, how it may set up this classic Marvel villain for Phase 4, all the Endgame Easter eggs we caught, our biggest question about Black Widow, what’s next for the Endgame cast, a recap of who lived and who died, and our breakdown of the ending. Or try to figure out Avengers: Endgame’s time travel or ponder our biggest Endgame questions (and some answers).
For more on Game of Thrones, check out one opinion on why the latest episode was a disappointment, why the threat of the White Walkers may not be completely gone, and how and where you can stream the final episodes of HBO’s worldwide phenomenon.
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