Games Of Thrones Season 7: What 'Eastwatch' Really Means

2. The Messee Becomes The Messer

With Arya back in Winterfell, it's been looking like Littlefinger's time pulling the strings from the shadows to the benefit of his own agenda might have been coming to a head. But then, after spotting the seeds of friction between the sisters last episode when Sansa watched Arya training with Brienne, the arch manipulator has only gone and twisted the situation to his advantage once again.

Littlefinger used the most devastating power in his armoury - knowledge - carefully crafting a situation whereby Arya would discover that Sansa called Ned a traitor and urged Robb to bend the knee to Joffrey (her most mortal of enemies, remember). It was immediately clear that Arya was disgusted, which was precisely Littlefinger's plan, though whether he thinks she'll try and kill her sister or merely leave in anger remains to be seen at the moment.

Look, it's still very likely that Littlefinger will die by Arya's hand at the culmination of this season - and not before time, for a lot of people - but there is some story left in this sub-plot still, and we're likely to see Sansa and Arya forced to overcome some tension before they can be properly reconciled.

There is also a more compelling theory too related to Littlefinger's death: the only reason Brienne has been left to stew at Winterfell is that it will be her who actually strikes the blow that kills him, as a full, final resolution of her vow to protect Catelyn Stark's daughters. That would just about justify her being completely moth-balled.