WARNING: The following contains spoilers for "The Long Night," the third episode of Game of Thrones Season 8, now streaming on HBO Now.

The famed Long Night finally arrived Sunday on Game of Thrones. In Westerosi history, the Long Night refers to the winter that lasted a generation in response to the first invasion of the White Walkers. The army of the dead was eventually defeated then, and was beaten once more this week in the Battle of Winterfell. Unlike the previous Long Night, however, we know exactly who is responsible for defeating the dead this time.

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Some of the most shocking moments, of which there were many, in “The Long Night” episode featured the women fighting to save Winterfell and, by extension, Westeros. Melisandre arrives, knowing she has unfinished business in this strange land before she dies, and provides assistance by igniting first the Dothraki blades, and then trenches surrounding Winterfell. But she’s not the only woman who steps up to defeat the Night King and his army. Two young women join her in having properly epic moments.

Lyanna Mormont

Game of Thrones: Lyanna Mormont

Since her debut in Season 6, Lyanna Mormont has become a fan favorite, despite her peripheral role on the series. Her character is technically young enough to be considered a child in the Game of Thrones universe, as she’s in her early teens. However, despite her age, she is a competent and brave leader of House Mormont. She could always be relied on for a stern word about supporting the North.

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In the previous episode, Lyanna refused to join the children in the crypts beneath Winterfell once the battle commenced. She even exchanged words about it with her cousin, Jorah. In “The Long Night,” we see her stand and fight inside the gates, which puts her in the path of an undead giant.

It's a jarring scene considering the vast size difference between the giant and Lyanna. The giant initially swats her aside, but that's not enough to defeat Lyanna. She then charges toward her opponent, who picks her up and crushes her in his fist. But, before she dies, she stabs the giant in the eye, and takes out one of the biggest threats in the battle.

As her bones are crushed, Lyanna Mormont somehow musters the strength to take down a giant, a feat that required numerous men in the Battle of Castle Black.

Arya Stark

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Perhaps the most surprising moment of the episode is Arya leaping through the air at the Night King. When he turns around just in time, and grabs her by the throat, it could have been the end of the girl who’s had so many names. Arya thinks quickly, though, and drops her Valyrian dagger into her other hand, and stabs him. Because of her Faceless Men training, we knew Arya was capable of great feats in a fight, but we couldn't expect something like this.

That move is, without a doubt, the best one we’ve seen in a Game of Thrones battle. The 80-minute episode follows Arya for a while. She had her hands full, with the dead chasing her, horror movie-style, inside the castle. Yet, she doesn’t just escape the horror — she vanquishes it.

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Arya said, “Not today,” to death earlier in the episode, and she meant it. She saves her brother Bran, and Winterfell, just in time. With the Night King’s death, all of the other dead fall, including ice dragon Viserion. The Night King and his army are no longer a worry for the people of Westeros. Now their primary is about the living, particularly what Cersei has in store for them.

With so many of the soldiers on Game of Thrones being older grizzled men, it’s a big deal that the young women are given center stage, and are just as capable of going in for the kill. Lyanna Mormont and Arya Stark stared death in the face, and then dealt killing blows. The living may have needed every man they could get for this battle, but the women were needed even more.

Airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO, Game of Thrones stars Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister, Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Maisie Williams as Arya Stark and Kit Harington as Jon Snow.