We woke up to watch 'Game of Thrones' at 3am. Was it worth it?

25 April 2016 - 08:56 By Jessica Levitt

Before we get started on what happened in the season 6 premiere of 'Game of Thrones' you have to know that the below article is filled with spoilers. You’ve been warned.It’s 1:30am and our alarm is going off. There’s no pressing of the snooze button this morning because we’re off to watch 'Game of Thrones'. In a movie house. With popcorn. Fancy‚ eh? The clever folks at M-Net have invited us for an exclusive viewing of the season premiere at The Zone in Rosebank‚ Johannesburg.We arrive to a packed movie house‚ fans dressed up and entertainment in the form of a violinist‚ costume clad characters and coffee. Hallelujah.At about 2:45am we’re ushered inside and get ready to watch the show. We’re obliged to again mention that we dissect the show below. Yes‚ that means spoilers. All of ‘em.Is Jon Snow really dead?The question that everybody wants answered is whether Jon Snow is really dead. Like‚ for real not alive. The show wastes no time and gets straight into it: Jon Snow IS dead. His cold‚ lifeless body is lying in the snow in the courtyard of Castle Black. A group of his friends‚ including his direwolf‚ Ghost and Ser Davos mourn him. But we’re immediately suspicious. Has Davos spotted something in the pattern of blood surrounding Jon Snow? Alas‚ the resurrection that everybody wanted hasn’t happened (just yet) with Melisandre clearly surprised at his death‚ saying that she saw Jon in her flames fighting at Winterfell.In case you still haven’t noticed‚ we’re about to hash out a lot more of what happened. Stop reading now if you don’t want any more spoilers!Sansa and Theon are still on the runWhile Ramsay Bolton mourns the death of his mistress‚ Sansa Stark and Theon Greyjoy are on the run from Ramsay’s bloodthirsty hounds. To unite the North‚ he has to produce an heir and promises to capture Sansa. But just as the pair are about to get caught‚ Brienne of Tarth steps in. Theon rises again and Sansa finally accepts Brienne’s pledge of protection.Jaime Lannister promises revengeIt’s not a confident Cersei Lannister that we’re shown in the season premiere‚ but rather a sad and shaken version of the powerful woman we’ve come to know. She’s happy to hear of her daughter’s arrival‚ but it is Jaime who enters with Myrcella’s corpse. Cersei tells her brother (and lover) that it was predicted that her children would all perish. He’s having none of it though‚ promising to get revenge.We’re still not done. A few more epic moments are en route.Prince Doran is killedIn Dorne the prince and his closet men are killed by Ellaria and the Sand Snakes. Ellaria insists that “weak men will never rule Dorne again” and his son‚ Trystane‚ is also murdered.Daenerys has been takenThe last we saw her she was surrounded by Dothraki warriors. Of course they weren’t going to leave her and she’s been taken to Khal Moro‚ their new leader. When she eventually reveals that she was married to the late Khal Drogo and will provide some goods for her safe return‚ she’s told she has to go live in the Dothraki capital with all the other widows of dead khals. Shame.The red woman shows her true selfThe show ends with Melisandre taking off her necklace and revealing her true self: she’s a very old woman. Considering the show is named The Red Woman‚ the revelation is rather significant. The big question now is whether the necklace‚ which has obvious magical powers‚ will be used to bring Jon Snow back to life. (Can we get a whoop?) Come on writers‚ you know you’re going to give it to us.So‚ was it worth it?Hells yeah. So Jon Snow isn’t alive. Yet. But you really didn’t expect the writers to give that to us immediately‚ did you? There was still plenty of action‚ yo. Prince Doran died. Sansa and Theon have managed to stay alive‚ which is pretty damn impressive and Melisandre is about to reveal the full extent of her powers. The countdown to episode two has officially begun...

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