68 details you might have missed in the final season of 'Game of Thrones'

Kim RenfroNov 18, 2020, 05:46 IST

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Gwendoline Christie as Jaime and Brienne on "Game of Thrones."HBO

Warning: Spoilers ahead for all aired episodes of HBO's "Game of Thrones" season eight.
Insider has created a mega-list of every reference and smaller moment you might not have noticed on "Game of Thrones" season eight.

After nearly 10 years and eight complete seasons of HBO's biggest series in history, "Game of Thrones" has come to an end. The final six episodes contain many references and layers of meaning, from callbacks to the pilot or scenes inspired by George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" books.

Keep reading for a look at the most significant details on "Game of Thrones" season eight.

Season eight's opening credits sequence was changed to tell a new story.

The opening credits for "Game of Thrones" had a new animation on season eight. HBO

Now three dramatic events are shown on the astrolabe: The Wall's breach, the Red Wedding, and the birth of Daenerys' dragons.

The opening credits for "Game of Thrones" had a new animation on season eight. HBO

The last motif shows Daenerys Targaryen's dragons being hatched from their fossilized eggs.

The opening credits for "Game of Thrones" had a new animation on season eight. HBO

Which brings us to the premiere episode's actual opening, showing Daenerys and Jon arriving to Winterfell.

A young boy watches the army marching in. HBO

Arya also repeated parts of her experience with royal arrivals in Winterfell.

Maisie Williams as Arya Stark on "Game of Thrones" season eight, episode one, "Winterfell." HBO

She specifically noticed Sandor "The Hound" Clegane back then.

Maisie Williams as Arya Stark on "Game of Thrones." HBO

The Winterfell welcome party is also drastically different all these years later.

The highborn people gathered to greet Daenerys. HBO

Here's how House Stark welcomed their last royal visitor:

The welcome party at Winterfell on season one. HBO

Jon greeted Bran with a kiss on top of his head — mirroring the exact way he said goodbye to him back on season one.

Bran is no longer the same person Jon once knew. HBO

"We can go out walking beyond the Wall if you're not afraid," Jon said.

Jon, Bran, and Catelyn on season one. HBO

When Jon and Arya finally reunited, their hug mirrored the way they last parted ways.

Kit Harington as Jon Snow on "Game of Thrones" season eight, episode one, "Winterfell." HBO

These over-the-shoulder shots were pitch perfect.

This camera angle from season one was repeated on Sunday's season eight premiere. HBO

Jon Snow rode his first dragon, and the one he hopped on was named after his father.

Kit Harington as Jon Snow on "Game of Thrones" season eight, episode one, "Winterfell." HBO

Jon and Daenerys had a semi-romantic moment by a cave and waterfall.

Jon Snow and Daenerys have an intimate moment on the "Game of Thrones" season eight premiere. HBO

This was a reference back to Jon's first romantic experience.

Back on the third season, Jon Snow lost his virginity to Ygritte in a cave with a waterfall and hot spring pool. HBO

Toward the end of the episode, we saw Beric and Tormund enter Last Hearth — the castle of House Umber.

The Umber sigil on a flag at Last Hearth. HBO

And inside, of course, was the young Lord Umber, killed and pinned to the wall.

Lord Ned Umber met a fiery death at Castle Last Hearth on the "Game of Thrones" season eight premiere. HBO

This pattern is one of the symbols the White Walkers often leave behind.

We last saw this spiral inside the dragonglass caves on Dragonstone. HBO

The opening credits changed slightly again at the start of episode two, this time showing the war preparations at Winterfell.

Winterfell in the credits for season eight, episode two, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms." HBO

Daenerys referred to Tyrion as Jaime's "little brother," nodding to one of the more popular fan theories for the Lannister siblings.

Daenerys speaking to Tyrion in the great hall of Winterfell. HBO

Valonqar means "little brother" in Valyrian, and Cersei interpreted that to mean Tyrion would eventually kill her.

Young Cersei as seen on the fifth season of "Game of Thrones." HBO

Jaime repeated Brienne's argument from the season seven finale when Daenerys asked him to explain his desertion of Cersei.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Gwendoline Christie as Jaime and Brienne on "Game of Thrones." HBO

That's very close to what Brienne told Jaime in the dragonpit when she was trying to persuade him to fight with the North.

Jaime and Brienne on "Game of Thrones" season seven, episode seven, "The Dragon and the Wolf." HBO

With Jaime and Brienne together, this marked the first time the pieces of Ned Stark's sword had been back in Winterfell since his death.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Gwendoline Christie as Jaime and Brienne on "Game of Thrones." HBO

The sword was taken by the Lannister when Ned was arrested and later melted into two new blades.

Ned was executed by Ser Ilyn Payne with his own sword, Ice. HBO

Tyrion repeated a joke we've heard before about how he'd prefer to die.

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister on "Game of Thrones." HBO

We heard it the first time back on the first season, when Tyrion was surrounded by the mountain clans in the Vale.

Tyrion and Bronn facing down the mountain tribes on season one, episode eight, "The Pointy End." HBO

Arya and Gendry's flirtatious forge scene was a shot-by-shot recreation of a season two moment between them.

Arya Stark watching Gendry on season eight versus season two. HBO

Here's Gendry, now and then, in the same shot.

Gendry on season eight versus season two of "Game of Thrones." HBO

Both Davos and Gilly were visibly moved by the sight of a young girl who reminded them of Princess Shireen Baratheon.

A little Winterfell girl, Ser Davos, and Gilly on "Game of Thrones." HBO

The scene was given added emotional weight with an instrumental version of the song Shireen once sang playing in the background.

Davos and Shireen with each other for the last time on "Game of Thrones." Helen Sloan/HBO

When Arya found out Gendry was a Baratheon, the weight of that revelation added fuel to a fun fan theory.

Maisie Williams as Arya Stark on "Game of Thrones" season eight. HBO

Tyrion and Jaime mention the Siege of Pyke and Whispering Wood, two battles with loaded significance.

Tyrion, Davos, and Jaime together by the fire. HBO

On season one, Jaime was standing guard duty when Jory — one of Ned Stark's most trusted men — came to him with a message.

Jaime and Jory together on "Game of Thrones" season one, episode four, "Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things." HBO

The next time Jaime and Jory saw each other was when Jaime and the Lannister men attacked Ned in the streets of King's Landing.

Jaime killing Jory as he stares at Ned Stark on season one, episode five, "The Wolf and the Lion." HBO

Back on our season eight episode, Jaime calls himself the "fabled loser of the battle of Whispering Wood."

Jaime and Theon standing before King Robb Stark on season one, episode nine, "Baelor." HBO

Meanwhile, that emotional knighting ceremony was a deep reference to George R.R. Martin's books.

Brienne is knighted by Jamie on "Game of Thrones." HBO

Ser Duncan the Tall is Brienne of Tarth's ancestor.

Ser Brienne of Tarth in all her glory. Helen Sloan/HBO

The song Podrick sang was pulled straight from the books, and it's known as "Jenny's Song."

Daniel Portman as Podrick on "Game of Thrones" season eight, episode two. HBO

The version that played as the credits on the episode ran was by Florence and the Machine.

Daenerys and Jon Snow on "Game of Thrones." Helen Sloan/HBO

At the start of episode three, yet more small changes were made to the opening credits.

The Winterfell credits shot for season eight, episode three. HBO

The Winterfell crypts were also changed slightly for episode three's opening.

The Winterfell crypts on season eight, episode three's opening. HBO

Alys Karstark was with Bran and Theon Greyjoy at the start of the battle, which means she's most likely dead.

The episode opened with a shot of Alys, Theon, and other soldiers heading to the godswood. HBO

Alys didn't have any speaking lines this season but was shown on the first two episodes.

Alys Karstark and Ned Umber back on the sixth season finale. HBO

The spell Melisandre used to light the Dothraki's arakhs on fire is similar to the one used by Beric Dondarrion.

The Dothraki's swords, also called arakhs, aflame before the battle. HBO

We know this thanks to Richard Dormer, the actor who plays Beric.

Dormer said Beric's firesword was also ignited using the power of R'hllor. Helen Sloan/HBO

Some of the last words Edd Tollett said to Sam Tarly was an echo of their season-three encounter with the Army of the Dead.

RIP Edd. Now his watch has ended. HBO

Edd and Grenn stopped and encouraged Sam to get up because he'd die if he didn't move.

Edd and Grenn on season three, episode two, "Dark Wings, Dark Words." HBO

Wights threw themselves off the castle walls, harking back to the season five battle episode, "Hardhome."

Wights hurling themselves from Winterfell's ramparts into the courtyard. HBO

On "Hardhome," one of the most striking moments was when the Night King had thousands of wights fling themselves off a cliff.

The wights at Hardhome. HBO

Arya passed along Jon Snow's fighting advice to Sansa (even though her sister didn't appear to learn the lesson).

This was a very familiar line to anyone who has rewatched the series or read the books. HBO

"First lesson," Jon told Arya. "Stick 'em with the pointy end."

Jon Snow and Arya on season one of "Game of Thrones." HBO

Arya's first encounter with the wight army led to a throwback fight move she used on the sixth season with the Waif.

Arya fighting against a wight with her spear. HBO

Back when she was training, Arya had a triumphant moment when she stopped the Waif's staff in this same position.

Arya was blind when she first started training with her staff. HBO

The little girl who promised to protect Gilly and the others was briefly seen inside the crypt, though she didn't do any fighting.

The young Winterfell girl had said she wanted to protect people. HBO

When the Night King resurrected all the corpses, a familiar Dothraki man named Qhono was among their ranks.

Qhono's corpse reanimated by the Night King. HBO

Qhono was one of the Dothraki who took Daenerys prisoner at very end of the sixth season, but he went on to serve as her guard.

Qhono and Tyrion Lannister on "Game of Thrones" season seven. HBO

Theon's final moments in the godswood had a poignant connection to a key chapter in the book series.

Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy on "Game of Thrones." HBO

In the books at this same time, Bran is still beyond the Wall and learning to use his powers.

Bran Stark using his skinchanging powers on "Game of Thrones." HBO

Theon's manner of death is a callback to the rousing speech he once gave at Winterfell.

The Night King killed Theon Greyjoy in the godswood. HBO

Back on the second season finale, Theon delivered a rallying speech to the Iron Born about the "Battle of Winterfell."

Theon on season two of "Game of Thrones." HBO

Arya's surprise dagger-flip move was similar to one she pulled on Brienne last season, as well as a nod to Maisie Williams being right-handed.

Arya Stark facing down the Night King. HBO

Back on season seven, Arya trained with Brienne and the two came to a draw after Arya flipped her dagger from one hand into the other.

Arya and Brienne's fight was a masterclass in choreography. HBO

Arya stabbed the Night King in the exact spot where dragonglass was shoved into his chest by the Children of the Forest.

Arya killing the Night King on "Game of Thrones." HBO

The showrunners said only Valyrian steel stabbed in that exact spot could have killed the Night King.

The flashback shown on season six of "Game of Thrones." HBO

Davos was drawing a dagger so he could kill Melisandre before she allowed herself to die.

Davos in "The Long Night." HBO

Last but not least, the episode title "The Long Night" is linked to an early season-one scene and the developing "Game of Thrones" prequel series.

Old Nan and Bran on season one, episode three, "Lord Snow." HBO

For the fourth episode of the season, "The Last of the Starks," we start with another credits change.

Winterfell on the opening credits of season eight, episode four, "The Last of the Starks." HBO

Daenerys had a brand new Targaryen-red costume for the feast scene, and it's the first time she's worn this much of her House color.

Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen on "Game of Thrones." HBO

The costumes are carefully crafted to reflect characters' journeys, so this was a major hint about Daenerys' future actions.

Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen. HBO

"Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss appeared on the episode as two wildlings.

Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss at the Winterfell feast. HBO

Podrick Payne swooped in after Sandor Clegane yelled at one of the Winterfell gals, and left the feast with two women.

Podrick Payne with two women in the background of the Winterfell feast. HBO

Arya repeated a line from the first season when she turned down Gendry's proposal.

Gendry jumped the gun on this one. Helen Sloan/HBO

Back on the first season, Arya told Ned the same thing when he tried telling her about her future.

Arya and Ned together on season one of "Game of Thrones." HBO

When Tyrion was trying to reason with Bronn, he started to say one of the show's most iconic adages.

Tyrion tried to talk Bronn out of killing him. HBO

This was the pearl of wisdom Varys gave to Tyrion back on the second season.

Varys talking to Tyrion on season two, episode three, "What Is Dead May Never Die." HBO

Then came the fifth episode, "The Bells." Like clockwork, the credits shifted ever so slightly.

The gates of King's Landing on season eight, episode five's credits. HBO

Even before the episode began, the "previously on" segment had a series of important context clues.

Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen on "Game of Thrones" season eight. HBO

The pieces of dialogue were all centered on the tormented Targaryen legacy.

Barristan Selmy died on the fifth season of "Game of Thrones." Helen Sloan/HBO

The episode formally started with Varys writing a letter about Jon Snow's real identity.

One of the letters Varys was writing at the start of the episode. HBO

The "little bird" Varys was using to try to poison Daenerys was a familiar face.

Martha is one of Varys' "little birds." HBO

Martha was next to Varys in the crypts during the Battle of Winterfell.

Varys and Martha together in the crypts of Winterfell. HBO

When Varys was outed by Tyrion and burned alive for his betrayal, the scene mirrored another Dragonstone execution.

Daenerys executing Varys on the shores of Dragonstone. HBO

Varys was killed in the same place where Stannis and Melisandre once burned people alive for not believing the Lord of Light.

Melisandre burning people alive on season four, episode two, "The Lion and the Rose." HBO

This shot of Drogon's shadow passing over King's Landing came straight from Bran Stark's vision on the fourth season.

The rooftops were shrouded in the specter of Drogon. HBO

Here's what that shadowy scene looked like when Bran saw it:

The dragon shadow from Bran's season four vision. HBO

Bran also saw this scene of snow falling in the throne room.

Bran's vision of snow falling on the throne room on season four, episode two, "The Lion and the Rose." HBO

Daenerys had the same snowy vision on the second season finale.

Daenerys approaching the Iron Throne in one of her visions from season two. HBO

Daenerys was in a new costume for her attack on King's Landing, and it fully embraced her dragon-like side.

The details of Daenerys' new costume hint at her Targaryen lineage. HBO

After Daenerys heard the bells of surrender and opted to continue attacking the city, we never saw her again — only Drogon.

The Mother of Dragons. HBO

Jaime got his death wish.

Jaime on season five, episode four, "Sons of the Harpy." HBO

Their fates seem intertwined in the book series, too.

Jaime's last words to Cersei were "nothing matters," the same sentiment he to her said on season six. HBO

Arya barely survived all the destruction wrought by Daenerys, and at the end of the episode she found a white horse.

HBO

The horse has yet another meaning. The little girl Arya failed to save was holding a small white horse.

Arya tried to save this mother and her child from Drogon's flames. HBO

The opening credits changed for a final time, and they included the tiny detail of the cracked map floor in the Red Keep.

The map room on credits for the "Game of Thrones" series finale, "The Iron Throne." HBO

The crack splits the map right around where the North begins.

Tyrion walking over Cersei's map of Westeros on the "Game of Thrones" series finale. HBO

Jon recalled Aemon Targaryen's lessons to him from season one, and they connect to virtually every main storyline on the show.

Tyrion talking to Jon on the "Game of Thrones" series finale. HBO

"We all do our duty, when there is no cost to it," Aemon said.

Aemon Targaryen on the first season of "Game of Thrones." HBO

"What is honor compared to a woman's love?" Aemon asked.

Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. HBO

"What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms?" Aemon asked next.

Ned Stark and Lyanna shortly before her death. HBO

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68 details you might have missed in the final season of 'Game of Thrones'

Season eight's opening credits sequence was changed to tell a new story.

Now three dramatic events are shown on the astrolabe: The Wall's breach, the Red Wedding, and the birth of Daenerys' dragons.

The last motif shows Daenerys Targaryen's dragons being hatched from their fossilized eggs.

Which brings us to the premiere episode's actual opening, showing Daenerys and Jon arriving to Winterfell.

Arya also repeated parts of her experience with royal arrivals in Winterfell.

She specifically noticed Sandor "The Hound" Clegane back then.

The Winterfell welcome party is also drastically different all these years later.

Here's how House Stark welcomed their last royal visitor:

Jon greeted Bran with a kiss on top of his head — mirroring the exact way he said goodbye to him back on season one.

"We can go out walking beyond the Wall if you're not afraid," Jon said.

When Jon and Arya finally reunited, their hug mirrored the way they last parted ways.

These over-the-shoulder shots were pitch perfect.

Jon Snow rode his first dragon, and the one he hopped on was named after his father.

Jon and Daenerys had a semi-romantic moment by a cave and waterfall.

This was a reference back to Jon's first romantic experience.

Toward the end of the episode, we saw Beric and Tormund enter Last Hearth — the castle of House Umber.

And inside, of course, was the young Lord Umber, killed and pinned to the wall.

This pattern is one of the symbols the White Walkers often leave behind.

The opening credits changed slightly again at the start of episode two, this time showing the war preparations at Winterfell.

Daenerys referred to Tyrion as Jaime's "little brother," nodding to one of the more popular fan theories for the Lannister siblings.

Valonqar means "little brother" in Valyrian, and Cersei interpreted that to mean Tyrion would eventually kill her.

Jaime repeated Brienne's argument from the season seven finale when Daenerys asked him to explain his desertion of Cersei.

That's very close to what Brienne told Jaime in the dragonpit when she was trying to persuade him to fight with the North.

With Jaime and Brienne together, this marked the first time the pieces of Ned Stark's sword had been back in Winterfell since his death.

The sword was taken by the Lannister when Ned was arrested and later melted into two new blades.

Tyrion repeated a joke we've heard before about how he'd prefer to die.

We heard it the first time back on the first season, when Tyrion was surrounded by the mountain clans in the Vale.

Arya and Gendry's flirtatious forge scene was a shot-by-shot recreation of a season two moment between them.

Here's Gendry, now and then, in the same shot.

Both Davos and Gilly were visibly moved by the sight of a young girl who reminded them of Princess Shireen Baratheon.

The scene was given added emotional weight with an instrumental version of the song Shireen once sang playing in the background.

When Arya found out Gendry was a Baratheon, the weight of that revelation added fuel to a fun fan theory.

Tyrion and Jaime mention the Siege of Pyke and Whispering Wood, two battles with loaded significance.

On season one, Jaime was standing guard duty when Jory — one of Ned Stark's most trusted men — came to him with a message.

The next time Jaime and Jory saw each other was when Jaime and the Lannister men attacked Ned in the streets of King's Landing.

Back on our season eight episode, Jaime calls himself the "fabled loser of the battle of Whispering Wood."

Meanwhile, that emotional knighting ceremony was a deep reference to George R.R. Martin's books.

Ser Duncan the Tall is Brienne of Tarth's ancestor.

The song Podrick sang was pulled straight from the books, and it's known as "Jenny's Song."

The version that played as the credits on the episode ran was by Florence and the Machine.

At the start of episode three, yet more small changes were made to the opening credits.

The Winterfell crypts were also changed slightly for episode three's opening.

Alys Karstark was with Bran and Theon Greyjoy at the start of the battle, which means she's most likely dead.

Alys didn't have any speaking lines this season but was shown on the first two episodes.

The spell Melisandre used to light the Dothraki's arakhs on fire is similar to the one used by Beric Dondarrion.

We know this thanks to Richard Dormer, the actor who plays Beric.

Some of the last words Edd Tollett said to Sam Tarly was an echo of their season-three encounter with the Army of the Dead.

Edd and Grenn stopped and encouraged Sam to get up because he'd die if he didn't move.

Wights threw themselves off the castle walls, harking back to the season five battle episode, "Hardhome."

On "Hardhome," one of the most striking moments was when the Night King had thousands of wights fling themselves off a cliff.

Arya passed along Jon Snow's fighting advice to Sansa (even though her sister didn't appear to learn the lesson).

"First lesson," Jon told Arya. "Stick 'em with the pointy end."

Arya's first encounter with the wight army led to a throwback fight move she used on the sixth season with the Waif.

Back when she was training, Arya had a triumphant moment when she stopped the Waif's staff in this same position.

The little girl who promised to protect Gilly and the others was briefly seen inside the crypt, though she didn't do any fighting.

When the Night King resurrected all the corpses, a familiar Dothraki man named Qhono was among their ranks.

Qhono was one of the Dothraki who took Daenerys prisoner at very end of the sixth season, but he went on to serve as her guard.

Theon's final moments in the godswood had a poignant connection to a key chapter in the book series.

In the books at this same time, Bran is still beyond the Wall and learning to use his powers.

Theon's manner of death is a callback to the rousing speech he once gave at Winterfell.

Back on the second season finale, Theon delivered a rallying speech to the Iron Born about the "Battle of Winterfell."

Arya's surprise dagger-flip move was similar to one she pulled on Brienne last season, as well as a nod to Maisie Williams being right-handed.

Back on season seven, Arya trained with Brienne and the two came to a draw after Arya flipped her dagger from one hand into the other.

Arya stabbed the Night King in the exact spot where dragonglass was shoved into his chest by the Children of the Forest.

The showrunners said only Valyrian steel stabbed in that exact spot could have killed the Night King.

Davos was drawing a dagger so he could kill Melisandre before she allowed herself to die.

Last but not least, the episode title "The Long Night" is linked to an early season-one scene and the developing "Game of Thrones" prequel series.

For the fourth episode of the season, "The Last of the Starks," we start with another credits change.

Daenerys had a brand new Targaryen-red costume for the feast scene, and it's the first time she's worn this much of her House color.

The costumes are carefully crafted to reflect characters' journeys, so this was a major hint about Daenerys' future actions.

"Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss appeared on the episode as two wildlings.

Podrick Payne swooped in after Sandor Clegane yelled at one of the Winterfell gals, and left the feast with two women.

Arya repeated a line from the first season when she turned down Gendry's proposal.

Back on the first season, Arya told Ned the same thing when he tried telling her about her future.

When Tyrion was trying to reason with Bronn, he started to say one of the show's most iconic adages.

This was the pearl of wisdom Varys gave to Tyrion back on the second season.

Then came the fifth episode, "The Bells." Like clockwork, the credits shifted ever so slightly.

Even before the episode began, the "previously on" segment had a series of important context clues.