One of the many teasers for Game of Thrones Season 8 seemed to tease the deaths of major characters in the War for the Dawn.
Warning! Spoilers for Game of Thrones lie ahead!
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The final season of Game of Thrones is almost certain to be a bloodbath as the remaining characters face off against the Army of the Dead. The show has never been shy about killing off its heroes, even main cast members who seemed to drive the series. One promotional video in particular has fans’ attention, as it foreshadows the death of just about everybody.
[Spoilers] if you think this has a happy ending then you haven’t been paying attention… from r/gameofthrones
The promo, titled “Aftermath,” shows Winterfell in ruins. There are no people in the video, but evidence of their downfall is everywhere. Fans have broken down the powerful imagery of the video, which shows the signature possessions of many beloved main characters lying in the snow, suggesting the demise of their owners.
“If you think this has a happy ending then you haven’t been paying attention,” reads one Reddit post by user CaseG60. It points out the origins of five of these emblematic objects visible in “Aftermath.”
The video shows Tyrion Lannister‘s Hand of the Queen pin in the snow, lying in a sliver of light in an otherwise dark shot of the castle’s prison cells. Meanwhile Arya Stark‘s beloved sword Needle is jammed into the floor in what might be the castle forge, suggesting a connection to her friend Gendry the smith.
In the courtyard, Jaime Lannister‘s golden hand lies in the snow. Past that, Daenerys Targaryen‘s royal chain dangles from the wheel of an overturned wagon, perhaps alluding to her famous “break the wheel” monologue. Finally, Jon Snow’s Valyrian steel sword, Longclaw, is half buried in the snow, its wolf’s head pommel peaking out.
The trailer also shows what some fans believe is the shattered remains of Bran Stark’s wheelchair lying at the bottom of the courtyard stairs. At the very end of the trailer, the silhouette of a figure can be seen walking into the empty courtyard through the snow drifts.
Some fans are taking the ominous trailer at face value. In a show like this, there is no guarantee that all of those beloved characters and more won’t die in the War for the Dawn. In fact, all of them would arguably give up their lives if it meant ending the threat of the White Walkers once and for all.
On the other hand, some fans feel that not all of those characters will die, and therefore the teaser tells us nothing. Still, other symbolism shines through. For example, Tyrion’s pin lying the prison could suggest that he will be locked up for treason if Daenerys finds out about the deal he struck with Cersei behind closed doors. Meanwhile, Arya’s sword in the forge — if that’s where it is — could tease some developments in her fan-favorite relationship with Gendry.
Fans will just have to tune in to find out for sure. Game of Thrones airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
