Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 1 Review

Arya Stark continues to be the most badass Stark alive. From the jump I knew the Walder Frey we were seeing was Arya using her newly acquired abilities. Also, as soon as she signaled for the wine to be poured, I knew it was a wrap for all the Freys. And good for them, a pack of rat cowards who very much deserved their fate. “When people ask you what happened here, tell them the North remembers. Tell them Winter came for house Frey.” Chills son!!!! Cue Game of Thrones music.

I did not expect to get a glimpse of the Night King and the Army of the Dead, but holy hell, WHITE WALKER GIANTS?! I am so in. And it’s making me believe more that we may see Ice Dragons sometime in the future.

Bran finally gets to the wall with Mira and gets let in. That’s pretty much all we see of them for the whole episode, but that’s a big step forward and I’m glad they’re not wasting time with things that aren’t absolutely necessary in moving the story forward.

Jon Snow continues to prove that he’s a good leader, sticking to his values and decisions but still listening to council. I understand what Sansa was saying and she made a valid argument, but she should have not spoken against Jon in front of all the house leaders. As he said immediately after, it undermines his authority as King of the North, and while he clearly values her opinion, and arguably owes her his life, they need to seem like a united front. Now more than ever. As much as I hate Littlefinger, he is very cunning and has a gift for reading people and taking advantage of the most optimal moments. If he senses that Sansa is unhappy or doubtful, he’ll sink his claws into her and try to change the tide in his favor.

Along with this Jon scene, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out how fantastic Lyanna Mormont is. She was amazing in the few scenes she was in last year, and her few lines practically stole the scene she was in tonight. She encompasses so much badass in such a small package and puts grown men in their place.

Cersei and Jaime, the last Lannisters left standing in Westeros, have enemies in every direction. And as hopeless as it may seem, we all know that Cersei will never lay down and die, she’s going to have to be struck down. I still think it’s going to be by Jaime’s hand, but regardless, they have a lot to figure out. I appreciate the fact that Jaime brought up Tommen’s suicide because that anticlimactic scene from last season’s finale held a lot of weight and Jaime found out about his last son’s death by seeing Cersei on the Iron Throne. There’s a lot to sink our teeth into for these two and I can’t wait to see the divide that will inevitably form between them this season.

Euron Greyjoy is a conceited prick, but he is absolutely going to be a formidable force this season. His scene in the throne room with Cersei, Jaime and Mountain at her side, was telling of what we can expect from his character, for however long he’s going to be alive. My best guess is that he’ll be done by the end of the season, but he is going to cause havoc before he falls. Cersei may have talked big game by declining his offer, but I can all but guarantee that he’ll return with something that will prove where his intention lies. And let’s be real, Cersei NEEDS his ships, and bad. It only makes sense that they join forces.

Sam, while not the most interesting character to see on screen, has finally arrived at the Citadel and I’m sure it’s going to pay off in a big way. The overkill of the shit-cleaning was a bit much, but it made me want Sam to get to the good stuff even more. We’ve been following him for years now, and while he’s had some substantial moments, his scenes were never really highlights, which is why I think there’s going to be huge payoff when he discovers something very important in the fight against the White Walkers. Whether it be a weakness or some sort of magic that will improve their odds, it’s going to be critical in his story arc. And let’s not forget Jorah the Andal’s arm. Looks like the greyscale isn’t getting much better for him, but I do have hope. Game of Thrones may not be a show that elicits hope, but I just know he won’t waste away and die in that cell. Either they find a cure and save him, or he dies epically in service to Daenerys, of course. Maybe Sam will be important in finding a cure?

Still loving every minute of Tormund hitting on Brienne, and I hope that’s a running gag until it’s not.

Arya comes across a bunch of the Queen’s soldiers, one of them being played by Ed Sheeran, kill me. They were actually a nice bunch of young men, which I was surprised by, as was Arya. She states that she’s on her way to Westeros to kill the Queen, which they all take as a joke and erupt in laughter. That was a bit upsetting for me because I was under the impression that she was heading North towards Winterfell or the Wall. This puts a damper on my Stark reunion that I was really looking forward. Might still happen though, not all hope is lost.

They spent a decent chunk of this episode on the Hound and I’m really glad they did. The Hound and the Brotherhood stumble across the same hut that the Hound and Arya stayed in back in season 4. A father and young daughter lived there, and Clegane robbed them of all their silver when he and Arya left. It was a very Hound thing to do, but we just kept it moving, not thinking much about it again. When he arrives there, in heavy snowfall now that Winter has come, he finds nothing but their bones in the corner of the room. Father holding his daughter, which we figure out was a murder suicide to spare his daughter any more suffering. The pain on Clegane’s face is very prominent, despite his attempts to hide it. We, or at least I, feel strongly for his character despite the horrible things he’s done. But I think the writers have him on a redemption story arc that definitely won’t end with him living, but I’m hoping it ends with him being at peace. Fingers crossed for him crossing paths with Arya one more time. Him burying the bodies in the snowstorm was a perfect end for that scene. Also, interesting that he did see images in the flame, that alluded to the White Walkers, the Wall, and Dragonstone!

And of course the episode ends with Daenerys and her squad arriving at Dragonstone. The Mother of Dragons is finally home! We’ve been waiting for this for 6 seasons, and her setting foot on the shore and touching the sand was appropriately powerful. Beautifully shot, as she walks up the beach and then the massive amount of stairs she has to trek before arriving to the throne room. Finally to end in the room with the map-table where we spent plenty of time with Stannis, Davos, and the Melisandre. “Shall we begin?”