"You're going to die tomorrow, Lord Bolton," Sansa Stark said evenly to the most hated character on TV in Game of Thrones' Battle of the Bastards. "Sleep well."

And, let's not be coy, he did. Die, that is.

Horribly, bloodily and screaming, all while under the gaze of Sansa Stark. And it was utterly, utterly satisfying.

In episode nine, GoT's creators delivered one of the most compelling and beautifully crafted pieces of television in recent years.

The Battle of the Bastards was thrilling in its epic nature, nail-biting in its battle sequence and triumphantly rewarding in its tying up of characters' stories, including the long-awaited comeuppance of the sinister Ramsay Bolton, one of the most interesting characters. Farewell Iwan Rheon the actor who played him

Showrunner David Benioff said earlier this year that episode nine would be mammoth.

"In terms of numbers — number of extras, number of stuntmen, number of shooting days — it's the biggest we've done," he said.

Maybe that is why Game of Thrones' past few episodes have seemed to tread water a little.

Arya Stark's endless beatings from the Waif, the siege of Riverrun (why was Blackfish's death not shown?), the potential of the theatre troupe, and all the waffle, save for Tyrion's magnificent "Let's try conversation and jokes" parley, at Meereen.

It was all necessary information. Dany reaffirmed her non-singeing talents, Arya discovered her strengths, and what had been happening in her absence via "Farewell to Winterfell" at the theatre, and Jaime burned with loyalty for Cersei and no small amount of love for Brienne.

But things felt strung-out at times, with little apparent consequence for their inclusion.

Perhaps we had been spoiled by Jon Snow's magical resurrection and Danaerys walking through fire.

And what, it has to be asked, has happened to all the sex? It's not necessary, of course, but a Game of Thrones without it feels half-cocked, pardon the expression.

The showdown battle between Ramsay Bolton's significant forces and the lesser number assembled by Jon Snow, Sansa Stark and Ser Davos Seaworth was an extraordinary dramatic insight into, and rendering of, what those who fight must endure in war.

Crazed, suffocating, terrifying and breakneck, the fighting scenes, directed by Miguel Sapochnik, were visceral and labyrinthine, bringing to mind the raw realities of combat painted in the 2001 TV series Band of Brothers.

But first to Meereen where Danaerys Targaryen had just got off a dragon at the Great Pyramid.

The Masters, their ships filling the harbour, were successfully bombing the city with great balls of fire.

Tyrion faced a less-than impressed Dany who stood, staring at him like a mother eyeballing a recalcitrant son.

"The city is on the rise," Tyrion said desperately.

"The city is on the rise?" she said, as booms of battle rang out behind them.

"All the people are behind you," Tyrion said. Cue huge thumping explosion beyond the walls. "Well not all the people."

Tyrion's argument was that the Masters did not want Meereen to thrive and despite the war at its doorstep, it had been doing quite nicely under his plan, thank you.

Alright then, Danerys said, I have a plan.

"I will crucify the masters," she said, "I will set their fleets afire, kill every last one of their soldiers and return their cities to the dirt."

Tyrion shirked.

"You don't approve," she said.

Tyrion, cautiously, pointed out that her father had had a similar plan, using wild fire to kill everyone of his citizens at Kings Landing when faced with invading forces.

He was happy to do this, Tyrion pointed out, are you? Cue another huge explosion blowing in the doors and showering them in Great Pyramid dust.

Outside, on a calm viewing-war ledge, the Masters mocked Danaerys Stormborn and her desire to rule Meereen.

"I imagine it's difficult adjusting to the new reality," one of them said, all khol-eyed and plucky. "Your reign is over."

No-one mocks Danaerys without one of two things happening. She calmly disagrees with a bold statement. "My reign has just begun."

The other thing is a dragon appearing to save the day.

She got on Drogon's back as if she was getting into a Toyota and with the two other dragons, who busted their way out of the cellar, all three wheeled above a Masters' ship. Danearys whispers "Dracarys" into Drogon's ear and he began shooting fire from his jaws, melting the ship and flambeing all its crew.

Cut to Sons of the Harpy knifing citizens and then being attacked by the Dothraki horde led by Daario Naharis, so at least that lot have got something to do.

Back at the ledge, Grey Worm offers the rather startled Masters' soldiers the option of going home to their families. Having watched the dragons torch the masters' boat they scuttle off in a jiffy.

"Thank you for the armada" Tyrion said. 'Our queen does love ships."

The Masters are given the choice of offering one of themselves for sacrifice. Two of them push forth the middle guy because he's "an outsider" only to have their throats cut by Grey Worm.

Tyrion gives one of his encouraging pats to the remaining master and tells him to remind his people what happens when Danaerys Stormborn and her dragons came to Meereen.

Later, he and Dany meet with Theon and Yara Greyjoy. After making Theon remember how awful he was - the man could fuel a jumbo jet with his regret - Tyrion begins negotiations.

They discuss how mad Uncle Euron took the crown from Yara and is building ships to come and murder them. Oh, and deliver his big c---, as Yara helpfully explains, to Danaerys.

The latter, delighted by Yara's feminist predilections, asks if she has come with a marriage demand.

"I never demand," Yara says, "but I'm up for anything really."

And with that saucy exchange she agreed to support Dany's claim as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, even vowing to drop all the "roving, raiding and raping" for her new blonde-haired crush.

But to the battle, which began with Jon Snow and his allied lords (the marvellous 10-year-old lady Lyanna Mormont among them) meeting Ramsay Bolton and his affiliates.

"You don't have to be here," Snow says to Sansa.

"Yes I do," she says, underling once again just how deeply Ramsay's repellent actions scarred her, and how steel-like her drive for retribution is.

Ramsay began with some expectantly, and deliciously, foul words of welcome.

"My beloved wife," he said, "I've missed you terribly. Thank you for returning Lady Bolton safely. Now dismount and kneel before me, surrender your army and proclaim me the true Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North.

"Come bastard. You don't have the men, you don't have the horses and you don't have Winterfell. Why lead these poor souls into slaughter? There is no need for battle. I am a man of mercy."

Snow agreed. Let's you and me fight, one-on-one. We can decide this whole battle now.

But Ramsay was not going to agree. Not only is his cowardly soul soon revealed, his desire to see his huge army ravage the somewhat straggly forces threatening him was too great. This is a man who loves life, and particularly adores seeing people suffer.

At the Snow camp that night, statistics were discussed.

Tormund Giantsbane was briefly befuddled by Snow and Ser Davos Seaworth's talk of fighting strategies and pincer movements only to have it all explained at wildling level.

"They won't be able to to hit us from the side," Snow said.

"Good," Giantsbane said, the fighting plan plain again.

But Sansa knew, or sensed, more. Ramsay was not someone you could plan for. He plays people. Rickon, hostage to Ramsay, would never be rescued. This mortified the honorable and true fighter Jon. But she was resolute.

"Don't do what he wants you to do," she said.

She also specified death was more favourable than returning to her husband.

"If Ramsay wins, I'm not going back there alone."

Jon swore that he would protect her but her hardened heart and scarred memory knew better.

"No-one can protect me," she said. "No-one can protect anyone."

In the throes of the big battle it seemed she was right. First Rickon was killed in a ghastly pre-battle archer game. Jon's ire led him to be standing before Bolton's forces alone. He seemed to give up to the inevitable as he raised his sword but, in a screaming flash his forces arrived at his heels.

Close-up camera-work and extraordinary choreography gave this battle a potency and rawness that took the breath away. Men were killed in every way, slashed, stabbed, bitten and gouged. Bodies were everywhere, piling up to create a wall that, once Ramsay's men curled round in a pincer movement, created a suffocating prison for Snow and his men.

Snow fought screaming "No, no, no" and it seemed that his life would be taken by trampling hordes pushing him into the mountain of dead. But then a horn in the distance and the Arryn troops of Petyr Baelish arrived, knocking over Ramsay's troops like skittles.

Jon emerged from the crush to see Sansa and Baelish watching.

Her secret note seeking help was to Baelish (as suspected) and his forces saved her. Seeing him sitting on horseback beside Sansa was strangely warming and familial, despite his role in sacrificing Sansa to Ramsay as his bride.

What unpleasantness will he will ask Sansa in return for bringing his army?

Jon then saw Ramsay realising his defeat and, like a coward, retreating to Winterfell. Snow, with Wun-Wun, the Wilding giant, ran after him.

On his last legs, Wun-Wun, pushed in Winterfell's gates. The battle, for him and Ramsay's forces, was over. The loyal giant, a veritable hedgehog made from arrows, was losing strength until one last speared missile was sent into his eye.

Jon Snow walked towards Ramsay, taking the latter's fired bows into his shield as he advanced.

Sansa watched, no doubt uneasy that her husband would still win the day and reclaim her for his vile inclinations.

But Jon's anger fuelled an unstoppable wrath, as he punched the evil Lord Bolton again and again in the head.

He would have gone on save for noticing Sansa. Ramsay fell into death or unconsciousness. Was that to be it?

As the Stark dire wolf sigil was re-flown at Winterfell, and the wildlings and northern soldier allies licked their wounds in the castle's forecourt (why does everyone always stay outside in the freezing snow? Is there not a cellar they could huddle more warmly in?), Sansa accosted her brother.

"Jon," she said. "Where is he?"

​Bolton's horrid flayed man house sigil was seen often in this episode on his forces' flags, banners and shields.

And, tied to a chair in the Winterfell kennels, the very place he set his famished hounds upon his late father's wife and newborn son, Ramsay looks flayed too.

His beaten and blood-soaked skin, shown in great glistening close-up, was raw and congealing on his face and hands.

This moment, Sansa facing Ramsay, has long been longed for.

And GoT's creators have made us wait. And, in so doing, triggered much debate about how it would, and should, be done.

In the end it was Sansa, consolidating the battle-scarred but resilient woman she had become.

In the kennels, Ramsay, regaining consciousness, mewed his last words under Sansa's gaze.

"Sansa," he said. "Hello Sansa. Is this where I'll be staying now? No. Our time together is about to come to an end.

"That's alright. You can't kill me. I'm part of you now."

Sansa, her focus unflinching, spoke evenly.

"Your words will disappear," she said. "Your house will disappear. Your name will disappear. All memory of you will disappear."

And, on cue, Ramsay's dogs began loping out of their kennels.

"My hounds will never harm me," Ramsay said. "They're loyal beasts."

"They were," Sansa said. "Now they're starving."

And with that, one of his ravenous pets mounted his restrained body and sniffed his beaten and bloodied face.

"Sit," Ramsay instructed. "Down. Down."

But a near-starved dog knows no loyalty and it lunged at its owner's face, the sounds of flesh tearing and bone crushing filling the air.

Sansa watched and, starting to leave, hesitated before staying a little longer to make certain this evil man, responsible for so much pain and suffering, was dying.

Then, walking away, the woman who had suffered evil and surfaced above it to reclaim her life, smiled.