Battle of Winterfell (Great War)

"They're coming. We have dragonglass and Valyrian steel. But there are too many of them. Far too many. Our enemy doesn't tire, doesn't stop, doesn't feel. We can't beat them in a straight fight."

- Jon Snow

The Great Battle of Winterfell is a major battle that takes place during the Great War between an alliance of living armies, including the forces of the Starks, Arryns, and Targaryens, against the army of the dead led by the White Walkers. The battle takes place at Winterfell, the seat of House Stark and regional capital of the North.

The living face heavy casualties but ultimately prevail when Bran Stark draws out the Night King in the Winterfell godswood, where Arya Stark destroys him with a dragonglass dagger, causing all of the White Walkers and the wights to fall and ending the army of the dead.

Prelude
Jon Snow, King in the North, prepared the North for the White Walkers, who rose again after thousands of years during his time in the Night's Watch. He negotiated with Daenerys Targaryen during her invasion of Westeros, eventually cultivating an ally in her. After Cersei Lannister, who held the Iron Throne after the War of the Five Kings, agreed to a parley in King's Landing, Jon ventured beyond the Wall with a team to capture a wight, which nearly failed until Daenerys rescued Jon and the survivors, though at the cost of one of her dragons, Viserion, who died at the hands of the Night King. The wight was presented by Jon, Daenerys, and their followers at a parley at the dragonpit before Cersei, Euron Greyjoy, and their entourage. While Euron declared he would retreat to the Iron Islands, Cersei agreed to a truce, and later further agreed to send her armies north to assist in the Great War after negotiating with her brother Tyrion, the Hand to Daenerys.

After Jon and Daenerys began sailing back to the North following the parley, Cersei Lannister revealed to her brother Jaime that she and Euron Greyjoy plotted to betray the truce that they agreed to, and that Euron was ferrying the Golden Company from Essos to Westeros on the Iron Fleet in order to help the Lannisters reconquer the Seven Kingdoms. Seeking to uphold the vow he made at the parley, Jaime abandoned his sister in King's Landing and rode north alone to help in the Great War against the White Walkers and the army of the dead. Upon arriving at Winterfell, Jaime was put on trial for his actions against Houses Targaryen and Stark, but Jaime was ultimately allowed to stay in Winterfell while Winterfell prepared for the army of the dead. Meanwhile, after rescuing his sister Yara from their uncle Euron, Theon Greyjoy set sail to Winterfell with some ironborn warriors while Yara and the rest of their followers sailed to the Iron Islands to take them back from Euron in Daenerys's name, allowing the living to retreat to the Iron Islands should Winterfell fall. Theon and the ironborn were also allowed to stay at Winterfell to partake in the great battle.

Elsewhere, the Night King breached the Wall with a reanimated Viserion, nullifying its magic and allowing the White Walkers and the army of the dead to cross into the realms of men, heading first towards the North. The White Walkers first attack Last Hearth, the seat of House Umber, where everyone is killed, including Lord Ned Umber, unable to escape Last Hearth before the army of the dead arrived. By the time Tormund, Lord Beric Dondarrion, and acting Lord Commander Eddison Tollett arrived with the other survivors of the fall of the Wall, the castle had been abandoned, indicating that the White Walkers and the army of the dead were getting close to Winterfell. Tormund, Beric, and Edd, alongside the other surviving Free Folk, members of the Brotherhood Without Banners, and members of the Night's Watch, reached Winterfell before the army of the dead did, and warned Jon Snow that the White Walkers would be there within the night.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Martin, an equivalent battle has not occurred. The TV show has surpassed the timeline of the books, so it is unclear if an equivalent battle will occur.