Game Of Thrones returns on Sunday for its seventh season, kicking off the final march towards the series’ finale and wrapping up the story of George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy series in its TV form. Fans are still waiting for the author to confirm the release of The Winds of Winter, but the wait is over to find out where the TV versions of those characters will end up in the climax.
Major battles, an ancient evil, and one very killer queen await in the next two seasons, but it’s almost hard to believe that we made it to this point. Just looking back at the speedy recap above, you’re almost left wondering how any of these characters managed to survive and see the end of this story play out. Jon Snow in particular has survived an undercover trek with the Wildlings, a major battle on The Wall, and encounter with the White Walkers at Hardhome, was killed by treachery then brought back to life, faced down an enemy army by himself in the Battle of the Bastards, and still made it through to become the King of the North. It’s pure luck and nobody can make the case that it isn’t.
Anyway, this is a fine recap that doesn’t just follow each season from start to finish. It opts to focus in on the main characters and their respective journeys to this point, taking a glance at the major moments, the overarching perils they have faced and will face in the upcoming seasons, and a few looks at the major pieces of the story that have stood out each season. It’s the perfect tool to give people a quick refresh, introduce people to the characters that matter, and lead them towards watching the entire season after taking a look at the seventh season premiere tonight.
They could’ve easily brought back Samuel L. Jackson for another f*ck-filled recap of the show, but they instead opted for the tease that captures the scope of the series without giving away all of the goodies that keep people watching. It sets the show up as something you need to see, and it should be whole when you see it.
