The penultimate – and last good or great – season of Game Of Thrones sees a lot happen in a shorter amount of time than fans are used to. In 2017 when the episodes came out the fandom was at a fever pitch and there was so much potential and so many narrative routes the story was still to go down and tie-up leading to the last season which, inevitably, would involve a battle with the Night King and the battle for the Iron Throne.
The season was pretty consistent in such a high-quality throughout, despite not being based on any books, just on some information given to Benioff and Weiss by George R. R. Martin about the future books, similar to season 6. The season has some great moments from its fantastic and successful performers, and episodes and they will be ranked here. So, here is every episode of Game Of Thrones season 7 ranked, according to IMDb.
7 EPISODE 1 – DRAGONSTONE – 8.6
The season premiere of season 7 sees Bran and Mera reach Castle Black, while Jon and Sansa begin planning a defense against the long night, at the Twins, Arya stays disguised as Walder Frey and poisons the rest of the family, Samwell trains to be a maester and finds Ser Jorah, Daenerys arrives at Dragonstone and Euron attempts to forge an alliance with Cersei.
The episode is the lowest of the season and with an 8.6 that is a testament to the good quality of it. It garnered 45,737 reviews with 35.6% giving it a 10, 48.3% a 9 or 8 and a contrasting 3.3% a 1. The episode was received with a lot of praise and it sets up the rest of the season and its storylines well with the episode being deemed thoroughly satisfying, with the only major criticism coming from Ed Sheeran’s blisteringly obvious cameo – which to be honest was not that bad and people kicked up a fuss for nothing.
6 EPISODE 5 – EASTWATCH – 8.8
As the season builds to the close, Jaime and Bronn get back to King’s Landing, Daenerys offers Lannister soldiers the choice of pledge or die, having her dragon kill Randyll and Dickon against Tyrion’s recommendation, Jorah is reunited with Daenerys, Samwell leaves the Citadel with Gilly and her child, Jon proposes he travels across the wall to capture a Wight for proof of their existence, Tyrion is sneaked into King’s Landing for a secret armistice with Jaime, and Cersei reveals she is pregnant to Jaime and plots against Daenerys.
The episode received 39,148 reviews with 42.9% giving it a 10, 42.6% a 9 or 8, and still a 3.5% giving it a 1. The episode garnered lots of praise with critics citing Lena Headey, Jon’s encounter with Drogon and making the slow-burn storytelling approach engaging with some great revelations and returns.
5 EPISODE 2 – STORMBORN – 8.9
The second episode of the season sees Daenerys challenges Varys, Melisandre encourages Daenerys to invite Jon to Dragonstone, Cersei calls a meeting with various lords, Arya is reunited with Hot Pie who tells her Jon is King of the North and she sets her course for Winterfell, and Euron’s fleet attacks Yara’s with Theon fleeing of fear of his Reek flashbacks.
From 39,390 review, 41.8% giving it a 10, 45.7% a 9 or 8, and a lingering 3.2% a 1. The episode holds a great action scene and some interesting discussions of strategy. The slow start to the season got a kickstart of excitement here and it sets up future stories well.
4 EPISODE 6 – BEYOND THE WALL – 9.1
In the penultimate episode of the season, tensions between Sansa and Arya increase when Arya finds a secret letter and Sansa finds Arya’s many faces, Jon goes to capture a Wight but is overwhelmed before Daenerys makes the save at the cost of one a dragon.
From 57,462 reviews, 62.2% gave the episode a 10, 20.8% an 8 or 9 and a larger than usual 5.3% giving it a 1. The battle between the dragons and White Walkers was great with the effects being heralded as amazing. The episode contained good twists and story progression on top of the great battle as can be expected in a penultimate episode of Thrones.
3 EPISODE 3 – THE QUEEN’S JUSTICE – 9.2
Episode 3 of the season sees Jon arrive at Dragonstone where Daenerys demands fealty, Jon refuses but asks her help in defeating the army of the dead and she allows him to mine dragon glass, Bran reveals his new identity as Three-Eyed-Raven to Sansa, Cersei makes a new ally in Euron who she puts in charge of the military alongside Jaime, the Unsullied attack Casterly Rock but Jaime has led the Lannisters to Highgarden where Jaime kills Olenna and the truth of Joffrey’s death is revealed.
The episode received 41,075 reviews with 54.1% giving it a 10, 36.5% an 8 or 9 and a lingering 3% a 1. The episode received high praise for the long-awaited Jon and Daenerys meeting along with other surprises throughout, especially in its fantastic and shocking end which was the perfect sendoff for Olenna, a fantastic supporting role from a great performer in Diana Rigg.
2 EPISODE 7 – THE DRAGON AND THE WOLF – 9.5
The finale of season 7 sees everyone meeting in King’s Landing, Jon presents the Wight to Cersei but she demands Jon’s neutrality in the war to come but he stays true to his oath to Daenerys, making Cersei to end discussions until Tyrion talks to her in private and seems to create an alliance. However, Cersei plans on using the Golden Army to keep Westeros, prompting Jaime to course for the North to help defend Westeros, also Littlefinger’s attempt to create tension between Sansa and Arya has dire consequences, and Sam discusses Jon’s parentage with Bran and it is revealed Jon is rightful ruler, all while the Night King marches towards Westeros.
The episode garnered 56,746 reviews with 70.4% giving it a 10, 19.6% a 9 or 8 and the ever-present 3.6% giving it a 1. The season finale was great and the dynamics between various characters shined as well as the performances, with Lena Heady being nominated for, and Peter Dinklage winning a Primetime Emmy. Cersei’s coldheartedness, as well as Aiden Gillan’s arguable best performance as Littlefinger, also contribute amongst various other factors that make the episode so acclaimed.
1 EPISODE 4 – THE SPOILS OF WAR – 9.8
The fourth and highest-rated episode of the season sees Arya reunited with Sansa and Bran, Bran bids Mera farewell, Cersei assures repayment of debt via a wagon train from Highgarden, and Daenerys learns that Casterly Rock was simply a diversion and that the Lannisters have captured Highgarden, and despite protests from Tyrion, Daenerys takes her dragon and the Dothraki to Highgarden and attack the Lannisters, with Drogon injured, also as Jaime looks to be meeting his end, he is saved by Bronn.
The episode got 78,148 reviews with 82.6% deeming it a 10, 12.4% giving it a 9 or 8 with 2.8% giving the episode a 1. The episode garnered universal praise, the standouts of the episodes are Jon’s conversation at Dragonstone, Arya’s return to Winterfell and the battle between Daenerys and Jaime, with great action, stunning visuals and great storytelling all pulling through strong in the episode.
