Warning: Spoilers from Sunday night’s episode ahead.
Game of Thrones fans were impressed by Sunday night’s episode that involved, among other accomplishments, a massive fight scene that ended with Daenerys Targaryen escaping from an arena on the back of a dragon.
Just how did the show pull of such a scene? According to Entertainment Weekly, a bigger budget was part of its success. As actor Kit Harington speculated, “I think [HBO] realized to keep people engaged with this show, the big setpieces have to be bigger than the ones before.”
Increased funding was needed not only for the hundreds of extras in the fight scene, but also to make the dragon’s flying and fire-breathing look realistic. Actress Emilia Clarke says her great escape was shot in a studio on top of a “green [device] shaped like a dragon’s back on hydraulics.”
Read more at Entertainment Weekly.
See The Real-Life People Who Inspired Game of Thrones Characters
![HBO; Getty Images](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/cersei-margaret-of-anjou.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/queen-elizabeth-i-khaleesi1.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Portrait of Henry VIII. By Hans Holbein Date c. 1540. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 - 28 January 1547) was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) and claimant to the Kingdom of France.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/melisandre-bloody-mary.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Portrait of Henry VIII. By Hans Holbein Date c. 1540. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 - 28 January 1547) was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) and claimant to the Kingdom of France.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/anne-boleyn-talisa.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/brienne-of-tarth-joan-of-arc.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Portrait of Henry VIII. By Hans Holbein Date c. 1540. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 - 28 January 1547) was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) and claimant to the Kingdom of France. Portrait of Henry VIII. By Hans Holbein Date c. 1540. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 - 28 January 1547) was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) and claimant to the Kingdom of France.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/king-henry-viii-robert-borathean-copy.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/joffrey-caligula.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
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