Game Of Thrones season 6 recap

Bran Stark began season six with the ambitious task of learning “everything”. Taught to travel psychically through time and space by the Three Eyed Raven, he spent the season having visions of Westeros past, present and future. He saw how the Children of the Forest had first created the White Walkers by inserting dragonglass into the hearts of men (the idea was to use them as a weapon in their war against the First Men), and also learned the vital info that his step-brother Jon Snow was in fact, his cousin and a Targaryen heir.

Jon being the child of Ned’s sister Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen was a long-held fan theory finally confirmed in season six. It means Jon is Dany’s nephew, and therefore an even bigger player than he was previously.

Having been stabbed to death at the end of season five, Jon was brought back to life by R’hllor priestess Melisandre (who’s roughly a billion years old and looks it when she takes off her magic necklace) early on in season six. Remembering nothing of his time spent dead, upon waking, Jon immediately set about executing the men (and boy) who’d mutinied against him then quit the Night’s Watch. He planned to go south for a bit of a rest until Sansa showed up and convinced him to fight Ramsay Bolton’s army instead. He did that, won, and was crowned King in the North as a result.

Were it not for Sansa and Littlefinger, however, Jon would almost certainly have failed. It was Sansa who swallowed her pride and wrote to ask Petyr Baelish for the reinforcements that showed up at the last minute to rescue the Stark army. Sansa had refused Littlefinger’s earlier offer of help, what with him having married her off to sadistic rapist Ramsay Bolton to further his own power. Sansa not only took her revenge on her hubby by feeding him to his hounds, she also refused Littlefinger’s proposal at the end of season six. Baelish’s dream of sitting on the Iron Throne with lady Sansa at his side would have to remain a dream.

In a roundabout way, Jon also has Brienne of Tarth to thank for his victory in the Battle of the Bastards. She and Podrick rescued Sansa from capture by Bolton soldiers after Ramsay’s bride fled Winterfell with Theon Greyjoy in tow. Brienne swore allegiance to Sansa and accompanied her to Castle Black, where she told Melisandre and Davos that she’d killed Stannis in revenge for the season one death of Renly. Brienne was then sent to Riverrun to recruit the Blackfish to aid Sansa and Jon’s battle, but failed due to him going down in a last stand against the Lannister-Frey army.

Not wanting to face Jon, Theon left Sansa’s side after their escape and set sail for the Iron Islands. He arrived home to find his father dead and a Kingsmoot being held to decide his successor as leader of the Krakens. Theon endorsed sister Yara for the job, but the Ironborn instead elected their shady uncle Euron, last seen pushing Theon and Yara’s dad Balon off a bridge. (Balon had a knife out, so don’t feel too sorry for him.) Yara and Theon then stole Euron’s fleet and sailed it to Meereen with a few loyal men to parlay with Daenerys. A deal being struck, they all set sail for Westeros.