Bells chime. Sirens wail. The storms arrive, bringing in the chills. We believe it’s time…Winter is here.

HBO’s fantasy-drama series Game of Thrones is back with its final season and we cannot keep calm! While there is a lot of speculation around all the many characters from the series, we do believe that the little details would be lost upon us.

So, before we dive headfirst into all the drama the finale has to offer, we bring to you a fast-flashback of all the seasons.

 Are you as excited as we are? Catch the breakdown here:

THE BEGINNING

A lot of drama unfolds in the very first episode of the season. A deserter witnesses a white-walker and is beheaded by Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark of Winterfell, the Warden of the North, upon the obedient confession.

The Starks of Winterfell include Robb Stark, the heir to Winterfell, Theon Greyjoy, Ned’s hostage who was raised in Winterfell, Jon Snow, Eddard’s bastard son, Sansa Stark, the red-head princess who dreamt of being a queen one day, Arya Stark, the girl who wanted to be a warrior and Brandon Stark and Rickon Stark, who were too naïve to understand the gravity of kingdoms and politics . They each have a direwolf to themselves, as a companion and protector at all times. are an eclectic bunch of kids, all unique in their own way.

Robert Baratheon, the King of the seven kingdoms, is married to Cersei Lannister. They have three kids namely, Joffrey Baratheon, Tommen Baratheon and Myrcella Baratheon. Cersei’s twin brother Jamie Lannister is a knight at the kingsguard while Tyrion Lannister, the dwarf, is known to be an alcoholic and a satyriasic.

Across the narrow sea, we have Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen, who plot to join hands with the Dothraki war-lord, in exchange of power and army to conquer Westeros and reclaim their rightful place on the Iron Throne. On wedding the Khal, Dany receives three Dragon eggs as a wedding gift by Illyrio Mopatis, a supporter and counsellor of House Targaryen.

The King, the Lannisters and their visit in the North

Robert Baratheon, the king of the seven kingdoms, offers his old pal Ned to become the Hand of the king and join their houses in alliance by wedding their children, Joffrey Baratheon and Sansa Stark, when time comes.The Lannister twins, Jamie Lannister’s and Cersei Lannister’s incestual relationship unfolds before Brandon and he bears its consequences. Catelyn Stark has her doubts about the Lannisters and their intentions but she keeps it tight-lipped. Jon Snow leaves for the Night’s Watch at the Wall and Tyrion Lannister, the witty dwarf, accompanies him for the journey.

THE GAMES BEGIN

Ned, after arriving at King’s Landing, slowly understands that all that glitters isn’t gold and that the Westerosi politics is more complicated than it seems. On revelations of many secrets, Ned is torn between protecting his family and sticking up to the promise to his friend Robert while the Lannisters plot against their own King.

In the North, Jon is at the Night’s watch with his Uncle Benjen, Tyrion Lannister is Catelyn’s prisoner at her sister Lysa’s home in the Eyrie and Brandon is attacked by wildlings in a forest, who are later captured by Robb and Theon.

Daenerys and the Dothraki

In Essos, the assassination attempt on Daenerys, who is pregnant with Khal Drogo’s child, ordered by King Robert, fails. Angry at the assassination attempt, Drogo vows that the Dothraki will cross the Narrow Sea and retake the Iron Throne for his and Daenerys’s unborn son.

The Shift

A dying Robert names Ned the ‘Protector of the Realm’ and asks him to hold the throne until his son Joffrey arrives of legal age. Ned confronts Cersei about the father of her children and seeks Lord Baelish’s and City Watch’s help for the same. Ned is later, betrayed by them and held as a prisoner in King’s Landing.  

Joffrey names himself as the king and Tywin Lannister, his grandfather, as his Hand. Sansa is captured, while Arya manages to escape. Ned is offered a chance to publicly recognize Joffrey’s claim to throne and confess to treason, after which he’ll be sent to the Wall to live for the rest of his life.

Robb hears this news and leaves for Westeros to fight against the Lannisters, leaving Bran to rule Winterfell. Catelyn also leaves the Eyrie to join Robb’s camp. Bran continues to recover from his fall and begins to learn of his special gift of being able to see through the eyes of his direwolf.

The Twist

Ned publicly recognizes Joffrey Baratheon as the king, but is beheaded instead of being spared in consequence by a vengeful Joffrey. Sansa and Arya both witness this horror while the Lannisters and the other counselors sulk in silence of the King’s deeds.

The end of the beginning

Jon convinces the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch that they must go beyond the Wall to learn more of the approaching White Walkers, find Benjen Stark, his missing uncle and a member of night’s watch, and prepare for the upcoming battle. Tyrion is named the hand of king in Tywin’s absence. Sansa is yet to wed Joffrey while Arya manages to escape King’s Landing disguised as a boy. Catelyn and Robb seek Walder Frey’s help to fight the Lannisters and promise Robb’s hand in marriage with one of his daughters in future.

In Essos, Khal Drogo is wounded and is left in a vegetative state. Daenerys learns that the witch, who tried to save Khal with blood magic, killed her unborn child and that saving Drogo now is impossible. Dany decides to end his life and burn him on a pyre, burning the lying witch with it. She also places the three eggs on the pyre as she walks into the flames, thinking about how her life has no meaning without Drogo’s and her child’s existence. When the embers die in the morning, Daenerys rises in all her glory unharmed, unburnt, flanked by three newborn dragons.

Okay, that was intense and full of #MajorFeels. Wait, are you nostalgic too?

Stay tuned to this space for a recap on season 2.