Game of Thrones Season 6 Episode 1 Recap

Game of Thrones (2011-)
Season 6 (2016)

Created by: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Starring: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Lena Headey, Maisie Williams, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Aidan Gillan, Gwendoline Christie

Plot: 
HBO's fantasy drama series adapted from George R.R. Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire follows the civil war of kings and usurpers in Westeros who wish to sit one the throne. The scale and scope of the story is staggering, fully realized with a large ensemble cast.

Previously During Season 5
The biggest question lingering from last season is the fate of Jon Snow. He's dead, that's undeniable, but in Westeros, dead isn't always permanent. He was betrayed by his brothers in the Night Watch, upset that he made alliances with Wildings. I expect him to come back. After all, he has Red priestess Melisandre with the power to make the dead alive. Melisandre's ploy to lead Stannis Baratheon to be king is over with Baratheon having fallen in battle to the Boltons after being deserted by most of his troops for following Melisandre's advice to sacrifice his only daughter.

Daenerys Targaryen struggled as ruler or Meereen before riding into the sunset on a dragon.
Sansa was married to the most twisted villain in Westeros, Ramsay Bolton, but she escaped with Reek, formerly Theon Greyjoy.
Cersei is imprisoned by the same militant group she resurrected to retain her power and imprison Margaery Tyrell, forced to walk the streets naked as punishment.

Arya Stark's path of becoming an assassin are derailed when she disobeys orders and kills a man against whom she has a personal vendetta.

Check out my Game of Thrones season 6 recaps.

Review: Episode 1 - The Red Woman
This episode covers a lot of ground, and it needs to in an effort to catch up and start a lot of story lines. While we don't see all the stories, this is a solid opener. Now that the show is ahead of the books, is the show going to spoil the books or just make things up? Martin has discussed with the creators how the story ends, but the show has taken plenty of liberties already.

Jon Snow lives! Actually no, he's dead.

The biggest question was Jon Snow, and the episode opens with Jon on the ground, discovered by Davos and the Night's Watch. Melisandre happens upon Davos and Jon, commenting that she saw him in the flames. Will she be his resurrection? We'll have to wait at least one more episode.
Alliser Thorne defends his decision and admits to the murder, claiming that Snow violated his oaths.
Thorne demands that Davos and the few brothers surrender before nightfall. Davos isn't about to surrender, He touts the powers of the Red woman, but the few brothers allied with him don't believe it.

Ramsay Bolton laments the death of Myranda at the hands of Reek during the escape and vows vengeance. Despite her death, he doesn't want to waste good meat and orders her body be fed to the hounds. If you don't know, Ramsay is a special kind of vile.

Reek and Sansa are on the run from Bolton's hounds. Freezing to death is better than being torn apart by the hounds. Reek plans to lure the hounds away to save Sansa, telling her to make it to Castle Black where Jon Snow can protect her. Little do they know...
Reeks plan doesn't work out. He makes it three steps before he's found, and one of Bolton's men taunts him stating, "I can't wait to see what part of you Ramsay cuts off this time."
Brienne of Tarth and Podrick ride in to save the day. Brienne pledges her services and Sansa readily accepts. Brienne is finally making good on her oath to Sansa's mother.

Her hair seems to grow rather quickly.

Cersei's hair has grown out quite nicely. She's excited at the arrival of a Dorne ship, expecting her daughter Myrcella. Instead she finds a forlorn looking Jamie Lannister.
Cersei shares the witch's prophecy with Jamie. He doesn't believe it, but Cersei does.

Margaery Tyrell is still imprisoned. She demands to see her brother Loras, but is rebuked and urged to confess.

You always hurt family the worst.

Doran Martell is killed by Ellaria, tired of a weak ruler and his failure to avenge his brother Oberyn's death. "Weak men will no longer rule Dorne." She claims. The Sand Snakes proceed to kill Trystane as well. I'm guessing both the weak and the men will be out of the picture.

Tyrion and Varys walk the streets of Meeren dressed as common merchants. The Sons of the Harpy are organized, and Tyrion wants Varys to find whatever information he can. Their walk concludes with the boats in the harbor on fire. Tyrion can make this city better. He's proven be a good ruler and planner when he desires.

Jorah Mormont and Daario Naharis track Daenerys, both stating their devotion to her. Jorah is afflicted with Greyscale, from a battle last season. They determine the Dothraki have her, and they are correct.

Her official title is too long to list here. She's a lover, a child, a mother, a sinner, a saint.

The Dothraki insult her, assuming her dumb. They get a surprise when she speaks Dothraki and rattles off her title which is so long I can't even remember it all. They laugh at her claims, mocking her as the millionth of her name. She's granted immunity when it's learned she is Khal Drogo's widow. It's a little known rule that you can't lie with a Khal's widow. It felt more than contrived when she goes from on the verge of torture to completely safe and all expenses paid.

Blind Kung Fu master in training.

Arya is still blind, begging for coin. I'm guessing she's eavesdropping, and she is though to what end? She's given a staff by the girl from the House of Black and White and beaten mercilessly. It's training. Only when you can fight blind can you fight with sight, I'm assuming.

Melisandre strips naked while looking at a mirror and reveals that she is actually an old woman. Her necklace may have some kind of illusion power. I'm guessing this is an allusion to her powers of transformation. I guess we have to wait at least one more episode before we learn the fate of Jon Snow's body.