Seven questions fans have after watching the Game of Thrones Season 8 premiere

WARNING! This article contains spoilers!

Game of thrones season 8

by Natalie Higgins |
Updated on

Winter is here! The eagerly anticipated eighth season of Game of Thrones is now in full swing as the first episode aired last night, and we can’t stop thinking about it. Whilst we're no nearer to finding out who will emerge victorious for the famous Iron Throne or who will win the ‘Battle of Winter’ - there was one shocking revelation involving Jon Snow.

Here's everything that has happened in Game of Thrones season eight so far – just to help you get your head around it.

All Game of Thrones fans will agree the two-year wait did not disappoint as ‘Winterfell’ premiered in the UK last night (Monday 15th April). In a nutshell, the season opened with Daenerys riding into Winterfell with Jon Snow and her army (as though she owns the place), followed by a number of character reunions we were desperately hoping to see.

The Stark kids finally got back together again (awwwwww!) Jon Snow was reunited with Arya, Sansa met ex-husband Tyrion, Arya bumped into the Hound and the episode ended on a cliffhanger when Jaime Lannisters face filled with horroras he encountered Bran Stark for the first time since pushing him out of Winterfell’s tower window all the way back in season one.

The North are dealing with the fact that ‘King Jon Snow’ bent the knee. In an epic scene Jon Snow learned to ride one of Daenerys dragons and eventually, thanks to SamwellTarly, discovered his true parentage. Oh... and SamwellTarly learns that Daenerys killed his father and brother in season seven.

Cersei was delighted to find that the undead have breached the wall and are marching south. Tara Greyjoy is still alive, brother Theon comes to rescue her and later goes to fight with the Starks.Tormund Giantsbane is alive but the Night King has bizarrely stapled him to a wall surrounded by limb pieces. There wasn't a great deal of action in the first episode,there was no epic battles or killing off of main characters but fans of the series have been told to expect an explosive final five episodes to come.

How exactly is Jon Snow related to Daenerys Targaryen?

Season seven revealed that ‘King of the North’ Jon Snow is the real son of Rhaegar Targaryen (the son of the Mad King Aerys) and Lyanna Stark. That makes Jon Snow’s new love Daenerys Targaryen his aunt and confirms that he is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. Sansa, Arya, and Bran are actually Jon Snow’s cousins (not half-siblings as we are led to believe).

Why did Winterfell look different?

The Winterfell set recently went through an impressive £1.5m makeover between seasons. Previous episodes had been filmed the National Trust’s site Castleward in Northern Ireland but for the final season HBO decided to build a brand new bespoke set next to the series’ studios in Titanic Quarter Belfast.

What does that White Walker spiral mean?

Towards the end of the first episode we see the most haunting swirl yet: a collection of limbs and poor Ned Umber at the center. This is perhaps a message from the Night King.

Hang on, where did Jon Snow all of a sudden learn to ride a dragon?

Good point. Jon has had two years to practice. After all, he is really a Targaryen, so maybe it comes natural to him.

Was there an Ed Sheeran reference, is Ed ok?

Fans noticed very subtle reference to Ed in the first episode.

“That boy Eddie.”

“The ginger?”“

That’s him. Came back with his face burned right off. He’s got no eyelids now.”“How do you sleep with no eyelids?”

Sadly it looks as though Ed Sheeran who played Eddie - a Lannister soldier - died during season seven’s fiery battle between Daenerys and Jaime’s men.

What’s going on with Cersi’s pregnancy?

Good question. The season eight premiere sends some mixed messages. After Euron Greyjoy, promised he’d put a prince in Cersi, she looked deep in thought teary-eyed before taking a swig of wine.Was Cersei lying to Jaime and Tyrion about the baby just to get the Stark army on her side?

Will Jon and Daenerys ACTUALLY fight over the Iron throne?

There was a lot for poor Jon to take in after learning that his new love is in fact his aunt and he is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.It remains to be seen how ‘The King of the North’ will react to the news..

Gallery

Game of Thrones then vs now slider with cover pic

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Take a trip down memory lane to see how the Game of Thrones cast looked then vs. now...

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Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Season 1

Kit Harington plays the broody Jon Snow - illegitimate son of Ned Stark... Or so we thought. Kit was 25-years-old when he took on the role of Jon Snow, and despite being from London, was able to do a pretty passable Northern accent.

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Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Season 8

Now, Kit is 32-years-old and married to former co-star Rose Leslie, who played the wildling Ygritte - his character's former love. Did anyone else's heart actually break when she died? No? Just us? Sob.

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Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Season 1

Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's Jaime Lannister was a bit of an arrogant weirdo in the first season - not only was he having an affair with his actual twin sister, but he was just an all-round not nice guy.

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Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Season 8

Fast forward to season 8, and fans are seriously conflicted over Jaime. On the one hand, he's still in a relationship with his twin sister. On the other hand, he seems to be a much better person than he was in season 1... Other than that, he's aged like a fine, fine wine.

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Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Season 1

The aforementioned sister of Jaime is an absolute nutcase. In season 1, it seemed as though Cersei was just fiercely determined to stay on the throne and make her father Tywin proud.

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Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Season 8

However, by the time we got to the penultimate season, Cersei has gone a little more mad than before. Probably on account of being locked in a tower for months on end and tortured, before being forced to walk naked through the streets. She looks so normal in real life!

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Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Season 1

Emilia Clarke's character Daenerys Targaryen began life on the show as a meek young girl at her elder brother's beck and call, when Emilia was 25-years-old.

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Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Season 8

However, after much hardship and a lot of learning - as well as a couple of dragons under her belt - Daenerys is now basically taking on the world as she battles for the Iron Throne.

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Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Season 1

Sophie Turner was just 15-years-old when she began starring in Game of Thrones. Her character, Sansa, was quite simply an annoying little girl to begin with, and her obsession with Joffrey was hard to watch.

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Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Season 8

Now 23 - and engaged to none other than Joe Jonas - Sophie has blossomed into a fantastic actress with a lead role in upcoming X-Men films. As Sansa has also been through a pretty rough time, viewers have warmed more to her than before, and she's also a frontrunner in the race for the crown.

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Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Season 1

Sophie's younger on-screen sister Maisie has possibly undergone the biggest transformation - but that's not hard when she started life on the set at the age of just 13!

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Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Season 8

Maisie is now a hugely accomplished actress, and the growth of her character is a testament to how much her skills have come on during her time on the show. Plus, we are loving the pink hair!

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Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Season 1

Singer Lily Allen's brother Alfie has starred as Theon Greyjoy throughout the series. Theon started out as a disillusioned member of the Stark family, having been raised by them after a battle with own family saw him accepted as the Stark's ward.

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Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Season 8

Although he was an arrogant character, he certainly didn't deserve all the torture that befell him thanks to the twisted Ramsay Bolton, played by Iwan Rheon.

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Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), Season 1

Isaac was just 12-years-old when he took on the role of Bran Stark, and whose actions acted as a catalyst for the whole upheaval, really. If he hadn't have been climbing up the tower, he wouldn't have seen Cersei and Jaime together - they wouldn't have pushed him and basically, everything wouldn't have kicked off.

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Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), Season 8

Now, he's 19, and Bran has become the Three-Eyed Raven, shedding his former identity and taking on the role of the all-seeing, all-knowing being. There are even whispers that he might secretly be the Night King somehow, but that remains to be seen.

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Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Season 1

Tyrion started life on the show as a near-alcoholic philanderer with a penchant for visiting brothels. When he was accused of killing his nephew, Joffrey Baratheon, he fled Westeros and was captured by Ser Jorah Mormont.

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Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Season 8

Then, he was taken to Daenerys Targaryen and vowed to assist her on her quest to reclaim the throne, as her father had been the last true king.

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John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Season 1

Samwell Tarly is probably one of the nicest characters on the show, having been taken under the wing of Jon Snow when both boys joined the Night's Watch together.

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John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Season 8

Since then, he's fallen in love with Gilly, become adoptive father to her baby and even killed a White Walker - something unheard of in their time.

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Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Season 2

Melisandre joined the show in Season 2, played by Dutch actress Carice van Houten. The character started on the show utterly convinced that Stannis Baratheon was meant to be king, but after he was killed she became a bit lost.

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Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Season 8

She's now joined the side of Daenerys Targaryen, and is helping her in her fight to return her family's name to the throne.

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Joe Dempsie (Gendry), Season 1

Former Skins actor Joe plays Gendry the blacksmith in Game of Thrones, the secret son of King Robert Baratheon, who was unfortunately killed in the first season.

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Joe Dempsie (Gendry), Season 8

Gendry has been avoiding capture since then, especially with the help of Ser Davos Seaworth, and has now joined Team Targaryen.

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Hannah Murray (Gilly), Season 2

Joe's fellow Skins co-star Hannah Murray is also part of the cast, playing Gilly, daughter and wife of the horrible Craster, who thankfully gets killed. She escapes with her son/brother, and befriends Samwell Tarly.

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Hannah Murray (Gilly), Season 8

Romantic feelings have, of course, developed between Samwell and Gilly, and now they're quite in love and are co-parenting her baby/brother together.

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Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth), Season 2

Gwendoline Christie's character Brienne of Tarth is an absolute icon. Not only does she refuse to be held to anyone else's standards, but she also kicks some serious butt.

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Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth), Season 8

Since her first appearance in Season 2, Brienne has now sworn fealty to Sansa Stark, fallen in love with Jaime Lannister and is also fighting off the advances of wildling Tormund Giantsbane.

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Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Season 3

Former Hollyoaks actress Nathalie Emmanuel has been playing the character of Missandei since 2013. Missandei was originally a slave who acted as a translator for her previous owner, Kraznys, before Daenerys freed her and she chose to serve her instead.

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Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Season 8

Missandei is now Daenerys' most trusted advisor, friend and also a lover of Grey Worm.

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Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm), Season 3

Jacob Anderson plays Grey Worm, captain of the Unsullied army in Game of Thrones, but he also makes music under the name Raleigh Ritchie.

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Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm), Season 8

Grey Worm initially couldn't speak any other language, both has slowly been learning with the help of his now-lover, Missandei and is completely devoted to working for Daenerys.

How many episodes are in season eight?

With just six episodes in season eight, fans can expect a lot of action jam-packed into each thrilling instalment from our favourite remaining characters (RIP to everyone who we’ve lost). However, they're not all roughly an hour like they were before - some of them are feature-length!

Episode one: 54 minutes

Episode two: 58 minutes

Episode three: 82 minutes

Episode four: 78 minutes

Episode five: 80 minutes

Episode six: 80 minutes

After the final season, Game of Thrones will have a whopping 73 episodes for us all to binge over and over again.

How can you watch Game of Thrones in the UK?

You'll be able to watch Game of Thrones on Sky Atlantic, the first episode of season eight aired at 2am on the 15th April 2019. It will also be available on NOW TV.

When does Game of Thrones season 8 air?

The final series airs on Sky Atlantic at 2am (the same time as it airs in the States) and 9pm on Monday 15th April.

What will we do when Game of Thrones ends?

Although fans around the world will be sad that Game of Thrones is coming to an end, it has now been revealed that there will be a two-hour documentary about the series. Due to air just a week after the final episode of the epic TV series, Game of Thrones: The Last Watch, will give fans amazing behind-the-scenes views of the fantastic series.

British filmmaker Jeanie Finlay spent a year on the Game of Thrones set, and will show how the most ambitious season was created. According to HBO, viewers will get to see the cast and crew battling with, 'extreme weather, punishing deadlines and an ever-excited fandom hungry for spoilers.

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