After the excitement at the end of Season 4, a lot of fans were eagerly awaiting the new season of the hit HBO show, and honestly, Season 5 was worth the wait and the hype. The first two episodes of the season helped fans catch up with their favorite characters, and learn a few things about Queen Cersei’s background. For the first time in the show’s history, they used a flashback to let viewers know about a prophesy that Cersei received as a girl, and if the prophecy is to be believed, all her children will meet early deaths, which makes us worried for poor Tommen and Myrcella.

Stannis Baratheon is still at Castle Black, and plans to march on Winterfell, but he wants the Wildlings to fight for him, but Mance Rayder refused, and was burned alive for his trouble. Jon Snow was nominated for Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch by his friend Sam Tarly, and was voted as the 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.

Petyr Baelish is the new Lord of the Vale, and took Sansa Stark to Winterfell to marry Ramsey Bolton, to solidify the Bolton’s hold on the North. As expected, things haven’t turned out very well for poor Sansa, who can’t seem to catch a break, and the event of her wedding night is perhaps the most controversial in the show’s history. The good news is that she now knows that Bran and Rickon are still alive, after Reek accidentally spilled the beans to her.

Arya Stark finally made it to Bravos, and is currently training to become one of the men with many faces with her old friend from Season 2, Jaqen h’gar. Tyrion Lannister was smuggled out of Kings Landing by Lord Varys, and they both set sail for Mereen, trying to get to Daenerys Targaryen, but Tyrion is kidnapped by Jorah Mormont, who is trying to win back Daenerys’ trust by bringing her a Lannister.

Daenerys Targaryen is learning how to rule in Mereen, and lost trusted advisor Ser Barristan Selmy, fortunately, the show writers did something book author George R.R. Martin has failed to do, which is to bring Tyrion Lannister and Daenerys together, giving her a very capable advisor.

Jamie Lannister was sent to Dorne by Cersei, in an attempt to bring their daughter back home, and he took newly knighted Ser Bronn of the Blackwater with him, to bring back the Lannister princess. In his absence, Cersei got rid of most of the members of the small council, and empowered a militant religious group, which has caused a lot of damage for some important people this season.

There are still two more episodes left in the season, but so far, it has been one of the best seasons of the show. The show deviated from the books in a lot of ways this season, with mixed results. Sansa’s story line drew a lot of rage because of what transpired on her wedding night, but all has been forgotten if not forgiven, with the developments of the last few weeks, which include the meeting between Tyrion Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen, and the epic battle at the end of episode 7. The fight between Jon Snow and the Wildlings he was trying to recruit, and the White Walkers let viewers know that the game of thrones going on in the seven kingdoms is nothing compared to the danger that lies in the North, and people will have to put their petty differences aside, if they are to survive the war against the White Walkers and their army of the undead.