'Game of Thrones' season 7 episode guide

Here's a refresher of everything you need to know from season 7 of Game of Thrones. (Check out our guides for seasons 1–6, the final season, and our list of essential episodes down below.)

Episode 1: "Dragonstone"

Writers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Director: Jeremy Podeswa

Plot: After a long journey around the known world, Dany (Emilia Clarke) finally arrived at her family's ancestral home of Dragonstone. Little did she know that the island was built on a massive supply of dragonglass, a fact Sam (John Bradley) discovered in the Citadel's secret archives during a break from cleaning out bedpans and ladling out slop. He wasn't the only one thinking about White Walkers (and their weaknesses) lately. While Cersei (Lena Headey) forged an alliance with Euron (Pilou Asbæk) and prepared for war with Dany, Jon (Kit Harington) turned his attention to the threat beyond the Wall. Even the Hound (Rory McCann) was convinced of the danger after his Brotherhood Without Banners comrades Beric (Richard Dormer) and Thoros (Paul Kaye) let him peek at their oracular fire. Meanwhile, the Hound's old pupil Arya (Maisie Williams) achieved final revenge for the Red Wedding by wiping out every last member of the traitorous House Frey.

Introduced: Ed Sheeran as a friendly Lannister soldier.

Historic moment: Dragons were back in Westeros.

Grade: B

Episode 2: "Stormborn"

Writer: Bryan Cogman

Director: Mark Mylod

Plot: Arya continued her trek through the Riverlands and briefly reunited with her old friend Hot Pie (Ben Hawkey), who told her that Jon was King in the North now. That changed Arya's direction from south to north. Dany was also informed of Jon's recent ascension; after learning that he had Tyrion's (Peter Dinklage) seal of approval, she invited him to Dragonstone to bend the knee. Meanwhile, her military alliance failed its first test when Euron's Iron Fleet attacked the Martells. The Sand Snakes were no match for Euron's savagery, and Theon (Alfie Allen) jumped in the water rather than try to save Yara (Gemma Whelan) from his uncle.

(Re)introduced: Mymeria, Arya's long-lost direwolf, was revealed to be alive and well — and in command of a veritable dog army.

Historic moment: Most maesters are content to simply treat greyscale, but Sam has always been a careful reader. By paying close attention to an old book, he successfully cured Jorah (Iain Glen) of the disease with surgery — a nigh-impossible task that impressed even Archmaester Ebrose (Jim Broadbent).

Grade: B–

Episode 3: "The Queen's Justice"

Writers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Director: Mark Mylod

Plot: Rather than bow before Dany's coalition, Cersei tried breaking it apart one piece at a time. When Euron brought Ellaria (Indira Varma) before the Iron Throne in chains, Cersei consigned her daughter's murderer to an almost unspeakable fate. Then, while Tyrion sent the Unsullied to assault the Lannisters' ancestral home of Casterly Rock, Cersei ordered Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his forces — including Dickon (Tom Hopper) and Randyll Tarly (James Faulkner) — to take Highgarden, which settled her debt with the Iron Bank. House Tyrell came to an end when Jaime delivered poison to Lady Olenna (Diana Rigg). But, before dying, the Queen of Thorns finally confessed that she ordered the assassination of Joffrey (Jack Gleeson).

Introduced: Casterly Rock, never before seen on page or screen.

Historic moment(s): In Melisandre's (Carice van Houten) words, ice and fire had finally united with Jon arriving at Dragonstone. Then there was Lady Olenna's savage final line: "Tell Cersei. I want her to know it was me."

Grade: B+

Episode 4: "The Spoils of War"

Writers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Director: Matt Shakman

Plot: Dany was tired of losing. After learning of Highgarden's fall, she left Dragonstone to settle the score herself. Riding Drogon, she led her Dothraki army in a battle to wipe out Jaime's forces. It was hard enough for the Lannister soldiers to contend with the vicious Dothraki, much less a fire-breathing dragon. But Bronn (Jerome Flynn), utilizing Qyburn's (Anton Lesser) modified ballista, managed to land a bolt in Drogon's side. As a grounded Dany worked to remove the projectile, Jaime seized his chance to run her down. Only a last-minute intervention from Bronn saved Jaime from Drogon's fire.

Introduced: The dragons' vulnerability. Drogon survived Bronn's missile, but the sight of him temporarily plunging from the sky opened the possibility that maybe someone else with better aim and stronger weapons could do real damage.

Historic moment: Arya returned home to Winterfell. As usual, no one would mistake this skilled fighter for a fancy lady like Sansa (Sophie Turner). But, despite their time apart, the Stark siblings still recognized each other — even the greatly changed Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright).

Grade: A

Episode 5: "Eastwatch"

Writer: Dave Hill

Director: Matt Shakman

Plot: Dany sentenced Dickon and Randyll to death by Drogon's fire for refusing to kneel following her victory, causing Tyrion to fear she might have inherited some of her ancestors' bloodlust. Bran had a vision of the Night King's army marching and sent ravens to every corner of Westeros with warnings. Not even the Citadel believed him, which inspired Sam to leave so he could help out where he was really needed. With everyone reluctant to believe in White Walkers, the Brotherhood Without Banners joined Jon, Jorah, and Gendry (Joe Dempsie) on an expedition beyond the Wall to capture a wight as undeniable proof.

Introduced: Gendry was back, this time with a fancy war hammer.

Historic moment: Jon met his first dragon. Thanks to his secret Targaryen blood, he became one of the first people other than Dany to touch Drogon and live to tell the tale.

Grade: B–

Episode 6: "Beyond the Wall"

Writers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Director: Alan Taylor

Plot: Jon and his squad headed out on their wight-hunting mission. Thoros met his end at the hands of a reanimated bear, which meant there would be no more Red God resurrections for Beric. The group successfully captured a wight, but soon found themselves encircled by the Night King's army. Luckily, Gendry was able to run back to Eastwatch and sent a raven to Dany, who arrived with her dragons. In return for her help, Jon pledged fealty to her. On the other side of the Wall, Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) attempted to pit Sansa and Arya against each other.

Introduced: Jon's loyalty oath to Dany.

Historic moment: Dany finally lost one of her dragons. But the Night King didn't just kill Viserion; he resurrected him as a wight, giving the Army of the Dead an incredible weapons upgrade.

Grade: C–

Episode 7: "The Dragon and the Wolf"

Writers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Director: Jeremy Podeswa

Plot: Almost every major player in Westeros united in King's Landing to discuss the Night King. Not even Cersei could deny the threat posed by the wight in front of her, yet she refused to cease wartime hostilities after Jon admitted his allegiance to Dany. But Cersei was expecting (or at least wanted people to think she was); Tyrion played on her pregnancy to get her to join the alliance, though she secretly still planned betrayal. That was one scheme too many for Jaime, who finally left his sister behind just as winter began. Winter came for Littlefinger, especially when the Stark kids united to expose his lies. Arya executed him with a Valyrian steel dagger — the very same one used to attack Bran in season 1, which Littlefinger had falsely claimed belonged to Tyrion in a lie that kickstarted the War of the Five Kings.

Introduced: The Hound's awareness that his brother, the Mountain (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson), was still alive (well, reanimated by Cersei's Hand of the Queen, Qyburn).

Historic moment: The Wall fell. Riding the undead dragon, the Night King destroyed the magical barrier, and the dead poured into Westeros.

Grade: B+

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