I have been looking forward to returning to Westeros since the end of the first season of Game of Thrones, not to mention when I finished the books (still haven’t read Dance of Dragons yet – paperback please).

The novels, and now the series it has spawned is epic in nature, there are tons of locations, a plethora of characters, and layer upon layer of politics and betrayals.

The first episode throws us right back into it. The harbinger that is the comet continues to hang in the sky, a sword of Damocles, and gives us moments with all of our favorite characters, well those ones that are still alive at this point.

That was the sad part, but it’s the same in the books, because the story is so huge, you only get to spend bits of time with each and every character. One of my favorites, Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) is talked about through the entire episode, as the Lannisters are hoping to use the late Ned Stark’s (Sean Bean) daughters to keep the rest of the family in line, or at least to broker a form of peace between them.

It was nice when she showed at the end of the episode , accompanied by one of the late King Robert Baratheon’s (Mark Addy) bastards Gendry, making his way along the King’s Road away from King’s Landing where all of Baratheon’s ill begotten offspring are being slaughtered to make sure they can’t lay claim to the throne.

Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), the new king, born of the incestuous relations between Cersei (Lena Headey) and the captured Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), is still a completely spoiled ass, and he’s gonna be like that for a long time, at the cost of far too many lives.

Tyrion (Emmy and Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage), by far one of my favorite characters, is always fun to watch, especially when he reveals that he has been made the new Hand of the King in the absence of his father. Cersei fumes at that, and I delight in seeing her thwarted.

The youngest son of the Stark household, Bran (Isaac Wright), is attempting to rule and maintain Winterfell, the Stark estate, while his mother and oldest son, Robb, who has laid claim to become King of the North.

I like that we’re getting to see some of Bran’s dreams, as he starts to realize he’s connected to his dire wolf.

The dire wolves themselves look great! Robb’s (Richard Madden), Grey Wind, is huge, and there’s a pretty sweet moment between him and the chained Jaime Lannister.

Petyr “Little Finger” Baelish (Aiden Gillen) is still trying to play his own political games, but coming up against Cersei Lannister almost proves to be his end.

Jon Snow (Kit Harington), and the members of the Night’s Watch have left The Wall, heading into the frozen north to investigate the barren villages, and the rumors of an army massing there.

We get a quick scene with Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), her still-growing dragons, and her loyal aide Sir Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen).

Baratheon, had two brothers, both of whom are attempting to lay claim to the Iron Throne in Kings Landing, Renly and Stannis.

Stannis (Stephen Dillane) is advised by Melisandre (Carice van Houten), a sorceress sheathed all in red, who is going to be a lot of trouble…

The entire world is going to be torn apart in the war that is beginning to rage.

The production value of this series, and the level of detail in the costumes, weapons, locations, and all the props continues to stun and amaze. It is a completely realized world.

It’s hard not to get attached to a lot of these characters, even the ones you love to hate, especially when you know the body count the series is going to have.

Game of Thrones is back!