Game of Thrones season 7 episode 6: 9 references, callbacks and easter eggs you may have missed

Season seven’s penultimate episode brought fire and destruction to the North, featuring one of Game of Thrones’s most bombastic and ridiculous set pieces to date.

** Spoilers for ‘Beyond the Wall’ ahead **

As always, there were numerous references to past events and the books, ranging from the obvious to completely missable.

Luckily, sleuths across the Internet have broken down many of the episode’s secrets, uncovering everything you may have missed. Plus, the actors have given various interviews, helping uncover yet more information. Here are nine of the best snippets.

Why book readers saw the Ice Dragon coming

One of the episode’s major talking points was one of Dany’s dragons being killed and then resurrected by the Night’s King. While a surprise to many, some book readers saw the event coming as Ice Dragons are mentioned numerous times throughout George RR Martin’s work.

The first mention of a dragon beyond The Wall comes in the second A Song of Ice and Fire book, when Osha describes the constellation guiding Bran further North: “The way’s easy. Look for the Ice Dragon, and chase the blue star in the rider’s eye.”

Then, in A Dance with Dragons, Jon recalls: “The wind was gusting, cold as the breath of the ice dragon in the tales Old Nan had told when Jon was a boy.”

Martin even gives a detailed explanation as to their power, writing in A World of Ice and Fire: “Of all the queer and fabulous denizens of the Shivering Sea, however, the greatest are the ice dragons. These colossal beasts, many times larger than the dragons of Valyria, are said to be made of living ice, with eyes of pale blue crystal and vast translucent wings through which the moon and stars can be glimpsed as they wheel across the sky. Whereas common dragons (if any dragon can truly be said to be common) breathe flame, ice dragons supposedly breathe cold, a chill so terrible that it can freeze a man solid in half a heartbeat.

“Sailors from half a hundred nations have glimpsed these great beasts over the centuries, so mayhaps there is some truth behind the tales. Archmaester Margate has suggested that many legends of the north — freezing mists, ice ships, Cannibal Bay, and the like — can be explained as distorted reports of ice-dragon activity. Though an amusing notion, and not without a certain elegance, this remains the purest conjecture. As ice dragons supposedly melt when slain, no actual proof of their existence has ever been found.”

With the mythical creatures popping up time and time again, there was sure some foreshadowing they would appear? Also of note, Martin once wrote an entire book titled The Ice Dragon — although not related to the world of Game of Thrones, many have noted how similar the setting is.

Emilia Clarke on Dany’s loss

Speaking after the episode, Emila Clarke discussed the horrifying moment the character lost her precious child: “It’s a heartbreak. Not only losing it but having that being given to the other side.”

Importantly, the dragon’s death also gives Dany more reason to fight the Army of the Dead: “My dragon could not have died for nothing, so this is now so important,” she says. “For the first time, you’re starting to see her defenses broken.”

Clarke also noted how, of all the dragons to switch sides, it was the one named after her horrible brother Viserys: “Of course it’s the rotten egg, of course you’d turn.”

However, although Dany may have been vulnerable for a minute, we shouldn’t forget her harsh decisions from earlier the season, such as burning the Tarlys.

She added: “The biggest question this season for Dany is what side of the coin she’s on. The unequivocal nature in choosing to be this aggressive is something you haven’t seen before. She’s practiced patience and has this savior-like quality, but now it’s game on.”

The Three-headed Dragon

Back in season two, Daenerys had a vision of her brother Rhaegar in the House of the Undying where she was told that “the dragon has three heads” causing many to generate the theory that there will be one rider for each of her dragons, Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion. Many took this to mean that, for Daenerys to win the Iron Throne, three Targaryen riders must be identified in a similar way that occurred with her ancestors Aegon and his two Targaryen sisters generations before.

While Daenerys will clearly be one of the dragon riders, fans have theorised that Jon Snow would be the other (thanks to his very-nearly confirmed Targaryen heritage) with the final spot going to Tyrion, whose heritage many are also questioning (no thanks to this moment in season seven, episode five).

With the Night King having taken over the third dragon, could he be the third rider? The new theory goes one step further with the user predicting that the Night King was originally a Stark before becoming a Walker, which itself ties into another theory that — thanks to the headache of time travel — Bran Stark could be the Night King.

A White Walker twist that changes everything

One development that really switched things up was the revelation that killing a White Walker will also dispatch of any other Wights that particular Walker created. Case in point: when Snow kills one with Longclaw, countless others crumble into dust.

This development sees Beric draw the conclusion that all they have to do is kill the Night King who presumably created all White Walkers. Could that be how the Army of the Dead crumbles?

Where did Benjen come from?

Jon’s uncle’s sole appearance prior to this episode may actually hint as to how ‘Coldhands’ conveniently showed up just in time to save the day.

In season six, Benjen saved Bran and Meera in similar fashion after they were swarmed by White Walkers, the Stark saying “the Three-Eyed Raven requested it.”

It's no stretch to assume that Bran's status as the new all-seeing Three-Eyed Raven could be to thank for Benjen knowing where Jon Snow was at that precise moment in time.

Arya’s faces

Not all the episode was spent North of the Wall; we also saw Sansa and Arya face off, the Lady of Winterfell discovering her sister’s leather satchel of faces.

So, who do they belong to? One candidate is Meryn Trant, the man who killed her sword instructor Syrio Forel all the way back in season one. Arya stabbed him in both eyes upon finding him in Braavos.

However, the face doesn't bear any stab wounds, which could possibly rule Trant out. Still, these are literal magical faces, surely she could fix one up?The more obvious money is on the faces belonging to Walder Frey and his sons.

Longclaw’s eye

Did you catch the “blink and you miss it” moment that has The Internet talking? Well, watch above, as the eye of Longclaw seemingly opens. The easy explanation, though, is that the eye early reflects what’s going on behind.

Director admits 'there was some effort to fudge the timeline a little’

Did that episode feel a little rushed? It did? Well, director Alan Taylor has admitted the “timing was getting a little hazy”.

“We’ve got Gendry running back, ravens flying a certain distance, dragons having to fly back a certain distance,” he said.

"In terms of the emotional experience, [Jon and company] sort of spent one dark night on the island in terms of storytelling moments. We tried to hedge it a little bit with the eternal twilight up there north of The Wall. I think there was some effort to fudge the timeline a little bit by not declaring exactly how long we were there.

"I think that worked for some people, for other people it didn’t. They seemed to be very concerned about how fast a raven can fly but there’s a thing called plausible impossibilities, which is what you try to achieve, rather than impossible plausibilities.

"So I think we were straining plausibility a little bit, but I hope the story’s momentum carries over some of that stuff."

Cleganebowl

Following the huge events beyond Eastwatch, The Hound — alongside Ser Jorah, Thormund and Berrick — manages to escape upon Drogon’s back with Dany.

Thanks to the next episode’s trailer, we know the character likely travels to King’s Landing with Jon Snow, Tyrion, and Jorah. More importantly, the original season three trailer featured a clip of The Hound unsheathing a sword, something we have yet to see this season.

In short: Cleganebowl could very well be coming.

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