Not since Breaking Bad has a season of TV been more hotly anticipated. Since season six’s incredible finale, we’ve heard worrisome news. Season seven will only contain seven episodes. The release was delayed for several months. Ed Sheeran is supposed to show up somewhere? The season premiere is here to settle our doubts.
SPOILERS FOLLOW
In the North
We rejoin Jon Snow and Sansa Stark in the courtroom of Winterfell. Finally, shit is getting done about this whole White Walker threat. The most interesting part of the scene is a clash of ideologies between Jon and Sansa. Not only is it great drama, shaped by the differing ordeals and traumas they’ve endured, it sends a troubling message: Will their relationship survive until the end of the show?
I also liked how it fed into the next scene, where Sansa tells Jon to be smarter than their father and older brother. It was so heart warming to see these two reunited but they were never close to begin with. Since then, Jon has stuck by his unwavering sense of honour and duty, while Sansa has had to learn to deceive and manipulate in order to ensure her survival. This argument whets my appetite for how their relationship will grow – if at all.
Littlefinger is still hanging about. His presence reassures me, as he’s a character I think the show is in danger of failing to do justice. After having his hand in nearly every major event of the series and masterfully manipulating the titular game, I want him to have a strong role to play in what’s to come.
What else happened? Well, Bran shows his face to reassure viewers that he’ll be taking part this season. But that’s about it.
In King’s Landing
Cersei is Queen, but surrounded by foes. In possibly my favourite scene of the episode, she speaks with her brother/lover Jaime while walking all over a newly-painted map of Westeros. This is the sort of detail I’ve found lacking in the last two seasons. Serving a good expository function by refreshing viewers on certain key locations, it provides some in-your-face symbolism with Cersei trodding all over the people she rules and deems beneath her.
It’s clear that the relationship between these two is in a rockier than the Starks’. Without her children to temper her destructive whims, she’s free to wreak havoc. Jaime looks to be losing faith in her, looking almost frightened as she vows to take the world for themselves and only themselves.
While there’s plenty for them to bond over – they both hate their younger brother, and I’m sure they’re both still in love – it’s interesting to see fissures widening in their partnership. I couldn’t help noticing that the Kingsguard (Queensguard, now, I guess?) have donned black and silver armour since Cersei’s coronation, while Jaime still wears Lannister red and gold. I thought he would have been the first to pledge his sword. More than likely, he needs to be free to deal with one of Cersei’s many threats soon.
And I must say here that while Lena Heady has always been one of the strongest performers in such a packed ensemble show, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has really come into his own in the last few seasons.
Finally, there’s Cersei’s plot to gain the allegiance of Euron Greyjoy. Failing to develop Euron and the Iron Islands is possibly the show’s biggest misstep since that Princess rescue mission turned buddy comedy in Dorne. They had six seasons to get Dany to Westeros, and it happened way too quickly and conveniently. We have no idea who Euron really is, and all we know about the Iron Islanders is that they uncompromisingly take what they want. Except when they want a Queen. They give gifts to Queens when that’s what they want. Anyway, I’m curious as to what this gift will be. A way to stop the dragons? Elaria Sand’s head? Tyrion?
In the Riverlands
Arya single-handedly destroys House Frey. This opening scene is great. It’s purposefully disorienting as it leads to the reveal – I thought it might have been a flashback to how Walder Frey plotted the Red Wedding. I do, however, think it’s a bit of a shame that they’ve rushed their comeuppance. It took two seasons for Robb Stark to fall. It took two scenes for Arya to crush the Freys. And is it me, or have the Faceless Men’s faces started to look a bit too Mission Impossible?
Next – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – she bumps into Ed Sheeran on her way to King’s Landing. Now, I’ve hated the idea of a Sheeran cameo ever since it was announced, because I knew the showrunners wouldn’t be able to restrain themselves. As the show proceeds to suck Ed Sheeran’s dick for four minutes, it seems I was right. Before you get mad, it’s not just because I don’t like Ed Sheeran’s music.
One of the show’s many triumphs is its consistently engaging scene construction. Every scene swiftly establishes purpose, conflict, and builds to a meaningful change. It’s one of the reasons it can juggle so many plotlines and rich characters. Anyway, this artless cameo demonstrates exactly what not to do.
Arya sits down with Lannister soldiers – this should be cause for tension but we feel none. While we should be wondering whether she’s going to kill those men, we’re more distracted by Sheeran’s baby-face that they insisted on putting front-and-centre. And what does the scene accomplish? Well, it humanises a bunch of “enemy” soldiers, but it cuts before we find out how Arya reacts. As it is now, you wouldn’t notice the scene’s absence. Editing 101: Cut anything inessential.
Finally, we check in with Sandor “The Hound” Clegane. Still with the Brotherhood Without Banners, he visits the home he mercilessly robbed in season four. Now he feels bad about it. I have mixed feelings about his return to the show. Great character, but I’m not sure about his whole crisis of conscience. And even more so now considering his religious epiphany. If he plays a very important role in the finale I’ll be upset – sometimes, ‘B’ characters should stay that way.
At the Citadel
In an unexpectedly hilarious scene, Samwell’s fresher year at the Citadel seems to mostly involve serving bowls of slop and washing the slop from chamber pots – with the slop not changing much from entry to exit. I’m not sure why. Isn’t he supposed to be training to be an academic?
Making even less sense is his conversation with Archmaester Jim Broadbent. I like how the Archmaester explains the importance scepticism – a refreshing notion in a world where trial by combat was recently still practiced. But less convincing is his argument that the world will be okay because the world has always been okay. This is something we like to tell ourselves at times like Trump’s inauguration day, but as a rational assertion to make in the face of adversity it’s hopelessly fallacious.
The best moment comes when we see that Jorah Mormont has found his way to the Citadel. This was a neat surprise, and one that makes sense as the Citadel was surely the most logical place for him to go. Will Sam find a cure for greyscale? I’m betting so.
At Dragonstone
This episode marks the moment when Dany finally sets foot on Westeros. Okay, it’s an island, but it’s fitting that she should return to the place of her birth to stage her invasion of the mainland. While it’s a beautiful scene, nothing much of substance happens, only serving to tease us with what we were already excited about. Though, I do like the map motif here – Cersei tramples her people while Dany stands at their side, reaching out and touching them.
Conclusion
Despite the Sheeran misfire and plotlines like the Hound’s and Euron’s making me nervous, I thoroughly enjoyed this opener. Why? Game of Thrones always features an exposition-heavy first episode, burdened with setting up everything to come. This was no different, but makes tons of exciting promises. I’ve never been more eager to see what will happen next, whether that’s Dany waging war or the tragic collapse of some of the show’s greatest relationships.
Speculations? I’m betting that Cersei will blow up the Red Keep before she lets anyone else sit on the Iron Throne.
What did you think of the season premier? Let me know, and check out my review of the next episode, Stormborn.
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