Everyone — well, maybe not everyone, but more than a few people — are revving up for tomorrow night’s Game of Throne s’ season 5 premiere.
Season 5 promises to be thrilling, and probably quite bloody and sexually scandalous, with all the political intrigue, plot twists and betrayals of previous seasons. Critics are already declaring it Game of Thrones’ best season to date (and, some think, better than George R.R. Martin’s books ).
But as the season 5 premiere nears, you’re probably scratching your head to remember all the details of the previous season — unless you’ve binge-watched season 4, of course. For those of you who haven’t, CBS News has provided a bit of a last-minute primer to get you up to speed.
So what did Half-Man, the Onion Night, Kingslayer and the Mother of Dragons — among others, of course — get up to last season? Let’s start with the Stark clan — because let’s face it, they’re the best.
At the Wall, the ever-honorable Jon Snow travels farther north to kill Mance Rayder (remember him – the so-called king of the wildlings?). Before he gets very far, another king (there are so many in Westeros), this one being Stannis Baratheon, sticks his nose in with his army and defeats the wildings himself.
On to Arya, a Game of Throne s favorite. She and the Hound (Joffrey Baratheon’s “dog” who’s afraid of fire) are basically on a road trip, when they cross paths with Brienne of Tarth (the exceedingly tall female knight charged with rescuing Arya and her sister). This mashup doesn’t go too well for the Hound, leaving Arya free to take a boat trip all the way to Braavos.
Bran is on a bit of a spiritual journey in season 4, and is helped along by the Reed twins (the brother is killed by wights) to find the three-eyed raven above the wall. He is rescued by the Children of the Forest (who no one believes actually exist anymore) and he finally goes face to face with his destiny. And we won’t get to see what that destiny is in season 5.
As for Sansa Stark, she’s in Littlefinger’s clutches and at the mercy of her Aunt Lysa up in the Vale. Lysa is a little loony, but we won’t see her in season 5 — she goes straight through the Moon Door and to her death. With her new name and her sleek new look, Sansa appears to be getting pretty creepy cozy with Littlefinger.
Onto the Lannisters. Tyrion — another Game of Throne s favorite — is accused of murdering his nephew (the exceedingly evil Joffrey) and is saved by his one-handed brother Jamie and the slippery Varys before he can be executed. Oh, and let’s not forget — he kills his lover/prostitute Shae and then his father… while he’s on the toilet.
In Essos, Daenerys has a bit of trouble with her new role as leader in Mereen. One of her dragons kills a child, the slave masters aren’t taking lightly to their slaves being freed, and the Mother of Dragons ends the season by changing her children in a dark basement.
That should get you ready for the season 5 premiere Sunday night. To get us in the mood, The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon offered this amusing video of the Game of Throne s cast joining together in song.
[Photo Courtesy YouTube Screengrab]
