Dragonstone (episode)

"This article is about the episode. For the large island, see 'Dragonstone (island);' for the eponymous castle, see 'Dragonstone (castle);' for the Histories & Lore special feature, see 'Dragonstone (Histories & Lore).'"

"Dragonstone" is the first episode of the seventh season of Game of Thrones. It is the sixty-first episode of the series overall. It premiered on July 16, 2017. It was written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss and directed by Jeremy Podeswa.

Plot
Jon organizes the defense of the North. Cersei tries to even the odds. Daenerys comes home.

In the Riverlands
At The Twins, "Walder Frey" presides over the second feast that he has organized in a fortnight. "Lord Frey" has summoned every Frey whom he cares about under the pretext of revealing his plans. "Walder" orders the servants to serve them wine from the Arbor but harshly tells his wife Kitty Frey that he is not wasting any wine on her. "Walder" thanks his family for helping him to slaughter the Starks and details the violent deaths of King Robb Stark, his wife Talisa Stark and her unborn child, and Lady Catelyn Stark much to the laughter of his family.

However, he chides them for missing one Stark as the Freys began to choke from poisoned wine. As his family members die around him, "Walder" then remarks "leave one wolf and the sheep are not safe." "Walder" then reveals himself as a disguised Arya Stark, who has exacted vengeance on her family's murderers. Arya spares Walder's surviving wife and the servants and tells them to tell the others that "the North remembers and that winter came for House Frey."

Later, Arya is riding a horse when she stumbles upon a group of Lannister soldiers who have been sent north to keep law and order. The soldiers are singing about gold and offer to share rabbit meat for dinner. When the soldiers ask why she is riding south, Arya tells them that she is traveling to King's Landing. Arya learns from the soldiers that the Great Sept of Baelor and its surroundings have been destroyed. The blonde soldier insists that she try more of the rabbit. When she asks about their adventures, the soldiers admit that they are homesick and one talks about going to fight in other people's wars. The blonde soldier offers her blackberry wine while his black-haired companion asks why she is traveling south. Arya tells them that she is going to kill the Queen. Thinking that she is joking, they all burst out laughing.

In the North
At Winterfell, the King in the North Jon Snow conscripts all able-bodied boys and girls into searching for dragonglass. He stresses that dragonglass is now more valuable than gold due to the threat of the White Walkers. When Robett Glover questions Snow, Lady Lyanna Mormont remarks that girls will not remain idle and volunteers to help. Sansa Stark urges her half-brother to strip the Umbers and Karstarks of their castles as punishment for turning against the Starks. However, Jon advocates forgiveness and insists that children will not be punished for the crimes of their fathers. Despite Sansa's continued insistence, Jon insists his decision is final and summons Ned Umber and Alys Karstark to reaffirm their loyalty to House Stark. They oblige and kneel before King Jon. Jon says that the mistakes of the past don't matter anymore. Petyr Baelish watches the proceedings with a smile.

In private, Jon Snow chides Sansa for questioning his decision-making in front of the other lords and ladies and tells her to trust him. When Sansa reminds him that the late Joffrey Baratheon did not tolerate dissent, Jon reassures her that he is not Joffrey. Sansa tells Jon that she knows he is nothing like Joffrey and assures Jon that he is good at leadership but she wants him to be wiser than their late father and brother. She confides that their father sought to protect her from the harshness of reality including swearing. Maester Wolkan then sends a missive from the newly-crowned Queen Cersei Lannister demanding that they submit to her authority. While Jon is preoccupied with preparing to fight the Night King, Sansa warns him not to underestimate Cersei.

Later, Brienne of Tarth and Podrick Payne spar with swords. Podrick is struggling and Tormund tells him that he has long to go. Petyr and Sansa are watching Brienne and Podrick sparring. Sansa dismisses Littlefinger's attempts to get under her skin by stating that she is safe at Winterfell because Brienne is protecting her, and retorts to his prodding that she looks unhappy only because she yearns for peace and quiet. When Brienne, having seen what is going on, moves over to intervene, Baelish scurries off. When Brienne asks why Petyr is still here, Sansa replies that the Knights of the Vale helped to turn the tide of the Battle of the Bastards. However, Sansa is confident that she knows what Petyr wants.

Elsewhere, Sandor Clegane is riding with the Brotherhood Without Banners. They decide to shelter for the night at an abandoned village but Sandor thinks it is unsafe. Beric Dondarrion dismisses Sandor's unease and orders that they set up camp for the night. The men enter a hunt where they discover the corpses of the Farmer and his daughter Sally, whom he and Arya Stark had encountered many months ago following the Red Wedding. Sandor thinks the father killed his daughter so that she would not starve to death.

In private, Sandor recalls seeing Beric at the tournament at King's Landing. Berric confides that he does not know what R'hllor, the Lord of Light, is telling him. Sandor remarks that he does not believe in divine justice, citing the fate of the father and his daughter. Despite Sandor's fear of flames, Beric tells him to look into the fire. He tells him that only the fire can show him what the Lord of Light wants him to see. At first, Sandor can only see logs but he then sees a Wall of Ice. He also sees a castle where the Wall meets the sea, presumably Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Sandor sees a mountain that looks like an arrowhead and thousands of the dead marching past. Beric then asks Sandor if he now believes that they are here for a reason.

Later, Thoros finds Sandor burying the dead farmer and his daughter Sally in the snow. The Brother asks if he knew those people but Sandor admits that he doesn't. Sandor is about to deliver an epitaph to the Seven but can't remember the rest of the verse. Instead, he simply tells the dead that they deserve better.

At the Wall
Beyond the Wall, a column of White Walkers riding undead horses leads a horde of Wights through a snowstorm. Their numbers include at least three undead Giants. Meanwhile, Bran Stark and Meera Reed reach the gate beneath Castle Black. They are greeted by the Acting Lord Commander Eddison Tollett and several armed Night's Watch. Edd thinks they are Wildlings but Meera introduces herself and Bran. When Edd asks them to verify their identities, Bran reveals that he knows that Edd fought alongside his half-brother Jon Snow at the Fist of the First Men, and has seen the army of the dead. Edd decides to bring the two of them inside.

At King's Landing
At King's Landing, Queen Cersei shows Jaime Lannister a giant map of Westeros. Jaime has not spoken since his return due to his anger with Cersei over the death of their youngest son, the late King Tommen Baratheon. Cersei tells Jaime that their estranged brother Tyrion Lannister has returned with Queen Daenerys Targaryen at the head of an armada. Jaime thinks that Daenerys will land her forces at the fortress of Dragonstone :the Targaryen princess is likely to be drawn to her birthplace, and more importantly,the deep water around the island will allow her fleet to make anchor. Cersei notes that they have enemies in the south and the north: the Tyrells, the Martells, and the Starks.

While Cersei has dreams of ushering in a long dynasty, Jaime tells Cersei that they are losing the war, and with all their children dead, there is no Lannister line to inherit the Iron Throne. When Jaime asks Cersei about Tommen, she responds angrily that he betrayed them by committing suicide. Cersei adds that they are the only living Lannisters who count. Jaime tells her that they need allies and reports that House Frey has been exterminated. Cersei angrily reminds him that she has been listening to their father's counsel for the past forty years and has learnt some things.

A large Ironborn fleet bearing the sigil of House Greyjoy sails into King's Landing. Cersei tells Jaime that she is planning to forge an alliance with Euron Greyjoy. Jaime criticizes her decision and points out that the Greyjoys are oath breakers and "bitter killers." Cersei responds that she plans to marry Euron. In the throne room, Queen Cersei and Jaime host Euron. Seeking revenge against Yara and Theon Greyjoy for running away with part of the fleet, Euron proposes that they join forces to murder their enemies including Tyrion.

When Jaime questions Euron's legitimacy and trustworthiness, Euron talks about the Greyjoy Rebellion and praises Jaime's swordsmanship. Euron adds that he went into exile because of the Greyjoy Rebellion. He boasts that the Iron Fleet is the greatest fleet that Westeros has ever seen. Euron proposes to marry Cersei to seal a marriage pact. Cersei declines due to his history of oath breaking and his role in murdering his brother Balon Greyjoy. Euron promises not to return to King's Landing until he has delivered his "finest gift."

At the Citadel
At the Citadel, Samwell Tarly is assigned menial work. His duties include serving the Maesters' meals, emptying their chamber pots, and storing books. While browsing through the library, he stares at a book behind a locked grate in the restricted section. Later, Samwell helps the Archmaester to dissect a corpse. Samwell asks the Archmaester if he has read his proposition. In light of what he has seen in the North, Samwell asks for permission to read the restricted section. When Samwell says that he has truly seen the Army of the Dead, the Archmaester responds that Maesters are naturally critical.

Still, he accepts Samwell's claim because the stories about the Long Night are corroborated in a number of sources. The Archmaester reminds him that Maesters are guardians of knowledge and history. Still, the Archmaester believes that the Wall will not fall because it has stood for millennia. He tells Sam to finish his job. Later that night, Samwell steals a Maester's key and enters the forbidden section.

While Samwell studies, Gilly entertains her young son Sam, who is now a toddler. Gilly asks him about the book he is studying, which is about The Long Night. Samwell mentions that Stannis Baratheon told him that there was a cache of dragon-glass hidden beneath Dragonstone. The next day, while gathering empty bowls from the cells of the Citadel, Samwell meets a shadowy figure who tells him that the Dragon Queen is approaching.

At Dragonstone
Meanwhile, Queen Daenerys Targaryen along with her closest advisers Tyrion Lannister, Varys, Missandei, and Grey Worm land at Dragonstone island. After landing, Daenerys bends down and touches the sand. She and her entourage then climb the steps to Dragonstone castle. Accompanied by Grey Worm and other Unsullied guards, they silently enter the main gates and courtyard. Daenerys enters the empty throne room and the command center. Surveying Stannis' former battle plan, she remarks "shall we begin?"

First

 * Ned Umber
 * Alys Karstark
 * Archmaester Ebrose

Deaths

 * Practically all of House Frey's male descendants
 * Harald Karstark (Confirmed Fate)
 * Sally (Confirmed Fate)
 * Farmer (Confirmed Fate)

Production
Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran's guest role was announced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss during the GoT panel at South by Southwest Festival on March 12, 2017 after years of getting the musician on the show as a surprise for Maisie Williams who is a fan of his music.

Main

 * Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
 * Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister
 * Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister
 * Emilia Clarke as Queen Daenerys Targaryen
 * Kit Harington as King Jon Snow
 * Aidan Gillen as Lord Petyr Baelish
 * Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth
 * Sophie Turner as Princess Sansa Stark
 * Maisie Williams as Arya Stark
 * Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei
 * Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth
 * Conleth Hill as Varys
 * John Bradley as Samwell Tarly
 * Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran Stark
 * Hannah Murray as Gilly
 * Kristofer Hivju as Tormund Giantsbane
 * Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane
 * Iain Glen as Ser Jorah Mormont

Guest starring

 * Jim Broadbent as Archmaester Ebrose
 * Pilou Asbæk as King Euron Greyjoy
 * David Bradley as Arya Stark disguised as Lord Walder Frey
 * Anton Lesser as Qyburn
 * Richard Dormer as Lord Beric Dondarrion
 * Paul Kaye as Thoros of Myr
 * Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm
 * Ellie Kendrick as Meera Reed
 * Ben Crompton as Eddison Tollett
 * Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Ser Gregor Clegane
 * Tim McInnerny as Lord Robett Glover
 * Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne
 * Rupert Vansittart as Lord Yohn Royce
 * Bella Ramsey as Lady Lyanna Mormont
 * Richard Rycroft as Maester Wolkan
 * Lucy Hayes as Lady Kitty Frey
 * Ed Sheeran as Lannister Soldier
 * Thomas Turgoose as Lannister Soldier
 * William Postlethwaite as Lannister Soldier
 * Megan Parkinson as Lady Alys Karstark
 * Harry Grasby as Lord Ned Umber
 * Neil Fingleton as giant wight
 * Ian Whyte as giant wight
 * Paul Ward as
 * Brendan Morrissey as Frey Lord
 * Eamon Draper as
 * William Nevan Wilson as Baby Sam
 * James Robert Wilson as Baby Sam
 * Kate Dempsey as

Cast notes

 * 18 of 23 main cast members appear in this episode.
 * Main cast members Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Indira Varma (Ellaria Sand), Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Jerome Flynn (Bronn), and Joe Dempsie (Gendry) are not credited and do not appear in this episode.

General

 * As of the end of Season 6, all plotlines have surpassed the current novels in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. Though the TV series has also drastically changed several of them. Season 6 surpassed the novels on some plotlines when it began, such as Jon Snow's, but others were holdovers from prior books (the Ironborn and Riverrun subplots). Whatever the case, from this point onwards, no one can know with certainty if any characters will survive from one episode to the next.
 * The Title sequence is notably different now that no storylines take place outside of Westeros. The production team explained that there are actually formal rules for it, the first of which is that they are required to show four locations:  King's Landing, Winterfell, The Wall, and "wherever Daenerys is" at the moment.  Daenerys's travels far to the east explicitly helped show just how vast their fictional world is, i.e. the Dothraki or Slaver's Bay, that it's bigger than just the continent of Westeros.  The Season 7 title just focuses on Westeros itself.  Another rule was that they physically only have so much time for the camera to move around, so they can only show a limited number of locations in each (never more than six so far).  Moreover, they only make specific title animations for locations which they know will be recurring, to justify the time and expense in creating it (they never made an animation for Volantis or Runestone).  Now that Oldtown is a major recurring location for Samwell's storyline, they introduced a new title animation for it starting in this episode.

At the Wall

 * The opening shot of the White Walkers and their undead horde reveals for the first time that they can resurrect Giants as undead Wights as well. This was strongly implied but not yet confirmed in the current books, which do show that the White Walkers can resurrect seemingly any once-living creature into a wight:  at the Battle of the Fist of the First Men (off-screen in the TV series), the Night's Watch was attacked by a huge wight-snow bear.  Both the books and TV show, however, have shown the White Walkers resurrecting non-humans, in the form of their undead wight-Horses.
 * The status of what's left of the Night's Watch wasn't made entirely clear on-screen when they last appeared in mid-Season 6, but was explained in several online posts. In their last appearance, Eddison Tollett was said to be the new Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, to his own surprise, as there hadn't been an election. Online posts explained that one of Jon's last acts before he quit was to simply name Edd as the new Acting Lord Commander, assuming he would be confirmed in that role by a subsequent formal election at some point.
 * Of the companions that Bran Stark left Winterfell with at the end of Season 2, and picked up in Season 3, only Bran and Meera Reed are still alive. He left Winterfell with Osha, Hodor, Rickon Stark, and their two direwolves - in the books, he left with Meera and Jojen Reed as well, but the TV show pushed back their introduction to the start of Season 3, immediately after he fled Winterfell, due to time constraints. Some of these characters may survive in the book version - though the showrunners have confirmed that Hodor will die in broadly similar fashion in the books, and Jojen has had visions that he will die on his quest to bring Bran to the Three-eyed raven.
 * Bran's return to the North raises issues of the rightful heir to the North: due to the male-preference primogeniture laws of inheritance in the Seven Kingdoms, Bran Stark was always ahead of his older sister Sansa in line of succession to Winterfell - just as Sansa, as a trueborn daughter, ranks ahead of a bastard son. No one, even Sansa, would challenge that he has a better claim than she does - they knew this since they were small children. Robb Stark even spoke of Bran as his direct heir at the end of Season 1, not Sansa or Arya. In addition, Bran brings with him the shocking news that Jon Snow isn't even Eddard Stark's bastard son, but the son of Ned's younger sister Lyanna Stark, in which case he'd rank behind both Bran and Sansa regardless of being a bastard or not.
 * There has been some fan speculation that the sword Meera Reed brought back from the Cave of the three-eyed raven is actually Dark Sister, the Valyrian steel sword that once belonged to Visenya Targaryen and remained the secondary family sword of House Targaryen. The novels all but state that the Three-eyed raven was originally Brynden "Bloodraven" Rivers, a bastard son of House Targaryen and a major character in the Tales of Dunk and Egg prequels who later became Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, but disappeared beyond the Wall decades ago. He wielded the sword Dark Sister but it was lost ever since. Neither Meera nor any of Bran's other companions brought a sword with them beyond the Wall - Meera just started using it in the cave against wights without explanation, the tacit assumption being that the Children just scavenged it from somewhere. She never used the sword against a White Walker so if it was in fact a Valyrian steel sword, its true nature hasn't been revealed. There is as of yet no confirmation of this, given that the pommel design doesn't match a specific description (it doesn't overtly have a Targaryen sigil on it).

At Winterfell

 * Alys Karstark first appears in this episode: her role was heavily condensed from the novels, in which she is the center of a subplot involving House Karstark, which chronologically happened during Stannis Baratheon's campaign in the North. Alys is by right the new heir to House Karstark but her father's uncle Arnolf Karstark wants to usurp her position, so he sides with the Lannisters and Boltons. Arnolf joins Stannis's march but intends to betray him mid-battle, and to force Alys to marry his own son to claim rule through her. Alys learns of their plans, however, and flees to the Wall to seek the aid of Jon Snow. Due to the Karstarks being younger cousins of the main Stark line, she actually closely resembles Arya, and she met Jon and Robb at Winterfell when they were children. Jon sends Tycho Nestoris to warn Stannis, and arranges for Alys to voluntarily marry the new Magnar of the Thenns so she can't be forced to marry Arnolf's son.
 * In the novels, Alys is the daughter of Lord Rickard Karstark, while in the television series, she is his granddaughter, the daughter of Rickard's son, Harald Karstark. The episode confirms that Harald died in the Battle of the Bastards along with Ramsay Bolton and Smalljon Umber. With Harald's death, Alys inherits Karhold, and swears fealty to Jon Snow, once again allying House Karstark with House Stark.
 * As pointed out by Michele Clapton, Sansa Stark's new costume has semi-circular embroidery on the chest to evoke fish-scales, for her mother Catelyn of House Tully. Tully costumes, as seen with Brynden and her uncle Edmure, feature armor with a more prominent fish-scale design motif.
 * Brienne of Tarth's storyline is drastically diverging from the novels by this point. In the novel series, after Brienne left King's Landing (corresponding to the start of Season 4), she continued to travel around the Riverlands on foot with Podrick Payne searching fruitlessly for Sansa and Arya, far away from their actual locations, without encountering either of them, and without getting involved in the siege of Riverrun either. Her storyline ended on a cliffhanger confrontation with the Brotherhood Without Banners which also involved Jaime Lannister at the end of the fifth novel. Anything Brienne does beyond this point is apparently an invention of the TV series.
 * Brienne traveling to Winterfell and the Wall in Seasons 5 and 6, and meeting Sansa, was purely an invention of the TV series. Then in the second half of Season 6, the TV series brought back Jaime's subplot at the Second Siege of Riverrun (which takes place throughout the second half of the fourth novel - the TV series instead invented the subplot of sending him to Dorne, while in the novels that mission was given to Ser Balon Swann). Brienne then encountered Jaime at Riverrun - while this did not happen as such in the novels they did meet again in the Riverlands under different circumstances. Brienne returning to Winterfell once again afterwards may not happen in the unreleased novels.
 * Given that Brienne never went to the Wall in the novels, Tormund being attracted to her in Season 6 was an invention of the TV series. It does somewhat match the point that the wildlings actually respect Warrior women (who they call Spearwives) - in contrast with how Brienne is seen as a target of mockery in the courts of southern Westeros.
 * Surprisingly given how prominently it appeared, director Daniel Sackheim said in an interview with TVGuide that he thought the amorous looks Tormund was giving Brienne in Season 6 were so subtle he feared fans didn't notice: "I wasn't even sure that when I delivered the episode it was really clear. It was like a fun little bit, but I wasn't sure it was really clear that he had these amorous feelings for Brienne. I'm always amazed what fans pick up." The first time that Tormund gives an impressed look at Brienne when they were in the mess hall at Castle Black was just a brief note in that script, but the production team liked it so much they invented more scenes of it.

In the Riverlands

 * According to Dan Weiss in the Inside the Episode video for this episode, Arya's massacre of House Frey was not originally going to be the cold open scene for this episode and Season 7 (it seems that the army of the dead shot in Bran's storyline was going to be the cold open). As Weiss said, they were so impressed with actor David Bradley's performance that they reshuffled the scene out of its original order to go first (i.e. Bradley gives little affectations to his performance to hint that he's really Arya pretending to be Walder).  The ripple effect from reshuffling the scene may have affected others (see notes on "Oldtown" below).
 * Given that Arya Stark's storyline has surpassed the novels it is unknown if she will kill off most of House Frey in this fashion. There are several dozen major Frey characters and the TV show understandably condensed them into a few composite characters.  It is hinted that the Brotherhood Without Banners is actually planning an attack on some of the Freys, and Arya may or may not aid them in the future.
 * There was some concern from reports on this episode that Arya killed all the male Freys, even the innocent ones and children. The actual episode dialogue, however, does not strictly state this:  Arya (as Walder) explicitly says that she invited all of the important Freys who matter to Walder - i.e. if there are younger Frey sons that had nothing to do with the Red Wedding she didn't invite them.  On top of this, the TV show never established that there were "good" younger Frey sons, i.e. in the books, Olyvar Frey loyally served Robb Stark as his squire - so loyally that the lead Freys didn't trust him and sent him away from the Twins before the Red Wedding.  Given that the TV show didn't introduce them, it didn't have to expend time explaining how Arya spared the innocent ones.
 * If Arya was going to kill every male relative of House Frey, she'd have even killed her infant first cousin, son of her uncle Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey.
 * It is unclear who the new head of House Frey is at this point, if any. Female Freys and rule would pass to them if there are no male heirs (though it is implied Arya didn't kill them all down to the last baby son).  The Freys are a very large family and the books strongly imply that after old Lord Walder dies, the various internal factions of the family's different branches (by Walder's different wives) are going to turn on each other in a fratricidal bloodbath.  This involved over a dozen Frey characters, which the TV show has understandably not introduced.
 * The question arises about Edmure Tully's fate. In the Season 6 finale, Lord Walder said he was a prisoner in the Twins' own dungeon, but Arya made no attempt to free him.  It's possible that the dungeon was too well guarded.  Another possibility is that, in the novels, the Freys later send Edmure away to Casterly Rock for long-term imprisonment, so he might just no longer be at the Twins.
 * Kitty Frey, Lord Walder's new wife, returns again in this episode. She has no book counterpart, because in the novels Catelyn Stark slit the throat of one of Walder's grandsons; the TV version condensed this so that Catelyn killed his current and eighth wife, Joyeuse Erenford.
 * As noted in the King's Landing storyline, the Lannisters are running low on soldiers, after losing so many due to attrition in Joffrey's wars. The Lannister soldiers that Sansa encounters seem to be green conscripts who just left home, are worried about their families, and aren't wary of strangers.  A hint at how the Lannisters are scrapping the bottom of the barrel for manpower.
 * When Arya meets the friendly Lannister conscripts, her dialogue can't express it aloud, but it appears that she was assessing whether she should kill them or not - but then stopped because they technically offered her Guest right by offering to share their meal with her. The camera pans around from her POV to note that they left all their swords piled up out of reach - indicating that she realizes she could probably kill most of them with Needle before they can defend themselves.  In her overt dialogue, she repeatedly tries to decline their offer to share their meal, because she intended to kill them.  After they repeatedly show her hospitality, hand her a cooked rabbit and outright call her their "guest", however, she visibly relents, realizing she won't lower herself to Walder Frey's level by breaking guest right (technically she "fed" the Freys she feasted with poisoned wine, but they broke guest right first - the stories seem to indicate the gods think that's fair punishment).
 * Popular contemporary musician Ed Sheeran cameos in this episode as the Lannister soldier singing a song around their campfire. Fantasy fans will remember him for singing the end credits song for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.  Apparently, the production team gave Sheeran a cameo because Arya actress Maisie Williams is a fan.
 * Sheeran's presence brings up a production issue: most actors aren't also trained musicians and singers, so the TV show has actually cut out several major songs that appear in the novels.  For example, the wildlings have an important song in the books called The Last of the Giants, which sums up a lot of their mental state about how their world is ending.  The TV production team originally intended to have Ygritte sing it at some point, but actress Rose Leslie was so terrified of singing on-camera that she politely refused.  Similarly, in Season 2, Sophie Turner said that what she was most afraid of filming that year wasn't any of Joffrey's torments, battles, or the riot scene, but the brief moment when she had to sing a hymn (Gentle Mother, Font of Mercy), because she isn't a professional singer.  A few actors on the show were also professional singers, specifically Jerome Flynn (Bronn) and Kerry Ingram (Shireen Baratheon), so at various points the TV show had them perform song that other characters do in the novels.  Given how reluctant actors with no singing experience are to sing on-camera, in several ways the only guaranteed way to incorporate these book-songs into the TV show is to have professional singers make cameo appearances to sing them.  Indeed, in similar fashion, in Season 2, the lead Bolton soldier singing The Bear and the Maiden Fair was a cameo by singer Gary Lightbody.
 * The song that Ed Sheeran's character sings is from the books: Hands of Gold.  A minstrel called Symen Silvertongue came up with it to mockingly hint that he knew Tyrion Lannister was continuing his affair with the whore Shae even though his father told him to break it off - apparently hoping to blackmail him.  Instead, Tyrion ordered Bronn to kill Symon, and Bronn disposed of the corpse by selling it to a pot-shop that makes Bowls of brown out of "all kinds of meat".  The song has added irony, as ultimately, Tyrion murdered Shae by strangling her to death with his chain of office as Hand of the King - a necklace made of stylized interlocking gold hands.
 * The Lannister conscripts Arya encounters mention wanting to see King's Landing, but now Cersei's guards aren't letting anyone within one mile of the Red Keep, the Great Sept of Baelor was blown up, and the Dragonpit is a ruin. This marks the first mention of the Dragonpit in a live-action episode (the Histories & Lore featurettes have mentioned it in prior seasons), setting up how it will be a major location later this season.  King's Landing was built around three large hills, and these three structures were built at the top of each.  The Dragonpit is at the top of Rhaenys's Hill, above Flea Bottom.  It has actually been in ruins for around 170 years, since it collapsed in riots during the Dance of the Dragons.

At Dragonstone

 * "Dragonstone" is the name of both the large island and the eponymous castle which is its ruling seat.
 * Dragonstone is the ancestral homeland of House Targaryen, settled centuries ago as the westernmost outpost of the Valyrian Freehold. Due to its isolation, when the Doom of Valyria destroyed their vast empire in a single day, the Targaryens survived on Dragonstone with the world's only remaining dragons. One of the reasons they settled the isle is because it has an active volcano, a preferred nesting ground of dragons.
 * Dragonstone is one of the strongest fortresses in all of Westeros, because it was built by the ancient Valyrians themselves using advanced construction techniques which were lost after their empire collapsed. The Valyrians were fond of building vast mega-structures by having dragons literally melt down stone with their flames, then teasing out the black liquid stone into various fantastic shapes. The island is also decorated with numerous dragon-themed statues and gargoyles. Its architectural designs seem very strange and foreign to people from mainland Westeros.
 * The Targaryens spent a hundred years after the Doom building up their strength, then invaded Westeros in the Targaryen Conquest. Afterwards, Dragonstone remained their private domain and final redoubt. Traditionally, the heir to the Iron Throne would rule the island directly as "Prince of Dragonstone" (comparable to how the real-life heir to the British monarchy is known as the "Prince of Wales").
 * During their exile, Daenerys was the nominal heir of her brother Viserys Targaryen - who made the empty claim to be "King Viserys the Third" in exile. Thus, Daenerys nominally held the title "Princess of Dragonstone". Given that Viserys dies by the sixth episode of Season 1, this comes up more frequently in the first novel, i.e. when Illyrio Mopatis introduces Daenerys to Drogo for the first time, in the book version he lists off her formal title as "Princess of Dragonstone", but this was omitted from the TV version. The title was entirely academic of course, given that they were living in exile and upon Viserys's death she inherited his full title as the Targaryen claimant to the throne itself.
 * Daenerys Targaryen was actually born on Dragonstone, at the end of Robert's Rebellion. Right before the rebel army sacked King's Landing her father the Mad King sent his pregnant wife away to safety on Dragonstone, where she died in childbirth. Her brother Viserys fled with her into exile in the Free Cities a few weeks later, so she has no memory of it, but technically it is still her true home. Daenerys has spent her life living on the sufferance of others or as a foreign invader in Slaver's Bay, but on Viserys's death, Dragonstone became hers by right.
 * Of course, much like the Iron Throne, given that Jon Snow is actually the secret son of her eldest brother, Rhaegar, Jon might have more claim to it than her, but even then, Daenerys is his closest Targaryen relative, so Dragonstone would still be hers as next in line to the throne.
 * Earlier episodes kept this point that Daenerys was technically born in Westeros, on Dragonstone. In Season 2, when the Spice King in Qarth directly asks her if she's ever even set foot in Westeros, she responds that she fled when she was just a baby. In Season 6, Tyrion also remarks to Jorah that Daenerys has never spent "one day of her adult life" in Westeros.
 * Because Dragonstone is a volcanic island (surrounded by the salty sea), and Daenerys was born there, she matches the prophecies about Azor Ahai and The Prince That Was Promised being "born amidst salt and smoke". Melisandre thought that Stannis fit this as ruler of Dragonstone, although he was born at Storm's End, interpreting it as a figurative "rebirth" when he claimed his position as the Lord's Chosen. Maester Aemon also explains in the novels that in the original High Valyrian the prophecy was made in, "Prince" is actually a gender-neutral term, like "ruler", so the female Daenerys still fits it.
 * Daenerys also matches other aspect of the prophecies, that the Prince would "wake dragons from stone" - she hatched dragon eggs, which seem petrified as stone.
 * Targaryen shouder capes.jpg new costume style that Daenerys shifts to starting in this episode is actually not entirely new to the series - she has switched to the "old Targaryen style" that her brother Viserys was seen wearing back in Season 1 (as sort of a sign that she has embraced her inner Targaryen nature as a conqueror). Costume designer Michele Clapton explained at the time that because Viserys was older than Daenerys when the Targaryens were deposed (he was a child), he still remembers what the fashions at the old Targaryen royal court looked like and dresses in them - thus even though his one costume didn't appear very often, it was meant to be a window into what the old Targaryen style looked like: asymmetric cut, peaked shoulder cuffs that are separate from the undercoat, long form-fitting sleeves, high collar, and a short cape asymmetrically pinned to one shoulder (as Viserys was seen wearing at her wedding to Drogo in the first episode). Finally, of course, she has also dramatically shifted from her prior blue or white color palettes to finally dressing in Targaryen red and black, the colors of their heraldry. For more information, see "Costumes: King's Landing - Under the Targaryens"
 * As for the new Costumes of many characters in Season 7 shifting to darker colors, the reason behind this is simple: the costuming department felt that because "winter" has officially descended across Westeros, characters should now be wearing dark colors i.e. the time for wearing brighter colors would have been Renly's camp in Season 2 when they were "the knights of summer".
 * Dragonstone island was last held by Stannis Baratheon as his main seat during the war. In the books, when Stannis took his main force north to save the Night's Watch at the Battle of Castle Black, he left a small skeleton defense force behind to hold the castle. Given how strong the fortress is even this small garrison was enough to deter a direct attack by the Lannisters: as a result much of the remaining Lannister/Tyrell fleet was pinned down encircling and besieging Dragonstone, trying to wait them out through starvation over time. This prevented the Lannisters or Tyrells from dealing with the rise of Euron Greyjoy on the west coast. Loras Tyrell has come up with the idea to force a quick end to the siege by storming the castle, stating that he can conquer the castle within two weeks; Cersei agrees, in hopes he will die in the fighting. Loras takes the castle, but with heavy and unnecessary losses due to his rash nature, and after fighting through many defenders despite taking numerous wounds, he was doused with boiling oil and left barely clinging to life. Cersei then needlessly gloated to Margaery about Loras, breaking down the already fragile Lannister-Tyrell alliance. The TV series omitted all of this and just had Loras burn to death in the Destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor (in either version, he apparently burns to death - though there is some slim chance he might in fact survive in the books). As a result, as of the most current novel Dragonstone is weakly held by a remaining Lannister force after the siege.
 * In the episode, Jaime states that "Stannis left the castle unoccupied." When Daenerys arrives with her army, Dragonstone is abandoned and she faces no resistance.
 * Dragonstone was Stannis's base of operations seen in Seasons 2 through 4, but several major locations on it weren't actually shown on screen at the time, probably due to budget constraints. Most interior scenes focused on the war planning room around the Painted Table - a large table painted as a large map of Westeros which Aegon I Targaryen himself used when he was planning his conquest of Westeros. Exterior shots focused on a generic beach with a large dragon statue in the background as a digital insert. Season 7 depicts all of Dragonstone's exteriors, and several new major internal locations, including a fully realized throne room, hewn from the volcanic rock. Stannis sat on this throne in several scenes from the books that were shifted to the council room. Historically, many prior Targaryens from Aegon I to Rhaenyra sat on the throne of Dragonstone.
 * Dragonstone was a major location in the Dance of the Dragons, the great Targaryen civil war fought 170 years ago. It was the initial headquarters of Rhaenyra Targaryen and her faction, while her half-brother Aegon II held King's Landing itself. Several prequel projects to follow the main series are being discussed, and it is possible that these Dragonstone sets were introduced with an eye towards being re-used for a prequel series.
 * As when Stannis held it, Dragonstone isn't worth much in and of itself to Daenerys, as a comparatively small island - but it has an excellent strategic location controlling the mouth of Blackwater Bay, and thus threatening all sea travel going to or from King's Landing. Additionally, of course, it is a strong symbolic move for Daenerys to go from being a foreign exile to directing her invasion of Westeros from the ancestral seat of the Targaryens themselves.

In the books
[This section will be updated with comparisons when the sixth novel is released.]

Memorable quotes
Arya Stark: (disguised as Walder Frey) "Leave one wolf alive...and the sheep are never safe."

Sansa Stark: "You have to be smarter than father. You need to be smarter than Robb. I loved them, I miss them, but they made stupid mistakes and they both lost their heads for it."

Daenerys Targaryen: "Shall we begin?"