[Review] Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 1 - Winterfell: A Long-Awaited Reunion

Game of Thrones is finally back! The final season, comprising six episodes, premiered this past Monday. I'm sure viewers are eagerly anticipating next Monday and are deeply engrossed in discussing and analyzing the plot with friends.

This season, the production team maintained secrecy by only revealing each episode's title at its premiere. The title of the first episode is "Winterfell," which is precisely where almost the entire story takes place. As soon as the episode aired, the production team presented viewers with a surprise: an opening sequence entirely different from previous seasons. This season's opening begins north of the Wall, symbolizing the route of the Night King, White Walkers, and Wights invading Westeros. In fact, this route only hints at some of the plot for this episode, and even some directions for the rest of the season. Additionally, compared to previous seasons, the new opening sequence shows more detailed locations, including specific places within Winterfell and King's Landing.

With only six episodes this season, viewers might expect a faster pace for each installment. However, the overall tempo of the premiere remained relatively slow, primarily focusing on updating characters' current situations, allowing them to reunite and get into position, setting the stage for the following five episodes. Despite the slower pace, I must commend the production team's ability to handle such a large cast. This season features 22 main actors, 21 of whom appeared in the premiere. I believe only this show could clearly outline the whereabouts of so many characters and balance the storylines of all key players within a fifty-minute episode. The last time this many main characters appeared together was likely the very first episode of the series, and "Winterfell" cleverly mirrors the structure of that premiere. Whether it's Daenerys's (Emilia Clarke) army arriving at Winterfell or Bronn's (Jerome Flynn) later scene in the brothel, echoes of the first season's premiere are everywhere. The very last scene of this episode even directly references the final scene of the first season's premiere, when Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) pushed Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright) from the tower.

Although many scenes in this episode felt familiar, the characters themselves have significantly evolved in personality, ability, and purpose over seven seasons. The reunion between Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) was particularly excellent, showcasing how their already complex relationship has become even more intricate due to their past hardships and turns of fate. Sansa's growth and transformation, in particular, were remarkable. The first forty minutes of this episode were largely dedicated to various character reunions with little significant plot advancement. Fortunately, Samwell (John Bradley) appeared in the final ten minutes, finally moving the plot forward and adding more tension to the episode. Samwell had never met Daenerys before. Given Samwell's timid nature, his meeting with Daenerys should have been quite humorous, but instead, he learns that his father and brother were burned alive by Daenerys, finally revealing emotions rarely seen from him on screen. Daenerys, as a queen, possesses an inherently proud personality, and her friction with Sansa and others is expected. However, as she informs Samwell of the truth, his reaction starkly contrasts with her coldness, making her, dressed in white, seem colder than the snowy North outside.

The subsequent reunion between Samwell and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) was the climax of the entire episode, as Jon finally learns his true identity. Before this scene, the episode deliberately included a sweet moment of Jon Snow and Daenerys riding a dragon together, both emphasizing their intimate relationship and hinting at Jon Snow's true identity. Now that Jon Snow knows his Targaryen lineage and his status as the rightful heir to the throne, this revelation is sure to have a massive impact on their relationship and the power dynamics of all the characters. On another front, Bran, having waited at the Winterfell gates for the entire episode (leading to numerous online memes), finally reunites with his old friend Jaime in the very last scene. Jaime, defying his lover Cersei's objections and threats, travels alone to the North to support Daenerys and others, an inherently noble act. However, his unique past, having killed Daenerys's father and pushed Bran from the tower in the very first episode, suggests he is finally about to face the consequences of his past misdeeds.

Beyond these main storylines, Cersei finally welcomed her Golden Company, though unfortunately without the war elephants she had dreamt of (another of the episode's major jokes). However, what concerns me more are the plotlines of Yara (Gemma Whelan) and Theon (Alfie Allen). After Theon rescued Yara, he decided to travel North to support his Stark siblings, foreshadowing another important reunion. Yara's storyline seems even more crucial: she suggests that if Daenerys cannot hold the North, she might retreat to the Iron Islands. This could hint that Daenerys and her allies might be defeated by the Night King at Winterfell and forced to fall back to the Iron Islands. If this indeed happens, I believe we will soon witness some significant casualties and the departure of several main characters.