Ah, college. Sam’s Citadel montage in Sunday’s episode was really just a picture of your typical freshman year: studying in beautiful libraries, eating terrible food in the caf ... debating hypotheticals with professors whilst dissecting cadavers.

As is usually the case with “Game of Thrones” premieres, there was exposition galore. As is not usually the case with “Game of Thrones” premieres, though, this one had Ed Sheeran. It was a jarring moment. (Our readers had thoughts — see below.)

It’s one week down and six weeks to go in this abbreviated season. We’ll be with you here, in your inbox, every Tuesday morning, with a few explainers or interviews and links to some of the web’s most interesting “GoT” writing.

via Giphy

(One question: Was that Wun Wun we saw walking with the army of the dead? Because if so, it made me kind of blue.)

See you all next week. I’m off to kill the queen.

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So, Who Exactly Is Euron Greyjoy?

Pilou Asbaek in “Game of Thrones.” Helen Sloan/HBO

Euron Greyjoy is the king of entrances. He announced his presence by tossing his brother (Balon) off a bridge and crashed his niece Yara’s Kingsmoot address. After a long absence, he is being reintroduced as a major player this season. But who is he, really? And where does he fit in?

It can be confusing to track all the houses in Westeros, none more so than Euron’s. When Jaime Lannister refers to the Greyjoys’ “sounding defeat,” he is referring to the original Greyjoy Rebellion, which took place several years after King Robert Baratheon came to power. Believing King Robert’s rule was too insecure to withstand another war, Balon Greyjoy decided that the Iron Islands should break away from the Seven Kingdoms and that the “Old Way” — the Ironborn tradition of being pirates — should be restored.

In pursuit of that end, he sent his brother Euron to launch a surprise attack to burn the Lannister fleet at anchor in the Lannisters’ own harbor. The Siege of Pyke — the Lannisters’ and Baratheons’ response — was a battle many still speak of in awe. (Jaime Lannister and Jory Cassel reminisced about it in Season 1.)

The first Greyjoy Rebellion turned out to be a lost cause. Euron went into exile; Balon’s two eldest sons died; and his youngest son, Theon, was taken away and held hostage. The second Greyjoy rebellion helped fuel the War of the Five Kings, which took up Seasons 2 and 3 of the series, when Balon saw an opportunity to reinstate the Old Way once again. In Season 6, Euron bragged that he’s pillaged and plundered all over the world, “from Oldtown to Qarth.” During a storm on the Jade Sea, Euron lost his mind, and had to be tied to a mast to keep him from jumping overboard. Following the storm, Euron cut out the tongues of his shipmates — because he needed “silence.” (Not coincidentally, the name of his ship, which we see sailing toward King’s Landing).

During his campaign at the Kingsmoot, Euron posited that an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen was in order — but since Yara and Theon took the fleet’s best ships and beat him to the punch, Euron rolled out Plan B: Cersei Lannister. To win Cersei’s trust, he says, he needs “a priceless gift,” and readers of the books by George R.R. Martin have a good guess what that might be. (Click only if you don’t mind spoilers.)

Yara Greyjoy’s alliance with Daenerys Targaryen would mean independence for the Iron Islands, but only if the Ironborn gave up the Old Way — “no more reaving, roving, raiding, or raping.” What does this mean for the Greyjoys? When I spoke to Gemma Whelan, who plays Yara, in Los Angeles recently, she said: “They’re in new territory now, in terms of how they go about their business. And there could be interesting consequences to that.”

Euron Greyjoy’s proposed alliance with Cersei, however, embraces the Old Way. He’s not seeking independence for the Ironborn, but a way to conquer Westeros, even if it means destroying Westeros to do so. Bonus points if he can kill a niece or nephew along the way. — Jennifer Vineyard

Who’s Left on Arya’s Kill List?

Clockwise from top left: Rory McCann, Lena Headey, Richard Dormer, Hafthor Julius Bjornsson, Carice van Houten and Paul Kaye in “Game of Thrones.” HBO

At one point, Joffrey Baratheon and Tywin Lannister were both on Arya Stark’s death list. (If she hadn’t memorized it, think it would look like this?) Those two were handled by others, but a girl still has many people left to slay. Sunday night’s Frey massacre leaves the following people. — Jennifer Vineyard

Cersei Lannister

Arya names the queen as her next target because she believes her to be responsible for Ned Stark’s execution. Cersei is guilty of a lot of crimes, but killing Ned wasn’t one of them.

Ilyn Payne

Her father’s executioner. He hasn’t been seen since Season 2, though. (Also, he was just doing his job?)

Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr

Gendry and Arya escaped King’s Landing together. These members of the Brotherhood Without Banners, seen in this week’s episode, sold off Gendry to ...

Melisandre

She bought Gendry in order to harvest some of his royal blood (he’s one of King Robert’s many bastard sons) for leech-burning, curse-casting purposes.

Sandor ‘the Hound’ Clegane

For killing Mycah, the butcher’s boy, way back in Season 1. A conflicted Arya came close to killing the Hound, at his request, after his fight with Brienne, but instead she chose to leave him for dead. (She doesn’t know he survived.)

Gregor ‘the Mountain’ Clegane

For atrocities committed at Harrenhal, when Arya served as Tywin’s servant. Technically, the Mountain is kind of already dead, having been killed by Oberyn Martell’s poisoned spear and reanimated by Qyburn’s Frankenstein meddling. As is sometimes the case with this show, it’s complicated.

Read These Great ‘Game of Thrones’ Articles From Around the Web

‘Game of Thrones’ Has Become More Empathetic and Complex in Its Final Leg [Vulture]

“Once an engrossing but problematic show that alternately decried brutality and wallowed in it, that simultaneously valorized and exploited its women, ‘Game of Thrones’ has become more empathetic, complex and progressive in its final leg (though its racial politics remain iffy). Indeed, there are times when ‘Thrones’ seems to be subtly apologizing for what it used to be — wondering, like many of its characters, about the point of it all, and waving away simplistic answers.”

‘Game of Thrones’ Gears Up for the Wars Still to Come: A Conversation [The Atlantic]

“The hall scene was mostly serious stuff, but the reveal that young Alys Karstark and Ned Umber were in the room while the Starks debated executing them reminded me of an ‘Arrested Development’-style comic zoom-out.”

Why Bran’s Vision Is More Terrifying Than You Realize, and 11 More Burning Questions [Vanity Fair]

“It’s tempting to imagine that the Bran vision that immediately follows the episode’s opening credits is a glimpse of either the past or the current march of the undead. But as we learned last season when Bran saw Cersei’s wildfire exploding, this kid can also see the future. If you look closely, it looks to me as though the Night King and his crew (including giants!) are marching on green grass that turns to snow as they cross it.”

‘Game of Thrones’ Premiere Actor on His Sexy ‘Douchebag’ Pirate’s Plan [Entertainment Weekly]

“Every scene he’s a new guy. The guy you met on the bridge is not the guy at the Kingsmoot, and is not the guy you see with Cersei and is not the guy you see on the ship. He’s different he’s different with different people.”

Our Readers Had Ed Sheeran Thoughts

The New York Times recaps for “Game of Thrones” have hearty comment sections. This week, here are a few comments from our readers about the episode’s musical cameo.

“While it was a good scene, the Ed Sheeran cameo was the most gratuitous pop singer cameo since Lesley Gore was on ‘Batman.’ ‘Game of Thrones’ doesn’t need such gimmick casting. Let’s hope Pharrell doesn’t show up as an Unsullied later in the season.” — Steve, Eastchester, N.Y.

“Ed Sheeran didn’t throw me off. Just think he looked a bit clean for a soldier on tour of duty. Wish they had made him more filthy so it took longer to realize it was a celebrity cameo.” — H.E. Norman, New York

“Ed Sheeran didn’t take me out of the episode, but the way Arya did the ‘Mission: Impossible’ removal of her Walder Frey mask did.” — David, Albany

“Wouldn’t know Ed Sheeran if the Mountain squeezed his eyeballs out of his head, so it wasn’t a distraction.” — Jsommers, Philadelphia

Read the New York Times Recap

Lena Headey in “Game of Thrones.” Helen Sloan/HBO

If you have designs on a dynasty, the first thing you have to do is get yourself a sweet map.

That was one lesson from the Season 7 premiere of “Game of Thrones,” as the story’s two most powerful queens plotted on opposite sides of Blackwater Bay. But there were others: Shared leadership is best shared out of public view. Be decent to people, lest you later find their skeletons in your closet. The pursuit of knowledge can be a filthy business.

And if your cantankerous uncle unexpectedly invites you to a festive party, with lots of toasting and wine, maybe let him take the first sip. — Jeremy Egner

Read the full recap at The New York Times.