Just in case you dont have time to re-watch seven seasons of Game of Thrones before the shows upcoming eighth and final season premiere—its only 67 episodes; whats wrong with you?—we here at Vanity Fair will be recapping every single season of the show, in order to make sure key events are fresh in your mind. Since this is a rather daunting undertaking—its 67 episodes; what do you expect of us?!—were boiling it all down to the essential stories of the surviving characters set to do battle in Season 8.
If you feel a little more ambitious, theres 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 doesnt mean theyre unimportant!) For a more in-depth look at some of the key episodes of Game of Thrones, you can dive into Vanity Fairs list of the 15 most essential episodes of Game of Thrones to re-watch before the final season. But for now, heres Season 3.
Previously on Game of Thrones Season 7.
Previously on Game of Thrones Season 6.
Previously on Game of Thrones Season 5.
Previously on Game of Thrones Season 4.
Previously on Game of Thrones Season 2.
Previously on Game of Thrones Season 1.
Essential Information
Cersei Lannister, Queen Regent of Westeros, is threatened early and often by a new player in Kings Landing: Margaery Tyrell. She is even more horrified when she learns she will have to marry Margaerys brother (and known preferrer of men), Loras Tyrell. Cersei plans her son Joffreys wedding (which will go just fine, Im sure), takes some perverse pleasure in marrying Sansa off to Tyrion, bonds with her little brother a bit, and is reunited with her twin (minus one hand).
Jaime Lannister, Her Twin Brother, hits the road with Brienne of Tarth, gets captured by Locke—a henchman from House Bolton. He loses his hand, meets Qyburn, takes a bath with Brienne, gets set free, swoops back to heroically rescue Brienne from a bear, and returns to Kings Landing to be reunited with Cersei.
Tyrion Lannister, Her Other Brother, demands that he be given Casterly Rock, but is given a Master of Coin title instead. He gives Podrick a gift, learns dark things about Varyss bits, spars with Lady Olenna, is forced to marry Sansa Stark, gets super drunk, threatens Joffrey a bunch, and has a mildly heartwarming chat with his sister.
Bran Stark, the Last Surviving Son of Winterfell, meets Jojen and Meera, learns that he can warg into wolf bodies (and more!), camps out in the woods a bunch, visits a Windmill, wargs into Hodor, sends Rickon away with Osha, makes it to the Nightfort, meets Sam and Gilly, and passes through to the other side of the Wall.
Sansa Stark, His Sister, is offered a chance to leave Kings Landing, but declines because she thinks shes going to marry Ser Loras. Then she is forced to marry Tyrion, seems to warm to Tyrion a bit, and finds out that her mother and brother were slaughtered at the Twins. Things go downhill from there.
Arya Stark, His Other Sister, is captured by Brotherhood Without Banners, watches the Hound kill Beric Dondarrion, watches Thoros of Myr bring Beric back to life, watches Beric hand Gendry over to the Red Woman, escapes the Brotherhood, gets captured by the Hound, travels to the Twins, almost attends the Red Wedding, brutally kills a Frey soldier, and remembers she has a certain Braavosi coin.
Jon Snow, the Bastard of Winterfell, meets Mance Rayder and Tormund, convinces them that he wants to be free, proves to Ygritte he knows where to put it, climbs the Wall, makes out with Ygritte at the top of the Wall, refuses to kill a horse breeder, escapes the Wildlings, gets shot by Ygritte, and barely makes it back to Castle Black.
Daenerys Targaryen, a Westerosi Exile, travels to Astapor, almost gets murdered by a child, meets Ser Barristan, makes a deal for 8,000 Unsullied, doesnt trade away Drogon, burns Astapor the eff down, marches to Yunkai, threatens more slavers, meets Daario Naharis version 1.0, takes control of Yunkai, and does some #problematic crowdsurfing.
The Night King, a Big Scary Blue Guy, hasnt shown up yet.
Notable Deaths
Hoster Tully, Craster, Lord Commander Mormont, Beric Dondarrion, the Titans Bastard, the other guy from the Second Sons, Orell the Warg, Rickard Karstark, Grey Wind, Walder Freys wife, Ros, Kraznyz mo Nakloz, Talisa Stark, unborn baby Ned Stark, Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, and Theons favorite toy.
Defining Cultural Moment
Its impossible to overemphasize the impact that the Red Wedding had on both the culture and on the popularity of Game of Thrones. According to co-executive producer Bryan Cogman, the morning after the Red Wedding air and the shocked, horrorified reactions to it went viral, the No. 1 downloaded TV episode on iTunes was Season 1, Episode 1 “Winter Is Coming.” Not wanting to be left out of the conversation, the Read More – Source
[contf] [contfnew] 
Vanity Fair
[contfnewc] [contfnewc]
