We’ll get to what all that may mean in a moment, — SPOILERS AHEAD — but first it should be noted that the series is racking huge up ratings for HBO with the opening episode now surpassing 30 million viewers. It initially drew 6 million. Worldwide ratings are up, too.

As for episode 4, look for things to heat up.

DAENERYS GOES TO WAR

Daenerys was getting impatient to pull out her weapons of choice after learning Euron Greyjoy had destroyed her fleet. Once she finds out that Jaime and Cersei Lannister have destroyed the house of Tyrell, killing Olenna, and outmaneuvered Grey Worm, whose army is stranded at Casterly Rock, there will be little to hold her back. In fact, in the very last shot of the trailer for this week, you’ll notice a tiny figure with blond hair atop the biggest of Daenerys’s dragons, Drogon.

And what might her target be?

Jaime’s army is now in the open, and there is a shot of him and sword-slinger Bronn looking worried. Of course, the necromancer Qyburn has created a massive crossbow to defend against dragons. So expect a showdown.

ARYA’S WINTERFELL REUNION

There is already a shot of the young Stark woman overlooking her ancestral home. Bran, her psychic brother, and Sansa, her older sister and in charge, are already there.

So is Littlefinger, who is on her list to kill to revenge her father. There will be a Stark family reunion, but how will it play out? Does Sansa need Littlefinger’s army? Will Arya use her skills of disguise to trick Littlefinger, who still has that Valyrian steel blade used to try to kill Bran? And will Bran’s mystic ramblings like “chaos is a ladder” begin to make sense? That one does to Littlefinger, who is freaked by it.

WHITEWALKERS

Yeah, they are still marching but where are they? Keeping them out of the story, for now, means something big is coming.

WHO’S BACK IN THE PICTURE?

There is a shot of Daenerys and her advisers on the beach at Dragonstone waiting for someone to come ashore. It’s likely Theon Greyjoy, who escaped the sacking of his sister’s fleet by his uncle Euron. It could also be Ser Jorah, who promised to get back to his Khaleesi after being cured of Greyscale by Sam.

I suspect his entrance will be more dramatic, however. Theon, though, is going to face Jon Snow for the first time since betraying his brothers. My guess is he will survive. The character has survived so often to simply finish him off now, and it’s likely he’ll play an unlikely but crucial role in what lies ahead.

LANNISTERS

So far Cersei and Jaime have outsmarted their younger brother, Tyrion. The Tyrells had money, which is why Cersei had Jaime take their stronghold of Highgarden. Did they find it? Or did Olenna have another last laugh?

With a smug satisfaction before she died the old monarch told Jaime how she had poisoned his son Joffrey. It may be one more nail in Jaime’s coffin. His life is his sister’s, but his heart grows wearier.

The unfettered Cersei, though, is feeling her power.

But what happens if there were no funds or Daenerys’ dragons burn them up? The Iron Bank will still be owed, and Cersei will find support pulled. As for Tryion, after a couple of setbacks, we figure he will show us why we root for him.

DRAGONGLASS

Will there be any fabled dragonglass left in the mine when Jon and Daenerys go down to search for it? After HBO was hacked the other day, it was reported that etchings of White Walkers and the Night King are found down there. But the real question is are Jon and Daenerys beginning to form an attraction.

You know they are, but what happens when they find out they are cousins?

What should we keep in mind as we watch? Here are a few life-and-death thoughts:

DAENERYS AND JON SNOW

As is evident from the preview, Jon Snow and Ser Davos Seaworth will arrive in Dragonstone to meet Daenerys Targaryen for the first time. The Queen of Dragons is expecting the King of the North to “bend the knee,” but the note from Tyrion to Jon failed to include those instruction. Could this indicate a split between Daenerys and her Hand? Will the news of the defeat of Yara Greyjoy’s fleet by her uncle reach Daenerys? How will that that affect her strategy and alliances? Melisandre has told Daenerys she may be “the princess that was promised.” Jon is suspicious of the Red Witch, though she resurrected him – after all, she led Stannis Baratheon to disaster.  Will Daenerys trust her more?

TYRION, VARYS, MELISANDRE, DAVOS

Being an adviser to the big cheese and staying in their good graces is always a tricky situation. Just ask anyone in the Trump White House. Last week Daenerys let Varys live, noting that he had backed her enemy once. Loyalty, you know, is important for monarchs. The same question of loyalty goes for Tyrion, who is, after all, a Lannister. He already has a relationship with Jon Snow, which may add suspicion.

Davos is to arrive at Dragonstone just as Melisandre has started advising Daenerys. We know he wants to kill her for her involvement in the death of Shireen, daughter of Stannis Baratheon. But that reminds us that both of them have switched allegiances. A photo released by HBO Wednesday shows Melisandre and Varys having a meeting. So far they have been the wiliest of the advisers, but even the best can get caught in traps.

GREY WORM, MISSANDEI AND DEATH

Last week, former slaves Grey Worm and Missandei were able to display their love for each other – amply. Why? They are not major characters, and there are only so many episodes left. Was there a fan demand? Did the showrunners want to have a sex scene that didn’t involve violence to prove they could do it? Or did they want to elicit more sympathy and feeling for the pair so they could kill at least one of them off?

Grey Worm is about to go off into battle. The Unsullied are heading to Casterly Rock, and in the preview, there is a shot of Grey Worm in his armor. It seems logical that the scene with him and Missandei was more than just a gratuitous sex scene and points to something down the line.

EURON GREYJOY, HIS GIFT, AND LANNISTERS

The scoundrel leader of the Iron Islands fleet not only routed his niece’s armada but captured her and Ellaria Sand along with Ellaria’s surviving daughter. Since Ellaria poisoned Cersei’s daughter, she is likely the “precious gift” Euron promised Cersei.  His goal is to have a stake in the crown, but don’t expect the Lannister queen to just take what he offers. It’s doubtful that Cersei even would share power with Jaime let alone Euron.

So how does Cersei return a gift – and will Ellaria still be in one piece? Meanwhile, Jaime has made so many mistakes – mostly because of arrogance and blind devotion to Cersei – that it’s hard to figure out to what the logline is referring. Fan theory has Jaime killing Cersei like just he slayed the Mad King, and while that may be ironic it doesn’t ring true. Murder-suicide in an untenable situation? Maybe.

ARYA, SANSA, AND LITTLEFINGER

Since Hot Pie told her Jon was back in charge at Winterfell, Arya has headed north.  However, her sister Sansa, is now the one in charge as Jon travels to Dragonstone. Littlefinger, who is on Arya’s hit list, continues lurking, hoping to influence Sansa.

Since the younger Stark sister is now an assassin and master of disguise, expect a dramatic confrontation.

SAM AND TALES

Last week, Archmaester Ebrose said he was writing “The Chronicles of the Wars Following the Death of King Robert I” and Sam suggested  “something a bit more poetic” as a title. Fans have theorized Sam will eventually write the story, calling it “A Song of Ice and Fire” – George R.R. Martin’s title for the series.

What about Ser Jorah? Let’s assume the showrunners didn’t put us through seeing the knight being carved up to cure him of his greyscale for no reason. Jorah still may be doomed, but it’s likely he’ll die as part of a dramatic gesture to save Daenerys.