Query: Battle of the Bastards aired in 2016.

Relevant passages:
Game of Thrones (season 6) <=SEP=> The sixth season of the fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones premiered on HBO on April 24 , 2016 , and concluded on June 26 , 2016 . It consists of ten episodes , each of approximately 50 -- 60 minutes , largely of original content not found in George R. R. Martin 's A Song of Ice and Fire series . Some material is adapted from the upcoming sixth novel The Winds of Winter and the fourth and fifth novels , A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons . The series was adapted for television by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss . HBO ordered the season on April 8 , 2014 , together with the fifth season , which began filming in July 2015 primarily in Northern Ireland , Spain , Croatia , Iceland and Canada . Each episode cost over $ 10 million .   The season follows the continuing struggle between the Starks and other noble families of Westeros for the Iron Throne . The Starks defeat the Bolton forces in battle , and Jon Snow is proclaimed the King in the North . Tyrion attempts to rule Meereen while Daenerys is held captive by a Dothraki tribe . At King 's Landing , the Tyrell army attempts to liberate Margaery and Loras , but Margaery capitulates to the High Sparrow , who becomes more powerful by influencing King Tommen . At her trial , Cersei burns the Great Sept , killing her rivals , while Tommen kills himself . Unopposed , Cersei is crowned Queen of Westeros . Ellaria Sand and three of Oberyn Martell 's daughters kill Doran and Trystane Martell and seize control of Dorne , and Olenna discusses an alliance with Ellaria . In Essos , Daenerys Targaryen is captured by Khal Moro who takes her before the khals ; she burns them alive and takes command of the Dothraki .   Game of Thrones features a large ensemble cast , including Peter Dinklage , Nikolaj Coster-Waldau , Lena Headey , Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington . The season introduced new cast members , including Max von Sydow , Pilou Asbæk and James Faulkner .   Critics praised its production values , writing , plot development , and cast . Game of Thrones received most nominations for the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards , with 23 nominations , and won twelve , including that for Outstanding Drama Series for the second year in a row . U.S. viewership rose compared to the previous season , and by approximately 13 % over its course , from 7.9 million to 8.9 million by the finale .

Battle of the Bastards <=SEP=> `` Battle of the Bastards '' is the ninth episode of the sixth season of HBO 's fantasy television series Game of Thrones , and its 59th episode overall . It was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss , and directed by Miguel Sapochnik .   In the North , the armies of the eponymous bastards , Jon Snow ( Kit Harington ) and Ramsay Bolton ( Iwan Rheon ) , face off in a battle for control of Winterfell . The Bolton army defeats most of Jon 's forces , largely composed of Wildlings . However , Sansa Stark ( Sophie Turner ) arrives with Petyr Baelish ( Aidan Gillen ) and the Knights of the Vale and they defeat the remaining Bolton army . Ramsay retreats to Winterfell , where Jon beats him into the mud , locks him in the kennels and Sansa feeds him to his own hounds . In Meereen , Daenerys Targaryen ( Emilia Clarke ) refuses to surrender to the Masters , mounts Drogon and begins burning the Masters ' fleet ; this forces them to surrender . Yara ( Gemma Whelan ) and Theon Greyjoy ( Alfie Allen ) arrive in Meereen and offer their ships to Daenerys , swearing to help her take the Seven Kingdoms .   `` Battle of the Bastards '' was praised as one of the series ' best episodes , with several reviewers hailing it as a `` masterpiece '' . Critics described the battle in the North as `` terrifying , gripping and exhilarating '' and Daenerys 's reunion with her dragons at the beginning of the episode as `` thrilling '' . Its eponymous battle took 25 days to film and required 500 extras , 600 crew members and 70 horses . In the United States , the episode had a viewership of 7.66 million in its initial broadcast . It earned Game of Thrones several Primetime Emmy Awards ( including Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Writing ) , and was Harington 's choice to support his nomination for the Outstanding Supporting Actor ; Sapochnik also won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for the episode .