10-Point Game Of Thrones discussion: Season 8 Episode 1 'Winterfell' out, read this if you've watched it

Winter is here. Season 8 of Game of Thrones debuted on Monday morning, right on cue, at 6:30 am IST. Here's a 10-point review of events of first episode.

1. First episodes of Game of Thrones seasons generally follow a 'meet and greet' pattern, attempting to kt up loose ends and setting context for what is to come. In this case, that particular aspect went on overdrive. While re weren't many intense action sequences or startling revelations, it did make clear that niceties in show are dispensed with, years-guarded secrets have been revealed, and all of it pales into insignificance in light of war that is to come. 

But does everyone concur with this? One would think only Jon Sw does.

2. It's impossible to t mention new opening sequence. It h probably been coming for a while w. re was word online about how sun may be blotted out, or that large parts of rth would be frozen, or wall shattered, but it was all presumed to occur on motif of original Game of Thrones intro animation. What fans got inste was a completely new and jaw-dropping opener. re appear to be only three places that matter. Wall which w has a fairly large gate in it, Winterfell - its Wierwood tree, crypts and great hall, and King's Landing. re are or holdfasts but it's t so much about Seven Kingdoms anymore as it is about one king, two queens and house Stark.

3. re are shes of very first episode of Game of Thrones, when King Robert h travelled up rth to get himself a new Hand. Jon and Dany march up toger as y'd planned and just as he'd predicted, rth is skeptical of foreign rulers. skepticism probably turns into downright fear once y see Dragons - y've t seen Whitewalkers yet and so are unlikely to think that army of living is lesser of two evils. What's more intriguing, however, is how Stark siblings greeted ir new Queen. Which brings us to...

4. Dany's welcome to Winterfell was frosty in more ways than one, and one can't even say she didn't try. sneer on Sansa's face was visible from a mile off and Targaryen queen was clearly signed by simultaneous imperiousness and emptiness of Ly of Winterfell's 'Winterfell is yours your grace'. 

Bran, on or hand, would have me his mark in ar manner, to both Dany and Jon. It is unkwn what kwledge y h about fate of Viserion but if y were surprised that he's w Night King's steed, y didn't give it away. Perhaps y expected worst. Still, Jon and Bran haven't talked strategy yet. It remains to be seen what Jon makes of Three-eyed raven.

5. Has Arya changed at all in last seven seasons? It's almost deja-vu. Her t meeting Dany was big miss of first episode, and it'll be interesting to see what happens when y do. With Arya, looks are always deceptive. Neir Dany or Jon kw she's a Faceless Man, or that she has prowess with her Needle and Valyrian steel dagger that y kw t. Still, she's met some of ors, Hound included, and also h a brief 'sparks flew' moment with Gendry. What does she want him to make for her?

6. Furr South, re's a perving air of loneliness. Cersei has Qyburne and Mountain, and y're hardly a can of laughs. splendour of Great Keep's great hall is somewhat lessened and Golden company doesn't seem golden eugh to brighten things up. But Cersei has a plan, that's for sure. She's taken Euron as her consort - and he doesn't kw she's alrey pregnant. 

7. Perhaps one thing that happened that may quantify as jumping shark a bit is Jon riding Rhaegal, and it's a big deal. Dragons are picky about who y let on ir backs - that much was me clear even in this episode. And it was a fairly big concession by Dany to let him do it, 'love' possibly having as much to do with it as ir alliance and war to come. re was also a 'Jon and Ygritte in a cave' sort of moment between m when Dany said y could be at picturesque waterfall for a thousand years. He probably ticed.

8. It was meant to be a gracious friendly meeting, but when you find out you killed Samwell Tarly's far and bror in exchange for him saving your friend Jorah from certain death, things have possibility of turning awkward. She was forthright, he was in tears. But he's t asking Jon to lop off her he and that's just a sign of what Sam's like/how poor ir combined situation is at moment.

9. Sam-Jon meeting in crypts and Jon-Sansa meeting in her chambers are very revealing. Jon has a decision - should he spill beans on his newfound herit and bring himself and Dany out of ir temporary honeymoon? He loves her, that much is mostly clear, but does he do so recklessly? Will he tell her? How will she take it?

10. Up rth, it's just good to see defenders of Wall alive. y're w at Last Hearth while Whitewalker Army is between re and Winterfell. Surely y're only talking about doubling up on horses to make it to Stark stronghold because y have numbers that could make a difference. Right?

(11. What's money on episode two starting with a profuse apology from Jaime to Bran and Bran turning it down and telling him that it was all pre-ordained? We'll find out in a week.)