As we all await the final season of "Game of Thrones," set to air later this year, it's easy to forget how far the show has come since the start of the series in 2011. Season 1 is full of foreshadowing and is the starting place for all of our favorite characters' growth and development. Yes, Jon Snow has grown up to become our favorite back-from-the-dead White Walker-slaying badass, but remember when he was still catching shade from Catelyn Stark in Winterfell? Remember when Theon still thought he was relevant? Remember when Jaime had both hands? Here are some more things I noticed and was reminded of in my recent rewatch of "Game of Thrones" season 1.
1. Viserys's death, while early in the first season, may be one of the most satisfying deaths of the series.
Obviously, Joffrey's death and Ramsay's are up there, too, but Viserys was the show's OG asshole. Thank god he only lasted 6 episodes. Take your abusive, incestuous, power-hungry, whiny, pathetic, fragile ego elsewhere, bro.
2. Sansa was actually the worst.
Season 6 Sansa is finally starting to kick ass -- she is the one who convinces Jon to take back Winterfell, and we're starting to see her plot against Littlefinger (who, we shouldn't forget, is the one who betrayed her father in season 1). But in Season 1, Sansa was insufferable. All she does is talk about how much she loves Joffrey, which, in hindsight, is hilarious.
3. Two major deaths of the first season were actually very heavily foreshadowed in the first episode.
That's right. Remember Ned's walk in the forest with his children? They find a dead dire wolf, mauled to death by a stag, which is also dead on the forest floor. Of course, later in the season, a notable stag (Joffrey Baratheon) has Ned (our well-loved wolf) executed, and Robert, the main stag himself, is killed off. In the first hour of the show, the writers are telling us outright that Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon, our wolf and stag, aren't long for this world.
4. Cersei's murder of Robert was also super foreshadowed.
It doesn't take long for us to realize that Cersei purposely had Robert's squire get him drunk in order to lower his defenses, resulting in his hunting "accident." But we get a hint that Cersei is up to something well before Robert actually dies, when she approaches him in the Red Keep and the two share an unusual conversation. Why would Cersei unexpectedly bring up Lyanna, a woman whose memory she has spent almost 20 years avoiding out of spite, unless she wanted some final closure from Robert?
5. Daenerys's growth has almost nothing to do with Khal Drogo, and everything to do with Dany herself.
Don't get me wrong, Dany and Khal Drogo are still my favorite couple on the show. RIP, my sun and stars! When we think about early Dany, we imagine her coming into power because she marries a powerful Khal. This is technically true, but Khal Drogo doesn't warm up to Dany or pay her any kind of respect until she starts becoming more confident in herself. How does she do this? She learns the Dothraki language; she learns how to assimilate into the Dothraki culture as khaleesi; she learns how to be a better lover. Only then do she and Drogo really begin to fall in love. Dany has truly been a self-starter from the beginning.
6. Tyrion looked completely different.
After having been through some battles and fleeing to live in the East with Dany, Tyrion has begun to look a little worn around the edges. But in season 1, he was still a golden Lannister boy. What was with the Bieber cut?
7. Catelyn Stark was a badass.
When Bran is attacked early in season 1, Catelyn tries to stop the assassin by literally GRABBING ONTO THE BLADE WITH HER BARE HANDS. I forgot how much I missed her.
8. The dire wolves were so cool.
Ghost is awesome, but remember when the other 5 wolves were still around? Good times. (Also, where the heck is Nymeria? Season 7, anyone?)
9. Joffrey is the poor man's Ramsay Snow.
I remember when I saw season 1 and thought Joffrey was as bad as a character could get. LOL.
So, these are just some of the things I'm noticing as I work though a rewatch of season 1 of "Game of Thrones"! What are some things you're reminded of when you look back on the first season?
