Warning: This post contains a LOT of spoilers for Game of Thrones season 8 episode 5. If you’re not caught up on the latest episode, bookmark us and come back once you’re ready to properly debrief. Ready? Let’s go!

There were approximately two billion major moments crammed into the jam-packed episode five of Game of Thrones season eight, so you’d be forgiven for not noticing every single last detail.

The Bells was 80 minutes of crazy action and maybe you were too busy shielding your eyes from Dany burning the absolute sh*t out of innocent little humans to fully appreciate the callbacks, foreshadowing and symbolism that’s become synonymous with the show.  

In case you were simply reeling over Dany’s major heel-turn or too busy being confused by that darned white horse, here are some of the details you might’ve missed in the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones:

1. The ‘true heir’ letters that both ended in execution.

As callbacks go, we really enjoyed this one. Ned Stark was certainly no schemer and Varys was literally nicknamed the ‘Spider’ or master of whisperers. But it’s interesting that the letter (or letters?!) Varys is writing at the start of the episode is almost an exact replica of Ned’s way back in season one.

Ned was writing to Stannis Baratheon to let him know Joffrey wasn’t the true heir to the throne (because he’s Jaime and Cersei’s incest child), and Littlefinger betrays him by telling the Lannisters what Ned has done. He’s then executed.

Varys is writing to an unknown recipient telling them Jon Snow is the true heir to the Iron Throne. Tyrion is the one who tells Dany what he’s done and Varys is executed. (Dany did tell him she’d burn him alive if he betrayed her so, like, at least she’s true to her word.)

LISTEN: Claire Murphy and Holly Wainwright discuss everything that happened on Game Of Thrones Season 8, Episode 5:

2. Varys alludes to trying to poison Dany.

WE DEFINITELY MISSED THIS and woah, sorry for shouting. Varys appears to have been trying to poison Dany using one of his ‘little birds’ – a kitchen hand called Martha (who incidentally was one of the kids hiding with him in the crypts during The Battle of Winterfell). The following exchange went right over our heads:

Varys: “Nothing?”

Martha: “She won’t eat.”

Varys: “We’ll try again at supper.”

Martha: “I think they’re watching me.”

Varys: “Who?”

Martha: “Her soldiers.”

Varys: “Of course they are. That’s their job. What have I told you, Martha?”

Martha: “The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.”

Varys: “Go on. They’ll be missing you in the kitchen.”

Here’s where it gets really clever… it’s another callback to season one. Ned Stark says poison is a eunuch’s weapon, and, of course, Lord Varys is a eunuch. It’s summed up brilliantly by this Twitter user:

ICYMI, Varys totally tried to poison Dany at the beginning of the episode. The callbacks to season 1 are amazing:

Ned: Poison is a woman’s weapon.
Pycelle: Yes. Women, cravens… and eunuchs.

Grand Maester Pycelle then mentioned Lord Varys just seconds later! ????#GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/TVbL2uVmdJ

— iTREVOR (@iLEADFARMER) May 13, 2019

3. Why did Varys remove his rings?

This is the question that’s been plaguing us most since the episode aired. But could it be as simple as he knew he was about to die so he took off his worldly possessions? Or… did the rings contain the poison to kill Dany..? Wouldn’t be the first time a character has hidden poison in their jewellery… Notably when Olenna Tyrell concealed the poison to kill Joffrey in an unwitting Sansa’s necklace.

4. Grey Worm throwing Missandei’s slave collar… into the fire.

Look, it wasn’t subtle but just like Missansei’s last word was ‘Dracarys’, this could be Grey Worm’s way of  telling Dany he’s totally cool with her burning them all.

5. The Hound’s affinity with the Stark sisters.

The scene between The Hound and Arya was particularly poignant as he tells her to “look at me” before convincing her to get the heck out of King’s Landing.

He tried the same tactics on Sansa to try get her out of King’s Landing during The Battle of Blackwater, but she didn’t listen to him.

Arya calling him back by his name, Sandor, to say thank you, was probably one of the most emotional moments of a mega emotional episode.

6. Sticking a knife through The Mountain’s eye aka the callback we didn’t know we needed.

During the highly-anticipated Cleganebowl, The Hound sticks a knife through The Mountain’s skull via his eye (bleurgh), which is exactly how Arya told him she’d kill him in season three episode nine: “Some day I’m gonna put a sword through your eye and out the back of your skull.”

Let’s not even talk about the fact The Hound almost got ‘Oberyn’d’… Shudder.

7. The green eyes theory that won’t go away.

Yoiks. Remember we all thought the ‘green eyes theory’ meant Arya was going to kill Cersei?

Well, she’s understandably pretty p*ssed off now she’s had to witness the suffering of innocents because Dany burned them, while almost getting barbecued by Drogon herself.

Could Melisandre’s prophecy actually relate to Dany?

To recap, Melisandre told Arya: “I see a darkness in you. And in that darkness, eyes staring back at me. Brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes. Eyes sealed shut forever. We will meet again.” Arya’s killed an owner of brown eyes (Walder Frey), blue eyes (The Night King) but we’re still waiting on green.

both cersei and daenerys has green eyes by the way…

hmmmmmmmmmmmm ???? pic.twitter.com/RcumP2wCbF

— ???? (@zuvarirsyad) April 29, 2019

Here is the trailer for the next episode, which doesn’t give much away at all. Post continues after video.

8. Bran’s vision of the dragon flying over King’s Landing has (finally) been fulfilled.

Waaaaaay back when in season four episode two, Bran sees the shadow of a dragon above the rooftops of King’s Landing. Four seasons later and we got there.

9. Was the ‘snow’ in Dany’s vision in House of the Undying not actually snow but... ash?

In season two, episode 10, Dany sees sees the throne room at King’s Landing blasted to smithereens with snow falling from above. Many are speculating this theory has already come true as the throne room has most likely been destroyed and the snow was actually ash (she sure created a hell of a lot of it).

10. The significance of the white horse.

First up, the little girl Arya tried to save was clutching a little white horse. Then suddenly, Arya is saved by, you guessed it, white horse.

The little girl #Arya tried to save was holding a white horse#GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/rW7mPdFrqe

— Game of Thrones Facts (@thronesfacts) May 13, 2019

On Reddit, some fans have speculated that the presence of the white horse provides some important symbolism of death and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Or maybe it was even Bran warging into some sort of weird Uber service. The possibilities are endless... Here are lots of white horse theories for your perusal.

Until next week.

Did we miss anything? Be sure to tell us in the comments.

Catch up on all our Game of Thrones recaps, right here:

• Mamamia recaps Game of Thrones episode 1: Finally. Jon Snow knows something.
• Mamamia recaps Game of Thrones episode 2: We need to talk about THAT Arya Stark scene.
• Mamamia recaps Game of Thrones episode 3: The episode that broke the world.
• Mamamia recaps Game of Thrones episode 4: GHOST DESERVED BETTER, JON.
• Mamamia recaps Game of Thrones episode 5: Well. That was... a mess.

For more on this topic:

• Just 9 details you might’ve missed in The Last of the Starks.
• Just 8 details you might've missed in The Battle of Winterfell.
• Just 6 details you might've missed in the season 8 premiere.
• Here’s how dramatically the Game of Thrones characters have changed since the first episode.
• If you’re a genuine fan of Game of Thrones, you should take annual leave on the 20th of May.