Game of Thrones review: Season eight, episode one

If you could only choose one word to define the episode then ‘reunion’ would certainly be it as Daenerys' decision to head north was always going to lead to some interesting conversations between familiar friends and enemies alike.

The overtly-flirty encounter between Arya and Gendry was a joy to watch - the last surviving member of House Baratheon did say that he'd make her his lady when they last saw each other - but this was one of the few meetings that you would actually say was 'warm.'

Honestly, there was a frosty chill throughout the episode that even the Night King would have been proud of.

After Jon decided to bend the knee to Daenerys, it’s clear that Sansa is still thinking that her opinion is being ignored and overlooked. The looks that the Lady of Winterfell was giving the Mother of Dragons could bend Valyrian steel and their relationship really hasn't started well.

Add in another memorable scolding from the always brilliant Lyanna Mormont and it’s clear that Jon Snow has some problems with the Northern houses. 

After all, what’s Game of Thrones without some potential deceit and treachery?

In terms of the Stark reunions, it’s reassuring to see that Bran/the Three-Eyed Raven continues to be the omniscient wet blanket that puts a downer on everything, but we defy anyone to not get emotional after seeing the embrace between Jon and Arya. 

We especially loved Arya’s remark that she may have used Needle ‘once or twice’. Fans with a good memory will know that Jon gave the sword to Arya before he left for the Night’s Watch and that hug between them could bring a tear to the eye of a White Walker.

Tyrion's verbals with Varys about his lack of balls felt familiar but the dynamic that the youngest Lannister has with his former wife, Sansa, has completely changed. 

Sansa knew that Cersei was going to break her promise to send troops north before even Tyrion did. Who’s naive now?

While it’s nice to see Sansa continuing her upward curve as an intelligent and experienced player in the game of thrones, that scene did highlight the fact that Tyrion’s key strengths are really diminishing. If Sansa can read Cersei’s mind better than Tyrion, can he still claim to be the smartest man in the realm?

Speaking of the Queen, even the lack of elephants didn’t dampen her mood after Euron Greyjoy arrived back to King's Landing with The Golden Company and while the King of the Iron Islands finally managed to get into Cersei's bed, the night was bittersweet for the Queen of the Andals and the First Men.

We’ve a strong feeling that she may have lost another child because as she sipped on her wine, that little look to the camera was very telling.

As for Euron’s niece, the rescue of Yara felt a bit rushed to us, as did The Hound's meeting with Arya. Sandor Clegane has rarely been a man of few words but given the sheer amount of scenes that these two shared in the previous seasons, their reunion could have had a much bigger impact. 

In terms of massive moments, Jon finally embracing his Targaryen lineage is what this episode was really about and it's impossible not to get a kick out of the moment when he finally got to fly on the back of Rhaegal.

Granted, this massive moment was only done so Westeros' most powerful couple could get some peace and quiet for a quick shift, but it was still very cool to see. You know, as cool as it is seeing an aunt kiss her nephew? That conversation in the next episode is going to be very interesting.

Anyway, this sequence near the waterfall was really an appetiser for what’s to come and the revelation of Jon's true lineage .

For seven seasons, fans of the show have been absolutely hooked on the mystery of Jon Snow's parentage and while Kit Harington played the scene perfectly, he has John Bradley to thank for elevating it to another level.

Sam cured Jorah. Jorah's fiercely loyal to Daenerys. Dany burned Sam’s father and brother alive. 

That particular meeting was always going to be interesting but Bradley's ability to switch between apathy, sadness, anger, and stoicism really pulled it all together.

Ultimately, Sam didn't let his own personal issues get in the way of the bigger picture. Despite hearing the horrific news about his family, Sam remained true to his friend because his grief seems inconsequential to this massive revelation that's bound to change the entire landscape of Game of Thrones.

Jon now knows that he's the rightful heir to the Iron Throne and that news was delivered in a way that seemed fitting for both characters. Direct, honest, and sincere.

Additional notes

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