Game of Thrones, season 5 premiere: talking points 

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Game of Thrones, season 5 premiere: talking points

Here\'s what we want to discuss after the first episode of Game of Thrones, season 5. Warning: spoilers

The world premiere of season five of Game of Thrones took place tonight at the Tower of London. After seeing the first episode, and having to wait six weeks before episode two airs on British TV, here\'s what needs to be discussed:

As is tradition with any new Game of Thrones season, the opening episode spins a whole new web of political intrigue, meticulously setting the scene, and generally eschewing any of the blood-splattered gore we\'ve come to expect from later instalments. Taking place at the Tower of London - "the Throniest location we could imagine," according to series co-writer DB Weiss - the world premiere was an opulent affair, even by Sky\'s standards, with stars such as Kit Harington and Charles Dance in attendance. Here, then, are the main talking points from the season five opener. Warning: contains spoilers.

1. Is there a sticky fate in store for all of Cersei\'s children?

In the first ever flashback witnessed in Game of Thrones, we see a young Cersei be given her prophesy by a witch. She was told that "gold will be their crowns and gold will be their shrouds", which implies that she will live to see her three children die. Of course, Joffrey is already six feet under, but things aren\'t looking good for either Tommen, currently on the Iron Throne, or Mycella, her only daughter. Will either of them make it out of season five alive?

Golden-masked and murderous, the Harpies, we learn, are a major threat to Daenerys. They slit the throat of White Rat, an Unsullied who sweetly uses the services of a whore merely for a topless lullaby. But if the season trailer is to be believed, these Harpies could spell Dany\'s downfall. How involved are they with Meereen\'s red light district, and are they tied up with new character Yezza (Enzo Cilenti), an Essos slave owner who spells trouble for the Mother of Dragons?

"Westeros needs to be saved from itself," Tyrion is told by Varys, who\'s helped him escape. He then urges the imp to spend less time hitting the bottle, and more time backing Daenerys for the iron throne. This implies Westeros is going to crumble, and its saviour will come from further afield.

Charles Dance is back - but only as a corpse. What makes this scene particularly amusing is the bright blue eyestones placed on, well, his eyes. Whether this is meant to be funny is up to debate; we, and the rest of the audience, certainly laughed.

There\'s a tantalising ambiguity between them in the opening instalment: does she want him sacrificed, or is she attracted to him? "Are you a virgin?" she asks him. "No," he replies, to which she says, "Good."

One of the most heartbreaking moments of the Season 4 finale was when Dany shut away her precious, baby-murdering dragons. Now we\'ve seen her return, and even by her own admission, she "can\'t control her dragons." They nearly barbecue her in their airless tomb. But how, as her lover Dario points out, can she be The Mother of Dragons without them? One of the main promotional posters for Season 5 shows Tyrion facing off with one of them, and they feature heavily in the teaser, so they must be released at some point - but when? And at what cost?

Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Aidan Gillen as Littlefinger

So the heroically stoic Mance Raydar paid the ultimate price and burned in the courtyard at Castle Black rather than kneel to King of the North Stannis Baratheon. He did it rather than give his people over to Stannis\'s army, but what will the Wildings do without their unifying leader? Roam free and join the White Walkers, or succumb to the relative heat south of The Wall?

8. It\'s always awkward when your ex gets all religious

A somewhat uncomfortable encounter between Queen Cersei and her ex lover (and cousin) Lancel highlighted just how un-fun things can get when your ex gets all evangelical. Lancel is now wearing some sort of dingy, floor-length monks get up - never a good look - and "repenting" of his former wrongdoing (including the murder of Robert Baratheon, carried out at Cersei\'s behest). Awkward.

• Game of Thrones, season five: news and rumours

Game of Thrones Season 5 will premiere in the UK on Sky Atlantic on April 13.

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