Game of Thrones: Where All the Major Characters Stand Going Into Season 8

Jon Snow spends a large portion of the seventh season attempting to persuade others of the threat to humanity posed by the White Walker Army. Upon gaining Daenerys's confidence on the matter, the pair visit King's Landing to ask Cersei to lend her troops in the battle against the undead.

To illustrate their need, Jon offers a controlled demonstration of a wight's destructive power, which only convinces Cersei to present a less desirable counter offer: her troops will hold their position and not attack the Targaryen or Northern forces as they battle the White Walkers. She also demands that Jon Snow, as lowly King of the North, remove himself from any future conflict between Cersei and Daenerys. Jon refuses and declares his loyalty to the Mother of Dragons.

Infuriated, Cersei storms out of the negotiations, leaving Tyrion to mend the breech between the parties.

When Tyrion visits his sister in her chambers, she accuses him of destroying their family and claims that by killing their father, he ushered in the events that led to the death of her two kids, Myrcella and Tommen. The revelation stuns Tyrion, but he deduces Cersei's sudden concern for family points to a pregnancy — and that the hope she has for her unborn child is the only reason she'd consider a truce. With some reluctance, the two come to the agreement that the Lannister army will march north to fight alongside the Starks and Targaryens.

But we soon learn Cersei has no intention of keeping her word. She confesses to Jaime that she deliberately revealed her pregnancy to Tyrion to gain his trust and intends to let her enemies exhaust themselves against the White Walker Army while Euron Greyjoy and the Golden Company wipe out what's left of whoever wins. Jaime is disgusted that his sister plotted behind his back with Euron and elects to ride North, joining the fight against the White Walkers. Cersei declares this a treasonous act worthy of death but lets her brother leave unscathed.

In letting Jaime go unpunished, Cersei may have made a mistake she'll regret later, but the prospect of Jaime Lannister teaming up with Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow breeds a world of possibilities.

Littlefinger tries to convince Sansa to turn against Arya, but what he doesn't realise is that despite the years of separation, the sisters' loyalty has remained whole. The women conspire to expose his crimes in a public shaming, revealing that Littlefinger poisoned their uncle Jon Arryn, King Robert's former Hand — an event that sparked the War of the Five Kings. He also turned their aunt Lysa Arryn against their mom, Catelyn, betrayed Ned Stark, and shoved Lysa through the Moon Door. Lord Baelish expresses remorse for his crimes and pleads for mercy, but Arya cuts his throat with the same Valyrian dagger integral to each of his schemes.

In the days that follow, Samwell Tarly and Gilly arrive at Winterfell. Upon hearing that Bran has found his way home, Sam calls on him and learns the young Stark is now the Three-Eyed Raven. Bran tells Samwell that his new sight has revealed Lyanna Stark as Jon Snow's mother. He also states Jon's father is Prince Rhaegar. Intrigued, Sam reveals that Rhaegar married Lyanna in a secret ceremony. This triggers a vision where Bran sees Rhaegar and Lyanna in a loving relationship, where she bears him a son: Aegon Targaryen aka Jon Snow aka Bran's bastard brother turned cousin.

With this insight, Sam and Bran realise Jon has legitimate blood ties to the Targaryen line. This is a powder keg of a revelation because it suggests that King Robert's Rebellion and the overthrow of the Targaryens occurred based on an elaborate lie. Or to put it plainly, Jon Snow is more than King of the North — he is the rightful heir of the Iron Throne, which means Daenerys Targaryen's tumultuous saga to rule the Seven Kingdoms has been for naught.

Of course, the characters in question are not yet aware of this new wrinkle, but the viewer gets this information just as Jon and Daenerys finally consummate their relationship. And for those of you keeping score on the family tree, this means Jon Snow has just gotten freaky with his aunt. Yes, you read that right. The mother of dragons is having a love affair with her nephew.

As if things couldn't get any worse, the sentries atop the Wall at Eastwatch stand in horror as the White Walker Army approaches. Despite their growing numbers, the immensity of the wall seems suitable to hold them at bay — that is, until the Night King arrives on the back of Viserion, an undead version of Daenerys's beloved dragon. In a burst of bright blue flame, the creature demolishes the eastern side of the wall, leaving a gap large enough for the Army of the Dead to advance.

The battle has begun.