Yahoo News Game of Thrones' latest major reunion, explained
Note: contains spoilers for Game of Thrones season 8, episode 2.
In a Game of Thrones episode packed with emotional pay-offs – Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) becoming a Ser, Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) finally apologising to Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright), Jon (Kit Harington) being reunited with his Night's Watch boys – the tearful reunion between Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Theon (Alfie Allen) was one of the most powerful.
Sansa last saw her surrogate brother back in season six – after both were subjected to horrific torture at the hands of Ramsay Bolton, they escaped an occupied Winterfell together, but later parted ways.
Related: Game of Thrones season 8, episode 2: The hidden meaning in Podrick's song, explained
Sansa, along with her guardian Brienne, decided to make for Castle Black, where Jon was serving as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. But Theon opted not to go with her, insisting that he did not deserve the Starks' forgiveness for his past crimes – which included betraying Robb Stark and seizing Winterfell in his father Balon's name.
"I can never make amends to your family for the things I’ve done," he said.
Theon has grown since then, though, rediscovering an inner strength – in 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms', he offers to "fight for Winterfell" and is warmly embraced by a tearful Sansa.
Less moved but no less surprised to see Theon is Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), now the Queen of Winterfell. But how does Dany know Theon? With so many characters having crossed paths throughout Game of Thrones' eight seasons, it can be difficult to keep track... so here's a quick refresher.
Having split from Sansa, Theon returned to the Iron Islands later in season six, offering to throw his support behind his sister Yara (Gemma Whelan) – but the Ironborn decide to elect their unhinged uncle Euron (Pilou Asbæk) as their new leader instead.
Forced to flee the Iron Islands, Theon and Yara take with them the best ships of the Iron Fleet and sail to Meereen, which Daenerys has taken as her seat. There, they strike a deal with the Mother of Dragons, offering her the fleet in return for the Iron Islands' independence and Euron's unseating as king.
The siblings joined Daenerys on her voyage to Westeros, later being sent, along with Ellaria Sand and the Sand Snakes, to Dorne – to transport the Dornish army to attack King's Landing.
But their fleet was besieged by Euron in the Narrow Sea, with Yara being taken captive and Theon, suffering from post-traumatic stress, abandoning his sister and jumping overboard. (That's why Yara dealt that nasty head-butt to her brother last week, if you were wondering.)
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Theon returned to Dragonstone in the hopes of enlisting Daenerys' aid in rescuing Yara, but learnt that the Targaryen queen had already left to confront the Lannister army on the Roseroad.
After a bumpy start, Theon repairs his relationship with Jon, retakes leadership of the Ironborn survivors who made it through Euron's assault and leads them in search of Yara – which brings us bang up to date, with Theon rescuing his sister and being encouraged by her to return to Winterfell, where it all started.
Hence why Dany is so surprised to see Theon rock up in Winterfell: she hasn't seen him since he set sail for Dorne with Yara, quite some time ago.
Now, to explain how Tormund (Kristofer Hivju) and Beric (Richard Dormer) survived the collapse of the Wall when the Night King attacked...
Erm... anyone?
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