After a wait of two long years, the final season of Game of Thrones (GOT) has finally arrived. Episode one was aired around the world on HBO on Monday night – at 9 p.m. US Eastern Standard Time – meaning that UK fans had to wait up until the small hours to see it. So was it worth it, or should they have got more sleep? Rising East has drawn up a list of five story developments that we like, and five that we don’t. But – spoiler alert – if you have not seen the episode yet, you should look away now.
Five Things We Liked:
1: Jon Snow and Arya’s reunion
The two “siblings” are reunited at last, in a scene so sweet and well acted that fans will love it. The way that Arya reminds Jon that he is still part of the family will melt your heart.
2: Jon And Daenerys’ “date”
Fans wanted to know if Jon Snow would get to ride one of the dragons, and the answer is yes! The way that Daenerys lets Jon ride one of her “children” with no hesitation whatsoever is both touching and funny.
3: Tyrion and Sansa talk
This was certainly an episode of reunions, and the one between Sansa and Tyrion does not disappoint. They encounter each other again in Winterfell, and leave us with a strong sense of two people who have been through a great deal but are now stronger and on the threshold of a strong friendship.
4: Jamie’s return
Jamie was one of the least loved characters during the first few seasons, but his journey has turned him into one of the most adored ones. His return to Winterfell at the end of the episode is exciting and we sure are glad to see him again.
5: The Night King’s warning
The episode ends in exciting fashion. When Tormund and the others see the boy hung on a swirling pattern made of hands, they have to set him on fire as he is slowly turning into a White Walker. Although the Night King and his army don’t appear in this episode, the warning to Westeros is clear: they are coming and they will not take any prisoners.
Five Things We Did Not Like:
1: Daenerys’ arrogance
Once admired by all, Daenerys is losing the support of some of her fans. She seems to have become more arrogant and ruthless than ever, because of her chase to the throne, and this episode only confirms this. She seems surprised that Sansa and the people of Winterfell don’t trust her straight away. And she appears to want to force Jon Snow to stand up for her with his family – when he has only just been reunited with them.
2: Bran in general
Bran is one of those characters I have never liked and he seems to be getting get worse and worse. In this premiere he only appears in a few scenes, but he has not changed. The way he greets Jon Snow, his own “brother”, is so cold and distant that even the siblings notice it. Also the fact that he forces Sam to tell him the truth about his origin, when it wasn’t his place to do it, is quite shocking.
3: King’s Landing scenes
It was disappointing to see that all the main scenes were based in Winterfell. It is true that the main story is set in the North at the moment, but it was sad to notice how little space Cersei was given in this premiere, although Lena Headey’s presence shines brightly even in the couple of scenes that she does have.
4: Winterfell people and Jon Snow’s relationship
The people of Winterfell might have felt betrayed when Jon Snow abandoned his title of Lord of the North, but nevertheless it is shocking to see how little respect they have for him now that he is back. Given how brave and selfless it was of Jon Snow to leave his home to seek out an alliance for the upcoming war, it is unjust of his neighbours not to appreciate that.
5: Where is Brianne?
This is a personal complaint but where is our beloved Brienne? She needs to make a comeback as soon as possible!
This image is licensed under the Creative Commons
