So another season of Game of Thrones has come to a thrilling climax, with even more grisly deaths and passive aggressive put downs than ever before. In the season when the show finally moved passed the source material, nobody knew what to expect and there were shocks aplenty as the character’s story arcs twisted and turned. New lands and cities were explored by our favourite characters, as the Game of Thrones world continued to grow larger and more diverse.
Here we recap what all our favourite characters got up to in season six and where we should expect to find them when season seven hits our screens next year.
Jon Snow
It’s been a biggie for everyone’s favourite moping half-Stark. He came back from the dead then saw off an uprising from his treacherous cronies, and was then reunited with his sister, Sansa. This was all before he defeated Ramsay Bolton, in the season’s most epic battle, and took back Winterfell for the Starks.
In the last episode he was declared, like half-brother Robb before him, King of the North by the northern lords.
Season Seven?
As the newly declared King of the North, it’s pretty much down to Jon to protect Westeros against the inevitable attack of the undead. With winter officially beginning, it’s time to batten down the hatches and prepare for the onslaught of white walkers et al.
So if you’re in Belfast in the coming months, look out for Jon Snow, Sansa Stark and the northern lords (particularly the ace Lyanna Mormont), as many scenes in and around Winterfell are filmed in the city. Fancy a trip to the Northern Irish capital? Check out our great guide, here.
Daenerys Targaryen
After impressing the Khalasar who kidnapped her by setting a hut on fire and surviving the flames (this trick really works with everyone), Daenerys returned to Meereen and attacked the slavers who threatened to overtake the city. With all three dragons, a massive army and a large fleet now under her command, Daenerys is ready to venture back to Westeros – something she has been threatening for six seasons now.
Season Seven?
Currently sailing back to Westeros from Slaver’s Bay (now renamed Bay of Dragons), Daenerys has got to decide where to arrive in her homeland. When the Targaryens previously overtook Westeros, they started from their base on Dragonstone – an island to the east of the nation. It’s likely that Daenerys might try and follow suit, especially with Dragonstone not particularly secure following the death of Stannis Baratheon.
In previous seasons, Dragonstone has been filmed in County Derry, Northern Ireland. Fancy tracing Daenerys’ steps? Check out our guide to Northern Ireland’s hidden gems.
Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion spent the season slowly winning over Daenerys’ favour and ruling in her absence when she was robbed by her dragon for a bit. He ended the season being named Hand of the Queen and preparing her for the big assault on Westeros. Also he’s got his old buddy, Lord Varys, back by his side (who seemed to do a nifty bit of teleporting in the final episode).
Season Seven?
As with Daenerys, it depends where the fleet drops anchor in Westeros. But after bowling out of the land of his birth in a crate, Tyrion will just be glad to be returning in slightly more favourable circumstances. With the Iron Throne in disarray, he’ll surely be relishing his chances to seize some nugget of power in King’s Landing.
Arya Stark
Arya seemed to be struggling a bit in her attempt to become a faceless man, uncomfortable with the demands to kill people she deemed innocent. So she quit. But did manage to murder the ex-colleague sent to snuff her out – and then got back to Westeros in double quick time somehow.
In one of the most satisfying scenes in the show’s history, Arya used her faceless man skills to avenge the death of her mother and brother by murdering the vile Walder Frey.
Season Seven?
Who knows? She could return to her ancestral home of Winterfell where she may find her sister and half-brother rallying the troops of the north. Or she could resume killing the names on her list – Cersei, Melisandre, Thoros of Myr, Beric Dondarrion and the Hound. So she’d maybe head down to King’s Landing, the only place where she’d know one of her listed names can be found – Cersei.
Fancy beating Arya to King’s Landing? That’ll be real-life Dubrovnik, check out the highlights of the beautiful Croatian city, here.
Cersei and Jaime Lannister
Everyone’s favourite incestuous pairing, Cersei and Jaime, are back in the same city once again – with the former now perched on the Iron Throne. As the season came to a climax, we were not shown Jaime’s reaction to the development, or to the news of his son’s death (that’s all three of your illegitimate children gone, J), so it’s unclear how this will affect their relationship.
Cersei meanwhile will undoubtedly be pleased as punch that her elaborate plan to take the monarchy has actually come to fruition.
Season Seven?
They’ll bicker, that’s for sure. But there’s also the threat of Daenerys Targaryen invading from across the narrow sea and a united north rising against the Lannisters – so the romantically-involved twins will probably have to strengthen the defences of King’s Landing.
There’s also the chance that Jaime might not be so happy with Cersei’s new regime, and head back to his ancestral home of Casterly Rock – a location still not visited in the show. Maps of Westeros show that Casterly Rock is not too far from the Iron Islands – where it is always raining, so might we suggest Cruise1st’s hometown of Manchester as a shooting location?
Brienne of Tarth
The traditionally unlucky and brooding Brienne finally enjoyed a slice of good luck as she managed to safely deliver Sansa Stark to her half-brother Jon Snow. She was subsequently sent to request the help of Brynden Tully, which he refused and then died. So a mixed bag of a season for Brienne really.
The last we see of Brienne is her escape from Riverrun with faithful Podrick Payne in tow. Brienne’s Game of Thrones timeline is essentially a series of missions set by others, so we’ll have to wait to see what’s next for her.
Season Seven?
Westeros is Brienne’s oyster, freed from her promise to Catelyn Stark, Brienne can now choose her next mission and master. It seems she had a bit of an affinity for Sansa (and a soft spot for the leering Tormund) so the smart money might be on a return to Winterfell.
Bran Stark
After teasing the Night’s King, Bran had to escape his new tree home with the help of Meera. Taken in by his undead uncle Benjen (who is now some kind of north of the wall ambassador for the living), Bran has been safely delivered back to the wall. Central to the fight against the army of the undead, Bran’s got to learn to control his warging and greenseeing abilities to save all humanity. A bit of a pressure for a lad in the midst of puberty.
He also discovered the identity of Jon Snow’s parents – Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen.
Season Seven?
With the whole of Westeros and the breadth of time to explore, Bran is probably going to be all over the place in season seven – discovering secrets of the past, and hopefully helping men avoid the oncoming zombie apocalypse.
Samwell Tarly
A brief trip home saw Samwell fall out with his dad again, before stealing the family sword, and taking Gilly and baby Sam to Oldtown where he will study to become a maester. The last scene of Samwell’s season sees him stare at the massive library of Oldtown with great wonder.
Season Seven?
Samwell’s season will most likely comprise of him trying to protect Gilly, the baby and the entire population of Westeros by blubbering excuses and pouring through ancient books.
Fancy visiting Oldtown yourself? Well it’s filmed in real world Girona, the beautiful second city of the Catalan region. Check out our guide here.
Didn’t catch our season six preview or mid-season catch-up pieces? Check them out here:
Game of Thrones Mid-Season Catch-Up
In Memoriam
Game of Thrones has never shied away from killing off major characters, and season six certainly was not an exception to this trend with more characters meeting their maker than ever before. In fact, the last episode of the season was arguably the biggest killer of major characters yet. Here we pay tribute to those we lost this year (cue sombre music):
Hodor – Definitely the saddest death of the season, the gentle giant sacrificed himself to save Bran. Even more heartbreakingly, we finally learned the source of his unusual name as he perished. The Three Eyed Raven was also killed in the process, although he’d lived for over 1,000 years so he can’t complain really.
Margaery Tyrell – Love her or loathe her, Margaery’s power struggle with Cersei has been one of the series’ great feuds. It was sad to see the back of her as she was blown to smithereens as the Queen Mother set wildfire on the sept. Other major characters who faced their doom in the sept include the High Sparrow, Loras, Lancel, Mace Tyrell and Kevan Lannister. Grandmaester Pycelle was also stabbed to death just before by a band of killer children.
Tommen Baratheon – Another short reign for a Westeros monarch. Tommen’s seemed a doomed figure for some time now, and it was hardly surprisingly when he threw himself out of a window after his mother killed his wife.
Ramsay Bolton – Not many tears for this one, Ramsay Bolton has been, perhaps, the most hated man in Westeros for a few seasons now. There was a wonderful feeling of satisfaction as Sansa Stark set his own dogs on him. In an eventful season for Ramsay, he also managed to take the life of his father, Roose Bolton.
Rickon Stark – Despite things looking relatively sunnier for the Stark children, the youngest member, Rickon, never managed to reunite with his older siblings. Given a view of Jon Snow, Rickon was shot down by Ramsay Bolton. He never really did a great deal anyway, Rickon.
Walder Frey – Another hugely satisfying death, the ever-disgusting (but brilliantly portrayed) Walder Frey came to a sticky end at the hands of the returning Arya Stark. Using her cool new face-swapping abilities, Arya conceived a wonderfully vengeful plot wherein she fed Walder Frey a pie made of his sons before revealing her identity and slitting his throat.
Osha – A very brief return for the former Wildling, Osha was brought as a captive to Ramsay but was immediately offed. A bit of an anti-climax for someone who has covered thousands of miles on foot ferrying various Stark children about.
Wun Wun – A hero’s death for the giant, Wun Wun. A mass of arrows finally brought down the big lad as he burst through the gates of Winterfell and helped Jon Snow defeat Ramsay.
Brynden Tully – The Blackfish, a legendary warrior, was killed as his ancestral home, Riverrun, was overrun by Lannister and Frey forces. We never really saw enough of the tough old gadgie, who was supposed to be hard as nails.
Olly and Alliser Thorne – No one wants to see a child die, but Olly did kind of deserve it. After Olly and Alliser Thorn (along with a load of other traitors to the Night’s Watch) stabbed Jon Snow to death, no one was too sad to see them hanged for their crimes.
Balon Greyjoy – The main chap of the Iron Islands was killed by his returning brother Euron. After watching Balon being pushed to his death from a suspended rope bridge connecting the tops of two massive towers, you’ve got to question the design of the castle.
So that’s the end of another great season of Game of Thrones, and there’s an agonising nine and a half month wait until season seven kicks off. At least enjoy a couple of the weeks spent waiting, by booking an incredible cruise deal with Cruise1st. For the full range of deals, simply visit our homepage or call our dedicated team on 0808 2746 777.
