Season Six

Recaps (newbies)

Game Of Thrones recaps written for those who have not read the books the show is based on.

Recaps (experts)

Game Of Thrones recaps written for those who have read the first five books in the book series.

Bran travels back in time, teasing “R + L = J”

"Learning how to move through time, Bran travels backwards to witness events at the Tower Of Joy, where he watches his young father, Ned Stark, fight some goons just outside the imposing battlement."

We finally learn what Hodor’s been saying all along

"His name turned out to be his final act in service of the Stark family, but even more heart-wrenching is watching Wylis be robbed of his speech, childhood, and agency, destined for a life of ridicule and servitude."

“A girl is Arya Stark of Winterfell. And I’m going home.”

"At the end of it all, a girl is Arya Stark, and another child of the North concludes a storyline chockfull of blind alleys (if you’ll excuse the pun)."

Ramsay Bolton gets fed to the hounds

"It’s also one of the purest “good guys beat bad guy” moments in a story where complications and conflicting loyalties usually render such deaths at least a little more emotionally ambiguous."

Cersei destroys the Great Sept Of Baelor

"There’s nothing so mechanically sophisticated as a time bomb in the Seven Kingdoms, but the beginning of “The Winds Of Winter” ticks and tocks like one nonetheless."

Margaery Tyrell is Westeros’ biggest badass—and the show can’t handle her

"Margaery, who all-too-often elicits a “who, her?” response from critics and fans alike, has been arguably the most well-rounded woman in Westeros."

On Game Of Thrones, age ain’t nothing but a number

"In the world of the small screen, as in life, ageism is rampant, and that’s what makes the treatment of age in the Game Of Thrones universe so impressive."

In the year of Trump and Sanders, Game Of Thrones stokes the fires of populism

"For contemporary pop-culture insight into the fierce factionalism that has riven both parties, you’d be hard-pressed to beat the Seven Kingdoms for comparable examples."

The cinematic choices that made Game Of Thrones’ bastard battle so exhilarating

Gus and John examine the cinematic storytelling of the marquee Stark-Bolton showdown.

Everything you need to know about Game Of Thrones season six

Struggling to remember what exactly happened on season six of Game Of Thrones? Here’s a handy 90-second recap to help you catch-up.