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'Game of Thrones' battle even crazier from behind the scenes

From a mechanical dragon to explosive pyrotechnics, see everything that went into making the incredible "Game of Thrones" loot train battle.

Amanda Kooser
Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.
Amanda Kooser
2 min read

Caution: Fire-breathing spoilers ahead. 

You probably watched that epic battle in last night's episode of "Game of Thrones" from between your fingers while screaming. In the tradition of naming big battles, HBO calls it the "loot train attack." A behind-the-scenes video shows us that sometimes the movie magic required to make an epic sequence is even wilder than the finished product.

The fight pits dragon-riding Daenerys Targaryen and her Dothraki horde against Jaime Lannister and his army as the Lannister group attempts to take plundered grain and goods back to Queen Cersei. It's visceral. It's bloody. The dragon reduces bodies to ashes in one mighty breath. 

"Game of Thrones" executive producer and writer David Benioff describes the battle as having a Western feel, but with dragons thrown in on top. 

The video features interviews with the stars, producers and director Matt Shakman. It's wild to see the sets with fighters in armor on horseback sharing the frame with all the gear required to film the scenes. Set dressers lay out bundles of grass while others walk around with torches to simulate the scars of dragon fire. We see everything from a drone-based camera to the mechanical dragon Emilia Clarke (Daenarys) rides inside a sound stage. 

The video reveals the production team's secrets, but you will be even more impressed by the battle sequence once you know the insane amount of work it took to bring it to your television screen.

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