In-Depth Breakdown of Game of Thrones Season 8 Trailer! Spoilers and Speculation!

I’ve seen it. You’ve seen it. Everyone’s seen it. Then we’ve all seen it again and again. Now it’s the time for the hype about the final season trailer to calm down and leave room for rampant speculation! So let’s dig deep into it frame by frame, shall we?

But beware: this will be informed speculation, based on our set and casting reports as well as what we can see on the trailer with our own eyes, so there will be more spoilers than the trailer itself necessarily provides. Let’s get on with it!

The trailer wastes no time, throwing us directly into the action of the Winterfell battle in episode three, written by showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and directed by Thrones veteran Miguel Sapochnik, who helmed amazing setpieces such as “Hardhome” and “Battle of the Bastards,” as well as what’s considered by many one of the best if not the best episode of the show, “The Winds of Winter.” In these early shots, we see Arya, with a bloody eyelid and in complete panic, slowly calm down until all we can see is conviction — to run away from a wight (or many) through the dark halls of Winterfell.

1. Season 8 Trailer Arya

2. Season 8 Trailer Arya Running

Davos leads the archers, just as he did during the Battle of the Bastards, on one of the two towers that guard the northern Winterfell entrance (a newly built part of the set), while Varys, Gilly and little Sam stay safe in the crypts among mothers and children. These are two of the many shots that amount to “character X is ready for battle.” Though this is an exciting trailer, it’s quite clever in not revealing too much — as we’ll see, there’s no footage that we can positively attribute to the second half of the season.

3. Season 8 Trailer Davos

4. Season 8 Trailer Varys Gilly Little Sam

Earlier in the season, anywhere between the premiere and the battle episode itself, Arya grabs one of the now mass-produced dragonglass blades as she exclaims: “I know Death. He’s got many faces. I look forward to seeing this one.” Arya may not have become No One, but as we’ve seen she gained many of the Faceless Men’s abilities and beliefs. Of course, Arya’s started deifying Death all the way back in season one, with Syrio Forel.

5. Season 8 Trailer Arya Stark Dragonglass Death

Though the sight of Greyjoy ships may have us thinking of Euron, these are only three meager ships, none of them Silence, and none of them bearing Euron’s modified Greyjoy sigil with the red eye. So this is probably Theon, in his quest to save Yara! Enjoy this, Theon fans, because he isn’t around in the rest of the trailer.

6. Season 8 Trailer Theon Yara Greyjoy Ships

Euron brings back the Golden Company on his fleet. In the background ships we can see the aforementioned sigil that Euron changed, while in the foreground we see the mercenaries on Euron’s Silence, all clad in gold, with their commander looking at them and away from the camera. Though we can’t quite see him, that has to be Harry Strickland, who, as we reported, is played by German actor Marc Rissmann.

7. Season 8 Trailer Harry Strickland Golden Company Silence Greyjoy Euron

Last time we saw them, Beric and Tormund were running for their lives as Eastwatch fell. Trapped on top of the Wall, the logical destination would be to reach Castle Black. Here we can see them, fiery sword included, being led by Eddison Tollett. However, the walls seem to indicate they’re already in a Northern castle, not Castle Black.

8. Season 8 Trailer Dolorous Ed Tollett Tormund Beric Dondarrion

Bran says a very three-eyed raven line, which the trailer matches to a scene between him and Samwell Tarly on the Winterfell courtyard, though we don’t actually see Bran move his lips. The line would better fit more prophetic characters like Jon and/or Daenerys, who the trailer focuses on by the end of it: “Everything you did brought you where you’re now. Where you belong. Home.” More on that later.

9. Season 8 Trailer Bran Sam Winterfell

We see the Red Keep, still no worse for wear despite the arrival of Winter. Cersei, backed by Qyburn and the Mountain, looks pleased, which probably means Euron’s back with her new army (this was shot on a familiar Dubrovnik location, so we know she’s looking out at sea.) You may also notice the variation on the gown we’ve seen her wear on promotional photos: this has more golden elements, instead of red ones.

10. Season 8 Trailer King's Landing

11. Season 8 Trailer Cersei Lannister Qyburn Gregor Mountain Clegane King's Landing

In one of what will be many parallels to the show’s first episode in the premiere, we see a child climbing a building to get a better view of the arriving Targaryen army, who are passing through Winter town on the way to Winterfell (we’ve only seen the town briefly, as Brienne and Pod stayed there in season five.) As far as we know, this is the opening scene of the season. Of course, the climbing child echoes Bran, who in “Winter is Coming” climbed the walls of Winterfell to have a better view of King Robert’s arrival.

12. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Arrival Winter Town Unsullied

Just as the new three-eyed raven brings his line to a close with “home,” we see Winterfell in the distance and then immediately cut to Jon and Daenerys, seconds later, riding horses as they accompany the Unsullied army to Jon’s childhood home.

13. Season 8 Trailer Jon Snow Daenerys Targaryen Unsullied Winterfell Arrival

I’m never going to get tired of these “seeing a dragon for the first time” reaction faces. Arya’s, which we see later, is more excited than most. Sansa, meanwhile, has the same reaction most other people have: awed reverence, with a hint of terror. In the next shot, we see Rhaegal and Drogon flying past Winterfell, which, incidentally, we’ve never seen so well-realized and detailed before. You may spot lots of little details there!

14. Season 8 Trailer Sansa Stark Winterfell Drogon Viserion

15. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Overview Drogon Viserion

Jon visits the crypts of Winterfell and Daenerys follows, not unlike Robert and Ned did right after the king’s arrival. Is Jon visiting Ned’s tomb, or does he know the truth of his parentage by this point, and he’s visiting his mother Lyanna’s statue? Honestly, I can’t tell. Both the Ned and Lyanna statues were to the left in previous seasons, looking from where people enter the crypts, while Jon is looking to a statue on the right side. Maybe the prop has been moved or the shot flipped. It wouldn’t be the first time!

16. Season 8 Trailer Crypts Winterfell Daenerys Targaryen Jon Snow 1

As we see this and some of the following shots, Jon warns us of the danger of the White Walkers: “They’re coming. Our enemy doesn’t tire. Doesn’t stop. Doesn’t feel.”

17. Season 8 Trailer Crypts Winterfell Daenerys Targaryen Jon Snow 2

Winterfell’s blacksmiths, led by Gendry, are busy working on Dragonstone’s dragonglass.

18. Season 8 Trailer Dragonglass Blacksmiths Winterfell

19. Season 8 Trailer Gendry Dragonglass Blacksmiths Winterfell

Jorah leads the Dothraki in front of a trench and the walls of Winterfell, now reinforced with spikes. The White Walkers may be a force to be reckoned with, but this coalition of the living has done as much as it can to get the Stark stronghold ready.

By the way, the sword strapped to Jorah’s hip appears to be be Heartsbane, the Tarly family sword. Considering the relationship Sam and Jorah forged at the Citadel, it would make a lot of sense for Sam to gift (or at least lend) Jorah the Valyrian steel sword of House Tarly, now that Jon has the Mormont family sword with Jorah’s own blessing.

20. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Battle Jorah Mormont Dothraki Unsullied

Grey Worm and Missandei share a fateful kiss right before battle, with the Unsullied around them. Jon’s speech about the White Walkers appropriately ends with how their enemy “doesn’t feel” just as we see the kiss. This is what the living are fighting for.

21. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Battle Missandei Grey Worm Unsullied

22. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Battle Missandei Grey Worm Kiss

Brienne fights against the wights on the Winterfell battlements, with an orange sky behind her. Whether the living win this one or not, Winterfell will suffer.

23. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Battle Brienne Tyrion Wights

Behind a screaming Jaime, I’m pretty sure that’s Podrick Payne.

24. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Battle Jaime Lannister Podrick Payne

At first glance the following seems like an unassuming Iron Throne room shot, and perhaps it is. We can see Cersei on the Iron Throne, with Qyburn and Gregor at her sides, as well as two other Queensguards. But the queen is receiving two people, both looking up at her. One’s right in the middle, in front of Cersei, and the other to our right, or Cersei’s left. The long gown of the figure on the right has many speculating she could be Sansa, which would place this much later in the season. Or it’s Yara, others say!

However, the golden-clad figure in the middle looks very much like it could be Harry Strickland, in which case he’s most likely accompanied by Euron, with a more typical Greyjoy tunic instead of his rocker outfit. Sansa is a juicier alternative, but to be honest I believe the simpler answer is most likely: this is a continuation of the earlier shots in which we saw Euron ferrying the Golden Company and Cersei seeing them arrive, in a pretty direct parallel to Euron’s first arrival to King’s Landing last season.

25. Season 8 Trailer King's Landing Red Keep Throne Room Cersei Lannister Harry Strickland Euron Greyjoy Qyburn Gregor Clegane

Next we see Cersei in her room with a wine glass. Lena Headey is, as always, showing her acting chops, displaying so many emotions in so little time. You may first see her characteristic smirk, but then you may notice her eyes are watery, and her mouth quivering. I won’t speculate about specifics, but what this tells me is that she’s, as usual, trying to convince herself that she’s more in control of her situation than she actually is.

26. Season 8 Trailer Cersei Lannister

Drogon and Rhaegal fly freely over the northern landscape! Not much to say about these shots, except that they’re absolutely beautiful. You can see where the money went!

27. Season 8 Trailer Drogon Viserion Flying North

28. Season 8 Trailer Drogon Viserion Flying North

We’ve seen this one before: Arya is in Winter town as the dragons fly over it on the way to Winterfell. The smallfolk run scared, while Arya has the aforementioned reaction all main characters usually get… but then she smiles. That is quite unique!

29. Season 8 Trailer Arya Stark Winter Town Winterfell Arrival Dragons

Grey Worm is ready for battle! I told you there were a lot of these. Also: notice the dragonglass embedded on his and every Unsullied’s shield. Dragonglass everywhere!

30. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Battle Grey Worm Unsullied Dragonglass

Jon alone in the Godswood. If they really want to hit those season one feels, he should now sit down and maintain Longclaw, just as Ned did with Ice in the series premiere.

31. Season 8 Trailer Jon Snow Godswood Heart Tree Weirwood-min (1)

Sandor Clegane’s burnt side lit by fire, in the middle of a storm. There’s a lot of meaning packed there. Will the Hound get past his fear of fire, and wield his own fiery sword? Now, we can’t see that here, but I do want it to happen… and there’s some evidence he may do just that. If it’s not him, it will be someone else, and not just Beric!

32. Season 8 Trailer Sandor Clegane Hound Fire

Jaime presents his case to the Targaryen-Stark court in Winterfell: “I promised to fight for the living. I intend to keep that promise.” With these words, not only does he echo his entire character arc, but the words he said to Cersei as he abandoned her: “I pledged to ride north. I intend to honor that pledge.” Cersei didn’t take that very well, but I hope the folks at Winterfell take it better, especially with Brienne’s support.

33. Season 8 Trailer Jaime Lannister Winterfell

Jon takes hold of a bow. Those flaps around his hands are part of Jon’s usual outfit, but technically it could be someone else with a similar Stark uniform.

34. Season 8 Trailer Bow North Jon Snow

Jon runs into what I’m sure is lots of danger, because that’s what he does.

35. Season 8 Trailer Jon Snow Running

These, two me, look like Knights of the Vale, especially as it’s followed by a shot of horses (or maybe it’s wolves led by a direwolf? I don’t want to get my hopes up.) However, they have no horses in this first shot, so either something has gone quite wrong or they’re not Valemen. In fact, I’m pretty sure something’s gone wrong anyway, because they’re running towards a closed gate. Uh uh.

36. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Battle Knights Vale Closed Gate

37. Season 8 Trailer Horses Direwolves

Dany and Jon pay a visit to her well-fed dragons Drogon and Rhaegal. Seeing them together like this, the size difference between Drogon and his brother is quite striking.

38. Season 8 Trailer Jon Snow Daenerys Targaryen Drogon Viserion 1

39. Season 8 Trailer Jon Snow Daenerys Targaryen Drogon Viserion 2

Sansa looks concerned here, but who doesn’t. She’s also looking beautiful!

40. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Sansa Stark

Spin that stick, Arya! We’ve seen Arya use her Needle quite a bit, as well as many of the abilities she learned at the House of Black and White. However, this is the first time since she practiced with the Waif that we’ve witnessed her skills with the stick.

41. Season 8 Trailer Arya Stark Winterfell Battle

More shots of understandably depressed people: Daenerys in her (and Jon’s?) Winterfell room; and Tyrion looking up. Note the lack of snow in the ground and the sunnier lighting. I’m not saying this means this is definitely from later in the season, when most if not all characters will be moving south but… I think that’s what I’m saying.

42. Season 8 Trailer Daenerys Targaryen Winterfell

43. Season 8 Trailer Tyrion

Drogon says hello in his particular way, frying the cameraman.

44. Season 8 Trailer Drogon

The Unsullied are (repeat with me) “ready for battle.” Also: notice the trebuchets in the background. Though I’m sure there’s lots of post-production replication going on here (I’m sorry, the dragons are fake too), the trebuchet prop is quite real and functional.

45. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Battle Unsullied Trebuchets

Brienne and Podrick are, hm, prepared to fight as well, at the head of knights of the Vale. Yet again, Robin Arryn’s men are horseless.

46. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Battle Brienne of Tarth Podrick Payne Knights Vale

In a similar shot, Jorah Mormont looks impatiently at the horizon, leading an army of Dothraki, out of focus. Are the White Walkers finally coming?

47. Season 8 Trailer Jorah Mormont Winterfell Battle

Yes. Yes they are. They’re coming. In fact, they’re here! An undead horse, presumably ridden by a White Walker, nears Winterfell. Our heroes are fucked.

48. Season 8 Trailer Winterfell Battle White Walkers Night King Horse Hooves

If you think we’ve missed anything important or you merely wish to speculate wildly, feel free to participate in the comments below! I doubt we’re getting another trailer, so analyzing this frame by frame is going to have to do. But don’t worry! There’s only little more than a month left of waiting! We’re almost there, and now we’ve got something tangible to taste before the our great last supper in April and May.

443 Comments

  1. It’s going to be SPECTACULAR. Thanks for the break-down!

    Now to find the strongest tea I can for the 2am viewing..!!! 😂😂😂

  2. so many emotions…. my only complain is the trailer its so freaking Dark lol good job as always

  3. The production values are next to none. Better than a lot of action movies. Season 8 gonna go out on a high

  4. Thank christ. You’re amazeballs and maybe you guys should all like advertise your amazon lists or something so we can send you a token of our appreciation for all your good works. I promise to buy you the most embarrassing thing on your list if you post. Mostly looking at Luka, Sue the MF Fury and Bex.

  5. Isn’t that just qyburn next to Cersei in the throne room? He has along black outfit usually not a gown

  6. The character fighting on the wall is clearly wielding the sword in the RIGHT HAND in the latter part of the shot. So it is either Brienne (or another two-handed character), or Jamie has gotten a new artificial hand that can attach a sword. Gendry’s blacksmithing work?

  7. Sansa looks just like she did as a child before the world hardened her. Well done Sophie!

    The Dany and Tyrion shots like that one after the other make me think Dany is learning of whatever Tyrion’s betrayal is here and Tyrion looks like he’s pleading with someone? His face looks very desperate. If he did betray someone I believe Tyrion betrayed Jon not Dany. Watching back season 7 he is almost a zealot for Dany’s cause at this point and has put all his eggs/hopes/dreams in her basket and he will do whatever it takes to protect her and the mission. If he had to promise Cersei Jon’s head to protect Dany, he would have. But in typical Tyrion fashion, his betrayal will have been for nothing and hurts him and Dany the most.

    I’ve actually come around to accepting Tyrion might die before the end. I could see Cersei having a hand in it but then being remorseful AF, knowing she just relegated the Lannisters to the history books.Or even worse: he promised her if anything happened to Jamie or the baby, he would impregnate her in order to continue the line. That would actually be the greatest irony for those 2. Forced to bang for the Lannister name. lol

  8. BioProf:
    The character fighting on the wall is clearly wielding the sword in the RIGHT HAND in the latter part of the shot. So it is either Brienne (or another two-handed character), or Jamie has gotten a new artificial hand that can attach a sword. Gendry’s blacksmithing work?

    Yeah I thought it was Brienne hacking down a Wight.

  9. Shane snow,

    The Mountain is to the left of Cersei and Qyburn is to the right.

    It’s the people at the bottom of the steps whose identities are in question.

  10. Charlie Stark:
    so many emotions…. my only complain is the trailer its so freaking Dark lol good job as always

    I agree. Too much of GoT when filmed at night or in dark places is difficult to make out or see what’s going on. Even in a dark room with just the TV on! The Season 5/6 scenes of Arya in the House of Black & White or in the Crypts of Winterfell being good examples.

  11. In Picture 33 “someone grabbing a stick” I think it is a bow – there is a bowstring and the grip looks more like one would grip a bow, not a spear. The unclear thing in front of the flame looks to me like a quiver with more arrows from another archer.

  12. I wrote it in an earlier thread, but I think it’s worth to copy it here, too.

    It’s regarding Cersei drinking wine with tears in her eyes. IMO this can mean only one thing: she’s taking some stuff to abort the child. She’s wearing the same dressing-gown she put on in Queen’s Justice after spending the night with Jaime. So, she is in her bedchamber, she’s half-dressed and she’s about to drink something with tears in her eyes. To me it just screams of the abortion. And Cersei is capable of that: Jaime mentioned that to Loras back in 402 that, even if Loras manged to impregnate her somehow, she would abort his children. And now Jaime is in the same cathegory: Cersei sees him as a traitor, so killing his child would be like a due revenge. And that would be a proper closure to her character arch: descending into full madness and dehumanisation.

  13. Thanks for the analysis Luka. Very quick off the mark!

    I posted this on the other thread, but thought I’d add it here too:
    Interesting comment on the Alt Shift X stream – there is a shot of what looks like Arya’s hand gripping a spear that might be from the throne room in king’s Landing. The flame to her left looks like it may be in the brazier that is around one of the columns in the throne room. Exciting stuff if this is true – we know Maisie has said Arya will be fighting between who she wants to be and her mission of old for revenge. It would make sense she gets tested on that conviction – where else than where her remaining enemies are?

    Also, did anyone else get an Arya vibe from the shot of the boy/girl climbing up to look at the arriving Unsullied? Arya in another face? Getting close to Jon and sizing him up before revealing her true self?

  14. And the sigil on the breast plates is a combination of the Stark direwolf and Targaryen 3-headed dragon.

  15. Inga:
    I wrote it in an earlier thread, but I think it’s worth to copy it here, too.

    It’s regarding Cersei drinking wine with tears in her eyes. IMO this can mean only one thing: she’s taking some stuff to abort the child. She’s wearing the same dressing-gown she put on in Queen’s Justice after spending the night with Jaime. So, she is in her bedchamber, she’s half-dressed and she’s about to drink something with tears in her eyes. To me it just screams of the abortion. And Cersei is capable of that: Jaime mentioned that to Loras back in 402 that, even if Loras manged to impregnate her somehow, she would abort his children. And now Jaime is in the same cathegory: Cersei sees him as a traitor, so killing his child would be like a due revenge. And that would be a proper closure to her character arch: descending into full madness and dehumanisation.

    While I agree that she would have been capable of that back then, now, I’m not so sure. She has lost everything. All her children are dead, her lover/brother has left her, her father is dead and her family is in ruins, all she has left to cling to is the power that she seems obsessed with seeking and now, this pregnancy. Last season, I believed her – all she wanted in that moment was to run away, far from that wighted monster, to find a safe place for her baby. I don’t think she would end this pregnancy now just to enact revenge on Jaime – not even if she is suffering from a catastrophic mental break down or descent to madness. I think she’d rather kill Jaime than her unborn child.

  16. In that shot of the dragons flying over the forest, does anyone else see a white speck near Drogon’s head where Dany would sit? I think she is riding Drogon in this scene and that white speck is her silver hair – possibly with Jon riding shotgun on their way north of the wall?

  17. This is not a spear, I guess..It’s a bow..there is a string just few inches up on the right

  18. Also, If you click on Sansa´s last picture you will see more details of her costume: she is wearing a blue scarf (ala Daenerys) but what strikes me the most is that black leather armour that she is wearing, my girl is wearing the Stark´s armour!

    https://i.redd.it/ku9rrqplgqzy.jpg just look at it, the black leather armour, the leather neckpiece…

    I asume this outfit is from episode 2 or 3 where the battle against the NK will be fought, and nope, she is not gonna fight but she is the Lady of Winterfell after all, she needs to look the part, just like Cersei did during the battle of blackwater.

  19. The thing that has me most SHOOK is Arya being so visibly devastated and terrified at the same time. I think she just witnessed someone(s) she loves slaughtered and reanimated by The Night King.

    To see ARYA so vulnerable, wounded, emotional and terrified…. Gendry? Sansa? The Hound? Maybe ALL of them?

    I am not ready for this. April 14th is too soon. I am not ready to see all of these characters I have become so attached to die. Arya, Jamie and Jon will be the hardest for me. 🙁

  20. As for Jon and Dany approching the dragons, it looks like the dragons have been there for some time: we see a typical “nest” covered with the remains of eaten animals – exactly like the one Drogaon made in the Dothraki Sea. But Drogon was hanging there for months, so it’s interesting. Looks like dragons will fly to the far North and spend some time on their own there. But what about Jon and Dany? Will they find them there or what? Anyway it looks like something from the end of the season.

  21. That shot of the throne room is driving me nuts.

    So we’ve got 7 people in play. Starting from the left is the figure walking presumably under the archway. Big figure to Cersei’s right/our left is the Mountain? But it looks like gold armor not the black he’s been sporting? Then we have Cersei, Qyburn and what is more likely to be the mountain, as he is wearing the black queensguard garb. So is that a person to Cersei’s right? Who?

    Then we have the person directly in front of her. This person looks to have long-ish brown hair, is wearing yellow/beige simple clothing, boots and their hands appear to be bound or else they just stand like that? If it’s a prisoner, why is no one guarding him? If it’s Harry S., why aren’t there more of Cersei’s military there to greet him? And why on earth would Cersei care to meet intimately with the head of a group of sellswords she doesn’t give 2 shits about?

    Then there’s “Euron” directly in front of Qyburn. The stature nor demeanor nor dress reminds me of Euron in any way except for it being all black. This almost looks like a dress similar to the one worn by Cersei’s main lady in waiting, who we last saw standing embarrassed at Cersei’s door staring at Jamie in Cersei’s bed.

    Neither Cersei nor the Mountain seem all that bothered. He’s off to the side, not standing at attention for any shit about to go down. Euron would most likely be standing up by Cersei, ignoring her personal space and not demurely off to the side.

    Anyway, until proven wrong I think this frame is super spoilery and that’s why every effort was made to make those 2 people as hard to 100% pin down as they could without leaving this out of the trailer entirely. But again, this was important enough to make the trailer. D&D are fanboys and they’ve always thrown in a split second of something to be found for the overtly curious. I’m saying this is it and I will die on this hill!

    I don’t know any spoilers or leaks if they even exist this season, only what I have read here. So as I posted elsewhere, my 3 best guesses for the mystery man/woman in front of Cersei are Jaqen H (55%) Daario (30%) and long shot, Edmure Tully (15%) because I would think if anyone were to bust Edmure out, it would be Jamie who would bring him and his family to Winterfell as a peace offering for the Starks.

    Could any of these people who we aren’t 100% sure on be Bronn? I mean, not likely with the whole Lena thing, but he could be the one walking almost through the archway?

  22. Laura:
    That shot of the throne room is driving me nuts.

    So we’ve got 7 people in play. Starting from the left is the figure walking presumably under the archway. Big figure to Cersei’s right/our left is the Mountain? But it looks like gold armor not the black he’s been sporting? Then we have Cersei, Qyburn and what is more likely to be the mountain, as he is wearing the black queensguard garb. So is that a person to Cersei’s right? Who?

    Then we have the person directly in front of her. This person looks to have long-ish brown hair, is wearing yellow/beige simple clothing, boots and their hands appear to be bound or else they just stand like that? If it’s a prisoner, why is no one guarding him? If it’s Harry S., why aren’t there more of Cersei’s military there to greet him? And why on earth would Cersei care to meet intimately with the head of a group of sellswords she doesn’t give 2 shits about?

    Then there’s “Euron” directly in front of Qyburn. The stature nor demeanor nor dress reminds me of Euron in any way except for it being all black. This almost looks like a dress similar to the one worn by Cersei’s main lady in waiting, who we last saw standing embarrassed at Cersei’s door staring at Jamie in Cersei’s bed.

    Neither Cersei nor the Mountain seem all that bothered. He’s off to the side, not standing at attention for any shit about to go down. Euron would most likely be standing up by Cersei, ignoring her personal space and not demurely off to the side.

    Anyway, until proven wrong I think this frame is super spoilery and that’s why every effort was made to make those 2 people as hard to 100% pin down as they could without leaving this out of the trailer entirely. But again, this was important enough to make the trailer. D&D are fanboys and they’ve always thrown in a split second of something to be found for the overtly curious. I’m saying this is it and I will die on this hill!

    I don’t know any spoilers or leaks if they even exist this season, only what I have read here. So as I posted elsewhere, my 3 best guesses for the mystery man/woman in front of Cersei are Jaqen H (55%) Daario (30%) and long shot, Edmure Tully (15%) because I would think if anyone were to bust Edmure out, it would be Jamie who would bring him and his family to Winterfell as a peace offering for the Starks.

    Could any of these people who we aren’t 100% sure on be Bronn? I mean, not likely with the whole Lena thing, but he could be the one walking almost through the archway?

    While I totally agree that D&D will try to misdirect us with a trailer and throw in things for split seconds to get everyone debating and building hype, I have to disagree on this one.

    I just compared the attire of the central figure to the earlier shot of Strickland on the boat. The baggy trousers are identical and on the central figure’s right shoulder, you can see the rounded pauldron (the shoulder guard), which is an identical shape and gleaming in the light as it is made of metal. I think he is merely standing with his hands behind his back, rather than being bound. It also makes sense that he would be central with Euron off to the side as he is the one whom has struck up a deal with Cersei; he is the one she needs to greet and discuss terms with – not Euron, who has merely delivered him and acted as a glorified uber eats. Also, the character’s attire on the right matches the Iron Island soldiers’ coats perfectly.

  23. I watched the trailer once. It’s EPIC! Now I won’t watch it again or delve too much into speculation until the season actually airs.

    So best regards from Lord Parramandas. Don’t forget to tune in my forum thread for my reviews when the season airs.

  24. Jack Bauer 24,

    The season seven finale was a bit misleading in that respect, I think. Just because it snowed once doesn’t mean it constantly has to. Similar to how we saw snow in the Vale in S4, but no longer in S5.

  25. Laura,

    That’s Euron. Just check out his long costume in S8 ET’s exclusive photos OR rewatch “The Dragon and The Wolf”

  26. “Jon runs into what I’m sure is lots of danger, because that’s what he does.” LOl…I was thinking the same thing.

    Great breakdown!

  27. I said it on the other thread, but I’ll say it here too:
    Someone commented that the robe Cersei is wearing while drinking her wine is the same color as her hair and it made me think: “Gold will be their crowns. Gold will be their shrouds.” Could it be that she’s taking her own life because she doesn’t want anyone else to have that control? (And yet on the other hand, I think she’s way too conceited to take her own life.)

    Also, I think Tyrion may be just looking up at the dragons wishing he were riding one of them (as many have speculated would be the case in books, etc.).

  28. I also noticed the bit about Cersei being in her dressing gown in the one shot, but I thought maybe she’d had a miscarriage and was just getting out of bed after recovering.

    I also thought on the shot of Daenerys with her eyes closed, about to cry… we mostly seem to assume it’s due to news about Jon’s parentage, but maybe she’s just gotten the news that the Wall has been brought down… by an undead dragon.

  29. Winter (yes, really): “Gold will be their crowns. Gold will be their shrouds.”

    I think that prophecy refers to her children, not Cersei herself.

    You’re right though. I think she’s way too conceited to take her own life, but who knows. I personally don’t think the valonqar prophecy will happen in the show. I believe Cersei will die either by dragonfire or wildfire. I think it would be poetic justice for her to die in a wildfire explosion, similar to how she took her enemies out in season 6.

  30. Che: While I totally agree that D&D will try to misdirect us with a trailer and throw in things for split seconds to get everyone debating and building hype, I have to disagree on this one.

    I just compared the attire of the central figure to the earlier shot of Strickland on the boat. The baggy trousers are identical and on the central figure’s right shoulder, you can see the rounded pauldron (the shoulder guard), which is an identical shape and gleaming in the light as it is made of metal. I think he is merely standing with his hands behind his back, rather than being bound. It also makes sense that he would be central with Euron off to the side as he is the one whom has struck up a deal with Cersei; he is the one she needs to greet and discuss terms with – not Euron, who has merely delivered him and acted as a glorified uber eats. Also, the character’s attire on the right matches the Iron Island soldiers’ coats perfectly.

    Well shit, you’ve derailed my dreams. But calling Euron a glorified Uber Eats driver made my day lol

    I just feel like the middle person looks too shabby to be the commander of the greatest mercenary company in the world. But I go to the store in my pjs so whatevs.

  31. Mr Derp,

    Oh I know that was in relation to the prophecy, but gold shrouds is how royalty is laid to rest in general, whether we’re referring to her kids or not. It was more a mental connection of her hair color and then her clothing being golden.

  32. The trailer is visually stunning- you can really see the high production values.

    Although I’d have liked some fitting score overlaid like the other seasons, and bummed to see only a light frost in WF.. hardly the winter that we’ve been described if you ask me (but I’ll let it slide for now).

    My thoughts:

    Arya is fleeing either from a loved one who has been wighted OR there is some connection to the Faceless men here. There are echoes of her flight from the waif, her pole fighting skills and also the juxtaposed reference to the many faced god/ god of death has me thinking this.

    Varys in the crypts with Gilly and the other women. I presume Sam will also be there protecting them. I mentioned in another thread that EW reported he’d be battling wights (with their own thing going on) and had theorised that the Kings of Winter might actually rise to attack those hiding. That could explain Varys’ look.

    Where are the dragons flying? Is it NOTW? That ravine looks like where Jon’s merry band were wight hunting- could they be searching for Viserion?

    The shot of them feeding looks to be after the battle- the sun is shining and they’re feasting on the carcasses of the fallen horses perhaps? Could be wrong here.

  33. Cersie’s Wine Glass tips off that she’s no longer concerned with being pregnant. Last season they made a statement of showing her refusing wine (for the first time ever in the show).

  34. The Many-Faced Goddess,

    One way or another, Dany crying should be from Ep 1 or 2: she’s wearing the same attire she wore in the set photo, where she was standing in the great hall of Winterfell (also with a rather emotional look on her face).

  35. Excellent trailer – enough to excite, not enough to piece the story together.

    Whatever the final story – Nikolaj is very committed to it. Very good cast member in that respect. That does not mean Jaime lives – just that he is happy to continue to participate in the hype. He really enjoyed this project.

    I glad they made him scream – early in his career, he was in Nightfall (?) where he gave such a fabulous scream in that morgue. D&D made sure to use that again!!!

    I hope that the actual episodes are not that dark. And I would have liked some more Tyrion.

  36. Cersei seems quite composed for someone with 2 giant trilobites crawling up her shoulders.

  37. Or could it be that the showrunners/costume department is doing another masterful job of attention-to-detail (circa Dany’s braids), dressing Cersei in gold as she has suffered a miscarriage (and loss of a royal child inside her)?

    Anyone else love reading too much into things? 🙂

  38. I’m seeing some people say they scaled the dragons down and Drogon looks smaller then last season. Anyone else notice this?

  39. Thanks for the great screen grabs. It is really hard to see details in the trailer as one needs night vision goggles to discern its contents. Your post greatly helps the vision impaired like myself.

    The figure on the battlement has the sword in the left hand as I see it. This looks to be Jaime as the non sword hand recalls his golden paw. However, the figure’s profile makes me think it’s Beric.

    Why are the dragons smaller in scale than they were in season 7…I wonder??? I’d assumed they’d be monstrously gigantic in season eight. This is my only disappointment so far.

  40. Winter (yes, really):
    Dyanna,

    I really think that’s just the statue of Robb’s wolf….next to the statue of Robb…

    Hadn’t thought of that although they would put Ghost down in the crypts. He would suffer Summer’s fate let loose up in the battleground with the Army of the Dead.

  41. Jack Bauer 24:
    I’m seeing some people say they scaled the dragons down and Drogon looks smaller then last season. Anyone else notice this?

    It’s become an annual tradition to parse over the minutiae of the dragons’ size, so it’s no surprise.

    I haven’t noticed a difference, but then again, it’s hard to tell from a trailer. I feel like it kind of depends on the shot. Sometimes they look smaller, sometimes they look bigger.

  42. Winter (yes, really):
    Dyanna,

    I really think that’s just the statue of Robb’s wolf….next to the statue of Robb…

    You’re so nice! lol I’m sitting over here cackling at a Ghost with no discernible features and not moving a muscle. But I’ve thrown a lot of crackpot theories out there today… can’t hate

  43. Jack Hamm:
    Thanks for the great screen grabs.It is really hard to see details in the trailer as one needs night vision goggles to discern its contents.Your post greatly helps the vision impaired like myself.

    The figure on the battlement has the sword in the left hand as I see it. This looks to be Jaime as the non sword hand recalls his golden paw.However, the figure’s profile makes me think it’s Beric.

    Why are the dragons smaller in scale than they were in season 7…I wonder???I’d assumed they’d be monstrously gigantic in season eight.This is my only disappointment so far.

    Maybe budget?

  44. Dyanna: Hadn’t thought of that although they would put Ghost down in the crypts. He would suffer Summer’s fate let loose up in the battleground with the Army of the Dead.

    I think that Ghost will be in the action, unfortunately, and not being kept with the noncombatants. They unleashed Ghost on the Wildings during the Watchers on the Wall episode. There’s no reason to think it won’t happen again.

  45. Can anyone see any Wights or WW’s in the fire? Looks like Brienne slices one down.

  46. Jack Bauer 24,

    Maybe. But that seems a careless reason for them being scaled down. It is ironic you wrote of people saying the dragons are smaller in scale five minutes before my singular observation posted. LOL

  47. I was waiting for this so I could look at all the stills big on my cpu screen. Thanks, Luka! Now, for some additional comments on some after doing so…

    Arya: I’m still convinced she survives, but being a main character Warrior she’s going to get in danger and put us on our seat edges.

    People hiding in crypts: Doesn’t that just seem like an awful place to hold up considering, surrounded by dead? Those wight that attacked Bran and company when they reached the cave were pretty darn skeletal… Of course we have to believe they can get out a back way if the main entrance is breached.

    Arya w/ dragonglass: It’s pretty obvious this is before she sees “this one.”

    GC on ship: I think the prop I saw with unknown armor was probably theirs. I was hoping it was for the Fiery Hand. I still hope they show up though.

    Tormund & Beric w/ Edd: For those that were certain after the S7 finale and haven’t been following, this shot of them is a spoiler.

    Winter town: While I’ve had my fantasy of Arya using a face to join J&D on the Kingsroad, I don’t think she’d do it right there at Winter town, and not as a young boy. Winter town has a shitload of people. Daenerys appears to be riding side-saddle next to Jon. If so it’s not super odd but not her usual riding method.

    Throne room: I agree the man facing Cersei is Harry. As much as my mind is telling me it’s a woman next to him I think I also have to agree it’s Euron in his long cloak.

    Dragons flying over and through the mountains/canyon is more reminiscent of beyond the Wall that anything they’ve shown arround Winterfell. Why would they be there is a question *

    J&D w/ D&R: Very, very desolate landscape * (and yes, I do think they overly undersized the dragons at least in this shot. Remember how large Drogon was next to Daenerys in S7…)

    ASNAWP twirling a staff/spear!! Effin’ YEAH!!

    * Regarding J&D and the dragons in “Winterland” – I won’t kid myself and believe it’s probable, but I wouldn’t mind those shots being from one of the last scenes in the finale with J&D just spending time together with Drogon and Rhaegal exploring way up in the Land of Always Winter.

  48. Che:
    In that shot of the dragons flying over the forest, does anyone else see a white speck near Drogon’s head where Dany would sit? I think she is riding Drogon in this scene and that white speck is her silver hair – possibly with Jon riding shotgun on their way north of the wall?

    Yep. I see a white blob on the Drogon’s back/neck – probably Dany in her white coat. Not sure if Jon is riding shotgun. They might as well have edited him out for the trailer so that they don’t spoil anything exciting.

  49. Thank you for the breakdown Luka!

    What a day! GoT trailer drops and Ajax beats Real Madrid and goes to the quarter final.

  50. “I’ve seen it. You’ve seen it. Everyone’s seen it. ”

    FYI, I haven’t seen it and I don’t intend to. I prefer to see the show completely fresh.

  51. Jack Hamm:
    Why are the dragons smaller in scale than they were in season 7…I wonder???I’d assumed they’d be monstrously gigantic in season eight.This is my only disappointment so far.

    Accidentally put through the dryer on high.

  52. Laura:
    Sansa looks just like she did as a child before the world hardened her. Well done Sophie!

    The Dany and Tyrion shots like that one after the other make me think Dany is learning of whatever Tyrion’s betrayal is here and Tyrion looks like he’s pleading with someone? His face looks very desperate. If he did betray someone I believe Tyrion betrayed Jon not Dany. Watching back season 7 he is almost a zealot for Dany’s cause at this point and has put all his eggs/hopes/dreams in her basket and he will do whatever it takes to protect her and the mission. If he had to promise Cersei Jon’s head to protect Dany, he would have. But in typical Tyrion fashion, his betrayal will have been for nothing and hurts him and Dany the most.

    I’ve actually come around to acceptingTyrion might die before the end. I could see Cersei having a hand in it but then being remorseful AF, knowing she just relegated the Lannisters to the history books.Or even worse: he promised her if anything happened to Jamie or the baby, he would impregnate her in order to continue the line. That would actually be the greatest irony for those 2. Forced to bang for the Lannister name. lol

    I wanted to add to Laura’s post about Tyrion’s betrayal/new Lannister baby… We saw in season 7 Tyrion press Danny to name her heir, as they both believe she can not have children, but Danny refuses to name one until after she won the thrones. So maybe in the last episode of season 7 when Tyrion has his private conversation with Cersei, he strikes a deal with her that he will make sure that Danny’s heir is the child Cersei is carrying???

  53. Are we absolutely certain Arya is running through Winterfell and not the dungeons of King’s Landing in that opening scene? She doesn’t look like she is wearing her winter garb in those opening shots.

  54. Whatever happens to Cersei – we need to drink a glass to Lena Headley. She has delivered and delivered and delivered.

  55. Inga,

    Both Jon and Dany reportedly filmed alone in Iceland at one point with only a film crew and no other actors. They may have modified those flying scenes to avoid spoilers.

  56. Well, my evening is booked! Going over analyses, reactions, watching the trailer myself a few (edit: many) more times..!

  57. Jack Hamm: Ha, ha!You!

    Oh, yes they are!

    Well, it is quite a bit colder than they’re used to….shrinkage? 😜 No, I think it’s probably camera angles. Hollywood always pressuring actors to lose weight…you know how it goes in the industry.

  58. The Many-Faced Goddess,

    Agreed too many people seem to discount Dany being heartbroken over learning what Viserion has become what she said a dragon would never be “a slave” I imagine she’ll blame herself and know only she can stop him so it will be a emotional time for her

  59. Has anyone pointed out Nikolaj’s use of final in “final trailer” yet? Sounds pretty much like a confirmation that’s the only trailer we are getting folks… :/ A man mustn’t be too greedy of course 🙂

  60. Flippant1:
    Are we absolutely certain Arya is running through Winterfell and not the dungeons of King’s Landing in that opening scene? She doesn’t look like she is wearing her winter garb in those opening shots.

    That’s the Winterfell interior set. Also dungeons don’t have windows to the outside world.

  61. They all look so frightened! It’s like they’re facing their mortality for the first time ever.

    I’ve been thinking of the final season as enjoyable, like previous seasons. I think this one might be painful.

    Those pictures of the army arriving are exhilarating!

    I expected more women and chidren in the cryts…the entire population of wintertown. Why are there so few? Maybe they are sitting in another area or the walkers snuck up on winterfell before people could get to the castle?

    Last time we saw the dragons like that is right before Dany flew off to save the wight hunters. They were waking up in the mist on the Dragonstone cliffs. It would be the last time we saw the three of them together.

    I hope that doesn’t mean this is the last time we’ll see the two together.

  62. HayashiM:
    Has anyone pointed out Nikolaj’s use of final in “final trailer” yet? Sounds pretty much like a confirmation that’s the only trailer we are getting folks… :/ A man mustn’t be too greedy of course 🙂

    Yeah I saw that. I think he was mistaken because I’m still holding out hope for one more short one beginning of April. But if this is the only one I’m content.

  63. Pigeon: Well, it is quite a bit colder than they’re used to….shrinkage? 😜 No, I think it’s probably camera angles. Hollywood always pressuring actors to lose weight…you know how it goes in the industry.

    Yes, yes I do. It could be my vision, also. I initially thought the figure fighting on the battlements posted here in the screen grab had a sword in the left hand, but upon re-watching the trailer, I can now see this is clearly right-handed Brienne. LOL So much for trick photography.

  64. Scene with Cersei, looking teary eyed, but somewhat smiling, and drinking a glass of wine. Even though she is pregnant! Interesting!!!

  65. I can believe this will be the only actual trailer, but I won’t rule out some additional little teasers or other shots popping up in ads.

  66. Something just crossed my mind… Considering how frightened Arya is, what if it’s just a nightmare? Perhaps that’s a silly thought but it could be something showing her inner turmoil which Maisie eluded to in her character tease. “There’s this split with Arya between trying to be who she wants to be — getting back to that naiveté and innocence with her family — and her unfinished business.”

  67. Viki: I wanted to add to Laura’s post about Tyrion’s betrayal/new Lannister baby… We saw in season 7 Tyrion press Danny to name her heir, as they both believe she can not have children, but Danny refuses to name one until after she won the thrones. So maybe in the last episode of season 7 when Tyrion has his private conversation with Cersei, he strikes a deal with her that he will make sure that Danny’s heir is the child Cersei is carrying???

    Aw man, can you imagine! That made the vein in my neck pulsate with rage! If Tyrion did that, he’d deserve to be burned alive. Of course he would think that his counsel is the secret sauce to all good kings and queens. Of course he’d think he’s going to be the one really running the show.

  68. Viki: maybe in the last episode of season 7 when Tyrion has his private conversation with Cersei, he strikes a deal with her that he will make sure that Danny’s heir is the child Cersei is carrying???

    Unfortunately this isn’t he first time I’ve seen that fan theory.

  69. I think that Cersei lost her baby, because of her eyes and of course she’s drinking wine again.

  70. Clob:
    I can believe this will be the only actual trailer, but I won’t rule out some additional little teasers or other shots popping up in ads.

    Yeah I could see that. They still have 39 days to promote starting tomorrow. Since they didn’t space out the posters, EW covers and trailer, they probably have something else. We still need the season poster.

  71. Mango:
    Whatever happens to Cersei – we need to drink a glass to Lena Headley. She has delivered and delivered and delivered.

    Agreed. She’ll get snubbed at the Emmy’s again probably.

  72. What is Arya carrying in her left hand (second pic)? Is it the dragonglasdigger?
    Is it her own blood on her face and clothes?
    Does she fear for herself or for someone else?

  73. Wow Twitter is a minefield already people are hating on Dany being in the crypts but apparently it’s okay for Varys, Gilly and the others to be there

  74. Mel:
    Wow Twitter is a minefield already people are hating on Dany being in the crypts but apparently it’s okay for Varys, Gilly and the others to be there

    I’ve seen a swarm of people also mad that the battle is at night and you “can hardly see anything”.

  75. Is it just me or is it weird Arya is holding a dragon glass dagger when she already has a Valyrian dagger to kill the dead unless she loses it or gives it to someone

  76. If you pause the Arya scene (like I did) she is running from a woman zombie. Creepy! It’s very hard to see. The woman zombie is not a white and must be someone of importance to have Ayra scared!

  77. Mel:
    Jack Bauer 24,

    Honestly why can’t we all just be happy and enjoy this, no need to bring negativity to the final season

    Agreed. I’m thrilled with the trailer. Just a little over a month to go!

  78. Mel:
    Is it just me or is it weird Arya is holding a dragon glass dagger when she already has a Valyrian dagger to kill the dead unless she loses it or gives it to someone

    Good point. She even has the Valyrian one on her belt while holding the dragonglass one.

  79. The Dothraki not having a recognizable leader like Grey Worm has hurt them. We’ve seen footage and stills of the Unsullied in the forefront and the Dothraki have been neglected.

  80. Looks like Harry Strickland and Euron standing before Cersei. From the back, Euron’s usual robe definitely has a “dress” like quality if seen from a distance and a bit blurry. I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be the two of them.

  81. “Sandor Clegane’s burnt side lit by fire, in the middle of a storm. There’s a lot of meaning packed there. Will the Hound get past his fear of fire, and wield his own fiery sword? Now, we can’t see that here, but I do want it to happen… and there’s some evidence he may do just that. If it’s not him, it will be someone else, and not just Beric!”

    ———
    Sandor Clegane = Warrior of Light confirmed!

  82. Anyone have a guess what Jaime is yelling? Looks/sounds like either “Bronn” or “Run” to me. I would so much rather it be “Run.”

  83. Just checked in and saw hundreds of comments.
    I’ll say this: The trailer is Arya-centric. It starts with her, and features her in action.

    ASNAWP!!!

  84. Clarkville:
    Scene with Cersei, looking teary eyed, but somewhat smiling, and drinking a glass of wine. Even though she is pregnant! Interesting!!!

    A Lannister incest bastard with fetal alcohol syndrome? Say hello to Orson II.

  85. Black Raven,

    Typically people with newer TVs (1080 P and 4K) have to recalibrate their tv view settings differently to get things made out more clearly—even in dark rooms. Most TVs are taken home and kept on factory settings (pre settings like “cinema, games, darkroom, HDR…etc). But even those presets need to likely be recalibrated for your space. Each setting allows you to update it yourself, but it’s a tedious process. It’s helpful to google “omtimum settings for what ever your tv make and model is and see what comes up to use as a guide).

  86. In the “Crying Cersei” shot, she’s got her wine glass. In S7 E7, Tyrion deduced Cersei was pregnant by her refusing to drink. The “Crying Cersei” shot may be post-miscarriage.

  87. You mean to tell me that the Unsullied (recently of the sunny climes of Meereen) and the Dothraki (from the Great Grass Sea) aren’t going to do well fighting ice monsters in the snow? How could that be possible?

    For reals though, the first fight at Winterfell is going to go baaaaadly for the living. We’re going to lose a lot of folks in heroic last-stands early in the season. I, for one, welcome that- fewer plot exigencies means more time for story.

  88. Jack Bauer 24:
    The Dothraki not having a recognizable leader like Grey Worm has hurt them. We’ve seen footage and stills of the Unsullied in the forefront and the Dothraki have been neglected.

    My SO and I are avid readers/watchers and I was trying to show him Khal Pono last night and he had no clue who I was talking about. They really did need their own Tormund. Now they’re probably all dead.

    Ok, so did no women from the Dosh Khaleen come? Doesn’t Dany have any ladies in waiting? I was pondering if Missandei has to braid Dany’s hair and bathe her and shit which doesn’t seem fitting for the queen’s most trusted advisor. I guess there are just tons of unseen seamstresses and cooks and maids though. Seems weird to literally never show them

  89. steff666: Good point. She even has the Valyrian one on her belt while holding the dragonglass one.

    I think she has a dragon glass spear in the quick twirl shot. Maybe she has the spear for long range and she will still use the dagger in close attacks. Often Bronn and others keep their daggers ready while they also have their sword. She’s definitely going to be doing some serious stick twirls and stabbing something. Arya should have an advantage fighting in the dark.

  90. Tron79: I think she has a dragon glass spear in the quick twirl shot. Maybe she has the spear for long range and she will still use the dagger in close attacks. Often Bronn and others keep their daggers ready while they also have their sword.She’s definitely going to be doing some serious stick twirls and stabbing something.Arya should have an advantage fighting in the dark.

    I’m talking about the opening, running scene, she has the Valyrian steel dagger at her belt while holding a dragonglass one.

  91. Clarkville,

    During the Cersei drinking and on the verge of tears scene. Did anyone else hear what sounded like an incoming explosion? Like when the wild fire blew up the sept, everyone in there heard loud boom noises getting closer befor the screen went KABOOM in wildfire green. To me, she appeared resigned to having done something as a last ditch effort to hurt her enemies. I could totally seeing her blowing up the city w/out regard for herself, thought I do agree it’s tough to think she’d atually be able to end herself.

  92. We are probably watching 2 battles in the trailer, 1 with the dead and a 2nd one with another army, doesn’t make sense to see some characters outside the walls of winterfell confronting the army of the dead and in other scenes fighting inside the walls…

  93. Patrick,

    I think they’d want to confront the dead as far outside the WF walls as possible. The more they lose, the further back they’ll retreat, until they have nowhere left to go except inside.

  94. Jack Bauer 24: The Dothraki not having a recognizable leader like Grey Worm has hurt them. We’ve seen footage and stills of the Unsullied in the forefront and the Dothraki have been neglected.

    Staz Nair was there as Qhono to the end of last season , tho it was not clear he was ever made head of the Dothraki ‘ khalasar’.. who was leading the Dothraki in episode
    4? ….. is Staz Nari back?

  95. Thanks for the quick breakdown, like most here, Cersei’s facial expressions and Arya’s terrifying corridor quantlet are my favs; one snippet that garnered my attention was Beric, Tor and Edd. I have this feeling they were entering an unknown and possibly dangerous situation, this wouldn’t be WF, the walls and the whole vibe is like a tomb in an ancient structure. Perhaps they come across it fleeing the wall, or it becomes exposed when the wall falls. Maybe Bran relays important info to them and sends them on a mission. I get a tomb raider, Indiana Jones feel about it.

  96. Patrick:
    We are probably watching 2 battles in the trailer, 1 with the dead and a 2nd one with another army, doesn’t make sense to see some characters outside the walls of winterfell confronting the army of the dead and in other scenes fighting inside the walls…

    Maybe NK sends a portion of the army at first and then after they cause some chaos he shows up with the rest of a massive army. Maybe at the end that’s him on the horse arriving with the rest of the AotD.

  97. steff666,

    I can’t see her holding a dragon glass dagger while running from my computer here at work. It’s too dark on this screen. I see her catspaw’s dagger on her belt though… I can see it alot better on my roku on my tv in a dark room! so I will look again when I get home in a bit.

  98. So very happy the trailer dropped today, so that we can all be doing exactly what we are doing now: viewing each frame over and over, profusely thanking the person, in this case, Luka, for breaking it down frame by frikken frame. Thank you so much Luka! I had been in a little personal funk lately, made worse by the prospect that there wouldn’t be a proper trailer, and that I wouldn’t have the fun of reading everyone’s opinions about what was shown. This is like WotW of past seasons, and probably one of the last times we’ll be doing this. Now I’m sad again.

    Anyway, seeing a wildly frightened, disheveled, bloodied Arya racing through catacombs was unexpected. I went back and looked at the Waif chase and the cat chase in KL and she never had fear like this on her face. Someone suggested this could be a dream/nightmare scene. If this were a prior season where they had time to spare I might agree. But I think this is real, abject fear on her face, juxtaposed with the scene of a cool, polished, confident Arya probably replying to someone who is trying to explain to her what facing the wights and WW means. Maybe Dany and Jon are telling her what they’ve seen and she’s trying to appear cool and experienced in front of them.

    When I saw the scene of the Golden Company, I at first thought it looked like a scene of a younger Jaime. It’s been discussed here several times whether or not they will betray Cersei. Their word is as good as gold, yes, but this sure looks like the end of their world, doesn’t it? Maybe the combination of them having been formed by Targaryens and Jorah having been one of them will sway things in favor of Jon/Dany.

    Tormund made it off the Wall! at least it looks like it. Ye gods, I’m not looking forward to him biting the dust, or anyone else in the North really. Don’t know how I’m going to be able to stand it.

    That scene of Bran talking to Sam has me worried. There hasn’t been much said about the look of sadness and worry on Sam’s face, because that whole bit was narrated by Bran’s voice telling someone else, probably Jon, they’ve come home. But Sam looking away, probably in the direction of where Gilly and little Sam are hiding, has me really worried about what Bran may have told him about what’s going to happen. I hope Sam listens to Bran and then has some genius idea about how to interpret what Bran has said. Or comes up with some brilliant way for everyone to survive – Sam is always at his best in a crunch; he saved Gilly from the White Walker, he figured out how to cure Jorah at the last minute, he made sure Jon got the word about the dragonglass. I really believe Sam is going to survive this, he always does. It didn’t surprise me that he wasn’t hiding with Gilly and Varys in that scene; it’s like fighting at Castle Black, it’s “what men do.” He will be out fighting to protect them, then come back for them.

    more later especially about Jaime, but gotta go now. Yay, a trailer, Yay

  99. “Everything you did brought you where you’re now. Where you belong. Home.”

    Bran talking to the Night king? 🙂

  100. Apollo: Although I’d have liked some fitting score overlaid like the other seasons, and bummed to see only a light frost in WF.. hardly the winter that we’ve been described if you ask me (but I’ll let it slide for now).

    Lol, there was more snow when Theon and Sansa jumped from the walls.

  101. Did Jaime scream a name in that dark battle shot? I thought I heard “Bronn”, but I’m not sure.

  102. Thronetender,

    “Anyway, seeing a wildly frightened, disheveled, bloodied Arya racing through catacombs was unexpected. I went back and looked at the Waif chase and the cat chase in KL and she never had fear like this on her face. Someone suggested this could be a dream/nightmare scene. If this were a prior season where they had time to spare I might agree. But I think this is real, abject fear on her face, juxtaposed with the scene of a cool, polished, confident Arya probably replying to someone who is trying to explain to her what facing the wights and WW mean.”
    ——
    • Thronetender! Good to see your name again. Looking forward to some “high thread count” ™️ scenes in S8.
    ™️ Thronetender 2017

    • The fear on Arya’s face as she’s running away from something? It made me flash back to frightened Arya from 4:00 to the end of the clip below from S1: terrified when Meryn Trant and his stooges attack Syrio; pleading with Syrio to “come with me… run!”; and then especially at the very end, running down the dark passageway uttering “Not today. Not today. Not today…” All this after learning “there is only one god and his name is Death.”

    My goodness. Look at her face. Maisie Williams is a natural.

  103. I haven’t seen any discussion on this but

    Luka

    the first shot of the 3 ships you mention they are most likely Theon and his sparse crew.

    The next ship sequence is the GC with Euron and his ‘tweaked’ sigil.

    How did Euron tweak the sigil? I just assumed all ships shown were the GC?

  104. I don’t know if anyone mentioned this but if the White Walkers can raise the dead, could that be what Arya is seeing in the crypts that has her in such terror? Her father and co. being raised from their resting spot? I know Ned is all bones but I am not sure what the WW power is when it comes to the long dead. I am just pulling shit out of my rear but to see such fear in Aryas eyes is rare. I love that we get to see her vulnerability nonetheless.

    And I totally thought the figure slashing with the fire behind them was Sandor, just by the flopping hair. Maybe wishful thinking because damn, I love him. Sandor and Davos die, I riot alone.

  105. Ten Bears: Thronetender! Good to see your name again. Looking forward to some “high thread count” ™️ scenes in S8.
    ™️ Thronetender 2017

    Thank you TB, I missed you, too. Yes, there will be many such scenes, and we will, ahem, stroke their luxurious count together, no? Jeez, I’m typing in Syrio’s accent – thank you for that nifty scene.

    I agree, Arya looked scared there, but she was just a little girl then, not experienced in dealing with treachery, betrayal and real physical danger, although even then she was getting hit with sticks. I remember how outraged I was when Waifbitch hit her with a stick. Arya of now running through the tunnels so frightened means it’s something really horrific. I hope it’s not seeing someone she knows and loves get “wightified.” I don’t think I could stand that, either. But you were right, Maisie is a natural.

  106. LOVED the trailer! Thanks for the very detailed breakdown, Luka!

    Poor Alfie. I’m gonna cry when he goes…

    Conspicuously missing from the trailer:
    Melisandre. Where will she and Arya meet again?

  107. steff666,

    I just watched it again in a completely dark room on TV (roku). It was f’n amazing the difference. It was a totally different experience for me from watching on the same TV in the afternoon. I know how I will be watching all the episodes this season! Yes, I saw Arya’s dragonglass dagger this time. It looked longer than the catspaw dagger. It was longer than a dagger but not as long as a sword in my opinion, so she may be using it when the WW are a little farther away, and she still has her secondary catspaw dagger when they are close. I definitely saw it this time though. The chase looked even more incredible, and the colors and contrast (even in the darkest scenes) really popped on the TV. If it’s filmed like a horror movie, what could be better than viewing in a completely dark room at night when no light can get through the closed blinds. I could see the ASNAWP stick swirl even better too…Wow. I’m still not sure who she’s hitting.

  108. Kels: Sandor and Davos die, I riot alone

    No, you will not be alone, I will be right there with you moaning and groaning, for I too like them both very much. I like Bronn, too, but it looks like there won’t be too much of him to mourn in this season, didn’t see hide nor hair of him anywhere in either the covers that were released yesterday or the trailer.

  109. Inga,

    Hi Inga!

    I’m replying to your comment earlier today at 2:46 pm under the first trailer article. I think you suggested that Cersei might be aborting her child.

    Along those lines, I have been assuming since last season ended that there’s no way in the world Euron is going to let that baby come to term. After all, one of the perks of marrying a queen is to crank out an heir so that your own kid will be the next king or queen. Their deal is that Cersei will marry him once the war is over.

    Euron as stepfather to Jamie’s incest bastard? Not in a million years. Especially now that Jaime’s not around to protect the unborn child.

    If Euron gains some leverage over Cersei – and he’s already got some by virtue of commanding her navy and possibly the Golden Company – I could easily envision him extorting Cersei and forcing her to drink that abortion potion (forget what it’s called… “moon tea”?).

    That could explain Cersei’s near-crying, and her resumption of wine drinking.

    Though Euron forcing Cersei to terminate her pregnancy would contradict my own tinfoil Valanqar theories, it would make some sense now that she’s isolated in KL with only Qyburn and ZombieGregor – and dependent on a complete nut job like Euron for her military support.

  110. Just watched again and have to add that brief scene of Gteyworm putting in his helmet, oh my God! He looks down right evil and I love it! I really fear for him, too.
    And Varys looks terrified. Holy shit. This is going to be so intense.

    I’m ready for Sandor to wield a firey sword.
    There is a few missing pieces in the trailer (Theon, Yara, Melisandre) but I loved that it wasn’t just the Jon & Dany show. I loved that the last face we saw was Jorah. There are too many players and it’s so cool that so many make up the end game.

  111. Boojam,

    Qhono has being there since S6 and he was seen in the Arya sees the dragons teaser, i’m not sure about the rest of the Dothraki I haven’t seen a single other one yet, if their even there since they were riding to WF not catching the boat like the rest

  112. Ashara D: Conspicuously missing from the trailer:
    Melisandre. Where will she and Arya meet again?

    Not in the trailer, but at least in some of the pics that were recently released. Wasn’t there one of her and Davos, with Davos glaring daggers at her? Pretty sure we are seeing her again, she told Varys something about having to die “in this strange country,” didn’t she? I wonder if anyone else ever finds out she’s really about 400 years old?

  113. Great breakdown, Luka!

    -Seeing Arya so terrified is … well, terrifying. Especially when we see her looking so fearless and badass earlier (later in the trailer).

    -The Golden Company looks great. And yes, Harry Strickland really does look like Jaime – specifically the Season 1 iteration of Jaime – from the back.

    -Glad to see that Tormund and my #1 dude Beric were confirmed to be alive (Edd as well). Yes, those of us who frequent this site knew that they had survived, but now the world does as well. Nice to see Gendry make an appearance as well after he was missing from the posters!

    -I absolutely love the way that shot of the boy in Winter Town mirrors Bran and Arya watching the King’s Arrival in the pilot. I expect that the Season 8 premiere will have many such callbacks.

    -I love Grey Worm and Missandei to death. No, I didn’t mean their death. Please no. PROTECT GREY WORM AND MISSANDEI! (goddamn it … Grey Worm is doomed, isn’t he?).

    -Lena Headey does SO MUCH with just a few seconds in this #GameOfThrones trailer. For the love of God, can the Television Academy PLEASE remember to give her an Emmy this summer? It’s their last chance to reward her for everything she’s done as Cersei Lannister over eight seasons.

    “I promised to fight for the living. I intend to keep that promise.” – Jaime Lannister, Oathkeeper.

    -Dragons. That is all. To quote Tyrion Lannister “I’d say you get used to them … but you never really do.” Truer words never spoken.

    -Speaking of dragons, that shot of Dany and Jon walking towards Drogon and Rhaegal is everything I wanted and needed to see. Dare I hope we may be seeing two dragonriders there?

    -I’ve now seen about 15 seconds of the otherworldly epicness that will be the Battle of Winterfell and I don’t know how I’m going to handle 90 minutes of it. But you can be damn sure that I will find a way.

  114. Haha, the much vaunted “longest shot battle scene ever” is shot in the dark. No wonder they were hiding the trailer for so long.

  115. Danielle Stark,

    Agree. I was actually disappointed to see emotional Arya. It has to be witnessing someone she loves…not sure but hope she pulls her shit together to get Cersei before the mother of madness gulps down the poison like her and Tommen were about to before Tywin rescued them from Stannis.

  116. “Everything you did brought you where you’re now. Where you belong. Home.”

    I can see this quote apply to only two people who will be in Wintrrfell..

    First it can be Arya…and i would like to bet that Arya’s line about death and this bran line is where the both have a conversation..

    Then it applies to Dany ..in a way it has been her destiny to reach the North and beyond the wall..and she is the one who constantly searches for home ..
    What better way to end dany’s search with Bran aka three eyed raven telling the girl who started her journey to vaes dothrak and now after everything finally at Wintrrfell that this is it..that this is your home and these are your family…

    Have to say dragons really look smaller than what I had expected..

    Am i the only one that thought The stick that Arya wields may have been the one that White walkers have with them..

    Speaking about journeys..it hits me everytime how much the characters have grown and travelled from Kong’s arrival in episode 1 to the Queen’s Arrival in season 8..

    Also are we sure that jon is standing alone in the Godswood..I imagine dany may be there and we are unable to see her.

    I Don’t think this will be the last trailer and do expect one more trailer next month..

  117. rizwan:
    Haha, the much vaunted “longest shot battle scene ever” is shot in the dark. No wonder they were hiding the trailer for so long.

    What?

  118. I am REALLY looking forward to seeing a scene with Sam giving Heartsbane to Jorah. I love those two together.

    The only use the dead in the crypts of Winterfell would have would be to blind the enemy when their ashes/dust are thrown in their eyes.

  119. Thronetender,

    As I understand it, one of book! Syrio’s mantras that Arya adopted that didn’t make it into the show was something like “Fear cuts deeper than swords.”

    The show did feature Syrio’s lesson to Arya: “If you are with your troubles when fighting happens… more trouble for you.”

    I could see Arya freaking out about something truly horrific… but then regaining her composure, drawing on her training and inner fortitude.

    Without exception, from the very first scene in S1e1, anyone who has encountered wights or White Walkers for the first time has lost his sh*t.
    Arya would be no different – except that she’s more equipped to deal with it. As Beric said in S7e7: “Death is the enemy.” Echoing Syrio from S1 (“There is only one god and his name is Death”), Arya had told Beric back in S3 that “Death” is her god. So she’s intimately familiar with the enemy.

    As Luka aptly described the snippet from the trailer:

    Arya grabs one of the now mass-produced dragonglass blades as she exclaims: “I know Death. He’s got many faces. I look forward to seeing this one.” Arya may not have become No One, but as we’ve seen she gained many of the Faceless Men’s abilities and beliefs. Of course, Arya’s started deifying Death all the way back in season one, with Syrio Forel.”

    That’s how I see it playing out. After the initial shock subsides, Arya will realize that dealing with the Dead is the same dance, just a different tune. (“Been there, done that, got the tee shirt.”)

  120. So now this season we confirm most likely the winter(white walkers) will fall in winterfell. Do we think storms end and Kong’s landing will have meaning to the names? Like Euron during in storms end or something. I know it’s somewhat been some theories for a long time about the meanings of the places .

  121. Took a break for a few hours… ☺

    Reading through one thing jumped out. I don’t think Arya having a Valyrian steel dagger and holding the the dragonglass dagger means anything. It’s probably just a conversation with someone regarding dragonglass, she picks it up and says that.

  122. Those scenes of Cersei really have my mind reeling – first she has that trademark Cersei smug-face, thought to be her happiness at seeing the Golden Company float in. Then that long-distance shot of an otherwise empty throne room, with two people standing before her. Is there any way to zero in a smidge closer to see if the hands of the man on the left really are bound or not? Why would the throne room be devoid of EVERY one? where is everyone else? Surely the entire populace didn’t get roasted in the Sept? Wouldn’t Cersei have replaced some of the fawners and hangers-on with new imports? Unless word of oncoming armies has already gotten out and everyone took off. In which case, this scene is a little later than the first two episodes, no?

    If one of the two people is Euron, as Luka suspects, then what a laughable come-down for Euron. The last time he sailed home, with Ellaria and Yara, he was swelled with pride that the townspeople were calling out his name in adoration. Now, crickets. Ha. Will he have nerve enough to try to call in the debt Cersei agreed to?

    Which leads to the last pic, of melancholy Cersei, glass of something in her hand, wistful tears in her eyes. Cersei wistful?!! What would cause such a thing? I think when Joffrey died, she cried a few tears but they were mostly rage; when Myrcella died, Cersei was resigned that it was her predicted fate; she didn’t seem to cry overmuch that I remember. When Tommen died, she was already so hardened she told Qyburn to bounce his remains out to the ash heap at the Sept. Not one tear there. Now, she’s glassy-eyed, seemingly fighting to keep her composure. Did she grant Euron a night with her to get back at Jaime? Or, like many have said, has she heard bad news about Jaime? This seems like something in a later episode, too.

    I, too, will be sad and wistful if there is bad news re Jaime. He wasn’t my fav character in the beginning, but seeing him doggedly determined to “fight for the living” really ramped up my regard for him. I was already cheering him on when he left Cersei last season. Now, seeing that he made it to Winterfell to relay the news of Cersei’s betrayal and the coming of the Golden Company (I’m assuming he does that, why wouldn’t he?) and proclaiming himself pro-North, I’m ecstatic for him. If those other pics are of Brienne on the ramparts fighting a wight, with golden fire light blazing behind her in the distance, the same light is behind Jaime in the next pic. Is this where he dies in Brienne’s arms? Saving her?

  123. Tron79:
    steff666,

    “I just watched it again in a completely dark room on TV (roku).It was f’n amazing the difference. It was a totally different experience for me from watching on the same TV in the afternoon. I know how I will be watching all the episodes this season! Yes, I saw Arya’s dragonglass dagger this time. It looked longer than the catspaw dagger. It was longer than a dagger but not as long as a sword in my opinion,so she may be using it when the WW are a little farther away, and she still has her secondary catspaw dagger when they are close.I definitely saw it this time though. The chase looked even more incredible, and the colors and contrast (even in the darkest scenes) really popped on the TV. If it’s filmed like a horror movie, what could be better than viewing in a completely dark room at night when no light can get through the closed blinds. I could see the ASNAWP stick swirl even better too…”

    Let that be a heads up to anyone whinging about the nighttime scenes being too dark.

    Simple solution courtesy of Tron79: Don’t watch S8 on a crappy small monitor in a room with the lights on.

    Close the blinds, turn off all the lights, and watch on the high(est) definition TV available. I know from experience in prior seasons it makes a world of difference. For S8 it may be an imperative.

    When I’d get lazy and watch episodes on an antiquated garbage TV in my bedroom, I missed so much detail and couldn’t make out what was happening in interior, dark scenes (like what was under the pie crust when Walder lifted it up).

    We’ve been forewarned.

  124. Wow! The trailer is at fifteen million views on YouTube, having not been released twelve hours! Simply amazing and I’m loving it.

    Really, I’m too old to have spent an entire day doing nothing except eating, drinking and watching a TV trailer with all of the peripheral videos, articles and discussions it engenders. Cannot think of a better way to waste a day.

  125. Jack Hamm:
    Wow!The trailer is at fifteen million views on YouTube, having not been released twelve hours!Simply amazing and I’m loving it.

    Really, I’m too old to spend an entire day doing nothing except eating, drinking and watching a TV trailer with all of the peripheral videos, articles and discussions it engenders.Cannot think of a better way to waste a day.

    Add another 21 million views on Twitter and another 19 million on Facebook it’s at a total of 55 million views. Still #1 trending on YouTube too.

  126. Thronetender,

    I’m not optimistic about Brienne’s longevity.

    She’s honor-bound (from S6e1): “Lady Sansa, I offer my services once again. I will shield your back and keep your counsel and give my life for yours if need be. I swear it by the old gods and the new.”

    She’ll be on the front lines, to give her life for Sansa’s if need be.

  127. Someone upthread speculated that Arya is running from a female wight. If that’s the case, it may be the corpse of Catelyn, which would certainly explain her terror. Since the Lady Stoneheart storyline was completely dropped, it seems reasonable to presume that Cat’s body was eventually returned to Winterfell for burial, rather than chucked into the Trident. And if Arya is confronted with her undead manifestation and has to re-kill her, I will feel that my long-vaunted speculation about Stoneheart’s ultimate role in the books is solidly confirmed: She’s there specifically to need the Gift of Mercy from Arya, thereby deflecting her daughter from a permanent assassin trajectory. Once you’ve had to kill your own Mom, the thrill is gone, surely.

  128. Y’all. Arya in the crypts. White Walkers have breached the castle. They can raise the dead.

    Is Arya quite literally running from the ghost of her father?!

  129. Jack Bauer 24: Add another 21 million views on Twitter and another 19 million on Facebook it’s at a total of 55 million views. Still #1 trending on YouTube too.

    I’d forgotten about Face/wastebook and Twitter. What a world!

  130. Why are some people upset about the big battle being at night? It adds a nightmare feel to it all. The last WW massacre was during the day at Hardhome. Blackwater and Watchers on the Wall were both night battles and both were amazing and that was with fewer resources and budget.

  131. That was one seven hells of a trailer.

    Arya running full tilt away from something that actually scared her, or hurt her, is enough to scare me. Our little assassin does not scare all that easily, if at all. Maybe it wasn’t fear, but desperation? Knowing a threat was coming for a family member or someone she cared about? We’ll know soon enough.

    Cersei drinking wine is not a red, or any other color, flag for me. It’s Westeros. Knowledge of fetal alcohol syndrome is not likely. I’m not sure the ravens are still flying, but maybe she’s heard bad news from the north? Like Jon and Dany’s butts are being kicked? Or that her lover/brother is dead or in love with a Tarth? That said, I don’t think we’ll see a Lannister baby this season.

    OK, Grey Worm and Missandei are the best ever, and I hope D&D realizes that and spares them a permanent separation. Give those kids a break!

    The other love couple that is under threat is Jaime and Brienne, and in the trailer it looks like both might end there stories on the battlements of WF. It’s kind of Shakespearean, but it sucks. They’re far and away my favorite couple.

    Seeing Dolorous Edd, Tormund, and Beric made me wonder. Will at least one of them make it out alive? Beric is likely doomed, but Tormund and Edd? Do not want to go there, but I’d vote Edd of the island. Gods help me.

    None of us have a real clue as to what will happen forty days from now, but I suspect we’ll shed tears along the way to series end and, when that end comes, we’ll shed gallons more tears. And pull out our hair. And set numerous items on fire. And try desperately to find something to fill the void.

    My friends, to quote Jim Morrison, this is the end.

  132. I know it’s a long shot, but I would like to believe that the opening scene of Ayra so afraid is a dream (or nightmare) scenario. Admittedly, I don’t have much to go on – her face looks different, almost younger, and it’s out of character for her no matter the severity of the threat .

  133. What a fucking trailer. I’m still mesmerized. A few things that caught my attention: in one of the screen caps of the Dragons flying over the North, it looks like Drogon has Dany sitting on him. You can see some white on his back. My gut is telling me that Jon will be riding Rhaegal in these scenes and he will be following Dany on Drogon. Similar to how we always see jets playing follow the leader or Cat & mouse in the movies. And I believe that D&D have learned from Disney & Marvel to erase certain images out of the trailers (like the infinity stones being erased in Infinity War). Jon is and will be riding Rhaegal in those scenes.

    Another thing, that throne room scene of Cersei and associates is shockingly very very blurry. I think this is more camera tricks and misleading stuff to not spoil things. The person facing Cersei on our right sure looks like Sansa. The person in the middle in the tan/gold clothes certainly looks like Harry Strickland from the earlier picture with Euron. But why are his hands behind his back? Is it the typical military “at ease” position being formed or is this person bound in chains? If chains, have they done some image scrubbing to make it look like Strickland? If “at ease” pose has he kidnapped Sansa?

  134. Then again the Dragons could be riderless and just taking a tour of the North and the scene of Jon & Dany approaching them are, like I guessed from the photos last week or so, Jon convincing Dany not to fly in on Drogon looking like a conqueror but ride in with him on horseback looking like an ally. I prefer Jon the Dragonrider but I can see it being the other. But I can still see the Dragons just doing flyovers and getting the same intimidating effects without Dany riding Drogon…

  135. From looking at the pictures of the Throne Room and the Golden Company on the boats, the person standing infront of Cersi has the same type of ballooning sandy coloured pants. I’d wager that the person in black is Euron in that long cloack of his that we saw him wearing at the Dragon Pit rahter than Sansa.

  136. As for the Throne Room shot (if the two people in front of Cersei and Qyburn are facing the camera): the person’s clothes on the right look like one of Varys’ old robes to me. Or maybe not. But it definitely does not look like Euron.

    Ten Bears: The trailer is Arya-centric. It starts with her, and features her in action.

    Indeed it is.

    Tron79: Yes, I saw Arya’s dragonglass dagger this time. It looked longer than the catspaw dagger. It was longer than a dagger but not as long as a sword in my opinion, so she may be using it when the WW are a little farther away, and she still has her secondary catspaw dagger when they are close. […] I could see the ASNAWP stick swirl even better too…

    I think that the staff/stick in the Arya fighting scene(s) is a spear. You can see that she slits something open with it on the battlements, because there are blood splatters right at the end of that part.
    And since you mentioned that the dragonglass dagger looks longer, I actually believe or could imagine that it is the (broken off) dragonglass spearhead. That would put the scene at the beginning chronologically after the spear fight scene. Which makes sense because Arya looks so disheveled, dirty and bloodied. Just like she would had she fought in a battle right before that chase.

  137. Cliohna,

    I’ve seen a lightened up scene of Arya twirling the spear and she smacks a person stepping through the doorway just behind her. Looked like a bald person. Could have been a wight or even Varys wighted??? Just joking about Varys but when you see it lightened it truly is bad ass. Arya owns the trailer.

  138. Firannion:
    Someone upthread speculated that Arya is running from a female wight. If that’s the case, it may be the corpse of Catelyn, which would certainly explain her terror. Since the Lady Stoneheart storyline was completely dropped, it seems reasonable to presume that Cat’s body was eventually returned to Winterfell for burial, rather than chucked into the Trident. And if Arya is confronted with her undead manifestation and has to re-kill her, I will feel that my long-vaunted speculation about Stoneheart’s ultimate role in the books is solidly confirmed: She’s there specifically to need the Gift of Mercy from Arya, thereby deflecting her daughter from a permanent assassin trajectory. Once you’ve had to kill your own Mom, the thrill is gone, surely.

    Catelyn would have been bloated human soup shortly after she died, and at this point, years later, she isn’t going to be chasing anyone in her current form!

  139. Aegon the IceDragon:
    Cliohna,

    I’ve seen a lightened up scene of Arya twirling the spear and she smacks a person stepping through the doorway just behind her. Looked like a bald person.Could have been a wight or even Varys wighted???Just joking about Varys but when you see it lightened it truly is bad ass. Arya owns the trailer.

    I think Arya and Brienne both hack down regular wights.

  140. Where in seven hells does Brans vision of a dragon shadow flying over King’s landing fit in here? it looked like a nice sunny day. Not the NK, Jon on Rheagal to confront Cersei …? Leaving pregnant Dany safe somewhere. Why get Dany pregnant to not live to have the baby. Were Rheagal and Drogon safer fighting at night avoiding flying spears? Did Lady Mormot hide in the crypts or die on the ramparts? where is Melissandra? Do they flee to the Vale and thats where we see Robin Aryan? Does Jon leave preggers Danny there to have the baby. Does Howland Reed ever show up? Can Arya pull her stuff together and get back to her badd self?

  141. Firannion:
    And if Arya is confronted with her undead manifestation and has to re-kill her, I will feel that my long-vaunted speculation about Stoneheart’s ultimate role in the books is solidly confirmed: She’s there specifically to need the Gift of Mercy from Arya, thereby deflecting her daughter from a permanent assassin trajectory. Once you’ve had to kill your own Mom, the thrill is gone, surely.

    Actually that’s also what I was thinking after reading the books and pondering over what will happen to LS and Arya.

    ice Hunter: My friends, to quote Jim Morrison, this is the end.

    This is so funny. The End is in my ASoIaF playlist accompanying songs with titles like: Battle Of Evermore, The Funeral, Goodbye, Graveyard, The Other Side, Waiting Around To Die…

    Dreary, I know.

  142. Don’t think I’ve seen this theory elsewhere but what about Jaime falling at winterfell and Arya taking his face to kings landing and killing Cersei? Good ending for Arya as well as good for Cersei thinking her man has come rushing back to her.

  143. Clob,

    I have had the same doubt regarding the shots beyond the wall.

    What could be a possible explanation for that ??

  144. BioProf,

    it’s brienne. probably rushing to save jaimie who is in trouble with wights. so, I think this scene will led to death of one of the two characters.

  145. Cliohna,

    That’s definitely possible. I wonder if there will be a short scene where she puts needle in a safe place during the battle with the AOTD. She will definitely have a dragonglass spear and the catspaw dagger and either a longer dragon glass dagger (or remaining part of a spear). My guess is she will be using needle later in the season and she needs to put needle in a safe place during the battle. I would think that would be an emotional scene for her.

  146. I think Arya is telling Sansa about wanting to see the face of death because Sansa’s the only person she’s talked to about the faceless men. Or, she could be telling Gendry after he gives her a freshly made dragonglass dagger.

    I think Arya is running scared after seeing Sansa killed by wights because of that arrogant line about wanting to see the face of death and because she’s almost in tears, frightened and trying to calm herself. Also, Sansa isn’t in the crypts with Varys and the women and children. She probably didn’t want to go there after doing that during the Battle of Blackwater and died a brave leader.

    Showing Arya distraught and running in a panic gives credibility to her surviving an attack by the AOTD while other great warriors die. She is a very skilled killer and barely gets out alive and couldn’t save her family which is a call back to her not being able to save her father from beheading.

    I think Tyrion is looking up at a dragon.

    I think the shots of Jon and Dany with the dragons are before the Battle of Winterfell because no way that gorgeous coat makes it out of the battle intact. She’s wearing the same gloves and boots from her arrival at Winterfell and she’s wearing the fur collar from her crypt scene with Jon before the battle. It’s probably a scene after they find out about Jon’s parents and Dany wants to properly introduce her baby daddy nephew & teach him how to ride another dragon.

    Jaime is screaming run & damn he fine…until I watched his goofy ass watching the trailer….

    I think Edd, Hound, Beric are going outside the gates of Winterfell in preparation for the battle later that night.

    I think Cersei is sad about miscarriage but happy she can drink again.

    I think Dany about to cry because she found out about the Wight Dragon.

    From whose POV is the dragon breathing fire? Jon? Tyrion? It looks indoors but could be outside at night.

    This trailer made me sad. That’s how scared Arya is, how fine Jorah and Jaime are, and how tragic Viscerion is.

    My biggest fear of S8 has been realized. The season is going to be dark af. Even after closing the blinds, I could barely see anything as proven by the screen shots. It’s ridiculous and I’m surprised it gets approved.

  147. @Rgritte The Season 6 trailer had the same exact clip. It showed Tyrion and then cut to Drogon breathing fire. They did it again this time.

  148. Jared: I love Grey Worm and Missandei to death. No, I didn’t mean their death. Please no. PROTECT GREY WORM AND MISSANDEI! (goddamn it … Grey Worm is doomed, isn’t he?).

    I hope he isn’t doomed, but yeah, I kind of think he is. They are a great couple and their genuine affection for each other in the midst of fear, death, treachery is refreshing.

    Looking forward to all your beautifully crafted observations in the coming weeks, Jared.

  149. Rygritte,

    “I think Arya is running scared after seeing Sansa killed by wights because of that arrogant line about wanting to see the face of death and because she’s almost in tears, frightened and trying to calm herself. Also, Sansa isn’t in the crypts with Varys and the women and children. She probably didn’t want to go there after doing that during the Battle of Blackwater and died a brave leader.”
    ______
    Interesting.
    How about this variation: Arya sees Sansa from behind, goes to give her a sisterly hug her… but when Sansa turns around she’s got a vacant look and sky blue eyes, and starts raking Arya’s face.

    A bloodied Arya barely escapes after being forced to plunge her VS dagger into her wightened sister, and is freaked out by what just happened.

    It wouldn’t be the first time NK was able to get an infiltrator inside the enemy’s castle.

    Oh, who knows.

  150. Jack Bauer 24,

    No, I missed Kit on Colbert, but can you give me some lottery numbers to play, and predict the winner of the eighth race at Aqueduct on Friday?

  151. Ten Bears:
    Rygritte,

    ______ Interesting. How about this variation: Arya sees Sansa from behind, goes to give her a sisterly hug her… but when Sansa turns around she’s got a vacant look and sky blue eyes

    What’s so weird abou……

    Ten Bears:
    Rygritte,

    and starts raking Arya’s face.

    Ah, ok. 😜

  152. I don’t know how they plan to end it, but I hope that Night King won’t be defeated. At the very ending I want to see the whole Westeros in snow and ice and just few survivors sailing to Essos. Maybe Jon and Tyrion among them with some deep words from Tyrion looking all way back to first season when the war for throne begun.

  153. Oh boy, I’m fully “in my feels” now. Knowing that many of these beloved people will die, and it’s virtually impossible to tell just how many or which ones…

    Poor Varys. :’x
    -Delighted to see Tormund, Beric, & Edd, though. I’ve got it set in my head that Jaime will die in Brienne’s arms (*SNIFF*), she’ll go on to fill out his pages, and *just maybe* something could happen in the future with Tormund if she becomes interested (I know I would…rar.) x~3 But I feel pretty sure about Jaime and Beric (for the last time) dying. Heard the suggestion that Bran could’ve even been speaking to Jaime, forgiving him.
    -I have to wonder what the expression on Qyburn’s face is about. “Our enemy doesn’t tire, doesn’t stop, doesn’t feel”…yeah, neither of your enemies. ;p

    Very glad to see Jorah with Heartsbane! :’D
    -People have thrown out “Pod,” “run,” and “Bronn” for what Jaime might be yelling. Suppose it’s deliberately unknowable until you see the context.
    -I’m also going with the most-likely answer for the throne room visitors: Strickland & Euron. (Just me or does “Harry Strickland” not sound like a name from this series? Sounds like someone from our world.)
    -Oh my, I can’t wait to see those flaming swords!! Hopefully the Hound will confront and conquer his fear whether or not he winds up wielding one.
    -Podrick!! For a guy on the front lines, he’s been disrespected with the lack of poster, cover, or EW image! Well, head smith Gendry too.

    And then there are the missing people:
    -Yara, not surprising since we know Theon’s coming “to her rescue” but don’t know how it’ll play out
    -Bronn…hmmm.
    -Robin & Edmure, whose appearances I assume will have to be brief. According to her actress Marei will also be back in one episode, which came as a great surprise to me. (Perhaps we’ll finally discover what Pod did…!)
    -Melisandre, the most glaring omission. I can’t wait to see just what her “mission” entails!
    -All the people I can continue to hold out hope of seeing again, but who knows whether we will (Jaqen, Daario, Hot Pie, Meera, etc.)

    Overall a pretty awesome trailer–albeit frustratingly dark and quick-moving, but that kinda figures. It’s basically a series of carefully clipped little itty-tidbits that tantalize but cleverly give away quite little that we couldn’t already have anticipated happening. Nothing specific, anyway.
    Love all the callbacks to S1.

    Man, we asked for it and we got it…they couldn’t even space out the posters, magazine pics/article/announcement, and trailer a little more, huh? xD Guess all I’m really expecting between now and 4/14 are the press junket interviews, then…and of course to read that special double-issue of EW on the 15th. 8D Unless we do get a second little trailer or other smaller clips/ads, which naturally would be welcome. (And I still intend to go to the red carpet premiere in NYC, which apparently is on 4/3…)

  154. My theory is that Cersei will determine to burn KL and all in it in order to destroy the city when, later in the series, KL is surrounded by Dany and Jon’s army. They send Jaime in to talk to her, she raves about sparking the wildfire caches all over the city, he puts a sword in her. Neatly circling back to show that sometimes you needs a kingslayer

  155. Ten Bears,
    Che,

    Hi, Ten Bears! And Che!

    First of all, I don’t think that Euron will have to force Cersei to drink the Moon Tea (or whatever other potion she’s taking). Cersei understands the situaton hersef: she knows that as soon as Euron notices her pregnancy he will either leave or kill her and the time is pressing. Therefore, I have a feeling that she’ll decide to abort the baby on her own, without any additional stimulus, and that will be her ultimate act of self destruction.

    I agree with Che: Cersei wants that baby and she wants to keep it. The instinct she had – to run away with those that matter – was genuine. However, Cersei suppressed that instinct: she chose to hold to the throne and lost Jaime. However, being Cersei, she will never ever admit that she did anything wrong. In her eyes it’s all Jaime’s fault. He has betrayed her and he has to be punished. She couldn’t force herself to give an order right away: she was unprepared, she even had an instinct to run after him – all of that was weekness in Cersei’s eyes. So, now she might be seeing abortion as a way to get rid of her last weeknesses and even to take revenge on them. I agree, that she should be inclined to kill Jaime, but she missed the moment and now he’s out of reach. She may send an assasin after him, but that won’t be all that satisfactiory, cause Jaime will die out of her sight, without knowing who killed, and even if he does he’ll hardly care. And Cersei likes torturing people. So, killing Jaime’s child in her womb and putting the blame on Jaime, if she ever gets a chance to tell him, would be more Cersei-like. As for the baby itself she’ll convince that it will be a future traitor, just like the father or brother, and there’s all the that thing with Euron, etc. But she’ll suffer as hell, cause she’ll be killing the last bits of herself as a human (and that will make a good drama).

    One thing why I don’t believe in a simple miscarriage is that it won’t make a good drama. GOT has always been about making conscious choices and suffering consequences. That’s why Cersei must make a conscious and weighted (although terrible) decision, rather that simply be exposed to Force Majeure.

  156. Inga:
    Ten Bears,
    Che,

    Hi, Ten Bears! And Che!

    First of all, I don’t think that Euron will have to force Cersei to drink the Moon Tea (or whatever other potion she’s taking). Cersei understands the situaton hersef: she knows that as soon as Euron notices her pregnancy he will either leave or kill her and the time is pressing. Therefore, I have a feeling that she’ll decide to abort the baby on her own, without any additional stimulus, and that will be her ultimate act of self destruction.

    I agree with Che: Cersei wants that baby and she wants to keep it. The instinct she had – to run away with those that matter – was genuine. However, Cersei suppressed that instinct: she chose to hold to the throne and lost Jaime. However, being Cersei, she will never ever admit that she did anything wrong. In her eyes it’s all Jaime’s fault. He has betrayed her and he has to be punished. She couldn’t force herself to give an order right away: she was unprepared, she even had an instinct to run after him – all of that was weekness in Cersei’s eyes. So, now she might be seeing abortion as a way to get rid of her last weeknesses and even to take revenge on them. I agree, that she should be inclined to kill Jaime, but she missed the moment and now he’s out of reach. She may send an assasin after him, but that won’t be all that satisfactiory, cause Jaime will die out of her sight, without knowing who killed, and even if he does he’ll hardly care. And Cersei likes torturing people. So, killing Jaime’s child in her womb and putting the blame on Jaime, if she ever gets a chance to tell him, would be more Cersei-like. As for the baby itself she’ll convince that it will be a future traitor, just like the father or brother, and there’s all the that thing with Euron, etc. But she’ll suffer as hell, cause she’ll be killing the last bits of herself as a human (and that will make a good drama).

    One thing why I don’t believe in a simple miscarriage is that it won’t make a good drama. GOT has always been about making conscious choices and suffering consequences.That’s why Cersei must make a conscious and weighted (although terrible) decision, rather that simply be exposed to Force Majeure.

    You put that very well and I think I am coming round to this way of thinking a little. What you say does make sense and I can see how she might get to that point. I still can’t quite believe that she would go this far when one of her two central driving forces, along with craving power, has been her children (possibly for the wrong reasons). I just hope that she won’t lose that one last shred of humanity I suppose. I am still hoping for somewhat of a redemption for Cersei to make her a more interesting character (to me) as all out evil isn’t terribly compelling to me.

    It strikes me as an odd coincidence if Dany does get pregnant, that the pair might be pregnant at the same time – a set up for the ultimate baby swap/sacrifice if I ever saw one.

  157. Shelle: Podrick!! For a guy on the front lines, he’s been disrespected with the lack of poster, cover, or EW image! Well, head smith Gendry too.

    When I saw the trailer the first time, I said out loud “Who’s that man standing next to Brienne?” I truly didn’t recognize Podrick. How he has matured! His new hair style, off his forehead rather than hanging in his eyes, changed his look. He’s no longer a sweet, goofy boy, he’s a man now, with a manly stance. We’ll see how well Brienne trained him. Sadly, I think he’s doomed, but he will go out a hero.

    As for Gendry, he must be working day and night – I didn’t get a good look at the breastplates Luka says are combined sigils, but normally wouldn’t their design and creation take months? Plus, forging as many dragonglass weapons as possible before the dead descend upon them would keep the entire blacksmith crew wildly busy. I think Gendry is going to make it through, if nothing else because of plot armor – I mean with so many great houses totally (stupidly) wiped out, I can’t see D&D or GRRM totally wiping out all Baratheons as well. Gendry has to be around to go west of Westeros with Arya.

  158. Inga: One thing why I don’t believe in a simple miscarriage is that it won’t make a good drama.

    mmm, some drama, considering how Cersei considers herself infallible, invincible and still young and beautiful. While she is still beautiful, another baby in her late thirties, while under severe stress puts her at great risk. If her body betrays her by miscarriage, she has to face the fact that she’s no longer a young girl. As Olenna put it, she’s “old.” Not an easy thing for someone like Cersei to face.

  159. After watching it quite a few more times, does anyone else get the vibe from that Tyrion shot that he is about to meet his death? I know that the dragon immediately afterwards isn’t from the same shot, but I wonder if the theories that he will betray Dany have some weight to them – in the books she is told she will be betrayed three times and so far we’ve only had two right? Do she’s due one more? Tyrion is one of my favourite characters even though I feel he has been under-utilised these past few seasons sadly – but then in the books, his character is kind of broken post Tywin/Shei murders too, so I feel it matches his book arc. I don’t want to think that he could be capable of betrayal, but I do wonder if that’s the way his story will end. All this time he despised his sister, but actually, he held some of her values too all along, if not unknowingly – pride in his family, wanting to see his family succeed at any cost etc. Perhaps, in the end, when it all comes down to it, he will realise that he actually wants to side with his family (it sounds like a stretch, even as I write it).

    Massive guesswork aside, and as unlikely as it is, if he were to betray Dany, I can imagine her killing him by dragon fire. Tyrion has always been obsessed with dragons; it would be a fitting ending for him. I wonder if this shot is him pleading with Dany just prior to being roasted. Highly unlikely, I agree, but thought it may be worth throwing this out there! I mostly don’t believe it myself.

  160. Ten Bears:
    Rygritte,

    How about this variation: Arya sees Sansa from behind, goes to give her a sisterly hug her… but when Sansa turns around she’s got a vacant look and sky blue eyes

    Wait, how is this different from…

    …and starts raking Arya’s face.

    Ooh, ok. 😜

  161. Luka, thanks for the break down!

    I think the throne room mystery figure is Euron in a long coat, with his leg forward creating a skirt-like shape.

  162. I also think Cersei is fated to lose her baby. Don’t think she’ll do it herself, just age and fate. And, that somehow she really always knew it, as she believed the prophecy by the time she’d lost her daughter. But tried to beat fate anyway. More bitterness to swallow with that wine.

    The dragons with Dany and Jon seem shot before the battle and the riding of dragons may have been to go north and assess the size and location of the enemy’s army after talking with Bran. The team leaders so ready for battle is maybe because they knew very well what’s coming in advance from their recognizance mission.

  163. egg: Where is GHOST?

    Right! …and Nymeria …. I am gona suppose their story , however brief, has some relevance !

  164. Thronetender: When I saw the trailer the first time, I said out loud “Who’s that man standing next to Brienne?” I truly didn’t recognize Podrick. How he has matured! His new hair style, off his forehead rather than hanging in his eyes, changed his look. He’s no longer a sweet, goofy boy, he’s a man now, with a manly stance. We’ll see how well Brienne trained him. Sadly, I think he’s doomed, but he will go out a hero.

    As for Gendry, he must be working day and night – I didn’t get a good look at the breastplates Luka says are combined sigils, but normally wouldn’t their design and creation take months? Plus, forging as many dragonglass weapons as possible before the dead descend upon them would keep the entire blacksmith crew wildly busy. I think Gendry is going to make it through, if nothing else because of plot armor – I mean with so many great houses totally (stupidly) wiped out, I can’t see D&D or GRRM totally wiping out all Baratheons as well. Gendry has to be around to go west of Westeros with Arya.

    Agreed! If Pod’s got to go, it will be heroically. :’} He’s looking very noble.
    I don’t feel totally assured of Gendry’s survival either, but do hope for it. Would be nice for there to be one Baratheon left, and for him to be able to travel with Arya. ^^

  165. I’m not sure that Beric, Tormund and Edd make it to Winterfell before the walkers do. They would need to run along the wall until they find stairs. Or, they’d run all the way to Castle Black to warn them, which is the ethical thing to do. Then they’d have to get horses and ride hard for Winterfell right after sending Ravens to Karhold etc. And that’s presuming that Castle Black hasn’t already fallen.

    I’m curious to see how these guys manage, as I don’t recall seeing them in the clips of fighting at Winterfell.

  166. Thronetender,

    An interesting take, but it might be more true to book!Cersei than show!Cersei. Show!Cersei is much less concerned about her looks. Maybe, it’s because she still looks so dambed goog and it would be hard to sell such concerns to the viewers especially on the background on more seriuos problems, but anyway she never had that “Mirror mirror on the the wall who’s the fairiest of them all moment”. And show!Cersei isn’t concerned aboout attracting men: she cares about Jaime (a bit), as for the others she used sex as a tool but she has better tools now. And it’s power, not men has always been Cresei’s one true love.

    Che,

    The baby swap/sacrifice is an interesting theory. I was thinking of that myself, but there’s no time for that: the Night King is arriving to Winterfell within days; whatever comes after that can fit into several months at best, so there’s no time for any pregnancy to come to term. However, we may have a baby sacrifice: if Cersei is doing what I think she’s doing, she is sacrificing her baby for the thore. As for Dany, she may have a similar dilemma, if she gets pregnant, but I’m sure she’ll resolve it differently: she’ll choose family over the throne. And I think Bran’s words refer to her: this is something he could definitely say, after she contempltes the loss of the purpose of her life after Jon’s parentage revelation. That would be a nice callback to 101 and that could make Dany to go and seek Jon in the crypts to remedy their shattered realations. At least that’s how I see it.

  167. I’ve seen this asked over the years, but I’m intrigued to know your opinions:

    What do you think happened to the White Walker baby in (I think) season 4 – Crastor’s son. He was touched by a White Walker and we saw his eyes change?

    How quickly do you think WW babies take to “grow”? I’ve seen many people speculating there are little WW babies toddling around beyond the Wall (I’ve seen them called “White Crawlers” and “Wight Tykes” haha).

  168. Anon,

    IMO, technically Beric, Tormund and Edd maiking it to WF before the Night King souldn’t be impossible. It has already been established that horses move much faster, than the AOTD and there’s a good straight road from there to WF. So, the biggest challenge would be getting to Castle Black, but it’s not that far – no more than several days by foot I assume.

    However, the most interesting thing is that those three doesn’t seem to be at WF or to put it more precisely they seem but the castle is strangely empty and caries no traces of the battle. So, I lean towards the assumption that this will be something like the Last Hearth: it’s population will flee to WF and Beric, Tormund and Edd will find some jumpscare vanguard wights there.

  169. Tip – how to can pick out cast members during the battle scenes – they don’t wear helmets! Well except Greyworm 🙂 maybe it will get conveniently knocked off him during battle so we can clearly see his face ^_^

  170. Inga,

    Well give all the time contrivances last season, I wouldn’t count anything as impossible – they are going to want to maximize every characters impact and keep the pacing going. But you might be right, I wouldn’t mind a timely arrival after the battle has begun, perhaps in time to help create a huge diversion or something to help people escape… a hero’s moment 🙂

  171. Pip,

    According to the script of 707, there were supposed to be HUNDREDS of the WW attacking the Wall. And we don’t know other WW material other than Craster’s sons (he boasted to have 99 of them). So, figures kind of line up: Craster produced 99 WW, and there might have been some other wildlings doing the same, but all in all they were few. And there should be like 100+ WW in total, which implies that Craster sons get old immediaterly.
    At least I hope so, for I don’t want to see Jon or Dany killing WW toddlers.

  172. Pip,

    I don’t think we will ever know for sure in the show… I don’t see why they wouldn’t ‘grow’ faster, it’s magic after all – and more ‘thinking’ enemies is better than just a horde of zombies, scary as they are. A calculating/controlling mind behind them is more terrifying to me, i’m sure we will see quite a few

  173. Jared,

    Aegon the IceDragon,

    Yes, Daenerys and Jon both on dragonbacks would be a dream come true to me. I hope so much we will se them like that.

    Winterfell is really big. I didn’t expect the dragons to be dwarfed by it in comparison.

    Also, Wintertown is quite the town now. Unless it is White Harbor behind Jon and Daenerys in 0:43?

    Thank you, Luka, for this great and quick analysis!

  174. Kinglanding: Didn’t winter come to KL and even oldtown last season with the most beautiful silent scene of the final? Did the snow melt already.

    Winterfell boy: Isn’t it a girl? 😉 And question 2, since when is there a smaller town next to winterfell. Did Sansa built this when Jon was away? That town wasn’t there in 4×08 (which I just finished watching)

    I want a dragon myself, scaring my neighbors.

    Gendry smithing some dragonglass swords. Wonderful to see that.

    Dothraki at the gates of Winterfell, glad to see those horsemasters there.

    Grey worm and Missandei kissing, not really invested in that. I don’t mind them being together, but that love story is already beginning in season 4 and it drags too much for me.

    That wight with Brienne looks a little bit like Ed, I know it isn’t him but it looks like him.

    Jaime fighting, favorite part, no not true my favorite part comes later in the trailer.

    The way the iron throne room is shot looks like how it was shot in season 2 blackwater.

    Cercei scene: Maybe she get to know the north won against the army of the death but they lost to much of their army so Cercei feels like she won. Or Jon or Dany died there. That is my guess of that shot.

    My favorite part of the trailer: Jaime keeping his oath. Not more to say why it’s my favorite, I think it’s obvious.

    What are those bones?

    Arya fighting, can’t wait.

    Sansa is seeing Tyrion there is my guess. She is first concerned a moment later happy to see him, she knows he never hurt her.

    Undead horse, I think its not the NK but a second rank WW. NK is not there, that’s why we don’t see who is on it. The NK is not leading this battle.

    sorry for the long post, and I will react later to comments, off to work.

  175. Interesting that they are giving Rhaegal equal billing as Drogon in this trailer. Seems to confirm that Jon will ride Rhaegal. I have a feeling that Rhaegal will end up being the last dragon alive at the end of the series. Also great job by them on the dragon colors this year. Rheagal is really green and looks totally different from Drogon. Can not way to see the dogfights between Ice and fire as Drogon and Rhaegal face off with Ice Viserion.

  176. I also don’t believe they’ve arrived at WF. I think this is Last Hearth, en-route to WF, as it looks like they’re stalking the empty castle, with Beric’s sword aflame. This isn’t how they’d be received at WF. They’d also be in the thickest of the fighting if this was the battle scenes.

    The architecture looks like the WF set but they likely repurposed that for LH, similar to the way they did for the Dreadfort in S3.

    Anon:
    I’m not sure that Beric, Tormund and Edd make it to Winterfell before the walkers do.They would need to run along the wall until they find stairs.Or, they’d run all the way to Castle Black to warn them, which is the ethical thing to do.Then they’d have to get horses and ride hard for Winterfell right after sending Ravens to Karhold etc. And that’s presuming that Castle Black hasn’t already fallen.

    I’m curious to see how these guys manage, as I don’t recall seeing them in the clips of fighting at Winterfell.

  177. Since forever. Remember Tyrion was at the winter town brothel in the first episode, and Brienne was camped there in S5 waiting for a signal from Sansa.

    kevin1989,

    since when is there a smaller town next to winterfell. Did Sansa built this when Jon was away? That town wasn’t there in 4×08 (which I just finished watching)

  178. Dahrios woman: Where in seven hells does Brans vision of a dragon shadow flying over King’s landing fit in here? it looked like a nice sunny day.

    I’m starting to suspect we won’t ever see that vision come true. Especially since it clashes with another scene that has been set up : the throne room destroyed, and covered in snow.

    Both Dany and Bran have seen that. But if the throne room gets destroyed during Winter, a dragon can’t be flying over an intact Red Keep in a sunny King’s Landing.

    Not to mention that the size of the shadow from Bran’s vision was too small.

    I don’t think we will ever see it come true. I’m not even sure we’ll see the throne room in snow come true.

    As we can see from the trailer, it’s still sunny and gorgeous in King’s Landing. Winter does not seem to be progressing there.

    And as for the dragon shadow, I think the best time to use that would have been the Season 7 finale, for Dany’s arrival in KL.

  179. Jack Bauer 24:
    I’m seeing some people say they scaled the dragons down and Drogon looks smaller then last season. Anyone else notice this?

    Yup.

    I was already bummed when the VFX people announced that in Season 7 the dragons were “full sized” and that they weren’t going to get any bigger.

    Plus the show doubled down on this underwhelming lore deviation by having multiple characters state throughout Season 7 that they were “full grown dragons”. As we know, dragons are supposed to keep growing as long as they are well fed and not locked up. And I had always looked forward to them being truly massive in Season 8.

    So having them reach full size in Season 7 was bad enough, but now, they seem to have shrunk ! All the promotional material I’ve seen for Season 8 has made the dragons look smaller than they did last year.

    I was really hoping to see Drogon be the size of Balerion in Season 8.

  180. Ten Bears,
    Hush your mouth TB. I am resigned to losing Jaime and Pod AKA Pidge Podge, but not Brienne as well. I WILL NOT ALLOW IT! 😭

    I’ve lightened couple of the pictures people were asking about in case it helps: Varys in the crypts,* ASNAWP!!! running, ASNAWP!!! contemplating killing someone.

    As for how dark the trailer is, never fear! the interior and night shots in them are always much darker than in the final product, it’ll be much clearer on a good tv screen. And if you don’t have access to one, now would be a really good time to do something about it.

    * because there’s something light coloured behind what I assume is Robb and Grey Wind’s statue, it looks like what I like to think is an old man and his dog sitting on a bench happily watching the world go by, rather than the glorious warrior tribute I’m sure it’s supposed to be. Which has given me the giggles.

  181. Pip,

    In the books didn’t Old Nan say that the knight king was a stark? It’s been a long time since I’ve read them but I thought she did.

  182. Kudos to you! I have read many many reviews and breakdowns of the trailer. Seemingly, you may be the ONLY person who caught on that the shot of three ships is Theon, not Euron. In the shot of the ship loaded with the Golden Company, there are clearly dozens and dozens of ships in the background. Euron is a show-boater, he would never show up with just three ships, not to mention, they wouldn’t hold 20,000 mercenaries. Great job!

    I would like to say how amazed I was by the beautiful coloring of the dragons. Doesn’t seem like they had been shown as that colorful previously. I was truly moved by their beauty flying over Winterfell and the canyon.

    If dragons die, I am done for! I don’t care if they kill Dany, Arya or Jon, just please, no more dragons!!!

  183. Is that Blackfyre on Strickland’s hip while he stands over the golden company on Silence?

  184. Nick20,

    Maybe the dragon shadow is at the very end – winter has passed. Dragons are flying over Kingslanding. Maybe it’s the future. Who knows.
    Apollo,

  185. Here’s the Colbert link https://youtu.be/Dy-3FxwVf_M

    Kit obviously doesn’t reveal anything, but Colbert does seem to be a genuine GoT fan.

    Kit does say that the big battle is a “night battle”, so it probably doesn’t extend into the morning or day.

  186. Ten Bears:
    Simple solution courtesy of Tron79: Don’t watch S8 on a crappy small monitor in a room with the lights on.

    It was absolutely gorgeous in super HD! Jon in the godswood looked particularly vibrant and lovely.

    Wish they would’ve done theatrical screenings for each episode through AMC’s Fathom Events or something similar.

  187. So the soldiers without horses might not be the Knights of the Vale, they might be Northmen…with a new sigil…fun!

  188. Ten Bears:
    Thronetender,

    I’m not optimistic about Brienne’s longevity.

    She’s honor-bound (from S6e1): “Lady Sansa, I offer my services once again. I will shield your back and keep your counsel and give my life for yours if need be. I swear it by the old gods and the new.”

    She’ll be on the front lines, to give her life for Sansa’s if need be.

    Brienne to Catelyn in season 2: “Who wants to die defending a Lannister?”

    To me, that’s pretty ominous foreshadowing that she’ll die trying to save Jaime. Ruh roh!

  189. Inga: Anon

    I tend to agree.

    Apollo:
    I also don’t believe they’ve arrived at WF. I think this is Last Hearth, en-route to WF, as it looks like they’re stalking the empty castle, with Beric’ssword aflame. This isn’t how they’d be received at WF. They’d also be in the thickest of the fighting if this was the battle scenes.

    The architecture looks like the WF set but they likely repurposed that for LH, similar to the way they did for the Dreadfort in S3.

    If you’re both right, then I wonder if any of the trio will survive and escape that castle.

  190. Nick20: I’m starting to suspect we won’t ever see that vision come true. Especially since it clashes with another scene that has been set up : the throne room destroyed, and covered in snow.

    Just because it’s sunny doesn’t mean it’s not necessarily winter. It doesn’t have to snow 24/7 for it to be winter. It’s not snowing in any of the shots we see of KL in the trailer, even though we saw it snowing in season 7 episode 7.

    The shot of a dragon flying over KL could be the beginning of a battle, while the end result is what Dany sees in her vision. We simply don’t have enough information yet to assume anything.

  191. That long shot of Cersai receiving someone at the throne gave me a weird feeling like they were trying to conceal something. Why don’t they show the face of the Golden Co. leader in either of both shots of him in the trailer? That is, if it is indeed Harry Strickland and Euron standing there.

    The answer could be that they want a big reveal for a new character? They don’t mind us knowing that he’s blond and tall. But, cynic that I am, I’m still suspicious. I presume that in the show, they will zoom into the faces.

  192. Anon,

    I think if they really wanted to conceal something big then they simply wouldn’t have included the shot at all IMO, but of course, YMMV.

  193. So did we determine that the arm with the bow was female/Arya? Any chance it could be Lyanna Mormont?

  194. Clob:
    Took a break for a few hours… ☺

    Reading through one thing jumped out.I don’t think Arya having a Valyrian steel dagger and holding the the dragonglass dagger means anything.It’s probably just a conversation with someone regarding dragonglass, she picks it up and says that.

    She has it while running.

  195. Olli,

    I agree – remember the season 5 flashback scene – she was told she would have three children – gold their crowns gold their shrouds.

  196. steff666,
    Wow, I don’t even remember posting that (after I was at the bar last night). !!
    Yeah, she does have something dragonglass when she’s running… Maybe her spear broke and she’s just holding the end..? Watching her receive that wound on her forehead is going to hurt.

  197. Is the frame you posted: “Swing that stick” of Arya fighting, related to the opening scene of her running? Because from the lighting, it looks like it might be happening in the same location. Was it possible she is running to warn others that a defense has been breached? There’s an urgency in her expression, it’s not just fear. I get a sense she’s either running to save/warn others or she is deliberately running to lure an adversary? She’s risking something. I get a sense of that. Of course my fevered imagination is writing my own narratives. LOL!

  198. BrantheDestroyer:
    Kudos to you!I have read many many reviews and breakdowns of the trailer.Seemingly, you may be the ONLY person who caught on that the shot of three ships is Theon, not Euron.In the shot of the ship loaded with the Golden Company, there are clearly dozens and dozens of ships in the background.Euron is a show-boater, he would never show up with just three ships, not to mention, they wouldn’t hold 20,000 mercenaries.Great job!

    I would like to say how amazed I was by the beautiful coloring of the dragons.Doesn’t seem like they had been shown as that colorful previously.I was truly moved by their beauty flying over Winterfell and the canyon.

    If dragons die, I am done for!I don’t care if they kill Dany, Arya or Jon, just please, no more dragons!!!

    I also think the three ships are Theon’s entry, (at least one of the video analyses groups got it right), but also want to believe if he’s sailing with three ships, then he has Yara who is actually in charge again.

  199. I said in another thread that I could do without a trailer, right… I lied!!!
    I’ve watched this many times, and there are two flying animals visible at 0.26, upper left quarter of the image, the frames of the ships Luka thinks (and I agree with him) can be Theon’s.
    Dragons? Would be too casual if they were just two passing birds…

  200. Jaime of Tarth,

    I think you might be right. There are a couple of specks in the sky that appear and then disappear in a choppy way, so maybe it was edited to try and make them not so easily noticeable?

  201. BrantheDestroyer,

    Not only that but the coat of arms on the sails on the two instances is a bit different! I don’t know how they missed the non red eye thingy in the middle of the kracken on the three ship shot?! Those are regular kraken ships, Theon’s. The one with Harry Strickland has at the back sails with the krracken with the red dot/ sun whatever on it.

  202. Anon:
    That long shot of Cersai receiving someone at the throne gave me a weird feeling like they were trying to conceal something. Why don’t they show the face of the Golden Co. leader in either of both shots of him in the trailer?That is,if it is indeed Harry Strickland and Euron standing there.

    The answer could be that they want a big reveal for a new character?They don’t mind us knowing that he’s blond and tall.But, cynic that I am, I’m still suspicious.I presume that in the show, they will zoom into the faces.

    IDK…. we aren’t seeing Harry’s face here again. They aren’t sharing his face until premiere, my guess. But what we are seeing is a long, empty cold throne room. That’s a big statement in and of itself.

  203. ice Hunter,

    When Tyrion went alone to try to strike a deal with Cersei, he offered her wine, she said no, he thought a bit, because Cersei loves her wine, said OMG you are pregnant! So the wine may be meaningful.

  204. Mr Derp:
    Anon,

    I think if they really wanted to conceal something big then they simply wouldn’t have included the shot at all IMO, but of course, YMMV.

    Maybe they want to conceal something big-ish. We already know the Golden Co. is coming to Westeros. We presume that it has a leader. The bookdom even knows the name of that leader. The showdom knows that he’s yellow-haired and tall. The only thing we don’t know is what his face looks like. Why would THAT be a big reveal if he is a brand new character. Why would they hold that back.

    Why would they not show his face.

  205. Anon: Maybe they want to conceal something big-ish.We already know the Golden Co. is coming to Westeros.We presume that it has a leader.The bookdom even knows the name of that leader.The showdom knows that he’s yellow-haired and tall.The only thing we don’t know is what his face looks like. Why would THAT be a big reveal if he is a brand new character.Why would they hold that back.

    Why would they not show his face.

    Don’t we already know who the actor is that’s playing Harry Strickland though? Wouldn’t his face simply be Marc Rissmann’s face?

    If they’re not showing him on purpose then it’s most likely because it’s a new character and they want to keep some element of mystery around it, but I would have to assume it’s nothing particularly major. Who knows though.

  206. Olli: IDK…. we aren’t seeing Harry’s face here again.They aren’t sharing his face until premiere, my guess.But what we are seeing is a long, empty cold throne room.That’s a big statement in and of itself.

    Yes. It is a pretty shot of the throne room. And I agree that it shows how cavernous the room is with that little party gathered at the far end. It’s just curious that both times we see this dude, his back is turned.

  207. Laura,

    I kind associate the bow with Bronn. Bronn used a bow to ignite wildfire at Blackwater Bay….but it could be Arya,… or Lyanna Mormont

  208. Yep, we figured it out. Strickland isn’t played by Marc Rissmann, it’s Miltos as Syrio with blonde hair! 🙂

  209. Mango:
    Someone should call the authorities and report that Bronn has gone missing.

    All of his scenes must be huge spoilers so they couldn’t show him. 🥶

  210. Anon,

    Regarding Beric, Tormund and Edd, IMO at least some of them should survive – maybe, all three (and there should be more night’s-watchemen and wildlings with them). One way or anonther, the gods (D&D) are not done with them yet and Beric is especially important. IMO Jon should learn some lesson from his death: maybe, something regarding how to defeat the Night King – what mistakes should be avoided, etc. At least, that’s how I imagine that.

  211. Good spot on the Greyjoy ships, I did wonder why only saw three in that shot but I wonder where Theon is going. He’s clearly not going to confront Euron head on and we can see Euron brings the Golden Company back presumably in episode one or two.

    I would have though Yara is killed in a failed rescue then Theon heads North.

  212. Mr Derp: If they’re not showing him on purpose then it’s most likely because it’s a new character and they want to keep some element of mystery around it, but I would have to assume it’s nothing particularly major. Who knows though.

    I won’t belabor the point except to say that we know that he has a face so I don’t see why what specific face it is would be mysterious. And those of us who follow casting news know what the actor’s face looks like – the one who supposedly plays that role.

    Anyway, maybe it’s nothing.

  213. Tron79: All of his scenes must be huge spoilers so they couldn’t show him.🥶

    I can agree with that. Although (we) knew they weren’t dead, they “spoiled” it that Tormund and Beric survived. However, Bronn being at Winterfell with the “good guys” would be an actual spoiler. (Obviously I still think he’ll end up going there)

  214. LadyGoodman: It was absolutely gorgeous in super HD!Jon in the godswood looked particularly vibrant and lovely.

    Wish they would’ve done theatrical screenings for each episode through AMC’s Fathom Events or something similar.

    Yeah I was thinking the same thing. This needs to be imax was my first thought. My second thought was to buy an even better tv. Mine looked cool in the dark though. The godwood did look amazing, especially in contrast to the battle scenes.

  215. Everyone is hyped, but am I the only one who is worried about the last season. The writers have proved in the last few seasons – mostly in the last one – that they suck at writing Game of Thrones on their own without GRRM; add to that this new “shot in the dark to symbolize dread” style they have brought into GoT for the first time. This is not a problem GoT ever had; all the action scenes from Hardhome to Feilds of Fire was shot in daylight where we can see stuff. I had to crank the brightness of my monitor way up to see anything in the trailer which was totally unwatchable in my AMOLED phone screen. I can already tell the much vaunted Battle for Winterfell will be most part black screen for us who don’t have HDR TVs.

  216. Laura,

    IMO, Arya makes most sense. She has been training with the bow and had skills: we have been shown that in 101 and then in season 3, and then reminded in 706. So, I hope Arya will take out something big: maybe a giant or a white walker. I don’t dare to dream about the dragon, but maybe she makes Viserion land and then the Night King goes after her?

  217. Inga: Beric is especially important

    They must have a reason to keep him around, and for some odd reason it kind of bothers me considering the book version. Richard has a great voice to listen to but that doesn’t mean I need him to become a more important character than he’s suppose to be (since they cut LSH and all).

  218. Rizwan:
    Everyone is hyped, but am I the only one who is worried about the last season. The writers have proved in the last few seasons – mostly in the last one – that they suck at writing Game of Thrones on their own without GRRM; add to that this new “shot in the dark to symbolize dread” style they have brought into GoT for the first time. This is not a problem GoT ever had; all the action scenes from Hardhome to Feilds of Fire was shot in daylight where we can see stuff. I had to crank the brightness of my monitor way up to see anything in the trailer which was totally unwatchable in my AMOLED phone screen. I can already tell the much vaunted Battle for Winterfell will be most part black screen for us who don’t have HDR TVs.

    Blackwater and Watchers on the Wall say hi.

  219. Rizwan:
    Everyone is hyped, but am I the only one who is worried about the last season. The writers have proved in the last few seasons – mostly in the last one – that they suck at writing Game of Thrones on their own without GRRM; add to that this new “shot in the dark to symbolize dread” style they have brought into GoT for the first time. This is not a problem GoT ever had; all the action scenes from Hardhome to Feilds of Fire was shot in daylight where we can see stuff. I had to crank the brightness of my monitor way up to see anything in the trailer which was totally unwatchable in my AMOLED phone screen. I can already tell the much vaunted Battle for Winterfell will be most part black screen for us who don’t have HDR TVs.

    If you watch GoT on a phone and expect great quality you’re gonna have a bad time.

  220. Olli,

    In 703 Varys mentioned that 2 or 3 ships escaped from the naval battle. 2 definitely did: one brougth the message to Dragonstone, the other picked up Theon, but the third ship could have made it, too. So, yes: it should be Theon’s fleet.

  221. Inga:
    Anon,

    Regarding Beric, Tormund and Edd, IMO at least some of them should survive – maybe, all three (and there should be more night’s-watchemen and wildlings with them). One way or anonther, the gods (D&D) are not done with them yet and Beric is especially important. IMO Jon should learn some lesson from his death: maybe, something regarding how to defeat the Night King – what mistakes should be avoided, etc. At least, that’s how I imagine that.

    …from your lips to the gods(d&d) ears.

  222. Pip,

    Good question. I thought the walkers behind the NK when he threw the spear at Viserion looked like Craster. I fear the one thing that will not be resolved is what the walkers/NK want.

  223. Mattos The Melted,

    I think they’re simply a representation of death. They were created by the COTF to kill the First Men, but at some point they lost control of them.

    There are certainly some unanswered questions though.

  224. djs111,

    I do agree that the scene of Cersei with a goblet is meaningful but in a different way. First, she doesn’t look like she just had a miscarriage: she looks healthy but reluctant. She looks away from the goblet, then she raises it and stops, she has tears in her eyes and she’s almost shaking her head. And actually we don’t see her drink. So, I don’t think it’s wine in that goblet – it shoud be Moon Tea or something similar. Not the poison: I can fully imagine Cersei killing herself, but she would do that sitting on the Iron Throne wearing her best attire, not a dressing-gown. And I don’t think she would be hesitating and suffering so much. So, Cersei has to be killing her child. And then on the battlements of KL she is doing something so horrible that even her hand Qyburn is unhappy with that.

    IMO this is the leaked scene from Ep 4 involving Jon.
  225. About the dragons being smaller, these are probably technical issues. When I watched in cinema Jurassic world (with Chris Pratt), I had several moments where I thought something is wrong. When looking outside their room, the rest looked like a maquette. And when seeing the helicopter, it looked like a mini toy-helicopter. So it’s not only game of thrones who has difficulties with proportions.

  226. Chilli: I watched in cinema Jurassic world (with Chris Pratt), I had several moments where I thought something is wrong

    I felt that way about the entire movie

  227. Mattos The Melted,

    IMO, we don’t need any specific explanation on what the WW want. They are based on humans and, just like all the other spiecies, they tend to procreate, extend their habitat, and adjust it so that it could be comfortable to them. The only problem is that for them the comfortable temperature is like -20 C and below and that they can’t procreate otherwise, than by transforming human babies.

  228. I noticed a lack of glowing blue eyes on the antagonists in the battle, I cant remember if they are prominent in other fights (time to rewatch S7) or if they digitally removed the blue so we don’t know if they are wights or the GC?

  229. Cersei having a glass of wine with this look on her face made me think of Lady Olenna. And of Cersei having other ideas for the last walk of the Queen of Thorns… my initial thought was that this would be Cersei’s last drink ever.

    seeing Edd, Tormund and Beric entering a room which obviously offers a scaring view made me think of the opening of S1E1. so i hope this scene is placed well in the few episodes to come. it will hopefully not be CB where we see them, as i still don’t get the point of “warning” some 50 guys that they have just missed the big blow and that they can all go and get jobs now.

    Arya’s facial expression of panic is Maisie’s one true masterpiece. she’s given Arya a lot of expressions, but this is from a range of feelings we (and Arya) have yet to discover. her face looks completely changed, like she had gained years of age within a second.

    Greyworm standing in front of the Unsullied and looking like he might bite someone was the most promising detail imho. didn’t some here say that his expression on the promo pics released -what?- five minutes ago was a bit too bold?
    he will probably change from an obedient soldier to a fighter who makes his own decisions a bit more. he really seems to dislike whatever he is facing in that scene, and he wants to fight it because he dislikes it, not because someone tells him to. let’s say, this is a bit more of leaving the slave behind.
    (possible spoilers in this: heroic death to come. and, Greyworm’s birthname revealed, and everyone will go “ohhhh…”)

  230. Laura,

    To add to the confusion, I think those two figures in front of the throne are facing away from Cersei, not towards her. The one to the right in the long robes, if you zoom in, is definitely in an anatomically bizarre position if they’re facing Cersei, as the shoulders and arms come down in front of the torso. The garb reminds me most strongly of Varys in his long-robe days, but I doubt it’s actually him.

    Similarly, the figure directly in front of Cersei has arms that are also clearly visible and clasped facing the audience. This person could be standing with hands behind his back, or could be a bound prisoner (but if so, why is he not on his knees and why is no one directly next to him?) but could also be facing the audience.

    The Long Night has also clearly fallen at this point, and the throne room with the braziers all lit is spectacular. Intriguing shot, for sure.

  231. Anon: Yes.It is a pretty shot of the throne room.And I agree that it shows how cavernous the room is with that little party gathered at the far end.It’s just curious that both times we see this dude, his back is turned.

    that’s because the dude is looking at the queen. what do you expect him to do? a squaredance?

    yes, the difference between trailer and episode… such curious… very conceal… much they!

  232. So do are elephants to the GC what horses are to the Dothraki, or only the higher ups ride them? Like the NK and his WW “generals” ride the undead horses, but the common ones and the wights just walk.

  233. Inga,

    I disagree with this statement so wholeheartedly. This woman is obsessed with her children with Jaime. Loras was a cousin and therefore her inferior in her mindset. The most human characteristic she puts on display is the love she bares for her children. The times we see her with emotion are involving her children’s deaths. Even talking about her two youngest with Tyrion she gets angry at him for mentioning them, like how dare you, I think it more likely she loses her children of a spontaneous abortion (miscarriage). Even Jaime leaving her wouldn’t diminish the love she has for this unborn child; it’s her way to hold on to the Lannister name, the love she carries for her unborn children, and a way to support her privileged life and position. A miscarriage would tip her into the unhinged category.

  234. I can handle everyone dying except Ghost. And Jon. But if I had to choose between them, Ghost for the Throne! I hope Grey Worm and Missendei hurry up and die so they can stop wasting what precious little time is left on a side love story of two minor characters!
    I hope Jaime is the one to finally dispense with Cersei but that it doesn’t happen until later in the season so she can cause lots of mischief 🙂

  235. Jack Bauer 24,

    From what I’ve read they have and ride many horses and just also have a number of elephants. I’ve just always assumed they use them like the giants used the mammoths; beasts of burden, siege rams

  236. Clob: Maybe her spear broke and she’s just holding the end..?

    Ha, yes. As I wrote yesterday: I think it could be the dragonglass spearhead from the spear she was fighting with on the battlements. Someone else wrote that it could be the dragonglass dagger she is holding as she says her line, but that dagger is far shorter than the thing which she is holding while she is running and the blade has a slightly different form.

    Inga,
    I would like that very much if the hints to her archery skills pay off in some kind. And it would make sense, if this bow scene is on the battlements…Arya’s fighting scene takes place there too.

  237. Fierce as a Wolverine: To add to the confusion, I think those two figures in front of the throne are facing away from Cersei, not towards her. The one to the right in the long robes, if you zoom in, is definitely in an anatomically bizarre position if they’re facing Cersei, as the shoulders and arms come down in front of the torso. The garb reminds me most strongly of Varys in his long-robe days, but I doubt it’s actually him.

    This is funny, but happens when there are so many people posting right now. I wrote this yesterday:

    As for the Throne Room shot (if the two people in front of Cersei and Qyburn are facing the camera): the person’s clothes on the right look like one of Varys’ old robes to me. Or maybe not. But it definitely does not look like Euron.

    So: I agree. Glad I’m not the only one having Varys hallucinations. 😄

  238. Mr Derp,

    Maybe the shot of the dragon’s shadow flying over King’s Landing was from Season 7 and didn’t make the cut. It would make sense because that’s when Dany went to King’s Landing to meet with everyone.

  239. Roz’s Ghost:
    Mr Derp,

    Maybe the shot of the dragon’s shadow flying over King’s Landing was from Season 7 and didn’t make the cut. It would make sense because that’s when Dany went to King’s Landing to meet with everyone.

    I don’t think so. They’ve gone out of their way to show the shot of a dragon flying over KL twice now and both times it was from Bran’s visions. Once in season 4, and again in season 6. This vision will come to fruition at some point in season 8.

  240. Jack Bauer 24:
    So do are elephants to the GC what horses are to the Dothraki, or only the higher ups ride them? Like the NK and his WW “generals” ride the undead horses, but the common ones and the wights just walk.

    Indeed. Any good army has a cavalry and an infantry. At least prior to mechanized forces such as tanks, etc…

  241. My first thought while seeing the trailer was, Ten Bears is going to love it that Arya appears so prominently. Second thought was being surprised to see some minor spoilers like Tormund, Beric and Edd still being alive. And my last thought was wow, this is going to be epic! Really looking forward to see it on my television screen instead of my too dark laptop screen.
    And thank you Jack Bauer 24 for keeping us updated. You were a little bit annoying previous seasons when being afraid something was wrong, but this season you really gave interesting information l.

  242. Roz’s Ghost,

    Also, if that shot of a dragon flying over KL was simply meant to be Dany arriving in KL during season 7 episode 7 then D&D would’ve gone out of their way to show that specific clip in that episode, but they didn’t, which makes me think it’s definitely being saved for season 8.

  243. Picture 33 is definitely a bow; nice work people who managed to spot that! I could only do it using photoshop. Not sure how visible this will be to others as I am lucky enough to have a computer with a very high resolution screen but I’ve lightened the picture and then made it ridiculously light to (hopefully) make the string really clear.

  244. Roz’s Ghost:
    Mr Derp,

    Maybe the shot of the dragon’s shadow flying over King’s Landing was from Season 7 and didn’t make the cut. It would make sense because that’s when Dany went to King’s Landing to meet with everyone.

    I always thought that it was more symbolic than literal, as many of Bran’s visions. To mean Dany arriving, or whatnot. Like you say, it could have also been a cut scene. Or hey, maybe the NK is going to do a fly-by this season. 😜

  245. Lulus Mum:
    Picture 33 is definitely a bow; nice work people who managed to spot that! I could only do it using photoshop. Not sure how visible this will be to others as I am lucky enough to have a computer with a very high resolution screen but I’ve lightened the picture and then made it ridiculously light to (hopefully) make the string really clear.

    Technology Queen!!! ❤

  246. The kiss between Grey Worm and Missandei is a testament to what is at stake in the war. It’s also a reminder that even though Dany tends to have murderous tendencies at times, her view of slavery has had the effect of enriching tens of thousands of lives. Will it be their last kiss? Quite possibly, since it sets up a gut-wrenching death of a second tier character. You know, like when Boromir (aka Ned Stark) dies in LotR.

    A bloody and terrified Arya makes me very uneasy. I’m hoping she’s luring whoever or whatever is chasing her into an ambush and that she’ll be around at the end of the saga. I don’t think she’s gong to die, but hey–it’s GoT.

    Anyone else thing that the 3 Musketeers (Edd, Tormund, and Beric) are about to meet their doom walking down that corridor? Hopefully they won’t but….

    The scene with Jon, Dany, and the dragons has both humans heading for Drogon, but it might be that just after that clip Jon veers off and mounts Rhaegal, the dragon named for his father. I’d not be surprised.

    Cersei and wine? I can’t remember if she refused it or simply watched as Tyrion poured some for himself. Her placing a hand over her belly was what tipped Tyrion off to her (possible) pregnancy, not any refusal to drink wine. I’m fairly certain that a doctor in Westeros would not understand a connection between drinking while pregnant and the various problems that can result from it.

    One of my biggest fears is that Jaime or Brienne, possibly both, do not survive the Winterfell battle. Ever since the hot tub scene I’ve loved them as a couple.

    The sad fact is that no one on the show has had a good life and all of them have been beaten, tortured, imprisoned, raped, maimed, burned (hello Sandor!), murdered, or threatened (hello Gilly and her son), in ways that we take for granted on the show. Ned’s death put us on notice, but it was the Red Wedding that put a thousand exclamation points on it. No one is safe. No one. Not even direwolves.

    So I enter into this last season with hopes, but no real expectation that they will be realized. Rooting for Jon and Arya, but not as a couple.

  247. Cliohna,

    Ha. Yeah, I’m definitely just skimming comments right now. Sorry for missing yours!

    On a closer re-examination, I think those two figures probably are facing the throne after all, but the Varys-not-Varys figure’s clothes are cut in such a way as to look like the arms are coming down in front.

    Too much excitement has my both skipping comments, and also hallucinating.

  248. Rizwan:
    Everyone is hyped, but am I the only one who is worried about the last season. The writers have proved in the last few seasons – mostly in the last one – that they suck at writing Game of Thrones on their own without GRRM; add to that this new “shot in the dark to symbolize dread” style they have brought into GoT for the first time. This is not a problem GoT ever had; all the action scenes from Hardhome to Feilds of Fire was shot in daylight where we can see stuff. I had to crank the brightness of my monitor way up to see anything in the trailer which was totally unwatchable in my AMOLED phone screen. I can already tell the much vaunted Battle for Winterfell will be most part black screen for us who don’t have HDR TVs.

    Well, firstly, I disagree deeply that D&D “suck at writing GOT” without GRRM. The show has changed in terms of it’s dynamic, but that was always going to happen with the end-game in sight. It felt a bit rushed last season, but altogether was an enjoyable season. I really enjoyed season 6 too. GRRM’s sprawling epic is too sprawling, which is exactly why he is having such a hard time finishing it himself. Even with GRRM’s help, I doubt that would have improved the quality: there are too many storylines and he is having a terrible time winding it all down (hence the endless wait for the next book). They have done a brilliant job of winding down storylines and manoeuvring characters into position for the final showdowns. Yes, it felt rushed at times, but timing isn’t always GRRM’s strongpoint either – Merenese knot anyone? I can never quite understand armchair warriors moaning about D&D’s writing – they are experienced screenwriters who have brought their expertise to bring one of the most complicated epics in fantasy to and end – do people really think they could do a better job?

    Anyway, that debate aside, the reason the battle with the AOTD is a night shoot is pretty simple – it’s called the long night for a reason: the AOTD and the NK bring the night. I don’t doubt they wanted it to feel more foreboding, but the primary reason must surely be because according to lore, the last time the AOTD rocked up, night fell and children were born, lived and died all in darkness (according to Old Nan at least). I think it would be pretty clumsy writing to shoot a daytime battle in what is supposed to the long night part II.

  249. Mackenna,

    We can agree to disagree. But if Cersei loves her children and/or Jaime all that much, it wouldn’t harm to do something for them, no? However, in reality Cersei is all about herself. Tommen slipped out of her grasp – she called him a traitor. Jaime slipped out of her grasp – she called him a traitor, too. So, that’s how she is: there’s no true love, just posessive egoism. And abortions is exactly what egoists do – sooner or later, figurativly or literarly.

  250. There’s one more observation I want to share with you after those countless rewatches of the trailer.

    It concerns the still of Jon standing by the heart tree. I’ve just noticed that it’s not the Winterfell heart tree, but by that of Castle Black just outside the Wall – the one Jon made his Night’s Watch vows at!!!

    The tree itself is used for both locations; however, when it stands in for the heart tree of Castle Black, there are spuces in the background and no pool underneath, just like in the shot. So, it spoils a lot. Firtst of all, it proves that Jon will go beyond the Wall. Secondly, it has to happen after the Battle of Winterfell. Thirdly, I don’t see why Jon would go there: I mean, contemplating his vows would be poetic but it’s not like Jon will have time for contemplation trips – unless he rides a dragon. And anyway, such contemplation can be expected in the second half of the season, when Jon committs to take the throne, or even somewhere at the very end of the show when it’s all said and done. What do you think?

  251. Anon,

    Maybe Cercei is looking down on one of our heroes. Who knows.
    Or my crackpot theory. Harry Strickland in the show is in fact Young Griff from the books. Would be a shocker. But probably not.

    Che,
    Even the books changed dynamics. And how must D&D read GRRM mind of what should happen, he told them some parts but not everything, they need to fill in those gaps the way they feel is the best for the show. And yes there will be changes, but some of these insults on the show will happen in the books also.

    Like people said that last year the way L+R=J/E and that they were in love was too much of a fan service and too much romantic for the show. Well I will put all my money on it that that is the way it happen in the books also. Those people will need to swallow their pride (or how to call it) once the books finally are done. But we need to wait a little longer for that.

  252. Going out on a limb here: The fighter on the wall – As I said earlier is fighting right handed so not likely to be Jamie without a new prosthesis. Looking again the chin is too prominent for it to be Brienne (which was also suggested by the curved pommel of Oathkeper). But the character has multi-layer overlapping shoulder guards!!
    That’s what Harry Strickland has in the image on Euron’s boat! I think that is Harry Strickland fighting. How do we know he is fighting Wights and not Jon and Danny’s troops?

  253. Nm:
    Che,

    Do whight walkers bleed?

    I just rewatched the battle at Hardhome to have a look and the only blood splatters were from the Wildlings. That doesn’t mean they don’t bleed though – could have been because the bodies were really old (I imagine just-wighted wights would still have blood in them) or budget constraints (though they did show wildlings bleeding) or maybe it was a style choice to show a difference between the two sides as a lot of the pacing was very quick and confusing as to who was being felled down. Are you thinking about the the shot where Arya wields her spear on the battlements and then takes someone out along to a gory spray of blood? I wondered about that too – could mean it’s not just the wights attacking, but it could also be because it is someone that has just died and then been wighted – they’d still have blood in them no?

    On a side note – rewatching the battle at Hardhome has made me feel really scared again for what’s coming. Pretty scared for our favourites right now and I am dreading seeing them come back as wights. How horrific can things get? Your favourite character just get’s murked and then you have to watch them come back and try and kill your other favourite characters (and probably succeed in some cases). Yeah, not looking forward to that!

  254. Pigeon,

    Why thank you Witty One Liner Queen ❤

    To paraphrase various characters: We all have our part to play in the Great Fandom. We’re coming. We don’t tire. We don’t stop. But we definitely do feel. ALL THE FEELS ALL THE TIME!

    Edit:
    Inga, Hi Inga *waving right back atcha*. Gotta be quick but all is good, hope it is for you too. Catch up in the comments soon 😀

  255. Pigeon,

    We’ll definitely have a dragon in King’s Landing: they buit a whole set to promote a proper landing. So, I don’t think we are going to be dissapointed with the payoff of Bran’s vision. However, it’s still to be seen which dragon lands.

  256. Isn’t that Yara Greyjoy behind Gendry by the blacksmith’s fire? To me it looks as though she is walking as if still in shackles and handcuffed. I wonder if Gendry frees her from the cuffs and chains.

  257. Inga,

    It’s the weirwood tree in WF.

    If you watch the scene with Bran and Sansa at the weirwood tree at WF, as well as the scene with Sansa and LF, it’s the same tree.

    For whatever reason, they removed the pond in front of it that we saw in season 1 episode 1. Either that or the pond is frozen over and we just can’t see it.

  258. bioprof:
    Going out on a limb here: The fighter on the wall – As I said earlier is fighting right handed so not likely to be Jamie without a new prosthesis. Looking again the chin is too prominent for it to be Brienne (which was also suggested by the curved pommel of Oathkeper). But the character has multi-layer overlapping shoulder guards!!That’s what Harry Strickland has in the image on Euron’s boat!I think that is Harry Strickland fighting. How do we know he is fighting Wights and not Jon and Danny’s troops?

    To me it really looks like Brienne, but the figure aside, I do like the idea of a twist on this big battle with the AOTD being subverted by a battle with the GC first. I think something unexpected, yet still possible, would obviously improve there excitement factor of the show, however, if it is something implausible, or worse, impossible, then it would be a massive downside to the season.

    So is it possible and is it plausible?

    (I’ll preface this with apologies for being a mega nerd and actually working this stuff out) We know that Euron left directly from the meeting to go and pick up the GC in Essos. Just checking to see whereabouts they are in Essos and for the GOT side of things, I can’t find where they are. Assuming they’re in the west of Essos, near Pentos, in a place close to KL, just across the sea. A journey of 900-1000 miles or so. Looking at some sources, it seems that historically, ships could sail at a max of about 6 knots (and that’s with favourable winds). So it might take Euron around a week to get to Pentos, assuming that’s where the GC are hanging out waiting to be picked up. To load 20,000 men, horses, elephants onto ships is surely going to take some time and then to make the journey back. I guess the GC could sail straight up to White Harbour to take WF by surprise. That’s a journey of around 1900 miles, so basically double his last journey. Assuming favourable winds, another two weeks’ sailing. To march the army from Whiteharbour to Winterfell is another 400 miles (as the crow flies – around 550 cutting across to Kings Road then up). According to google, an army could cover about 25 miles per day on a good road. So that’s another 2-3 weeks added. All in all, it might take Euron around 6 weeks (and that’s a very generous estimation) to collect the GC from Pentos and get them to WF. I know that Jon said it would take Dany’s army 2 weeks to get from KL to WF. Obviously show distances are smaller than book distances. According to the maps I used, it’s a journey of 1700 miles (thereabouts) by road from KL to WF – which would take an army two months to march, not two weeks. SO, with all that in mind, if the distances are much smaller and we use Jon’s reference as a guide – if a two month journey shrinks to 2 weeks for their armies to make it to WF, then I don’t see why Euron’s 6 week journey can’t shrink equally and they could in fact get there first, at the same time or afterwards. Intriguing thought. It would be crazy if Winterfell is attached but the GC before the AOTD. It might explain why Grey Worm is looking so pissed off in the shot of him putting on his helmet.

    *Another apology for my geeking out*

  259. kevin1989:
    Anon,

    Maybe Cercei is looking down on one of our heroes. Who knows.
    Or my crackpot theory. Harry Strickland in the show is in fact Young Griff from the books. Would be a shocker. But probably not.

    Che,
    Even the books changed dynamics. And how must D&D read GRRM mind of what should happen, he told them some parts but not everything, they need to fill in those gaps the way they feel is the best for the show. And yes there will be changes, but some of these insults on the show will happen in the books also.

    Like people said that last year the way L+R=J/E and that they were in love was too much of a fan service and too much romantic for the show. Well I will put all my money on it that that is the way it happen in the books also. Those people will need to swallow their pride (or how to call it) once the books finally are done. But we need to wait a little longer for that.

    I totally agree, on both counts. I struggled to get through one of the latter books (I can’t remember which now, it was several years ago that I read them and I read them all within a month or two back to back, so my memory is hazy). I do remember my enjoyment dipping and lots of storylines seeming boring. However, I was a show-watcher first, so that might have coloured my view on the storylines that D&D dropped – sure enough, I found the ones they dropped the least compelling: Young Griff and Tyrion’s journey with them (then later his whole siege Penny storyline); the Dorne plot with Arianne (I dislike her character quite a lot and I’m glad she’s not in the show); Brienne’s journey to find the Stark girls etc. I also started to tire of GRRM’s sprawling world-building writing style (I remember feeling exhausted after what felt like a ten-page description of the food at a banquet). So in my mind at least, the quality of the books has gone down recently too. The latter ones seemed a lot less compelling to me than the first ones. GRRM is a master storyteller and his imagination knows no bounds – he is also clearly a dedicated student of history and he has clearly done vast amounts of research to flesh out his novels. I used to dream of being an author (fantasy being my favoured genre), but life and kids got in the way of my passion for writing, so now I just have this awesome respect for the man (and authors like him) – he has created something truly wondrous. I hope this paragraph doesn’t come across as GRRM bashing.

    I also agree that Dany and Jon will come together in the books too – hasn’t that been confirmed by someone working on the show? I believe that GRRM confirmed this will happen in the books? That everything will boil down to bringing the two together in the end game?

  260. Clob: That’s what I’ve been going with.It is a pretty tiny pond.There is a bit of a ridge in the snow where the edge of the pond would be…
    https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/gameofthrones/images/c/cf/Winterfell_Godswood.jpg/

    I agree; I think it’s frozen over. This still from S06e10 shows it frozen, yet still visible (just about):
    https://filmgrimoire.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/wood.jpg?w=640&h=340
    Winter has set in now, it would make sense it’s hard frozen and buried under compacted snow.

    ETA: No sign of it in this season 7 still:
    <a href="https://coubsecure-s.akamaihd.net/get/b188/p/coub/simple/cw_timeline_pic/24494d09093/9824296f611b0fa1b0e69/big_1502123441_image.jpg

  261. Does anyone know why they never changed the banners/sigils on KL in the opening credits to Lannister instead of the Baratheon ones that were still in place through the end of 7-7? Because I am sure there is a logical reason but it made me start theorizing Dany ends up legitimizing Gendry (Jon dies in my scenario, due to the Tyrion betrayal) and then marrying him to give herself more legitimacy as a Westerosi ruler. In this new crackpot storyline of mine, Dany sends Tyrion North to help rebuild Winterfell for Arya/Bran and so she can send her and Jon’s little bb there to learn how to be a proper Stark :*(

    Also, get your tinfoil hats out, bow girl could be….Meera 😛

    Yes, the script said she walked out of the show forever but… they wrote that script 3.5 years ago and filmed most of the final season last year? Always room for a change of heart 🙂

  262. ramses,

    Sure but now that Cersei has claimed the throne for herself, wouldn’t all the stuff change? She’s never referred to by her married name, her clothing is all Lannister, her military are the “Lannister forces…”

    Do smallfolk etc. all still consider her a… Baratheon?

  263. ramses:
    Laura,

    Joffrey, Tommen, and Cersei all had/have the Baratheon last name.

    This is true, but I suppose some would argue that she’s completely abandoned that name and everything is being done as Lannister. Qyburn’s introduction for her coronation was, “Cersei of the House Lannister…,” with no mention of Baratheon, her army is the Lannister army and she’s pretty much only referred to and associated as Lannister.

  264. Dragonbringer: “Everything you did brought you where you’re now. Where you belong. Home.”
    I can see this quote apply to only two people who will be in Wintrrfell..
    First it can be Arya…and i would like to bet that Arya’s line about death and this bran line is where the both have a conversation..
    Then it applies to Dany ..in a way it has been her destiny to reach the North and beyond the wall..and she is the one who constantly searches for home ..
    What better way to end dany’s search with Bran aka three eyed raven telling the girl who started her journey to vaes dothrak and now after everything finally at Wintrrfell that this is it..that this is your home and these are your family…

    Actually I think it applies to one person – Jon Snow.

  265. Laura,

    Clob,

    Yea I hear you both but legally her last name is still Baratheon. If she wanted to change it she would, being Queen and all.

    Also, the show wouldn’t fuck up the opening credits. Her last name is still Baratheon.

  266. Mr Derp,

    I’ve checked all the scenes involving the weirwood trees of WF and CB. As I said, they use the same tree for both locations, so it might be difficult to tell (and there might be continuity errors, too). However, the “WF weirwood tree” stands alone and has no greenery close to it, whereas the “CB weiwood tree” always has spruces in its immediate background. You can see this difference in 610, where we have Sansa at the “WF weirwood tree” and Bran at the “CB weirwood tree”. And I haven’t seen spruces near the “WF weirwood tree” in S7, too.

  267. If anyone here has room in your dazzled brain for another trailer, be advised that one (likely the final) for Good Omens has just dropped as well. Besides being charming, this one won’t give you eyestrain from squinting at blurry figures in the dark:

  268. Che,

    I very much agree with your take on D&D’s writing, the show quality, and how it compares with the books. George is a brilliant writer, and the show owes an incredible amount to him for the amazing source material it is based on. That being said, I found ADwD to be a bit of a slog. I liked AFFC and appreciated its different tone, but the fifth book just felt tiresome at times. Characters I like and are interested in either have meandering storylines (Tyrion), or a drastically reduced chapter count (Arya). I think that the show has done a very good job of distilling the sprawling storylines of the books into a manageable story for television.

    However, the show is also not free from criticism, and there are things I have disagreed with, been irked by, and felt let down by, but it’s not nearly enough to sink the show. I intensely dislike the sentiment that pervades the internet that something is either “amazing” or “garbage” with no spectrum; no room for granularity or insightful, well-reasoned criticism.

    It’s amazing how D&D and HBO have been able to take this complex story and create one of the most critically and commercially successful shows ever that is going to end with an incredibly epic and emotional season!

    Though we’ll never know how it would have turned out, if GRRM himself was the show runner, he would have had to make huge cuts and alterations to the show’s story just as D&D have. In fact, I think it’s possible the show could have turned out worse because being a great novelist does not necessarily make you a good TV writer. George got out of writing for TV because he felt frustrated by the limitations he faced in the medium. In some of the episode commentaries, George mentions how much D&D had to cut from the scripts he wrote for the show because it was totally unfeasible to do. Novels are a perfect place for his genius.

  269. Enharmony1625,
    I agree with all of that. 🙂

    ———
    I’ve withheld this comment on the unimportant until now regarding Joe/Gendry. What the hell with the hair, man!? After the buzz cut in S7 I (and others) had been hoping he’d grow it out closer to his early appearance. Instead it looks like it’s even shorter in S8!! :/

  270. Cool little thing I noticed on my latest rewatch. When Arya firsts starts speaking, she says “I know Death” cut to more of her running, “He’s got many faces” as the camera holds on Varys. Found it interesting given all the wild Varys theories I’ve seen

  271. Clob,

    Ha, yeah that actually crossed my mind a little earlier about Gendry’s hair (or lack thereof), and I was waiting for you or Ten Bears to bring it up. 🙂 I’m not a fan of the buzzcut either and was hoping he would have grown it out more for season 8. We just need a snarky remark from ASNAWP when they reunite that he looked better with longer hair!

  272. Inga,

    I agree with Mr Derp and say it’s 100% the Winterfell weirwood. You could cut it out and lay it over any number of shots perfectly — and there is an obvious ridge of snow where the pond edge is. A bit ago when I was just curious I pulled up “The Winds of Winter” on HBO Go and the one Bran is sitting by at 57:20 looks different. IF they do use the same tree then they use the other side of it for the one outside CB. The low curving trunk that starts out horizontally that we always see on the right for the Winterfell tree could be what is seen to the left-rear in the Bran-Meera scene in 6×10.

  273. death by chickenfire: that’s because the dude is looking at the queen. what do you expect him to do? a squaredance?

    yes, the difference between trailer and episode… such curious… very conceal… much they!

    Not only do the book readers know the name of the Golden Co. leader, they have a description of him, too, and tall, lean and yellow-haired ‘ain’t it.

  274. Is anyone ready to discuss:

    1. the still with a blurred shot of what/who is following Arya?

    2. Whether those are wolves as opposed to horses that are running towards the end of the trailer?

    I’ll just leave those there…

  275. BrantheDestroyer:
    Nick20,

    Maybe the dragon shadow is at the very end –winter has passed.Dragons are flying over Kingslanding.Maybe it’s the future.Who knows.
    Apollo,

    As I said, that would not fit with the throne room being destroyed and covered in snow. If it’s destroyed in winter, it can’t suddenly be intact again after winter is over.

  276. Clob,

    OK. You may be right. It’s hard to make assumptions when they use the same site to stand in for different locations. And the face on the tree is definitely like the one of the WF weirwood tree than that of the CB one. Anyway, we’ll see the truth soon enough.

  277. Rygritte:
    No snow in King’s Landing could be due to the defeat of the Night King.

    I think those KL clips are from the first 3 episodes though. And since episode 3 is the big battle and it’s supposed to be an entire episode, no KL in episode 3.

  278. I think the person swinging a sword at the 1:03 mark is Brienne. It’s definitely not a left-handed person swinging the sword. You can see on the follow through after the swing that it’s in the right hand. The haircut and frame looks similar to Brienne’s to me.

  279. Mr Derp:
    I think the person swinging a sword at the 1:03 mark is Brienne.It’s definitely not a left-handed person swinging the sword.You can see on the follow through after the swing that it’s in the right hand.The haircut and frame looks similar to Brienne’s to me.

    I definitely think it’s Brienne. It even has her swing type/motion.

    Anyone think they’ll fight some of the GC first and then the AotD arrive and they have to have another battle back to back?

  280. I can’t see the Kings of Winter or anyone else in a crypt being resurrected. It’s one thing for the Night King to raise partly skeletal but still mummified corpses preserved in permafrost. It’s quite another to reanimate literal skeletons with no connective tissue at all still holding the bones together. We’ve seen no evidence that is possible and Meera was repeatedly able to destroy wights without fire by tearing the bones apart, so they aren’t held together by magic. They’re held together by partially rotted cartilage and tendons, and when those are totally gone, they aren’t coming back. That would hold for Ned and Cat as well. They’ve been dead for years and not entombed in anything that would preserve a body. They’re skeletons by now.

  281. Jack Bauer 24,

    I think it’s possible. We see some people (i.e. Jaime) with blood on their face, but what if the blood isn’t theirs? It’s not like wights or white walkers bleed, so it would have to be something/someone else. The blood on Jaime’s face could be his own though, so it’s hard to say.

    I’m trying to get a better angle of exactly who/what “Brienne” is slashing at, but it’s just too shadowy to tell if it’s a wight or not.

  282. One scenario is that the Army of the Dead is the first order of business, and when Jon & his allies and armies are exhausted and worn out the GC come after them and attack. Or the Gold Cloaks may go North under the pretext of helping Jon, on Cersei’s behalf, they may even help defeat the army of the Dead, but they will turn and attack the North at some point. I just haven’t figured out how it all works out with when the GCs make their appearance on the battlefield.

  283. Jack Bauer 24,

    On the other hand, it would make much more sense strategically speaking if the GC waited out the fight between the AOTD and those at WF. It wouldn’t make much sense for the GC to fight WF at full strength first and then have to deal with another fight afterwards with the AOTD..

    Based on that, I’d have to assume the GC won’t be fighting WF first. Unless Cersei becomes impatient or impulsive, which is always a possibility. Sansa was concerned last season about Cersei taking action.

  284. Mr Derp:
    Jack Bauer 24,

    I think it’s possible.We see some people (i.e. Jaime) with blood on their face, but what if the blood isn’t theirs?It’s not like wights or white walkers bleed, so it would have to be something/someone else.The blood on Jaime’s face could be his own though, so it’s hard to say.

    I’m trying to get a better angle of exactly who/what “Brienne” is slashing at, but it’s just too shadowy to tell if it’s a wight or not.

    Yeah the blood is key there. But like you said, it could be Jaime’s own. I could see Cersei getting impatient and sending at least a platoon of the GC’s to WF.

    It looks like she is slashing at someone or something without a helmet, so I’m going to go with a wight.

  285. Clob,

    I think in Westeros noble women dont take their husbands last names. Olena is still Olena Redwyne and Caitilin is still a Tully. Shes referred to as Lady Stark due to her being married to a Lord.

  286. Mr Derp:
    I think the person swinging a sword at the 1:03 mark is Brienne.It’s definitely not a left-handed person swinging the sword.You can see on the follow through after the swing that it’s in the right hand.The haircut and frame looks similar to Brienne’s to me.

    I’ve read someone here say that is the new Golden Company leader and since that moment I can’t see Brienne being the shadowed person again.

  287. steff666: I’ve read someone here say that is the new Golden Company leader and since that moment I can’t see Brienne being the shadowed person again.

    I don’t think that’s HS.

  288. Jack Bauer 24: I don’t think that’s HS.

    It probably isn’t, it just got my mind working, what if our guys are fighting GC and AOTD at the same time (or immediately before or after) or something? And then I thought about how Brienne’s shoulderpads should be more prominent if it was her but then again I could just be seeing things.

  289. steff666:
    Also I am more and more convinced those are wolfs running the more I watch that part.

    I’ve seen some freeze frames with max brightness on twitter and it could very well be.

  290. Ramsay’s 20th Good Man:
    Shane snow,

    The Mountain is to the left of Cersei and Qyburn is to the right.

    It’s the people at the bottom of the steps whose identities are in question.

    I think it is the leader of the Golden Company with Euron. Pretty sure Euron had a floor length black leather coat that he wore in season 7.

  291. I was also thinking about NK’s powers and what the rules are and then I thought: couldn’t he just keep raising people as they die? Again and again? That would really be hopeless.

    Can a wight not be raised again after being killed?

  292. Assuming that’s Euron in the throne room and the 3 Greyjoy ships are Theon’s, the only person from the promo posters and the EW ones that is missing is Melisandre. That is very interesting to me. She definitely has a role they are keeping hidden.

  293. steff666:
    I was also thinking about NK’s powers and what the rules are and then I thought: couldn’t he just keep raising people as they die? Again and again? That would really be hopeless.

    Can a wight not be raised again after being killed?

    Yeah I guess he could, but I imagine the battle will be hectic to the point maybe he won’t have the chance to keep doing that. I hope we get to see the NK do some heavy fighting though. We haven’t seen him do much besides slash the 3ER and throw the spear at Viserion.

  294. The biggest trolling in the trailer? That bit with a worried Tyrion looking up and then a dragon blowing fire. Any bit of gossip anyone has heard of such an event is clearly a set-up/misdirection.

    Everyone should expect that Tyrion will play a huge role in the endgame – he is played Dink. So I would like to have seen a bit more of him in the trailer. I suppose maybe too spoilery. The trailer is mainly battle stuff and they were wise to do that. Excitement without much new information.

    I expect Dink, NCW and Lena to be dominant in S8. These guys have game.

  295. Jack Bauer 24: Yeah I guess he could, but I imagine the battle will be hectic to the point maybe he won’t have the chance to keep doing that. I hope we get to see the NK do some heavy fighting though. We haven’t seen him do much besides slash the 3ER and throw the spear at Viserion.

    I fully expect him to fly on Viserion pretty unbothered by the whole thing, it would also be risky for him to be in the thick of things, one shard of dragonglass and he’s gone. Or not, I’ve seen theories that he might be the only one needing a different way to be killed.

  296. Mango:
    The biggest trolling in the trailer? That bit with a worried Tyrion looking up and then a dragon blowing fire. Any bit of gossip anyone has heard of such an event is clearly a set-up/misdirection.

    Everyone should expect that Tyrion will play a huge role in the endgame – he is played Dink. So I would like to have seen a bit more of him in the trailer. I suppose maybe too spoilery. The trailer is mainly battle stuff and they were wise to do that. Excitement without much new information.

    I expect Dink, NCW and Lena to be dominant in S8. These guys have game.

    I think Tyrion is in KL in that scene, it has much warmer lighting. His betrayal seems more and more realistic to me.

  297. steff666: I fully expect him to fly on Viserion pretty unbothered by the whole thing, it would also be risky for him to be in the thick of things, one shard of dragonglass and he’s gone. Or not, I’ve seen theories that he might be the only one needing a different way to be killed.

    Yeah I guess that would make sense. I think we’re due for Jon/NK duel though. They’ve had the 2 stare downs (one at HH and the other in Beyond The Wall) so it’s time for a physical clash.

    But what’s stopping NK from just swooping in and burning down WF and/or the frontlines? I am expecting at least an airborne battle with NK/Viserion and Jon/Rhaegal and or Dany/Drogon.

  298. steff666,

    You might be right on what happens. We will see.

    Betrayal? I think Tyrion will finally come to his senses and look at the bigger picture beyond Daenerys. He betrayed his brother when he killed his father. He betrayed his family and country when he arrived with an armed force to Westeros. Fortunately, he was able to restrain any major destruction until the dragons are taken north. Now all the story’s heroes (including Daenerys) are gathered where they should be – in the north. The fighting will likely go south as well. The dragons are really for the war against the dead – never to burn the living. Jon was always meant to divert Daenerys to this more important job.

    Really Tyrion’s storyline must now take him to lay the foundation for a lasting peace for Westeros. So others may call it a betrayal- but he will play a central role in finding an inclusive peace.

  299. ice Hunter,

    I also really enjoy the Jaime and Brienne relationship. It was well crafted and I think it is the great romance of GOT. I expect it to develop fully in this Season 8. Good luck to them both – warriors and knights to the core.

    We get a lot of complaints about D&D writing but they were able to do both the jaime/cersei and jaime/brienne stories and still have us understand the deep connection btw Jaime and Brienne. NCW has also played it very well.

  300. I think the night battle makes a lot of sense considering “the long night” is talked about a lot, we’ve being lucky with the day fights but I imagine this is gonna take them by surprise plus it will be a better budget than the former night battles
    Che,

    Yes that was Alan Taylor the director of the wight hunt last season, he said in the earlier seasons he spoke to George and he said a main theme of the story was the converging storylines of Jon and Daenerys though I imagine them meeting will be different in the books, perhaps facing FakeAegon together in a dance of dragons

  301. Jack Bauer 24,

    Completely agree. Night is far more terrifying, and we’ve predominantly seen the WW during the day anyway. Also, the battle clearly will rage on through to the following day. I’ll be surprised if not.

  302. Jack Bauer 24:
    https://mobile.twitter.com/thronesfacts/status/1103410656881987585

    This may have been posted, I haven’t read all the posts yet. But that could be 2 people either chasing Arya, or running away from something else with Arya. Does the one on the left look like Sam and the right Pod? Or just 2 wights?

    Oh neat! For some reason I feel like they aren’t chasing her, more running from what she’s running from. They don’t ‘look’ like wights. But if they were ‘new’ wights it could be! Although I don’t think that would be enough to freak her out. Cool capture.

  303. Do you think it’s Bran in the (left) background of the scene showing Dany closing her eyes? To me it looks like a wheelchair… Maybe his voice over is adressed to her? Home… I think this fits to Dany’s arc (Jon has already been home before he left and why would he say this to Sansa or Arya and their journey home – they met in the last season, so this kind of dialogue would have taken place back then).

  304. But Bronn going North makes no sense given his character. He won’t put himself at risk for no reason particularly in a fight which is highly likely to lead to his death. While he’s always been a bit of a loveable rogue he’s never put himself in a battle he’s unlikely to win (see Tyrion’s trial).

  305. Agreed. The freeze frames I have seen have me believing it is Ghost running amongst horses at the very least. Could be other wolves as well. In the middle of the frame, a white tail not of the horse type, is clearly visible. We were promised Ghost! He is back!

  306. In one of the trailer breakdown videos, the reviewer cleverly shows how whatever/whoever is chasing Arya has clearly been CGI’d out with black blobs purposefully so we won’t get the spoil (bastards!). This same reviewer also shows that you can see a shadow on the wall behind Arya of someone/something chasing her. I am very intrigued!

  307. Is it just me or does Qyburn’s face make it seem like he’s concerned rather than pleased to announce something to Cersei?

  308. steff666,

    White Walkers are killed by Dragon Glass/Valyrian Steel. Same with Wights (who can also be killed by fire). If White Walkers aren’t capable of surviving either, perhaps a Wight killed in such a way cannot be raised again..? Just a thought.

  309. Jack Bauer 24: Yeah I guess that would make sense. I think we’re due for Jon/NK duel though. They’ve had the 2 stare downs (one at HH and the other in Beyond The Wall) so it’s time for a physical clash.

    But what’s stopping NK from just swooping in and burning down WF and/or the frontlines? I am expecting at least an airborne battle with NK/Viserion and Jon/Rhaegal and or Dany/Drogon.

    I assume Dany could be distracting the NK on Drogon to give the audience a reason why he just doesn’t burn Winterfell, or maybe he does and Winterfell burns, they just couldn’t add the blue flames in the trailer.

  310. Jack Bauer 24:
    https://mobile.twitter.com/thronesfacts/status/1103410656881987585

    This may have been posted, I haven’t read all the posts yet. But that could be 2 people either chasing Arya, or running away from something else with Arya. Does the one on the left look like Sam and the right Pod? Or just 2 wights?

    Wouldn’t it be interesting if they didn’t burn LF and he’s the one chasing Arya. Someone she has already killed coming back to haunt her. That’s one reason she could be terrified.

  311. kevin1989,

    So if George R R Martin draws inspiration of Game Of Thrones from amongst other things, the War of the Roses, Henry VII over threw Richard III to become king. Look at Henry VII parentage,

    Catherine of Valois (27 October 1401 – 3 January 1437[1]) was the queen consort of England from 1420 until 1422. A daughter of Charles VI of France, she married Henry V of England,[2] and gave birth to his heir Henry VI of England. Her liaison (and possible secret marriage) with Owen Tudor proved the springboard of that family’s fortunes, eventually leading to their grandson’s elevation as Henry VII

    The twists and turns if history are as good as any fantasy novel, indeed the basis of most, romance does happen, it’s human nature.

  312. Oscar Snow,

    Not just you. Qyburn really looks higly concerned and displeased, and it looks like he’s displeased with Cersei’s actions, which says something.

    Based on the location, Cersei’s attire and so on, it looks like this is the scene where she’s meeting Jon (allegedly in Ep 4). So, things look pretty bad to Jon, though I believe he’ll make it out anyway
  313. Goose of Winter,

    Jon has also been inspired by Jonh I of Portugal – the Bastard or the Great, so there’s quite a big chance that he’ll get a bit of happy ever after.

  314. I wonder about Sam, Jorah and Heartsbane. EW has spoiled that Sam will actually wield a sword, but we see Heartsbane with Jorah outside WF. So, will Jorah die and Sam will take Heartsbane from his hands? Could be poetic, but in such case Jorah will have to make it back inside WF (possible).

    However, there’s one more potential explanation. We saw Gendry forging something. So, if he’ll be trying to reinvent Valyrian steel, I can see Sam being involved in that process. Therefore, there’s a possiblility that he’ll get the first balde of newly forged Valyrian steel for testing or similar. That would be poetic, too.

  315. Jack Bauer 24,

    Interestin shot of Arya’s chasers. For some reason I’m thinking of the Golden Company and the Ironborn. The man in the centre seems to have body armor and it looks goldish and rather bright considering that the shot is darkened. But what would be Ironborn and GC doing in WF? Unless, it’s the end of the season and/or it’s not WF at all.

    In gerneral, D&D are just bloody prankers:)

  316. What if GC arrive before AOTD, with Iron Born and Lannisters. Jamie won’t fight Lanisters, he intends to fulfil his vow to fight the dead “but not Lanisters” . The North defeat Cersei’s alliance. NK shows up raises all the dead and has GC wights on his side.

    Everyone is stuffed. Except those that can escape on dragons.

  317. Pigeon,

    I was noticing light. In the scenes with Jon and Arandles without screens. Just candles.

    Several scenes of Winterfell’s crypts have that same lighting. But in the scenes with Arya running, it seems like the lighting is more like lighting in The Red Keep where Arya was running when she was younger, chasing cats,etc. I’m just not convinced the opening scenes of her running take place in the crypts of Winterfell. I may be wrong. It’s a hunch. Thanks so much for showing the people behind her. I think they’re chasing her. Maybe she is trying to lure them somewhere? She’s definitely got a sense of urgency, and she seems frightened too.

  318. Pigeon,

    Sorry. My computer gobble up some of my post. I wanted to say that I was noticing the lighting in the Crypts and it’s candles. But in the scenes of Arya running it seems like there are screens around the candles.

    I wonder if she is in the Red Keep. I think the people we see behind her are chasing her.

  319. Roz’s Ghost: But in the scenes with Arya running, it seems like the lighting is more like lighting in The Red Keep where Arya was running when she was younger, chasing cats,etc. I’m just not convinced the opening scenes of her running take place in the crypts of Winterfell.

    The metal wall sconce torches we see her running past are unique to the corridors in Winterfell. The Red Keep primarily has pedestal fixtures and “basket” fixtures on the floor.

  320. Clob,

    Yes, by every featureit should be FW and it should be the morning after the battle for the dawn. Which only proves that the story is going some totally unconventional way.

  321. Interesting interview EW just posted with Vladmir the NK actor
    https://twitter.com/JamesHibberd/status/1103706616543805441

    What can we expect from him in the final season?

    “People will see he has a target he wants to kill, and you will find out who that is. There’s also  that moment [in “Hardhome”] when Jon Snow was on the boat and the Night King looked at him and raised his arms — there’s a similar and even stronger moment between Jon and the Night King this time.”

    Do you have an all-time favorite Night King scene?
    “That’s still coming.”

    I also didn’t know he played the WW that Jon killed at HH.

    Hibberd said EW will have daily coverage until the series ends.

  322. Jack Bauer 24:
    Interesting interview EW just posted with Vladmir the NK actor
    https://twitter.com/JamesHibberd/status/1103706616543805441

    What can we expect from him in the final season?

    “People will see he has a target he wants to kill, and you will find out who that is. There’s also that moment [in “Hardhome”] when Jon Snow was on the boat and the Night King looked at him and raised his arms — there’s a similar and even stronger moment between Jon and the Night King this time.”

    Do you have an all-time favorite Night King scene?
    “That’s still coming.”

    I also didn’t know he played the WW that Jon killed at HH.

    Hibberd said EW will have daily coverage until the series ends.

    To follow up, maybe Arya is the target he’s referring to because of catspaw?

  323. Jack Bauer 24,

    I just saw that too and was going to comment on it! 🙂

    That quote is really interesting and has me curious. I think most people have been assuming that the NK mainly just wants to “kill all humans” and perhaps head to the Gods Eye for one reason or another. He says that the NK has a single living individual that he’s going after to kill. That would be frightening for that person to know!!

    One would guess that it’s likely Jon but he’s had him his sight twice and didn’t seem to be… I don’t know… trying that desperately to get him specifically. Maybe Daenerys? Hmmmm

  324. Clob: That seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through over a dagger…

    True lol. I’m interested in the “similar and stronger moment” he refers to between Jon and him this time around.

  325. I suppose it’s very possible the target could be Bran. He didn’t head for the Wall before when he may have had a vision that Bran would be coming, then when he found out where he was he made a bee-line for the cave. lost him and knows he’s now on the other side of the Wall

  326. Clob,

    Interesting quotes from the NK.

    I think he’s referring to Daenerys too, but I haven’t really given it much thought since I’m stuck at work. Although, the NK also had a chance to get her last season, but he went for Viserion instead, so maybe it’s not her either.

    Or…maybe it’s Gilly’s baby, the one Craster baby that got away?

    Definitely could be Bran too.

  327. Clob,
    That interview from NK gives away quite a lot. Very nice…Now we can speculate on who he wants to kill.

    Bran is an option – the 3 eyed raven? is there a long enmity with the raven who gave a gift to Bran in that cave. I think it may be Bran
    “Rhollor” is an option – the Lord of Fire/Light, the enemy to Ice. He seems to have quite a few representatives in the game. Including Melisandre who may be the physical target
    Daenerys is an option – why did the dragons come back to her? He did not spear her in that stupid episode
    Jon is an option – what did Rheager find in the scrolls that he wanted to create another son? He would have thrown the spear at him if this what he wanted
    Jaime is an option – back to the “Burn them all” events with Aerys. I think he wants to kill one of the magic characters not a ordinary human

  328. Clob:
    I suppose it’s very possible the target could be Bran.He didn’t head for the Wall before when he may have had a vision that Bran would be coming, then when he found out where he was he made a bee-line for the cave.lost him and knows he’s now on the other side of the Wall

    Yeah could definitely be Bran. I someone mention Arya online because the catspaw dagger was shown in Sam’s book, so it definitely does/will have significance.

  329. Could it be Melisandre? We know she’s old, but is she old enough to have a previous history with the NK?

  330. Clob,

    This may also explain why NK simply ignored Sam. Who would want to kill Sam…the man who first killed a white walker.

  331. “There’s also that moment [in “Hardhome”] when Jon Snow was on the boat and the Night King looked at him and raised his arms — there’s a similar and even stronger moment between Jon and the Night King this time.”

    😱

    Boy, this gets the mind working overtime. That cold s.o.b is going to raise a bunch of our heroes to join his army.

    Yikes

  332. Mr Derp,

    Yes, it could be Craster Kid Sam that Gilly has been lugging around. But why would he kill him??

    I think Bran should be the leading suspect.

  333. Jon Snowed,

    I agree with you, but remember, Cersei likely wants him dead. She asked Jaime if he was going to punish Bronn for arranging the meeting with Tyrion. And the slight look of consternation that Brienne gave Bronn and Pod as they left the Dragonpit was worrisome. We know Pod lives to at least Ep3, but something’s definitely up with Bronn. Death by NK would be preferable to death by Cersei!

  334. Oscar Snow,

    Several people have noted that he looks appalled by whatever Cersei is up to in that moment. And if it’s too appalling for Qyburn, of all people… daaammmnnn.

  335. The only person I can think of NK needing to kill is Bran. The actor says he didn’t wanna become the NK and wants revenge. The only person alive related to the Children of the Forest is Bran. Before Bran there was the old 3ER. He wants to kill the power of the old gods IMO. Perhaps hoping the magic making him the NK would be undone.

    Jon or Dany are too obvious.

  336. Mango:
    Clob,

    This may also explain why NK simply ignored Sam. Who would want to kill Sam…the man who first killed a white walker.

    When did NK ignore Sam? That was one of the NK’s generals in the S2 finale.

  337. Mr Derp:
    Clob,

    Interesting quotes from the NK.

    I think he’s referring to Daenerys too, but I haven’t really given it much thought since I’m stuck at work.Although, the NK also had a chance to get her last season, but he went for Viserion instead, so maybe it’s not her either.

    Or…maybe it’s Gilly’s baby, the one Craster baby that got away?

    Definitely could be Bran too.

    I just wrote on the other thread that I don’t reckon the person he is after was at the wight hunt showdown. He has the ability to throw a spear at lightning speed across vast distances and hit a moving target; he had plenty of opportunities to kill any one of them, and yet he didn’t, he went straight for the dragon because he needed it to break down the wall.

    So I reckon if he really has a personal vendetta against someone as is willing to destroy humanity as part of that vengeance, it will be someone who wasn’t at that wight hunt. The only other three, that I can think of, who have a link to him are Bran (obvious choice), Baby Sam (who I don’t reckon he wants to kill) and Mel (who is a main Lord of Light player from our standpoint – but not really in her religion – so why would he go after her specifically?).

    I don’t reckon it’s Arya – to me that is too tenuous a link. Yes she has the dagger and it is clearly going to be important as it was in the book and it has been a player in the fate of this story since the very beginning, but Arya’s storyline hasn’t really had anything to do with the NK’s so far. If he is going to all this trouble to kill Arya out of revenge, then that is going to be a big WTF is going on moment? Where did that come from?

    I reckon it is likely Bran that he is after – despite it being the obvious choice – I thibk it will be for an unexpected reason and that Bran is actually capable of great evil (either through time travelling madness or by mistake).

  338. Inga:
    I wrote it in an earlier thread, but I think it’s worth to copy it here, too.

    It’s regarding Cersei drinking wine with tears in her eyes. IMO this can mean only one thing: she’s taking some stuff to abort the child. She’s wearing the same dressing-gown she put on in Queen’s Justice after spending the night with Jaime. So, she is in her bedchamber, she’s half-dressed and she’s about to drink something with tears in her eyes. To me it just screams of the abortion. And Cersei is capable of that: Jaime mentioned that to Loras back in 402 that, even if Loras manged to impregnate her somehow, she would abort his children. And now Jaime is in the same cathegory: Cersei sees him as a traitor, so killing his child would be like a due revenge. And that would be a proper closure to her character arch: descending into full madness and dehumanisation.

    Didn’t Euron say something about blackmailing Cersei? Perhaps he threatens to withdraw his navy unless she loses the child? Either that or she does it to protect her unborn child from Dany.

  339. Wow another great find Jack, let the speculation commence!

    My guess is the target is either Bran, Jon or Dany. I am guessing he reanimates one of the main characters who falls in battle. This could be the person that Arya is running from too. Maybe the Hound or Melisandre?

  340. If he wanted Jon they could have done it during the White Hunt. Bran is most likely but don’t rule out Baby Sam too he was meant to be an offering.

  341. Mr Derp,

    Or…maybe it’s Gilly’s baby, the one Craster baby that got away?

    Ive wondered that for a while now. A gun placed seasons ago may very well be fired now.

  342. Che,

    I think Bran is certainly the obvious choice, but I’m not so sure it’s him.

    If Bran had stayed beyond the Wall does that mean the NK never would’ve tried to breach the Wall in the first place since his target was already there?

    If Bran sacrificed himself would that put an end to the Night King’s reign of terror on Westeros? If Bran is what the NK is ultimately after then the answer would have to be, yes.

    However, if the NK was planning on breaching the Wall regardless then it’s not Bran that the NK is ultimately after.

  343. Jon Snowed,

    I think it might be far worse than that. Remember when Arya asked Beric if the Lord of Light could bring back a man without a head? And what a big deal it was to return Ned’s remains to Winterfell? How f****d up would that be?

  344. Laura,

    Person in front of Cersei is most definitely Harry Strickland but to our left/Cersei’s right…I’m not so sure.

    It would make sense that it was Euron, delivering Harry directly to Cersei to ‘cash in’ on their agreement but, the extremely fuzzy zoom in gives me the impression of a female silhouette.

    Perhaps Yara? I also can’t shift that it might me Melisandre for some reason; she’s made her way round all the other ‘players’ why not Cersei?

  345. The beginning Arya scene has me the most worried.(though I’ve heard GRRM’s wife told him that’s the one character he cant kill)

    Could the line Bran says, “Everything you did brought you where you’re now. Where you belong. Home.” be him talking to the Night King?

  346. Churchofwhatshappeningnow:

    “Could the line Bran says,“Everything you did brought you where you’re now. Where you belong. Home.” be him talking to the Night King?”

    I’ve pondered that line. It would be kind of redundant to tell that to Jon or Arya. And I don’t think NK is a sentimental kind of guy, or a lonely stranger like a stranded E.T. trying to make his way home.

    I think that line would really resonate if Bran says it to… Daenerys.

    She’s been without a home for as long as she can remember. For all the great things she accomplished overseas, she was a foreigner in Essos – a “stranger in a strange land.” She may have been born on Dragonstone but there’s nobody there. According to everyone, KL is a foul-smelling dump in desperate need of urban renewal (e.g., raze the whole city and build luxury waterfront high rises along with affordable housing for the working class.)

    Her only family – nephew Jon/Aegon and his cousins Arya, Sansa and Bran – are in WF. Her sister in law is buried there in the Crypts, along with the Stark patriarch who sacrificed so much to keep her brother Rhaegar’s son safe. I’m assuming Arya will instantly take a liking to her, and Sansa… maybe after a while.

    Once the truth about Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar comes out (i.e., true love instead of the bogus “rape and kidnapping” story), along with her familial ties to the Starks, won’t WF be the only place she can call “home”?

    That’s my cornball speculation.

  347. Inga:
    Mackenna,

    And abortions is exactly what egoists do – sooner or later, figurativly or literarly.

    WHOA WHOA WHOA. This will not stand. Are you seriously suggesting that women who have abortions are acting out of egotism? I call foul.

  348. I am wondering why everyone assumes that Bran’s vision of the dragon’s shadow over King’s Landing is a premonition of the future, rather than simply one of his visits to scenes from the past. Almost none of his visions involve the future. And there were a couple of centuries’ worth of Westerosi history during which a dragon cruising above KL would not have been an uncommon sight.

  349. ash:
    Mr Derp,

    Ive wondered that for a while now.A gun placed seasons ago may very well be fired now.

    I think this may be the answer to Vladimir’s riddle. The fact that Craster boasted of having given up 99 sons immediately raises the question of whether 100 was going to be the magic number that satisfied some contract or something. (Centurions?) It definitely has the feel of a hung gun.

    The most compelling argument against this scenario is book-based only: Gilly going away with Mance’s baby after the secret swap, leaving Craster’s last son at Castle Black with Val, awaiting sacrifice by Melisandre for his presumed king’s blood.

  350. Ten Bears: I’ve pondered that line. It would be kind of redundant to tell that to Jon or Arya. And I don’t think NK is a sentimental kind of guy, or a lonely stranger like a stranded E.T. trying to make his way home.

    I think that line would really resonate if Bran says it to… Daenerys.

    She’s been without a home for as long as she can remember. For all the great things she accomplished overseas, she was a foreigner in Essos – a “stranger in a strange land.”She may have been born on Dragonstone but there’s nobody there. According to everyone, KL is a foul-smelling dump in desperate need of urban renewal (e.g., raze the whole city and build luxury waterfront high rises along with affordable housing for the working class.)

    Her only family – nephew Jon/Aegon and his cousins Arya, Sansa and Bran – are in WF. Her sister in law is buried there in the Crypts, along with the Stark patriarch who sacrificed so much to keep her brother Rhaegar’s son safe. I’m assuming Arya will instantly take a liking to her, and Sansa… maybe after a while.

    Once the truth about Lyanna Stark and Rhaegarcomes out (i.e., true love instead of the bogus “rape and kidnapping” story), along with her familial ties to the Starks, won’t WF be the only place she can call “home”?

    That’s my cornball speculation.

    I really like that view/speculation- it makes sense to me at least.

  351. Clarkville: Scene with Cersei, looking teary eyed, but somewhat smiling, and drinking a glass of wine. Even though she is pregnant!

    The idea that you should not drink while pregnant is, to say the least, a very modern one!

  352. There’s a lot of talk about Cersei drinking that glass of wine because she had a miscarriage, but what if she was never pregnant to begin with? What if she was only claiming to be to manipulate Tyrion and Jaime? She knows Tyrion loved his niece and nephew(s) and feels extremely guilty for everything he did that directly and indirectly led them to their doom. About the only thing that would compel him to betray Daenerys would be to protect his unborn niece or nephew. He feels he has a lot to atone for, and Cersei knows it. She knows as Hand to the Queen, he wields a lot of power and is privy to information that she could use to her advantage. She also knows that Tyrion would never turn against Daenerys solely because of lingering Lannister loyalty. His allegiance to the Lannisters shit the bed the second he killed his father. Be that as it may though, he loves and respects his brother and feels remorse for the demise of their family in general, and Jaime’s children specifically… if he believes that Jaime fathered another child with their sister, there’s no way he would continue to support Daenerys if he thought that in doing so, it might lead to the destruction of his unborn niece or nephew. He would sooner die than live through that again.

    As for Jaime, Cersei knows her grasp on him is more and more tentative by the day. Faking a pregnancy to keep your lover around is the oldest trick in the book. She knows he’s drifting away… she also knows from past experience that he’ll keep himself locked in a shitty situation to protect his offspring. I’m sure she thought it would work this time, too.

    Think about it though. When is the last time we’ve actually seen them go to bone town? It’s been a while. Sure, maybe it’s gone on behind the scenes, but my guess is that it hasn’t… after the initial joy of the announcement wore off, maybe Jaime did some math and realized that the odds of him fathering a child were slim. He also knows for a fact that Cersei is a crazy bitch who will stop at nothing to maintain power, and so he put two and two together and decided to bolt.

    TL;DR maybe Cersei isn’t pregnant at all, but only claiming to be to manipulate her brothers.

  353. I think the undead horse is approaching Karhold or The Last Harth not winterfell because there would be a lot more lights if winterfell was in sight I could be wrong maybe it is Winterfell. We’ll see in about 32 Days or + 2 weeks if it s at winterhell I mean fell 😂😂.

  354. I have never seen anyone comment or notice this but in the pilot episode when Robert arrives in the winterfell castle and begins interacting with all the starks everyone of the people Robert Baratheon touches have already died starting with Ned then Catelyn, Rickon, Rob. He did not touch Bran, Sansa, Aria, or John. On the Kingsroad episode Jaime Lannister shakes Jon Snow’s hand with the same hand he would later lose and during the scene the focus is on his hand. Coincidence ?

  355. Ramsay’s 20th Good Man,

    Maybe he could be Daario Nahaaris who is come with Strickland pledging and offering his help to Cersei in order to fight against Dany and Jon. Supposedly he never accepted getting rid from Dany and he would defy Dany’ s new fiancè Jon.
    We should remember that Daario was a former Golden Company mercenary before he joined the Second Sons.

  356. Cliohna: But it definitely does not look like Euron.

    I think I maybe have to stand corrected. After a few more examinations it could be Euron’s cloak after all…😅

    Cliohna: I would like that very much if the hints to her archery skills pay off in some kind.

    Edit: …in some way.

  357. More on Arya’s dragon glass spear and what it opens up for me:
    First, it is not an atlatl because it has no recurrent leverage. I expect Arya to use it as a double-ended lance that can be pulled into two short components for close quarter fights. Second, I expect her to toss it to Jon on the back of Rhaegal (fulfilling the storyline connection) for him to use to bring down Viserys. In my prediction, Jon and Dany have already tried and failed to bring down the NK on V using just dragon muscle and dragon fire. Jon succeed by using Arya’s spear, but in doing do he falls from Rhaegal and dies. Jon and Dany have already been on the outs prior to the battle, thank as to his newfound status, which both of them have a hard time handling.
    Despite this estrangement, Dany is heartbroken over Jon’s death and is grieving terribly. That wont last long because Bronn will kill her with one well-placed crossbow bolt, bringing to fruition the caution that Jorah Mormont expressed last season. Why Bronn? Symbolically, he is the most prominent possessor of a significant crossbow and the only one to hit a dragon (stand-in for Dany) with one. Why? I dont know. Probably for money, or to get Cercei off his back for failing to kill Jaime and Tyrion.
    Of course the royal lovers must die, otherwise they would be TOO in-line for the throne, either jointly or either one. Who is left to claim the iron throne? No matter if any Stark is left alive, they have no legitimate claim. Sansa could wage a claim, Arya would not be interested. Samwell has no claim, nor majesty. Ellaria Sand, If she survived, as her name suggests, is a bastard and would have a difficult time reviving support from House Martell. Gendry would be the only character with a claim to the throne. We assume that Cercei does not survive. There is also Robyn Arryn. Peter Dinklage did say the ending would be bittersweet and Robyn on throne would be as bittersweet as it comes. Notice that the above mentioned ‘best’ candidates are each a child of the 3 usurpers, bringing the story full circle. I favor Robyn because it has been said that no one has guessed the victor, and I find him and Ellaria to be the least remembered.

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