Winter is here! And nobody saw this coming (so soon), not even the biggest fans of Game of Thrones. Folks, HBO dropped the much-awaited and highly-anticipated trailer of the final season on Tuesday night, and we are out of breath already. We do have a hunch of what’s in stock for us in the upcoming season, but can you really trust the creators of Game of Thrones? Duh, obviously not!
The two-minute trailer, which consists of major hints related to the final season, will indubitably leave you longing for more.
The trailer is here. #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/L48jOwsUzn
— Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) March 5, 2019
Here is GOT Season 8 trailer breakdown:
Arya Stark is home
In the very beginning we get a glimpse of the finest assassin of Westros — Arya Stark. ‘The girl’ has returned to Winterfell, which is no longer a safe haven for the Starks, and is being chased down the crypts by an unseen someone (or something?). If you look closely, you would see a shadow behind her. Recounting the things Arya has seen over the years, it’s pretty chilling to think about what she is scared of. Who has left Arya Stark so frightened?
A voiceover of Arya that runs along with the clip chronicles her journey so far from the faces of death, examining a dragon glass, the Free city of Bravos, the land of faceless men and finally to the current circumstances. Arya sprinting away obviously suggests that she has witnessed the unforeseen ‘face of death’. We are aware that the army of the dead will invade Winterfell. So, has Arya already encountered the Night King? Or could it be her ancestors rising from the dead in the crypts?
My fav is #AryaStark pic.twitter.com/84ll8GMPJa
— Dr. Y Mendez 👽 (@Mhym07) March 5, 2019
The Starks might have to evacuate their home if the Night King wins the battle (and the chances are strongly against the humans.) The secret tunnels which led out of Winterfell are down in the crypts and if dead Starks rise, the war would get tougher.
Face of death
The trailer goes on to show some non fighting folks hidden in the crypts. As the camera zooms in on Varys, we see him struck dumb with horror. Either he has witnessed something terrifying or maybe he is foreseeing what’s coming.
Earlier in an interview, Vladimir Furdik, who plays the role of Night King, spilled out some details about the forthcoming season.
“In the third part of the last season, there is a battle that the creators intend to be the biggest in television history. Almost the full episode will be about the battle, it will take about an hour,” he said.
The eighth season of the show will comprise six episodes and the biggest war would be showcased in the third episode itself. Is the battle at Winterfell going to be the gigantic war we all have been waiting for?
Next, we see a fleet of Greyjoy ships and the Golden Company rowing towards the Kings Landing. In the previous season Euron Greyjoy headed out to Pyke but he actually went to bring the Golden Company to fight for Cersei Lannister. We get a glimpse of the current commander of the company, Harry Strickland, who could be mistaken for Jaime Lannister.
There is good news, too! Lord Beric Dondarrion and Tormund have survived the attack at the wall, in case you missed them during the intense trailer.
Where you belong
Along with Bran’s voiceover in the scene we see a few glimpses of the Red Keep and Cersei Lannister waiting at the docks for Euron and the Golden Company. He says, “Everything you did, brings you where are now, where you belong, home.”
Probably, Bran Stark is the one telling Jon Snow of his parentage in the presence of Samwell Tarly. As he says, “where you belong”, we see the Red Keep, and it’s well known now that Snow is the rightful heir of the Iron Throne. When Bran says “home” Jon Snow could be seen riding towards Winterfell with Daenerys Targaryen with the Unsullied Army and, of course, the dragons.
Expectedly, Jon Snow would be bombarded with the major revelation about his lineage in the initial episodes. What would be interesting is his equation with Dany after the revelation. The trailer also showcases a scene of both of them standing in the crypts. Jon must be there to look at Lyanna Stark’s statue (his mother) after learning that he is a Targaryen. Dany then arrives and stands alongside Snow. Is she there to tell him that she is carrying his child? Since a popular fan theory does suggest that Dany would bear Jon’s child.
Only war that matters
The whole Winterfell is gearing up for the only war that matters. Gendry is forging some metal, which could be Valarian steel, the only weapon beside Dragon glass that can kill the dead; Ser Davos mounted on a horse ready to lead the army; Grey Worm kissing Missandei goodbye before the battle. We see all the major characters in the trailer set to face the dead army.
Relive every moment from the #GoTS8 trailer: https://t.co/R0oZEG8yD2#GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/6r1NK1NdPW
— Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) March 5, 2019
Jaime Lannister, who abandoned the ‘Mad Queen’ Cersei Lannister, proposes to who seems to be Jon Snow to fight beside the Starks in Winterfell for the living. Later, we see him on the battlefield which makes it certain that his request has been accepted.
Cersei Lannister on the other side is greeting the Golden Company in the Red Keep. However, a pretty bemusing scene of her sipping wine with tears in her eyes has caught the attention of the fans. If Cersei is pregnant she wouldn’t be pouring wine down her throat. Has she suffered a miscarriage or are the tears over losing King’s Landing?
In the final scenes, Jon and Daenerys walk together towards Drogon and Rhegar — Dany’s dragons. Both the dragons could be seen feeding on the huge carcasses of an animal. It could be the carcasses of Viserion — the dragon the Night King killed. Since his death is quite expected this isn’t much of a shocker. Jon and Dany could be heading to mount the dragons and fight the Night King together (This scene would be bliss).
The people in Winterfell await the arrival of death with fear in their eyes as the trailer ends.
In the end, what we see are bony hooves of a horse on snow-covered land. The one probably riding it is the Night King. His arriving on his horse rather than Viserion also kind of confirms that the dragon is dead.
Amid all of it, the one we missed the most was Tyrion Lannister. His arrival for a split second in the trailer doesn’t do justice to one of the greatest characters of Game of Thrones. However, Tyrion doesn’t seem to be present in Winterfell. In the trailer he is looking up at something. I guess it is Jon and Dany arriving at King’s Landing on their dragons. Maybe, the creators are saving the best for the last.
The cast of the series have been preparing us for the ‘shockers’ for last few months now. And the trailer has put a stamp on it.
As you eagerly wait for the finale, let me remind you of what GOT fans know as gospel truth: “If you think this has a happy ending, you haven’t been paying attention.”
The final season of Game of Thrones will premiere on 14 April.