Game of Thrones has always referenced back to the source material, no matter what. But over the seasons the references to the A Song of Ice and Fire novels have become harder to spot, as the show ran out of book material to use. Instead, the show is starting to reference its own history in the final season. These Game Of Thrones Season 8 easter eggs from the second episode, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," are a reminder of just what a rich history the show has to draw from.
Of course, last night's most significant book reference was the "Jenny of Oldstones" song. In the novel A Storm of Swords, where it is originally sung, it's merely known as "Jenny's Song." Like last year's song with Ed Sheeran, this was a tune that should have been part of Season 3 but hit the cutting room floor when the show streamlined down the novel's' plotlines and characters to fit everything into a ten episode season.
But while everyone may be downloading Florence + The Machine's version of the song this week, it was far from the only callback in the episode. Let's run down all the reference the show made.
Bran's recitation of the last thing Jaime said before pushing out the window in the Season 1 premiere was a brilliant moment, especially since Bran didn't then follow it up by revealing the events of that afternoon.
For the Valonqar theorists, Dany's use of the phrase "Little Brother" to refer to Tyrion in the opening scene did not go unnoticed. Is this proof he will be the one to kill Cersei?
Rewatch this scene from Season 2 episode 5, and then rewatch the forge scene from last night when Arya demands Gendry finish her weapon design. It's a shot for shot recreation in places.
Tyrion's line about dying in bed with a belly full of wine wasn't just familiar to Jaime. For those who rewatched Season 1 recently, it's also the exact same thing he tells Shagga in Episode 8, "The Pointy End."
When Ned Stark died, Tywin Lannister had his great sword Ice melted down and reforged into two swords, one now held by Jaime, the other by Brienne. When they fight side by side, Ice will be whole again.
A book reference for the A Song of Ice & Fire nerds. Martin is a total dork about food, and Davos speaks fondly multiple times about the terrible Flea Bottom foodstuff known as "bowls o'brown." Look close and note it's what's being served at Davos' Soup Kitchen & Counseling Booth this week.
Speaking of Davos' Soup Kitchen, when a little girl with a disfigured face who wants to fight comes up for a helping, he's clearly emotionally rattled. Though Shireen's name is never mentioned, he's obviously reminded of the girl he lost.
Jaime calls himself the "Famed Loser of the Battle of Whispering Wood." Said battle was the Stark-Lannister clash in Season 1, where Jaime got himself captured by Robb.
This week's episode title didn't just refer to Brienne's knighthood, but it's also a callback to Ser Duncan the Tall from the Dunk & Egg novellas, which are packaged under the title A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Also? Brienne is Duncan's descendant. It all fits!
