It’s a great day in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros because Game of Thrones season 5 is here. The newest season premiered on April 12 on HBO, and fans rejoiced. After the year-long wait between seasons, many fans forget where our favorite (and still living) characters have left off, so in order to be prepared for the premiere here’s where the citizens of Westeros are now.

Arya:

  Arya is still travelling with the Hound even though she was at the gates of the Eyrie where her sister was only 100 feet away, but no, she left (face palm). The two then cross paths with Brienne and Podrick and quickly are identified as the Hound and Arya Stark. Since Brienne is loyal to her word to the dead Lady Stark, she immediately tries to get Arya to come with her. Arya and the Hound are reluctant which cause the best fight on GOT ever with the Hound in one corner and Lady Brienne of Tarth in the other. To all viewers surprise, Brienne comes victorious although is still unable to get Arya to come with her and leaves the Hound badly hurt. The Hound pleads with Arya to kill him in order to quicken his inevitable death, but to the Hound’s dismay, Arya still hasn’t forgot about him killing the butcher’s son in season one, leaving him there to suffer a long and painful death. Arya then rides to the coast of Vale in search of a ship going North but is initally disappointed when the only ship is going ‘home’ to Bravvos. She then remembers of the coin that Jaqen H’ghar gives her, and she presents the captain the coin with the words “Valar Morghulis” and is welcomed on board the ship heading to Bravvos (she was so close to Jon Snow!!!).

Jon:

After the events occurring at the Wall with the wildlings, Jon Snow is sent to go and negotiate with Mance Rayder. Mance reveals to Snow that he is just at the wall with his army to hide from the infamous winter since it has been ‘coming’ for four seasons and the White Walkers. Just as Jon contemplates killing Mance an army led by Stannis Baratheon comes through killing all of the Wildlings and takes Mance as prisoner back at the Wall.

Tyrion:

  Tyrion has given up all hope on living after Oberyn Martell’s head has caved in by the Mountain in Tyrion’s trial by combat, but his spirits are lifted when his brother Jaime comes to free him. Jaime gives Tyrion the exact and simple instructions to meet Varys in order to get smuggled away, but that’s too easy and no one’s dead yet. Tyrion goes to his father’s room instead and to his dismay he finds his ex-lover/lady of the night/traitor, Shae, in his room. Filled with rage, Tyrion and Shae struggle with one another ultimately ending in the little Lord strangling Shae to death with her own necklace. As if killing your ex-lover wasn’t enough, the Imp then retrieves a crossbow and goes into the prvy to find his father, Tywin, in a compromising situation. Tywin tries to talk his son out of murdering his own father, but a lifetime of hate driven towards his dwarf son allowed Tyrion to easily pull the trigger killing the Hand of the King on the toilet. Once Tyrion comes to his senses, he goes to Varys who then puts him in a wooden crate and smuggles him on to a ship to the Free Cities.

Bran:

  Hodor is still trudging Bran across the snow along with his companions Meera and Summer just like they have the past three seasons. Although in the season four finale, Bran FINALLY finds this big magical tree he has been dreaming about for four seasons. Yet in true Game of Thrones fashion finding something without a single death is uncalled for, so as the group approaches the magical tree, magical skeletons come up out of the group and start to attack them. And the one who bites the dust is Summer leaving his sister mournful, but let’s be honest she just lost her brother whereas Bran has lost his father, mother, eldest brother, sister-in-law (whom he never met), and hasn’t seen his half brother or two sisters since season one (tough life). Anyway, Bran and his clique go into the magical tree and find the three eye raven who then transforms into an old man who has been watching Bran and tells him that “You will never walk again, but you will fly.” Strange but what’s new.

Daenerys:

  While attempting to control her new city, Daenerys has started to lose track and control of her dragons, especially Drogon. This is made evident when a former slave approaches the Khalessi and presents her with the work of Drogon, the burned bones and ashes of his child. Daenerys then realizes the dangerous impact her dragons can have on her people and that even the Mother of Dragons can not tame these wild beasts. She sorrowfully locks up her remaining two dragons (or children in this case) in the catacombs of her city withdrawing further danger to her people, yet is still unable to find Drogon.

Four main characters dead and season four is over; R.I.P. Summer, Hound, Shae, Tywin Lannister, and I will never forget Ned Stark (Yes, I am still not over his death three seasons later). Season 5 premiered April 12 on HBO and will show ten episodes along with heartbreaking deaths.