Last time Game of Thrones was on the air, it ended with a spectacular special effects laden exclamation: The Army of the Dead smashing the Wall with a newly acquired undead dragon.

 But Game of Thrones, for all the cataclysmic exclamations that have made the show must-watch television (Ned Stark’s beheading, the Red Wedding, The Battle of the Bastards, etc), has always been more interesting when it’s contemplating questions. Questions of how a leader balances justice and mercy, what does integrity count for, and the most pressing question of all: Can humanity pull it together before the icicle zombies come for their asses?

“Winterfell”, the new premiere for the final season of Game of Thrones, does have an answer to that last question. It’s a grim answer. But it makes for such fun discussions! Howie and Rhys return to deep-dive into all the goodness and badness and in-between-ness.       

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