Game of Thrones season 8 episode 1: Winners and losers of “Winterfell”

On Game of Thrones, you’re a winner one week and a loser the next. In the season 8 premiere, some characters hit their stride while others trend downward.

The eighth and final season of Game of Thrones is here and the premiere episode did not disappoint when it came to delivering some highs and lows. There were bittersweet reunions, there were major revelations, and there were even creepy circles of dead limbs — because what’s a Game of Thrones episode without something creepy?

But we’re not here to talk about creepy limbs, at least not entirely. No, we’re here to break down the winners and losers of this week’s premiere episode. Find out which characters and storylines had us grinning from ear to ear this week, as well as who or what had us shaking our heads in fear or disgust.

Winners

(L to R) Maisie Williams as Arya Stark and Kit Harington as Jon Snow – Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO

Arya Stark

This girl is like Oprah handing out reunions in this episode. She reunites with Jon, she reunites with the Hound, she reunites with Gendy — she’s basically got her whole crew back. I would happily watch an entire episode that is just Arya meeting up with old friends.

(L to R) Joe Dempsie as Gendry and Maisie Williams as Arya Stark – Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO

My hope for an Arya/Gendry romance

Their interaction was so cute and flirty! Gendry thinks Arya is pretty and he calls her “m’lady” and is going to make her a cool spear thing. My shipper heart lives! They have the potential to be a real power couple so don’t sleep on these two.

(L to R) Gemma Whelan as Yara Greyjoy and Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy – Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO

The Greyjoys

The Greyjoys are back on top, baby! Yara gains her freedom, Theon reclaims a little bit of his dignity. Even Euron, who we hate, gets some alone time with Cersei. Just try and stop this locomotive of success!

Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister. Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO

Cersei’s sense of cruel irony

Hiring Bronn to kill her brothers with the crossbow that Tyrion used to murder his father, Tywin? Get it, girl — never lose those sharp edges! You may be utterly miserable but that does not mean you don’t still have the power to make everyone else miserable along with you.

Photo: Courtesy of HBO

Whoever is in charge of creative corpse arrangement for the army of the undead

The limbs arranged in a radial pattern? The dead kid at the center? True art. Just because you’re soulless White Walkers doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with it, you know?

Losers

(L to R) Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark and Kit Harington as Jon Snow – Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO

Bran’s social skills

I don’t know what to say, the kid is full on weird and only getting weirder. We get it, you’re the Three-Eyed Raven. But there’s only so long you can sit awkwardly in the Winterfell courtyard before people start trying to avoid you.

Kit Harington as Jon Snow – Photo: Courtesy of HBO

Ghost

Just saying, it seems like Jon is spending a lot of time cheating on him with the dragon and I’m not here for it. #justiceforghost

(L to R) Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen and John Bradley as Samwell Tarly – Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO

Sam Tarly

Forget dragons, Sam has an emotional rollercoaster to ride in this episode.

“Thank you for saving Jorah, don’t worry about the stolen books, also FYI I roasted your dad and brother alive.” Love, Daenerys 

Sam also drew the short straw and had to be the one to tell Jon who his real parents are? Double yikes.

Kit Harington as Jon Snow and Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen – Photo: Courtesy of HBO

Jon Snow

First he has to wade through a mountain of crap from the Northern houses about disloyalty, only to have the atomic bomb of his true parentage dropped on him. It’s the ultimate identity crisis and we all know how much Jon likes to brood, even under the best of circumstances.

Right now, he’s just processing the fact that Ned lied to him. I don’t even want to see what happens when he fully comes to terms with the sexual ramifications of this knowledge.

(L to R) Kristofer Hivju as Tormund and Richard Dormer as Beric Dondarrion – Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO

The God of Death

The only named character to die was little Ned Umber, so there’s no way the God of Death is happy. Which definitely means that the next few episodes are going to be a bloodbath.

Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. 

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