Ygritte (Rose Leslie) Weighs in on Sunday's 'Game of Thrones'

Last night's episode of "Game of Thrones" forced us to say goodbye to a handful of characters we had accidentally grown to love.

Will we ever learn?

Possibly the most emotional loss was that of the Wildling Jon Snow had grown to love and betray, Ygritte.

Played by Scottish actress Rose Leslie, Ygritte and her band were invading Castle Black while Mance Rayder (Ciaran Hinds) attacked the Wall. With Snow (Kit Harington) in her crosshairs, Ygritte pauses, and is struck by an arrow from behind. She dies in Jon Snow's arms, still insisting that he knows nothing.

So what does Leslie have to say, now that she's officially out of the show?

"I was well aware that Ygritte's death was going to happen," she admits. "I was secretly rather pleased that it was going to be in the penultimate episode because you know that everything is building up to episode 9. It was wonderful to go out with a bang... Kit Harington and I had spoken beforehand, and neither of us really ever wanted to rehearse the death scene. We wanted to make it as organic as possible, so we did it there in the moment."

And her opinion of Ygritte (may she rest in peace)?

"She's a strong woman and she has some brilliant characteristics. She's incredibly loyal, but not to the extent that she doesn't waver. I think she's willing to listen to other arguments. But she knows who she is, she knows what she wants and I think those are good attributes to have. I admire that in her. It's inspirational, I think, for all women...

"She is so dominant, she is very much a Wildling to the bone. She's a warrior at the core; she's a woman on a mission. She has to find Jon Snow, she has to make him pay. It's kind of a narrow mindset she's got going so that is very empowering. She has this goal that she needs to reach."

Of watching her final scene, Leslie says she "blubbed like a little baby."

"Once the scene was done, I was surrounded by crew and producers and presented with a wrap gift, which was my bow, Ygritte's bow. The handle was replaced with white leather and on one side they had sewn on a silver plaque that was engraved with 'Kissed by fire,' and then on the other side was the emblem of a rose. That just made me cry even more."

What did you think of the Wildling's screen death? Did it do the vengeful lady justice?