Spoilers ahead for the season-seven premiere of Game of Thrones.
On Sunday night’s Game of Thrones premiere, Arya Stark served up her coldest dish yet. After murdering Red Wedding orchestrator Walder Frey in last season’s finale, Arya used the face-swapping magic she’d picked up at the House of Black and White to take his place at a celebratory Frey family banquet — at which point she proceeded to poison seemingly every male member of that noble house. As she told the dying knights, winter had finally come for the house of Frey.
Arya didn’t have room to include every single Frey on her kill list, that litany of names the youngest Stark daughter has repeated as a nightly prayer ever since season two, but you have to image the entire backstabbing house would be on it if she did. In the wake of this mass murder, let’s check in with the unlucky souls from the list who are still standing — for now.
Cersei Lannister
After all these years, Cersei is one of the last OG occupants of Arya’s list. She’s been on it since the beginning, for arranging Ned Stark’s downfall at the end of season one. Unfortunately for both of them, Arya’s got some competition: Now that Cersei has ascended to the Iron Throne, there are a whole bunch of characters with the means, motive, and opportunity to end her reign.
The Mountain
This one’s a little bit tricky, because the question of whether the Mountain — who made it on the list for war crimes committed at Harrenhall in season two — is truly “alive†anymore is a complicated philosophical discussion: He’s a mindless, undead foot soldier! Still, if there’s even the slightest possibility he can be killed, then dangnabbit, Arya will try to kill him.
The Red Woman
Does it still count if it’s not her real name? Probably! Arya added Melisandre to the list after she took Gendry from the Brotherhood Without Banners in season three, and since Arya doesn’t know her friend was soon released to set Westeros’ long-distance rowing record, the older woman remains on the list.
Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr
How did these two lovable, good-hearted rogues get on the list? They were the ones who sold Gendry to Melisandre, a fate that at the time looked like it meant the lad’s certain death. And so, onto the kill list they go.
Ilyn Payne
It seems a little unfair to blame the literal executioner for Ned Stark’s murder. It’s not like he had a whole lot of say in the matter; he’s just a cog in the caught up in the system like anyone else! But I’m not the one who makes the rules, so. (If you’re the predicting sort, it’s worth noting that Wilko Johnson, the Dr. Feelgood guitarist who plays Ser Ilyn, hasn’t appeared in the series since season two, after being diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. He is now apparently cancer-free — perhaps a return to GOT is on the horizon.)
In case you need a refresher on the former members of this exclusive club, here’s a brief rundown.
The Hound
So far, he’s the only person to get off the list without actually dying. Arya crossed The Hound off after leaving him for dead in the wake of his brutal battle with Brienne. A technicality, really. Justice for Mycah!
Walder Frey
Arya slit his throat at the Twins in revenge for the Red Wedding.
Meryn Trant
Arya slit his throat in Braavos for killing the fencing instructor Syrio Forel.
Joffrey
Poisoned by the Tyrells at his own wedding, for the crime of generally being horrible. (Arya wanted to kill him for ordering the execution of her father.)
Tywin Lannister
Shot by his son Tyrion while he was in the bathroom, for being a terrible father. Arya put him on the list for orchestrating the Red Wedding, but you have to guess she would have appreciated the irony of his death.
Polliver
Arya stabbed him through the neck with Needle in season four after he did the same to her friend Lommy.
Rorge
Despite being terrible to Arya when they traveled together in season two, Rorge never made it onto the list for one very simple reason: She didn’t know his name. She found it out when they met in season four, and promptly killed him. Still counts!