We catalog the callbacks and Easter Eggs in “Eastwatch”

Game of Thrones is chock-full of Easter Eggs and callbacks to previous episodes. In that spirit, let’s mine the latest episode — “Eastwatch” — for nods to things you may have missed, tips of the hat to the novels by George R.R. Martin, and more.

Let’s start right at the beginning, where we got our first glimpse of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea in the opening credits. Always nice to have a new location on there:

"View post on imgur.com"

“Eastwatch” also saw Samwell Tarly leave the Citadel. Director Matt Shakman clearly mirrored the moment Sam arrived in season 6…

…with his departure in season 7, only now everything is dark and moody and sad.

One of the biggest moments of “Eastwatch,” was Jon Snow’s up-close encounter with Drogon. Jon is only the second person to ever get this personal with one of the dragons and live — Tyrion did it last year with Rhaegal and Viserion in “Home.” Just don’t go thinking Tyrion is secret Targaryen now.

In meta references, many fans were tickled when they heard what Davos said when he saw Gendry (Joe Dempsie) for the first time in years. “Wasn’t sure I’d find ya. Thought you might still be rowing.” According to Dempsie, that line was a nod to a joke Dempsie made on Twitter years ago, when fans wondered where his character was:

Dempsie brought things full circle the day after “Eastwatch” aired:

And in references that aren’t as meta,Vanity Fair noticed that Jon and Gendry’s meeting, wherein they engaged in some light ribbing, harkened back to the reunion between Ned and Robert in the pilot episode, “Winter is Coming.”

But even though Jon and Gendry bonded over their fathers, the audience knows that Jon’s father wasn’t actually Ned Stark. Rather, Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, which means that Jon and Gendry’s dads weren’t best friends — the one killed the other on the field of battle. Awkward.

"our fathers were best friends… from freefolk"

Speaking of Robert Baratheon, Gendry’s new weapon — a warhammer — is an allusion to him, in addition to being the kind of weapon that a blacksmith would use. Robert was famous for using a warhammer in battle, and Gendry’s hammer bears the stag of House Baratheon on each side. A nice touch.

Helen Sloan – HBO

In actor sightings, HBO attempted to sneak a repeat cameo appearance by us. Kevin Eldon played Ned Stark during the play in Braavos back in season 6…

…and this week showed up as one of the goldcloaks who attempted to waylay Davos, Gendry and Tyrion.

Moving on to Winterfell,some fans have wondered about the letter Arya found while rummaging through Littlefinger’s stuff. We see it, but only for a moment.

This is the letter Sansa sent to Robb on Cersei’s urging way back in season 1’s “The Pointy End.” Here’s the scene, if you need refreshing.

We especially liked how the letter looked appropriately frayed after all these years.

And finally, we have a tidbit from the preview for next week’s episode, “Beyond the Wall.” Remember back in “Dragonstone,” where the Hound looks into the fire and sees a mountain that “looks like an arrowhead?” It seems that Jon Snow’s Suicide Squad finds it in the next episode:

Not only that, but it looks like we’ve seen that mountain before: when Bran traveled back in time to watch the Children of the Forest make the first White Walkers in the season 6 episode, “The Door.”

So this is a significant place when it comes to the Children and the White Walkers. What might Team Jon find there?

Oh, and it’s a real place, too, should you ever want to visit.

And finally, we have couple dialogue callbacks. First there was another recurrence of the phrase “I wish you good fortune in the wars to come” in “Eastwatch,” a phrase that’s been popping everywhere since Mance Rayder said it to Stannis in the season 5 episode of the same name. Arthur Dayne also said it to Ned Stark in “Oathbreaker,” Littlefinger used a shortened version of it in “Book of the Stranger,” and now Jon said it to Daenerys before leaving Dragonstone in “Eastwatch.”

And as pointed out by commentor Larynilsa Medina “When Sam leaves the Citadel and Gilly asks why he says,”because he’s tired of reading about the achievements of better men”, like his Dad said to him at dinner.”

Nice catch!

Next: Our Very Serious Game of Thrones Recap—Episode 705—'Gendrywatch'

Before long, we’ll have a new episode and new callbacks and Easter Eggs. Tells us what we missed below!

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