Game of Thrones season 7 episode 1: 9 Easter eggs and book references you probably missed in the premiere

From The Hound digging graves to Sansa's hair

Finally, after months of waiting, season seven of Game of Thrones has begun, bring death and destruction back to Westeros.

** Spoilers for ‘Dragonstone’ 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 Gravedigger

The Hound’s appearance was one of the episode’s many highlights, the Clegane brother hinting at the events to come. Travelling with the Brotherhood Without Banners, the former knight arrived at a house we’ve seen before; when with Arya in season four, the pair met the farmer and daughter who lived in that same house.

However, the biggest reference to the books came when The Hound dug their grave. While not confirmed in George RR Martin’s series, a character named The Gravedigger — a mysterious man who Brienne meets on the Quiet Isle — is thought to be Clegane. The show previously omitted the scene, but this seems like a subtle nod.

2. The Dagger

Sam’s stolen book featured numerous secrets that have left fans trawling over every page. At one point we see an illustration of a very familiar dagger — the Catspaw, seen in season one when an assassin attempted to kill Bran with the blade.

Earlier this year, we saw Maisie Williams as Arya Stark holding the weapon on the front page of Entertainment Weekly, so expect the dagger to return at some stage.

3. A cure for Greyscale

Another possible reference hidden away in those pages is a possible cure for Greyscale. Fans believe that, on the page next to where Sam sees the Dragonglass location, there are notes about the healing powers of Dragonglass. The theory follows that Ser Jorah, who we saw locked away in the Citadel, may be able to consume the substance and be cured.

Notably, Shireen Baratheon — who lived on Dragonestone — was cured of her Greyscale. We never found out exactly how she was saved, but considering she was so close to the location of Dragonglass, it’s fair to imagine she probably had extended contact with the White Walker kryptonite.

4. Oldtown

And finally, regarding the Citadel, Oldtown made its first appearance in the opening credits sequence.

5. The Faith of the Seven decimated

At the end of last season, Cersei blew up the sept, killing numerous key characters and basically eradicating the Faith Militant. Where behind the Iron Throne stood the symbol for The Faith of the Seven — a seven propngonged star, one for each new God — has been replaced by the Lannister’s Lion, her faith in Gods destroyed while the Queen’s faith in family seemingly remains.

6. Sansa’s hair

Some fans have noted how Sansa’s hair looks remarkably similar to Cersei’s. As the young Stark says, she’s learnt a lot from the current Queen.

7. Ed Sheeran’s song

Ed Sheeran cameoed during the episode, leading to a rather mixed reaction from the Internet. Titled “Hands of Gold,” the Glastonbury headliner’s song actually isn’t that new as it makes an appearance in George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.

A bard named Symon Silver Tongue uses the song to blackmail Tyrion Lannister as the words concern the character’s secret lover, Shae. The tune includes the lines: For she was his secret treasure / she was his shame and his bliss.

Also in the books, Tyrion sings the song’s final line while killing Shea with his father’s chain wrapped around her neck: “For hands of gold are always cold / but a woman’s hands are warm”.

8. Arya’s revenge

The power which the female characters relish nevertheless corrupts, just as it does their male counterparts

Arya opens the episode posing as Walder Frey, murdering the old man’s entire family at the ‘White Wedding’. This segment also brings together two iconic storylines from the book that are otherwise not mentioned in the show. The first concerns Lord Wyman Manderly of White Harbor, whose has his very own revenge story in Martin’s books.

Following the Red Wedding, in which he loses his son, Lord Manderly begins openly working with the Freys, Boltons, and Lannisters, while also plotting revenge behind their backs.

The character kills numerous members of the Frey family and cooks them into pies, serving them up to relatives. "The best pie you have ever tasted, my lords," Manderly says during A Dance with Dragons. "Wash it down with Arbor Gold and savour every bite. I know I shall.”

During the season six finale, Arya gives Walder a pie before slitting his throat. She then brings the Manderly storyline to a conclusion by serving the Frey sons poisoned Arbor Gold.

The second storyline the young Stark has seemingly encapsulated is Lady Stoneheart. For those unaware, Stoneheart is the reanimated corpse of Catelyn Stark — brought to life by the Brotherhood Without Banners — who exacts revenge on the Red Wedding perpetrators.

With only twelve episodes remaining, there’s almost zero chance we’ll see Stoneheart; instead, Arya has encapsulated the undead character’s quest to murder those traitors across Westeros.

9. The Direwolf returns

This one comes thanks to the episode two trailer. During a brief snapshot of images, we see a Direwolf — notably, not a white one, therefore excluding Jon Snow’s pet from the possibilities.

Instead, the shot likely features Nymeria, Arya’s now-grown animal companion. Last time we saw Nymeria, she was escaping the Lannisters, having just attacked Joffrey after the future king threatened Arya.

The girl-who-now-has-a-name made Nymeria run away, fearing the Lannister’s would take revenge; Cersei ended up having Ned Stark kill Sansa’s wolf, Lady. During the trailer, we seemingly see Arya in shock after being reunited with the Direwolf, although this could simply be an editing trick.

Game of Thrones airs on Sky Atlantic and is available on NOW TV.