Winter has finally come on Game of Thrones.

The White Walkers have broken through The Wall with a dragon under their command, and Westeros’s fate rests in the hands of a Stark bastard, a heavy drinking dwarf, a faceless girl, a red-headed schemer, a boy-turned-Raven, and the Mother of Dragons.

Game of Thrones‘s eighth and final season looks set to be an epic sprint to the end of George RR Martin’s gigantic tale of kings, queens and paupers.

So, what do we know about the upcoming season? Look no further, as The Independent has put together a comprehensive list of everything we currently know about season eight, from new cast members and story speculation to air dates and how to watch.

Release date and how to watch

Game of Thrones returns on 14 April.

HBO teased the official release on multiple occasions before announcing the actual date, first confirming that Game of Thrones would return in the ‘first half’ of 2019 last year, then narrowing that down to April 2019 a few months later. The network narrowed that down further to April soon after, only officially announcing the 14 April date with an extended teaser.

Maisie Williams – who plays Arya – previously let slip that the “our first episode [will air] in April”. Viewers in the US can watch on HBO. Sky Atlantic and NOW TV will simulcast every episode in the UK. You will also be able to stream each episode via NOW TV.

Game of Thrones - every episode ranked Show all 73 1 /73 Game of Thrones - every episode ranked Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 73. Season seven, episode five: Eastwatch There has to be a loser. ‘Eastwatch’ throws away one of the most important pieces of information in the whole show, Jon’s true parentage, as well as lots of good reunions. It’s the clearest example of how rushed the show has become in recent years, as its unpredictability gives way to conventional plot. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 72. Season four, episode three: Breaker of Chains Jaime appears to rape Cersei next to Joffrey’s corpse. The scene is confused, unpleasant and different from the books in confusing and unhelpful ways. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 71. Season five, episode six: Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken The Sand Snakes are just unbearably naff and this is one of their worst. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 70. Season four, episode four: Oathkeeper At Craster’s Keep, much rape and murder of children. Unpleasant. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 69. Season one, episode two: The Kingsroad The opposite of the rushed plot of the later seasons, this is basically a leisurely chat up the M1. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 68. Season eight, episode four: The Last of the Starks Given a chance to return to real intrigue after the Battle of Winterfell, Benioff and Weiss showed they had lost their grip, with an incoherent episode that betrayed several key characters for the sake of obvious plot grinding. A Starbucks cup left on a feasting table told us everything we needed to know about a series that has given up. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 67. Season two, episode eight: Prince of Winterfell There is some good stuff with Arya and Jaqen H’ghar, but it’s mainly placeholder as they set up the Battle of Blackwater. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 66. Season three, episode 10: Mysha Jon Snow and Ygritte’s goodbye at the climax of season three ought to have been much sadder. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 65. Season five, episode two: The House of Black and White Lots of setting up. Jaime and Bronn plan to go to Dorne, Arya arrives in Braavos. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 64. Season seven, episode six: Beyond the Wall This ought to have been one of the great battles: ice zombies plus dragons plus Jon Snow’s expedition. It looked spectacular, but everyone worried about teleporting ravens and speed of sound dragons. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 63. Season six, episode eight: No One Some absolutely horrible banter between Grey Worm and Missandei. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 62. Season two, episode seven: A Man Without Honour Pyat Pree kills the 13 in Qarth. Tywin talks to Arya about legacy. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 61. Season six, episode one: The Red Woman Melisandre is a very, very old woman. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 60. Season two, episode two: The Night Lands Lots of Tyrion talking in King’s Landing but not much else. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 59. Season six, episode seven: The Broken Man The Hound meets Ian McShane. That’s about it in an episode full of preparations. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 58. Season three, episode one: Valar Dohaeris A classic season opener that flits from place to place. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 57. Season two, episode four: Garden of Bones Lots of grimness. Rat and bucket torture at Harrenhal. Robb Stark meets Talisa. Joffrey is cruel to Ros and Daisy. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 56. Season five, episode one: The Wars to Come Mance Rayder refuses to bend the knee, is burned at the stake by Stannis before Jon shoots him with an arrow. A pretty good death actually. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 55. Season five, episode five: Kill the Boy Season five is perhaps the weakest, and this is one of the weakest episodes in it, despite some good Bolton action and the Stone Men’s fateful attack on Tyrion and Jorah Mormont as they sailed through Valyria. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 54. Season two, episode one: The North Remembers In the season two opener we meet Stannis at Dragonstone, and then Joffrey orders a tremendous infanticide. It was vaguely controversial at the time. Feels like a lifetime ago. ‘Power is power,’ Cersei tells Littlefinger, which was good. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 53. Season six, episode three: Oathbreaker Jon Snow coming back to life really shouldn’t have felt flat. Yet it did. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 52. Season one, episode three: Lord Snow Understandable given that it had to build an entire medieval universe, but 12 major characters are introduced here. That’s too many major characters. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 51. Season six, epsidoe four: Book of the Stranger Jon and Sansa reunite, which is cool, Daenerys burns some more enemies, which is hot, good High Sparrow monologue to Margaery. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 50. Season three, episode six: The Climb Theme of climbing. Thormund makes his way up the Wall; Littlefinger gives his most famous monologue, as he explains to Varys that chaos is ‘a ladder’. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 49. Season five, episode two: Sons of the Harpy Mid-season doldrums, particularly acute in five, as Jaime and Bronn arrive in Dorne. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 48. Season five, episode seven: The Gift The same, basically, except for Tyrion meeting Daenerys. Everyone gives each other presents. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 47. Season three, episode two: Dark Wings, Dark Words Sluggish early-season number, although we meet Olenna and Margaery shows how skilful she will be at manipulating court. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 46. Season one, episode eight: The Pointy End Until the later series, eight episodes are a bit hamstrung by setting up denouements to follow. This is true in season one, as the machinery creaks to set up the beheading they didn’t think could happen. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 45. Season three, episode seven: The Bear and the Maiden Fair Even re-looking at what happened in this episode I still can’t really remember it, except for the fight with the bear. Oh yes, Mackenzie Crook! Forgot he was in this programme. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 44. Season two, episode five: The Ghost of Harrenhal Two good moments: Renly is killed by the shadow, and Arya meets Jaqen H’ghar. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 43. Season eight, episode two: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Another slow scene setter for the epic Battle of Winterfell, full of night-before antics including the knighting of Brienne by Jamie, and the slightly disturbing sight of Arya and Gendry preparing to go at it hammer and tongs. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 42. Season six, episode two: Home The demise of top lad Roose Bolton, as well as Balon Greyjoy, both sent to their ends by their families. Melisandre finally works her anti-death magic on Jon Snow. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 41. Season four, episode five: First of His Name One of the good things about season four was that it was the only moment where, even briefly, it looked as though a kind of temporary stability had been achieved. Tommen is king, Sansa has escaped King’s Landing, Jon Snow and co get revenge on the mutineers at Craster’s Keep. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 40. Season two, episode 10: Valar Morghulis The White Walkers attacking the Night’s Watch at the Fist of the First Men is a good laugh, but other than that there is a lot to get through, after the events of Blackwater in the previous episode, and the season two finale anticipates some of the rushed feeling that will occur later on. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 39. Season one, episode seven: You Win or You Die Our first real glimpse of what Cersei will become, as she outmanoeuvres Ned Stark after Robert Baratheon’s death in a hunting accident. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 38. Season seven, episode one: Dragonstone A superb Arya moment, as she wipes out the rest of House Frey, but mainly this is set-up for a season that packs a lot in. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 37. Season one, episode four: Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things Ned working as policeman in Kings Landing to find out what happened to Jon Arryn. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 36. Season five, episode nine: Dance of Dragons One of the most upsetting deaths in Game of Thrones, as Stannis Baratheon burns his friendly daughter Shireen alive to appease Melisandre. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 35. Season seven, episode two: Stormborn Theon jumping off the boat after Euron overruns the Greyjoy fleet. Nice reunion between Arya and Hot Pie. Tyrion talks Daenerys down from incinerating King’s Landing. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 34. Season eight, episode one: 'Winterfell' A slower than expected opener for the final season, albeit with some touching reunions at Winterfell, especially Bran and Jamie seeing each other again. Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 33. Season six, episode six: Blood of My Blood Midseasoner. Cersei sends Jaime to retake Riverrun, while Arya is finally trained as an assassin. Can’t really remember it, to be honest. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 32. Season one, episode five: The Wolf and the Lion Jaime and Ned have a brawl in the streets of King’s Landing in an episode that focuses on skulduggery rather than magic. If you ask me skulduggery always trumps magic. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 31. Season three, episode three: Walk of Punishment The first moment where a character’s trajectory was really reversed. We’d disliked Jaime since the start, but when his hand was chopped off he began to win us back. The Blackfish schooling Edmure at shooting fire arrows was another highlight. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 30. Season four, episode one: Two Swords The opening of the fourth series introduced the charismatic, enigmatic Viper of Dorne, one of the few good things other than wine to come out of Dorne. Also notable for an excellent scene with Arya and the Hound clearing out an Inn. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 29. Season two, episode three: What is Dead May Never Die Introduces Margaery Tyrell and Brienne of Tarth, two of the best characters, and also sees Theon decide to betray Robb Stark. What is family? Who can you trust? HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 28. Season three, episode eight: Second Sons Built around Sansa and Tyrion’s unwelcome wedding, while in the north there is a display of how important Sam will be as he draws on reserves of bravery to dragonglass a white walker. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 27. Season four, episode seven: Mockingbird Littlefinger dumping Lysa out of the Eyrie is probably the most dramatic moment here, one of his decisive power-stealing moments as he saves Sansa. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 26. Season one, episode one: Winter Is Coming Can you remember a time before Game of Thrones? Re-watch ‘Winter is Coming’, marvel at the baby Starks, think on how many characters have died, reflect on your own mortality. You are much, much older than when Game of Thrones began. Your life is running between your fingers. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 25. Season one, episode six: A Golden Crown Another dramatic death which is hard to remember now, as the miserable Viserys was put out of his grump with molten gold. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 24: Season eight, episode six: 'The Iron Throne' Well, that was that. The grand finale provoked much gnashing of teeth and hot air, not all of it from Drogon. In truth, things were tied up as best they could, given the way the the different pieces had been arranged, although some of the criticism was valid. The king-choosing and first council scenes were amazingly lame. A number of questions were skirted over. Still, what a spectacle. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 23. Season two, episode six: Old Gods and the New Theon takes Winterfell. Theon, you utter bastard. I hope you are punished for this. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 22. Season five, episode three: High Sparrow A key Littlefinger episode, as he continues to manipulate Sansa, while Jon Snow executes Janos and, in King’s Landing, Cersei’s machinations are matched by Margaery’s. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 21. Season four, episode two: The Lion and the Rose Joffrey, scratching at his throat, going purple, dying. Top stuff. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 20. Season four, episode six: The Laws of Gods and Men An excellent mid-season episode, built around Tyrion’s trial but with lots of other things to admire that hint at the underlying economies in the Game of Thrones universe. Drogon barbecues some livestock, while the Iron Bank of Braavos refuses to bail out Davos and Stannis. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 19. Season three, episode four: And Now His Watch Is Ended The full depravity of Ramsay Bolton is laid bare as he taunts Theon with a fake escape, while Commander Mormont is murdered at Craster’s Keep. But really it’s all about Daenerys, as she and her pets flame Astapor to the ground. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 18. Season seven, episode seven: The Dragon and the Wolf It turns out Jon Snow is actually the true heir to the Seven Kingdoms, the remaining Stark children finally team up to kill Littlefinger, admittedly in overwrought style, and the White Walkers use their new lizard hairdryer to destroy the wall. There is far too much going on, especially the odd scene where Jon shows Cersei the wight, but nevertheless it sends you reaching for the popcorn and cheering along, which is more or less where we are at with the whole series by now. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 17. Season three, episode five: Kissed by Fire Most notable for Ygritte and Jon’s much-parodied love grotto scene, but also for the Hound’s duel with Bendric Dondarrion, which revealed his terror of fire. Nursing his stump in the baths, Jaime tells Brienne the truth about his assassination of the Mad King. Mid-seasoner. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 16. Season five, episode 10: Mother’s Mercy The denouement of the fifth series is the most sympathetic we ever see Cersei, as she completes her walk of atonement through the streets of King’s Landing, her hair cut and her clothes stripped. Strategically, humiliating Cersei proves not to be the masterstroke the High Sparrow thought it would be. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 15. Season seven, episode four: The Spoils of War Spoils aplenty. Arya returns to Winterfell and sees Sansa, then fights a brief duel with Brienne that shows just how much she’s learnt. It’s nothing on one of the great shots of the whole series, however: Daenerys riding Drogon above a Dothraki horde in full charge before incinerating the Lannister lines. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 14. Season one, episode 10: Fire and Blood We were promised dragons, and here they are, mewing atop the naked Daenerys. And one thing we know about baby dragons is they must grow up. This is Game of Thrones’ version of Chekhov’s rule about guns. You’ll keep watching until they torch something. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 13. Season five, episode eight: Hardhome As the big battles go, the showdown between the Night’s Watch and wildlings and the wights at Hardhome doesn’t quite match some of the others, but it is still dead cool, especially when Jon realises his sword works against the snowmen. If that wasn’t enough, Sansa also learnt that her family might be alive. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 12. Season four, episode nine: The Watchers on the Wall The big set-piece between the Night’s Watch and the wildlings. Not quite up to Blackwater’s standards, despite its battle specialist Neil Marshall being summonsed back to direct. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 11. Season seven, episode three: The Queen’s Justice There is too much crammed into this episode, which could have been spread over several hours, but it’s wonderful stuff all the same. Jon meets Daenerys for the first time, Sam cures Jorah of greyscale, Cersei obliterates the Tyrells. Best of all is Diana Rigg, at a table in her tower, bowing out from what is perhaps Thrones’ best overall performance. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 10. Season eight, episode five One of the most divisive episodes, as Dany’s frustrations spilled over into a holocaust in King’s Landing. Whatever you thought of the pacing, or the plot’s fidelity to the characters, it was quite a spectacle, and killed off several key figures in dramatic style. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 9. Season six, episode five: The Door Poor old Hodor. The death nobody wanted, as a wonderful character, played so sympathetically by Kristian Nairn, is finally given his due. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 8. Season four, episode eight: The Mountain and the Viper Other things happen: Littlefinger takes over the Vale, and the Boltons move into Winterfell, but the episode is mainly memorable for the central duel, as Oberyn seeks justice from the man who murdered so many of his relatives, and for one image above all, of the Mountain’s armoured fingers crushing Oberyn’s skull like a grapefruit. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 7. Season one, episode nine: Baelor Poor old Ned Stark. The death they said could never happen! Clearly they had not watched enough Sean Bean films. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 6. Season eight, episode three: The Long Night After two scene-setting episodes, The Long Night finally delivers on the promise of season eight, with 90 minutes of marvellous blood and fire at Winterfell. The Night King’s hordes meet the assembled ranks of Westeros, wildlings, Dothraki and Unsullied. The defenders lose and lose and lose until they finally win, although not before a few spectacular deaths. If it lacks some of the strategic nuance of other battles, it compensates with stunning action sequences and CGI, especially on the dragons, who dogfight high above the plain. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 5. Season six, episode 10: The Winds of Winter Winter has come. It opens with peak Cersei, as she eliminates all her remaining enemies in one enormous blaze. Arya kills Walder Frey. The Jon Theory is confirmed. Tommen walks out of the window. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 4. Season three, episode nine: Rains of Castemere The Lannisters send their regards. Some would have this number one, and one could easily make the case. The Red Wedding was the scene that broke Game of Thrones out of its fandom and into broader popular culture, the point where it was no longer avoidable. Fury, anguish, love, surprise, pity, hate: it’s all here. The look Roose Bolton gives Catelyn Stark when she reveals the chainmail he is wearing to dinner might be my single favourite moment of the whole programme. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 3. Season six, episode nine: Battle of the Bastards Anyone who has seen Mel Gibson’s Mayan drama Apocalypto knows that running in a straight line away from arrows rarely works. So it proved for Rickon, setting up one of the great battles not only on TV but on any kind of film. Where in previous seasons battles had occasionally felt hampered by budget, most egregiously when Tyrion was knocked out and missed the whole thing, this was the full belt and braces. It was brilliantly directed, with aerial shots, as well as face-in-the-mud close-ups to convey the full grinding horror of the battle, and the grim relief of victory. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 2. Season four, episode 10: The Children The fourth season is the best all-round, I think, the high-point of character development before it started to be forced by the machinations of the plot in the later series. Brienne’s bloody brawl with the Hound leaves him bleeding and broken, as Arya heads off to Braavos. Tywin finally gets his comeuppance, a crossbow bolt on the loo, administered by his son, Tyrion, who then flees. And Stannis’s cavalry arrives to save Jon and defeat Mance Rayder and the wildlings in a pincer movement, having been persuaded by Davos. HBO Game of Thrones - every episode ranked 1. Season two, episode nine: Blackwater This is purely a personal view, but if Ned Stark’s death was the moment you sat up and paid attention, Blackwater was the where you started cheering at the TV. The scale, the splendour, the depth of character brought to bear on grand events: they all felt new, somehow. This might have been the last moment where we were equally rooting for both sides, except for one side to be consumed in an eerie green glow. Wildfire doesn’t care who your favourite character is. HBO

What we have seen so far

At first, HBO kept information regarding the upcoming season very close to their chest, doing all they can to prevent leaks. However, just over a month from the first episode and they have released a trailer of actual footage (the video can be seen at the top of this article).

Following that trailer’s release, two more teasers were released, featuring a few more new scenes. One new moment sees Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) standing before Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) in Winterfell.

“We must all fight together now, or die,” Tyrion tells the pair, hinting that there may have been some initial conflict.

Another moment during the same clip – titled “Together” – sees Daenerys looking away from Jon Snow (Kit Harington), with the bastard Stark having a sullen face.

Game of Thrones Season 8 trailer - 'Together'

The second clip, titled “Survival”, extends a previously seen scene of Jon Snow standing before a weirwood tree. This time, though, the shot continues and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) comes into focus behind him.

There’s also a new look at Tyrion, Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) and Varys (Conleth Hill) at Winterfell.

Game of Thrones Season 8 trailer - 'Survival'

The network initially released a couple of teaser trailers featuring mild hints at the future of these beloved characters without including actual footage for the show.

The most notable of those first teasers was released to coincide with the official season eight release date announcement. The teaser features Jon Snow (Kit Harrington), Sansa Star (Sophie Turner) and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) walking through the crypts of Winterfell as the voices of deceased Starks echo out .

Game of Thrones Season 8 Official Tease: Crypts of Winterfell

Meanwhile, fans got a glimpse of footage from season eight in an HBO 2019 sneak-peak video, which saw Jon and Sansa embrace. The network’s extended look at their 2019 schedule also featured a brief look at Daenerys (Emelia Clarke) meeting Sansa for the first time. Watch below.

First Game of Thrones season 8 footage unveiled in HBO trailer

On the picture front, HBO has been more forthcoming. The network has released a set of 14 photos from the upcoming season, establishing the 13 main players heading into the last few episodes. Like the trailers, there’s little to gleam from them – but at least we know Jon, Danny and Tyrion make it to Winterfell.

Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Show all 14 1 /14 Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke as Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran Stark Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Kit Harington as Jon Snow Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Maisie Williams as Arya Stark Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Conleth Hill as Varys Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister Helen Sloan/HBO Game of Thrones season 8: First-look photos John Bradley as Samwell Tarly Helen Sloan/HBO

Episode count and runtimes

Whereas the first six seasons all consisted of 10 episodes, season seven was made up of only seven. Showrunners David Benioff and D B Weiss have decided to likewise limit the length of season eight, deciding on just six episodes. (The duo originally wanted to release three feature-length movies, rather than six episodes, but HBO went against the decision.)

Reports have previously claimed that each episode will also run for around 80 to 90 minutes – longer than the normal 60 minutes for the show. This has been backed up by a leak from one of HBO’s French broadcasters, which claims the season will begin with two hour-long episodes, with the remaining four lasting at least 80-minutes each.

HBO has since confirmed the runtime for each episode: the third episode will be the show’s longest ever episode.

Episode one: 54 mins

Episode two: 58 mins

Episode three: 1 hr 22 mins

Episode four: 1 hr 18 mins

Episode five 1 hr 20 mins

Episode six: 1 hr 20 mins

Also of note: each episode cost a rumoured $15 million to produce. Reports vary on how much the cast have been paid, but Variety previously claimed Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jamie Lannister), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Kit Harrington (Jon Snow) and Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister) all got $500,000 (£384,000) per episode.

Episode writers and directors

David Nutter – best known for directing the infamous Red Wedding – returns to helm three episodes of the final six, including the premiere, which is written by Dave Hill (who was behind last season’s episode “Eastwatch”). Producer Bryan Cogman has written the second episode, while Benioff and Weiss have written the last four.

“Battle of the Bastards” director Miguel Sapochnik returns for episodes three and five, while Benioff and Weiss will follow in the footsteps of other showrunners (including those behind Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, and Mad Men) in directing the very last episode of their show.

Danny and Jon on ‘Game of Thrones’ (HBO)

Reactions to episode one

Following the season eight premiere in New York the first reactions were posted online. While some reporters remained tight-lipped about specific plot twists, some shared a general idea about what occurs in the show’s first instalment since August 2017.

Entertainment Weekly‘s James Hibberd said the return was “fantastic” and teased “reunions” and “epic sequences”. He added: “Major stuff happens in deeply satisfying ways.” However, according to The Telegraph, the opener contains “no epic battles or large-scale set pieces”.

New cast members

Seeing as there are only six episodes in which to wrap up this epic story, it should be of little surprise that few new characters will be introduced. Casting calls have been ambiguous, detailing such parts as ”Northern Girl” and “Boy”. There’s little to go on, but reports previously detailed that Harry Strickland – the leader of the Golden Company in the books – has been cast, with The Last Kingdom’s Marc Rissmann taking on the role.

Game of Thrones characters - ranked Show all 70 1 /70 Game of Thrones characters - ranked Game of Thrones characters - ranked 70. Rickon Stark Played by: Art Parkinson Easily the most annoying Stark child − an impressive feat next to Bran − Rickon was at least handed one hell of a death scene: taken out by an arrow courtesy of Ramsay Bolton. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 69. Robin Arryn Played by: Lino Facioli Robin Arryn is remembered by most Thrones fans as being the 10-year-old breastfed by his mother (still weird). That's about it. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 68. Renly Baratheon Played by: Gethin Anthony The Rickon of the Baratheon brothers. His claim to the Iron Throne was tenuous, considering his older brother, Stannis, was still alive. When Stannis's shadow monster came to kill him, it was only good news for the show. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 67. Leaf Played by: Kae Alexander A lot of mystery may surround Leaf, one of the show's mythical Children of the Forest, but her noble sacrifice to save Bran, Meera and Hodor from a horde of wights robbed her of any worth. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 66. Tommen Baratheon Played by: Dean-Charles Chapman Another boring younger brother. Whereas Joffrey was pure evil, Tommen was innocent and, inevitably, very boring. His cat, Ser Pounce, was an asset to the show. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 65. Lysa Arryn Played by: Kate Dickie Lysa, the creepy sister to Catelyn Stark, was first seen with Robin Arryn, her 10-year-old son, latched to her breast. Her death − being pushed through the Moon Door − couldn't have come sooner. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 64. Benjen Stark Played by: Joseph Mawle/Matteo Elezi Having gone missing in season one, Benjen returned during season six to save his nephew, Bran. The moment was a surprise to TV watchers − book readers, however, had long speculated that Coldhands was an undead version of the Stark. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 63. Syrio Forel Played by: Miltos Yerolemou The ill-fated Syrio's appearance way back in season one was a formative experience for one Arya Stark (Maisie Williams); he's the one who helped her on her way to becoming the vengeful assassin fans know and love today. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 62. Jeor Mormont Played by: James Cosmo Father of Jorah Mormont, Jeor was an honourable leader of the Night's Watch − perhaps to a fault. After giving Jon Snow the sword Longclaw, Mormont inadvertently showed the Stark bastard that Valerian steel can cut through White Walkers. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 61. Roose Bolton Played by: Michael McElhatton Let's be honest: it's hard to really like as scheming a character as Roose Bolton, the man who orchestrated the violent Red Wedding − the most infamous scene in the show's six-year history that saw the death of Robb, Catelyn and Talisa. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 60. Ellaria Sand Played by: Indira Varma Ellaria Sand may have been a more enticing creation on the page, but in the series, her screen time regrettably amounts to reacting to loved ones being killed off in increasingly awful ways. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 59. Grand Maester Pycell Played by: Julian Glover The secretly sprightly Pycell had seen a lot of things in his time, but there's an element of "unfulfilled potential" surrounding Glover's character whose late betrayal of Cersei Lannister saw a grisly end to his life of luxury at King's Landing. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 58. Three-Eyed Raven Played by: Max von Sydow Perhaps it was the casting of Max von Sydow that heightened anticipation for the Three-Eyed Raven in the series, but the half-hearted story arc left a lot to be desired. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 57. Gilly Played by: Hannah Murray Gilly's long journey from Craster's Keep to Winterfell sounds exciting on paper. But, unfortunately, she has been merely a passenger on Sam's journey for far too long. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 56. Daario Naharis Played by: Michael Huisman The man who won the heart of Daenerys Targaryen, only to be left behind in Essos. Ed Skrein originally played the character, but was soon replaced after the actor landed a role in Deadpool. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 55. Shae Played by: Sibel Kekilli Oh Shea. Her ill-fated betrayal − sleeping with Tywin (Charles Dance) − was a slap in the face not just for lover Tyrion, but the viewer also. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 54. Grey Worm Played by: Jacob Anderson Leader of the Usullied, Grey Worm remains unmoved at all times − unless around Missandei. While their romance can be heartwarming, it's hard to invest in two characters who are so wooden. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 53. Talisa Maegyr Played by: Oona Chaplin To be fair to Robb Stark's wife Talisa, should she have avoided being murdered in arguably the most horrific way during the Red Wedding, she would most likely have been higher on this list. Alas. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 52. Shireen Baratheon Played by: Kerry Ingram All the Greyscale-suffering Shireen ever wanted to do was read stories in her chamber, but due to her impressionable power-hungry father, Stannis, she was tragically reduced to ashes after being sacrificed to the Lord of Light. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 51. Viserys Targaryen Played by: Harry Lloyd Viserys wanted the Iron Throne at any cost, giving away his own sister in exchange for an army. Dany, though, had other plans. Her new husband, Khal Drogo, covering Viserys in molten gold made for one of the show's most memorable death scenes. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 50. Maester Luwin Played by: Donald Sumpter The kindly Maester Luwin was one of the nicest characters in the first few seasons, becoming a stand-in father for Bran and Rickon while the Starks endured horrors elsewhere. He was eventually killed when Ramsay Bolton took over Winterfell. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 49. Thoros of Myr Played by: Paul Kaye Thoros spent the majority of his time on the show resurrecting Beric and was most recently seen wielding his flaming sword alongside Jon Snow beyond the wall. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 48. Mance Rayder Played by: Ciarán Hinds Ciaran Hinds brought an intensity to Mance Rayder, a character who would otherwise have got lost in the crowd. As a result, his death at the hands of Melisandre was unexpectedly affecting. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 47. Podrick Payne Played by: Daniel Portman Ever loyal, Podrick Payne has become a fan favourite for being surprisingly brave in the face of adversity. He and Brienne of Tarth make an excellent duo. HBO/Helen Sloan Game of Thrones characters - ranked 46. Euron Greyjoy Played by: Pilou Asbæk While Euron Greyjoy may have only joined the show in season six, his presence was immediately felt. A wildcard character, Greyjoy's cut-throat, power-hungry nature has proven exciting to watch. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 45. Jaqen H'ghar Played by: Tom Wlaschiha Jaqen H'ghar − one of the Faceless Men of Braavos − had such promise, but ultimately ended up being the one responsible for sapping Arya's story of the energy she'd had seasons before, alongside The Hound (Rory McCann). HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 44. Missandei Played by: Nathalie Emmanuel Missandei has somehow managed to come up trumps within the new world order, being an advisor to Dany. However, her stilted nature can make for some awkward encounters − but at least she and Grey Worm are happy together. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 43. Ygritte Played by: Rose Leslie Ygritte − the Wildling lover of Jon Snow − will go down in Thrones lore for providing the series the with oft-quoted famous line: "You know nothing, Jon Snow." Spoken with a northern accent, obviously. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 42. Hot Pie Played by: Ben Hawkey Has an actor ever been more suited to a role? Ben Hawkey, after all, has gone on to run a bakery of his own, even selling Thrones-themed goods. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 41. Walder Frey Played by: David Bradley One of the orchestrators of the Red Wedding, Walder Frey was a lurching, terrifying villain. When Arya unmasks herself and kills the old man, it's a sweet, sweet moment of revenge. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 40. Gendry Baratheon Played by: Joe Dempsie The true heir to the Iron Throne. Gendry may have spent a few seasons rowing out at sea, but his return hints at big things to come for the Baratheon bastard. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 39. Robert Baratheon Played by: Mark Addy Mark Addy brought a certain gravitas to Robert Baratheon, making him a believably world-weary king. Despite only having a few scenes, his character's presence is still felt on the show thanks to Gendry. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 38. Barristan Selmy Played by: Ian McElhinney After being fired by the Lannisters, Selmy pledged allegiance to Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), bridging the gap between two of the show's key characters. He was also a bloody good warrior. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 37. Yara Greyjoy Played by: Gemma Whelan Lily Allen was initially wanted for the role of Theon's sister. However, she declined: 'I felt uncomfortable because I would have had to go on a horse and he would have touched me up and s***.' Seeing as Allen's brother, Alfie, had already been cast as Theon, it was probably for the best. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 36. Margaery Tyrell Played by: Natalie Dormer Margaery Tyrell was one of Game of Thrones's biggest players, wheedling her way into the Lannister family politics and actually becoming Queen for a spell. Her number was up the moment she made an enemy of Cersei, and her fiery death, while underwhelming, was a huge moment. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 35. Samwell Tarly Played by: John Bradley There's a theory going around that Samwell Tarly, who trains as a maester, is actually the author of the Song of Ice and Fire − AKA the book series. In other words, Sam is George RR Martin. Go figure. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 34. Osha Played by: Natalia Tena The underused Osha was our very first wildling, an unpredictable knife-wielding danger to the characters we loved. Her subsequent evolution into Stark servant was interestingly played, which made the fact she was sidelined for multiple seasons, before being brought back just to be unceremoniously offed, a travesty. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 33. Ramsay Bolton Played by: Iwan Rheon Ramsey cut off Theon's penis and sent it to the Greyjoy's father. He imprisoned and raped Sansa Stark. He killed Rickon Stark in front of his brother. And Ramsay eventually died by being fed to his own dogs. A terrifying death for a terrible human. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 32. Night King Played by: Richard Brake, Vladimír Furdík The embodiment of evil. Why, exactly, the Night King marches South to destroy mankind remains somewhat a mystery. But, whatever the reason, he's a terrifying foe. Winter has, as the Starks say, finally come. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 31. Beric Dondarrion Played by: Richard Dormer Beric danced on the outskirts of the series until its third season when he surfaced as the leader of the Brotherhood Without Banners. His introduction paved the way for the Lord of Light's ability to resurrect the dead, a mystical sub-plot that would become very important for Jon Snow. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 30. Bran Stark Played by: Isaac Hempstead Wright It says a lot that Bran Stark has become marginally more interesting since he sacrificed his personality in favour of becoming the spiritualistic heart of the series. His role in the final season looks set to be a huge one what with the long-standing theory that he could become the fearsome Night King. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 29. Theon Greyjoy Played by: Alfie Allen While Theon starts as a cocky kid, after being neutered by Ramsay he becomes the annoyingly weak Reek. Thankfully, Theon comes back around again in the later seasons, but not without us still hating his guts for not saving Sansa sooner. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 28. The High Sparrow Played by: Jonathan Pryce While at first a seemingly wise old man, the High Sparrow quickly becomes a tactical villain, using his newfound powers under King Tommen to turn King's Landing into his own domain. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 27. The Mountain Played by: Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson The hulking Clegane brother known as The Mountain − now a zombie-esque servant to Cersei − may not have come face-to-face with lots of characters in the series, but his presence is known by all in Westeros. His biggest moment? Battering poor Oberyn's head into mush. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 26. Khal Drogo Played by: Jason Momoa To the world he's now Aquaman, but for a brief time, Jason Momoa was Khal Drogo, the beloved Dothraki husband of his Khaleesi, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 25. Jon Snow Played by: Kit Harington Every show needs a hero, and they do not come more obvious than Jon Snow. Rising from discarded bastard to King of the North, his climb has been one of the show's best storylines. A shame, then, that Snow can be such a bland person, doing only what is right and seemingly having no faults. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 24. Stannis Baratheon Played by: Stephen Dillane With his propensity to make tough decisions for the greater good, Stannis could have been a heroic warrior. However, the Baratheon brother's continual fall from grace − including sacrificing his own daughter and murdering his own brother − were horrendous decisions that eventually doomed him. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 23. Hodor Played by: Kristian Nairn Once you get over the fact that Kristian Nairn was essentially getting paid to repeat the word "Hodor" over and over, it's hard to deny that Bran Stark's protector was a heartwarming addition to the show. His death − the breathtaking "Hold the Door" sequence − will go down as one of the show's most memorable moments. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 22. Tywin Lannister Played by: Charles Dance Stannis was a horrible father. His two favourite children became incestuous lovers, and he blamed his youngest for the death of his wife. Without Tywin, though, the Lannister family would not be nearly as riveting as they are to watch. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 21. Tormund Giantsbane Played by: Kristofer Hivju Tormund has some of the best lines in the series, particularly when expressing his admiration for Brienne. Here's one of the least explicit: "I want to make babies with her. Think of it. Great big monsters. They'll conquer the world!" HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 20. Daenerys Targaryen Played by: Emilia Clarke "Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons." Every time Dany meets someone new, she forces Missandei to read out her entire CV. I guess everyone would if theirs was as impressive. Dany really has had a great journey to the top − a shame she could not have come to Westeros slightly earlier. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 19. Olenna Tyrell Played by: Dianna Rigg Olenna's scenes were always ones to cherish. The Queen of Thorns was as cunning as the best of them and seemed like she could worm her way out of any situation, all from the comfort of her own chair. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 18. Jorah Mormont Played by: Iain Glen Poor Ser Jorah. Dany may be 25 years younger than him, but that never stopped the disgraced warrior from loving her. He even fought off Grey Scale to fight by her side. If that's not true love, then what is? HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 17. Davos Seaworth Played by: Liam Cunningham Liam Cunningham's performance as the curt Davos Seaworth has quietly been one of the best things about the series since his introduction. As Jon Snow's kingly advisor, he's recently seen himself thrust into the heart of the series and, simply put, Game of Thrones would be a less enjoyable show without him. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 16. Melisandre Played by: Carice van Houten Lest we forget that Melisandre is actually a shrivelled old witch who has been manipulating men for hundreds of years. Her faith in the Lord of Light, though, could very well be misplaced. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 15. Oberyn Played by: Pedro Pascal Few shows can bring in characters midway through their run that have such an impact as Oberyn. The Viper quickly became a fan favourite, and his death remains one of the show's most squirm-inducing moments. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 14. Eddard "Ned" Stark Played by: Sean Bean Killing off a main character during a show's first season was practically unheard of before Game of Thrones. Yet, as dictated by George RR Martin's books, they cut off Sean Bean's head without a second thought, setting the tone for everything to come. No death has impacted the Thrones quite as much since. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 13. Varys Played by: Conleth Hill Early on in the series, it was hard to pin down Varys, a slippery eel of a character who has "little birds" fluttering around Westeros, feeding back crucial information. Going into the final season, his true intentions are clear: he's all for Daenerys taking the Iron Throne, even if he doesn't live to see the day (“I have to die in this strange country, just like you," Melisandre prophesied last season). HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 12. Bronn Played by: Jerome Flynn Perhaps the show's best wise-cracking side-kick, Bronn only has one loyalty: money. Paired with either of the Lannister lads, Tyrion or Jaime, Bronn makes for excellent company. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 11. Robb Stark Played by: Richard Madden Before Bodyguard, Richard Madden was the extremely temporary king of Westeros. Robb was a man of honour, trying to bring light to the Thrones universe. He was a likeable presence who ruled with his heart, an act that ultimately saw him die during the infamous Red Wedding in season three. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 10. Brienne of Tarth Played by: Gwendoline Christie Brienne is a reassuring force of good in a world filled with scheming layabouts. She's also one of the most deadly. Her time on the series has been spent protecting the likes of Renly Baratheon, Catelyn Stark and Jaime Lannister, the latter of which made for an interesting turn as it put her at odds with her loyalty. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 9. Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish Played by: Aidan Gillen There would be no Game of Thrones without Littlefinger. The silver-tongued manipulator had Jon Arryn killed, setting off a snowball that turned into an avalanche. As smart as he may have been, Littlefinger was finally outplayed by his own pupil, Sansa Stark. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 8. Sansa Stark Played by: Sophie Turner Sansa has perhaps had the most interesting story arc of any character on Thrones. Beginning as a clichéd annoying teenager, she gradually became a stone-cold killer, capable of holding Winterfell and outsmarting even Littlefinger. With any luck, she could sit upon the Iron Throne when the war is over. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 7. Arya Stark Played by: Maisie Williams Arya Stark, arguably the greatest character of the first few seasons, was one of the biggest victims of the series overtaking George RR Martin's source material. Her limited screen time, due to being away from the central action, robbed us of classic moments that we're grateful she's been a part of in an otherwise lacklustre season eight. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 6. Sandor "The Hound" Clegane Played by: Rory McCann From his regular delivery of the phrase"F** the king" to that chicken scene, The Hound is a reckless creation whose high ranking on this list can be attributed to the searing performance from Rory McCann. Most effective when paired with Arya Stark. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 5. Joffrey Baratheon Played by: Jack Gleeson No character has been as hated by the fandom as Joffrey. His wicked ways and disgusting behaviour haunted the show's first four seasons. You never knew what was going to come next: whether he was about to behead your favourite character or start crying to his mother. It made for thrilling television. But, as The Hound says, "F**k the King". HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 4. Catelyn Stark Played by: Michelle Fairley The lady of Winterfell, Catelyn Stark, became the show's honorary lead after the untimely beheading of her husband, Ned (Sean Bean) at the end of season one. As she tried to take control of spiralling events in the second and third run, Thrones was handed its most resilient character. Michelle Fairley's guttural cry of anguish before meeting her tragic end during the Red Wedding will always be the show's most horrific moment. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 3. Jaime Lannister Played by: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau If the characters above Jaime in this list are the show's greatest characters, Jaime is the show's most disarming. The Lannister brother − the Kingslayer − started the series as a long-haired bad guy of the tallest order, but his humbling over the past few seasons have seen him inch his way into the hearts of viewers. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 2. Tyrion Lannister Played by: Peter Dinklage Blamed for the death of his mother and hated for being a dwarf, Tyrion turned to drink and prostitutes to numb the pain. However, Tyrion has a fierce intellect, capable of outsmarting the toughest enemies (and offering cutting lines that George RR Martin says often take weeks to write). More importantly, despite being betrayed and cast away time and time again, Tyrion selflessly only wants the best for the people of Westeros. A true hero. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 1. Cersei Lannister Played by: Lena Headey The Mad Queen, alone on the Iron Throne. Cersei has, over the course of seven seasons, seen her three children die, driven her lover/brother away, blown up a church with a half dozen major characters inside, arranged the death of her husband (King Robert) and attempted to have her other brother (Tyrion) killed multiple times. Yet, thanks to Lena Headey's empathetic performance, you still feel sorry for the terrifying Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. As one of the most complicated character to have ever reached television screens, there's no denying her place as the best Thrones character to date. HBO

Who’s coming back?

Along with all the main cast, Carice van Houten let slip that the Red Woman will return in a now-deleted Instagram post. Welsh actor Wilf Scolding, who played Jon Snow’s real father Rhaegar Targaryen during the season seven finale, also hinted at his return on Instagram – the post has, as expected, been deleted.

One person who does not look set to return is Mark Gattis’s Tycho Nestoris, who said earlier this year: “I’m not in it, so I guess I survive.” Ellie Kendrick’s Meera Reed also looks set not to return, having previously said: “[I’m not appearing] as far as I know.”

Also of note: Joe Dempsie has teased a huge role for Gendry in the upcoming season, saying he’s “done well out of it this year, for sure,” adding that he has filmed “a fair bit” for the final season.

A battle to end all battles

With so much secrecy, we know little for sure about season eight’s plot. However, we understand that the crew spent a massive 55 days filming one major battle in at the Moneyglass Base in Northern Ireland. That’s far longer than has been spent on any other Game of Thrones battle. Dinklage said the scene “makes ‘Battle of the Bastards’ look like a theme park.”

Maisie Williams and other cast members have since elaborated, with the Arya actor saying she was “broken” by the intense, physical shoot required for a huge battle at Winterfell.

“I skip the battle every year, which is bizarre since Arya’s the one who’s been training the most,” Williams said. “This is my first taste of it. And I’ve been thrown in at the deep end.”

Iain Glen, who plays Ser Jorah Mormont on the show, concurred that the gruelling schedule for the battle left the cast feeling “miserable”.

“It was the most unpleasant experience I’ve had on Thrones,” Glen said. “A real test, really miserable. You get to sleep at seven in the morning and when you wake in the midday you’re still so spent you can’t really do anything, and then you’re back. You have no life outside it. You have an absolute f**ked bunch of actors.”

Even The Hound actor Rory McCann was struggling with the battle, which saw an unnamed actor collapse on set. “Everybody prays they never have to do this again,” McCann said.

The battle was nicknamed “The Long Night” by the crew, who spent months building the gigantic Winterfell set. Davos actor Liam Cunningham added: “I heard the crew was getting 40,000 steps a day on their pedometers.”

Director Miguel Sapochnik, who previously helped bring the infamous “Battle of the Bastards” to screen, said they took inspiration from the huge Helms Deep battle in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

“The [Game of Thrones battles] I’ve done previously were generally from Jon’s perspective,” Sapochnik said. “Here I’ve got 20-some cast members and everyone would like it to be their scene. That’s complicated because I find the best battle sequences are when you have a strong point of view. I keep thinking: ‘Whose story am I telling right now?’”

What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Show all 44 1 /44 What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Rory McCann LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 25: Actor Rory McCann attends the 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Sandor "The Hound" Clegane What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Cersei Lannister What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Lena Headey HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actress Lena Headey attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Tyrion Lannister What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Peter Dinklage Actor Peter Dinklage arrives for the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Exposition Center on January 29, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. / AFP / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Daenerys Targaryen What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Emilia Clarke HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actress Emilia Clarke attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Jon Snow What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Kit Harington Actor Kit Harington arrives at the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, in January 30, 2016. / AFP / Valerie Macon (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Sansa Stark What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Sophie Turner HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Actress Sophie Turner attends the 88th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Jaime Lannister What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Nikolaj Coster-Waldau HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Arya Stark What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Maisie Williams HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actress Maisie Williams attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Theon Greyjoy What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Alfie Allen HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actor Alfie Allen attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Brienne of Tarth Game Of Thrones, Series 3 EP302 Featuring Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth Â© HBO Enterprises What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Gwendoline Christie British actress Gwendoline Christie poses on May 23, 2017 during a photocall for the tv series 'Top Of The Lake: China Girl' at the 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. / AFP PHOTO / Anne-Christine POUJOULAT (Photo credit should read ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Bran Stark What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Isaac Hempstead-Wright HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actor Isaac Hempstead Wright attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Aidan Gillen HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actor Aidan Gillen attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Missandei What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Nathalie Emmanuel LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 28: Actress Nathalie Emmanuel attends the Entertainment Weekly Celebration of SAG Award Nominees sponsored by Maybelline New York at Chateau Marmont on January 28, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly) Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Varys What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Conleth Hill NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 18: Actor Conleth Hill attends the "Game Of Thrones" Season 4 New York premiere at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center on March 18, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Melisandre What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Carice von Houten LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 30: Actress Carice van Houten attends the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Samwell Tarly What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character John Bradley HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Actor John Bradley attends the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Gilly What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Hannah Murray LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 30: Actress Hannah Murray attends The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_018 (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Turner) Getty Images for Turner What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Jorah Mormont What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Iain Glen Scotsman Iain Glen poses for the photocall for TV series "Cleverman" during the MIPCOM audiovisual trade fair in Cannes, southeastern France, on October 5, 2015. Held each year on the French Riviera, the audiovisual trade fair brings together the movers and shakers of the global entertainment business to network, talk shop and buy, sell and finance new content. AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHE (Photo credit should read VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Davos Seaworth What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Liam Cunningham LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 29: Actor Liam Cunningham attends the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Expo Hall on January 29, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Tormund Giantsbane What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Kristofer Hivju UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - OCTOBER 10: Actor Kristofer Hivju arrives at the premiere of Universal Pictures' "The Thing" on October 10, 2011 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) Getty Images What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Bronn What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Jerome Flynn LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 06: Actor Jerome Flynn attends the LFF Connects Television: 'Black Mirror' screening during the 60th BFI London Film Festival at Chelsea Cinema on October 6, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for BFI) Getty Images for BFI What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Gregor 'The Mountain' Clegane What the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson

The opening scene

A report has also confirmed that the season will begin with Daenerys and Jon Snow arriving in Winterfell, with Entertainment Weekely describing the scene in a recent set report.

“What follows is a thrilling and tense intermingling of characters — some of whom have never previously met, many who have messy histories — as they all prepare to face the inevitable invasion of the Army of the Dead.”

The finale

HBO may have stayed quiet about the finale, but the cast and crew have spoken multiple times about how the show will end. Emilia Clarke said Daenerys’s finale moments “f**ked me up”, adding: ”Knowing that is going to be a lasting flavour in someone’s mouth of what Daenerys is…”

Sophie Turner has called the show’s ending “satisfying”, adding that season eight sees the show “bloodier than ever. It’s full of betrayal, full of war, full of danger.” Peter Dinklage said the showrunners “end it brilliantly. Better than I could have imagined, and you people are in for it. It ends beautifully for my character – whether it be tragic or not.”

Francesca Orsi, the Senior Vice President of HBO’s drama series, has spoken about the final episode, saying the script left the cast and crew crying. Read more about what each actor had to say here.

The showrunners have compared the final episode to Breaking Bad, with Weis saying: ”There is no version where everybody says, ‘I have to admit, I agree with every other person on the planet that this is the perfect way to do this’—that’s an impossible reality that doesn’t exist,” Weiss said. “I’m hoping for the Breaking Bad [finale] argument where it’s like, ‘Is that an A or an A+?’”

The Iron Throne contenders – Game of Thrones Show all 7 1 /7 The Iron Throne contenders – Game of Thrones The Iron Throne contenders – Game of Thrones Jon Snow The big reveal of Game of Thrones’ penultimate season (a twist that fan communities had seen coming from before the television adaptation even aired) was the truth of Jon Snow’s parentage, namely that he is not the bastard son of Ned Stark but the legitimate spawn of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryan. Whilst most viewers were preoccupied with the ickiness of this revelation being juxtaposed against the image of him rolling around in bed with Daenerys (now revealed to be his aunt), the fact is that he now has the most legitimate claim to the Iron Throne. Certainly he has a better claim than his dad’s sister, to whom he’s just sworn fealty (not to mention done things that would make the Pitcairn Islanders blush). Jon’s biggest issue is that he still doesn’t know how hot his stock is, and the only two characters who do are his pal Sam Tarly and his irritating younger brother Bran. Can such an undynamic duo get this crucial information to Jon before it’s too late? HBO The Iron Throne contenders – Game of Thrones Daenerys Targaryan Up until the end of the last series (and provided you hadn’t been reading any fan theories) it seemed like Daenerys was fated to end up ruling the Seven Kingdoms. George R. R. Martin’s series is, after all, called A Song of Ice and Fire, and where the chilly element of that could apply equally to Jon Snow or the horde of frigid zombies, it’s long been apparent that Dany brings the titular heat. She spent a frustrating amount of time in Essos, honing her military and governance skills (both of which seem to rely on oppressive use of dragon fire) and arrived in Westeros on a seemingly unstoppable quest for the crown. Her claim has been weakened by the discovery that her nephew Jon is the true Targaryen heir, but it’s also quite clear that she wears the dragon-riding slacks in their relationship. HBO The Iron Throne contenders – Game of Thrones Cersei Lannister Cersei is the only villain to survive from episode one to the final season, so credit to her for that. She has already lost her more pragmatic siblings – Tyrion and Jaime – to the anti-apocalypse cause, and her plan for the endgame seems to involve double-crossing the alliance heading to deal with the zombie threat. It simply cannot end well for her, because any damage wrought against the Targaryens will only pave the way for the Night King’s army, and he’s not a man(?) who looks like he’d care much about the Lannisters’ credit rating. Truly the Cnut of the series, she’s already on borrowed time. HBO The Iron Throne contenders – Game of Thrones Arya Stark/Sansa Stark/Bran Stark The survival of the younger Stark children makes you feel all the more sorry for poor Rickon (why oh why didn’t he zigzag?!), who suffered the indignity of never even getting to be a real character before he was dispatched. The reality is that none of the Starks really fancy taking the crown and moving to King’s Landing. They love the North, where you get to wear long fur coats and growl ominous warnings at soft southerners. The best case scenario for Bran is that he gets to live in a castle, not a tree (or the Night King’s body, see fan theories for further details), and, for Sansa, that bizarrely coveted wardenship of the North looks increasingly like it has her name on it. Arya is something of an agent of chaos, and it’s hard to know what, undoubtedly pivotal, role she will yet play, but – and do prove me wrong Arya – it’s hard to see her chatting finance with the Small Council. HBO The Iron Throne contenders – Game of Thrones The Night King Could the Night King be the strong leader that Westeros so desperately needs? It would be fitting for a series that has so willingly taken beloved characters and decapitated them/stabbed them in the heart/slit their throat, to go out with the nihilistic bang of the Night King, astride undead Viserion, perched on the Red Keep. He’s the man to watch if the showrunners decide that they want to go full metaphor. HBO The Iron Throne contenders – Game of Thrones Dark Horses There are some characters – Varys, Jorah, Theon and Yara Greyjoy – who will probably play a significant role in the climactic drama, but without any chance of ending up in the hot seat. A better bet might be Gendry, aka the hot ironmonger from Skins, who has the strongest Baratheon claim to the throne. Other major characters like Brienne, Bronn, Davos and Grey Worm will be knocking about (provided they’re given the screentime in this truncated series) but are subjects, not rulers. Euron Greyjoy has to meet a sticky end at some point, because he’s fully evil and also very misjudged as a character. My outside bet, for the connoisseurs, is Beric Dondarrion, the priest of the Lord of Light, who has seemingly survived the breach of the wall at Eastwatch and whose ability to both conjure fire and come back from the dead might be quite useful against the ice zombies. The Iron Throne contenders – Game of Thrones Verdict Unless they pull off in a wild, unexpected direction – and full credit if they do – it’s going to be Jon and Dany ruling together, and the final shot of the series will, mark my words, be a slow track backwards through the throne room, showing the newly married couple, side-by-side, in a slightly less uncomfortable pair of matching thrones. Incest apologism at its most heart-warming. For my own part, I’d like to see a Ministry of All the Talents in King’s Landing, with Arya bossing the Kingsguard, Yara on naval duty, Davos in charge of law and order (justice, Flea Bottom style), Bronn overseeing the treasury (who better than a sellsword?), and Varys back as spymaster. If Robert, Joffrey and Tommen – the Baratheon kings – have taught us anything, it’s that it’s possible to be in office but not in power. When the ice thaws, I hope to see Game of Thrones’ multifaceted characters given their dues – if they make it out alive, that is. Home Box Office

Fake scenes

There have been multiple reports of directors shooting fake scenes, with director David Nutter recently confirming they took place. Asked if he knew which scenes were fake and which were not, he said: “Oh yeah. Oh yeah, of course.”

Speaking about the security measures taken by the producers, he said: “Well, sometimes there were paparazzi in amazing places – on construction cranes and all kinds of crazy places, to try to get a point of view of things.

“They were all over, everywhere, trying to get in on what was happening. But it was definitely a situation where there was no paper on the set, [that] type of thing. “[The production team] wanted to make sure nobody knew what was happening, and they went to the nth degree, like they do on the show in general. They basically take it to the point where it’s like the Gestapo. It’s tough to get answers.”

Ian Glenn has further added that the “paranoid producers” did not allow a “written word on a page,” adding: ”Everything was accessed through iPads with different security you had to get through to access it. Which caused a problem for the actors, I have to say.”

An awkward reveal

While we, the viewer, know that Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen are related (Jon’s father is actually Prince Rhaegar Targaryen), the star-crossed lovers do not. However, they soon will, as hinted at by Emilia Clarke and Kit Harrington.

“Jon is someone who plays by the book. He cannot lie,” Harrington recently said. ”Finding out about Dany would be very hard for him.” Clarke, too, spoke about her character’s feelings for Jon, saying: “She truly loves Jon. Were she to find out about his title, it would cut deep.”

Co-showrunner Weiss was also on hand for comment, adding: “From a dramatic standpoint, it makes things interesting, because the story is no longer about who Jon’s parents are. It’s about what happens when Jon finds out.”

Reunion special

Sean Bean previously revealed that a special, featuring past and present cast members, was filmed in Belfast, with Conan O’Brien hosting the one-off episode.

HBO has since confirmed as much, revealing the special will be made exclusively available on the upcoming Game of Thrones complete series set box set, packaged alongside seasons one to eight.

HBO boss’s reaction

HBO boss Richard Plepler offered a tantalising update on the eighth season while at a Golden Globes after-party.

Remaining coy about specifics, Plepler offered his own verdict on the final six episodes. “It’s a spectacle. The guys have done six movies. The reaction I had while watching them was, ‘I’m watching a movie,’” Plepler said.

“[Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss] knew the bar was high. They’ve exceeded the bar. I’ve watched them twice without any CGI and I’m in awe. Everybody’s in for an extraordinary treat of storytelling and of magical, magical production.”

Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Show all 23 1 /23 Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Click through the gallery to see what made the list... HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments George W Bush’s head on spike Season one, episode 10 This was shocking but not because it was violent. During the last episode of season one, we saw former president George W Bush’s head on a spike. The directors have since confirmed that no subliminal political messaging was intended: they just needed an extra prosthetic heads and Bush’s was lying around. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Daenerys takes over Meereen Season four, episode four It's after offering the slaves of Meeren a chance of freedom that Daenerys first reveals her deadly side: "I am not your enemy. Your enemy is beside you. I do not bring you commands. I bring you a choice. And I bring your enemies what they deserve." Cue the crucifixion of the city's slaveowners and Daenerys announcing herself as queen of Meereen. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Lysa breast feeding Robin Season one, episode five Not that Breastfeeding should ever be a taboo subject on TV, but when the feeding child is 10 years old, well, there's obviously going to be some kind of uproar. The scene in question came in season one and some viewers could not handle the sight of Catelyn’s sister, Lysa, sitting on a throne with her near-adolescent son, Robin, attached at her breast. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Rat torture Season two, episode four Watching people being tortured is a pretty common occurrence in Game of Thrones. Perhaps the most horrible method of all came in season two, when a bucket of rats was strapped to a man’s chest. Rather than just letting the rodents sit there, a torturer proceeded to heat up the bucket, leading to the rats having to eat their way through the man to escape. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Theon botches a beheading Season two, episode six Although it feels like a long time ago, there was a time when Theon took control of Winterfell. During his governorship, Theon not only had two children killed (believing them to be the Starks), but beheaded Ser Rodrick Cassel himself. Unfortunately, the Greyjoy managed to botch the job, having to take four swings at Cassel until eventually just kicking off the head. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Joffrey murders Ros Season three, episode six Joffrey was a great villain, the writers doing an excellent job of making sure everyone who watched the show despised the child king. One of the most violent moments featuring the Lannister came during season three, when he decided to use the prostitute Ros as a living target. Vile. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Arya ends Littlefinger's life Season seven, episode seven A brutal, if overdue, moment occurred in the season seven finale with Arya slitting the throat of Littlefinger, a character who has been playing his own game of thrones since the very first season. Having his life ended by the youngest daughter of Lady Catelyn Stark, the woman he loved, was likely not the way Lord Baelish expected to go. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Jaime rapes Cersei Season four, episode three Joffrey’s death, in itself, was horrifying. To then witness Jaime rape his sister Cersei, as they argue next to their child, was utterly mortifying. What made the scene particularly controversial was that, in George RR Martin’s books, the moment between Jaime and Cersei was seemingly consensual. Showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss have yet to respond to the outrage that followed after the episode’s broadcast. Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Theon gets his penis chopped off Season three, episode ten While Theon may have been a smug arse, watching the Greyjoy being tortured for almost an entire season was not pleasant. The worst came when Ramsay, also a smug arse, decided to cut off Theon’s penis and send it to his family. Theon quickly became a shell of his former self and Ramsay renamed him Reek. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Tommen jumps out of a window Season six, episode 10 In the dramatic season six finale, Cersei's deadly plan is put into motion, which minutes leads to the fiery death of Margaery Tyrell. Cut to King Tommen who, after learning of his wife's death, sets his crown down and calmly jumps out of the nearest window. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Ice dragon Season seven, episode six Most fans may have seen this twist coming from a mile off, but those who didn't would have been left stunned after the Night King turned one of Daenerys's dragons into one of his own. As the deceased Viserion's eye opens, the future of Westeros looks a lot more uncertain. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Jaime loses his hand Season three, episode three The smarmy Jaime Lannister AKA The Kingslayer was dealt an unexpected blow early into season three after his identity was discovered by a group of sell-swords. Their reaction? To cut off his hand. This moment marked a huge development in Jaime's character evolution. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Battle of the Bastards Season six, episode nine Fans knew a battle between Ramsay and Jon, two bastards, was coming. Exactly how things would go down, though, no one was quite ready for. The battle started with Rickon being allowed to run towards his brother, only for Ramsay to begin firing arrows at the young Stark. It was brutal. Then, during the battle, Jon looked to be losing. Luckily, Sansa and Littlefinger came to the rescue with the Knights of the Vale and things ended with Jon beating Ramsay to a pulp. Sansa ended up feeding Ramsay to the hounds – a moment of bloody justice. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Tyrion kills Shae and Tywin Season four, episode 10 Tyrion Lannister broke bad in the season four finale after finding his beloved girlfriend Shae in bed with his hateful father, Tywin. The Tyrion fans met in season one would have silently sloped off into the shadows, but not this time: he strangles Shae to death and kills his own father with a crossbow as the senior Lannister sits on the toilet. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Shireen is sacrificed by Stannis Season five, episode nine A scene as dark as it is harrowing: the power-hungry Stannis Baratheon, inspired by Melisandre, burns his only daughter, Shireen, at the stake as a sacrifice to the Lord of Light. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Jon Snow dies Season four, episode ten “For the Watch.” There were screams around the world as our hero Jon Snow was stabbed multiple times by members of the Night’s Watch. The last person to put the knife in? Ollie, Jon’s former protégé who murdered his Wildling partner Ygritte. It was almost Shakespearean. For months after, the fandom rabidly speculated over how/when the the Stark bastard would return. Thankfully, the Red Woman, using a little magic, brought him back within a couple of episodes – and those few traitors got their comeuppance. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments "Hold the door" Season six, episode five "The Door" retells Hodor's tragic time-bending story with a delicacy the show rarely manages. As he's torn apart by an army of wights, Hodor tries to "Hold the door" shut to save Meera and Bran, who wargs into a young version of Hodor, then known as Wylis. With Bran in his head, Wylis suffers a seizure, repeating their words – "Hold the door" – until they merge to become the one word he will be able to say for the remainder of his life: "Hodor". HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Jaime pushes Bran out of a window Season one, episode one The Game of Thrones pilot episode may have happened aeons ago (the Stark children look so young), but it still holds up. It's helped by the terrific final moment, which sets the tone perfectly: Bran catches Lannister siblings Jaime and Cersei having incestuous sex, so Jaime pushes him out of a Winterfell tower window. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Sansa and Ramsay's wedding night Season five, episode six Sansa and Ramsay’s controversial wedding night has gone down as the most controversial scene in all of Game of Thrones. The episode, which came midway through season five, saw Ramsay brutally rape his new wife while a terrified Theon/Reek watched on. Some people vowed never to watch the show again. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments The Mountain verses The Viper Season four, episode eight Everything was going Oberyn Martell’s way. Not only were fans lusting after Pedro Pascal’s character, but the Viper was fighting for the life of another fan-favourite, Tyrion Lannister. Of course, this is Games of Thrones, and Oberyn’s plans soon blew up in his face – literally. The warrior’s head ended up looking like a squashed watermelon after The Mountain crushed it. With Oberyn dead and Tyion’s fate seemingly doomed, the season four moment was a gut punch. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments Ned's beheading Season one, episode nine For those uninitiated with George RR Martin's source material, the death of Ned Stark was unthinkable: Sean Bean was the main star and a leading charge for good in a show filled with villainous characters. Ned getting beheaded was a strike for the Lannisters and tipped off viewers to expect the unexpected. HBO Game of Thrones' 22 most shocking moments The Red Wedding Season three, episode nine The Red Wedding has become a defining moment in modern pop culture. Never before had a television series risked showing a pregnant woman being stabbed in the stomach as her husband and mother-in-law watched on, only for them to be killed seconds later. Game of Thrones, staying true to the source material, went there, brutally murdering three major characters; Robb, Talisa and Catelyn Stark.The royal bloodbath sent shockwaves through the fandom and soon became bigger than Game of Thrones. Memes quickly began spreading like wildfire as the world restlessly talked about those five infamous minutes of terrifying television. After Catelyn’s neck was slit and the screen cut to black, television was never the same again. HBO

The Starks team-up

Despite feuding throughout season seven, Arya and Sansa will finally be working together at Winterfell.

“It’s not often you see a character siding with Sansa who’s not manipulating her,” Maisie Williams said. “Last season it was really tough for Sansa because Jon was thinking with his penis and it kind of made Sansa look bitter.

“This season you see Arya teaming with Sansa and sometimes calling out Jon. It felt nice and powerful to stand next to Sophie. Sophie and I are the tightest of friends when sitting across from anyone, so no acting required.”

**MAJOR SPOILER WARNING** For those wanting to go in completely unsullied, turn back now, for the following paragraphs are dark and full of spoilers.

A leak...

Reports have emerged that an in-depth description of the first episode of season eight has found its way online. A Reddit post by user “TheRealFikiDoctor” has been widely shared, with many fans outraged by the high-profile leak. The Independent will not be posting the leak here.

Another huge castle

During production, the set of a newly built castle was spotted in Belfast. Originally, the construction was believed to be extra battle defences for an already established location, but images soon revealed a highly complex structure, having tripled in size – only the set of Winterfell matches up. Speculators believe it could to be the streets of King’s Landing which have been built to burn down, which likely means dragons are coming to the capitol.

Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Show all 13 1 /13 Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Cersei Lannister Why? Cersei falsely accused Arya's father, Ned Stark, of treason, leading to his eventual arrest and beheading. Current status: Alive, sitting on the Iron Throne, probably drinking wine and plotting revenge against the Starks as her newly bought Golden Army comes to Westeros. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Tywin Lannister Why? The Lannister patriarch helped orchestrate the Red Wedding (AKA the day Robb, Catelyn and Talisa were butchered by the Freys). Current status: Dead. Tywin's own son, Tyrion, shot him with a crossbow while he was sat on the toilet. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Gregor 'The Mountain' Clegane Why? Arya was forced to watch the Clegane brother torture a group of locals at Harrenhal. Current status: Undead. The Mountain was poisoned by Oberyn Martell, only to be brought back from the dead by Maester Qyburn. Now, he stands by Cersei's side. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Meryn Trant Why? The first man to be put on Arya's list, Meryn killed her dance instructor Syrio Forel in season one. Current status: Dead. After training as a Faceless person, Arya tracked down Meryn in Braavos. Arya lured him into a trap, stabbed him in the eyes and slit his throat. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Melisandre Why? Melisandre took Gendry away from the Brotherhood Without Banners in the hope of using the Baratheon for Black Magic purposes. Current status: Alive (although very, very old). Jon Snow banned her from stepping foot in Westeros. However, Melisandre has already prophesied her own death will take place in Westeros. Perhaps at the hands of Arya. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Beric Dondarrion Why? The leader of the Brotherhood Without Banners captured Arya, Gendry and The Hound. He then sold Gendry to Melisandre and freed The Hound. Current status: Alive and currently at The Wall, hiding from the Night King's zombie dragon. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Thoros of Myr Why? Beric's fellow brother without a banner. Thoros helped sell Gendry. Current status: Dead. Thoros was one of Jon Snow's troupe who headed north of The Wall to retrieve a Walker. The idea was to present the creature to Cersei. On that journey, Thoros was attacked by an undead bear and eventually froze to death. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Walder Frey Why? Because Walder Frey was the host of the horrendous Red Wedding. Current status: Dead. When Arya got back to Westeros from Braavos, Walder was the first person she went after. Using her new Faceless skills, she infiltrated the Frey household and slit Walder's throat. She then stole his face and poisoned the rest of the Frey family. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Ilyn Payne Why? Ilyn Payne, played by Dr Feelgood himself Wilko Johnson, was the one to behead Ned Stark. Current status: Alive. Ilyn has not appeared on the show since season two. One of the reasons for this could be because Johnson was diagnosed with cancer in 2013. The actor/musician has since made a recovery, and could be back for season eight. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Rorge Why? Rorge threatened to rape Arya when he was a prisoner heading to The Wall. Current status: Dead. Rorge attempted to ambush The Hound and Arya on their journey to Eyrie. What he did not count on was being bested by The Hound. Arya then quickly learns Rorge's name, adds him to the list, and kills him. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Joffrey Baratheon Why? For sentencing Ned Stark to death (and generally being awful). Current status: Dead. Joffrey was poisoned at the Purple Wedding (when the King was to be married to Margaery Tyrell). Although Tyrion was initially blamed, Olenna Tyrell was the actual perpetrator. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Polliver Why? Polliver knocked over Arya during the attack on Yoren and stole Needle. "Fine little blade; maybe I'll pick my teeth with it," he said. Current status: Dead. While travelling with The Hound, Arya bumped into Polliver (still with Needle) at a tavern. Polliver then offered to exchange a chicken for sex with Arya. Funnily enough, that did not go down well, and The Hound soon did away with Polliver's men, leaving the thief for Arya. HBO Arya Stark's death list – Game of Thrones Sandor "The Hound" Clegane Why? During season one, The Hound murdered Arya's friend, Mycah the butcher's boy, at the orders of Joffrey. Despite travelling around Westeros with Arya, The Hound was never forgiven, and the Stark girl left him for dead. Current status: Alive. The Hound was on the verge of death when Brother Ray came and saved him. He then joined Jon Snow and is currently on his way to Winterfell – where Arya awaits. HBO

Speaking of fire...

One fan of the series just happened to be passing by the set of Winterfell when they spotted the entire place on fire. You can see the video here. Looks like the Night King’s making the most of that dragon.

Ice spiders?

Speaking to Bran in season one, Old Nan mentions that the White Walkers raised an army of ”ice spiders” to fight by their sides, telling the Stark child that they “swept through cities and kingdoms, riding their dead horses, hunting with their packs of pale spiders big as hounds”.

Fans have long wondered when the creepy crawlers would make an appearance. Thanks to an official sneak peak of John Howe’s cover art for the 2020 Song of Ice and Fire calendar, shared by George RR Martin, we have a first look at the creatures.

Whether they will appear on the show remains a mystery, but arachnophobes beware.

Over in King’s Landing...

Kit Harrington and John Bradley were spotted in character as Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly filming a scene together. Not too surprising, seeing as Sam’s currently in Winterfell, where Jon is heading. However, the pair were not filming in the Northern stronghold, but in King’s Landing, where their enemy, Cersei, awaits. Could they have finally put their differences aside?

Two fan favourites, back together

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Gwendoline Christie have been spotted filming scenes together. Reports claim that, during episode four, Brienne and Jaime — who will be reunited a few episodes back — will be forced to fight side-by-side against the undead. Where exactly the fight will happen remains unclear.

Until the bitter end

Speaking of Jaime – thanks to a lawsuit against the actor Coster-Waldau, we know that the character will survive until the end of the season. Documents filled in court show that he appears in all six episodes of the final season.