Game of Thrones season 7 episode 2: 9 callbacks and book references you probably missed in 'Stormborn'

From kisses to reunions

Season seven of Game of Thrones is truly underway, the second episode seeing the Queens of Westeros make their first moves towards seizing/keeping the Iron Throne.

**Spoilers for the episode ‘Stormborn’ ahead**

As always, the episode was packed with 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.

1. The improvised kiss

Yara Greyjoy and Ellaria Sand share a relatively intimate moment during ‘Stormborn’, the Sand Snakes’ mother starting “a foreign invasion”. According to the actors, the moment was completely improvised.

“It wasn’t directed that we would kiss,” Whelan told Entertainment Weekly. “It just seemed like something we should do. We led it, very much so. It was meant to be a suggestion [of flirting] and then it became more sexual than we expected because it seemed right.

“There was only a skeleton crew working because the rig could only take so much weight, so we were left very much on our own. And who wouldn’t want to kiss Indira? I mean, come on!”

Another callback

Last episode, we saw The Hound bury a farmer and his daughter; a callback to season four when he initially met the pair. During the second episode, there was another scene that focussed on a callback to seasons past.

Just before the climatic battle takes place, ‘Stormborn’ takes a moment to reunite Arya with her long-lost direwolf, Nymeria. Very little actually happens during the scene; the direwolf’s pack surround Arya, deciding not to kill her after seemingly recognising the Stark. As the animal walks away, Arya comments “That’s not you”.

During a post-episode discussion, showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss explained how the phrase was a callback to season one. One early episode sees Ned Stark tell his daughter that she will one day be a lady and get married, to which she replies: “No. That’s not me.”

Benioff describes how Arya wants Nymeria “to come back home with her and be her loyal companion again. But Nymeria’s found her own life.”

Weiss continues: “‘That’s not you’ is a direct reference to what Arya herself said to her father when her father painted this picture for her as a lady of a castle and marrying some lord and wearing some frilly dress.

“Arya’s not domesticated and it makes total sense her wolf wouldn’t be either. Once the wolf walks away, at first she’s heartbroken to have come this close. Then she realises the wolf is doing exactly what she would do if she were that wolf.”

Euron cutting out tongues

During that very last scene, we see the villainous Euron Greyjoy’s men cutting out enemy tongue. There’s good reason for this; in the book, Euron always spares the opposing crew, bringing them on board their own ship.

However, to stop them mutinying, Euron has their tongues ripped out; that’s also why, in the scene with Ellaria Sand, none of the men talk. Pretty gruesome.

Hot pie’s hot reunion hints

A pretty obvious point, but notable anyway. After season of agony, waiting for Hot Pie to return to our screens, the famed baker was finally back. Ary — or ‘arry — paid the inn a visit, speaking to Hot Pie, who revealed the Starks are back at Winterfell.

Despite wanting to murder the Queen, Arya has turned her back on King’s Landing, heading North instead. That can only mean one thing: the Stark sister reunite! Let’s hope they have some good fortune soon enough.

Euron’s gift

During the premiere, Euron promised Cersei a gift. During ‘Stormborn’ we discovered exactly what that gift is: Ellaria Sand, who murdered Myrcella at season five’s conclusion. With the Greyjoy set to return to King’s Landing, Ellaria would be the perfect ‘gift’ to show true allegiance to the Queen upon the Iron Throne.

Sex!

(HBO)

Finally, Nathalie Emmanuel’s Missandei and Jacob Anderson’s eunuch Grey Work acted on their feelings for each other. Speaking post-episode, Emmanuel said of the scene: “Missandei is always so official and straight and poised so to be vulnerable and see her human side of her, a little off balance, is kind of great and fun to play.

“She’s kept things very together to stay composed but this scene is the opposite of that. She’s quite clear about what she wants because she fears she’ll never have the chance to have that with him again.”

peaking about Grey Work’s privates, she added: “The scene keeps everybody guessing about certain things.” Then asked about their future together, Emmanuel said: “You hope those two have a happy ending. But you try not even say it out loud.” Let’s hope they stick around long enough to see each other again.

A cure is coming

Sam Tarly’s disgusting adventures continue, this week featuring an ingenious scene transition from removing greyscale to eating pie. Will the procedure actually save Ser Jorah? Probably not. However, we may already know the actual cure for Greyscale: Dragonglass. The cure was teased last episode and can be read in full here.

Tyrion undermines his queen

Midway through the episode, Jon Snow received a letter from Tyrion Lannister, inviting the Stark to Dragonstone to meet Daenerys Targaryen. However, did the Mother of Dragons actually send the letter?

When discussing Jon Snow with Tyrion, Danny makes clear she wants the Stark to “bend the knee” — a phrase not used anywhere in the letter. Has Tyrion gone behind the Queen’s back to invite Jon over?

The BIG meeting

More importantly, we know Jon Snow is definitely coming to Dragonstone as the episode three teaser teases the huge meeting. Will they be at odds with each other? Or become allies?

Game of Thrones continues on HBO, Sky Atlantic and NOWTV on Sunday nights.