The beginning of the end is here, and you’ll want to bring your furs because things are getting icy cold. The army of the dead is coming from the north, reunions are taking place all over Winterfell, and Cersei is very disappointed in the Golden Company’s lack of elephants. Other than a shrieking undead Ned Umber that scared the living daylights out of me, there are few surprises in this season opener. Instead, we mostly spend our time looking back to the past, reflecting on how far every single character has come, and looking forward to an uncertain future.
‘Winterfell’ circles back to its very first episode as we watch a small boy running around the castle, trying to get a good view of the arriving royal party. Arya’s expression changes several times within about a minute as she watches the entrance of her beloved half-brother, Jon, his suspicious consort, Daenerys, her presumed-dead protector, the Hound, and her old friend, Gendry. This emotional whiplash pretty much sums up the episode, which moves quickly through sentimental character reunions to remind us of every major plot point from the last seven seasons.
Dany and Jon’s brief dragon ride to an isolated waterfall for a canoodling session is very Disney-esque, with some fantastical images and lines feeling a little out of place in Game of Thrones. However, it also acts as a visual throwback to Jon’s own affair with Ygritte back in season 3, and highlights just how much he has matured over these long, cold years.
Also, in a turn of events that has surprised absolutely no one, Dany doesn’t have too many supporters in Winterfell. Sansa and Arya are on the same page here, consistently maintaining their development from last season. Meanwhile, Bran is only popping up to divulge key pieces of information and glare at people from distances. Jon’s submission is seen as a sign of weakness by his followers, but their scorn appears fairly insignificant next to the threat of the White Walkers and wights slowly marching towards Winterfell.
Even Sam’s loyalty to Jon is starting to break after discovering that Dany was responsible for the deaths of his father and brother. This eventuates in another very awkward conversation, in which he reveals to Jon his true parentage and potential claim to the Iron Throne. The pacing and tension that is built in this scene is brilliant, and the added layer of it happening in the Crypts of Winterfell holds a great deal of symbolic significance. Jon is adamant that he doesn’t wish to rule the Seven Kingdoms, but if anything this could be a pretty solid indicator that it may be exactly where he ends up.
Our brief trip down to King’s Landing serves to highlight just how lonely Cersei is, and how empty the Red Keep has become as a result. Qyburn and Euron seem to be her only trusted allies, but even they appear to have ulterior motives and little affection for the Queen herself. The Golden Company has arrived from the Free Cities under Cersei’s command to clean up the remnants of anyone left in the North, which to be honest doesn’t sound like a great long-term plan. We shouldn’t underestimate her though – she is a little bit crazy, but she’s not going to go down without taking a few beloved characters along with her.
Bronn is caught at a crossroads once again, and it is only appropriate that it comes in the middle of his favourite pastime. On one hand there is gold, power, sex, and a big, lovely castle. On the other hand are the lives of friends who he may or may not care for. Game of Thrones has become infamous for its unnecessary sex scenes, but the way this one abruptly ends and segues into a bigger, darker problem perhaps foreshadows Bronn’s eventual decision to reject his hedonistic tendencies.
In the final moments of this episode we get to see Jaime’s arrival at Winterfell, and that moment where he locks eyes with Bran is chilling. This inevitable confrontation won’t be the worst of it though – he will also be facing the daughter of the King who he deposed many years earlier, and the ramifications of his longstanding loyalty to House Lannister.
‘Winterfell’ is a slow episode that is simple in its ambitions, but does a fairly decent job in what it sets out to achieve. Though we haven’t seen any White Walkers yet, the growing dread of their impending carnage is palpable. It was predictable, but there is still a lot going on that suggests the writers are intent on fixing the flaws we saw in season 7. All the major characters are geographically closer than they have ever been before, and this closeness opens up the possibility for some riveting dynamics over the next few episodes. Even if episode 1 was a little lackluster, at least we can have some confidence that things are about to get a lot more exciting from here on in.
