Oh Game of Thrones how we missed you. Sunday night finally saw the return of the hit HBO series. The seven episode seventh season kicked off with an episode appropriately titled “Dragonstone”, and man oh man did it not let fans down.
Given the filming schedule was pushed back thanks to Winter finally arriving on the show, fans had to wait longer this year for their favorite show to debut its new season. But when you open with a scene of Arya pretending to be Walder Frey and killing all of the Frey’s that murdered her mother and brother, it felt like it just yesterday we saw the young Stark killing Walder himself.
As you would expect in any season debut, “Dragonstone” certainly positioned the show’s big players for their upcoming arcs. Arya is on a mission of revenge. Sansa and Jon aren’t seeing eye to eye in the North. Cersei is trying to remain calm while Jamie tells her they are screwed. The White Walkers are almost here. And of course, Dany and her crew are officially home and ready for a fight.
So Game of Thrones fans, let’s get into some of the good stuff, shall we? Here are five takeaways from last night’s episode of Game of Thrones.
Don’t Mess With Arya
Every time I see Arya on screen, I seem to like her character more and more. The opening scene of her taking down the men who killed her mother and brother was powerful. And it certainly reminded fans how dangerous she can truly be.
Arya can essentially take on the identity of anyone she chooses. It is certainly a way that could lend to bringing back some fan favorite characters for a scene, as Arya could easily adopt the face of someone like Robb or Tywin. More importantly, it will allow her to kill unsuspecting victims, who will simply not see things coming.
Later in the episode when she bumps into Ed Sheeran and his group, she tells them she is planning to kill the Queen. They all laugh, assuming she is joking. Why? Because she is a single girl, not even of legal drinking age, traveling on her own. In other words, if you don’t know her, she doesn’t come across as a threat. But that is part of what makes her so dangerous. And fun to watch.
Tension in The North
Poor Jon and Sansa. While Jon was holding court, things simply did not go his way. First, he appointed Tormund and the Wildlings as the North’s top defensive unit. This was met with a few moans and questionable faces, as the Northerners questioned the trust in the Wildlings.
Then Jon mentioned how he wanted everyone from 10 to 60 to be trained for combat, including women and girls. This was questioned by a gentleman who did not want to give his granddaughter a dagger. Thankfully for Jon, everyone’s favorite badass little girl, Lady Mormont, stepped up and stood behind Jon’s idea.
But then things really got tense. When deciding what to do with the families that betrayed the North by siding with Ramsey, Jon defended the children of those families. But Sansa spoke up, and against her older brother. This certainly caught the attention of Littlefinger, who will certainly be a thorn in Jon’s side.
So with Sansa feeling disrespected and undervalued, things could get interesting in the North real quick. Sansa thinks Jon needs to worry more about Cersei, but he is too focused on the White Walkers. Could Sansa rebel against her brother? She certainly does not want to side with Littlefinger, but she does know how he saved them and is of value. Let the power struggle begin!
Dragonstone is Going to Become Very, Very Important
During the conversations in Winterfell, Jon made it clear that they will be in need of Dragonglass. For those of you who haven’t been paying attention from the start, that is the material that can kill a White Walker. So yeah, it’s going to become very valuable.
It just so happens, Sam, who is being tormented by dealing with bed pans and weighing livers, discovered something really important. After sneaking into a private area of the Citadel library, which he will likely pay for dearly later this season when caught, he found out there is a large reserve of the material under Dragonstone.
Oh, it just so happens that Dany, Tyrion and her fleet just landed there! So Jon better start making friends with his Aunt Dany really quick. If Dany has dragons and the material to kill White Walkers, there is no stopping her. So it’s a good time to become her ally.
Cersei Doesn’t Have Many Moves To Make
Jamie knows whats up. He told his sister, we do not have any more allies. We have enemies in all directions. One of their few allies, the Frey’s, were all just murdered by someone who is likely not their friend (Arya would certainly fall in that description). So what on Earth is Cersei’s move?
Bringing in Euron Greyjoy of course! This is a man who does not exactly have the best track record with the Lannister family, which Jamie is not afraid of pointing out. To Euron’s face no doubt. But Euron is no dummy. He knows Cersei needs his ships. He knows his enemies are aligned with hers.
So it’s quite clear whats going on. They are each using one another to destroy their enemy before turning on one another. If they can take down Dany and her fleet, their biggest threat is removed. However, that doesn’t seem to be a smart plan for the big picture.
Even if Euron and his fleet were enough to take down three dragons and all of Dany’s team (which it’s not), Cersei would likely betray Euron not too long after. That would put her back to square one, without many allies. Things are looking bleak for the Queen this season.
Bran’s Days May Be Numbered
This is one that not many people may be thinking given all that’s going on. Bran has finally arrived at the Wall. He has been taken in. However, the White Walkers are not too far behind. And unfortunately for Bran, who is not able to walk on his own, the Walkers seem very likely to take the Wall at some point.
The Hound looked into the flames and saw a big wall of ice. Things sounded very bleak. Factor in the giants we saw marching with the Walkers, and they are going to be a force to be wreakoned with. The Wall is coming down at some point. And a good portion of the Night’s Watch and those there are likely going down with it as well.
Bran can basically teleport his mind into others’ bodies. He can see things others can’t. We have already learned a great deal from his abilities. As a result, it is possible he has served his purpose within the show. When the Walkers arrive, he will likely relay a message to Jon with those powers. But unfortunately for Bran, this may be the final time he can communicate with his brother. Given he cannot walk in his current body, the only thing that may be able to survive a White Walker attack on the Wall, is his mind.
So there you have it! What did you think of last night’s episode? Did you enjoy the “Dragonstone” episode of Game of Thrones to kick off season seven just as much as I did? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!