Spoilers a head for Game of Thrones s eason 7, e pisode 1 Game of Thrones ‘ season 7 premiere has finally aired, and it picks up right where we left off , with a scene many fans have been hoping for: Arya exacting revenge for the murder of her mother, brother, and sister-in-law at the Red Wedding. The opening scene was equal parts shocking and satisfying. For a moment after the HBO logo flashed, the first scene was confusing: “Didn’t Walder Frey get his throat cut in season 6? Is this a weird flashback to the moment before his death?” Rather, that’s Arya, using the magic-assassin skills she’s developed over the past few seasons to punish the Freys. It’s been a long, frustrating journey to get here, but the payoff has finally come, as Arya seamlessly went from slitting Walder Frey’s throat to impersonating him to kill his followers. From the start, Arya’s character development has largely been about honing her skills as a killer in the face of personal family tragedies. After her sword-fighting teacher from season 1 likely perished (or… maybe not? ) and her father, Ned Stark, was beheaded, Arya went to a dark, vulnerable place….