Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 1 Dragonstone Recap

Game of Thrones (2011-)
Season 7 - 7 episodes (2017)

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Created by: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Starring: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Lena Headey, Maisie Williams, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Aidan Gillan, Gwendoline Christie 

Plot: 
HBO's fantasy drama series adapted from George R.R. Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire follows the civil war of kings and usurpers in Westeros who wish to sit on the throne. The scale and scope of the story is staggering, fully realized with a large ensemble cast.

The show is speculated to conclude after thirteen episodes, though it may be broken into two seasons. Season six put all the characters on a course to get back to Westeros for the big fight that's inevitable. You can devise a rough outline of where season seven is headed, though I expect many surprises.

Previously during Season 6
Winter has officially began in Westeros. It's been coming for six seasons!

Sansa and Jon Snow finally reunited, encouraging the North to band together.  In episode 9 he dispatched Ramsey Bolton.
Jon Snow's lineage was revealed, though so far only we and Bran know that. Bran is the new three eyed raven, his training cut short.

I didn't expect Jon Snow to be designated as king of the North. Sansa seemed poised for the honor. She was integral in Jon winning his battle, but when the series concludes, she may hold that honor yet. Jon Snow is a Targaryen after all, but I don't see him holding the iron throne. Peter Baelish still pines for Sansa, pleading to rule by her side. I doubt that will happen.

Arya ended up back in Westeros after a stint training to be an assassin, and she managed revenge for season 4's red wedding. Arya is fueled by vengeance, and she may play a pivotal role in dispatching key figures in the war of kings and queens. That and I doubt the show is done trimming cast. Season six excelled when focusing on a smaller cast. There's still trimming to be done.

Daenerys united the Dothraki by killing the Khals. By the end of season six she has the army, the ships, and was sailing to Westeros with her Hand to the Queen, Tyrion.

Cersei finally sits on the Iron Throne, but she has lost almost everything in the process. She is going to be dangerous in season seven. She and Jamie have only grown apart since the show began. I doubt he'll be happy with her.
Lady Olena Tyrell went to Dorne to forge an alliance and march against Cersei.

What about Euron Greyjoy? I doubt he'll play much of a role. I expect an early exit. The Greyjoy's seem to only get kicked around. Will Euron's dragon horn as described in the books make an appearance?

I do think the Stark children will reunite. Bran has to have a larger role. He knows quite a bit and potentially could know everything. He's going to reveal a few more secrets before he's done, to viewers and characters.

Check out my Game of Thrones season 7 recaps. 

Review: Episode 1 - Dragonstone
Consolidating characters made this season opener feel like less of a clip show. It really drives home how much some characters have changed over the past couple of seasons and their journeys over six seasons. This episode didn't have the big reveal of Jon Snow's fate to tease, but we reached a big milestone. Daeneyrs has finally reached Westeros.

This opens on Walder Frey, and I was wondering how Walder was throwing a party when he bit the dust in season six, but we soon learn that Ayra isn't done yet. She's wreaking havoc and letting everyone know the North remembers. I might have to put my money on her. I'm not sure we've seen one person do so much damage in this show, and she's just warming up. This is her re-introduction to Westeros. She's headed to King's Landing for Cersei. On her way, she runs into Ed Shireen. The pop performer plays a soldier in this episode. I hope this is a one time cameo and GoT doesn't become a continuous wink and nod with guest appearances.

 

Jon is raising the troops, urging them to fight. Men, women, boys, and girls all must fight.
Sansa questions Jon about consequences for treason and rewards for loyalty. Jon tells her he won't strip the Umbers and Karstaks of their ancestral homes for the mistakes of their fathers, which was following the Boltons.
This is the divide between them. Sansa is cold and calculating while Jon is more sympathetic. I can't blame her, but if they can work together they can be a formidable duo.

Baelish is still floating around the wall, pining for Sansa. She know Baelish too well, telling him, "no need to seize the last word, I'll assume it was something clever."

Cersei sends a note to the wall ordering everyone to take a knee. White walkers to the North, Lannister's to the South, Jon and Sansa have their work cut out. Jon isn't concerned with Cersei, but Sansa is.

Cersei is ready to take on everyone. Jamie urges caution. Winter is coming, and without food, they can't feed armies. Jamie states their enemies will band against them because no one wants to fight on the losing side. They need allies Jamie states, and Cersei has just that. She's invited Euron Greyjoy to King's Landing.

Euron wants to wed Cersei, knowing she not just wants, but needs his armada. Cersei refuses as Euron is an oath breaker, but he pledges to bring her a priceless gift to prove his proposal. What might that be? As of yet we don't know.

The white walkers are coming! Well, they've been coming since the show started, but now they're close, really close. That army keeps getting larger, and now they have a giant too.
Meera and Bran have reached the wall, but that's about all we get from them.

Samwell is at the citadel, the lowest man on the ladder as he cleans bed pans and serves food. He wants to access the restricted area of the library to learn about defeating the white walkers, but he can't get permission. He steals a book instead and discovers that Dragonstone is on a mountain of dragon glass.
Jorah Mormont's locked up at the Citadel. Looks like he didn't get over his greyscale.

The hound has teamed up with Thoros, Beric, and the Brotherhood without Banners. Thoros makes Clegane a believer when The Hound sees the dead marching past the Great Wall, a vision beget from the flame.
They happen upon a house the Hound has seen before. He left the father and daughter to die when he and Arya were traveling together. Now he buries the dead, feeling responsible.

Daeneyrs reaches Dragonstone, her rightful home. Stannis left it open, so her army quickly gains a base of operations. She's been waiting for this moment, and finally she returns. The fight is on!

In summary, Daeneyrs is heading for Cersei and King's Landing as is Arya. Jon Snow is preparing to defend the wall with everyone in the North, but it looks like he might be making an expedition to Dragonstone for weapons based on a tip from Samwell. He's going to need Daeneyrs on his side, and at some point his true heritage is bound to come out.
The Hound might be headed to the wall. Euron is headed who knows where