HBO's "Game of Thrones" premiered its shortened seventh season on July 16. With season six reeling in an impressive 7.7 million views on average, the hype for this season, especially after a longer wait than usual, was tremendous to say the least.
Warning: Spoilers below.
Dragonstone
Starting with episode one titled "Dragonstone," "Game of Thrones" entered the season with one of the most exhilarating scenes in the shows history. Arya, disguised as Walder Frey, poisoned the rest of House Frey as she issued a warning to others that she is not to be trifled with.
On her way to King's Landing to kill Cersei, she ran into a group of Lannister soldiers, including a guest appearance from music sensation Ed Sheeran gathered around a fire.
Expecting trouble, Arya was surprised to find the soldiers more than happy to share their food with her as they sang songs and talked about King's Landing. This scene gave a different, more humane perspective to the so called "bad guys" of the show
Speaking of empowering female characters, Daenerys, after six seasons of obstacles, finally made the journey from Essos to Westeros in order to claim the Iron Throne. She, House Tyrell, a majority of the Greyjoy fleet as well as formidable army of Unsullied, Dothraki and Dornishmen reach the shores of Dragonstone, a former Targaryen stronghold on the Eastern Coast of Westeros.
The show is set in the winter, therefore Jon Snow and Sansa Stark worked to gather allies in the north for the imminent war against the Night King. "The Hound," Sandor Clegane traveled north with The Brotherhood Without Banners while Cersei sat on the Iron Throne, searching for allies in order to legitimize her seat as the High Queen of Westeros.
Lastly, Sam, training to be The Maester of the Night's Watch in Oldtown, learned of a mountain of dragon glass located in Dragonstone
Stormborn
Episode one was used mainly to set up new plot lines, so it is not until episode two, "Stormborn," that those plot lines are actually put into action.
Arya, still traveling to King's Landing, changed direction after finding out that Ramsay Bolton had lost control of Winterfell and her half-brother Jon had retaken the seat of House Stark.
This is when everyone finally gets the reunion they have wanted since season one. Arya and her direwolf, Nymeria, came face to face once again in the forrest. This reunion was not a happy one, though, as Nymeria obviously found a new place in life as the leader of a wolf pack and refused Arya's offer to travel home with her.
Daenerys struggled with her group of advisors as she decides whether she should strike on King's Landing immediately, likely killing countless amounts of innocent lives, or play the long game and lay siege to the capital city without the help of her three dragons.
The Jon and Daenerys storylines should finally intertwine in the next couple of episodes as Jon took off towards Dragonstone to meet with Daenerys, who viewers learned is Jon's aunt at the end of season six.
Sam defied the advice of his superiors and began to try and cure Ser Jorah's Dragonscale disease, a heavy risk, as Sam is inexperienced in the controversial medical procedure and could catch Dragonscale himself.
The episode ended in excitement as Euron Greyjoy, in hopes of allying with Cersei and House Lannister, raided a Greyjoy ship allied with Daenerys and killed almost everyone on board including most of the Sand Snakes of Dorne. He also ended up capturing his rebelling niece Yara.
Euron also took Ellaria Sand, the woman who killed Myrcella, Cerisei's daughter, back in season five. Euron likely took Ellaria back to Cersei in King's Landing in order to gain her trust and hopefully a Lannister alliance.
With only five more episodes remaining in season seven, the action, storylines and overall excitement are bound to pick up and give viewers the electrifying thrill they have come to expect since the show premiered in 2011.
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