It has been over a year since “Game of Thrones” Season 6 wrapped up. (How are we even OK???)
Fans have been patiently waiting for what feels like an eternity for Season 7 to premiere, and now, the day is finally upon us. This Sunday, we will get to start the next season of the HBO series that has captured our attention since 2011, and our chill is as chilly as winter.
To prepare, let us recap the major moments that went down last season, because, let’s face it, it’s been a while and we need to step up our game.
Here are the seven moments from Season 6 you should catch up on before Season 7 premieres this weekend:
1. Tyrion meets Dany’s dragons.
As Tyrion walked down the steps into the dungeon where Rhaegal and Viserion were being kept in Episode 2, freakouts were imminent. But oddly enough, the Lannister was able to pet Dany’s dragons and remove their chains, leading many to believe the theory he is a Targaryen himself could actually be true.
“The next time I have an idea like that, punch me in the face.”
- Tyrion to Varys
2. Jon Snow is resurrected.
Turns out Melisandre is several centuries old, so she clearly has magical powers that exceed even her expectations. After a little convincing from Davos, Melisandre tries her luck at bringing our favorite hero back to life ― and it works.
“I’m not asking the Lord of Light for help, I’m asking the woman who showed me that miracles exist.”
- Davos to Melisandre
3. Hodor holds the door.
In one of the saddest and most confusing moments of the series so far, Bran discovers how Hodor became Hodor while in a past vision of Winterfell.
Although their present-day bodies are in a cave being attacked by an army of wights, Bran and the Three-Eyed Raven (Max von Sydow) are still in a memory of the past when Meera (Ellie Kendrick) calls on Bran to enter the mind of the older, present-day Hodor (Kristian Nairn).
Despite being in a vision, Bran hears Meera and apparently does what she orders. In the present, Meera, Hodor and Bran find a door that leads outside the cave. As she drags Bran away, Meera yells back to Hodor to “hold the door” in order to stall the pursuing wights. But all this time, Bran is still in the past, where Young Hodor, known then as Wylis, somehow seems to notice him ― and Meera yelling “hold the door,” too. Wylis/Young Hodor then appears to have a seizure, and starts saying “hold the door” repeatedly as older Hodor, in the present, is overwhelmed by wights and killed. Eventually, Wylis’ “hold the door” turns into “Hodor,” thus revealing why Hodor only says “Hodor.”
“Hold the door.”
- Young Hodor
In this epic-beyond-proportions battle scene, we think Jon Snow is toast so many times it’s hard to count. First, we figure he’s going to get trampled by horses; then, we think he’ll be sliced and diced by Ramsay’s army; finally, we assume he suffocated under a pile of dead bodies. But thanks to dear old Sansa, Jon and some of his men survive with the help of Little Finger and the Knights of the Vale and defeat Ramsay Bolton’s troops, despite his vicious, clever attack.
Rickon Stark dies. Wun Wun dies. It’s sad.
But hey, Ramsay dies too, at the hands of Sansa, who sics his own starving dogs on him. It’s an incredible moment for her and all the fans who hated Ramsay even more than Joffrey Lannister. (Remember him?)
“Your words will disappear. Your house will disappear. Your name will disappear. All memory of you will disappear.”
- Sansa to Ramsay
5. Cersei blows up the Sept.
(Listen to this while reading.)
The opening sequence of the Season 6 finale felt like its own movie. The music composed by Ramin Djawadi was unlike any score the show had featured, and it set the tone for what would be one of the most destructive and devastating moments in “GoT” history.
Using the wildfire stored under the city, Cersei blows up the Great Sept of Baelor, with Margaery, Loras, the High Sparrow and half of King’s Landing inside. As she looks on, she knows her and Qyburn’s revenge is complete. But what she doesn’t realize is her son Tommen is absolutely devastated by the explosion, and he decides to take his own life.
This leaves no king in King’s Landing, leading Cersei to be named Queen. (Jaime didn’t look necessarily thrilled to discover her on the Iron Throne, we must say.)
“Forget about the bloody gods and listen to what I’m telling you. Cersei understands the consequences of her absence and she’s absent anyway, which means she does not intend to suffer those consequences. The trial can wait. We all need to leave.”
- Margaery to High Sparrow
6. The Tower of Joy proves biggest theory.
Jon Snow’s true parentage is finally revealed as Bran watches his father, Ned Stark, find his aunt Lyanna in the Tower of Joy after she has given birth to Jon. (This, of course, is all shown after the previous scene, when Ned and Howland Reed essentially stab Ser Arthur Dayne in the back.)
Lyanna, bloodied and dying, asks Ned to promise to take care of her baby, since Jon is, in fact, her son with Rhaegar Targaryen. This is why Ned lies to Catelyn, claiming Jon is his bastard son ― to protect Jon from his enemies.
“If Robert finds out he’ll kill him. You know he will. You have to protect him. Promise me, Ned. Promise me.”
- Lyanna to Ned
7. Dany sails toward Westeros.
After being far, far away for many seasons, Dany is returning to Westeros to take back the Iron Throne.
With her comes a lot of people who have their own vendettas against the Lannisters, who currently hold the power: the Greyjoys, the Martells, the Tyrells, Varys, Grey Worm, Missandei and Tyrion Lannister himself. (Oh, and the dragons.)
This should be an epic season filled with battles, deaths and chilly temperatures.
“Winter is here.”
- Everyone
“Game of Thrones” Season 7 debuts on HBO Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.
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