'Game of Thrones': What to Remember and What's Next for the 9 Biggest Characters!

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HBO

Welcome back to Westeros!

Season five of Game of Thrones debuts this Sunday on HBO, which means it's time to reunite with your favorite characters from across the Seven Kingdoms. To help get you prepared for new episodes, ETonline is catching you up on the twists you need to remember from season four and all the turns that are coming up next in season five.


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Daenerys Targaryen

Where We Left Her: After arriving in Meereen, the Mother of Dragons sparked a slave revolt and freed the citizens of the city. Despite wanting to immediately siege another city, Dany's council advised her to stay in Meereen to gather more knowledge and experience doing what queens do -- ruling. Our queen got closer to one man, Daario Naharis, and exiled another when she discovered that Jorah Mormont was spying on her and reporting back to Varys. As for Dany's dragons, the wildly dangerous pets proved to be too much for the Queen to manage when a young girl was roasted to death. With Drogon M.I.A., Daenerys tearfully locked Rhaegal and Viserion in chains deep in Meereen's catacombs

What's to Come: Daenerys will continue the challenging task of reining over the unruly citizens of Meereen and when a new threat plagues the city, Dany will have to decide what kind of ruler she wants to be: merciful, or vengeful .


Jon Snow

HBO

Where We Left Him:
Jon led the Night's Watch in an epic fight against the wildling army in the battle at Castle Black and they narrowly defeated their enemies. Jon lost many of his brothers last season, but the death that most broke our hearts was Ygritte's, especially when Tormund, the wildling warrior, confirmed to Jon that she truly loved him. Jon wrapped up season four by traveling on a mission to assassinate Mance Rayder, the king beyond the wall, but before he could complete the task he stumbled into the presence of the "One-True-King-of-the-Seven-Kingdoms" Stannis Baratheon and his army.

What's to Come: Jon will once again prove that his valiant heart is his most admirable quality as both a member of the Night's Watch, and as a human being. And when a new opportunity for power is presented to him, Eddard Stark would be proud with the decision his son makes.


Sansa Stark

HBO

Where We Left Her: After escaping King's Landing on the day of Joffrey's wedding/murder, Littlefinger brought Sansa to see her Aunt Lysa, Catelyn Stark's crazy and wildly jealous sister. Despite his distain for the woman, Littlefinger married Sansa's aunt and subsequently murdered her by shoving her to her death through the Moon Door. Sansa helped her new uncle to cover up the murder, which only strengthened Littlefinger's bizarre and creepy feelings for her.

What's to Come: Even with a darker 'do to mask her identity, Sansa's strong Stark demeanor is impossible to hide. Despite her hellish past, Sansa has grown into a strong young woman, who is rightfully weary of strangers – even when they could be her best bet for safety.


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Arya Stark

HBO

Where We Left Her: The youngest Stark spent the majority of last season traveling with The Hound, forming a begrudging friendship built on disdain and mutual admiration with the surly bodyguard. After Brienne of Tarth challenged The Hound to a duel for the right to be Arya's officially protector and left him mortally wounded, Arya hid from Brienne and refused to leave with her. Rather than putting The Hound out of his near-death misery, Arya stole his money and left him for dead, and was determined to reunite with her brother Jon at the wall. However at a shipping dock, Arya changed her mind and she used the iron coin that Jaqen H'ghar gave her (back in season two) as her ticket on a ship bound for Braavos.

What's to Come: Upon arriving in Braavos, Arya quickly discovers that an iron coin will only get you so far in your quest for revenge. She may even have to give up the one thing in life that she loves the most in order to accomplish her deadly goals…


Tyrion Lannister

HBO

Where We Left Him: After being tried for a murder that he didn't commit, Tyrion opted for a trial by combat and the skilled Oberyn Martell offered to compete on Tyrion's behalf. Despite some fancy footwork, Oberyn was crushed (literally) by The Mountain and Tyrion's fate was sealed as guilty. In an effort to save his little brother, Jaime arranged for Tyrion to be smuggled by Varys out of King's Landing. Before he left, Tyrion discovered that his former lover Shae had been having an affair with his father, so he strangled her and then took out his devilish dad with a crossbow.

What's to Come: Despite being King's Landing's most wanted man, Tyrion will continue to live his life in his favorite manner: unapologetically drunk. Cersei has promised a lordship to anyone in Westeros who can bring the Queen Mother Tyrion's head, so traveling to Meereen in secrecy is of utmost importance.


Cersei Lannister

HBO

Where We Left Her: To say that Cersei had a rough time in season four would be a sever understatement. Not only did she lose her title as Queen to someone much younger and more beautiful than she, she also had to watch her eldest son die on his wedding day. While deep in mourning, Cersei was determined to pin Joffrey's murder on Tyrion, regardless of his innocence or guilt. Before her father's murder, Cersei also lashed out at him when he continued to demand that she still needed to marry Lora Tyrell and dispel all of the rumors about she and Jaime, which we now know to be 100 percent true.

What's to Come: In the season ahead Cersei is struggling with the fact that she is no longer Queen, and thus does not have the same amount of direct power in Kings Landing – but that doesn’t mean she's not going to find a way to pull some strings. Oh, and she also still hates Margaery with a fiery passion.


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Jaime Lannister

HBO

Where We Left Him: Jaime received two very important gifts at the beginning of season four: a sword made of Valyrian steel and a hand made of gold to replace the one he lost. In order to get back into better fighting shape, Tyrion suggested that Jaime train with his good friend Ser Bronn, and eventually Jaime began to improve his skills with a sword. As his relationship with Cersei became more and more strained, Jaime's affections for Brienne of Tarth grew stronger. At the end of the season, Jaime freed his brother from jail and help to arrange his escape from both death and King's Landing.

What's to Come: After setting his brother free, Jaime is not exactly in his sister's best graces and he is determined to win back both her trust and subsequently her affection. So it's time for a boys road trip! We're not spilling where Jaime is going, or who's traveling with him, but this trip will definitely be a bloody good time.


Margaery Tyrell

HBO

Where We Left Her: Just hours after marrying Joffrey, Margaery helplessly watched as her new husband convulsed on the ground and died at their wedding reception. The real kicker is that the poison that was used to kill Joffrey came from one of the jewels on Margaery's necklace. Margaery's grandmother, Olenna Tyrell, eventually alluded that it was she who poisened Jorrey so that her granddaughter wouldn’t have to marry "that beast.' In her quest to still be queen and maintain the alliance between the Lannisters and the Tyrells, Margaery agreed to marry Tommen, Joffrey's younger brother, and she slowly but surely starting building a close relationship with the young future king with secret visits at night.

What's to Come: The future Queen of Westeros once again proves that she is just as cunning as she is beautiful. Her relationship with Tommen is almost like that of an owner teaching their puppy how to behave , and her relationship with Cersei is filled with fake smiles and calculated sentences.


Brienne of Tarth

HBO

Where We Left Her: After Sansa Stark used the commotion of Joffrey's death to escape King's Landing, Jaime Lannister tasked Brienne with the job of finding the eldest Stark girl and taking her somewhere safe. Jaime gave Brienne his Valyrian steel blade, new armor, and Podrick the squire so that she may fulfil her promise to Catelyn Stark. By chance, Brienne stumbled upon the other Stark daughter, Arya, and challenged The Hound to a fight so that she may fulfil her promise and be the one to look after the Stark girl. Brienne and the Hound engaged in a bloody fight, which she ultimately won by pushing him down a cliff, but when she returned to Podrick, Arya was gone.

What's to Come: Frustrated and furious, Brienne starts this season in a negative place and not even Podrick's undying optimism can pull her out of her Stark-fueled funk. Luckily, Brienne will finally catch a break, but whether the odds fall in her favor is up to the gods…

Season five of Game of Thrones premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. on HBO.

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