The eighth and final season of Game of Thrones starts Sunday, April 14th, 2019. It can be viewed on HBO at 9 p.m.
If you don’t have access to HBO, or you’d like to watch with some like-minded friends, check out one of these Game of Thrones watch parties in the Charlotte area.
Some of the parties include extras like Game of Throne themed drinks, or a costume contest.
Recap of Game of Thrones Season 7
But first, here’s a highly condensed, incomplete, hopefully mostly correct recap of Season 7, in case you need a reminder of where we are in the saga. If you haven’t watched any of it, then this won’t help very much. And, yes, it obviously contains spoilers if you haven’t watched Season 7.
Episode 1: Arya, who has gotten really good with the faces thing, and with killing, is working through her list. She kills everyone responsible for the Red Wedding. She’s super-spooky, but she’s someone you’d rather have a friend than an enemy. Meanwhile, Cersei sends a raven to Jon Snow, ordering him to pledge his loyalty to her, or else. A the Citadel, under-appreciated Sam learns that Dragonstone was built on top of a bunch of dragonglass, which is one of the only ways to kill White Walkers. And Ser Jorah is at The Citadel, getting treated for a really nasty case of greyscale.
Episode 2: Meanwhile at Dragonstone, Daenerys orders Jon Snow to bend the knee to her. Grey Worm and Missandei, the former slave hook up. Grey Worm is a eunuch, I know. Don’t ask me. Meanwhile Sam is trying a really controversial (and painful looking) treatment for Ser Jorah’s greyscale, because otherwise it’s hopeless for him. Hot Pie (remember him?) tells Arya that Jon took Winterfell back.
Episode 3: Jon doesn’t bend the knee but says that the Night King and the White Walkers are serious business. Daenerys’ people take Casterly Rock, but the Lannisters take Highgarden. Jaime gets the unenviable job of killing Lady Olenna, who seems pretty nice, and before she dies she tells him to tell Cersei that she was the one behind Joffrey’s death. Ser Jorah is all better!
Episode 4: Arya meets up with Sansa and Bran at Winterfell. Theon shows up at Dragonstone. The Lannisters are leaving Highgarden with all their spoils, but who’s in the sky? Daenerys, riding a dragon. The dragon sets the whole scene on fire. It’s an inferno.
Episode 5: So, Daenerys has a bunch of prisoners of war and she tells them they need to pledge loyalty to her, and most of them do. But not Randall and Dickon Tarly, so she has the dragon take care of them. Back at the Citadel, Gilly finds proof that Rhaegar Targaryen had had his marriage annulled. (Hold that thought.) And then Sam, Gilly and the baby leave Citadel because the Archmaester is super-flippant about the White Walker threat from Bran’s raven. Now Jon Snow is thinking that they really need Cersei’s army to help him and Daenerys fight the White Walkers. But how to convince her? He has this idea to go beyond the Wall and catch a White Walker and send it to King’s Landing so that she can see for herself how freaky scary they are. It’s a crazy plan but it just might work. Jon and pals set off for beyond The Wall. And Cersei tells Jaime that she’s pregnant and he’s the daddy.
Episode 6: Jon and pals are not having an easy time beyond The Wall, what with the army of the undead. At Winterfell, Sansa finds Arya’s bag of faces, which might not be the nicest thing to find out about your baby sister. Daenerys tells Tyrion that Jon is not her type. (Right.) But still, she and her dragons fly up to help Jon and pals. The Night King kills Viserion, one of Daenerys’ dragons. Jon is saved by…long lost Uncle Benjen! (Where has he been??) After all this, Daenerys says, to parapharse, “Now I think that the Night King and White Walkers really are a big problem,” which is all Jon wanted to hear. He pledges his loyalty to her. Meanwhile, and this is the part that will freak you out, the Night King’s army pulls Viserion’s body from the lake and now he’s a WHITE WALKER DRAGON.
Episode 7: Daenerys, Jon and Tyrion go to King’s Landing to meet up with Cersei and convince her to join up with them against the White Walkers. She says that she will send her armies to help fight against the Night King. But then she is talking to Jaime and says “I’m not really going to do that. I was just lying!” And Jaime has had it with her and leaves to join Jon and Daenerys. Meanwhile, back at Winterfell, Littlefinger tells Sansa that Arya has been plotting to kill her, but she doesn’t believe him, and sentences him to death. Arya, being Arya, is more than happy to do the deed. Now, Bran, what with his 3-eyed raven thing going on, is able to see into the past and that Jon is Rhaegar Targaryen’s legitimate son, Aegon, making him the actual heir to the Iron Throne. And, while on a boat, Jon and Daenerys have sex, because in actuality he is exactly her type.
Game of Throne Watch Parties in Charlotte
Game of Thrones Watch Party at Blackfinn Ameripub
Sunday, April 14th, 2019
8 p.m.
Blackfinn Ameripub Charlotte Uptown
210 E. Trade Street
Free
This party features Game of Throne themed food and drink specials, an Iron Throne giveaway, and a Game of Throne costume contest.
Game of Thrones at The Cotton Room at Belfast Mill
Sundays, at 8 p.m.
The Cotton Room at Belfast Mill
144 Brevard Court
Free
The Cotton Room will be streaming every episode of Game of Thrones. There will be half-priced wine and other drink specials. Please RSVP by clicking “Get Tickets” on the Facebook event (above link) to help The Cotton Room have an idea of how many to prepare for.
Game of Thrones Watch Party at Hattie’s
Sunday, April 14th, 2019
9 p.m.
Hatties Tap & Tavern
2918 The Plaza
Free
Watch the first episode of Season 8 on the big screen at 9 p.m. Season 7 will be played earlier in the day. Drink specials include Johnny Walker White Walker, Crown Royal, and Ommegang GOT Beers.
Game of Thrones Watch Party at Dilworth Grille
Sunday, April 14th, 2019
8 p.m.
Dilworth Grille
911 E. Morehead Street
Free
Dilworth Grille will be showing the first episode on huge projection screens with White Walker inspired cocktails. Seating starts at 8 p.m. Call and reserve your table ASAP, as space is limited.
Game of Thrones Watch Party at Blackfinn Ameripub – Ballantyne
Sunday, April 14th, 2019
8 p.m.
Blackfinn Ameripub – Ballantyne
14825 Ballantyne Village Way
Free
Game of Thrones inspired food and drink specials.
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