Game of Thrones season 7: A TL;DR Season 6 recap ahead of the new episodes

The basic plot points you need to remember as we pick the large, intertwined story back up

Game of Thrones season 7 is nearly upon us, and you can very much be forgiven for forgetting exactly what happened in season 6 given it concluded over a year ago.

We're all busy people, and no-one has time to read detailed episode synopses, much less watch back the whole season, so here's a very bare bones refresher.

We've taken each main character and tried to keep it as brief as possible in terms of what you need to remember about their story arc and where it left off as we head into s7:

Cersei Lannister

Orchestrated the arson of the Great Sept using the wildfire Aerys II stashed under it long ago. This wiped out all the sparrows including the High Sparrow along with a bunch of Tyrells and Kevan Lannister. Septa Unella was given over to The Mountain for torture.

Worst king ever, Tommen, committed suicide after watching the blast and his mother crowned herself Queens of the Seven Kingdoms, exchanging a sombre look with Jaime during the coronation.

Jon Snow

After defeating Ramsay Bolton (with help from the knights of the Vale), everyone proclaimed Jon Snow an Absolute Top Guy and agreed to recognise him as King in the North despite him being a bastard. Concurrently, we witnessed through a Bran vision that he actually isn't one, but is the progeny of very noble parents: Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.

Jon looked indifferent, as he does about pretty much everything.

Daenerys Targaryen

Pretty straightforward: she's heading to Westeros to claim the Iron Throne in the name of the Targaryens. She negotiated boats with Yara Greyjoy though, so needs to honour her promise to help Yara and Theon defeat their uncle Euron ASAP.

Tyrion Lannister

Apparently abandoned all the canny aspects of his personality and just began worshipping Daenerys. She named him Hand of the Queen and he is also on the boat bound for Westeros.

Jaime Lannister

Jaime took back Riverrun without a fight, sparing Brienne and Podrick. He returned to King's Landing to find the Great Sept in ruins, realising Cersei, his sister and the woman he loves, committed the very atrocity he killed the Mad King to prevent. Poor guy's head is all over the place.

Arya Stark

Escaped her dreadful Braavos storyline and returned to Westeros to exact revenge on the Freys for the Red Wedding in badass fashion, serving Walder Frey some 'son pie' before slitting his throat. She's now headed for a reunion with what's left of the Starks.

Bran Stark

Basically tripped balls the whole season with help from the Three-Eyed Raven. Had a lot of very informative flashbacks he will now hope to share with his siblings.

Sansa Stark

Was at Jon's side for the whole season, but is giving off serious 'NO FAIR I WANT TO BE QUEEN' vibes.

Less important folks

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish: Saved the day at the Battle of the Bastards, but is still whispering conspiratorially in Sansa's ear.

Melisandre: Thumbs up for resurrecting Jon Snow but thumbs down for murdering Shireen, so she ultimately got exiled as a compromise. Also, we found out she is secretly well old.

Yara Greyjoy: Tried and mostly failed to flirt with Daenerys. Proved it is she, not Theon, who should be in charge of the Iron Islands. Needs to do something about her crazy uncle.

Davos: Cemented himself as King Jon's right-hand man.

Missandei: I honestly couldn't care less. Hung on to that 'lusting after Greyworm' plot thread.

Theon: Started to get over his Ramsay torture trauma and support his sister, Yara.

Brienne of Tarth: Helping Jaime with the surrender of Riverrun, she was left in the difficult position of liking the guy but also being his sworn enemy, compelled by honour to fight for the Starks (who she will probably now head to join).

Daario Naharis: Stuck looking after Meereen while everyone goes on holiday to Westeros, the poor guy!

Benjen Stark: He successfully escorted Bran and Meera to the weirwood tree, but, though the Children of the Forest saved him from turning into a White Walker after being stabbed by one, he suggested he is slowly dying. Expect him to fight the good fight against them and die next season.

Samwell Tarly: Arrived in Oldtown with Gilly. Set about becoming a Maester. Will probably uncover crucial information about the White Walker threat in that vast library we left him in.

Sandor 'The Hound' Clegane: Agreed to join the Brotherhood without Banners (Beric, Thoros etc) as they head North to fight the White Walkers. Has some serious bloodlust after the slaughter of those villagers.

Jonah Mormont: Reveals he has greyscale and is commanded by Daenerys to find a cure, presumably so he can return to her side and continue his 'I'm a sexy dad, please love me!' thing.

Game of Thrones season 7 arrives on HBO and Sky Atlantic and through NOW TV on 16 July.