Game of Thrones is Back!!!!

Game on, man! GOT is like my Super Bowl, Christmas and Carnivale all rolled into one!  I have spent the past year and a half speculating on what this season will bring and the past 2 days dissecting what happened so far.  As for the premiere itself, we had so much fun with our GOT crew. We actually watched the episode twice, back-to-back just to make sure we could get all of our snark in.  ;). Of course, we had so much fun that I didn't take one picture.

Unlike Outlander, there's a whole universe of Got-related recaps, reviews and speculation so I don't know that what I have to say is particularly original... but still, here are my thoughts about what happened so far and where we're going.

Episode 1 of each season is always a little slow so I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were some big progress-bombs in this one, which set the stage for some important drama over the next 5 remaining episodes.

1. Jon owns a dragon!!!  Book nerds like me will know that a dragon doesn't just let any old chump climb on up there; they accept just one rider during that rider's lifetime. Jon obviously doesn't know this but more important, Daeny doesn't seem to know this either. Just as Sam asks whether she would give up her crown to protect her people, I ask "would Daeny have offered up Rhaegal to Jon if she knew that it was a permanent offer?"  I think the answer to both questions is "no." 

A few seasons ago, when Daeny was starting to look all kinds of cray, I wondered if she wasn't a hero after all. Maybe we're not seeing a conquering hero's return to her homeland but rather a violent invasion.  Maybe the Night king isn't the big bad; maybe it's Daeny?!  And maybe the Night King's purpose is actually to save Westeros from Daeny? To be honest, I kind of lost steam on that theory because the show so obviously loves Daeny, despite her lapses in judgment.  However, now I'm wondering again, though there are definite issues with this theory.

Regardless of whether she's a villain or a hero, I think we're being set up for a schism between her and Jon (even if they ultimately come back together). I'm guessing that at some point Rhaegal will choose to fly with Jon instead of next to Daeny and Drogon. This will devastate Daeny, drive a huge wedge between her and Jon, and also publicly validate Jon's Targaryen status since on the show only Targies can ride dragons.

2. The Night King's drawings mean something... but I have no idea what it is. We've seen these swirlies and other symbols from the very first scenes of the show but have no basis for what they might mean. Sure, we've seen indicators of their origin and significance (they're related to weir woods and the children of the forest), but that doesn't tell us their purpose.  However, the zombie Little Ned Umber symbol is literally made of arms and when set ablaze looks similar to the Targaryen sigil. I admit, I did not catch this on my own but once it was pointed out, it was pretty undeniable.  Could it be the Night King knows something about Daeny?  Or that they share some sort of primal connection?  I love the theory that Bran is actually the OG Stark, Bran the Builder. Could the Night King be an OG Targaryen?  

3. Jon is the true heir to the Iron Throne, but does that matter?  Of course, it's huge that Jon finally learns the truth about his parentage.  But aside from the emotional consequences, does it really matter?  I guess what I am trying to say is that this show has questioned the role of traditional monarchy again and again, making the point that the lowborn masses are always on the losing end, regardless of who sits on the iron throne. Robert took it from the Targaryens by force and hundreds of years before that the Targaryens took it from the native Westerosi by force.  If we're looking to return Westeros to its rightful rulers, then having 7 separate kingdoms makes sense; not a ruler of the Andals and first men to govern all 7 together.

So with that in mind, I'm struggling to guess where the story is going here. I like GOT best when it subverts norms (hello, Red Wedding) but I can't help but feel like we're getting a Cinderella story with Jon.  If he is the Prince Who Was Promised, is it all attributable to lineage, or is it something more earned?

The theory that I love the most, but admit is unlikely to happen, is that Jon isn't TPWWP after all, but that it's a less likely character such as Theon.  Far more studio bookies than I have parsed the books for references to TPWWP, and apparently many of them line up with Theon as well as they do Jon. It would certainly explain why his character is still around and would complete his redemptive arc.  

But let's go the more traditional route and assume it's Jon. Does that mean that Jon will rule or is TPWWP just meant to defeat the Night King (but maybe die himself in doing so) and turn the realm over to whoever is left standing?  So many questions!!