Here's the Ed Sheeran Game of Thrones cameo everyone's talking about

Game of Thrones Season 7 premiered Sunday night, and pop star Ed Sheeran made an appearance. The internet was still buzzing about it Monday morning.
For those who weren't glued to their screens for Game of Thrones' long-awaited return, Sheeran played one of a group of Lannisters that Arya Stark stumbled upon as she was making her way through the Riverlands on horseback. In the scene, Sheeran was noshing on rabbit and drinking blackberry wine as he led the soldiers in singing a folk song around the campfire:
The brief scene in which Sheeran spoke only a few lines garnered mixed reviews. The Guardian deemed Sheeran's appearance a "dud," but contended "at least it wasn't Justin Bieber." The Atlantic wrote that the cameo was "jarring," while Slate called Sheeran "the week's worst person in Westeros." The Verge described Sheeran's cameo as "hilariously random."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sheeran was reportedly recruited to appear on the show as a surprise for Arya Stark actress Maisie Williams, who is apparently a huge fan of the singer.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
August 31 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include FEMA's new scheme, Gavin Newsom's antics, and a clue in the Epstein files
-
Disarming Hezbollah: Lebanon's risky mission
Talking Point Iran-backed militia has brought 'nothing but war, division and misery', but rooting them out for good is a daunting and dangerous task
-
Woof! Britain's love affair with dogs
The Explainer The UK's canine population is booming. What does that mean for man's best friend?
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play