We’ve lost plenty of our favorite characters over the course of seven seasons of “Game of Thrones,” [PT1] however, that just bonds us more to those who have made it this far. They’ve each gone on their own personal journey to become the men and women who will take part in the final war against the dead, and possibly the final war among the living for the Iron Throne.
So where did we leave them in season seven? Here’s a quick refresher.
The Starks (what’s left of them)
Sansa Stark, Arya Stark and Bran Stark are all safe in Winterfell – for now. Sansa joined Jon first to take back Winterfell from the Boltons, specifically from her most recent husband Ramsey Bolton. This resulted in the Battle of the Bastards – one of the most epic battles in the series – and by the end of it, the Starks were able to hang their house sigil once again. Sansa is currently looking after the place as the Lady of Winterfell while Jon left for Dragonstone.
Bran was the second Stark sibling to knock on the doors of Winterfell after becoming the Three-Eyed Raven beyond the wall. He was escorted back by Meera Reed and welcomed back by his sister, Sansa, but was visibly different now that he has mystical gifts. As the new Three-Eyed Raven, Bran has the ability to see the past, present and future.
Finally, our favorite little assassin, Arya, was the last Stark to join the clan in the North. On her way to King’s Landing to kill Cersei, she caught wind that the Starks had taken back Winterfell from the Boltons and that her brother Jon was ruling as King of the North. Instead of pursuing her mission to cross off the names from her kill list, she decided to return home.
The Lannisters
We last left brother-sister couple Cersei and Jaime Lannister separating ways at King’s Landing after a heated argument. The Lannister twins had just finished hosting a reunion between all the most important players in the race for the Iron Throne. Jon and Daenerys (Dany) had journeyed beyond the wall to bring Cersei a wight [PT2] and ask for a truce on the war between the living so that they can concentrate their forces in the war against the dead. Although Cersei had promised to draw back her forces and send them north to help, Jaime soon found out that she was lying and had actually sent Euron Greyjoy to escort the Golden Company – a fleet of mercenaries – back to Westeros to win her the Iron Throne.
Jaime didn’t agree with this and believed that Lannister forces should be sent to the wall to defend the living. During their disagreement, Cersei had threatened to kill her brother-lover. Calling her bluff, he left King’s Landing to who knows where but we’re all guessing probably North to join the fight.
Tyrion Lannister has been beside the Queen of Dragons for a while now and accompanied her across the sea to Westeros. He also went to King’s Landing for the big (and mostly tense) reunion as the Queen’s Hand. He believes Dany, who saw the White Walkers firsthand when she rescued Jon beyond the wall and believes that there is a real threat to the living. When Cersei first declined Dany’s truce because Jon had refused to be impartial in the war among the living, it was Tyrion who followed his sister into the castle and tried convincing her to draw back her soldiers. Later, we find out that Cersei was lying, but many fan theories suggest that Tyrion is in on this lie and is actually betraying Dany in the process. But we’ll just have to see how that plays out in the final season.
The Targaryens
Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow were on the ship sharing an – ahem – intimate night together with Tyrion staring concerningly at their door. As we found out from Bran’s last minute vision as he met with Sam Tarly at Winterfell, Jon is officially a Targaryen. It turns out Ned Stark’s bastard is the son of Lyanna Stark (Ned’s sister) and Rhaegar Targaryen (Dany’s eldest brother and the heir to the throne after his father the Mad King). Although Rhaegar had previously been married to Elia Martell, he annulled that marriage before secretly marrying Lyanna in a private ceremony, making Jon a legitimate Targaryen. It would also mean that Dany is Jon’s aunt.
