THEN AND NOW: How the 'Game of Thrones' characters have changed since the first season

After nearly a decade of shocking deaths , tragic plot twists , and triumphant character arcs , HBO's "Games of Thrones" is back for its eighth and final season. We're going to take a walk down memory lane with all the major characters who were there from the start, and are still alive on the show now.

Keep scrolling to see how much the core "Game of Thrones" characters have changed since season one.

Ian Phillips and Megan Willett contributed to a previous version of this article.

At the start of the series, Jon Snow was the bastard of Winterfell.

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He was raised believing he was the bastard son of Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, and Warden of the North.

Jon volunteered to "take the black" and join the Night's Watch after Eddard Stark was named the Hand of the King.

Now Jon knows his birth name was really Aegon, and hes the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark with a claim to the Iron Throne.

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Over the course of seven seasons, Jon rose to prominence and became Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, was assassinated by his own men, resurrected by the red priestess Melisandre, fought to take back Winterfell, and crowned King in the North.

Now, he's renounced his title after bending the knee to Queen Daenerys Targaryen, and is leading the fight against the Night King and Army of the Dead.

When we first met her, Sansa Stark was ready to fulfill her dreams as a highborn lady.

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Sansa, the eldest daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark, adored love stories and longed to leave Winterfell for the excitement of the capital in the south.

She was eager to marry Prince Joffrey, and follow the path of a highborn girl just as her parents had raised her to do.

Now Sansa is the Lady of Winterfell, and one of the more politically savvy characters left alive.

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After the harsh reality of King's Landing, two arranged marriages, and countless acts of violence and abuse levied against her, Sansa managed to retake Winterfell and have both Ramsay Bolton and Littlefinger killed.

Now she's the Lady of Winterfell, and is helping Jon prepare for the fight of their lives in the North.

At the start of the series, Arya Stark was the tomboyish younger sister who hated everything Sansa loved.

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While Sansa dreamed of fairy tales and embroidery, Arya preferred archery and combat. She was gifted a sword, Needle, by Jon Snow and taught to fight after Ned Stark finally caved to her wishes.

Now Arya is a trained Faceless Man assassin and skilled fighter.

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Arya was forced to grow up quickly following Ned's death and her escape from King's Landing. She traveled undercover, eventually went to Braavos to hone her murder skills, and now she's back in Winterfell with her remaining family.

Bran Stark, the second-youngest son of Eddard and Catelyn Stark, was a kid who loved climbing and dreamt of being a knight.

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During one fateful climb, he accidentally witnessed Jaime and Cersei Lannister committing both incest and adultery, and was pushed from the top of a tower. When he wokefrom his coma, Bran had lost the use of both his legs.

Bran eventually traveled beyond the Wall and was trained to use his newly acquired abilities of greensight and skinchanging.

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Now he calls himself the Three-Eyed Raven, and can use his greenseeing abilities to see into the past, present, and maybe even future. Bran made it back to Winterfell, along with Sansa and Arya, on season seven.

Theon Greyjoy was the ward of Eddard Stark, and harbored plans to reclaim his familys former glory.

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Theon spent much of the first season feeling frustrated by his low position in the Stark household and took pride in being the last living son of Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands.

Theon betrayed the Starks, killing many in the process, and was then tortured at the hands of Ramsay Bolton.

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Theon escaped Ramsay Bolton's sadistic grasp and saved Sansa. He returned to the Iron Islands and teamed up with his sister Yara to join Daenerys Targaryen's alliance.

After some more setbacks, Theon is now returning to Winterfell to fight alongside the Starks and amend for his wrongs.

Tyrion Lannister was known in the Seven Kingdoms for his quick wit, and love of both wine and women.

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Derisively called "The Imp" by those who didn't respect him, Tyrion identified himself as someone with a fondness for "cripples, bastards, and broken things." He tried to make friends in places where the rest of his family would only see foes.

Tyrion rose to power when he served as Hand of the King to Joffrey, but after many years (and tragedies) hes now Hand of the Queen to Daenerys Targaryen.

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After being wrongfully accused of murder and sentenced to death by Tywin Lannister, Tyrion killed his father and fled Westeros to go team up up with Daenerys.

Now he's back in Winterfell, trying to help Daenerys save the realm and then claim her place as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

Daenerys Targaryen started out meek, treated like a pawn by her brother Viserys in his quest to reclaim the Seven Kingdoms.

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She was raised to believe her brother Viserys was the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, but they had been exiled after King Robert's rebellion.

The young Daenerys spent season one gaining more autonomy and learning how to rule as the Khaleesi of a great Dothraki tribe led by Khal Drogo.

Now, after fighting to abolish slavery in Essos and amassing an army of loyal followers, Queen Daenerys is in Westeros to claim the Iron throne.

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Daenerys underwent many phases of growth as she conquered cities in Essos and acquired her army of Unsullied and Dothraki bloodriders.

But before she could take the Seven Kingdoms, Daenerys turned her sights north to help Jon Snow fight the Army of the Dead currently marching on Westeros.

Cersei Lannister spent the first season engaged in a power struggle to seize the Iron Throne for her own family.

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She plotted to kill her husband King Robert Baratheon and succeeded before taking over the small council and crowning her eldest-born son Joffrey the King of the Seven Kingdoms.

Now all of Cerseis children are dead, and shes made herself the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

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Following Joffrey and Myrcella's murder and Tommen's death by suicide, Cersei took the Iron Throne for herself and now rules mercilessly over King's Landing.She's warring with Daenerys and Jon Snow, trying to cling to her power.

Jaime, Cerseis twin and lover, began the series with a reputation as "Kingslayer."

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On the pilot episode of the series, Jaime cavalierly pushed 10-year-old Bran Stark out of a tower window when the young boy caught the Lannister twins having sex.

Jaime was a Lannister loyalist through and through, and used his arrogance as a shield against what people thought of him.

Jaime lost a hand and gained a new perspective on loyalty and honor.

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Over the course of his burgeoning relationship with Brienne of Tarth, we learned that Jaime's killing of King Aerys was done for justifiable reasons.

Now Jaime is trying to reverse his reputation and lead a more honorable life, which meant riding away from Cersei and going north to help the Stark and Targaryen forces in Winterfell.

Samwell Tarly was introduced on "Game of Thrones" as a self-admitted coward who joined the Nights Watch.

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He quickly befriended Jon Snow, who helped show Sam the ropes around Castle Black.

Sam became the first person on the show to kill a White Walker, and is now an adopted father and loving partner to Gilly, a former wildling.

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Sam was sent to the Citadel to train as Maester, but left Oldtown when he realized no one was taking the Army of the Dead seriously as a threat. Now he's in Winterfell with his best friend Jon and his new family, and will help in the coming fight against the Night King.

Varys was first introduced to us as "The Spider," the sly Master of Whisperers in the capital of Westeros.

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AsMaster of Whisperers on the king's small council, Varys knew everything that went on in the Seven Kingdoms as well as across the Narrow Sea.

Varys and Tyrion grew close during their time spent together, and now Varys is serving Queen Daenerys.

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His loyalties were always slippery to pin down, but Varys has revealed himself as a person devoted the realm at large. He'll support whichever king or queen he thinks is best for the smallfolk of Westeros, and right now his money is on Queen Daenerys Targaryen.

Ser Jorah Mormont was an exiled Northern knight who swore allegiance to the exiled Targaryens.

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Jorah was serving as a spy for King Robert at first, but he soon ditched that role when he realized how special Daenerys was (and fell in love with her).

When Daenerys found out about Jorahs betrayal, she banished him from her service. Jorah eventually found forgiveness with his queen, though.

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Jorah nearly died when he contracted greyscale, but Sam Tarly helped heal him. Now Jorah is back at Daenerys' side, ready to help fight the Army of the Dead as well.

THEN AND NOW: How the 'Game of Thrones' characters have changed since the first season

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At the start of the series, Jon Snow was the bastard of Winterfell.

Now Jon knows his birth name was really Aegon, and hes the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark with a claim to the Iron Throne.

When we first met her, Sansa Stark was ready to fulfill her dreams as a highborn lady.

Now Sansa is the Lady of Winterfell, and one of the more politically savvy characters left alive.

At the start of the series, Arya Stark was the tomboyish younger sister who hated everything Sansa loved.

Now Arya is a trained Faceless Man assassin and skilled fighter.

Bran Stark, the second-youngest son of Eddard and Catelyn Stark, was a kid who loved climbing and dreamt of being a knight.

Bran eventually traveled beyond the Wall and was trained to use his newly acquired abilities of greensight and skinchanging.

Theon Greyjoy was the ward of Eddard Stark, and harbored plans to reclaim his familys former glory.

Theon betrayed the Starks, killing many in the process, and was then tortured at the hands of Ramsay Bolton.

Tyrion Lannister was known in the Seven Kingdoms for his quick wit, and love of both wine and women.

Tyrion rose to power when he served as Hand of the King to Joffrey, but after many years (and tragedies) hes now Hand of the Queen to Daenerys Targaryen.

Daenerys Targaryen started out meek, treated like a pawn by her brother Viserys in his quest to reclaim the Seven Kingdoms.

Now, after fighting to abolish slavery in Essos and amassing an army of loyal followers, Queen Daenerys is in Westeros to claim the Iron throne.

Cersei Lannister spent the first season engaged in a power struggle to seize the Iron Throne for her own family.

Now all of Cerseis children are dead, and shes made herself the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

Jaime, Cerseis twin and lover, began the series with a reputation as "Kingslayer."

Jaime lost a hand and gained a new perspective on loyalty and honor.

Samwell Tarly was introduced on "Game of Thrones" as a self-admitted coward who joined the Nights Watch.

Sam became the first person on the show to kill a White Walker, and is now an adopted father and loving partner to Gilly, a former wildling.

Varys was first introduced to us as "The Spider," the sly Master of Whisperers in the capital of Westeros.

Varys and Tyrion grew close during their time spent together, and now Varys is serving Queen Daenerys.

Ser Jorah Mormont was an exiled Northern knight who swore allegiance to the exiled Targaryens.

When Daenerys found out about Jorahs betrayal, she banished him from her service. Jorah eventually found forgiveness with his queen, though.

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