{"id":135277,"date":"2019-04-15T07:25:16","date_gmt":"2019-04-15T07:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=135277"},"modified":"2025-07-01T22:06:47","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T05:06:47","slug":"game-of-thrones-s08e01","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/game-of-thrones-s08e01\/","title":{"rendered":"Game of Thrones S08E01 recap\/review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Game<\/p>\n

It’s been 595 days since the last new episode of “Game of Thrones,” so the show had a lot of housekeeping to do. The last thing we saw back on\u00a0August 27, 2017 was the army of the dead marching south. Oh, and the Night King<\/strong> was riding on a newly zombified Viserion (one of Dany’s dragons).<\/p>\n

\"Dead
The last thing we saw on “Game of Thrones.”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So how would the show fare in its return? Read on to discover what happened in the Season 8 debut. Spoilers ahead<\/strong>, obviously.<\/p>\n

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‘Winterfell’ recap\/review<\/h2>\n

The episode begins with the first major overhaul we’ve ever had to the title sequence. Gone are the familiar stops like Pyke, Meereen, or Dragonstone. Now we’re smacked in the face with a big hole in the wall, and visits to Last Hearth, Winterfell, and King’s Landing. The animation is new. The stops are few. We’re in the endgame now.<\/p>\n

This episode was all about reunions.<\/strong> Old friends, foes, and family reconnect. All of our characters are fundamentally changed from the last time they met. Although the people are the same, so much has changed.<\/p>\n

As “Winterfell” begins, Jon Snow<\/strong> and\u00a0Daenerys\u00a0Targaryen<\/strong> arrive at the Stark castle at the head of a massive army and her two remaining dragons. The northerners are shocked because they’ve never seen dragons (or black people) before.<\/p>\n

Jon dismounts and trots over to Bran<\/strong>. “Look at you,” Jon says. “You’ve become a man.”<\/p>\n

“Almost,” Bran says cryptically.<\/p>\n

Bran says a lot of weird stuff in this episode. Three-eyed Ravens aren’t known for their people skills. Mostly, he just glares at people and makes them uncomfortable. Bran cuts the reunion short, explaining that no one really has time for hugs. The army of the dead is on the move, after all.<\/p>\n

\"Ned
Little Ned Umber enjoys one of his last few breaths.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Inside the castle, a child named Ned Umber<\/strong> explains that his force at Last Hearth needs reinforcements. (We’ll see him again later this episode.) Lyanna Mormont<\/strong> voices her tiny, adorable displeasure at Jon’s alliance, saying the King in the North should never kneel before an outsider. And yet, Jon explains, he chose the North over his own crown. This does not go over particularly well. The northerners grumble, and Sansa<\/strong> doesn’t help matters.<\/p>\n

Incredibly,\u00a0Daenerys keeps her cool through all this. Old Dany would have set people on fire for disagreeing with her. New Dany realizes that murder might be an expedient way to get people to fall in line, but occasional smiles and diplomacy are often a better long-term solution.<\/p>\n

\"Sansa
Sansa basically made this face the whole episode.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tyrion<\/strong> reunites with his long-lost wife Sansa. They’ve both had a rough ride since the last time they saw each other (Joffrey’s ill-fated wedding). While Tyrion tries to make peace, Sansa isn’t in the mood. A second marriage to Ramsay Bolton will do that to a girl. Bran turns his stalker-vision on Tyrion, which seems like a real treat.<\/p>\n

\"Bran
And Bran stared like this the whole episode.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the episode’s best scene, Jon reunites with Arya<\/strong>. While the gleeful Arya of the early seasons has fallen away to the Faceless Girl, it was nice to see the old spark ignite upon seeing her big “brother.” The two compare swords and share a hug. They haven’t seen each other since Jon gave Arya “Needle” before her trip to King’s Landing in Season 1.<\/p>\n

\"Arya
A long-awaited hug between Jon and Arya.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Arya
The last time these two saw each other: Season 1, Episode 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Sword
Jon and Arya bond over steel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking of King’s Landing, Cersei<\/strong> is surprisingly upbeat about the news the army of the dead has broken through the wall. Euron Greyjoy<\/strong> works his weird, pervy charms on Cersei and sweet-talks his way into her bed. This, despite the fact that Euron and the newly-bought Golden Company<\/strong>\u00a0of mercenaries did not arrive with the elephants the Queen was hoping for.<\/p>\n

The Euron-Cersei scene gave us the best quote of the episode: “You want a whore, buy her. You want a queen, earn her.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

While Euron is busy, uh, getting busy, Theon<\/strong> mounts a rescue mission of his sister, Yara<\/strong>. She repays the kindness with a headbutt. (Gotta love those Iron Islanders.) Later, Yara allows Theon to join the crew at Winterfell. He’ll likely get an icy reception considering the way he left the place the last time he was there.<\/p>\n

Back in King’s Landing, Bronn<\/strong> is getting acquainted with three prostitutes who are recounting, in graphic detail, the way Dany’s dragons torched the Lannister army. Qyburn<\/strong> shows up to thwart Bronn’s fun, but the sellsword is surprisingly cool with it. Cersei is willing to pay Bronn to kill Jaime and Tyrion with a crossbow. Bronn seems to be considering it.<\/p>\n

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Back in Winterfell, Davos<\/strong> suggests to Tyrion and Varys<\/strong> that Jon and Dany would make a good king and queen. Will he still feel that way when he finds out Jon is Dany’s nephew? The show has featured stranger bedfellows…<\/p>\n

Dany learns her remaining two dragons aren’t really eating, so she hops aboard and goes for a ride, convincing Jon to go with her.<\/p>\n

Now might be a good time to bring up the three dragons in the show.<\/p>\n