The final season of HBO’s Game of Thrones continues Sunday night with the second of six epic episodes that will close out the popular series.
A record 17.4 million viewers tuned in to last week’s Season 8 premiere episode, up 1 million from the Season 7 premiere episode from the spring of 2017.
HBO released a teaser for Sunday night episode last week, which begins with a meeting fans have waited the entire series for – Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) finally coming face to face with the man who killed her father, ‘The Mad King’ Aerys Targaryen, Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), which is the scene that kicks off tonight’s episode.
While the bulk of Sunday night’s episode was devoted to showing the denizens of Winterfell preparing for the war to come, the big moment of the second episode came at the end.
After finding out he has Stark and Targaryen blood coursing through his veins in the Season 8 premiere, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) finally told Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) his true heritage, that he is the true heir to the Iron Throne… which Dany doesn’t react well to, threatening this alliance and possibly the fate of Westeros.
Meeting father’s killer: HBO released a teaser for Sunday night episode last week, which begins with a meeting fans have waited the entire series for – Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) finally coming face to face with the man who killed her father, ‘The Mad King’ Aerys Targaryen, Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)
Father’s killer: Daenerys mentioned in the trailer that, when she was a child, her brother used to tell her ‘bedtime stories about the man who murdered our father, and all the things we would do to that man’
The episode begins with Jaime Lannister’s meeting with Daenerys, with Jaime clearly worried about her words, before Dany says his sister promised to send her army north, but she lied.
Jaime tells her that Cersei brought The Golden Army, which will be more than enough to destroy them, when Tyrion steps up to defend his brother.
Sansa agrees with Dany, saying he’s not to be trusted, but Jaime refused to apologize, when Bran utters the line Jaime said when he pushed Bran out of a window in Season 1 – ‘The things I do for love.’
Jaime says he’s here because they need to survive, when Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) comes to his defense, telling everyone he lost his hand while pledging his allegiance to her.
Sansa says she trusts her life with Brienne, and if she wants him to stay, she thinks he should.
When Dany asks what Jon Snow thinks, he says they need every man they can get, so Dany agrees to let him stay, when Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) gives him his sword back.
Dany: The episode begins with Jaime Lannister’s meeting with Daenerys, with Jaime clearly worried about her words, before Dany says his sister promised to send her army north, but she lied
Daenerys is furious with Tyrion for all of this, as he thinks he won’t be Hand of the King before this is all over.
Arya (Maisie Williams) goes to visit Gendry, asking if he has her weapon ready yet, but he hasn’t started it yet.
Arya wants to know what it was like to fight the White Walkers, and he said fighting them was like fighting death itself, when Arya tells him that she knows death has many faces, and she looks forward too seeing that one.
She then impresses him by throwing three knives into the same spot in a wall, before demanding her weapon be ready soon, and he promises to get on it right away.
Outside of Winterfell, by the Weirwood Tree, Jaime Lannister apologizes for pushing him out of that tower, but he says that he’s not even Bran Stark anymore.
Bran/The Three Eyed Raven says they wouldn’t let him help with this fight if he was murdered, which is why he didn’t tell them about his affair with Cersei.
Jaime then reunites again with Tyrion, as some Winterfell soldiers spit on them. Jaime asks how they feel about her new queen, and they aren’t happy, but Tyrion says they’ll come around when they see how different she is.
Tyrion asks if Cersei having the baby was a lie, but he said that part was true. When Jaime says she fooled him more than anyone, Tyrion adds that Jaime always knew who she was and he loved her anyway.
Furious: Daenerys is furious with Tyrion for all of this, as he thinks he won’t be Hand of the King before this is all over
Tyrion adds he’s disappointed that he’s going to die in Winterfell, but he’s glad that Cersei won’t get to kill her, but Jaime trails off to watch Brienne of Tarth from afar.
Jaime arrives when Brienne watches Podrick (Daniel Portman) training another soldier, showing much improvement over the past few years.
Brienne asks what’s really going on, since they’ve never had a conversation that long without him insulting her. He tells her he’s come to Winterfell because he’s not the fighter he used to be, ‘but I’d be honored to serve under your command, if you’ll have me.’
A clearly moved Brienne ponders this as she tells him she has to get back and moves on.
Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) comes to see his Khaleesi, telling her that it broke his heart that she named Tyrion the Hand of the Queen, but he understands why.
Jorah is advising her to forgive the man who took his position, with one other suggestion.
Daenerys then comes to see Lady Sansa, while she’s in a meeting with Yohn Royce (Rupert Vansittart), stating she thought they were on the verge of agreement in regards to Jaime.
Daenerys says that she never should have trusted Cersei, and Sansa responds she shouldn’t have either, but Daenerys finds common ground since they are both women who rule in spite of what men want.
Jaime: Sansa agrees with Dany, saying he’s not to be trusted, but Jaime refused to apologize, when Bran utters the line Jaime said when he pushed Bran out of a window in Season 1 – ‘The things I do for love’
Sansa says that Jon loves her and that men do stupid things for women, they’re easily manipulated. Dany says that her war was against the men who took the Iron Throne from her family… until she met Jon.
Now she’s fighting his war, instead of taking the Iron Throne, as Sansa starts warming to Dany, who says she’s there because she loves her brother.
She says Jon is only the second man she’s loved, and when Sansa asks who the first was, Dany jokes and says ‘Someone taller,’ referring to Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa).
Dany says that when it’s all over, she’ll take the Iron Throne, but Sansa wants to know what will happen to the North when it’s all over… when Dany starts cooling towards Sansa, but there’s another interruption.
Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) returns, saying his sister is returning to the Iron Islands, to take them back in her name. He tells Sansa he has returned to fight for her name, if she’ll have him, as she runs to him and they embrace.
Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) serves food to Winterfell men, who tell him they’re not soldiers, something Davos knows plenty about. He tells them if they can get through this fight, they can get through anything.
A young girl holds out a bowl and asks which way she should go, saying she wants to fight too because both her brothers are soldiers.
Gilly (Hannah Murray) says she’d feel better if the little girl would help defend the crypt with her, as Gilly and Davos share a look, when an alarm sounds and Jon Snow comes out to find Dolorous Edd (Ben Crompton), Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) and Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer).
They tell Jon that whoever is not in Winterfell, is with the Dead, telling Jon that they only have until the sun comes up tomorrow, before asking if ‘the big woman’ is still here, referring to Brienne.
Jon tells a collective of leaders that their best shot is to go after The Night King, which could mean that the rest of his army will die with him.
The Three Eyed Raven speaks up and says he would expose himself to get The Three Eyed Raven, since he has tried before, with other Three Eyed Ravens.
The Raven says his mark is on him and he will always find him, saying he will wait in the woods, with Theon saying he’ll stay with Bran, saying he took the castle from him, and now he wants to defend him.
Davos says he’ll hold off the rest of them, but Tyrion wants to join them, but Dany wants her in the crypt, saying she’ll need his mind.
Tyrion says Bran has had a strange journey and he’d like to hear about it, saying they’re in a dark castle with nowhere to go.
Grey Worm: Outside of Winterfell, Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) tries to interact with some young Northern children, but they go away, when Grey Worm comes to find her.
Outside of Winterfell, Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) tries to interact with some young Northern children, but they go away, when Grey Worm comes to find her.
Grey Worm is worried there will be no place for them once the Queen wins the war, with Missandei saying she would like to see the beaches again, and Grey Worm wants to take her there.
Grey Worm says his unsullied warriors will protect her on their journey, once this war is over.
At night, Samwell (John Bradley) asks if Jon has told Daenerys about his true heritage yet, but he hasn’t, as Jon says Sam can join Gilly and Little Sam in the Crypt, but this annoys Sam.
Sam reminds them that he was the first man ever to kill a White Walker, and he’s fully capable of fighting, with Edd joking that if Samwell Tarly is a fighter and a lover, it’s a sign the world is about to end.
While the trailer doesn’t show anything more from Daenerys’ interaction with Jaime, he certainly seems nervous, for good reason.
Tyrion is drinking with Jaime, telling his brother that he wishes his father was here, knowing that his two sons were going to be defending Winterfell.
Jaime says his Golden Lion days are done but his whore-mongering days can still continue, but Tyrion says they are done, hinting that he really has changed.
They are interrupted by Brienne and Podrick, who are looking for a place to get warm, when they’re joined by Davos and Tormund, who continues flirting with Brienne.
He says his name is Giantsbane because he killed a giant when he was 10, then he climbed into bed with his wife, and she suckled him at her teet for three months.
‘That’s how I got so strong, giant’s milk,’ he says, before chugging a horn of his own liquor, as Davos relents and grabs a drink himself.
Arya goes outside to find The Hound, who hands her a flask as she sits down next to him, silent, as The Hound saying she never used to shut up and now she’s just a mute, with Arya saying she’s changed.
Arya asks when the last time he fought for anyone but himself, and he says he fought for her, when they are joined by Beric, who Arya says was on his list for ‘a little bit.’
The Hound warns Beric to dispense with the sermon about the Lord Of Light, saying he’ll throw him over the wall, when Arya leaves, saying she’s not spending her final hours with, ‘you two miserable s**ts.’
Arya goes to practice her archery skills when Gendry finds her with the special weapon she requested, which she said, ‘This will work.’
Arya asks what the ‘red woman’ wanted with her, which he said was for her blood, for some kind of spell. He tells her that he was one of Robert Baratheon’s bastards.
She asks if that was his first time with a woman, which makes Gendry uncomfortable, as she presses him on how many women he’s been with… as he says he didn’t keep count… but she says he did, and he says three.
Arya says they’re going to die soon and she wants to know what it’s like before she dies, as she starts kissing him and taking off his clothes.
She tosses him him on a few sacks, as he sees her scars from years of battle, before they make love.
Back inside, Tyrion mentions that everyone here has fought the Starks at one time, and now they’re there together, with Brienne saying, ‘At least we’ll die with honor.’
Tyrion says he thinks they might live, which causes a few to laugh, but Tyrion starts running down their stats, the battles they’ve survived.
Tormund is surprised that Brienne isn’t a knight, with Brienne saying it’s tradition, with Jaime saying that any knight can make another knight, and he proves it, telling Lady Brienne to kneel, which she does as the Kingslayer makes her a knight as the rest circle around her.
‘In the name of the warrior, I charge you to be brave. In the name of the father, I charge you to be just. In the name of the mother, I charge you to defend the innocent,’ Jaime says.
‘Arise, Brienne of Tarth. A knight of the Seven Kingdoms,’ Jaime says, as the rest in the room applaud, as Brienne smiles as widely as she ever has in the show’s history.
Samwell comes outside to find Jorah Mormont trying to convince Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey) not to join the fight, but he’s not quite successful.
Samwell gives him the sword known as Heartsbane, which he gives to Jorah, telling him that his father taught him to do what’s right, and he’d be honored if he took it.
Jorah examines the blade, stating, ‘I’ll wield it in his memory, to guard the realms of men,’ as Samwell says he’ll see him when it’s through, adding, ‘I hope we win.’
Jaime thinks they should get some rest, as Tyrion hopes to continue the party with a song, asking if anyone knows one, but no one will oblige him, except Podrick.
As Podrick sings, Sansa reunites with Theon, Arya lies in bed awake while Gendry sleeps, and Missandei kisses Grey Worm as he leaves with his regiment of soldiers.
In the Crypt, Jon Snow is staring at the statue of Lyanna Stark, when Daenerys comes to visit him, when Jon Snow finally tells her the truth.
Jon tells Daenerys that her brother Rhaegar didn’t rape Lyanna, he loved her.
‘As she bled to death on her birthing bed, she gave the child to her brother, Ned Stark, to raise as his bastard. My name, my real name, is Aegon Targaryen,’ Snow says.
‘That’s impossible,’ Dany says, asking who told him. He says that Bran told her and Samwell confirmed it, but Dany finds it hard to believe.
‘It’s true, Dany. I know it is,’ he says.
‘It would make you the last male heir. You’d have a claim to the Iron Throne,’ Dany says angrily, before an alarm sounds.
They go outside and take a glance out from the ramparts before returning back inside.
The episode ends as The Night King, on horseback, with an icy spear, approaches the castle at Winterfell.
The preview for next week’s episode shows the Unsullied getting ready for war, with Jon Snow saying, ‘The Night King is coming,’ as an angry Dany says, ‘The dead are already here.’
Towards the end of the Season 8 premiere episode, Jaime was seen arriving in Winterfell, after leaving King’s Landing in the Season 7 finale, abandoning his sister, Queen Cersei (Lena Headey).
While his intentions in Winterfell remain unclear, it seems likely that he plans to align himself with the Mother of Dragons, though in the premiere’s final scene, he sees Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright), now known as The Three-Eyed Raven.
Bran: While his intentions in Winterfell remain unclear, it seems likely that he plans to align himself with the Mother of Dragons, though in the premiere’s final scene, he sees Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright), now known as The Three-Eyed Raven
In the pilot episode of Game of Thrones, Jaime pushed young Bran out of a tower in Winterfell, after he watched him engage in his incestuous affair with his sister Cersei.
Bran did not die from the fall, but he was crippled for life, which ultimately put him on the path to become the Three Eyed Raven.
The teaser also showed a scene between Daenerys and Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), with Daenerys telling Sansa that she shouldn’t have trusted Cersei, with Sansa retorting that she shouldn’t have either.
Dany: The teaser also showed a scene between Daenerys and Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), with Daenerys telling Sansa that she shouldn’t have trusted Cersei, with Sansa retorting that she shouldn’t have either
Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) is also heard saying that ‘death has many faces, I look forward to seeing this one,’ but it is not clear what face Arya is referring to.
Jon Snow is also seen reuniting with the wildling warrior Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju), with Jon asking how much time they have.
‘Before the sun comes up tomorrow,’ Tormund says, teasing that an attack on Winterfell by the Night King is imminent.
Jon: Jon Snow is also seen reuniting with the wildling warrior Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju), with Jon asking how much time they have
Attack: ‘Before the sun comes up tomorrow,’ Tormund says, teasing that an attack on Winterfell by the Night King is imminent
In the Season 7 finale, The Night King used his undead dragon Viserion to destroy The Wall at Eastwatch, allowing him and his undead army into Westeros.
With The Night King and his army marching south through Westeros, it seems likely Winterfell could be their first primary target.
Game of Thrones’ six-episode final season airs Sunday nights at 9 PM on HBO.
Army: In the Season 7 finale, The Night King used his undead dragon Viserion to destroy The Wall at Eastwatch, allowing him and his undead army into Westeros
Winterfell: With The Night King and his army marching south through Westeros, it seems likely Winterfell could be their first primary target
