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Game of Thrones
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Game of Thrones Season 8 is finally here. Episode 1 brought us back to Winterfell in an episode fittingly called, “Winterfell.” Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) brought their newly combined forces to a frosty Winterfell to prepare for the oncoming battle against the White Walkers and the Army of the Dead. The episode was full of fan service, meaning we finally got to see Jon and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) reunite, as well as — GASP — Jon Snow riding a dragon.
However, since this is Game of Thrones, there were tons of smaller moments hidden in plain sight that could mean everything. I’m talking about that awkward look Bran gives Tyrion, or the meaning behind the White Walkers’ spirographs symbols, or even a hidden connection to It’s Always Sunny in Pennsylvania. You’re smart enough to watch the post-credits explainer, and to pick up on the fact that Cersei has hired Bronn to kill Jaime and Tyrion with the same crossbow Tyrion used to slay their father Tywin. You get that there’s a whole new opening credits sequence. But what did you miss?
Here are the five things you MIGHT have missed in Game of Thrones, Season 8, Episode 1, “Winterfell.”
(Note: we know you’re clever, like Sansa, so you just MIGHT have missed them.)
Why Is Bran Staring At Tyrion Like That??
In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) highlighted the importance of one of our favorite characters. What I’m saying is he stared at Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) uncomfortably.
Right after Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) gives her ex-husband Tyrion the rundown on why he’s dumb to trust his sister, Cersei (Lena Headey), the camera makes sure to give us a quick look at Bran Stark sitting sort of serenely in Winterfell’s yard, staring at Tyrion. At this point, there’s no room to dawdle when it comes to storytelling, so everything means something. What does this moment mean?
We’re not the Three-Eyed Raven so we don’t really know. That said, the final scene suggests that Bran has a tiny bit of precognition going on, so he might be seeing that Tyrion has an important role in the events to come. Or he’s just a weirdo who stares too much. I’m inclined to think the former, but we’ll have to wait and see.
In any event, Sansa is on to something: Tyrion is not as clever as he likes to think he is.
The White Walker Symbols Mean...Something
Towards the end of last night’s episode, we saw what became of poor, little Ned Umber. He was murdered by the Army of the Dead and his body was left behind in the middle of a spiral symbol we’ve seen before.
The visual impact of this hits home that the White Walkers’ penchant for arranging dead objects into fancy designs actually might mean…something. We know from Jon and Dany’s trip to the caves of Dragonstone that these symbols originated with the Children of the Forest, but we have yet to get a translation. In any event, it seems that the key to defeating the White Walkers might be tied up in understanding how they communicate. Good thing Sam brought those books from the Citadel, eh?
PS: Here is an EXHAUSTIVE look at these symbols and their history within the show.
Alys Karstark Lives
Color me surprised. I’ve been predicting for ages that Jon Snow’s noble act of restoring young Ned Umber and young Alys Karstark’s family lands to them would actually doom them both. (Remember? In Season 7, Episode 1, Jon goes against Sansa’s advice to take the castles away from the children of traitors and absolves the kids of their fathers’ mistakes.)
You’ll have gathered that the Umber stronghold, The Last Hearth, was the Night King’s first stop on his grand tour towards Winterfell, but the Karhold is also en route. It would seem that the Alys Karstark managed to get herself and her people to Winterfell before it was too late. That’s nice. Nevertheless, she may be doomed.
Rob McElhenney and Martin Starr are Ironborn
Game of Thrones is a popular show and over the years a number of famous fans have popped up in unconventional ways. (We’re still not over that Ed Sheeran cameo!!!) Last night was no different. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia‘s Rob McElhenney and Silicon Valley‘s Martin Starr were just two of the nameless Ironborn that Theon and his cronies sliced through to save Yara.
Who were they? What were their names? We’ll never know…because Euron Greyjoy took the tongues out of his sailors and that’s why he wanted to keep Yara around as a conversational companion.
What's With Arya's New Weapon?
Huzzah, I called it! Arya Stark is getting a new weapon.
As we saw in the Game of Thrones trailer, Arya Stark will be armed (and dangerous) when the White Walkers descend upon Winterfell. She’s already got Needle, which won’t do anything against wights, and that Valyrian steel/dragonglass-hilted dagger, which will be very useful in close combat. However, our girl is thinking ahead. She gives Gendry a design for a new weapon she calls her “wish.”
What we can see in her drawing is that it is more than a dragonglass tipped spear. The point can pop out and be used like a dagger. What this tells us is that Arya will not only be useful in battle, but she now will have two weapons she can depend upon in close combat. So get ready to be very worried for our favorite murder girl. All signs point to her getting up close and personal with some White Walkers.
Oh, and we must mention that it was so very good to see her and Gendry reunited for the first time since…Season 3?? And they seem willing and able to succumb to all our hopes and dreams for them. (I say both better survive the season and wind up as Lord and Murder Lady of Storm End!!!)
