After a 20-month hiatus, "Game of Thrones" is finally back with what's probably the best season premiere the show's had since the pilot. This episode, appropriately titled "Winterfell," was, as you might have guessed, all about the reunions and setting the stage for greater things to come. However, it also featured plenty of Easter eggs, hidden references, and callbacks to earlier seasons you easily could have missed on your first watch. So, without further ado, let's take a look at the most interesting details I found. Spoilers will follow.
The new intro sequence hints at the Night King's whereabouts
The blue tiles on the map represent the lands that the White Walkers have conquered. Last Hearth, the seat of House Umber, is the first castle South of the Wall to fall, as seen near the end of the episode.
— Game of Thrones Season 8 theories (@GOTS8theories) 15. април 2019.
The Citadel chandeliers now depict the most recent events in the story such as the Night King breaching the Wall
This emblem depicts the last scene of "Game of Thrones" Season 7. You can see the Night King on Viserion as he breaches the Wall at Eastwatch with the Army of the Dead in the lower right corner, and Bran's ravens on the right.
— Game of Thrones Season 8 theories (@GOTS8theories) 15. април 2019.
The symbolic representation of the most brutal event in 'Game of Thrones' history - 'The Red Wedding'
On the left, The Lannister lion holds the Tully fish in its jaws, while on the right a flayed man of House Bolton holds up wolf's head (Roose Bolton and Robb Stark). At the center, you can see a dead wolf (Catelyn Stark) hanging from the Twins.
— Game of Thrones Season 8 theories (@GOTS8theories) 15. април 2019.
Four dragons and the red comet
And while this motif could be a hint that another dragon will be introduced, it's far more likely that it represents Daenerys (the big dragon) and the birth of her three dragons along with the red comet that appeared in the sky when they were born. You can also see the Dothraki horses in the lower left corner.
— Game of Thrones Season 8 theories (@GOTS8theories) 15. април 2019.
Ned Stark to Jon Snow in Season 1, episode 2: 'Next time we see each other, we'll talk about your mother'.
Jon Snow finds out about his mother in front of Ned's statue in the Crypts of Winterfell
Arya Stark and her new weapon
It won't be long until Gendry forges Arya a new weapon - a dragonglass spear.
— Game of Thrones Season 8 theories (@GOTS8theories) 15. април 2019.
Cersei drinking wine
This could be a hint that she already lost her baby.
— Game of Thrones Season 8 theories (@GOTS8theories) 15. април 2019.
Did Daenerys just doom herself in one sentence?
This is hardly a moment you missed, but it could be the foreshadowing of Daenerys' fate.
— Game of Thrones Season 8 theories (@GOTS8theories) 15. април 2019.
The fate of Ed Sheeran's character
There was a reference to what happened to Ed Sheeran's character. The screenshot was taken from the singer's Instagram stories.
ed via instagram stories:" obrigado game of thrones, eu sabia que era um sobrevivente x" pic.twitter.com/7x4hWuyAQw
— Ed Sheeran - Fan Account 🇧🇷 (@edchup) 15. април 2019.
Interesting parallels between this episode and the pilot
As you can see below, Season 8 premiere featured plenty of callbacks to the show's pilot.
— Game of Thrones Season 8 theories (@GOTS8theories) 15. април 2019.
