Game of Thrones Season 6 Recap: Everything You Need to Know

Just in case you don’t have time re-watch seven seasons of Game of Thrones before the upcoming premiere—it’s only 67 episodes; what’s wrong with you?—we here at Vanity Fair will be recapping every single season of the show to make sure key events are fresh in your mind. Since this is a rather daunting undertaking—it’s 67 episodes; what do you expect of us?!—we’ve boiled each season down to the essential arc of each surviving main character set to do battle in Season 8.

If you feel a little more ambitious, there’s an extra-credit section below with additional information that could be good to remember when the series returns. (Just because a character has died, for instance, that doesn’t mean they’re unimportant!) For a more in-depth look at some of the key episodes of Game of Thrones, you can dive into Vanity Fair’s list of the 15 most essential episodes of Game of Thrones to re-watch before the final season. But for now, here’s Season 6.

You can catch up with other recaps here:

Previously on Game of Thrones Season 7.

Previously on Game of Thrones Season 5.

Previously on Game of Thrones Season 4.

Previously on Game of Thrones Season 3.

Previously on Game of Thrones Season 2.

Previously on Game of Thrones Season 1.

Essential Information

Cersei Lannister, Queen Regent of Westeros, rocks a page boy haircut and is shut out of her daughter Myrcella’s funeral. She uses the undead Mountain, Qyburn, and his network of “little bird” spies to protect herself from being attacked again. She tries, unsuccessfully, to ally with House Tyrell and break the High Sparrow’s influence over Queen Margaery and King Tommen. She is denied a trial by combat and finally decides to burn them all, exploding a cache of wildfire under the Sept of Baelor—and killing enemies including the High Sparrow, a bunch of Tyrells, and some Lannisters. Her decision inspires her last surviving child, Tommen, to throw himself out a window. Cersei takes the throne in her son’s place.

Jaime Lannister, Her Twin Brother, brings his dead daughter back home to King’s Landing, tries, unsuccessfully, to break Margaery Tyrell out of prison and overthrow the High Sparrow, is fired from the Kingsguard, and is sent to take Riverrun back from Catelyn Stark’s uncle Brynden “The Blackfish” Tully. He does so with the help of Edmure Tully, Bronn, and some Freys. He sees Brienne of Tarth briefly, has an uncomfortable dinner with Walder Frey, and returns again to King’s Landing to discover his sister/lover Cersei has gone off the deep end.

Tyrion Lannister, Her Other Brother, tries to run the city of Meereen after Daenerys disappears on her dragon; watches the Meerenese Fleet burn; unshackles Dany’s two other dragons; tells some very bad jokes with Missandei and Grey Worm; makes a deal with the Masters of Yunkai, Astapor, and Volantis; creates peace and prosperity in Meereen, which is then quickly placed under siege; and upon her return, he helps Daenerys craft a plan to take out the Slavers. As a reward, he is named Hand of the Queen.

Jon Snow, the Bastard of Winterfell, is dead, then not dead, thanks to a magical haircut. He executes Ser Alliser, Olly, and the other men who stabbed him; he quits his job as Lord Commander, reunites with Sansa, is convinced that he should help her save Rickon from the Boltons, gathers together an army, meets Lady Mormont, marches on Winterfell, fails to save Rickon, almost gets trampled twice (first by a million horses, then by his own men), storms Winterfell with Wun Wun and Tormund, beats the stuffing out of Ramsay, and becomes King in the North.