postcards from westeros vol 11

It's hard to believe we're more than halfway through Season 7, but only two episodes stand between us and the season finale. There's still so much to cover -- and so many White Walkers left to kill.

Before Episode 5, "Eastwatch," hits Sunday night, let's review who is winning, losing or biding their time in the quest for the Iron Throne.

1. Dany was never really as weak as she seemed, despite losing two battles in her war with Cersei. Those battles were lost by her allies and advisers. Dany doesn't need help, especially when she is riding a dragon.

2. Meanwhile, Jon Snow has the rare privilege of gaining power on this series while maintaining the moral high ground. His goal, to defeat the White Walkers and save humanity, is unimpeachable, and his methods are noble.

3. Sansa is holding strong, still ruling in Winterfell, despite the arrivals of her siblings. And though her outlook on Arya's return may have darkened after watching her sword skills, Sansa is in command of her duties and her people. 

4. Cersei suffered a huge defeat on the battlefield, it's true, but as Jaime and Lord Tarly pointed out before the battle, the gold is secure in King's Landing. Plus, returning that gold to the Iron Bank of Braavos means she might have an investor, and she's looking to hire mercenaries from Essos (the Golden Company).

5. Rounding out our fifth spot in the leaderboard is Arya, whose homecoming was more a show of her new skills and power than an emotional reunion. Between giving the gate guards the slip and sparring with Brienne, Arya proved to her family and any other interested parties (cough, Littlefinger, cough) that she is not to be messed with.

Read the rest of our power rankings Who's Winning Westeros here.  

In other news:

-Did you see our exclusive photo from Sunday's upcoming episode? Bonus: 117 additional images from Season 7.

-Jon Snow has gone through a lot since he was a fresh-faced new recruit for the Night's Watch. Relive his journey through his costumes in our Style Diary feature.

-Wish SNL's Leslie Jones could join your 'Game of Thrones' watch party? Same. Watch her hilarious running commentary on last week's episode on Wednesday's episode 'Late Night with Seth Meyers' here.

-Your favorite Mindy Kaling had the best Instagram caption for Emilia Clarke's selfie with Kit Harrington. Read it and weep here.