At times, it’s difficult to fathom that so many of our characters are finally together in one place. While Daenerys completed her six year journey from Essos back to Westeros at the beginning of Season 7, she spent much of the time sequestered away at Dragonstone, still an arm’s-length away from most of the principal players. Watching her walk through Winterfell is a strange sight, and an effective visual representation of the work cut out for her in gaining the North’s trust. Much of the politicking in “Winterfell” touches upon this enmity, as those who bent the knee to Jon Snow see him as tossing away his crown for a queen they only know as The Mad King’s daughter. Perhaps Davos Seaworth puts it best in his walk-and-talk with Tyrion, “The Northmen are loyal to Jon Snow, not to her. They don’t know her. The Freefolk don’t know her. I’ve been up here awhile, and they’re stubborn as goats. You want their loyalty? You’ll have to earn it.” Daenerys, however, pretty much does nothing throughout the course of the episode to instill any kind of fealty from her new subjects. I’m not sure if she’s purposefully written this way, but Daenerys often sabotages her parlays with hard-nosed one-liners. When Sansa brings up the deadly-serious issue of food shortage, she asks, “What do Dragons eat, anyway?” Daenerys retorts, “Whatever they want.” It’s a cute remark in a meme-ready package, but it’s an egregiously awful answer in front of an audience you’re trying to win over. Is Dany really that inept of a regent, or are the writers making a sacrifice for another water-cooler quote? I genuinely don’t know. But what I do know is that Emilia Clarke and Sophie Turner play well off of each other, both concealing their bubbling mistrust under a thin layer of cautious optimism.

“Winterfell” is also a huge episode for reunions, many of them revolving around Arya Stark. What could have come across as a rote checking of boxes is instead quite delightful - a testament to Maisie Williams as she plays up different aspects of Arya’s personality depending on her screen partner. Her long-awaited reunion with Jon is particularly fun, with the former King in the North completely oblivious to what her little sister has been up to all these years. Shocked that she still has Needle in her possession, he asks, “Have you ever used it?” Arya drily replies, “Once or twice.” As a key player divorced from the main action for so long, it’s satisfying to see Arya reconnect with those who’ve shaped what she’s become. Whether it’s her awkward tenderness with Gendry or her begrudging friendship with the Hound, it’s nice to see reminders of how far she’s come. And Arya isn’t the only one to have highly anticipated reunions; elsewhere in the episode, Sansa shares a tense moment with her former husband Tyrion, throwing him a little shade: “I used to think you were the cleverest man alive.” Elsewhere, Bran continues to stick to his robot Three-Eyed Raven schtick, showing no emotion whatsoever when reunited with Jon.

With an anxious Jon riding the dragon Rhaegal for the first time, the episode’s big setpiece was also a great reminder of when Game of Thrones used to allow its material to breathe. Fun and exhilarating, the scene didn’t really serve a huge narrative purpose, but it did play up Jon and Dany’s budding romance and serve as a meaningful character beat. However, I’m still keeping their romantic relationship at arm’s length, if for no reason other than its skin-crawling incest vibes. Going into “Winterfell,” I was also a little concerned that Sam and Bran, who deduced Jon’s true lineage at the end of last season, would keep him in the dark for a few more episodes even when the show’s economy really can’t afford it, but I was pleasantly surprised when Sam came out with the truth towards the end of the episode. I will echo Myles McNutt over at A.V. Club, though, in saying that the show’s added little wrinkle does next to nothing for me: “Sam presents Jon with no evidence, first and foremost, and he also is clearly telling Jon as a weapon against Daenerys after learning she wiped the men of his house off the map…once more extending the show’s effort to keep the plain truth book readers have been taking as fact since the series began from being accepted by the show’s characters.”