Lyanna Mormont Speaks: ‘Game of Thrones’ Favorite Bella Ramsey on Heroic Battle of Winterfell Scene

[Editor’s note: The following post contains spoilers for the Battle of Winterfell episode of “Game of Thrones.”]

Many “Game of Thrones” fans knew the Battle of Winterfell would depict the deaths of several fan favorite characters, but that didn’t make it any easier to watch the beloved Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey) sacrifice herself in order to kill the Night King’s zombie giant. While the giant picked up Lyanna and crushed her body in his fist, the young warrior managed to stab the beast through the eye with dragon glass, effectively killing him. Ramsay told Entertainment Weekly she wanted her character to “either end up on the Iron Throne or have a really good death,” so she was happy with Lyanna’s heroic sacrifice.

“My only real bit of fighting is just stabbing,” Ramsey said about filming the moment. “Everything feels real when you’re doing it here because of the atmosphere. It was good and intense with wind and fake snow. It definitely made it easy to act.”

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Ramsey said the one thing she discussed with director Miguel Sapochnik was just how scared Lyanna would be in this moment where she’s going up against a zombie giant. “There was one thing he said to me that I don’t think I’ll ever forget,” the actress said. “I wasn’t sure if she would be really scared or just a slight bit of scared. We tried it several ways. He said, ‘It’s like someone removed her fear gene.’ And that was just…yeah, that was a really great bit of direction.”

When asked if she was disappointed not to be continuing for “Thrones'” final three episodes, Ramsey said she has made her peace with Lyanna’s death. “Her story maybe had the potential to grow but she was going to go at some point because everyone does,” Ramsey said, “and this way she went was the best way she could have.”

Lyanna Mormont was one of several major deaths to occur during the Battle of Winterfell episode, officially titled “The Long Night.” The episode ended with The Night King’s death, moving the series into its last chapter as the final battle for the Iron Throne begins. The final season of “Thrones” continues Sunday nights at 9pm ET on HBO.