The group was first mentioned by Davos Seaworth in one of the earlier seasons, when he attempted to persuade Stannis Baratheon that he hire the Golden Company to help him win back the Iron Throne.

“Westeros is not the world, your grace. We need to look east for ships and men. Ten thousand skilled soldiers fight for the Golden Company,” he said, before noting that “they’ve never broken a contract”. While a disgusted Stannis dismiss the idea of using “sellswords” in his quest for power, though, Cersei seems all too willing to pay for warriors.

However, in the A Song of Ice and Fire books, it’s established that the Golden Company is made of the descendants of nobles banished from Westeros for backing the wrong Targaryen heir in a heated war for the Iron Throne. King Aegon IV Targaryen died without a legitimate heir, but a bunch of bastards. One of them, known as Bittersteel, fled to Essos with his supporters, and they became the Golden Company. There is a sense that these Westerosi exiles want to return home, and in the books, they support the claim to a long-lost “Aegon Targaryen.” So, you know, that could cause some wrinkles for Cersei…

Euron Greyjoy gets what he wants… and breaks Cersei’s heart in the process

All Euron has ever wanted to do, for as long as we’ve known him, is “fuck a queen”. And, in the season eight premiere, his wish finally comes true, despite Cersei’s initial reluctance.

“You want a whore, buy one,” she tells him. “You want a queen, earn one.”

After they do the deed, though, Cersei’s bravado is clearly shaken, particularly when Euron pokes fun at Jaime Lannister’s sexual prowess and vows to put a son in her belly. Indeed, she even sheds a few tears as he leaves her chambers, although it remains unclear as to why. Is it because she feels cheapened by her decision to take Euron into her bed? Is it because she misses Jaime? Is it because she previously informed Tyrion that she is pregnant (whether she’s lying or not remains to be seen)? Or is it because she has lost all her children and, thanks to Maggy the Frog’s prophecy, believes that she will die before she has another?

Bronn has a difficult decision to make

If there’s one thing we know about Bronn, it’s this: he is loyal to whoever pays him the most gold. However, when Qyburn bursts into his bedroom (startling three prostitutes, one of whom he notes will be dead of pox within the year), he’s faced with a difficult decision: will he serve Queen Cersei and murder Jaime and Tyrion Lannister with the very same crossbow the latter used to kill his father, Tywin? Or will he ride north, reunite with the two men he admires most in the world, and join them in their fight against the Night King?

Whichever he decides, it seems safe to bet that Bronn won’t survive until the end of season eight. Sad times, eh?

Theon saves Yara, but remains loyal to his chosen family

Theon never truly knew where he stood when we first met him in season one.

“I always wanted to do the right thing,” he once said. “Be the right kind of person. But I never knew what that meant. It always seemed that there was an impossible choice I had to make. Stark or Greyjoy.”

Ward to Ned Stark, he had been taken to Winterfell following a failed Greyjoy attempt on the Iron Throne. When he eventually returned home to the Iron Islands, he was persuaded to betray Robb Stark (Richard Madden) and even invaded Winterfell… an act which led to him being captured and castrated by Ramsey Bolton.

Now, though, we finally know which side his bread is buttered: Theon may have saved his sister, Yara, from their vicious uncle, but he has determined to return to Winterfell and join the Starks in their battle against the White Walkers. She grants him her blessing, too.

“What is dead may never die,” she says, echoing the words of the Greyjoy house. “But kill the bastards anyway.”

It remains to be seen how welcome Theon’s assistance will be, of course. However, he does have Sansa and Bran in his corner: he helped to save both in past seasons, her from Ramsey, and Bran from the marauding Greyjoys.

Game of Thrones: every single hint and important moment from episode one