The literally explosive season six finale of Game of Thrones, “The Winds of Winter,” aired on June 26, 2016. The still-untitled first episode of season seven premieres on July 16, 2017. That is, by far, the longest wait between seasons in the show’s history, and boy does it feel that way. So much has changed since last June. Bad Moms hadn’t come out yet and, well, I guess that’s it. But we’re finally (finally) less than a month away from new Thrones, and because of the lengthy hiatus, you might need a reminder on where we left the main characters. Consider yourself reminded.
Jon Snow
He came back from the dead, left the Night’s Watch, reunited with his half-sister (sort of) Sansa Stark, convinced the wildlings to fight alongside his men, and defeated Ramsay Bolton in the Battle of the Bastards. But ultimately, Jon Snow’s season six can be summed up in four words: “King in the North.”
Sansa Stark
Sansa must be furious. Her quick thinking (and uneasy alliance with Petyr Baelish and House Arryn) conquered Ramsay Bolton in the Battle of the Bastards, but who gets all the credit? Jon Snow. The King in the North and his not-sister share a smile, which immediately fades from her face when she catches Littlefinger’s eye. It’s important to remember what Sophie Turner said following the finale: “He’s named King in the North and she kind of gets no credit for it. It’s not that she’s looking for praise or anything. She did it because she wants revenge and also because she wants her home back. Jon is so naive. So Sansa is just a little bit agitated is all.” That’s probably not “all.”
Arya Stark
Arya regains her sight after going blind, returns then leaves the House of Black and White, catches a historically-inaccurate play (The Bloody Hand, based on the War of the Five Kings), gets stabbed by the Waif, kills the Waif, and decides to return home, although not before murdering Lothar and Black Walder and baking them into a delicious pie, which she serves to Walder Frey. Who she also murders. A Girl had a busy season.
Bran Stark
Bran, who became the new Three-Eyed Raven after the Night King killed the old Three-Eyed Raven because Bran made greensight-contact with the leader of the White Walker army (politics, man), has a flashback to the Tower of Joy, where Lyanna Stark gives birth to her and Rhaegar Targaryen’s baby, then dies. The answer to what R plus L equals might be of interest to Jon Snow.
Cersei Lannister
In one fell swoop, Cersei conquered many of her enemies, from Margaery Tyrell to the High Sparrow, by blowing up the Great Sept of Baelor with wildfire. She lost a son (Tommen, who committed suicide after hearing about his wife’s death — who’s going to look after Ser Pounce!?), but gained a new title: Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. And a zombie Mountain. Yay?
Jaime Lannister
Jaime Lannister and Phillip Jennings from The Americans have a lot in common. They’re both murderers fighting for the “enemy” but we still like them, and they both always look impossibly sad. Jaime looks sad when he’s mourning the death of his daughter Myrcella, he looks sad when he says goodbye to Brienne, and he looks really sad (and a little mad — a certain theory comes to mind) when he sees Cersei on the throne following the death of their other child, Tommen. On the bright side, with all of his kids dead, at least Jaime doesn’t have to worry about anyone going to boarding school.
Daenerys Targaryen/Tyrion Lannister
At long last, Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons, is heading back to Westeros to take what is hers through, etc. etc. etc. She’s got an entourage, too. There’s her Unsullied and Dothraki soldiers, as well as Yara and Theon’s Iron Fleet, Missandei, Grey Worm, Varys, and the newly-crowned Hand of the Queen, Tyrion. Oh yeah, and some dragons. Don’t forget the dragons.
Jorah Mormont
After being banished by Daenerys twice, and returning both times, Jorah offers to exile himself (this time for good) due to his increasingly nasty greyscale. There is no known cure for the disease, but Dany instructs Jorah to find one, so that he can stand by her side when she rules the Seven Kingdoms. Based on the season seven trailer, things aren’t looking promising.
Melisandre
Speaking of being banished, Melisandre is kicked out of Winterfell by Jon Snow after Davos discovers her role in Shireen Baratheon being burned at the stake. (Davos wanted to kill her on the spot, but Jon settles on sending her away considering she, y’know, resurrected him and all.) If she ever returns, she’ll be executed, so the Red Priestess travels south, possibly to meet up with her fellow Lord of Light fanatics, Thoros of Myr and Beric Dondarrion.
Brienne of Tarth
The last time we saw Brienne, she was escaping Riverrun with Podrick in a rowboat after trying to sway Brynden “Blackfish” Tully to fight with Sansa Stark (he’s her great-uncle) against the Boltons. She’s unsuccessful in her attempt, although Brienne and Jaime share a sweet moment after agreeing that they might, one day, have to fight each other. It’s a weird relationship.
Tormund Giantsbane
Tormund fought in the Battle of the Bastards, but notably, while everyone in the Winterfell dining room declares Jon Snow the King in the North, he remains quiet. Tormund has no interest in politics south of the wall — once a wildling, always a wilding. Speaking of: Tormund’s also still wild for Brienne.
Samwell Tarly
Sam finally achieves his life-long dream: to live in a library (this is the only time a Thrones character has ever been truly happy, even if Gilly and Little Sam aren’t allowed to enter). Specifically, the Citadel’s library in Oldtown, where Jon Snow sent him to become a maester for the Night’s Watch.
Sandor “The Hound” Clegane
The smaller of the Clegane brothers (which is to say, he’s a hill compared to the Mountain’s, um, mountain) tries to live off the grid, which lasts for all of… a week? Sandor is nursed back to health by Brother Ray, who is soon after killed by the Brotherhood Without Banners. Sandor hunts down and murders four of the Brothers before running into Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr. They explain certain members of the group acted independently (including Lem Lemoncloak, whose boots Sandor steals), and offer the Hound the opportunity to join them in a trip up north to fight the White Walkers.
Margaery Tyrell, Ramsay Bolton, Rickon Stark, Hodor, Tommen Baratheon, Grand Maester Pycelle, Loras Tyrell, Olly, Walder Frey, The High Sparrow, Trystane Martell, Doran Martell, Mace Tyrell, Lancel Lannister, Roose Bolton
Dead. I’ll miss you the most, Hodor (and you the least, Olly).
