Finally saw the episode last night and read through the threads.
It seems this episode got some bad reviews on some message boards I follow. It was indeed a bit sloppy, but I enjoyed it ok enough nevertheless. Biggest issue for me were the weak cliffhangers and overall the setting of the final battle (the lake, the ice, the island etc.), which felt very purpose built to suit a standoff situation. It was just a very standard and clicheish battle scene and clearly a step below the other big battles in GoT. A bit of a letdown tbh, considering this was the episode-before-last big event.
The trek beyond the wall was a bit confusing, because I thought they would be hiking for days out there, but apparently they were just hours from the Wall. Still, the "run for the Wall, Gendry!"-bit felt really wrong and kind of forced. It's a hell of a lot of running in winter clothing in pretty bad conditions. I had more gripes about that than the ravens flying so fast.
Agree with the idea that Rhaegal should have been the one to save Jon, to build up some of that Targaryen heritage (plus Rhaegar-Rhaegal connection). I was actually fully expecting that, so Benjen's arrival was a surprise, but an unwelcome one in its convenience. I guess they wanted to tie that end, but I would have been ok with Benjen just staying out of this. Rhaegal would have felt more natural.
The chain-thing didn't really strike me as a big plot hole, but personally I would have liked a different kind of resurrection, one with Viserion rising as the undead from the water. But someone pointed out that maybe NK wanted to touch Viserion so that he can turn it into a White Walker Dragon instead of a wight dragon? Though IIRC there was something about the place that the Walkers used to transform Craster's boys that might have the needed magic to create White Walkers.
The dialogue heavy part beyond the wall was ok, if not quite as striking as I would have hoped. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the **** & *****-type banter they use quite a lot nowadays. I just think there's potential for more. Admittedly, I value every "slow" scene they can give us at this point so I have a list of things in my head I want discussed, so some of the banter feels wasted.
Winterfell is a bit of a mess right now. Got to agree with the sentiment that the Starks should just for once sit down and talk instead of hiding things from each other and being paranoid about everything. It's incredibly annoying, because it makes them look unbearably stupid. Also, Arya just sucks the life out of every scene she is right now. Hate this Robo-Arya and frankly wouldn't care much if she's killed before the end. Let's hope this thing between Arya & Sansa is just faking by Arya's part (still stupid in many ways), and some kind of plot to deal with LF.
One last thing: Anyone else find it somewhat awkward that Dany & co. are sailing south again when the Walkers are just a days walk from the wall? I mean, isn't the threat from beyond the Wall kind of immiment right now? Are they just leaving the Wall to fend for themselves for now, for possibly weeks with the negotiations in the south? Well, tbf, there's not much they can do with the armies stuck in the south, but isn't this exactly the kind of situation where a leader like Jon says screw it, I'm staying on the Wall. Dany's dragons should stay too.
