“Game of Thrones” has several great battle scenes, and the sixth season features the Battle of the Bastards, one of the most epic battle scenes ever filmed, movie or television. COURTESY/HBO ith the final season of “Game of Thrones” fast approaching, you might feel a little left out of the pop culture phenomenon as ‘GAME OF your friends and family discuss Targaryens, Starks and Lan- nisters. But it’s not too late to get caught up, if you’re willing to Wtake a crash course in the Seven Realms. THRONES’ Today we’re giving you a cheat sheet to Westeros and beyond, your guide on catching up to “Game of Thrones” before Season 8 starts April 14. This is by no means complete. We definitely recommend you take time later to go back and watch the entire series, which is epic in scale and qual- TV ity. We’ve boiled the show’s 67 episodes down to 28, or a little over 26 hours ‘Game of CHEAT Thrones’ season of viewing. While you won’t get every detail, this list will give you what you 8 premiere need to understand the major plot points. With a bit of dedication, you can 8 p.m. April 14, HBO get through it all in a week. SHEET And if you’re already familiar with Game of Thrones, you can use this as a guide to re-familiarize yourself with the world you’ve been missing for the last 18 months. Your guide to catching up on the Seven Tip: Wikipedia has pretty good summaries for each episode. A quick read of the pages for the episodes you skip will fill in a lot of holes if you need a little Kingdoms before Season 8’s premiere extra help. Google “List of Game of Thrones episodes Wikipedia,” and you’ll By James Royal • Tulsa WoRld get to a page that has links to the individual entries for every episode. Season 1 Season 2 Episode 1, “Winter Is Coming”: It begins. Episode 1, “The North Remembers”: This The players are introduced, and the season is where we see the titular first shock of the series lets you know Game of Thrones really begin to play this isn’t your average show. Some of out as various factions contending for the most telling dialogue of all seven the Iron Throne form. seasons are single lines from this Episode 7, “A Man Without Honor”: If episode. you appreciate subtle, quality acting, Episode 6, “A Golden Crown”: A great, this is a great episode. The interaction hardcore moment of justice, and the between Cersei Lannister and Sansa COURTESY/HBO discovery of a truth that will ignite the Stark in one scene is a bit terrifying, Game of Thrones from which the show HELEN SLOAN/HBO and Tywin Lannister’s scenes with Arya Episode 10, “Valar Morghulis”: The final draw its name. Stark almost make you forget you hate episode of each season tends to wrap Episode 7, “You Win or You Die”: This rest of the series in ways big and him. Daenerys faces a mysterious chal- up the big events in the prior episodes sets up the next two episodes, which small. lenge. and lay the groundwork for the next in turn set the direction for the next Episode 10, “Fire and Blood”: The im- Episode 9, “Blackwater”: The first epic season. That’s definitely the case here six seasons. mediate aftermath of “Baelor.” The battle of the series. Tyrion Lannister as we see more of the growth of Daen- Episode 9, “Baelor”: Every facet of this closing scene is a pivotal moment for grows as a character throughout Sea- erys and the re-introduction of a major episode will reverberate through the Daenerys Targaryen. son 2, but this is when he really shines. threat. Season 3 Season 5 Episode 3, “Walk of Punishment”: A life-al- Episode 8, “Hardhome”: tering change for Jaime Lannister. The Season 5 is probably scenes with Podrick (Tyrion’s squire), criticized more than any Tyrion and Bronn make the episode other season of the show, worth watching by themselves. but this episode is one of Episode 4, “And Now His Watch Is the best of the series. The Ended”: One of Daenerys’s great- battle scene, especially the est triumphs. Underrated scene: very end, is chilling. Conleth Hill delivers an incred- Episode 10, “Mother’s Mercy”: ibly well-acted scene revealing Cersei is set down a dark Varys’s haunting past. path of revenge, and Tyrion Episode 5, “Kissed by Fire”: and Varys (the greatest This is another episode bro-mance of the show) are where lots of little things reunited. And then there’s happen that play out in the final scene, a cliffhanger future stories. A favorite for that made the year between fans of Jon Snow and Ygritte. seasons seem like an eter- Episode 9, “The Rains of MACALL B. POLAY/HBO nity to fans when it aired. Castamere”: A wedding, Game of Thrones style. This episode – possibly the Season 6 Season 7 most talked about of the se- ries – will leave you emotion- Episode 2, “Home”: Fortunately Episode 3, “The Queen’s Justice”: If ally drained. for you, you can jump to this you have time, watch all of Season episode and see how the Season 7. If you don’t, you can skip to this Season 4 5 cliffhanger plays out. Also, Bran episode to get started. Jon seeks Stark’s training as the Three-eyed out Daenerys, Sansa is reunited Episode 2, “The Lion and the Raven continues with glimpses of with a much different Bran than Rose”: Another wedding kicks off a the past. she remembers, and Daenerys central storyline for this season. Episode 4, “Book of the Stranger”: A takes the battle to the Lannisters. Episode 6, “The Laws of Gods and Stark reunion and another huge Episode 4, “The Spoils of War”: Men”: Peter Dinklage delivers a step in Daenerys’s quest. Littlefinger tries to manipulate passionate diatribe in a telling Episode 5, “The Door”: Not every things at Winterfell as Arya scene for Tyrion. hero in “Game of Thrones” carries returns home, and another key Episode 8, “The Mountain a sword. Keep some tissue handy. battle plays itself out. and the Viper”: You’ll be You’ll need it. Episode 6, “Beyond the Wall”: Ten- crushed if you skip this Episode 9, “Battle of the Bastards”: sion in Winterfell grows, Jon and episode. One of the most epic battle scenes a band of heroes go beyond the Who will sit on Episode 10, “The Chil- ever filmed, movie or television. Wall, and the final scene changes the Iron Throne dren”: An excellently done Episode 10, “Winds of Winter”: Sea- the dynamics of the war to come. at the end denouement episode, with son 6 is arguably the best season Episode 7, “The Dragon and the of “Game of season-long storylines of “Game of Thrones,” and this Wolf”: One of the show’s great Thrones” this getting tied up not- episode is a fitting finale. The first mysteries is confirmed, a deal is season? so-neatly and other 23 minutes is absolutely cinematic made, and the Night King arrives COURTESY/HBO arcs being set up in every facet. Possibly the best at the Wall. for Season 5. episode of the entire series. .