Here it is then; this is the big one.

Fans of the books will have been waiting (im)patiently for this one ever since it was announced that Episode 9 was titled Blackwater and was being written by the series’ author George R. R. Martin. The Battle of the Blackwater is one of the biggest events in the series. Would a TV show – even one as accomplished as Game of Thrones – be able to translate such an epic onto the small screen? Given the show’s habit of so far skipping over every major battle for various reasons (not least of all budget constraints), there was a feeling that they owed us this one; they had to get it right. And boy did they deliver.

From the very first shots, director Neil Marshall (more accustomed to Hollywood than television) instils an inescapable sense of impending doom that weighs heavily over every frame, as the wordless opening explores Stannis Baratheon’s massive war-fleet, soldiers vomiting with fear as they await their fate, while Ramin Djawadi’s score builds and builds.

While last week’s episode felt like the entire show biding its time before the battle, this week the opening 20 minutes or so are much more tangibly the clam before the storm.

We see Bronn and his men enjoying a last drink before the battle, singing Lannister song ‘The Rains of Castamere’, which has been given a beautifully melancholy tune by Djawadi. It’s an aural theme that recurs throughout the episode, leading up to a stunning and poignant rendition by indie band The National over the end credits.

Bronn gives us our latest bout of sexposition, which includes some glaring, exceptionally bad dubbing over the whore that sits on his lap. Still, when bad dubbing for three lines of dialogue from a nothing character is the main complaint of an episode, you’re probably doing well.

Bronn and The Hound almost come to blows as tensions rise (and oh how we wish we could have seen that conciliatory drink between the two of them), and as the bells ring out to signal the enemy is at the gate, Varys points out that it’s only Tyrion, the “twisted monkey-demon”, who can save them. And yet still nobody appreciates poor Tyrion. Even Sansa, to whom Tyrion has shown every courtesy, still finds time to launch a thinly veiled barb his way before holing up with Cersei and the rest of the noble ladies deep in the castle. Though Tyrion doesn’t deserve it, her hatred of Lannisters is entirely understandable.

And so, as the bells ring out, and Davos, High Captain of Stannis’ fleet, demands drums to answer, things kick off in spectacular fashion.

The moment Tyrion’s plan comes to fruition is unbearably tense, not least because neither we, nor most of the characters know what it is (and it’s not quite the same as in the books, either, which keeps us all on tenterhooks!), but when Bronn’s flaming arrow ignites the wildfire (nice shot, by the way), the “wooft” sound sends shivers down your spine.

And then the destruction comes; and it’s like nothing ever seen on television. The Blackwater, and in turn the screen, explodes into a ball of green fire, which destroys everything. Ships fly apart, people tumble, burning and screaming, into the water, and chaos reigns.

The CGI is arguably some of the best ever seen on television, and quite how they’ve achieved it on their budget is astonishing. It may have been his idea, but Tyrion’s horror at watching the result of launching what is essentially a WMD is harrowing. (That mushroom cloud that forms above the scene is not an accident.)

But despite the massive, macro moments of the battle, the episode is so brilliant because it steps back and focuses on the micro moments as well.

We spend a fair bit of time in the castle with Cersei, as she gets incredibly drunk and tries to impart more of her own brand of wisdom upon Sansa, talking about the other ladies with disdain, as if they weren’t sat well within earshot. It’s good, reprehensible work by Lena Headey, but it’s left to Sansa to act like a real Queen, comforting the other women after Cersei storms out and abandons them.

Despite the raging battle, Martin’s script – as you would expect – never loses focus on the characters, and so, as we see Joffrey having to accept that when it comes down to it, he’s too scared to fight, we also see Stannis as the first man off the boat, the first man up the ladders, leading every battle himself, like a true king. (And boy can he fight!)

The episode is wise to ignore everyone else in the world for a week (a tactic that the show should use more often, as it allows for far greater focus, while also confirming what a deep, varied cast of characters the show has), and as such, everyone at King’s Landing gets their moment to shine, even poor downtrodden Lancel, who has his moment both in battle and in standing up to Cersei (although both are cut short).

The battle is brutal, and bloody, and Neil Marshall doesn’t shy away from any of it. This is a gorier rendition of the Battle of Helm’s Deep in LOTR: The Two Towers. That we can even bring up Jackson’s mega-budget masterpiece in this review is testament to what Neil Marshall and co have achieved for the small screen.

“Any man dies with a clean sword, I’LL RAPE HIS FUCKING CORPSE!” shouts The Hound at one point. Despite being the most terrifying warrior on display, he’s not infallible, and the sight of so much fire, and of so many burning men, causes him to break and abandon the fight (you might have a fear of fire too, if it had burned off half of your face!) and in turn, abandon the Lannisters. Instead he gets drunk and offers Sansa a chance of escape. But will she let go of her childhood and drop the doll to follow this terrifying killer? (The doll symbolism is heavy handed, but at least it’s apt).

With The Hound gone, and Joffrey cowering, it’s left to Tyrion “half-man” Lannister to lead the fight and rally the troops. His speech starts shaky, but eventually he finds himself, and appeals to the men on terms they can understand. Don’t fight for the king, or for the Lannisters, or for God… fight for yourself. Fight for your own house; your own wife; your own things. He knows the Lannisters aren’t popular, so it’s a clever move, and the honesty strikes a chord with the troops, who cheer and are ready to fight once more. “Those are brave men knocking at our door. Let’s go and kill them!” he yells.  And in that moment, Tyrion Lannister is the tallest man in the Seven Kingdoms.

But this is Game of Thrones, so of course, while he’s at his highest, Tyrion is cut down – by his own ally – a member of the King’s Guard no less! His squire Podrick, who has been featured all season with barely a line, justifies his presence by saving him from a second, fatal blow, but whether the first one will finish him off anyway remains to be seen. As he passed out, blood dripping down his slashed face, it didn’t look good… (From a plot perspective, that is – visually speaking, like everything in this episode, it was beautifully shot.)

The episode almost ends on a frighteningly bleak note, as Cersei nearly euthanizes herself and young Tommen before Stannis can get to them. Thankfully, Tywin Lannister knows how to make an entrance, and bursts in at the last minute, having led the cavalry – along with Loras Tyrell – to finally overwhelm the enemy and scatter Stannis’ troops.

It’s an exhilarating, shocking, at once epic and yet deeply personal hour of television, and it’s certainly among the best the show has ever done. In fact, the scale of what transpires in Blackwater probably puts it up there as among one of the crowning achievements of the medium at large. It’s a remarkable feat from all involved.

Simply magnificent.

Aired at 9pm on Monday 28th May 2012 on Sky Atlantic.

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