We’re still several months away from the return – and the end – of Game of Thrones, but HBO just threw us a bone with a new look at season 8. Of course, in true Game of Thrones promo fashion, there’s no actual new footage in the video, but that doesn’t mean aren’t hunting for clues anyway. Let’s take a closer look.
The real takeaway here is that the “song of ice and fire” has finally enveloped Westeros. As the White Walker ice drenches the North, we see the South in flames. Of particular note here is the burning of King’s Landing and the Lannister lion sigil. This could merely be a symbolic hint that Daenerys will somehow thwart Cersei, or it could be quite literal. Don’t forget Dany’s House of the Undying vision back in season 2, where she walked through a destroyed King’s Landing throne room dusted with snow. Fans have debated what exactly that scene means for years now;Â was “snow” on the throne an early hint of Jon’s lineage, or is it more literal?The teaser doesn’t give any real clarity, but it’s interesting how bluntly it shows the Lannister’s hold in flames. Another interesting tidbit: near the end of the video, just before the Game of Thrones title hits the screen, we see the fire and ice clash, creating a wall of molten rock smack in the middle of Westeros. Again, maybe this is pure symbolism, but what if it’s teasing that “bittersweet” ending George R.R. Martin has talked about from the beginning? Is there anything more bittersweet than another war that results in even more division and a brand new wall?
It also looks as if the fire and ice meet at the Trident, a river in Westeros where Rhaegar Targaryen was famously slain by Robert Baratheon and Robert’s Rebellion ended. If this is more than just symbolism, it looks like the final battle could bring us back full circle, proving that the history of Westeros is doomed to repeat itself.Of course, this is pure speculation for now. We’ll have to wait and see what this all means when Game of Thrones returns for its final season in April 2019.
Images: HBO
