After months of waiting, HBO’s Game Of Thrones returned to Westeros tonight.  Gallery of stills from the episode are in the gallery below.  (Safe review if you haven’t read the books)

Within the light of a forge, we get a glimpse of Ice (the former greatsword of Ned Stark) for the first time since Ned’s beheading.  Tywin Lannister stands watchful as the blade of Winterfell is stricken from it’s hilt, high Valyrian words glowing red in the flames, and melted down to create two blades.

The opening sequence has two new additions; The Dreadfort, seat of Roose Bolton and Meereen with it’s Harpy topped pyramid.  I was really hoping for Dorne, but it’ll probably be an episode or two before we see the water gardens.

Jamie has returned to King’s Landing, clean and shaved in his White Cloak refinement with a new pattern on the armor.  Tywin presents him with the newly made blade, and tells him of his plans to send Jamie back to Casterly Rock to serve as lord.  Jamie refuses, stating the realm already believe him to be the worst oathbreaker in the history of the Seven Kingdoms.  Expect more insults and slights about his missing hand.  We also have the reunion of Jamie and his twin sister Queen Cersei, where we see the Kingslayer being fitted with his new gold hand.

Tyrion stands guard by the main road into King’s Landing with Bron and Pod, looking at oncoming banners awaiting the arrival of Doran Martell the Prince of Dorne.  But instead, the delegation of two containing Prince Doran’s brother Oberyn ‘The Red Viper’ and his paramour Ellaria Sand end up in Littlefinger’s former brothel picking out ladies to share.  This is totally a thing because we’ll learn as this season progresses how awesome the Sand women are, the Sand Snakes.  Awe yeah, it always has to be Sand Snakes.

Jon Snow is back on the wall to stand trial overseen by Ser Alistair Thorn and Grand Maester Aemon. Jon admits to many things about his time over the wall with the Wildlings; eating with them, climbing the wall with them, and about sharing Ygritte bed.  This of course is more dirt for Thorn to use against Snow, wanting nothing more than to get rid of a competent man who stands in his way of full control over the Night’s Watch after the death of  Lord Commander Mormont.  Maester Aemon stays Thorn’s hand, once again protecting a future he will never see.

Daenerys Targaryen and her three winged children have been traveling across the desert onward toward the slave trade hub of Meereen, hoping to use her vast army of the Unsullied to continue to free all the oppressed.  We get our first glimpse of the recast character of Daario Naharis, who used to be a young long haired man, looking NOTHING like his description in the book.  This new guy at least is older like Daario is SUPPOSED to be, but still without the trademark blue three prong Tyroshi beard.  He plays at the warrior’s version of a staring contest with the Unsullied commander Grey Worm; competing to see who can hold their blade the longest.  Danny tires of this, and pushes them on towards the city.  They encounter the form of a slave girl nailed to a sign post arms outstretched pointing the way to the Harpy’s Pyramid.  Ser ‘friendzone’ Jorah tells his Khaleesi that a each mile marker between their current location at the city’s gates also has a dead child.  The Mhysa of Dragons is not amused.

Lady Olenna Tyrell the Queen of Thorns (oh Dame Diana Rigg, how more wonderful can you be?) and her granddaughter Margaery Tyrell make plans for the upcoming nuptials and send off handmaidens on a quest for the perfect piece of jewelry to decorate the neck of the future Queen.    The garden tea is interrupted by a visit of a familiar tall frame, Brienne of Tarth.  She comes to speak to Margary of  the death of Renly, describing in detail the shadowy figure with the face of Stannis Baratheon and vows to avenge Renly’s murder.

I am happy to report that Ser Dontos has FINALLY met Sansa in the Gods’ Wood, beginning the moments of what will turn into ‘Jonquil and Florian the Knight’.

Arya and the Hound are still on their journey to ransom her to her aunt Lysa in the Eyrie, and come face to face with the group of Joffrey’s mercenaries.  These happen to be the same men who had captured Arya and her friends in season 3, killing Lommy Greenhands (who I JUST realized is the same young actor who plays Nico Machiavelli on Starz’s Da Vinci’s Demons) and stealing her sword Needle.  There is a question of loyalty, and together Sandor Clegane and Arya make short work of the men in the tavern.  Biggest issue about this?  Not an utterance of Valar Morghulis.

The trailer for next week teases the wedding of King Joffrey and Margary Tyrell.  Heh.  HEH.