Two days after the shock of experiencing the last Game of Thrones premiere, I feel the social discussion group therapy starting to work. The next day I went to work on my keyboard sifting through sites for clues, fan theories anything that might give me a glimpse into the upcoming episode. I ceased the staring contest with my computer screen and tried to ignore the dozens of fan theories detailing who might die next. So instead I took to the most direct source and tuned in like millions of others, combing over season 8’s episode one. What I learned, I’m going to miss being reminded in the middle of summer that winter is coming.

Taking a step back the episode was enjoyable to watch, a lot of build up but that’s what we should expect. All the major players are moving into place for their final moves. As the last battle approaches and the plot develops, it is nice to see the gradual change in our characters attitudes and alliances leading up to the season finale.

Everyone in the episode seems to have a lot going on, Tyrion is busy formulating his next calculated move, Jon is tripping over his feet after Daenerys, the dragons are flying but what about poor Bran Stark sitting by himself? Can someone spend two minutes of their day standing in the mud next to Bran carrying a conversation? This is the setting we see for most of Brans screen time. Bearing a look that says, “I can see the blueprint of your soul” sadly this doesn’t help my hanging out with Bran argument. At this point Isaac Wright (Bran) is doing a great job with his portrayal and behaving how we should expect a three eyed raven in training to. By now he is very similar to a deity seeing the past present future, this likely distorts his connection to people and the world around him. The part that makes Brans performance really worth mentioning is the foreshadowing felt when Bran casts that gaze. Discovering who dies next, gains the crown, or betrayal might bee as simple as calculating how long Bran had stoic eye contact with them.

Everyone in the episode seems to have a lot going on, Tyrion is busy formulating his next calculated move, Jon is tripping over his feet after Daenerys, the dragons are flying but what about poor Bran Stark sitting by himself? Can someone spend two minutes of their day standing in the mud next to Bran carrying a conversation? This is the setting we see for most of Brans screen time. Bearing a look that says, “I can see the blueprint of your soul” sadly this doesn’t help my hanging out with Bran argument. At this point Isaac Wright (Bran) is doing a great job with his portrayal and behaving how we should expect a three eyed raven in training to. By now he is very similar to a deity seeing the past present future, this likely distorts his connection to people and the world around him. The part that makes Brans performance really worth mentioning is the foreshadowing felt when Bran casts that gaze. Discovering who dies next, gains the crown, or betrayal might bee as simple as calculating how long Bran had stoic eye contact with them.

Last season we were left with a growing problem, Daenerys is quickly accelerating into what could be the classic Shakespearian (Macbeth) descent into darkness. It was chilling to hear her speak to John just after her last exchange of words with Sansa, “If she cant follow me than…) I wonder what would she of said if she wasn’t cut off. The Queen of Dragons arrival shows us that both Sansa and Daenerys are speculative of the other, testing and probing for some type of reaction. Daenerys makes the statement when she is alone with Jon. Sansa does get a chance to speak with Jon advising caution about his new queen and possibly the greater threat, Cersei. Sadly it seems her words were falling on deaf ears. All the major players that are willing to fight in the north have finally moved into place to do so. Sansa under the same roof as Daenerys is bad news: this is not Sansa’s first go around with someone in power. Her Time spent with Ramsay Bolton, Joffrey, and Cersei has done anything but make Sansa ignorant in the ways of manipulation, betrayal and court. I can honestly say I think Sansa is one of the most intelligent characters on the show, maybe the very reason Daenerys seems so hostile towards Sansa. The work put into the show is amazing, 8 years later and we still see character killing rivalries blossoming.

Last season we were left with a growing problem, Daenerys is quickly accelerating into what could be the classic Shakespearian (Macbeth) descent into darkness. It was chilling to hear her speak to John just after her last exchange of words with Sansa, “If she cant follow me than…) I wonder what would she of said if she wasn’t cut off. The Queen of Dragons arrival shows us that both Sansa and Daenerys are speculative of the other, testing and probing for some type of reaction. Daenerys makes the  statement when she is alone with Jon. Sansa does get a chance to speak with Jon advising caution about his new queen and possibly the greater threat, Cersei. Sadly it seems her words were falling on deaf ears. All the major players that are willing to fight in the north have finally moved into place to do so. Sansa under the same roof as Daenerys is bad news: this is not Sansa’s first go around with someone in power. Her Time spent with Ramsay Bolton, Joffrey, and Cersei has done anything but make Sansa ignorant in the ways of manipulation, betrayal and court. I can honestly say I think Sansa is one of the most intelligent characters on the show, maybe the very reason Daenerys seems so hostile towards Sansa. The work put into the show is amazing, 8 years later and we still see character killing rivalries blossoming.

The Queen of Dragons might be teeter toting the line of justice and madness but let’s discuss the facts, she burned Sam’s family alive. If there was a scene so emotionally shattering for audiences, enough to crack dragon glass it would be Sam Tarly learning from Daenerys his father and brother had been executed by her. Sam greeted his new Queen with typical sunny disposition, only to be given the news after she learned his house name. Daenerys is cold and ruthless dispensing what justice she sees fit but here she has no remorse whatsoever in the scene after destroying Sam. The conversation seemed to of already been rehearsed in her mind, they were traitors to her and undeserving of remorse. How does that saying go, “only a Sith deals in absolutes” not sure if its cannon but it does make a lot of sense. The cold remorseless expression from Daenerys is only trumped by Sam’s secondary reaction to hearing his brother was dead as well. He had no idea, believing initially only his father was dead: this wasn’t such a bad thing because he could return home to his brother the new lord of Horn Hill. For this reason Sam’s reaction just overwhelms you. Acceleration from his genuine shock to utter breakdown as he excuses himself caused fans and myself to cry out for beloved Sam.

The Queen of Dragons might be teeter toting the line of justice and madness but let’s discuss the facts, she burned Sam’s family alive. If there was a scene so emotionally shattering for audiences,  enough to crack dragon glass it would be Sam Tarly learning from Daenerys his father and brother had been executed by her. Sam greeted his new Queen with typical sunny disposition, only to be given the news after she learned his house name. Daenerys is cold and ruthless dispensing what justice she sees fit but here she has no remorse whatsoever in the scene after destroying Sam. The conversation seemed to of already been rehearsed in her mind, they were traitors to her and undeserving of remorse. How does that saying go, “only a Sith deals in absolutes” not sure if its cannon but it does make a lot of sense. The cold remorseless expression from Daenerys is only trumped by Sam’s secondary reaction to hearing his brother was dead as well. He had no idea, believing initially only his father was dead: this wasn’t such a bad thing because he could return home to his brother the new lord of Horn Hill. For this reason Sam’s reaction just overwhelms you.  Acceleration from his genuine shock to utter breakdown as he excuses himself caused fans and myself to cry out for beloved Sam.

The end of the show we see everything wrapping up until the arrival of Jamie Lannister at Winterfell. So closed towards the close Jamie doesn’t actually get any lines in but it seems implied that Jamie will be in hot water from the start with Daenerys. He is after all the king slayer and that king just happened to be her father. It is unlikely Jon would allow Daenerys to outright kill Jamie but the way she approaches the situation could have rippling consequences later in the season. Jamie is another character that is fun to see on-screen just the right amount of humor and faults, emerging from an arrogant and self-centered Lannister to likeable golden handed guy.

The end of the show we see everything wrapping up until the arrival of Jaime Lannister at Winterfell. So closed towards the close Jaime doesn’t actually get any lines in but it seems implied that he will be in hot water from the start with Daenerys. He is after all the king slayer and that king just happened to be her father. It is unlikely Jon would allow Daenerys to outright kill Jaime but the way she approaches the situation could have rippling consequences later in the season. Jaime is another character that is fun to see on-screen just the right amount of humor and faults, emerging from an arrogant and self-centered Lannister to likeable golden handed guy.

In July of 2017 more fans tuned into streaming services than they did the Super bowl. Letting that statement sink to the bottom it isn’t hard to speculate the exponential anticipation from fans as the shows big battle finale approaches