Game Of Thrones Season 8 Premiere: 8 Ups And 3 Downs From 'Winterfell'

7. Last Hearth

Game of Thrones Last Hearth White Walker Symbol
HBO

There aren't too many new locations left to visit now that we're in the endgame, but the Season 8 premiere makes time for one: Last Hearth, the seat of House Umber and the Northernmost major castle before you get to the Wall.

After seeing poor Ned Umber run off home earlier in the episode, we pick the story up there towards the end, with the return of Beric and Tormund (last seen watching the Wall come crashing down). It's there that Game of Thrones, not for the first time (hi Hardhome) embraces the horror genre, with an atmospheric entrance into the castle, the levity of them meeting Edd & Co - "I've always had blue eyes!" - and then that final, horrifying reveal of Ned's body, before the wight jump scare.

It's all hugely effective and appropriately dark, serving as a timely reminder, if one were needed, of the threat our heroes are facing.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.