Warning: This story contains spoilers for episode 1 of season 5 of Game of Thrones.
BY TERRI SCHWARTZ
TV watchers still have to wait three weeks for Game of Thrones season 5 to arrive, but Zap2it was treated to an early screening of the first episode, titled âThe Wars to Come,â at the showâs March 22 season premiere event in San Francisco.
The return of Game of Thrones kicks off with a bang right from the get-go, and though some major characters are absent from the premiere episodeâsorry Arya fans, but sheâs not in this oneâthere is plenty of intrigue to get audiences immediately immersed in the show again. To help ease the wait for season 5âs April 12 premiere, here are five teases from the first episode.
The new season starts by looking back
As speculated, season 5 kicks off with a flashback scene, and itâs important because it drives the motivations for a certain character through the season. Avid book fans be warned: The prophecy delivered is missing some elements from George R.R. Martinâs novels.
Charles Dance is back, but not in a flashback
A bulk of this episode takes place at Tywin Lannisterâs funeral. Dance, who plays Tywin, makes an appearance in this episode. You do the math.
Lancel Lannister returns
Consider this your reminder that Lancel Lannister is a character on Game of Thrones who you once sort of cared about. Back in season 1 he plotted with Cersei to get Robert Baratheon killed, and also was busy sleeping with the queen while she missed her twin brother Jaime. Lancel wasnât seen again since season 2, but heâs back now and introduces an important part of the season.
Sansa Starkâs season 5 journey begins here
Just like it didnât take long for Sansa to depart Kingâs Landing in season 4, she wonât be at the Vale long in season 5. She and Littlefinger leave the location by the end of the premiere, but itâs unclear to both the audience and Sansa where they are heading.
Thereâs a big deviation from the books
Actually, there are a lot of deviations small and large in the season 5 premiere, but one in particular will really shock book readers. Remember how Martin teased there will be deaths in the show that arenât in the books? That starts right with episode 1.
Game of Thrones season 5 premieres on April 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.
Screengrab via HBO