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  === Critical response ===
  The episode received largely positive reviews from critics, and is the best reviewed episode of the season. It has a 92% approval rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 107 reviews with an average score of 7.72 out of 10. The site's consensus reads, "Though surprisingly bloodless, hard-fought reunions, bone-chilling surprises, and a welcome dose of humor help "Winterfell" set the stage for what should be an epic final season."
  Sarah Hughes of ''The Guardian'' wrote, "This was a thrilling episode with its pedal to the floor, in which new alliances were made, old ones tested and long-awaited reunions occurred (hurrah for Jon and Arya's tenderly scripted meeting)". Todd VanDerWiff of ''Vox'' praised the episode's visual quality, stating, "For as much as I grouse about ''Game of Thrones'', it's often casually stunning in a way that no other TV show comes close to pulling off". Ron Hogan of Den of Geek similarly highlighted the episode's pacing, while also praising John Bradley who "runs through the entire gamut of emotions in a very short time on screen".
  Among the negative reviews, Willa Paskin of ''Slate'' criticized the show's pace, stating "Momentum, the idea that we are hurtling toward some conclusion that will explain it all, has been so encoded into the ''Game of Thrones'' experience that in the absence of any forward motion, the show is ... kind of dull."