Game Of Thrones Season 7: 7 Winners And 6 Losers

4. Ned Stark - Winner

The "when you play..." quote from Season 1 was aimed at Ned Stark, and at the time his death served as a shocking affirmation of that statement. Ned reluctantly had to get involved in the game, and ended up with his head on a spike.

And yet, despite dying back in Season 1, Lord Eddard Stark's presence has continued to loom over the show, and more so than ever in Season 7. There were countless references to him, from direct quotes to more subtle details in costumes, and as the Starks came back together in the finale, one of the messages it sent was that maybe Ned really had won (in a sense, anyway).

We had further explanation of why he carried the burden of Jon's parentage alone, only reinforcing his honour (something even Cersei believes in at the Dragonpit), and see how the way he raised his children has led to where they are now, and how they've survived everything. Jon Arryn's death has been avenged, Sansa and Arya are working in tandem, Bran is all kinds of weirdo powerful, and Jon Snow, more like him than any of the others, has united a lot of the realm against the White Walkers.

While they've all found father figures elsewhere, none have been as important in moulding them as those initial years with Ned and what the memory of him has meant. The Starks are back in Winterfell, with Snow on the way. Winter has come at last, and Ned Stark can be incredibly proud of his legacy.