Game of Thrones, season 6 episode 1, The Red Woman, review: shocking deaths, Melisandre's secret and 8 things we learnt

Some major cliff-hangers were left unresolved The tension was incredible as Game of Thrones season six opened with the camera swooping low over Castle Black, alighting on the scene of noble Jon Snow's bloody run-in with the traitorous Night's Watch. Alas, the Bastard of Winterfell (Kit Harington) was, for the time being at least, staying very dead indeed, as confirmed by a haunting close-up of his waxy visage and the pool of scarlet arranged like a skewed halo. Short of spelling out "He's Dead!" in huge flaming letters it's hard to see how much more emphatically show-runners David Benioff and DB Weiss (they also wrote the episode) could have driven the point home. Was this a sadistic riposte to fans who have spent the best part of a year constructing elaborate conspiracy theories as to when and how the grumpy heartthrob will return? Or a sleight-of-hand intended to make his eventual reappearance all the more dramatically satisfying? We're with Ser Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham), who turned puce with shock as he came upon the Lord Commander's pallid corpse. Ser Davos's stunned expression indicated he could not quite believe Snow was really, truly gone. Viewers will have felt likewise, this week's non-resurrection notwithstanding. Snow has fought the White Walkers and lived and it is unthinkable anyone else could plausibly lead the campaign against the ice zombies. Before the season ends – probably sooner – it is surely reasonable to assume that the cold light of the north will alight on Harington's manly man-curls and he will flash his winning pout. Melisandre was a changed woman When the "The Red Woman" was announced as the title of the season premiere, many assumed Melisandre's sacrificial magic would be put to use wrenching Jon Snow back from the dead. Well, there WAS a major surprise involving everyone's favourite cherub-torching spiritualist. Yet it had nothing to do with restoring life to the recently sliced 'n' diced Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. What to make of that final image of Melisandre (Carice van Houten) transformed into a stooped old woman after the obligatory topless shot? Was the Red Lady a withered crone in disguise all along? Or had recent upsets – Stannis's defeat, Snow's death, that awkwardness with Shireen and the bonfire – caused her to lose her faith in the Lord of Light? There were no answers – just raw shock as Melisandre removed her necklace and morphed into a hunched hag. The episode may have side-stepped Jon Snow's future involvement but seeing Melisandre age before our eyes was more than acceptable compensation. It was just the jolt the series needed to kick off with and a satisfying final flourish at the end of a deliciously nasty hour (see the entries pertaining to Arya and Daenerys). Oh how we've missed your cruel, manipulative ways Game of Thrones.