Her Watch Has Ended: Lyanna Mormont

Bella Ramsey as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones has entered its final season and that means it’s time to take stock of the show as a whole. But rather than do a set of episode reviews, we decided to take a little inspiration from the books for our post-mortem. George R.R. Martin’s still unfinished series features chapters based on the point of view of its characters, so each of these posts will review their individual journeys in the show as they come to their end, whether peacefully or violently - this is Thrones, after all.

We’ll ask the same set of questions for each character, reflect on where they came from, where the events of the series took them, and where we leave them. How effective was the show’s approach to the character, and is their ending satisfying? What purpose did each character serve throughout the series?

If it isn’t already obvious, this is MEGA-SPOILER territory, so beware if you’re not fully caught up on the show.

See also from this series:
Melisandre
Theon Greyjoy
Night King
Jorah Mormont

Lyanna Mormont

Where Did She Come From?

Lyanna is the daughter of Maege Mormont, the one-time leader of House Mormont. Despite being very young and female, she is called upon to command her noble house in the absence of her mother (who answers the call of Robb Stark to the War of the Five Kings and is ultimately killed). She doesn’t have a presence on the show until Season 5, but ultimately becomes very important as the forces of the North seek to build an army to oppose the army of the Night King.

Where Did The Show Take Her?

Despite not being around on the show for as long as other characters, Lyanna makes a name for herself pretty quickly. She refuses to support Stannis Baratheon, remaining true to her house’s ancestral commitment to the Starks. Later, when Jon seeks Lyanna’s support against Ramsay Bolton, she initially hesitates but eventually supports Jon, subsequently becoming a strong voice for him whenever Jon’s leadership is questioned.

Where Does Her Story End?

Lyanna stands with the Starks and their other allies up until the Great Battle of Winterfell in the latest episode. She fights in the battle, despite her small stature and against the wishes of her cousin, Jorah. This culminates in her standoff with a wight giant, which ultimately kills Lyanna, but not without the Lady of Bear Island taking it down with her. Briefly, she’s re-animated as a wight herself, but it put to rest when the Night King is destroyed by Arya.

Does The Character Redeem Herself?

Lyanna doesn’t really do anything that would make her in need of redemption on the show, other than her initial distrust of Jon. She sticks to her family’s old allegiances and fights alongside her own men in the big battle.

Is Her Ending Satisfying?

Most definitely. Lyanna may be a late addition to the show, but she’s quickly built up a fan following. Considering that she likely didn’t have much of a chance of rising far through the ranks in Westeros, it’s nice to see her go out on her own terms. Even the actress who portrays Lyanna shared that feeling, saying in a recent behind-the-scenes documentary that she was excited to shoot her death scene.

What Role Did This Character Player In The Overall Storytelling?

For a minor character (and short in stature to boot), Lyanna has made an outsized impact on the later seasons. Her support of Jon Snow made her an important ally in Jon’s attempt to build an army to oppose the Boltons and the Night King. And the fact that she was raised to the leadership of her house is a potent reminder of how the wars in Westeros have taken so many lives and forced children to become military leaders.

Best Moment On The Show

Unquestionably, the best moment for Lyanna was her final act: despite being picked up and crushed by a wight giant, she stabs it in the eye with a piece of dragonglass and brings it down. In an episode full of Lord of the Rings callbacks, this moment feels like a reference to Pippin the hobbit killing a massive troll at the Battle of the Black Gate, and it proves that Lyanna was just as brave and motivated as her speeches suggested.