Game Of Thrones Recap: 12 Things You Learn Rewatching Season 5

There are a number of game-changing moments across Game of Thrones' run, but few seasons tear things up quite so much as Season 4.

By the end of that run, Tyrion has fled Westeros after killing his father, Arya has set sail for Braavos, Petyr Baelish is Lord of the Vale with a hand controlling Sansa's destiny, Daenerys has chained up two of her dragons and the other is missing, Stannis has turned his attentions North rather than South, the Wildlings have been defeated, Bran's got to sit in a tree, and Tywin's death means there's the biggest power vacuum to date in the country.

That sets the scene for Season 5 to be a rather different kind of show. Sure, there are still epic battles, shocking deaths, betrayals, schemes, and so much more, but it feels like so much of what we knew has been flipped on its head.

All of that makes it a tricky season for the showrunners, especially as they move further away from George R.R. Martin's books and edge a little closer towards their own endgame. It also made it a tricky season on the first watch, and one that, while not quite as strong as some of the other years, offers up a lot when looking back through it ahead of the upcoming eighth and final season.