For the most part the second episode of Game of Thrones was what the first episode should have been. We are starting to see the direction certain characters are moving in and the direction is becoming a lot clearer. These kinds of episodes are how seasons should start, and here are the five things I thought stood out most this week:

*Spoilers to follow*

1) The Return of Bran

The best part about this episode is the opener with Bran, which would have been a fantastic season opener. The parallels it has with the first ever episode are uncanny and it even gets viewers up to speed on Lyanna Stark, a character that could prove pivotal in the coming weeks. The reintroduction of Bran is also the perfect palate cleanser for a show that felt like it had stagnated last year. It makes the show feel like it is entering a new stage of its life-cycle, one that may very well be the final stage.

The reintroduction of Bran also carries with it more weight than simply freshness. On a show packed with great characters, Bran has always been the dark horse, and unfortunately, a character who in early seasons bored a number of fans with his plodding plot and wandering. This season is the first time in years that his character has a definitive direction and a possible end-game in sight. The time seems to have finally come that Bran’s story is not the one that people roll their eyes at when he re-appears, and is instead one we look forward to catching up on every week.

2) The Iron Islands

A pleasant surprise comes from a place that has become almost forgotten in the television version of Westeros: The Iron Islands. There’s an impending need for a new king in the homeland of Theon Greyjoy, and soon there will be a lot more impending interest from the fans, as Pilou Asbæk debuts as Euron Greyjoy, a character that oozes charisma in his very first scene, something that bodes well for the Iron Islands’ arc, as the rest of the characters there are so harsh and cold that the story has struggled for any on-screen traction. The potential return of Theon could make this story one of the standouts of the season, as the audience’s conflicted feelings towards the Stark-betrayer will be put to the test. It will be a true testament to the quality of the show if they manage to ultimately redeem Theon Greyjoy.

3) The Releasing of the Dragons

One of the most interesting, and somewhat unexpected turns in the episode comes in the form of Tyrion’s decision to release Daenery’s two remaining dragons from captivity. It’s a bold move for Meereen’s stand-in ruler and one that could throw a spanner in the works this season. One of the problems his arc had last season was predictability. It was clear in the very first episode of season five where he would end up and there were few, if any, surprises in getting there. This development definitely makes Tyrion’s story one of the more intriguing parts of season six. It also improves the Meereen story as a whole. It was starting to feel like Daenery’s would never leave. Now there’s a chance that by the time she gets back to Meereen, the city could be turned to ash.

4) The Demise of Roose Bolton

In one of the stranger moments of the series so far, we are greeted with the demise of one of the least popular characters in the show, Roose Bolton, who departs in an incredibly unsatisfactory way. Most famous for being the man who shivs Robb Stark during the Red Wedding, Roose has had a target on his head from the fans ever since. In an eerie mirror to the iconic Red Wedding, Roose is shived by his son Ramsay and the audience is robbed of their revenge, as the cold realisation that a world without Roose Bolton in it is actually worse than that which preceded it. This is quickly proven true in one of the most horrific scenes in Game of Thrones history, which shows just how depraved Ramsay is. As villainous as Ramsay has always felt, I have always been of the opinion that a large amount of his actions rate highly as the most gratuitous on the show. I get that he is evil. I don’t need to be in the same room as him when he conducts such acts. Sometimes what isn’t seen is scarier than what is.

5) The Rise of Jon Snow

The big moment of this episode comes in the final, albeit predictable conclusion. Is it a satisfactory outcome for the mystery that started in last season’s finale? Yes, but just barely, and it is telling that such an iconic moment comes in so low on my list. In my opinion, the mistake the writers made was having Melisandre show up at the wall at the end of last season. Had they left her whereabouts a mystery, only to have her show up at The Wall during last week’s episode, it would have been a less predictable outcome. Instead, her presence made this moment obvious for most people. Does that make the moment any less sweet? Nope. It was a great moment for the series, and what made it even more special was how closely the final show resembled the moment at the end of the show’s second ever episode, when Bran wakes for the first time since his tower fall. So it was fitting that the shot occurs not just as we welcome back Jon Snow but his younger, suddenly very interesting, sibling to the show as well.

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If you like my review of this week’s Game of Thrones, why not check out my opinion of last week’s episode “The Red Woman” or follow me on twitter. Thanks.